Chapter 772: Gathering at eight o'clock
The professor's team consists of a total of 12 people. Except for the professor himself and his two students, the rest are security personnel. Brooks personally leads the team.
On March 11, the group set out from Rome and took a cargo ship to the Belgian Congo. They successfully arrived in Cabinda on the 27th.
Maxim thought that the professor himself would go to the Port Authority to declare the matter in person, or at least Brooks would do it.
Unexpectedly, Brooks declared entry in the name of Maxim, so Maxim became the leader of the scientific expedition team.
"Aren't we going treasure hunting? Why did it become a scientific investigation?"
Marco didn't even understand the content of the investigation.
“Shh——”
Maxim looked solemn and did not want to discuss this issue with Marco.
When setting off from Rome, Maxim felt something was wrong.
In Brooks' words, their team, except for Maxim and Marco, had no adventure experience and lacked experience in wild survival. This is why Brooks invited Maxim and Marco to join.
But from the materials prepared by Brooks, Maxim believed that the other party did not lack experience in wild survival.
There are many areas in the interior of Africa that are unexplored virgin forests. The expedition team needs to prepare a lot of materials, such as weapons and ammunition, medicines, supplies, daily necessities, etc. A little negligence may lead to the failure of the expedition team. completely annihilated.
Based on Maxim's experience, Brooks seemed a little too well prepared, and there were some things that Maxim had never heard of, such as mosquito repellent.
With the advancement of science and technology, the relationship between mosquitoes and infectious diseases is being accepted by more and more people. However, limited to economic level, the most popular way for explorers to prevent mosquitoes is physical isolation, such as mosquito repellent. A high-tech product that only exists in legendary laboratories.
Many of the medicines prepared by Brooks were also something Maxim had never seen before, and some of the instruments could only be used in surgery.
This means there is at least one professional surgeon on the team.
In 1925, the number of surgeons was very rare. During Maxim’s expedition career, he had never joined an expedition team equipped with a surgeon.
Except for Maxim and Marco, the rest of the security personnel are the same as Brooks, with a standard butcher build. There are two firemen in the team who can shoot with a light machine gun in one hand——
Wait a minute, we are going on an adventure, why are there firemen?
It's not a coup.
The explanation given by Brooks is to beat the elephant.
This explanation made Maxim feel as if elephants were more threatening than lions and crocodiles.
Even if Brooks talks about hyena, it is easier for Maxim to accept it.
After understanding the team configuration, Maxim was not surprised at all when he saw all the military standard equipment——
There are still surprises.
The rifle provided by the team was a Lee Enfield equipped by the British army. This once made Maxim suspect that Brooks was British. After all, equipment habits are difficult to change.
After reuniting with the team, Maxim keenly noticed that the daggers carried by almost everyone, including Brooks, were the traditional Chasik sabers of the Cossacks.
This made Maxim doubt Brooks' identity.
Rifles, after a period of training, there is actually not much difference between Lee Enfield and Yuriev. Soldiers are not qualified to pick and choose on the battlefield, they can just pick them up and use them.
The dagger is the last weapon of a soldier. It is only used in life and death situations. At this time, getting used to it is more important.
Maxim’s dagger was a gift from Maxim’s father and has been with Maxim for nearly 20 years.
Even if Maxim was given a dagger made of gold and precious stones, Maxim would not change it.
The expedition team only stayed in Cabinda for one day, and then transferred to a small boat to continue heading inland along the Congo River.
When we left Cabinda, although there were still 12 official members of the team, several new faces were replaced. Brooks also hired more than 20 porters, and the size of the team expanded rapidly.
Maxim was surprised to find that the insect professor named Brown was actually proficient in the local language of Congo and could communicate with the locals without any barriers.
"The professor is a language genius and knows 11 languages."
There was a touch of envy in Brooks's words. Only then did Maxim realize that Brooks' French had an obvious Balkan accent.
Why didn’t I find it when I was in Rome?
Brown is not only a language genius, but also very good at teaching and educating people. Before the team arrived at Leopoldville, the capital of the Belgian Congo, several porters had already begun to try to communicate with Maxim in French.
Maxim felt that Brown was not here to examine insects, but to preach.
The Belgians were very wary of the explorer team. When entering Leopoldville, the expedition team was severely interrogated by the local garrison.
Brooks spent 100 pounds and the team successfully entered Leopoldville.
Maxim was okay, Marco’s eyes were straight.
This is 100 pounds, which is equivalent to the annual income of an ordinary person. In Italy, 100 pounds is enough to make many people take risks.
Professor Brown is very rich and doesn't care about this expense at all. The expedition team stayed in the most luxurious hotel in Leopoldville, which was a new experience for Maxim and Marco.
Although the expedition team that Maxim was a part of before did not live on the streets, they could not afford to stay in such a luxury hotel.
Maxim was very cautious. After entering the hotel room, he chatted with Marco about the mystery of the expedition.
“Isn’t it a good thing that the expedition team has sufficient financial resources and sufficient preparations?”
Marco is still very satisfied with the configuration of the expedition team. "No, no, no, you don't understand. If you had this ability, would you go to the interior of Africa to investigate some so-called insect species?"
Maxim's sixth sense is very keen, which is his biggest reliance on becoming a senior adventurer.
"Why not, this is Professor Brown's job."
Marco is a novice adventurer who does not understand the dangers of the world.
“Is it necessary for entomologists to learn 11 languages?”
If Maxim knew 11 languages, he would choose to become a linguist.
Marco spread his hands, maybe he likes to study insects.
Some people work hard to make money and make their lives more secure.
Some people work hard for more choices.
The next day, Maxim discovered several new faces. Compared with when they set off, only the professor and his two students, Maxim, Marco, and Brooks were still in the team.
After dinner in the evening, Brooks took the initiative to invite Maxim to the bar for a drink.
The bar in the luxury hotel is still different from the bar on the street. There are no dancing girls and no pretentious guys. The music played by the band is actually Beethoven's "Destiny". Although the band composed of five people is a bit rudimentary , but it sounds full of charm.
"We are leaving tomorrow, do you have anything to ask?"
Brooks took the initiative to order a glass of Italian limoncello for Maxim.
Brooks wanted vodka.
"I really don't understand. Is studying insects so profitable?"
Maxim does have a lot of doubts.
“Congratulations, you have discovered our biggest secret. Our purpose is not actually for insects, but for the copper mines in Katanga.”
Brooks’ frankness made Mark Sim's hair stood on end.
If Maxim had known that Brooks would be so honest, Maxim would not have accepted Brooks' invitation.
Now that Maxim already knows the so-called biggest "secret" of the team, Maxim and Marco cannot leave easily.
“We are a resource development company, committed to developing energy around the world and providing a better life for mankind. This is actually no secret. Just like you looking for diamonds, we also You will get profits that are unimaginable by ordinary people.”
Brooks’s purpose does not conflict with Maxim’s.
Brooks' explanation did not eliminate Maxim's doubts.
If you are just looking for copper mines, there seems to be no need to be so secretive.
"There are some deeper reasons that I can't tell you now because you haven't really gained my trust yet - what I can tell you is that if you want to quit now it's still too late - if you want to seize this opportunity, tomorrow Meet in the hotel lobby at eight o'clock in the morning."
Brooks drank the wine in one gulp, stood up and left decisively.
The whole night, Maxim tossed and turned, thinking about what the "opportunity" Brooks mentioned was.
At six o'clock in the morning, Marco got up on time. After washing, he found Maxim still sitting on the bed, looking out the window in silence.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Marco's sleep quality was so high that he didn't notice Maxim's abnormality at all.
“I wonder if it is necessary for us to risk everything for an unknown opportunity.”
Maxim raised this question to a philosophical level.
"It depends on how big the reward of this opportunity is——"
Marco's feelings are still very simple, and he will work for whomever holds the bowl.
"The rewards are definitely huge, but the risks are also huge."
Maxim hesitated.
"Is it more risky than the adventure we take?"
Marco looked at Maxim like he was looking at an aristocratic lady moaning without any reason.
Maxim suddenly woke up.
Every adventure comes at the cost of life. During Maxim’s exploration career, some explorers lost their footing and fell off the cliff and died. Some explorers lost their footing and fell into the water and drowned. Some unlucky ones were bitten to death by poisonous snakes in their sleep. Being attacked and killed by local indigenous people was a common occurrence.
For an explorer, if he can join a strong team, his life can be protected to the greatest extent.
After thinking about this, Maxim no longer hesitated.
"Hurry up, hurry up, we have to meet in the lobby at eight o'clock, we have to take action immediately!"
Maxim grabbed the backpack he packed last night and rushed out the door.
The backpack was originally intended for escape.
(End of this chapter)