Chapter 124 Everyone Wants to Get Something for Nothing: Foolish People with Lots of Money, Come Quickly!

The door to the reception room opened, and several people came out.

Most of them were Chinese, and the Russian man standing in the middle was particularly eye-catching.

It wasn't because he was burly and strong, but because he had blisters around his mouth and his head was drooping, making him look particularly pitiful.

The Chinese people around him, feeling sorry for him, comforted him: "Alright, we understand your difficulties. As we said, part of the debt has been reduced, and the rest can be paid off within a year. You need to hurry up and organize the goods, otherwise our factories here will also go bankrupt."

The female secretary was about to go in to inform the leader so that she could bring Wang Xiao and the others in.

However, a few people came out of the office next door. The leader of the group said a few words to her, and then the female secretary could only show Gagarin a regretful look.

Well, it's obvious.

If you try to cut in line using connections, but someone else has even stronger connections, they'll naturally be able to get ahead of you.

"Have a seat for a while." The female secretary led them directly to an empty conference room next door.

Actually, it wasn't exactly empty, because there were already several people sitting inside—guests who had just come out of the deputy governor's meeting room.

The Russian man with blisters around his mouth was still muttering, "The price has gone up, it's gone up a lot all at once, the price is rising faster than the ruble is falling."

A Russian woman standing next to him, presumably a reporter, stared at him sternly: "Even if you lose money on this deal, didn't you make any money before? Everyone knows you trade with China and have made a lot of money over the years. You're a well-known tycoon in the state capital. Where's your money now?"

The Russian tycoon had been dodging the issue, but finally, as if he couldn't take it anymore, he raised his voice: "Do you think all the money will just go into my pocket? Without giving gifts, without giving them to everyone one by one, how can the import and export channels be smooth?"

Oh my, to shout that out in the prefectural capital is so outrageous! You've got some nerve!

Everyone's attention turned to the secretary's face.

However, the secretary was clearly experienced and didn't react at all to this level of questioning. She simply brought them a bottle of hot water.

However, there was no coffee.

Wang Xiao noticed that this pressure thermos was also made in China.

It is evident that Chinese goods currently have a market in Sakhalin Island.

The island has a very small population; it's twice the size of Taiwan, but has only a little over 700,000 residents.

Fortunately, compared to other regions of Russia, the purchasing power of residents here is relatively high. This is because, in addition to their regular wages, they also enjoy the Northern Territory allowance.

In addition, the climate here is extremely cold and harsh. It freezes in October and doesn't thaw until July of the following year, so it's icy and snowy for at least eight months of the year.

This kind of weather determined that its agriculture was extremely underdeveloped, and even wheat could not be grown. People planted potatoes and vegetables for several months after the outbreak.

If vegetables and fruits are airlifted here, there should be a market for them.

However, at present, the only flight route from China to Sakhalin Island is from Harbin. If they want to make money from this route, they need to plan their strategy more carefully.

Especially after the plane arrives, what should I bring back?

Seafood? With oil and natural gas extraction happening all over the area, won't that contaminate the seafood?

Wang Xiao asked as soon as he thought of it.

As if insulted, Gagarin immediately and solemnly emphasized: "How could that be? Our Sakhalin Island has abundant fishery resources! It is one of the most famous fishing grounds in the world, the Hokkaido fishing ground."

Wang Xiao suddenly felt a strange unease.

When most people hear the name Hokkaido, they immediately think of Japan.

Gagarin continued his tirade against Ivanov: "King crabs? Do you think only Vladivostok has king crabs? What don't we have on Sakhalin Island? All you care about is that guy Fyodor."

Wang Xiao almost burst out laughing. It sounded like a playboy's downfall! A battle between new and old flames?

Ivanov shrugged, looking utterly innocent: "Vladivostok is closer; it only takes 40 minutes by air to get to Suifenhe. Can Sakhalin Island have that capability?"

Gagarin replied without hesitation, "We're not far away either. This is the Far East, which is inherently intertwined with China. Hey! You understand."

Ivanov wished he could shut him up.

Good heavens, why say such stupid things? Everyone knows how Sakhalin Island came to be, but could you please not say it so blatantly?

Is being a robber something to brag about?

Without saying a word, Ivanov took a piece of candy from his pocket and stuffed it into his mouth: "Eat candy, eat candy!"

Gagarin, however, didn't see anything wrong with it and earnestly emphasized, "Really, our seafood is exceptional; you'll see later."

Fortunately, the noise from the other end of the conference room grew louder, diverting everyone's attention.

The middle-aged Russian businessman excitedly emphasized to the female reporter, "There's no way to fulfill the contract, it's completely impossible. After signing the contract, it will take a month to apply for train cars. In that month, prices can triple!"

Tell me why! It wasn't like this before. Before, I traded tinplate, fishmeal, and frozen fish for Chinese goods, and everything went smoothly. Who knew it would turn out like this?

The Chinese man on the other end couldn't help but complain, "I knew it! Shouldn't you have been the one to ship the goods to us first, and then we would have sent you a tractor?"

Wang Xiao couldn't help but ask curiously, "You're trading tractors for fishmeal? Are they tractors made in China?"

This was truly beyond her expectations.

She still thought that Russian tractors were at least better than Chinese ones now, because there was a market for them during the Soviet era.

“Of course,” the Chinese businessman emphasized. “Our small tractors are very popular in Russia.”

The Russian tycoon, who had just looked dejected, immediately nodded in agreement: "Excellent, the clients love it. I really thought we could make money on this deal."

As a result, two months had passed between signing the contract and receiving the goods.

When he sold the tractor, everything was going very smoothly.

But when he took the money to buy fishmeal, he was surprised to find that the market was in short supply and there was no stock at all.

When the new fishmeal was produced, the price had increased several times over, so he was no longer able to fulfill the contract.

He really tried his best; he discussed changing the goods in the trade with his business partners in China twice.

But every time he finalized the deal, the prices would go up again by the time he went to buy it.

Then, day after day, the rubles in his hands became less and less valuable, almost like worthless paper.

The Chinese businessman, who had done business with him several times, emphasized again: "So you have to send the goods over first, because your prices are too unstable."

The wealthy merchant on Sakhalin Island was extremely aggrieved: "But if you don't send out the tractors first, and I don't sell the tractors, and I don't use the full amount to buy fishmeal, no one will sell me fishmeal at all."

This is the biggest problem with barter trade right now: neither trains nor ships can keep up with the soaring prices.

Signing a contract is pointless; a deposit is meaningless. Whoever adheres to it will suffer a huge loss—a loss so severe it could bankrupt them.

A moment of silence fell over the meeting room.

Only the middle-aged Russian businessman was still muttering regret to himself: "I should have exchanged my rubles for dollars immediately. I shouldn't have trusted it."

The problem was that, according to legal requirements, he had no way to exchange dollars at the bank at that time unless he went through the black market.

This is the tragedy of the Russian economy: anyone who strictly follows the state's requirements and does business honestly faces certain death.

Silence returned to the room.

"What else do you have?" Ivanov suddenly asked. "How much debt do you owe?"

The wealthy businessman from Sakhalin Island was stunned, but the Chinese businessman answered the question first: "Two million, two million Chinese yuan. We have no other choice. We still owe the tractor factory money, and they have already turned against us."

The triangular debts arising from barter transactions are equally troublesome.

"What else do you have? What else can you get your hands on?" Ivanov pressed. "What goods can you still procure right now?"

The wealthy Sakhalin Island businessman with blisters around his mouth looked bewildered.

In fact, he had no idea what business he could still do.

Prices are rising, prices are rising like crazy, almost everything is going up in price.

He originally thought he was quite wealthy, but as prices rose and the ruble depreciated, his money became worthless.

Ivanov rephrased it: "What else do you have? Do you own any shops? Any property?"

Although Sakhalin Island is large in area, it has a small population. The entire population of its capital city is only equivalent to that of a county town of not particularly large size in China.

So the female reporter answered the question first: "Factory, he owns factories, and he also has a villa in the suburbs."

Neither the factory nor the villa is particularly valuable.

Because Sakhalin Island has no shortage of land, land prices can't go up, and prices in other parts of the countryside can't go up either.

Moreover, this processing plant doesn't make much profit; it mainly relies on his trading business to make ends meet.

But Ivanov had already decided: "Then you mortgage the processing plant and the villa to me, and we'll settle this debt first."

He said meaningfully, "Good cooperative relationships are not easy to establish, and we must not lose important partners under any circumstances."

The manufacturers who came from China immediately emphasized, "Comrade Mikhelson, we still have great faith in you. We believe we can overcome this difficulty together."

As they spoke, they embraced again.

However, Wang Xiao has serious doubts about whether they can continue to cooperate in the future.

With soaring prices and an unstable ruble, it is extremely difficult to continue barter trade.

But for both sides right now, or more specifically for Chinese manufacturers, this is definitely a major positive development.

As a result, the atmosphere in the meeting room instantly relaxed.

Everyone was discussing what goods Sakhalin Island still had to offer.

Gagarin was extremely nervous, fearing that Ivanov would ditch him and go directly to Mikhelson to do seafood business.

He's a well-known wealthy businessman on Sakhalin Island, and his business acumen is impeccable.

As early as the Soviet era, he keenly perceived the business opportunities in trade with China and took the initiative, which led to his success.

At his peak, he was the richest man on Sakhalin Island.

Although this richest person, like the "ten-thousand-yuan households" in China, earns only small amounts of money for ordinary people. Real wealth is beyond the reach of someone of your social class.

But to be fair, compared to ordinary people, he is already quite remarkable.

Besides, if Ivanov were to choose a contact person, he wouldn't need the other person to strategize.

As a native of Sakhalin, Mikhelson already possesses unique advantages.

Gagarin immediately emphasized: "Airplanes, my dear Comrade Ivanov, we have airplanes."

Despite its small population, Sakhalin Island has a considerable military presence.

As a former frontline of the Cold War, and so close to Japan, how could it have been possible without troops stationed there?

Gagarin enthusiastically promoted himself: "Airplanes can transport seafood, all kinds of seafood. I guarantee it, my dear friend, we are the best choice."

Good heavens, this is a windfall delivered right to his doorstep. If he misses it, that fool Fyodor will laugh himself to death.

Hmm, why specifically mention Fyodor?

Because the troops stationed on Sakhalin Island are also under the jurisdiction of the Pacific Fleet.

The entire Far East region was the territory of the Pacific Fleet.

Gagarin winked at Ivanov and said meaningfully, "What they can give you, we can give even more."

They're just airplanes and ships, aren't they? Surely Sakhalin Island has plenty of those too?

Are you kidding me?

Perhaps the troops lacked food and water; in fact, they were indeed extremely poor. The fact that the soldiers haven't taken to the streets to rebel today is entirely due to their noble character.

But even in the poorest of times, the military still needs those steel machines.

Ivanov returned the look with a meaningful glance: "We can talk slowly, but the most important thing is that we have to take control of the air route."

The female reporter keenly sensed that this was a great news story and was eager to conduct an interview.

As for Gagarin's suggestion that military aircraft could be used for transportation, the Russians consider it a trivial matter.

After all, God, does anyone know how poor the Russian army is right now?

According to official statistics, 42% of military officers' wives are unemployed, and the living standards of the vast majority of military families have fallen below the poverty line.

Due to severe underfunding and rampant corruption in the military, the food quality for ordinary soldiers has deteriorated to an unimaginable level; being able to fill their stomachs is a luxury.

In this situation, what's wrong with the military trying to make money?

Selling the seafood from Sakhalin Island is a pretty good idea.

Both Ivanov and Gagarin declined interviews with reporters.

It's best to keep quiet and make a fortune quietly; there's really no need to publicize it.

The female secretary entered the conference room again and told Ivanov and the others that they could go see the deputy governor.

The Chinese businessmen in the conference room immediately expressed their support with great enthusiasm: "You all go about your business, we won't leave, we'll talk to you when you're done."

This time, the door to the reception room opened, but the first person to stand up to greet them was not the short-haired female lieutenant governor, but a middle-aged man wearing a flight jacket and sporting a neatly trimmed mustache.

He introduced himself as being from the Department of Fuel and Energy, but he did not state his specific position, only saying that he was a representative of the Department of Energy.

After he warmly stepped forward to shake hands, Wang Xiao assumed that the deputy governor would then greet them.

Unexpectedly, the representative from the Department of Fuel and Energy did not give her a chance to speak at all.

After inviting people to sit down, he immediately launched into a long-winded monologue, emphasizing how much he loathed those red tape and hated boring and tedious procedures.

Business doesn't need inefficiency; business people just want to solve problems efficiently.

He understands everyone's needs, so let's skip the small talk and get straight to the point.

Wang Xiao silently complained to himself, "Stop talking nonsense for these fifteen minutes. We should have finished our business by now."

However, despite his tendency to talk a lot of nonsense, what he actually offers is genuinely valuable information.

The Department of Energy recommended that they invest in a project that the US and Japan jointly secured earlier this year, with a total investment of over $10 billion.

"Well, this is a fantastic project. Construction can begin next spring, and production will commence two years later, in 1995."

He laughed exaggeratedly, "How fast! This is a speed only Russia can achieve, much faster than real estate developers building villas."

Wang Xiao picked up the documents and quickly scanned them.

This is a new mining area located in the northeastern part of Sakhalin, in waters at a depth of 200 meters.

It is close to the Odopt and Chayvo oil and gas fields.

According to the exploration results, its recoverable reserves are 100 million barrels of crude oil and 4,000 cubic meters of natural gas, which does indeed have investment value.

“This is a fantastic project.” The representative from the Department of Energy gave them an exaggerated smile, then held up a finger. “It’s $1 billion. You only need to put up $1 billion and you can enjoy a 5% long-term profit.”

Wang Xiao and Ivanov were too lazy to listen to his boasting; they were only extremely sensitive to money.

Wait, are you kidding me? The investment amount is just over 10 billion US dollars. They put in 1 billion US dollars, so why should they only enjoy a 5% share of the profits?

Do they have the word "sucker" written all over their faces?

Dream on!

They're already like this before they even have the money in their hands. Who knows what they'll do to them once they've paid them?

“Oh, oh—” an official from the Department of Energy explained, “You’re just a trading company, not an oil company. In fact, according to regulations, you’re not qualified to invest in this project.”

Wang Xiao was quite stubborn: "OK, since that's the case, we won't force you. We won't cause you any more trouble, sir, we'll take our leave."

As she spoke, she actually stood up and started to walk towards the door.

The energy department representative was dumbfounded, completely unexpected that she could be so nonchalant.

This forced him to take the initiative to persuade her to stay: "Oh no, ma'am, we still have high hopes for you, which is why we've tried our best to solve your worries."

"For investment, you only need to invest in oil companies. We've found you a fantastic oil company with extensive experience in extraction. You don't need to worry about anything; just invest $1 billion, and in 1995, you can sit back and enjoy the dividends."

Wang Xiao retorted directly: "Does it mean we don't have to care about anything, or that we can't care about anything at all?"

The answer is clearly the latter.

The energy department representative emphasized, "You don't understand these things, so why bother? Just listen to me, investors only need to focus on investing."

Well, it seems all capitalists are the same.

You'd better hand over your money honestly, but don't expect me to control where I spend it.

This was Wang Xiao's method of extracting money from Chinese businessmen.

As expected, karma is a cycle, and no one escapes the wrath of Heaven.

Before she even got her hands on the money, Russian officials were already using the same tactics to try and get their hands on it.

“No, no, no!” Ivanov refused without hesitation. “Investment is worth considering, but we must enjoy the legal rights of a major shareholder.”

Representatives from the Department of Energy tried to persuade them: "This is the easiest and most convenient option. Trust us, the solution we recommend is absolutely the best one. You won't have a better choice."

Haha, are you sure you're saying this to promote yourself, or to make fun of yourself?

Honestly, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, what correct decisions has the Russian Federation government made?

One incident after another, constantly pushing the boundaries of people's understanding.

There is no limit to stupidity; there is always something more stupid.

Ivanov coldly rejected him: "Can't we choose to invest directly in American and Japanese companies? For such a high-risk project, I'm sure everyone would welcome new money to share the risk."

The energy department representative's expression changed.

At first glance, those present would certainly think he was unhappy because he had been refuted.

But the truth is that in January of this year, the federal government was eager for a large influx of foreign investment into the oil industry to help Russia's oil sector quickly overcome its difficulties.

That's why the federal government readily approved the joint bid from the American and Japanese companies.

However, due to the fact that the financial aid promised by the Western world has been slow to arrive over the past six months, the federal government has actually regretted agreeing to it so readily.

Therefore, they now need to have a greater presence in this project to prevent the benefits from being taken by American and Japanese companies.

The problem is that Russian oil companies don't have the money.

Due to years of overexploitation and outdated equipment, a large amount of reserves have been wasted. Currently, 60%-90% of the reserves in Russia's major oil fields have been exhausted.

The most important thing to sustain the oil industry is to develop new oil fields.

However, this year, due to a lack of funds everywhere, the total investment in the Russian oil industry has decreased by 25%-30% compared to last year, with exploration budget investment decreasing by 35%.

With production continuing to decline, and domestic oil prices in Russia remaining low, most oil companies have no profit margin.

Where did they get their money?

If you don't have money, then you can only try to find a sucker, or rather, an investor.

Ivanov, a newly rich man, is known for being easy to talk to and has a patriotic heart. He is easily swept away by passion and is a perfect target for persuasion, or rather, lobbying.

The Energy Ministry representative changed his tone, appearing particularly earnest: "My dear Comrade Ivanov, this matter is extremely important. You know, the oil industry is like a vital artery for our great Mother Russia."

We are facing difficulties now, and we should work together to solve this problem.

Ivanov interrupted his eulogy directly: "We're solving the problem, OK, pay up, right? We can just set a good example of privatization."

Wang Xiao smiled and nodded beside him: "At this time last year, we were in Moscow, and we became a model for the privatization of shops. It has proven to be very effective. Now, Moscow shops have an abundant supply of goods, and people no longer suffer the embarrassment of having money but not being able to buy anything."

Energy officials cursed inwardly, but it was because prices were too high and ordinary people couldn't afford them, so they could only do their best to curb consumer demand.

Ivanov, ignoring his expression, continued his eloquent speech: "I believe that once we set an example, all the Russian people will actively devote themselves to the oil industry, so what are these small difficulties at present?"

The Department of Energy representative tried to regain control of the room: "Investment is all that matters. Smart people understand that it's about letting professionals do what they do best. We don't need to tell oil companies what to do."

Ivanov immediately frowned: "Do you think you can make decisions for American and Japanese companies? I really don't understand why the US and Japan can enjoy their due rights, while I, as a Russian, am not entitled to them? Is it because Russian dollars are cheaper? Are we second-class citizens on our own land?"

That's a very strong statement.

The term "second-class citizen" is also very sensitive.

Currently, almost all CIS countries do not welcome Russians, and local Russian residents have been expelled.

Even those who manage to stay, once they receive new identity documents, are no longer considered ordinary citizens; they are definitely second-class citizens.

The energy ministry representative quickly emphasized, "No, no, no, you've really misunderstood. That's not the case. Russians are, of course, the owners of Russian land, and all property in our Russian Federation belongs to the people."

Wang Xiao burst out laughing and stood up again: "All talk and no action. To be honest, your federal government's promises are lighter than paper. They talk a good game, but they're not worth believing at all."

A Department of Energy representative defended his government, saying, "Madam, what you are saying is utter nonsense and a slander against our federal government."

"Is there any need for further slander?"

Wang Xiao chuckled as if he'd heard some absurd joke, "Your mining law shows that you don't welcome foreign investment at all. Your tax policies are even more of a mess. The export tax law, profit tax law, and income tax law have completely different restrictions on investment in the energy industry. And the regulations on export quotas and licenses contradict the tax exemption granted to joint ventures in the regulations."

In your Russia, what laws should be enforced?

Does the Department of Energy representative treat her like she doesn't exist just because she doesn't speak?

Are you kidding me? Perhaps Russians' first choice for investment is in Russia.

However, as a foreign investor, she could have easily chosen a different path.

Russia is not the only former Soviet republic with abundant oil and gas resources.

Central Asia also has abundant oil and gas reserves, and its climate conditions are much better than those of Sakhalin Island.

Wang Xiao stated his position bluntly: "I object. If I cannot enjoy the rights of a major shareholder, I will absolutely not agree to this investment plan."

Ivanov stood up, shrugged, and sided with his partner: "Sorry, I am always loyal to the Russian people. If our normal demands are not met, then there is nothing to talk about, and nothing worth talking about."

As they were talking, the two of them had already started walking out without hesitation.

Wang Xiao continued to complain: "I told you this place isn't worth investing in. The taxes are high, and there are no supporting facilities at all. Do they think investors' money grows on trees? All they're thinking about is how to swindle money from us. No wonder nobody wants to invest here."

Energy Department officials quickly stopped them, saying, "These things can be discussed. We are only thinking of your interests and don't want you to suffer losses in unfamiliar areas."

Wang Xiao retorted bluntly, "You think that since we're unfamiliar with this field, it'll be easier for you to profit from it, right? We'll bear the risks, and you'll take all the benefits. You're treating us like fools."

She even went so far as to criticize Ivanov, saying, "What kind of friends do you have? They all think you're stupid and rich and want to come here quickly. I'm afraid if you're too late to scam them, you'll get less money."

Gagarin was practically jumping up and down, desperately trying to defend himself: "No, no, I really don't know anything about that."

Unless he's insane, there's absolutely no way he'd side with the Department of Energy.

So what if the Department of Energy represents the central federal government? The federal government can't even allocate enough military funds.

Everyone is trying to find ways to support themselves these days.

He was also hoping to do business with Ivanov and soon live a life of wealth and leisure.

Ivanov gave him a meaningful look, then continued walking out.

The deputy governor gave her secretary a wink, and the shrewd and capable secretary quickly followed and personally escorted them out of the meeting room.

But after they left, the secretary didn't leave. She followed them for quite a while before saying, "Our Sakhalin region welcomes you to establish a new oil company here. A completely independent oil company that is not subject to any control."

Everyone's eyes immediately turned to the secretary's face.

The latter replied calmly, "Our Sakhalin region will fully support your oil development plan."

Wang Xiao and Ivanov couldn't help but exchange a glance.

This is--

A major outbreak of conflict between the central government and border regions?

It's not impossible.

During the Soviet era, especially during the Cold War, Sakhalin Island's military significance far outweighed its economic value.

To put it simply, the Soviet government didn't have much energy to develop the economy on this harsh island; its main value lay in serving military confrontation.

The problem is that the collapse of the Soviet Union marked the end of the Cold War, and Sakhalin Island's military value decreased accordingly.

Logically speaking, the island's function should have changed accordingly, and it should now focus on economic development.

But the reality is that even if the Russian federal government had the will, it doesn't have the capacity to allocate funds to Sakhalin Island and strongly support its economic development.

As a result, Sakhalin Island felt it had been cheated, having contributed so many years of its history to the country without receiving any benefits in return.

Since the parents are biased, they shouldn't blame the children for finding their own way to make a living.

Sakhalin Island is richest in oil and gas resources.

Why should they, who hold a golden bowl in their own hands, have to consider the whims of the federal central government?

Let's get this straight: who's supporting whom right now?

The businessmen immediately perked up, and Wang Xiao and Ivanov reached a consensus without even exchanging glances.

"What rights will we be able to enjoy if we start an oil company here?"

Ivanov emphasized, "This is not just talk, but a right that can truly be put into practice."

The secretary smiled, led them to an office next door, and said a few words to the people inside.

The other party took out a stack of documents, handed them out through the window, and then buried themselves in their work.

The secretary took the documents and handed them to Wang Xiao: "These are our preferential policies for attracting investment. Our Sakhalin has abundant resources and is very worthwhile to invest in."

She even gave an example: "In most parts of Russia, forests can only be felled before April. Otherwise, the forests will thaw, and trucks simply won't be able to transport the timber out. But on Sakhalin Island, the forests don't thaw until July, so the logging season can be postponed."

Gagarin was stunned. It was the first time he had ever heard that the harsh climate and long periods of ice cover on Sakhalin Island could be considered an advantage.

The secretary enthusiastically promoted the idea: "Really, investing directly in our Sakhalin Island is definitely a great value for money."

Wang Xiao quickly flipped through the documents.

Timber is not a problem; China is undertaking construction and needs a large amount of timber.

But oil and natural gas—

Her main concern was: "If we set up a company here, can we export the oil and gas we extract?"

That's the key point.

Russian oil and gas are too cheap; there's simply no profit margin if sold domestically.

If it can't be exported, wouldn't she be wasting money to make a name for herself, just having nothing better to do?

What good is it for her to ask the Russian people to praise her as a good person?

If she doesn't make money, everyone is criticizing her.

The secretary paused for a moment, then regained her composure and said in a light tone, "Of course, this is oil and gas from our Sakhalin Island. We export a lot of goods, including oil and natural gas."

But Wang Xiao had already closed the documents, his smile even more perfect than hers: "Please get this straight. If this problem can't be solved, I doubt anyone will set up an oil company here. After all—"

She pointed outside and said, "The Pacific Fleet is the Russian army, not your Sakhalin Oblast's troops."

The border, sister.

After you extract oil and natural gas, you need to transport them through pipelines.

If the federal government doesn't approve of your project, then the extracted oil and gas will simply be wasted and can't be transported out at all.

Why should an innocent businessman like me foot the bill when you local and federal governments are playing a power game?

That's a pretty nice idea.

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The situation in the Russian army at the time was indeed dire. In February 1993, due to extremely poor rations, an acute gastroenteritis outbreak occurred in a unit of the fleet stationed on a Russian Far East island, resulting in the hospitalization of hundreds of sailors. Four sailors died despite attempts to save them. It was reported that the four men starved to death.

This island is called Russian Island, and it's very close to Vladivostok, so it's not really that remote.

Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 07:05:40 on January 22, 2024 and 06:57:45 on January 23, 2024!

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Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!