Chapter 341 I Won't Get Into This Trouble (Catching Bugs): I hope you return safely.

The container market is busier in winter than in other seasons.

Because the days are so short in Moscow in January. It's almost nine o'clock in the morning before the first light arrives, and by four o'clock, it's already eagerly retreating.

In order to seize the opportune moment, all the merchants and customers in the market were working themselves to the bone, trying to complete as many transactions and shipments as possible within the limited six or seven hours.

When Yura entered the container market, he saw a busy crowd of people, like worker ants.

They were all carrying large and small bags, and driving large and small vehicles, weaving through the crowd.

Shops of all sizes form Moscow’s steel forest, like squirrels foraging in the forest, constantly moving their hands and feet to store up more food before daybreak.

Oh no, they work even harder than squirrels.

Because squirrels hibernate in their burrows during winter, instead of running around like this.

As Yura walked through the crowd toward the office area, a vague thought crossed her mind: Humanity's painstaking evolution to this point may not be a matter of luck. Perhaps humanity is the very life chosen by God to suffer.

There was a knock on the office door. Wang Xiao, who was sitting at the desk reading documents, simply looked up, nodded slightly, indicating that he should sit down, and then pointed to the fruit plate on the coffee table.

In Moscow's gloomy winter, being able to eat fresh Sichuan tangerines is definitely a treat.

Yura didn't reach out to peel the orange; she just sat there, panting heavily.

Ignoring him, Wang Xiao directly opened the report at hand: "The feedback from readers' letters is very good, which shows that everyone welcomes the crackdown on organized crime and the fight against crime."

Isn't it said that the Russian mafia is so rampant that the government is powerless to do anything about it?

Well, you'll have to consider the government's objective in taking action.

A comprehensive crackdown on organized crime is indeed beyond the capabilities of the current incompetent Russian government.

But if you're using the guise of fighting organized crime to actually target Chechen militants, then you're not fighting alone.

Countless mafia groups, including those from other factions, will actively help, leveraging the government's power to suppress their rivals and seize more territory.

At this moment, the smart ones in the gang who have benefited will restrain themselves and hibernate for a while to build a better image for themselves and prepare for seizing greater benefits in the future.

As for those who are smug and overconfident, that's fine; they can be used as typical examples to prove that the federal government's anti-gang campaign treats everyone equally.

What? You're saying that most of those severely impacted are Chechen gangs, and the government is just smuggling in its own agenda?

Why don't you consider the possibility that most of the Russian gangs are Chechens?

Will Chechens be angry about this and feel that they have been slandered?

certainly.

But does it matter? No, it doesn't matter.

The government's current goal is to convince the public that the actions against Chechnya are aimed at cracking down on organized crime and protecting the interests of the people.

As for external factors, will it damage Chechnya's international image? That would be perfect.

Around the world, including economically developed countries in Europe and America, where is there no Mafia? Where have ordinary people not suffered from the Mafia's tyranny? When they are robbed or stolen from, they can only blame their bad luck. And who doesn't deeply resent the Mafia's stronghold?

If the Russian government tries to prevent Chechen independence, they will say that you have violated the human rights of the Chechens.

But if you fight the Mafia, they can empathize.

Because humans can never truly empathize unless they experience the same misfortune.

They might even support Russia's anti-gang campaign, while simultaneously expressing dissatisfaction with their own government's weak and incompetent handling of the mafia.

This is called transforming individual contradictions into collective contradictions, a universally applicable and effective principle.

Wang Xiao affirmed Yura's work achievements, but also raised higher requirements: "Don't limit the scope of news to Moscow and St. Petersburg, and their special response units established in 1992 to combat the Mafia. Publicize these achievements as well."

A government that is good at giving awards can exaggerate its achievements to the point of being perfect.

A fool who only knows how to work hard and does a perfect job doesn't even get a tenth of the credit.

Wang Xiao pointed out the next steps for Yura, but seeing that she still hadn't reacted, he laughed in exasperation: "What? Do you want me to perform a one-man show?"

She grabbed an orange and peeled it. The rich aroma of the orange peel, released by the heating, barely managed to quell the fire in her heart.

Indeed, she now truly understands the speechless feeling General Chen Geng had when he commanded operations in Vietnam and faced the Vietnamese troops.

Everything is a mess. It's clearly their own business, but they're not proactive or enthusiastic at all, and outsiders have to keep urging and pleading with them.

Yura, looking utterly dejected, muttered as she asked, "Do you think the Soviet Red Army was all hype, and that World War II was mainly won by the United States?"

With a "thud," the half-peeled orange in Wang Xiao's hand fell onto the table and rolled to the floor.

She quickly squatted down to pick it up.

It's no easy feat for oranges to be transported from Sichuan to Moscow by train and still remain so fresh.

Yura finally had a change of heart and came to help.

He has long legs and arms, and can reach under the coffee table to pick up oranges.

But the oranges were back in Wang Xiao's hands, and she still couldn't believe her ears: "You, what did you say? The Soviet Union didn't contribute in World War II?"

Yura nodded earnestly, his face more desperate than Russia's economy.

Wang Xiao was truly amazed by the contrasting experiences of the Russians, both in their hot and cold climates.

The last time she met Yura, he told us that Russia was the best in the world, overflowing with national self-confidence.

Less than a day later, he was acting as if not only we were doomed, but our ancestors were doomed as well.

Wang Xiao didn't even care about the oranges anymore, feeling utterly helpless: "Wait, um, were you struck by lightning? How could you have such a crazy idea?"

Seeing that Yura was about to speak, she quickly stopped her: "Alright, stop talking. I'll tell you right now, that's complete nonsense."

Yura instinctively tried to list data, but Wang Xiao immediately shut him down with a single sentence: "Look at the Korean War, apart from the Soviet Union, what's the difference between the UN forces that ended up and the victorious powers of World War II?"

She nodded. "Oh, there is a difference. The difference is that on the Korean battlefield, the UN forces had better weapons and equipment, and the battlefield was smaller and more concentrated. The Chinese People's Volunteer Army couldn't use space to buy time. But what was the final result? Did the UN forces win? Don't just praise the United States. The individual combat capabilities of the US military were not as good as those of the Japanese army. As our General Peng said, he fought in the War of Resistance Against Japan and also commanded the Korean War."

Wang Xiao looked at the stunned Yura and sighed, "Don't underestimate yourself or easily deny everything about the Soviet Union. That's the path you came from, your glory. Don't trample on it."

She thought to herself: Since when has the Soviet Red Army become a target for questioning by a bunch of unworthy descendants?

Soviet political commissars were incredibly formidable, always leading from the front. Even without weapons, they could easily overpower the German army sweeping across Europe with just shovels and benches.

Wang Xiao patted the dust off the orange and said seriously, "A big reason why the Soviet Union lost the Cold War was that the United States integrated the resources and industrial system of the entire Western countries, and then relied on its strong industrial capacity advantage to drag the Soviet Union down in the arms race."

At this point, she was truly exasperated. "You still dare to look down on Stalin? If you had followed Stalin's industrial plan and brought China into your industrial system, who knows who would have won or lost the Cold War?"

She should have taken the opportunity to emphasize that the past cannot be undone, and that Russia must not repeat the mistakes made by the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 70s.

Seeing Yura's expression, he temporarily set aside his businessman's habits and put on a concerned look: "What's wrong? Is there nothing going well in Chechnya?"

Yura forgot about the perfect image she needed to maintain at all times, rubbed her hair vigorously, and said anxiously, "It's not going well, no, it's terrible, worse than we imagined."

He thought he was mentally prepared, at least not as naively fantasizing as the Minister of Defense that all it would take down Grozny was an airborne silver envoy.

However, feedback from the battlefield proved that the enemy was stronger than they had imagined.

The mercenaries came from all directions, and he seriously suspected that they were not just old Red Army soldiers from the CIS countries, nor just jihadists from the Middle East.

Wang Xiao patted his arm and comforted him, "Don't worry too much. You might suffer losses at first, but once you know the details, you'll know how to deal with it."

Yura gritted his teeth: "That bastard Dudayev, we'll just behead him sooner or later."

Wang Xiao shook his head: "You can't think that simply. The principle of capturing the leader first is correct, but it doesn't mean the war is over just because the leader is eliminated."

She gave an example: "In the history of the Tang Dynasty in China, there was a famous An Lushan Rebellion. The earliest rebellion was started by the military governors An Lushan and Shi Siming. An Lushan was killed after a little over a year of rebellion, and Shi Siming was killed six years after his uprising. But the An Lushan Rebellion lasted for eight years."

Yura was taken aback: "Why?"

He found it incredible; without a leader, how could these rebels continue?

“If there is no leader, there will be another leader. As long as these people have the same goal, they can stick together and keep fighting.”

Wang Xiao sighed, "Besides, the Chechens believe in Islam, and religion itself has a natural cohesive force."

She reminded him, "So you have to cut off their propaganda efforts so that they can't continue recruiting new soldiers even after their manpower is depleted. If that happens, the war will never end."

Yura looked bewildered again: "Then how do we cut it off?"

"Controlling television broadcasts!" Wang Xiao was utterly speechless. "Do you really think they're using some kind of secret transportation method to conduct propaganda?"

Yura blushed and awkwardly emphasized, "They could have communicated through secret letters and secret meetings."

He then turned the tables on Wang Xiao, saying, "Isn't this how it's done in your Tibet and Xinjiang?"

Wang Xiao chuckled and looked at him coolly: "Our Xinjiang and Tibet have troops stationed by the central government. You ask, does Chechnya have any?"

Don't you have any self-awareness? The Moscow government has effectively lost control of Chechnya, don't you know that?

“In Chechnya, there is no need for such secret opportunities. Their television and radio stations can directly broadcast Dudayev’s speeches to every household, attracting countless people to join the war.”

Wang Xiao shook his head inwardly, patiently instructing the other party, "Therefore, you need to keep the TV and radio stations under your control and not let them become weapons for the other side."

Yura's eyes widened, and she instinctively objected: "How can this be? This is violating freedom of speech."

Wang Xiao was momentarily unsure if her ears were damaged.

Listen to what she heard.

Are Russian officials suffering from "freedom cancer"? Why are they still talking about freedom at a time like this!

"No freedom!" Wang Xiao coldly rebuked him. "What freedom of speech does the Mafia have? Look at the countries around the world, Britain, the United States, France, Germany—which one would allow the Mafia to appear on television and radio to recruit its underlings? Get this straight!"

She could no longer contain herself and roared, "All actions against Chechnya are part of the crackdown on organized crime! Use the same standards you apply to the fight against the Moscow Mafia to them!"

She was truly impressed by these old men, who actually went out of their way to offer the enemy a legitimate identity.

Even the Kuomintang, during the Liberation War, always emphasized that they were suppressing bandits!

Yura was stunned by the scolding and wanted to retort, but the words he was about to say were swallowed back down.

Because Vladimir needed his support, but his abilities were insufficient to shoulder this heavy responsibility, he had to rely on Wang Xiao's help.

For the sake of his best friend, he could only swallow his anger and endure the insults.

Wang Xiao was too lazy to look at him anymore and unscrewed the lid of the thermos cup on her own.

Seriously, dealing with this group of old men made her afraid to even eat oranges in the dead of winter, for fear of getting a sore throat!

She could only drink white fungus and snow pear soup to calm her burning anger.

So when the office door was knocked on again, her tone wasn't exactly friendly: "Who is it?"

"It's me, Miss Wang."

Wang Xiao recognized the voice and reluctantly softened his tone: "Please come in, Mr. Kosrov."

The paratrooper captain opened the door, walked in, and gave her a polite salute: "Miss Wang, I've come to say goodbye."

Wang Xiao didn't react immediately and subconsciously asked, "Sir, where are you going to train? How long will the training last?"

Captain Kosrov shook his head, his face grim: "This isn't training, it's going to the battlefield."

Wang Xiao fell silent for a moment.

Yura, fearing that she might worry about the safety of the container market, quickly emphasized, "Don't worry, Punoning will send more people over."

No one is more worried than them now that the king will be assassinated.

Wang Xiao ignored him, opened her drawer, took out a stack of amulets, and said in a low voice, "Sir, I don't know what to say. I just wish you good luck and a safe return."

Captain Kosrov accepted the amulet. Like most Russians, he believed in God and did not believe in such amulets.

But he still accepted Wang Xiao's kindness, solemnly accepting it, and even joked, "Of course! Miss Wang, our young man is also planning to come back and continue to be your security guard."

These words brought tears to Wang Xiao's eyes. She couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat, and her voice choked with emotion: "Sir, please tell the young men to take good care of themselves. As long as you come back, whether you are soldiers or retired, no matter what your situation is, as long as you are alive and as long as you are willing, you can come back. The container market will provide you with jobs. Please, you must come back."

Working in the container market may not sound respectable, after all, people who grew up in the planned economy era prefer stable jobs.

But the officers and soldiers of the paratrooper unit didn't care about these things.

They worked as security guards at the container market for over a year, earning far more money than they did in the military.

The free meals provided by the market canteen alone are enough to make their peers envious.

Good heavens, while other troops were surviving on potatoes, they were eating scrambled eggs with butter, beef stew with potatoes, tomato meatball soup, milk, and steamed buns for their three meals a day.

Seriously, once you've tasted a sweet steamed bun, who would want to eat a dry, hard loaf of bread?

Being able to work here is a pretty good option for veterans who know how difficult it is to find a job.

Moreover, Miss Wang has always emphasized that as long as one is alive, that's enough.

That means that even if they are crippled or disabled on the battlefield, they can still get work.

This is really good news.

Captain Kosrov reached out and hugged Wang Xiao: "Thank you, Miss Wang, God will bless you."

He ignored Yura inside the house, released Wang Xiao, and prepared to leave.

Wang Xiao followed him, saying, "Sir, when are you leaving? Are there any daily necessities you're missing? We'll prepare them. Let's eat in the canteen; I'll have someone prepare them."

"No, thank you." Captain Kosrov patted his pocket, declining the offer. "You have already given us your most precious gift—'The Art of War'. Perhaps we can rely on it to return safely to you."

Last summer, Miss Wang suggested that he read "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu, and the bookseller gave him dozens of copies as gifts.

Military life was monotonous. He read it himself but didn't fully understand it, so he went to the merchants in the market to ask for advice. He ended up listening to the Thirty-Six Stratagems as if it were just a story.

After winter sets in, the nights in Moscow become especially long, and Sun Tzu's Art of War becomes a pastime for the paratroopers.

Hopefully, this experience will bring good luck to his lads.

Kosrov grabbed Wang Xiao's hand and kissed it: "Miss Wang, Happy New Year in advance."

As he spoke, he turned around and opened the office door.

A cold wind howled in, and Mayor Luzhkov, still in the knocking position, stood at the door, slightly taken aback, before smiling: "Miss Wang, it seems we are on the same wavelength."

Wang Xiao nodded reluctantly to him and greeted him, then instructed Captain Kosrov: "Don't worry, the canteen has ready-made steamed buns, mantou, and fried dough sticks. Please take them with you on the way."

Luzhkov's political acumen was clearly far superior to that of the average person; he immediately realized that the paratroopers of the container market were also about to be deployed to the battlefield.

He extended his hand to Kosrov: "Sir, good luck, and good luck to our lads. If you need anything from me, please feel free to contact me anytime."

The paratrooper captain shook his hand: "Thank you, sir. God will bless you, kind sir."

He didn't stop, nor did he make any demands; he just kept walking.

Only Wang Xiao shouted from behind, "Go to the cafeteria, don't forget!"

Kosrov didn't turn around, but raised his hand and made an OK sign.

Luzhkov sighed, "What brave young men."

Yura looked at him with annoyance, her voice hard: "Mr. Mayor, if NTV had exaggerated less, our young man would have had a better chance of surviving."

Luzhkov gave a wry smile and made a helpless gesture: "Sir, it's good that you're here. I came here to ask you to be lenient and stop smearing me. NTV is a legitimate television station. I am neither the operator nor a shareholder of NTV. Don't make it sound like we're in cahoots."

Before Yura could retort, Wang Xiao spoke up first: "Sir, how could you have such a terrible misunderstanding? No, of course not. I'm discussing with Yura about doing a special report on you, about your outstanding contributions to the anti-gang campaign in Moscow, which deserve high praise."

There's no such thing as a free lunch, and the mayor of Moscow isn't so easily fooled.

Luzhkov gave a forced smile: "Madam, you flatter me. I was just doing my job; I can't claim to have made any contribution. I've always only hoped that the people of Moscow could live better lives."

Wang Xiao shook his head: "Sir, you are too modest. You arrested so many Chechen criminals and sent them to concentration camps. Isn't that part of the fight against organized crime?"

Yura almost burst out laughing.

He knew that the queen was unwilling to suffer any loss, not even the slightest one. She would seize every opportunity to use herself to ensure her invincibility.

Is Luzhkov, that old fox, hoping to highlight the president's incompetence and thus showcase his own abilities by publicizing the federal government's success in Chechnya?

In a sense, NTV's reporting is also a way of promoting Chechnya and appeasing the Chechens.

But now that everyone knows Luzhkov is driving out the Chechens, Yura wants to see how he can still appease the Chechens.

The mayor's expression stiffened slightly, but he quickly composed himself: "Of course, only a stable Moscow can develop."

Wang Xiao grabbed a half-peeled orange from the table and handed it to Yura: "Sir, could you please wash it for me?"

Yura was speechless; she really knew how to boss people around.

But as a gentleman, how could he refuse a lady's request?

“As you wish, my lady.” He grabbed the orange and went out.

Wang Xiao then turned his gaze to Luzhkov and immediately dropped a bombshell on the mayor: "Sir, are you running for president?"

Luzhkov, still standing, said calmly, "Miss Wang, I don't quite understand what you're talking about."

Wang Xiao nodded to himself: "That's right, I knew you were smart enough not to get involved in this mess, Mayor."

Luzhkov lifted his foot and, without being invited by the host, sat down on the sofa chair, took off his hat, and looked at her leisurely: "Madam, I still don't understand what you mean."

"What I mean is, right now, whoever takes over Russia will be in big trouble."

Wang Xiao didn't take any more oranges. Instead, he picked an apple from the fruit plate, held it to his nose, and smelled its aroma. "This trouble will most likely last a long time."

She shook her head. "I really admire the president's courage. If he had chosen to step down when he was fighting with Congress two years ago and let Congress come to power, his approval rating would probably be three or four times higher now. Sir, you should know why."

Luzhkov shook his head: "No, I don't know. I'm just a city builder, I don't understand these things."

Wang Xiao shook his head even more vigorously: "No, the city's builders understand economics. If it had been parliament that came to power the year before last, could they have managed the economy well? Not just one city or region, but the entire Russian economy."

She sighed, “The fact that Parliament worked so hard to come to power but failed to turn around the economy proves the Kremlin’s accusations against them—that the economy hadn’t improved because Parliament was obstructing economic reforms. How disappointed people must have been with Parliament.”

"In this way, when the presidential election comes, Russians will remember the heroic figure of their president on August 19, 1991, standing on a tank and calling on all Muscovites."

Wang Xiao smiled slightly, "By then, the president will have to return to power and gain more understanding from the people, who will understand how difficult his previous term was. They will give the president more patience and opportunities. After all, if you don't do anything, others won't know what your true capabilities are."

She smiled and sighed at the same time, "But the brave president has Russians in his heart. He can't bear to give them up, even if he's hated, he'll stubbornly sit in the Kremlin. At this time, whoever gets involved in this mess is saving the hardworking president. Such a huge mess, the mess in Chechnya, the mess in the Russian economy, what a heavy burden it is."

Luzhkov put his hat back on and nodded in agreement with a serious expression: "Yes, our president is really working too hard."

He stood up and made a request, "If you're going to publish a report about me, I'd like to see the draft beforehand."

Wang Xiao smiled and nodded, seeing him out: "Of course, sir, all Russians will know that you are a strong and courageous builder of Moscow, who has been fighting against the dark and evil forces."

Yura returned with the washed oranges, and watching Luzhkov's retreating figure, he wondered, "Why did he leave so quickly? Was he so easy to talk to?"

Wang Xiao glanced at him and said irritably, "He's a smart person; he won't waste time on meaningless things."

Yura didn't believe her and pressed her for details, asking, "What exactly did you say to him?"

"It's nothing, just the benefit of hiding my flaws." Wang Xiao said impatiently, "What are you looking at? Instead of looking at others, you should use that time to reflect on yourself. What mistakes did you make today?"

Yura's eyes widened, wondering if it was her imagination.

What did he do wrong? He didn't even do anything, and he already made a mistake?

Honestly, he knew she didn't like him. Now, even standing and breathing was wrong!

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[It's amazing!] Last March, I felt like I couldn't write anymore, but unexpectedly, I wrote another million words. Also, although it sounds unbelievable, during the first Chechen war, Russia didn't bomb Chechen television stations, probably because they were afraid the international community would accuse them of infringing on freedom of speech.