It's calm.

The sky and the earth seemed to be linked together, with no end in sight, and all that could be seen was the pure azure blue.

Water birds fly over the water, making clear and melodious calls from time to time.

The damp and slightly fishy smell of the sea hits you in the face. Standing on the deck and looking over, you will have a broad view and feel refreshed.

The bar is in the Second Construction Building.

However, there are rows of idle tables and chairs on the deck.

As soon as Nagano and his friend sat down, a waiter in a black vest came over.

"Coffee?" The blonde beauty's blue eyes cast a questioning look.

Nagano shrugged. “I’d prefer tea, but I’m afraid there’s none.”

"You are so interesting, you don't look like a Japanese at all!"

"Oh. Why do you say that?"

"Because in my impression you Japanese are very old-fashioned, full of Bushido spirit, very serious."

"Maybe it's because I'm a fake devil!"

"Ha ha!"

The beauty was thoroughly amused.

"You're so funny, can you tell me your name?"

"In Japan, a boy's name is as secret as a girl's age. I can tell you, but you have to tell me your name first."

"Efimova, Yulia Efimova."

“What a nice name.”

"And you?!"

"Nagano Nao."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Nagano."

"It's the same with you. It's a lucky arrangement for this journey to meet a beautiful girl like you."

“.”

Just as Naoto Nagano said.

It is a blessing to meet a beautiful woman while traveling.

This Russian beauty named Yulia Efimova has the unique appearance of Eastern European beauties, fair skin, tall figure, and long golden hair that flows like waves in the sun.

Wearing a small red vest, her extraordinary strength was extremely visually impactful and could not be concealed, revealing a large area of ​​snow-white skin.

She is wearing a pair of denim shorts and her strong and sturdy legs are full of youth and strength.

Especially those blue eyes, as bright as gems, with a slight smile and a cheerful personality full of charm, which is captivating.

Such a beauty, even just looking at it, is a great visual enjoyment for the eyes.

The other party's identity was obviously unusual. It was not easy for Russia to go abroad, but he lost tens of thousands of dollars in the casino casually. There were also several fierce female bodyguards following him. He was definitely not an ordinary person.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Seeing Nagano staring at her, Yulia Efimova asked knowingly with a hint of playfulness.

Nagano Nao responded: "A beauty like you is like a natural magnet. I have completely lost control of my eyes."

"You're really funny. You must use this method to pick up girls often!"

"How is that possible! I'm just a simple child."

"Really? That's a shame. I like bad boys!"

"Ah! I can learn this!"

"Ha ha."

Communication between people.

The most interesting thing is that you know the other person is talking nonsense, but you don’t expose it.

Yulia Efimova always had a bright smile on her face, and they were just chatting casually. It felt pretty good to meet an interesting person of the opposite sex.

Nagano straight men are also in a good mood, and the beauties are a feast to the eyes. When they meet such beauties who make one feel comfortable just by looking at them, the journey will surely be more colorful.

gradually.

The sun sets.

A red sun hung over the sea, casting a deep red shadow on the snow-white cruise ship.

Walk out onto the deck.

Yulia Efimova held onto the railing and exclaimed: "Oh my God! This view is so beautiful!"

"Would you like me to help preserve this beautiful scenery?" Nagano Nao seized the opportunity at the right time and looked particularly gentlemanly.

Such a requirement.

Yulia Efimova did not refuse, smiled and posed.

Nao Nagano took out his camera and started taking a lot of pictures, satisfying his desire to be a photographer.

You’re not even to mention.

Hang out with family often.

Naoto Nagano's photography skills have improved a lot.

In each photo, Yulia Efimova's charming smile combined with the beautiful scenery is truly colorful.

“Your photography skills are amazing!”

“Because I take photos so often, my level has improved.”

“Are you a photographer?”

Because I have a teacher whose last name is Chen!

Grinning secretly, Nagano Nao said, "No, I just like traveling around the world, so."

"Oh. Have you been to our place?"

"I really want to go, but I'm afraid of danger, so."

"Oh, if you have a chance, you can contact me when you get there."

A business card was handed over.

A very simple note, without any identifying information.

But Nagano Nao was secretly delighted.

In fact, in the Cayman Islands, he noticed Yulia Efimova and her gang. In this era of great change, the appearance of a group of Russians in an offshore financial center like the Cayman Islands is itself very interesting.

You know, these days, it is not so convenient for Russians to go abroad, and it is even more difficult to register a company in the Cayman Islands with funds.

Foreign exchange controls.

If you don’t have connections, you can’t even exchange dollars, let alone go abroad or start a company.

So - these people are most likely the powerful class!

Accept the business card.

Looking at Yulia Efimova's delicate features, Nagano Nao could not see anything unusual on his face.

The other party is not opposed to my approach. Besides the fact that I am handsome and can lick, it should be because he can see that I am not an ordinary person and is testing me!

Love at first sight? I guess so! After meeting once and spending more time together, it’s natural to fall in love.

This kind of thing. Gradually.

The night grew darker.

Because Nagano Nao's photography skills were great, Yulia Efimova treated this guy to a meal in return.

Coincidentally, both of them lived in the luxurious private room upstairs.

After drinking some wine, we walked onto the deck together and found that we were all living on the same floor. We smiled at each other.

"You live here too?"

Spoken in unison.

Such a coincidence really makes me feel like it’s fate.

"It seems that we are really destined to be together!"

"That's what I thought."

"Good night!"

"Good night!"

“.”

A beautiful encounter.

It made for a wonderful evening.

the next day.

Nagano Nao was awakened by the chaotic noise.

Washed my face.

Walk out of the cabin along the passage, go up the stairs and come to the deck.

A sea breeze with a slight fishy smell blew in my face.

Nagano Nao took out a cigarette from his pocket, turned his back and lit it with a lighter, then looked into the distance.

Various large and small ships are sailing on the sea, some with white sails hoisted, some with black smoke rising, leaving behind streaks of white waves between the blue sea and sky.

Farther ahead are the city's high-rise buildings, and the cruise ship's destination, Manhattan, is already faintly visible.

At the front deck, many passengers from all over the world gathered, pointing excitedly and curiously at the city in front of them whose outlines were becoming clearer and clearer. They were full of excitement and talked about their first impressions of the city.

The most curious thing is naturally the Statue of Liberty.

Holding a torch in one hand and a Bible in the other, the huge figure stood in the sea, making people feel inexplicably shocked.

I saw Nagano Nao coming over.

Seto Shinnosuke greeted her and said with emotion: "The Statue of Liberty! It is so beautiful and magnificent. Every time I see her, I feel a sense of freedom in my heart."

"The smell of freedom? Why don't you say the air smells sweetly of freedom!"

"No more! I mean, a lowly nation like America really doesn't deserve such a goddess! Sir, why don't we buy her back and put her in the Japanese Sea, and dress her in a classical kimono. With such a good figure, she must be very attractive!"

Because Seto speaks Japanese.

The people around him showed no expression.

Nagano Nao had an urge to spurt blood and wanted to kick this guy into the sea.

Are you mentally ill? "Why are you obsessed with a statue, you idiot? If you want to have sex with a foreign horse, I won't stop you."

"It's not like a foreign horse has the meaning of the Statue of Liberty, but come to think of it, this seems like a great idea!" Seto Shinnosuke was inexplicably excited: "It would be interesting if the club provided a foreign horse of the Statue of Liberty!"

"This idea seems really good!"

Nagano Naoichi subconsciously imagined it.

Grass.

It turns out that you can’t talk to an idiot.

I was almost turned into a sand sculpture.

If the Americans knew you were thinking this way, they would beat you to death!

Even as a small Japan.

Even Nagano Nagao couldn't stand the vulgarity of this devil.

But Seto Shinnosuke didn't know what kind of fantasy he was in. He looked at the Statue of Liberty with an obsessed look, as if he really wanted to take the girl home.

Just at this moment.

A graceful figure came from afar, guarded by several bodyguards. She was like a star surrounded by people, and one could tell at a glance how extraordinary she was.

It was Yulia Efimova. Compared to yesterday, she changed into a white dress today, but her beautiful figure and flowing golden hair still made her stand out in the crowd.

Several bodyguards were vaguely scattered around.

The invisible aura makes strangers feel pressured, and not many people come close.

Seeing Nagano Nao, Yulia Efe smiled sweetly and walked over.

Seto Shinnosuke is very perceptive.

He bowed immediately.

It's just a greeting.

He bowed and greeted Nagano Nao again, and made room for him.

Seto leaves.

Yulia Efimova, wearing high heels and holding onto the railing, seemed to be shocked by the city and the Statue of Liberty in the distance. She said with emotion, "Is this America?"

To be honest.

First time in New York.

Nagano Nao was also shocked by the scenery here.

It’s not that I haven’t seen skyscrapers before, but the thought that this place was filled with skyscrapers a hundred years ago just like it is now, the tide of the times, like a vast ocean, is shocking.

What was the world like a hundred years ago? At that time, the United States was already a great power, and it blasted open the door to Japan.

The Black Ship Incident forced Japan to open up its trade market, and gave rise to thinkers like Fukuzawa Yukichi, who, with his hatred for officialism, criticized the Confucian bureaucracy, founded universities, and led Japan to rise and become one of the great powers in the second industrial revolution.

A man quietly finished smoking his cigarette, and then Nagano said, "This is America! Haven't you been here before?"

"No! Is that the Statue of Liberty?" Looking at the huge Statue of Liberty on the sea, Yulia Efimova said with a hint of girlish excitement in her eyes.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

"Yes! You travel around the world often, so you must have seen many beautiful scenery!"

"Hab' die ganze Welt geseh'n Von Singapur bis Aberdeen Wenn du mich fragst wo's am schnsten war Sag' ich Sansibar! Es war 'ne harte überfahrt –

” ​ ​ ​ ​

Nagano Nao was appropriately pretentious.

It installed quite smoothly.

Yulia Efimova was very surprised and asked with great curiosity: "What song is this? I have never heard of it before."

“Because no one has sung it yet.”

"Oh my God! You didn't make that up yourself!"

“You can understand it that way!”

“.”

Yulia Efimova's eyes changed.

A gentleman who looks very elegant is actually so knowledgeable about music, funny, humorous, and talented. It's amazing! He was looked at with admiration by the beautiful woman.

It feels pretty good.

Of course, it would be even better if something could happen with a beautiful woman.

It's just a pity.

Reached the shore.

Yulia Efimova got in the car and left.

Just before leaving.

Suddenly, he came over and put his face close to Nagano Nao's, giving him a farewell gesture.

The car drove away.

Touching the remaining heat on his face, Nagano Nao's heart was moved when he thought of what the other person had just said.

At this time.

A Rolls-Royce pulled up.

As the car door opened.

A woman with a hot body, charming and seductive came down.

It was Felina from Goldman Sachs Investment Department. When she saw Naoto Nagano, she stretched out her hand and uttered a few words from her red lips: "Mr. Nagano, long time no see!"

“.”

Human history is a history of contradictions between war and peace.

And every war, in essence, is a transfer and redistribution of resources and wealth.

The Russians have a vast land and a sparse population, but rich resources. They made a fortune by relying on oil. After two oil crises and a surge in oil prices, they made a fortune.

The U.S. economy is highly dependent on oil imports. It suffered greatly from the two oil crises and faced financial bankruptcy twice.

It was in this context that Kissinger once said: If you control the oil, you control all countries; if you control the food, you control all the people; if you control the currency, you control the world.

To control oil.

Since the 1980s, the United States has begun to intervene in the Middle East, and the world has changed dramatically.

From 1980 to 1988, Iran and Iraq fought the eight-year Iran-Iraq War over border disputes, which severely damaged both countries. Iraq also owed a lot of foreign debts, including $14 billion to Kuwait.

As the Cold War intensified in those years, an invisible division and struggle quietly broke out in Eastern Europe. The United States began to plan for the Middle East while advancing its Pacific strategy.

Almost at the same time.

The Plaza Accord was signed, the Japanese yen appreciated strongly, and the US dollar depreciated wildly, which brought tremendous pressure to the value of the ruble. Saudi Arabia expanded production, suppressing Russia's reliance on exports of oil, and crude oil collapsed, falling to $11 to this day.

(End of this chapter)