Siam, home to the Kra Isthmus Canal, offered distant views of the tumultuous sea waves and the narrow valley plains below.
A convoy of vehicles slowly entered and came to a halt, with Wang Lin, the chairman of Wanda Group from Hua Country, stepping down from the car.
By then, the area had already amassed numerous construction machines and workers. Accompanied by the Wanda Group staff, Wang Lin was here because his company had invested in logistics, hotels, and other infrastructure projects related to the Kra Isthmus Canal. It was also his first visit to the site.
However, Wang Lin's timing was unfortunate, as shortly after they disembarked, they saw some local residents nearby holding banners and protesting.
"We refuse the excavation of the canal, hand back our land."
"This is our homeland, those who harm the environment are criminals, and my God will not forgive you."
"Why so little compensation? I don't agree. The compensation must be tripled, or else I refuse to move."
Through an accompanying translator, Wang Lin understood the locals' protests.
"Mr. Wang, nice to meet you. Welcome to your investment inspection of the Kra Isthmus Canal. I am Ba Peng, the chief engineer and head of the Jieke Group at the Kra Isthmus Canal."
At that moment, personnel from the Jieke Group who had come to greet Wang Lin approached.
Ba Peng was from Siam and was the most renowned expert on bridge and road engineering in the country.
In the past, Siam had also intended to build a canal through the Kra Isthmus, and Ba Peng was the designated leader of the project, having extensively researched the Kra Isthmus Canal. However, due to national power and external pressures, among other reasons, the project had been indefinitely postponed.
Initially, Ba Peng never expected to see the canal completed in his lifetime until Jieke Group entered the picture.
Unlike Siam's passive stance, Jieke Group's approach was assertive.
The clamor from the outside world couldn't disrupt their canal construction plans, giving Ba Peng hope for its successful realization.
Wang Lin, not wanting to seem negligent, quickly extended his hand to shake with Ba Peng.
"Mr. Ba Peng, these..."
Wang Lin exchanged pleasantries and gestured towards the banner-wielding crowds.
"Has the land not been settled yet? If we start construction, it won't cause an uproar, will it?"
Wang Lin was somewhat anxious because, due to the previous success of the "Wedding Dress" movie produced by Jieke Group, his Wanda Group had gained the opportunity to invest in infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia and had been listed among Jieke Group's preferred collaborators.
The Kra Isthmus Canal was undoubtedly a focal project among these; though Wanda didn't own any shares of the canal itself, participating in the logistics, hotels, greening, and roads along the canal had proven highly profitable. Moreover, it served as a showcase of their capabilities within Southeast Asia.
When others saw that even the significant project like the Kra Isthmus Canal had Wanda's involvement, they would surely regard Wanda Group's capabilities in a new light, facilitating business deals and gaining market share in Southeast Asia.
"You worry too much, Mr. Wang. Jieke Group has already purchased the canal and the surrounding lands, compensating the locals adequately. These protestors are merely a few greedy individuals, coupled with foreign influences stirring up trouble."
Ba Peng spoke calmly. Jieke Group wasn't short on money; they had compensated sufficiently for the land acquisitions, removing several corrupt Siamese officials in the process.
Corruption was rampant in Siam, with instances where airport and highway constructions remained incomplete after ten years, with 80% of the funds unaccounted for being a common occurrence.
Even with Jieke Group paying generously, human greed is insatiable; people always want more.
"Warning, all outsiders must immediately leave the canal area or be treated as engaging in an attack, we hold the right to defend ourselves without limitations."
Suddenly, a large group of soldiers appeared on the scene, driving away the protesters.
In the Kra Isthmus Canal area, Jieke Group had stationed two divisions, with robust military strength easily summoning troops.
As the dark muzzles of guns were pointed at them, the faces of the protesting locals turned pale.
Confronted with Jieke Group's readiness to enforce the law ("gun laws") and reasoning ("ballistics"), everyone rapidly turned and fled.
In Siam, people had witnessed Jieke Group's decisive actions before; seeing their seriousness now, no one dared to stick around.
"That settles the matter, Mr. Wang, please, after you."
Ba Peng said, addressing a stunned Wang Lin.
Wang Lin pointed to the scene, questioning the aggressive military approach.
"That's how we handle things. If it were the police, these troublesome folks wouldn't be scared."
Ba Peng nodded, aware that this area of southern Siam had always had a separatist streak, with locals desiring to establish their own country.
Previously during Jieke Group's conflict with Siam, they had already dealt with these separatists here; mere police presence couldn't subdue them.
Speechless, Wang Lin reflected on Jieke Group's wartime growth and realized their approach was quite consistent with their history.
Entering the construction site, intense work was underway everywhere.
Various construction machinery flattened the ground, cleared the trees, and poured concrete, the constant roaring of machines filling the air with a bustling atmosphere.
Wearing a safety helmet, Wang Lin's gaze reached the planned excavation area of the canal.
Wang Lin's eyes widened as he saw the planned canal area, now a vast expanse of collapsed earth and rock, forming a massive canyon with a length of several kilometers and a width of a few hundred meters.