Chapter 342 We Are All Equals: Put Away Your Social Darwinism

In that instant, Wang Xiao felt as if his hair was emitting a burnt smell.

Because she truly understood what it meant to have her head and heart on fire!

"You didn't do anything wrong?" She looked at Yura incredulously. "I'm asking you, what did you say when Captain Kosrov said the paratroopers were about to head to the battlefield?"

Yura was puzzled: "Vlamikel will send troops to ensure the safety of the container market. Don't worry, the tax police and internal forces can be mobilized, and you will definitely not be in danger."

He had initially spoken with such confidence, but under Wang Xiao's icy gaze, his composure seemed to have been punctured, inexplicably leaking away little by little.

He was almost embarrassed and angry. "Hey! Wang, I bet there aren't many people in all of Russia who can enjoy the level of security that Vladimir gave you."

Wang Xiao replied expressionlessly, "Oh, is that all?"

"My God!" Yura grabbed his head and stormed around the room. "Madam, even Catherine the Great didn't have such high demands."

"So what?" Wang Xiao couldn't take it anymore. "So the paratroopers are going on leave as a group? Didn't you hear they're going to the battlefield? People will die, the Grozny battlefield is like a meat grinder! Didn't you hear that?"

Yura couldn't understand where her anger came from, and just felt that women were creatures from another planet, completely unbelievable: "When did I say they went on vacation?"

"Did you give Captain Kosrov any response?" Wang Xiao looked at him with an indescribable expression. "No, you didn't say anything."

Yura felt completely unable to communicate with her: "What kind of reaction should I give? Soldiers are meant to go to the battlefield, what kind of positive reaction is there?"

"No!" Wang Xiao angrily pushed open the door, grabbed his arm, and led him to the corner of the stairs, pointing out the ventilation window. "They didn't need to go to the battlefield!"

On the open ground in front of the container market, troop carriers had arrived, and the young paratroopers lined up one by one to board the vehicles.

In the freezing cold of January in Moscow, the white mist from their breath blurred their faces, but could not conceal their youthful features.

“All of them, except for Captain Kosrov, are younger than you. Most of them are younger than me.”

Wang Xiao pointed forcefully out the window, “They didn’t originally need to risk their lives on the battlefield. Chechnya has become what it is today because of short-sighted leadership, a government that pursues appeasement, and selfish and shameless infighting that is like drinking poison to quench thirst.”

She glared at Yura with eyes blazing with fury, "Now, it's them, younger than you and me, who are risking their lives to clean up your mess!"

"You're telling me this is what should be done?" Wang Xiao pressed on. "Excuse me, what kind of 'should be done' is this?!"

Yura's face turned from white to red, then gradually turned pale. He was so embarrassed that he wished he could dig a hole and crawl into it.

But he is neither a groundhog nor Tu Xingsun from the Chinese TV series "Investiture of the Gods".

Even if he were, standing upstairs, where would he get the dirt to cover him?

Embarrassed and distressed, he could only instinctively defend himself: "God, I didn't cause any of this! Be rational, Your Majesty, you shouldn't be angry with me."

“No, you’re standing here, standing in front of the paratroopers. Your identity represents the Russian government.” Wang Xiao said, word by word, “Your indifference towards them, your sense of entitlement, also represents the attitude of the federal government.”

Yura felt completely unable to communicate with the woman opposite him. She was even more terrifying than Madamu with menopause. He couldn't find any words to describe her other than "inexplicable".

"OK, OK, say whatever you want." Yura stepped aside. "You're too agitated. You need to calm down. I'm not going to talk to you right now."

"Stop!" Wang Xiao snapped, stopping him from leaving. He raised his arm, pointed out the window, and ordered, "Get down, get down now. Tell them they can tell you anything they need, and you'll do everything you can to help them."

Yura suspected she was trapped in a terrible nightmare: "Miss King, what do you want?"

"Go down! Do as I say." Wang Xiao stepped down the stairs, leaving behind a sentence, "You still dare to mock Mayor Luzhkov? At least he knows to show concern for the soldiers who are about to go to war."

She went downstairs.

Yura, who was following behind, felt that all her good intentions had been wasted.

He was concerned about her safety, but he was concerned about the wrong thing!

Even in broad daylight, when the sun is nowhere to be seen, the container market is bustling with activity.

Even amidst such a busy schedule, the merchants who noticed the troop carrier and realized something was wrong still sent people over to inquire about the situation.

Knowing that these paratroopers were about to head to the battlefield, almost all the merchants frowned.

Even an upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes, and they also don't know how to evaluate matters of war, let alone comment on them casually.

So my second sister, who had run over, shouted into the car, "Come back early after you're done fighting, so we can make dumplings for the New Year."

They didn't like the Russians' blueberry dumplings, while the Russians quite enjoyed traditional Chinese dumplings. Whenever the canteen made them, they would eat quite a lot.

Other merchants chimed in, "Yes, yes, come back early to make dumplings for the New Year."

Merchants from the south also enthusiastically promoted their products: "Make rice cakes! Wait for you to come back and make rice cakes, they're so delicious!"

To say that the paratroopers and the merchants in the container market are like family wouldn't be accurate.

Even merchants who rent stalls in the same market, even if they are from the same hometown, can still have conflicts.

Not to mention the Russian soldiers.

But after spending more than a year in the same market, everyone sees each other all the time, and there's bound to be some kind of camaraderie.

Furthermore, the Russian paratroopers are far superior to the police and the Mafia.

They would ask for two packs of cigarettes at most; they've never done anything like extortion.

So now, looking at these children, they are real children; many of the merchants' children in the market are about the same age as them.

It's heartbreaking to see such young children being sent to war.

The cafeteria staff pushed their cart over again and told them to load the large insulated containers onto the cart as well: "Eat on the road, eat on the road. Just eating steamed buns and mantou isn't a proper meal."

The merchants echoed, "Yes, yes, you need to be well-fed to have the strength to fight."

Captain Kosrov had to say, "That's enough, thank you, thank you!"

Since the Afghan War, the status of soldiers in this country has been declining. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the situation worsened.

He hadn't felt this kind of support, encouragement, and care from the public for a long time.

It was at this moment that Yura was forcibly pushed in front of the paratrooper captain.

What could he do? He could only grit his teeth, extend his hand, and try his best to recite: "Thank you for your hard work and sacrifices for the peace and security of Russia. Captain Kosrov, please contact me anytime you need anything. I will do everything I can to meet your needs."

Captain Kosrov's face twitched slightly, but he eventually reached out and shook Yura's hand: "Thank you, sir."

He disliked the high-ranking federal government official, but he needed protection, more protection, never too much protection, to ensure that he and his lads had a chance to survive.

War, oh war, is a human meat grinder where death can strike at any moment.

The heavy truck roared as it hurriedly took away the paratroopers who had only had time to pack and didn't even have time to leave a letter for their families.

Yura looked at the snow spray kicked up by the truck tires and breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to Wang Xiao and said, "Miss Wang, are you satisfied now?"

Look, he really endured humiliation and hardship in order to support Punonin and ensure that the government's public relations efforts could continue.

He was the one who was scolded for no reason, and then he had to take the initiative to make peace and reconcile.

As a result, even Yura felt sorry for herself, but Wang Xiao's reaction was expressionless: "No, sir, the person who needs to be satisfied from beginning to end is not me."

My God!

Yura couldn't help but shout, he had never seen such a difficult person to please!

That evening, after Ivanov returned from the factory to the container market for dinner, Yura launched into a long, nagging tirade: "Ivanov, how did you manage to put up with this?"

Is being a kept man really that appealing? It's worth enduring all this humiliation!

Ivanov's dumpling fell into the bowl, and he looked at his friend incredulously: "No, you still haven't figured out what your problem is?"

Yura felt that it was some kind of inexplicable illness, and Ivan, having spent a lot of time with the king, also caught it.

"Can't you stop talking to her like that? I'm having nightmares every night because of it! If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn't have tried to please her!"

Ivanov shook his head, utterly heartbroken: "Your problem is that you didn't treat the paratroopers, you didn't treat our soldiers as the same as me, as her, as all of us."

Yura thought he had cultivated good manners, but he was forced into a corner and was on the verge of exploding: "What nonsense are you talking about? I just said that protecting the country is a soldier's natural duty."

"What if it were me? What if it were Vladimir? What if it were our friend going to the battlefield? Would you still not offer a single blessing or a word of farewell?"

Ivanov shook his head. "There are no such things that are taken for granted. Paratroopers can choose to refuse. Don't talk about duty or honor; nothing matters more than life and death."

Yura's eyes blazed with fury as she slammed her hand on the table: "What nonsense are you spouting?! Ivan, are you insane?"

The cafeteria fell silent instantly, and the surrounding diners looked at each other, wondering what had gotten into the owner's friend this time.

Why are you banging on the table while we're eating?

Wang Xiao was having dinner with her second sister and the others when she heard the noise and turned around to look.

Ivanov immediately pulled Yura down: "What are you doing? Can't you speak properly?"

Yura felt incredibly embarrassed being stared at by so many eyes from all over the world, of all skin colors, and quickly sat down.

But he still insisted on his principles: "Ivan, this is nihilism, your ideas are dangerous."

Ivanov, too lazy to move his facial muscles, remained expressionless: "Otherwise what? Yura, I've been thinking, what is elitism? Did the Soviet Union have elitism? Yes! In battle, the political commissar charged to the front, that's elitism. Because it conforms to the standard of enduring hardship first and enjoying comforts later. That's the only behavior an elite should have."

Yura felt like she had chosen the wrong course and walked into the wrong classroom in college, completely unable to communicate with the people at the same table.

"Ivan, why are you saying all this?"

The rambling is incoherent and completely nonsensical.

Ivanov took a sip of dumpling soup and continued speaking to himself: "But later it changed. Our so-called elites became people who were high and mighty. They were the giant babies of socialism."

He looked up at Yura and said, “My dear friend, they are equals, just like us.”

Yura blushed, feeling deeply humiliated, and had to speak up for herself: "When did I ever say I was superior? The reason we rejected the Soviet Union was because it made everyone unequal."

He covered his forehead. "God! I just wanted to please Miss Wang. I just didn't have a chance to talk to the paratrooper."

Ivanov, picking up a dumpling and dipping it in vinegar, continued to stab him in the heart: "Your subconscious choice already proves your true thoughts."

Yura, enraged, retorted, "In your eyes, am I just an arrogant and despicable scoundrel?"

Wang Xiao brought the pear soup to their table and smoothly continued the conversation: "You don't need to be irritable, you don't need to be annoyed by me, and I won't be here anymore."

Yura's frustration was already welling up in her chest, but he was startled back by his words.

He was practically begging Wang Xiao, practically clinging to her leg: "Wang, I admit my attitude was wrong. I apologize to you, sincerely apologize. Please don't be angry, we can talk things out."

God, what will he do if she abandons the project?

In Ivan's words, if a company's boss drives away his top salesperson, the company is very likely to go bankrupt.

Wang Xiao shook her head: "My leaving has nothing to do with you. I'm going home for the New Year."

She didn't care whether Yura lived or died; she only cared about Ivanov. "Are you alright alone in Moscow?"

Although admitting it was embarrassing, Yura knew he held no place in Wang Xiao's heart. He quickly grabbed Ivanov's arm and pleaded desperately, "Quick, Ivanov, tell him you can't do it, tell him you need her."

He completely forgot that just minutes before he was complaining that his friend had become the king's yes-man, listening to everything the other party said.

However, he had tried to curry favor too late, and Ivanov ignored him, only nodding to Wang Xiao: "It's okay, I can do it."

Yura completely broke down.

What a load of rubbish! Do you think I don't know your own weight? We grew up together wearing open-crotch pants.

Moscow is now tied to Chechnya, and a crisis could erupt at any moment.

Without a king, can I count on you?

Yura didn't give her friend any face; she said what she really thought.

Ivanov didn't tolerate him and retorted directly, "What do you expect me to do? That's your job."

Yura was about to explode: "I can't do that! I've never done anything like that before!"

He agreed to the job not only because of Vladimir's request, but more importantly because he knew he had a cheat code; all he had to do was obey orders.

The person being relied upon remained calm and shrugged: "I've never done public relations for the government before. There's no such thing as being able to do something or not. In this world, apart from truly technical jobs, everything else is about being able to do what you're supposed to do in this position."

Yura almost burst into tears on the spot, desperately pleading, "King, don't abandon me. I apologize for my previous arrogance, ignorance, and foul mouth. You must believe me, I have always deeply admired and respected you."

Tsk tsk, what happened to the pride of the Slavs? What happened to the principle that a man of principle would never bow his head? What happened to the shame of being a kept man?

However, Wang Xiao is very cold-hearted, and very few people can change her plans; Yura is clearly not among them.

Luzhkov even came to her door, which shows just how conspicuous she is in Moscow.

If she doesn't lay low now, she won't even know how she died.

Wang Xiao shook his head firmly: "I'm sorry, sir, but we Chinese have a saying: 'Whether you have money or not, you should go home for the New Year.' I have to go back."

Yura pleaded pitifully, "What should I do? I really don't know how."

He had a sudden inspiration: "You know, war kills people. My abilities are insufficient to bear the responsibility. If I don't do well, it's not just a matter of me personally being punished; more importantly, countless people will lose their lives because of my incompetence."

“Learn.” Wang Xiao gestured towards the vendors at the next table who were drinking and eating peanuts. “Start by listening.”

The cafeteria was noisy, with everyone talking while eating.

If there's anything special about this table, it's that they speak exceptionally loudly, and others can hear them clearly.

But Yura remained bewildered. What could he possibly understand? He didn't understand Chinese; he couldn't comprehend a single word.

Oh no, there were still a few scattered words that I could barely guess.

Glutzny, Stalingrad, and the like are all place names.

But he didn't understand why these two Chinese businessmen would connect these two place names while drinking and boasting.

Wang Xiao translated softly: "They are saying that Grozny fought terribly, that the commander doesn't understand warfare at all, and has absolutely no basic common sense."

Yura blushed and stammered, "The situation in Grozny is very complicated."

He didn't have the confidence to refute the other party, but his pride couldn't bear being told what to do by a foreign layman.

Wang Xiao glanced at him and then greeted the merchant who was talking animatedly, "Brother, what do you think we should do?"

It is said that one of the great characteristics of the Chinese people is their exceptionally strong political awareness.

After a couple of drinks, one can start to pontificate and boast, a display of charisma that awakens one's inner strength.

Therefore, they don't feel that they are just ordinary people who are not qualified to discuss national affairs, let alone comment on the international situation.

Nonsense! The country belongs to the people, and the earth belongs to the people.

If none of them are qualified, then who is? Cretaceous dinosaur fossils?

The merchant, who was in the middle of a lively discussion, chimed in: "Fight like the Battle of Stalingrad! The Russians should have experience in this area, how could they be so foolish as to use armored formations to push through?"

Good heavens, when he saw the Russians fighting on NTV, everything went black.

What are they doing? It's not a military parade; they're not showing off how many tanks and armored vehicles they have.

The man drinking with him nodded in agreement: "Exactly! What's the point of relying on tanks and armored vehicles for a frontal assault? The Soviets built so many Groznys, with so many streets and alleys, so many buildings. Heavy equipment would be ready targets inside. I'd ambush from the top of buildings, dig underground tunnels, load up rocket launchers, and blow them up one by one. If any armored group dares to come, I'll make sure they never return!"

Wang Xiao was busy talking to the merchants, so the task of translation was passed on to the bodyguard.

Xiao Gao, Xiao Zhao, and Nikolai chattered away, making Yura feel like she couldn't keep up with all the conversation.

This topic sparked the interest of all the Chinese speculators present, and everyone began to engage in theoretical discussions.

Some suggest following the example of the Soviet Red Army, using small commando units, with engineers for demolition, snipers for suppression, and infantry and engineers working together, to weaken Chechen strongholds through demolition and flanking maneuvers, and capture high-rise buildings one by one.

"Use artillery and mortars for targeted elimination. The Russians have plenty of planes and artillery, but we can't just bombard them indiscriminately. If bombing isn't effective, we should provide precise fire support."

The smuggler shook his head, "If we just bomb this place flat, the international community will start criticizing us again. This isn't how you crack down on organized crime."

Someone else shook their head: "The Battle of Stalingrad is really not the same as the Battle of Grozny. Stop arguing. Don't forget, Stalingrad originally belonged to the Soviet Union, so the city's ownership is different. If you ask me, if the Russians want to fight, they should learn from our Battle of Tianjin."

People around him laughed: "You even know about the Battle of Tianjin? You're quite something!"

The man being laughed at blushed as red as a burning ember, slamming his fist on the table and emphasizing, "How could I not know? I grew up in Tianjin and was only sent to the Northeast during the Cultural Revolution. My grandfather even participated in the war!"

Yura couldn't help but feel a strong urge to learn more about the Battle of Stalingrad as he listened to their analysis.

Actually, he had heard these battle stories when he was young. His grandfather was a veteran of the Red Army, and the shrapnel in his body has not been removed to this day.

But he can't remember exactly when he started to forget these things.

Hearing the traders and their associates start talking about the Battle of Tianjin again, he couldn't help but interject, "Is there any difference?"

Unfortunately, nobody paid any attention to him; more specifically, people felt there was no need to pay attention to him.

Because the self-proclaimed Tianjin native, a scalper, had already begun to vividly describe the situation: "What were the characteristics of the Battle of Tianjin? Advances from the east and west, encirclement and division. Precise artillery fire cleared the way, quickly breaking through the defenses. What was there to fight for house by house? It was a war of attrition, how many lives would be needed to pay off?"

Someone nearby protested, "If you don't fight them one by one, how will you know where the enemy is hiding?"

"Reconnaissance!" The Tianjin trader exclaimed in surprise. "Before a battle, don't you need to find out what their defenses are? Once you have, concentrate your artillery fire to blow up their command post and ammunition depot."

He pointed to the ceiling. "The Russians have so many planes, and the KGB is so good at intelligence gathering. We can bomb their command posts and supply points. Then we can send in special forces to divide the Grozny city area, preventing them from flanking each other and isolating their strongholds. If we fight again, we can easily crush them."

Someone nearby clapped: "You're right, hurry up, you should go back and become a general."

The Tianjin smuggler spat and said, "Don't give me that crap. I've been a militiaman for over ten years, and every training session has been exhausting. You'd better hope I'm doing well."

Laughter erupted in the cafeteria.

To put it bluntly, Grozny is Grozny, and Moscow is Moscow.

Even though Grozny was engulfed in war and turned into a living hell; even though everyone had just sent familiar paratroopers to Grozny, it couldn't dampen the laughter and joy in the canteen of the container market in Moscow.

Amidst the laughter, Wang Xiao looked at Yura and said, "Listen, listen more, think about it after you've listened, and then you'll know what to do."

If you don't know something and don't try to learn it, what's the point of just sitting in your room sighing and complaining?

Everyone goes through a process of learning from not knowing to knowing how to do something.

Wang Xiao stared at his wide eyes and assigned him homework: "Remember, never try to do everything on three legs. Always stay clear-headed and understand what the main contradiction is. Also, don't forget that we are all equal. No one has an obligation to sacrifice for anyone else. Put away that social Darwinism nonsense. Don't forget, you represent the Russian government."

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[Let me see] Good morning!