My Realistic Simulation Game

Chapter 215 The Dark Age Begins

"One million rubles?" Qin Yuan repeated the number, his voice calm and unreadable.

This number goes far beyond the realm of business logic, yet it perfectly aligns with his understanding of that period of history.

How did those Russian oligarchs in later generations amass astronomical fortunes in just a few years?
Isn't it precisely this kind of almost predatory transaction that "acquires" huge amounts of state-owned assets at symbolic prices?
He just didn't expect that such an "opportunity" would come to him so quickly and so directly.

The immense temptation crashed against his reason like a tsunami, but at the same time, a cold, soul-deep sense of vigilance instantly surged to its peak.

What this represents goes far beyond the boundaries of commercial cooperation; it directly touches upon the power-money transactions and systemic corruption that undermine the very foundation of a superpower.

The potential risks and moral constraints involved far exceed any of his previous business ventures that involved dancing on the edge of a knife.

Director Ekaterina carefully observed Qin Yuan's reaction.

The ecstasy, excitement, and even greed she had anticipated did not appear on the young Chinese businessman's face.

On the contrary, after a brief moment of shock, the other party quickly fell into an unusual silence and caution, with deep eyes, as if rapidly weighing the pros and cons.

Far from being disappointed, a barely perceptible hint of admiration flashed in her eyes.

What she needs is a calm, rational partner who can see the situation clearly, not a fool who is easily blinded by greed and may ultimately ruin things.

"What, Mr. Qin?" She raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone tinged with a hint of probing, even a touch of mockery, "Do you think this price... isn't 'sincere' enough? Or are you worried you can't handle this 'generous gift'?"

Qin Yuan slowly raised his head, his gaze calm and unwavering, looking directly at Ekaterina without any hesitation: "Comrade Director, I am a businessman. Businessmen believe in equivalent exchange, or at least an exchange that appears reasonable on the surface."

"To buy a modern brewery with an appraised value of over ten million rubles, and possibly an even higher actual value, for one million rubles. This is no longer a business deal; it's... a gift. Or rather, a 'gift'."

He deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the word "gift".

"In this world, accepting an overly expensive gift usually means paying an unimaginable price far exceeding its value."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming extremely serious and direct: "I need to know what I need to bear behind this seemingly generous 'gift'?"

"Or rather, what do you, and the forces you represent, truly want me to do?"

"Is it merely to act as a convenient front and a conduit for funds, helping you to 'legally' and 'at a low price' launder these high-quality state-owned assets into private property?"

"Or... is there a deeper, more dangerous purpose?"

Ekaterina and Qin Yuan's gazes clashed in the air, and the air in the room seemed to freeze, with only the faint sound of rain coming from outside the window.

A few seconds later, she suddenly let out a low, ambiguous laugh, breaking the suffocating silence.

“Very good, Mr. Qin. You have not disappointed me.”

She clapped her hands lightly, her eyes showing satisfaction at finding a suitable partner. "They weren't blinded by the huge immediate profits, and they were able to keep a clear head to consider the costs and risks behind it. This gives me even more confidence in our future cooperation."

Her smile faded, and her expression became serious again: "You're right, there's no such thing as a free lunch, especially not at Lubyanka Square. We're offering you unprecedented access and unimaginably low prices, so naturally we expect you to provide corresponding, irreplaceable value."

After saying that, she bent down and took out a thick folder with a slightly worn cover from the drawer under her desk, and handed it to Qin Yuan.

"Before you looked at this, I think you should have known very well," her tone carried an undeniable air of authority, "that from the moment you stepped into this room and heard what I just said, the only path before you was to cooperate with us. Isn't that right?"

Qin Yuan silently took the folder.

He understood, of course, that since the other party had revealed such a core and shocking plan, there was no way they would give him a chance to refuse or back out.

The price of refusing is likely to be disappearing silently, along with Binzi and Gangzi, into some cold, dark basement.

He took a deep breath and opened the folder.

A striking line of large black text comes into view: "[Baltic Brewery Asset Accounting List (Internal Reference)]".

“We know you have a strong foundation and successful experience in the beverage industry, and I even enjoy drinking ‘Far East Kvass’.”

Ekaterina's voice rang out at the opportune moment, carrying a hint of persuasion, "Therefore, after careful consideration, we have specially chosen this brewery in St. Petersburg as our 'group's' first target, and also as our first 'gift' to you."

"If this brewery can operate smoothly and demonstrate its value under your management, then the Kuibyshev brewery mentioned earlier, and even more... will naturally be yours as well."

The first target? A group?
Qin Yuan was deeply shaken, realizing that he was finally about to come into contact with the true core plan of the vast alliance of interests behind Ekaterina.

His heart was racing uncontrollably, but he forced himself to keep it calm, even deliberately frowning.

He quickly browsed through the first ledger.

The document details the assets of the Baltic Brewery: the core saccharification system, fermentation tanks, and other imported brewing equipment, valued between 150 million and 5 million rubles. The notes also mention that the core production equipment uses advanced Belgian technology, and the total investment in the 500-ton-per-year production line is as high as 1.24 million rubles.

The investment in filling lines, packaging equipment, and other supporting facilities is approximately 50 to 200 million rubles.

The cost of a plot of land and factory buildings covering 2 to 3 square meters is estimated to be between 1000 million and 2000 million rubles.

This also includes raw material inventory and 13 million in working capital on the books.

Adding everything together, the total assets were valued at 156 million rubles!

Its scale and value even surpassed those of the Kuibyshev Brewery and the Ochakov Beverage Factory.

It was a large, state-owned factory that had only completed its integration last year, with relatively new equipment and healthy operations! Upon seeing this, Qin Yuan slammed the ledger shut, even throwing it onto his desk with a hint of anger, and looked up at Ekaterina, his tone full of doubt and incomprehension:
"Comrade Director, you should be well aware that the alcohol ban has not been completely lifted yet, and the alcohol industry remains a monopoly of a few state-owned enterprises!"

"Even if I acquired this brewery, the most I could do was convert it into a kvass production facility. Could I possibly openly produce and sell beer? Wouldn't that be a huge waste and risk?"

He tried to use this as an excuse and a test to see how much the other party had to lose and how much real power they possessed.

"What if I say... yes?"

Ekaterina looked at him, a mysterious, enigmatic smile on her face. "Mr. Qin, have some patience. The 'Prohibition' was already causing widespread public resentment, and it's now practically defunct, half-loosened. Do you think, under the current circumstances, the higher-ups will still hold onto this issue?"

"If you take over this brewery, I guarantee with my position and reputation that you will obtain a full set of legal beer production and sales licenses. Nobody will bother you."

Qin Yuan's heart was stirred once again.

The energy and audacity of this "group" once again exceeded his imagination.

They can even use state-owned monopoly licenses so easily as bargaining chips!

Despite his inner turmoil and uncertainty, he knew the act had to continue.

He looked doubtful, picked up the folder again, and continued flipping through it as if resigned.

However, when he opened the second ledger—which also bore the title "Baltic Brewery Asset Accounting List"—he found...

But after reading only the first page, a chilling coldness instantly shot up from the soles of his feet and rushed to the top of his head, making his blood almost freeze!

He knew that Catherine's group was bold, but he never expected them to be so lawless and unscrupulous!

On the second ledger:
The modern factory building, which cost a fortune to build and was valued at nearly 20 million rubles, was suddenly changed to "built in 1962, dilapidated and dangerous, requiring huge investment for repairs, with a total value of two million rubles".

Those brand-new East German equipment that were introduced just last year have been transformed into "outdated models that have been phased out by East Germany, with backward technology, low efficiency, and significant depreciation."

The value of filling lines, packaging equipment, and other equipment has been directly "halved and then halved again".

The more than ten million rubles of liquid funds on the books not only disappeared, but also resulted in an additional debt of up to twelve million rubles.

And so, through this second magical ledger, the Baltic Brewery, a well-managed and high-potential state-owned asset, was transformed into a huge burden that had failed in industrial integration, had outdated and obsolete equipment, was insolvent, and urgently needed to be gotten rid of!
This is blatant, low-tech fraud and plunder!
National assets worth tens of millions of dollars were easily evaporated from the books!
Even though Qin Yuan had lived two lives and witnessed various operations in the capital market of later generations, he still felt an unprecedented shock and a sense of disgust as he personally became involved in this most primitive and barbaric feast of partitioning the entire Soviet Union.

He had thought that what he had done for his initial capital accumulation was already daring and outrageous enough, but now, compared to Ekaterina in front of him, and Sobček and others behind her who had not yet directly appeared...

I'm practically the last bastion of conscience in the Soviet Union!
Ekaterina carefully observed the barely concealed shock and subtle changes in expression on Qin Yuan's face, and a strange sense of pleasure and control arose in her heart.

She enjoyed seeing the expressions on the faces of these self-proclaimed shrewd and cunning businessmen when faced with real power.

"So, Mr. Qin?" Her voice was steady, yet carried an undeniable pressure. "Have you made up your mind? Are you willing to do this 'deal'... or not?"

When she asked that question, she couldn't help but think of the bet she had with some powerful figures behind the scenes.

Some people were convinced that this young Chinese man would be tempted by huge profits and would take the bait without hesitation.

Some people believe he might back down due to fear.

But in any case, the ending was already predetermined from the moment he stepped through that door.

And what about Qin Yuan at this moment?
Looking at Catherine, who sat high on the throne as if she held the power of life and death, he pictured in his mind the maggots that clung to this dying giant, frantically biting and sucking its marrow.

A strong sense of disgust and nausea welled up inside me.

But at the same time, an even greater, almost insane ambition and passion suddenly ignited!

These people, completely unaware that the Soviet Union was about to sink completely, dared to so brazenly hollow out the hull!

He knew the exact timeline of the Soviet Union's collapse and its subsequent developments perfectly!

What is he afraid of?!

This was simply history delivering its final and most sumptuous feast to him!
The brave ones will be starved to death, and the timid ones will be starved to death!
"I'll do it!" Qin Yuan suddenly raised his head. "I'll take this deal!"

He said firmly, "It's not just breweries like this. Comrade Director, please tell your friends behind you that any factories, hotels, hospitals, sanatoriums, etc. that you plan to 'dispose of' in the future... as long as you dare to sell them, I, Qin Yuan, will buy them all!"

I'm determined to be that white glove!

He finally understood why the superpower that could rival the United States for half a century and still make the world tremble in the 1980s would collapse so quickly after its downfall, becoming impoverished and heavily indebted.

Because this is an unprecedented plunder of national wealth, carried out entirely by internal parasites and external vultures!

Ironically, ordinary people who know nothing about the truth behind the scenes may very well applaud and celebrate this!
They would cheer and praise Sobček and other "democratic" leaders for "saving the country," "reducing the damage," and "shedding the burden"!
They have no idea that through these so-called "democratic reforms" and "shock therapy," the national wealth upon which they and their descendants depend for survival is being plundered by a few individuals.

This tragedy will soon be repeated not only in St. Petersburg and Kuibyshev.

It will be repeated again and again throughout the Soviet Union, in the fifteen constituent republics, and in countless once-glorious industrial cities!

A dark era that would engulf the Soviet Union for a decade or even longer had begun, its heavy curtain already drawn.

Qin Yuan, at this moment, chooses to actively step into this torrent of history and become a part of this darkness.

(End of this chapter)