Hong Kong Island: From a small stall to a global supplier

Once the general direction is agreed upon, there's no need to delve into the more detailed technical details. Just select the right joint venture company and calculate the valuation of the companies to be spun off in the Far East.

These tasks need to be carried out in two parts. One group of people will secretly follow Wang Yaotang to the Far East to make contact with the equipment and personnel, and see which ones need to be brought back and which ones can be abandoned.

It's impossible to ship them all back. There are too many, and they're too big. It would easily cause unnecessary trouble. Some of the equipment that can be manufactured back home is simply no longer needed.

The main resources are complete technical documentation and technical personnel.

Wang Yaotang went to the Far East with these people. Khvatov and his group may have seen a bright future or a promising financial prospect, but in any case, they were still warmly welcomed.

This shocked the technical and evaluators who came with the team. Although they had thought that Wang Yaotang had a lot of influence here, imagining it and actually seeing it were two different things.

This is still way too damn fantastical!

This is a bad guy who's trying to steal your guys!
You were the kind of people who made the whole Western world tremble, how could you... how could you... sigh.

In the eyes of those who don't pay much attention to or have access to international affairs, they are role models, but suddenly...

It's heartbreaking and makes one sigh with regret.

Of course, there is also a sense of pride.

It's getting better too!

The Far East side went to great lengths to entertain the visitors, and their hospitality consisted of heavy drinking.

Of course, they really went all out with the delicacies from land and sea: tiger, bear, red deer, hazel grouse, salmon, king salmon, Russian sturgeon, Pacific cod, Hokkaido scallops, Russian sea cucumbers, botan shrimp...

It truly has everything: things that fly in the sky, run on the ground, and swim in the sea!
You might say he lacks resources, and he really does; you might say he has abundant resources, and he really does.

But afterwards, when Wang Yaotang asked these people how the food was, they all had strange expressions. He only remembered two things: the taste was strange and the alcohol was very strong...

Damn, that bunch of soldiers were too enthusiastic and could drink too much. These clerical workers couldn't handle it. If Wang Yaotang hadn't stopped them in time, they probably would have all drunk themselves silly.

Khvatov and his group were indeed a little nervous. After all, the final valuation depended entirely on these people, and since it concerned their wealth, they began to feel anxious about the outcome.

By the end of September, the situation in Moscow had become even more dangerous, like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment. Unfortunately, the authorities were far away and unable to influence the situation there. It felt like they were all family, yet at a time of life and death, they had become mere spectators at the door.

Damn it, this feeling is awful.

It gives off a feeling of the Little Match Girl.

Would they take a large sum of money and run off to the United States, where they've been fighting for decades, or to Europe, where they've been entangled in feuds for hundreds of years?
Are you really comfortable with them?
I believe they are all good people and will treat themselves well.

If they were that naive, they wouldn't have climbed to their current position. Their only protection is that the West wants to set an example for Russia.

Know well.

Technical and assessment personnel were all busy. As the operation officially began, many things could no longer be kept secret. Previously, it was the high-ranking officials of the Far East Fleet who consulted with Wang Yaotang. Now, the scope was to be expanded, and key government leaders from Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Kamchatka, Magadan, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and other regions and districts would also be involved.

Although these factories all served the Far East Fleet, they were actually operated by these government personnel. Now you're selling them off in a package deal, what, aren't you going to give me a share?
When it comes time to divide the spoils, who cares whether your Far East Fleet has guns and cannons!
Trick or treat!

Of course, they were also very curious about what conditions Wang Yaotang, this multi-billionaire whom they had only heard of but never met, had offered.

Or rather, what conditions were offered?

The scope of the meetings will definitely need to be expanded, but it should be done gradually.

"I won't get involved in the internal distribution of resources when you form a consortium. The people you met with in the previous meetings should be screened by you. Let me just say this: the Far East is vast and has abundant resources. There's no need to focus on every single gold coin. We should make as many friends as possible and as few enemies as possible. Everyone has their own ambitions, and not everyone may be willing to leave their homeland. But that's not a big problem. The Far East is rich in resources, and those who stay here will still be our best friends. There is a great deal of room for cooperation in the future."

"Believe me, I'm a billionaire!"

They could still listen to what Wang Yaotang said, nodding in agreement, after all, it was their hometown.

"Oh, right, I have another question," Wang Yaotang said, as if suddenly remembering something. "Have you considered the KGB issue? With such a large-scale operation, surely they know about it? Will there be any trouble if the news gets back to Moscow?"

"KGB?" Khvatov and the others exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

"The KGB is mysterious, dangerous, and powerful, possessing national security dominance, absolute control over borders, political surveillance, military coordination, and economic oversight," Chief of the General Staff Sidorov said with a smile. "See, very powerful, isn't it?"

"Absolute control of the border, yet how does smuggling occur?"

“They are human beings too, they need to eat. Vladimir Vasilyevich Stepanov, introduce yourself formally.” Sidorov raised an eyebrow.

Wang Yaotang: "Huh?!"

Vladimir Vasilyevich Stepanov walked over and gave the somewhat dazed Wang Yaotang a big hug. "Buddy, didn't I mention my job? But that's not important. As for you, my friend, we're going to have a rematch tonight. Last time I wasn't in good form, but this time, I'm going to drink you under the table too!"

Wang Yaotang thought of how Khvatov and his men had established a connection with the KGB, but he never expected that the KGB was right next to him.

This is fucking magical!
Yuri Ivanovic Khomenko stepped forward. "Me too."

"Aren't you the commander of the Far East Border Defense Region?" Wang Yaotang blinked.

“The border district belongs to the KGB, which is why it has absolute control over the border. I thought you knew that we both belong to the KGB headquarters in Moscow and report to Kryuchkov regularly,” Yuri Ivanovich Khomenko said with a smile.

Well, all I can say about Wang Yaotang, one of the core figures of the Far East Consortium, is that he is full of vitality!
The KGB has around 2 troops in the Far East, most of whom are border guards, numbering around 1.7.

The remaining personnel are intelligence agents and administrative staff, numbering around 2500, distributed across major cities such as Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, and Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

As for informants, there are many, around seventy or eighty thousand.

However, its power is gradually being restricted.

Gotto's "openness" policy after taking office limited the KGB's surveillance powers, allowing media to report on some KGB activities. After the 90 revision of the Soviet Constitution, the KGB's powers of arrest and interrogation were subject to legal constraints and required to follow judicial procedures.

Influenced by these policies, the Far Eastern regional government began to challenge the KGB's "excessive intervention." After the August 19th Tank Uprising, KGB leader Kryuchkov was arrested, the organization was completely reorganized, and its power was greatly reduced.

According to reports from Moscow, the KGB might be disbanded. Given all this, it's only natural that the KGB in the Far East would seek a way out for itself and get involved with Khvatov and his group.

After understanding the current situation, Wang Yaotang was both amused and exasperated, feeling that it was a somewhat sad thing to talk about, so he quickly changed the subject, "Where are you planning to settle down?"

When this was mentioned, everyone immediately became serious. They had discussed this matter before, with some suggesting that the Chinese settle in China, others in Hong Kong, and still others believing that a small Southeast Asian country would be the best option.

Everyone has their own concerns, and it's inevitable that there will be some...

"As for my thoughts..." Wang Yaotang pondered for a moment and said, "If you want to settle down, this is a great opportunity. It will be much more difficult to settle down later, very difficult, and it has nothing to do with whether you have money or not."

"Is it difficult even for you, Wang Yaotang?" Khvatov asked in surprise.

“Difficult!” Wang Yaotang nodded.

It's one thing for him to be a family member, but he can't be a guarantor for outsiders.

If it's for settling down...

One can imagine!

The small number of people who pass the exam each year are mostly science and technology professionals.

The group looked at each other in bewilderment. Sidorov asked, "If it's that difficult, then it must be very good?"

Wang Yaotang pondered for a moment, "Well, many wealthy people are thinking about going abroad. From the perspective of enjoying life, their hometown is indeed not as good as overseas, the management is too strict. But from the perspective of safety, it is the best in the world, without exception."

"This……"

A group of insecure people hesitated.

"What suggestions do you have?" Khvatov asked.

“Hong Kong, please,” Wang Yaotang said with a smile. “It’s a good place to advance or retreat. In a few decades, you might be able to directly obtain citizenship in your hometown. If things don’t go well, 50 years is enough time for you to see the situation clearly. Besides, I still have some influence in Hong Kong. Not only do you not have to worry about being ostracized, but everyone will welcome you to integrate.”

"Alright, we'll do as you say!" the group said after a brief discussion.

I like the ability to both attack and defend.

As expected of an old friend, they understand them so well.

……

The scientific and technical personnel who accompanied us on this trip to the Far East felt like they were in a dream.

They had received special training before coming, and although relations had improved, they were still asked to be careful and mindful of their words and actions. While training is usually provided for business trips abroad, the requirements were even stricter this time, given the gravity of the situation.

In the imagined scenario, they sneak into the factory at night, the mole on high alert. They secretly check the premises with the curtains drawn and flashlights on, constantly facing the possibility of unexpected situations, such as barking dogs, being discovered by patrols, or even the KGB...

Before we arrived, we were divided into groups. If something happens, whoever steps up to take responsibility will be held accountable, even if it means dying, so as not to implicate others!
Once they've all been arrested, they must remain silent and wait for Wang Yaotang to arrange for someone to pull strings and rescue them.

After Wang Yaotang arranged their actions, they learned that they would go during the day. Everyone was prepared to die, but suddenly they saw a group of heavily armed soldiers walking over, and their breath caught in their throats.

Someone rushed forward to protect the person behind them, prepared to sacrifice themselves, but...

"Hey, you're the auditors, right?" The leading officer smiled and extended his hand.

"Huh? Audit? Uh... oh, yes, yes." Fu Cheng's expression was a little stiff. What is an audit?

Is this word a bit...inappropriate for this context?
Why does it seem like we're being investigated from above?

"Hello comrade, I'm the one in charge of your security this time. My name is Krolev."

"Hello, Comrade Krolev, you, this, security?" Fu Cheng was a little unsure how to answer.

"Yes, is there a problem? If you have any requests, please let us know, and we will try our best to accommodate them."

"Ah, no, no, it's fine." Fu Cheng forced a smile.

Not only him, but all the technicians behind him were dumbfounded, even though they all understood Russian.

"Let me introduce you. This is Andrei, the deputy director of the Amur Steel Plant, who will be in charge of business coordination. This is Alexei from KBG, who will be in charge of your safety during this trip. This is Ms. Natasha, who will be your personal assistant."

Fu Cheng: ? ? ?
Everyone:? ? ?
No, wait, is the deputy factory director coming over directly to handle things?
KBG protects security?

They even have a personal assistant?

confirmed!
The group was in a daze when they got on the bus, genuinely feeling it was a scam, but since it was indeed a domestic meeting and there were wealthy people traveling with them, it couldn't possibly be fake...

It's so divisive!

I arrived at the factory in a daze and saw a red banner that read "Warmly welcome guests" from afar.

In front of the factory gate, there was a great commotion of gongs and drums, firecrackers, red flags waving, and a huge crowd of people!

The factory leadership team warmly shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with everyone.

We're here to poach your employees, not to provide external support.
Even the support wasn't this enthusiastic, was it?

It's like a dream!

It's like a dream!

Is it because Wang Yaotang, this wealthy man, is too capable and has won over the entire Far East population, or is the situation really that bad, with people living in dire straits?

Or perhaps both?
unknown.

All they knew was that throughout the entire inspection process of the factory's equipment, personnel, technology, and so on, the factory had shown them meticulous care, making them feel that they would be doing the factory a disservice if they didn't give it a higher rating.

As for why they're being so cooperative, well, the factory's operating rate has been less than 20% for the past year. Forget about benefits, they can only pay 30% of wages, and even that's been delayed for several months. Most employees are already struggling to make ends meet. Winter is just around the corner, and if things continue like this, many people will definitely freeze or starve to death this winter!

In this situation, is it the metal lumps from the factory that are edible, or the technical documents?
Uh... it could be used to start a fire for warmth.

In fact, historically, most of the factory's technical data was burned for heating...

This caused enormous trouble for subsequent archaeological research!
Regardless of how the factory leaders plan to sell the company, they have promised to make up for all the back wages and distribute winter supplies.

This is enough!

What will happen after the factory is gone?
Damn it, I don't even know how I'm going to get through this winter. I'll be frozen solid by then, and what the hell is the future?!

Not to mention that some skilled workers have already been promised that they will be taken away together to pursue a better life.

Yes, of course, some people with connections will also be taken away.

……

These days, Wang Yaotang is also busy meeting with the executive teams of various states and districts, talking to them about Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.

I don't really want to leave, I really want to stay. How could I not know that loneliness is something I can't bear...

They left, thinking that they could stick together outside, and with so many factories backing them up, their lives couldn't possibly be bad.

Those who stayed thought that with everyone else gone, the Far East suddenly had so much more room for advancement, and by demonstrating loyalty, they would surely reap rewards.

Whether they left or stayed, everyone wanted to maintain a good relationship with Wang Yaotang.

There's no tension between the two options; after all, if those above don't step down, those below won't have a chance to rise to power.

Besides, those who leave in the end may not necessarily leave, and those who stay may leave in the future; who can say for sure?

Therefore, the overall effect is quite harmonious.

But there are some people Wang Yaotang absolutely must take with him: skilled workers and scientific talents!

There are 10 institutions of higher learning in the Far East, such as Far Eastern University, Khabarovsk State Technical University, and Far Eastern Federal University. Each university has an average of about 800 faculty and staff members, of whom professors and associate professors account for about 40-50%.

These must be taken!

Wang Yaotang set KPIs; those who didn't want to leave were to be persuaded in groups, and if even one was missing, their pay would be deducted!

Of course, the conditions offered were also very good: citizenship, housing, job placement for children and family members, etc.

This money comes from the state, and Wang Yaotang will also conduct research collaborations with them based on their areas of expertise—it all costs money!

In addition to universities, the Far East also has 14 research institutes and more than 40 research units, distributed in Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Petropavlovsk and other places. These include 16 academicians of the Academy of Sciences, 18 corresponding academicians, 304 PhDs, 1129 associate PhDs, 4527 researchers, and 2316 technical support personnel.

In addition, there are 1724 people working at research and development centers affiliated with companies such as the All-Russian Soybean Research Institute and the Amur Oblast Gold Geological Laboratory.

More than 1 researchers, including their families, totaling more than 5 people, are all to be packed up and taken away!
Wang Yaotang was startled when he saw the statistics. He immediately contacted his superiors. Although he knew they would definitely agree, the request still made his lips twitch.

"Could you also bring the college students along?"

Wang Yaotang: Can I bring the elementary school students along too?
That's really going too far!
Above: They are all talented people. Just listening to them makes me want to shed tears.

Somehow, the news reached the universities below, and through a roundabout way via Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, a phone call finally reached Wang Yaotang. They talked about being geographically close, having a suitable climate, academic traditions, and old friends waiting for them—a whole bunch of incomprehensible nonsense…

They demand not only academicians, PhDs, and technicians, but even college students.

Because they live nearby, they'll come and kill you if they can't reason with you.

This phone call seemed to be a signal, and soon Harbin Engineering University, Beihang University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Nanjing University of Science and Technology all called, trying to build rapport and seek cooperation.

Later, the Army Armored Forces, Army Engineering, Army Chemical Defense, and National Defense Technology departments also called, saying that they were all branches of the Harbin Military Engineering Institute and had a lineage with the Far East Institute. They said that many of their senior professors knew people from the Far East Institute and wanted to come to Vladivostok for a visit, etc.

Wang Yaotang: Good, good, good. I thought it would be difficult to settle 5 people. Judging from this situation, let alone 1 researchers, even 5 wouldn't be enough to go around!
Later, unable to bear the harassing phone calls any longer, Wang Yaotang had to complain to his superiors about whether the information leak had spread too far, which finally stopped the harassing calls.

The initial intention was simply to maximize the value of these highly skilled personnel, which would have required communication with the university, but...

They underestimated the universities' thirst for talent!

No need to persuade the college students; none of them want to stay in the Far East.

We're getting no pay and we're practically starving. Now there's a chance to make a living with the whole family. Who would be crazy enough to stay?

The number of people has surged to 10!
Including the skilled workers and their families from various factories, and also the families of operators and technicians of advanced weapons in the Far East...

Suifenhe County in Heilongjiang Province is the only railway port on the border. From here, you can take a train across the Mudanjiang River and head straight to Harbin.

Harbin Institute of Technology: Hehehe.

Harbin Engineering University: Hehehe. (End of Chapter)