My Realistic Simulation Game

Chapter 156 Another Hot Land for Daredevils

The next day, the front-page headline of the Izvestia newspaper immediately caused a huge uproar in Moscow.

Although Rimonov had deliberately downplayed the political comparisons as requested by the editor-in-chief, focusing more on Qin Yuan's personal struggles and business legend.

But any discerning reader cannot help but glean the chilling central idea from the detailed data, vivid details, and implicit narrative logic.

—A stark contrast between the development paths and current situations of China and the Soviet Union.

As the "big brother" in the social camp, the Soviet Union and its people have long harbored an arrogance that looks down on all other countries in the same camp.

This pride was once an important emotional bond that held this vast country together.

However, this report is about how a young Chinese businessman rose rapidly on Soviet soil.

But like a delicate scalpel, it precisely peeled away the shell of pride, revealing the unsettling reality within.

China was undergoing reforms, and so was the Soviet Union.

However, the speed of China's economic rise has spawned countless emerging industries. The rapid development of heavy industry, light industry, and high-tech industries has created new job opportunities for countless citizens, making it possible for the trendsetters of the times to become the first to get rich.

All of this is perfectly illustrated in Qin Yuan.

And what about the Soviet Union?
What were the reforms like in the Soviet Union?
Although the report did not explicitly criticize Qin Yuan, it highlighted his success story.

How did he take advantage of the weakness of Soviet light industry and the gap in market supply, and how did he transform China's excess production capacity into a "timely rain" to fill the Soviet market?

A stark contrast naturally emerges: factories shut down, workers lost their jobs, the system became rigid, and people's livelihoods deteriorated.

The advantages of a strong heavy industry and military industry cannot be translated into everyday goods that benefit ordinary people.

This profound imbalance required a young foreigner to uncover and exploit it, ultimately leading to the creation of his business empire.

This silent contrast, like a heavy hammer blow, shattered the pride in the hearts of many Soviet readers.

This has triggered a tremendous psychological shock and a wide social response.

People began discussing it privately and questioning it publicly.

What exactly went wrong with our reforms?

"Why is it that what a Chinese person can see and do, our own enterprises and systems cannot do?"

The hotline of the Izvestia editorial office was almost overwhelmed with calls.

Some praised the report for being "truthful" and "outspoken," while others angrily accused it of "dreading the Soviet Union" and "boosting the morale of others."

In any case, Qin Yuan and his Far East trade became the focus of discussion in the streets of Moscow overnight.

January 8th, the same day.

The snowstorm in Moscow shows no signs of abating.

Xu Zhenbang, carrying his luggage, walked out of the Yaroslavl train station.

He spent about half a month traveling from Chengdu to Yanjing, where he visited Old Zhang, a trader in the Far East.

After staying there for two days, I took the K20 international train through Manzhouli and arrived in Moscow.

The hardships and bumps along the way need no further explanation.

However, what he saw and heard along the way, witnessing the prosperity of the international trading economy and the powerful influence of Far East trade on this route, still greatly shocked him.

The desire to build an air route across China and the Soviet Union grew stronger in his mind.

On the train, he encountered many "smugglers" who were heading to Moscow with dreams of making a fortune.

Although the K20 mainly travels through Northeast China, crossing Siberia to Moscow, it is different from the K3 line, which crosses Mongolia via Erenhot from bottom to top.

However, all these traders had high hopes for such an air route.

They envisioned that if there were a stable air corridor, high-value goods with strict time requirements could arrive much faster.

The efficiency of personnel exchanges, information transmission, and business opportunity capture will see a qualitative leap.

As one trader put it, the Far East Trade Agency had previously summoned traders in Moscow, and with a single call, they purged the Caucasian gang that had been entrenched at the Yaroslavl train station and engaging in bullying and monopolistic practices.

This has turned this place into a true "China Station".
Moreover, after the incident was over, every scalper who had helped was rewarded for their contributions.

Not only did they obtain the right to purchase goods, but several of their key figures on the K20 line also seized the opportunity to become first-tier and second-tier distributors for Far East Trade along the K20 line.

They sourced goods directly from Far East Trade, specifically the two most sought-after brands in the Soviet market: kvass and Jeanswest.

Moreover, according to the latest news, Far East Trade has reached stable cooperation agreements with several large domestic canneries and winter boot factories.

These small-time traders can also benefit from this, wholesaling goods from the Far East trade.

Not only can you get a lower price than the market price, but the quality is also guaranteed.

"Doing trade with the Far East now means there's profit to be made!"

Xu Zhenbang still remembers the envy and longing in that middleman's words.

He looked back at the train station and thought to himself: This place is no less lucrative than the South, attracting all adventurers eager to change their destiny like a magnet.

Just like the person next to him.

"Brother Wang, would you like to come with me to the Chekhov Hotel?"

Xu Zhenbang looked at the young man traveling with him. This companion, whom he had met on the train, was named Wang Gongquan. His demeanor and speech revealed a composure and knowledge unlike that of ordinary traders.

I heard that he used to have a successful business in Qiongzhou, but unfortunately, he was unlucky.

The two chatted all the way and found they had developed a mutual appreciation for each other.

"Yes, I heard from a friend that when traders come to Moscow, the first thing they do is visit the port, and it's convenient to stay at the Chekhov Hotel."

Wang Gongquan nodded, his gaze falling on the hotel in the snowstorm not far away.

His eyes held a complex expression, a mixture of expectation and a hint of confusion.

He was a college student in the 1980s, and after graduation, he worked in the propaganda department of a province in Northeast China.

But for a young man like him, life within the system, especially in Northeast China, is undoubtedly bland.

So when Qiongzhou was established as a province in 1988, he resolutely resigned from his government job in Northeast China and went to Qiongzhou, becoming one of the 100,000 young people who ventured to Qiongzhou.

He worked for several major companies in Qiongzhou and made a name for himself there.

But just when things were looking up, he was arrested and imprisoned for six months due to some issues.

Although he was eventually acquitted, everything he had in Qiongzhou vanished after his release.

This blow was undoubtedly a wake-up call for someone who had just turned thirty.

He deeply understood the complex and chaotic state of domestic politics and economy at that time.

It was at this time, after returning to his hometown in Northeast China, that he could clearly feel the booming border trade.

Qin Yuan and the name Far East Trade became increasingly well-known in Northeast China and Beijing, serving as a role model for countless traders.

His fellow villagers and friends advised him to relax, that he could make a comeback, and introduced him to the Far East trade and Qin Yuan's deeds.

As the pride of the 1980s.

Wang Gongquan immediately realized that the snowy country in the north might be another hot land similar to Qiongzhou.

He's only thirty years old this year, he still has a long life ahead of him, and he can have a second chance.

So he came here, he came to Moscow.

Historically, he was inspired by Mu Qizhong in 1990 to take up the position of deputy general manager of Nande Trading Company.

But in this world, Mu Qizhong was nowhere to be found, and Nande Company was nowhere to be found either.

Instead, a much larger Far East trade emerged.

A younger, more legendary Qin Yuan.

Wang Gongquan was filled with countless thoughts as he looked at the snow-covered landscape beneath his feet.

A brave man needs a wise ruler. Will Mr. Qin Yuan be his wise ruler?

A gust of cold wind blew by, and the two of them couldn't help but shiver as they were exposed to the elements.

I hurriedly dragged my luggage and quickened my pace toward the Chekhov Hotel.

Meanwhile, the Chekhov Hotel was bustling with activity.

A tall, burly man was holding a newspaper and reading aloud.

In front of him were nearly a hundred traders, completely blocking the Chekhov Hotel.

"Holy crap, Boss Qin is amazing! He even made it into the Soviet newspapers."

"Is this news report similar to our domestic Guangming Daily?"

"Yes, pretty much right. According to the newspaper, it's unbelievable that a twenty-something-year-old guy from the hutongs of Beijing, penniless, with no status or background, borrowed money from loan sharks and dared to venture into the Soviet Union. The key is that he actually made it out."

"That's right, didn't you hear what the newspapers said? The Soviet Union is like a land that has been parched for too long, and all of us have the opportunity to make a fortune."

"Master Qin's analysis of the Soviet Union is truly insightful. Trading canned goods for airplanes—damn, that takes guts!"

"Let alone trading canned goods for airplanes, take kvass for example. I'm from Harbin, and I drank Qiulin kvass when I was a kid, but I never thought I could sell it to the Soviet Union!"

"Yes, the statement 'What you lack is not 'how to make kvass,' but how to mass-produce kvass quickly and efficiently in factories' is so well said."

"It's not just kvass. Look at Jeanswest. Yesterday, when their flagship store in Moscow opened, how many Soviets were lining up? Even though yesterday was Christmas, the number of people hasn't decreased at all today. It's unbelievable."

"Those primary and secondary distributors in Far East Trading are really going to make a fortune with this level of hype and this frenzied market response."

The crowd was buzzing with discussion and their emotions were running high.

Xu Zhenbang and Wang Gongquan exchanged a glance, both trembling with fear.

Although they had just gotten off the train, they could already sense the excitement from the bustling scene and the few words exchanged.

What earth-shattering commotion has Mr. Qin Yuan, whom we've never met before, stirred up in this faraway foreign land?

Xu Zhenbang understood Russian. He took a deep breath, squeezed through the excited crowd, and came to the tall, strong man.

He looked up politely and asked, "Comrade, excuse me, may I borrow this copy of the newspaper you have here to take a look?"

(End of this chapter)