Coincidentally, what Yakov lacked was precisely what Zhao Xiaohai lacked the most. As a businessman who had made his fortune in the gray trade, and whose moral standards had practically sunk to the bottom of the sea, he was undoubtedly generous. He made money quickly and spent it without regret. Two million rubles was nothing more than a shipment of containers between China and the Soviet Union. Now, he could use it to pursue greater development opportunities. How could he pass up such an opportunity?
A high-ranking official of the Security Council, who was audacious, powerful but penniless, and eager to seize funds; and an equally audacious, wealthy, powerless, and shady businessman, desperate for the protection of power. In every way, these two people together were a perfect match. Fortunately or unfortunately, these two men, through Nina's connections, became truly "insiders"—a turning point in life, both for Yakov and Zhao Xiaohai, and a crucial one.
"Brother, it's not that serious, is it?" Zhao Xiaohai stroked his belly, then picked up the underwear draped over the back of the sofa and put it on while smiling. "This is not a huge amount of money. Haha, if you are willing to cooperate with me sincerely, then I think you should not just focus on one direction. In my opinion, your country is full of business opportunities now, and there is a lot of room for us to operate. Take the trade I'm currently engaged in, for example. If you can sincerely protect me, then starting next month, I can give you this amount every month..."
Zhao Xiaohai put on his coat and spoke casually, raising his right index finger to Yakov.
"One million?" Yakov's eyes flashed, he licked his lips and said in a low voice.
"That's right, one million," Zhao Xiaohai nodded and smiled, "What do you think, brother?"
"Deal!" Yakov didn't hesitate. He grabbed Zhao Xiaohai's finger and said, "From now on, your business will be handled by my people. In the Far East, no matter which port or checkpoint your goods enter through, my people will rush to it as soon as possible. You no longer need to worry about customs inspections, tax verification, and other issues. Of course, you don't have to worry about supervision by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Hehe, in short, brother, I will make you feel that your one million is worth it."
"Hey, then let's wish you a happy cooperation," Zhao Xiaohai said with a knowing smile, "How about it, shouldn't we open some champagne to celebrate?"
"Of course we have to celebrate," Yakov said with an ambiguous expression, waving his hand. "But it can't just be as simple as popping open some champagne. I'm very happy today, and I want to celebrate the beginning of this partnership in my favorite way. Hehe, by the way, let me give you a different kind of excitement too."
"Oh?" A hint of doubt flashed across Zhao Xiaohai's face.
"Haha, as for celebrating, our Security Committee has our own way." Seeing the hint of confusion on Zhao Xiaohai's face, Yakov smiled and said, "Don't worry, it's still early. Let's go find a place to have a drink first. Um, brother, I can introduce you to a few people."
"Okay then," Zhao Xiaohai agreed, then seemed to think of something. He looked at his watch, which had already pointed to five o'clock. Remembering his previous agreement with Li Qiang, Zhao Xiaohai decided it would be safer to go back to the storage depot first, so as not to worry Li Qiang.
"But I have to go back to the storage warehouse first," Zhao Xiaohai put down his hands and buttoned his coat, saying, "Brother, you made such a big noise today that Li Qiang was almost scared to death. I have to go back and report that I'm safe. Otherwise, my brother probably won't be able to eat tonight."
"Li Qiang? Oh, your precious little brother," Yakov said with a smile, "Okay, I'll go with you. Haha, I guess if you don't go back tonight, Li Qiang won't be the only one who won't be able to eat dinner."
"How dare you laugh?" Zhao Xiaohai shook his head, reached out and pushed Yakov on the shoulder, and walked towards the door with him. "This is all your fault. Let me tell you, before I came here, I had already decided to let Shoucheng and the others escape."
"Hahaha..." Yakov laughed happily. To him, it seemed that this scary thing was very interesting.
Two extremely bad men came out of the police station office building one after the other. In full view of everyone, they got into a Volga sedan with the Security Committee emblem painted on it, arm in arm, and drove straight to the reserve warehouse.
The cheerful conversation and friendly gestures between Zhao Xiaohai and Yakov before boarding the bus quickly spread through various channels, reaching the ears of the officials in Khabarovsk, who had been feeling uneasy for over a day. These officials, feeling guilty, felt they were safe for the time being. However, more importantly, they needed to quickly ascertain the true relationship between the two men—one a businessman who had bribed them, the other holding the power over their lives. If their relationship remained unclear, their jobs wouldn't be secure, but their lives would be at stake.
"Brother, it seems you've always been quite daring," Yakov said as three Security Committee cars pulled up in front of the munitions depot. He emerged from the left door, his hat in hand. He glanced at the heavily guarded guardhouse at the depot and turned to Zhao Xiaohai, saying, "Unauthorized occupation of a military warehouse for your storage is enough to send you and the entire division headquarters to a labor camp."
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