361: Chapter 359: Torpedo 361: Chapter 359: Torpedo “What I need to do is send a ship with a displacement of eight thousand tons to the bottom of the sea, so I need something powerful enough to do the job, and I don’t care what it is.”
After hearing Gao Yang’s words, Grand Ivan shrugged his shoulders and said, “Eight thousand tons isn’t very large.
Anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, sea mines, any of these three would work.”
Gao Yang leaned forward slightly and said, “Here’s the thing, I need to get to the Southern Ocean.
Whether the ship I need to destroy is in the South Atlantic or the South Pacific, the seas there are rough with big waves.
Therefore, small missile boats and torpedo boats can’t withstand the giant waves.
Hence, I was considering using sea mines, which seems more feasible.”
Grand Ivan didn’t seem impressed and said, “Sea mines are cheap, and you can lay them using a civilian ship.
But this requires a large number of mines and might not guarantee encountering your target.
So how about a frigate?
You have a very good option: Riga-class frigates, with a displacement of 1500 tons, equipped with three 100 mm naval guns and triple 533 mm torpedo launchers.
I have one, and for five million US dollars, I guarantee the ship will run and the torpedoes will work.
That’s all you’ll need, the torpedoes, right?
Another option, a Nanuchka-class corvette Type II, displacement of 660 tons, equipped with six SS-N-9 missiles.
Taking out an eight-thousand-ton civilian ship, ha, piece of cake.
Although this corvette was retired in 1992, I likewise guarantee the ship will operate, radar and electronic equipment will work, and of course, no issues with the missiles.
The price?
Just eight million US dollars.
Considering the price, both ships and their equipped weaponry are being sold at super low prices akin to scrap metal.
You cannot find a more suitable and cheaper weapon system.”
Gao Yang shook his head and said, “I need to get to the Southern Ocean and then find that ship.
Not to mention whether those two warships have the range for such a voyage, how can I sail them to the Southern Ocean without drawing attention?
Plus, whether it’s missiles or torpedoes, we don’t know how to use them.”
Grand Ivan shrugged his shoulders and said, “You want to buy weapons, and I sell weapons with a guarantee they’ll work.
How to use them, that’s your problem.”
Gao Yang thought for a while and said, “I need to take out a Japanese whaling ship, the Nisshin Maru.
That’s the minimum target.
If possible, I’d like to take out all four ships in their fleet, and their location is in the South Pacific.
Now let’s consider a different approach.
You provide me with a plan to take down the Nisshin Maru and help me execute it, and I’ll pay you.
What do you think of this way of cooperation?”
After speaking, Gao Yang looked at his watch and said, “Additionally, I hope all this can be done quickly, because the whaling fleet will leave their current whaling area in a month at the earliest.
I also must arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile, within forty-three hours, so we must also be quick in reaching an agreement and closing the deal.”
After hearing Gao Yang’s request, Grand Ivan fell into thought and, after a short while, got up and left.
He quickly returned to the living room with a globe and placed it in front of the sofa.
Occasionally spinning the globe and after looking at it for a while, Grand Ivan suddenly said, “We can’t use sea mines; it’s too difficult to achieve a targeted attack with mines.
Missiles require too much support infrastructure, which means we can only use warships.
But using a warship to attack a civilian ship is an act of war and also too likely to expose our identities.
Clearly, warships are not an option.
It seems we only have one choice left, torpedoes.
No fire control radar needed, not too many personnel, just enough for a torpedo boat.
And we don’t need warships.
We can install torpedo launchers on a civilian ship, an oceanic fishing vessel, which can carry enough torpedoes and not attract attention.
How do you like this plan?”
Gao Yang nodded and said, “I only care about results.
As long as I get what I want, any method works.
I think using an oceanic fishing vessel with torpedoes is quite feasible.
However, I have a question.
How long will it take to move the torpedoes onto the fishing vessel and then make it to the Southern Ocean?”
After pondering for a moment, Grand Ivan said solemnly, “Ten days, at most ten days, and it might even take less.”
Gao Yang thought for a moment and said, “That’s enough time.
Then how much would this plan cost?
As far as I know, torpedoes are more expensive than missiles and also require a complex control system.
So what type of torpedoes do you plan to use?
Wire-guided, homing, or perhaps a combination of guidance systems?”
Grand Ivan laughed and said, “What a joke.
You’re targeting a civilian ship, so there’s no need for such advanced torpedoes.
Straight-running torpedoes are already enough.
Only one is needed to send the Nisshin Maru to the bottom of the sea, and most importantly, straight-running torpedoes don’t require much equipment.
Just mount the torpedo tube onto the fishing vessel, find the target, launch, and everything is settled.”
Gao Yang gave a wry smile and said, “I don’t know much about torpedoes, but as far as I know, it seems no country is using straight-running torpedoes nowadays.
Are you sure the straight-running torpedoes we find now will still work?”
Grand Ivan laughed and said, “No problem.
During the Malvinas War, a British nuclear submarine sank an Argentinian cruiser with a straight-running torpedo, so we can definitely find workable straight-running torpedoes.
You don’t need to worry about that.”
Gao Yang immediately said, “Great, let’s do it that way.
So how much do you think it will cost?”
Grand Ivan immediately said, “One ship, and it just so happens I know of a suitable one that can be very well disguised.
The price is five million US dollars.
One 533 mm large straight-running torpedo, five hundred thousand US dollars.
The price might fluctuate, as to get the torpedoes mounted on the fishing vessel and out to sea quickly, I might need to source them from different channels.
You want to sink four ships, so let’s allocate six torpedoes, perhaps three million US dollars.
Additionally, one million US dollars for recruiting people, and one million for modifications and transportation costs.
So, the total cost should be ten million US dollars.”
The price Grand Ivan quoted was beyond Gao Yang’s imagination; he thought just the torpedoes would cost tens of millions.
It must be known that there are about thirty countries in the world that can manufacture missiles, but currently, there are only eight that can independently develop and make torpedoes, counting any that can produce them regardless of the quality of the torpedo.
The price of modern torpedoes is also much more expensive than missiles.
However, the straight-running torpedoes would certainly be very cheap, since they lack guidance systems.
Once launched from the tube, they can only travel in a straight line—if they hit the enemy ship, good; if not, too bad.
Such torpedoes were used in World War II and have basically been phased out in the torpedo sequences of major countries during enemy combat.
The only reason they are still retained is that they are cheap and are kept in reserve for targeting commercial ships.
After calculating his own financial situation, Gao Yang felt that it wouldn’t be too difficult to come up with ten million US dollars.
He smiled and said, “Very well, ten million.
That is a very good price.”
Grand Ivan shook his head repeatedly, smiling, “What are you thinking?
I said that’s only the cost price.
Mr.
Ram, if I give you these items, and then you can do everything else by yourself, then I will sell them to you at cost price.
But if you need me to operate personally and send someone to sink that fleet, at least thirty million US dollars.”
Gao Yang furrowed his brows, “Thirty million?
That’s too expensive.”
Grand Ivan replied seriously, “Not at all.
Just imagine what would be the consequences of sinking a Japanese civilian ship?
Have you not considered the subsequent political impact?
This will be a major event that will shock the world.
Without enough profit, sorry, I absolutely cannot put myself in the middle of the inevitable storm.”
Gao Yang knew that Ivan was right, and he also knew that it was impossible to accomplish this task by himself.
Firstly, he had no place to recruit crew members, especially professionals who knew how to operate and use torpedoes.
Even if he got a long-distance fishing vessel fitted with torpedoes, he wouldn’t know how to use them.
Secondly, if he didn’t want to be wanted by the entire world, it would be best to erase all traces, something he felt he definitely couldn’t do himself.
But if he entrusted everything to Grand Ivan, then there would be no need to worry at all, just the need to prepare a large sum of money.
After pondering for a moment, Gao Yang said in a deep voice, “Could you possibly disclose the specific action plan?”
“The target fleet is in the South Pacific, so the fishing vessel I need is in South America.
Within a sufficiently short period of time, I will find torpedoes and install torpedo tubes onto the fishing vessel.
Then, the vessel will set sail directly from South America, taking the shortest route to reach the South Pacific waters.”
Gao Yang took a breath and said, “Mr.
Ivan, I know the price you quoted isn’t high.
Gathering so many key elements together in such a short amount of time, I think no one else in the world could do it.
Moreover, compared to the risk of this operation, you really offered a friendly price.”
Grand Ivan was quite pleased with Gao Yang’s flattery, and said with a smile, “You are right, besides me, no one dares to guarantee that they could fulfill your request within a week.
I need to mobilize almost the entire world’s power to complete this task.”
Gao Yang gave a bitter smile, “Sir, I’m sorry, I know you have shown great sincerity and goodwill, but I still have to bargain with you.
It’s not that I want to, but at most, I can only come up with twenty million dollars.
That is my limit; I’d be emptying all my assets, that’s all there is.”
Grand Ivan immediately waved his hand and made an expression of regret, but before he could refuse, Uriyangko, who had remained silent so far, suddenly said, “Boss, Ram is a very good friend.
Now, I must tell you the truth, our business with the Somali Skull Gang was facilitated by Ram, not as I told you, all my credit.
Moreover, Ram has the power to decide whether the Skull Gang will continue to cooperate with us.
I’m very sure about this; you can verify what I’m saying.
Besides, Ram is really a very reliable friend.
I give up my cut in this deal, hoping that you can make this transaction with Ram.”
Grand Ivan stood up and paced back and forth a couple of times.
Looking at Uriyangko with a serious expression, he said, “You know, in this kind of business you get twenty percent of the profits.
So your words will cost you four million dollars and will make me lose six million in pure profit.
Moreover, this could have been the biggest deal you could have made.”
Uriyangko looked troubled, “I know.
Please, don’t remind me how much money I’m losing, I can’t take it.”
Grand Ivan laughed out loud, “The Vampire Uriyangko willing to lose four million to help a friend, now that’s a miracle; you are the vampire who wouldn’t let go of a single dollar.”
Still with a pained expression, Uriyangko pleaded, “Please, don’t mention the four million, really, don’t bring up that number again.
Damn it, before I change my mind, quickly make your deal.”
Grand Ivan extended his hand to Gao Yang with a serious look, “Twenty million US dollars, I’ll help you sink the Nisshin Maru to the bottom of the ocean, deal?”
Overjoyed, Gao Yang grasped Grand Ivan’s hand, “Deal!
Thank you, I’m very grateful you agreed, Mr.
Ivan.”
Grand Ivan laughed again, telling Gao Yang, “Uriyangko is willing to forego four million dollars, so it seems only fair that I lose six million in profit.
All right, for Uriyangko’s sake, I agree.
You know, this is an extremely rare concession for me, so you should thank Uriyangko.”
Uriyangko, helpless, covered his face with his hand, “Don’t even mention the four million, really, don’t say that word again.” (To be continued.
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