My Realistic Simulation Game

Chapter 242 Catherine's Shock
Inside a coffee shop in Pushkin Square.

Qin Yuan received a message from Perkov saying that Ekaterina had arrived in Moscow.

The meeting place is this coffee shop.

Qin Yuan looked up and led Wu Weiguo into the coffee shop, which was decorated in a bourgeois style, undoubtedly a result of the eastward spread of Western influence.

Qin Yuan glanced around and spotted Ekaterina near the window.

However, as he approached, his steps faltered almost imperceptibly.

Opposite Catherine sat a middle-aged man in a well-tailored suit, exuding a composed demeanor.

Upon seeing the person's face clearly, Qin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly involuntarily, and his mind instantly became clear.

He knew this person.

Yakov Zhurenov, President of Moscow State Bank.

The fact that this important figure, who controlled one of the core financial lifelines of the Soviet Union, was present beside Ekaterina at this moment spoke volumes.

He immediately realized that the club behind Ekaterina was far more than just the KGB and Sobček.

Rather, it is a vast alliance of interests spanning security, finance, industry, and local administration.

Yakov's presence signifies that the alliance has decided to open up more core resources to him, and also means that they have higher expectations for him.

"What, Mr. Qin, are you surprised to see me?"

Yakov took off his hat and looked at Qin Yuan with a smile.

It seems they've been anticipating this moment all along.

"It was indeed somewhat unexpected,"

Qin Yuan sat down in the empty seat, his expression returning to calm, and replied noncommittally, "I didn't expect that the esteemed President Yakov was also one of 'us'."

"Hahaha," Yakov laughed. "I like the 'we' you used."

"Alright, Yakov is someone I invited. The Ten Countries Bank has suddenly launched an attack, and we need an expert."

Ekaterina interrupted their "reminiscing" and looked directly at Qin Yuan: "Let's get straight to the point, Qin, how do you want us to help you get through this crisis?"

After receiving Qin Yuan's request for help, their circle quickly reached a consensus.

The joint lawsuit filed by ten banks is far from an ordinary commercial dispute; it is more like a probing attack by Western capital against their emerging alliance of interests.

Qin Yuan, as their most successful and crucial "partner" to date, and his Far Eastern Empire with enormous potential, are assets they would never give up.

The huge sunk costs invested in the early stages, as well as the amazing returns expected in the future, all determined that they had to protect Qin Yuan.

"Before meeting with the two of them, I had already met with Moscow Mayor Tatav and Luzhkov, a powerful figure."

Qin Yuan's opening remarks were a bombshell, clearly catching Ekaterina and Yakov off guard.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing clear astonishment in each other's eyes.

It should be noted that Tatav was a direct descendant of the Gorbachevs, while Luzhkov was a member of the Ye family.

The two largest factions in the current political arena have both had close ties with Qin Yuan, and judging from their posture, they have obviously reached some kind of cooperation.

This skill far exceeded their expectations.

The two remained silent, listening quietly as Qin Yuan continued.

"The city government will then publicly acknowledge the contributions of the Far Eastern Group and the Far Eastern International Bank to Moscow and will use its influence to counter the pressure exerted by Western banks on the Central Bank of the Soviet Union."

Qin Yuan said slowly and steadily, "This was originally intended to buy time and space. However, since President Yakov is here today, we have a better and more fundamental solution."

Yakov's smile faded, and he asked seriously, "What do you need me to do?"

"Cross-shareholding".

Qin Yuan clearly uttered four words, "I hope that Moscow State Bank can symbolically hold a portion of the shares in Far Eastern International Bank."

"Even if the proportion is very small, we will then announce our strategic partnership to the public."

"This will not only instantly enhance Far Eastern International Bank's 'national team' background and protect it from media attacks, but also give legitimacy to our future capital flows."

Yakov nodded: "That's no problem, but our Moscow State Bank may not have that much money to acquire that many shares."

“These shares can be held by the National Bank on our behalf,” Qin Yuan had already considered everything and threw out the real bait. “The real beneficiaries are the club members.” “This is equivalent to the club’s investment share in the Far East International Bank, and each member will receive a corresponding dividend based on the bank’s profits each year.”

Upon hearing the word "profit sharing," a glint of barely concealed gleam flashed in Yakov and Ekaterina's eyes.

They were all too aware of Far Eastern International Bank's terrifying deposit-taking ability and future profit potential.

Qin Yuan's move was not merely a search for protection, but also an extremely clever and generous way of binding the interests of both parties more firmly, truly achieving "shared benefits".

To be fair, Qin Yuan really does have good judgment.

Originally, some people in the club were not very satisfied with Qin Yuan, a foreigner, and felt that they should choose a Soviet as a partner.

But now it seems that no one is more suitable than Qin Yuan.

People who know how to share benefits and have a clear understanding of their own position are rare indeed.

"Alright, Qin, I agree to your terms on behalf of Yakov and the other members of the club."

Ekaterina smiled faintly and said, "With the backing of the National Bank's reputation, the Far Eastern International Bank's foundation within the Soviet Union will be unshakable, and the pressure on the central bank will naturally be reduced."

Qin Yuan nodded: "Yes, but what we are doing now is only a defense against the Ten Nations Bank. I want a real counterattack."

"Fight back?"

“Yes, a complete counterattack.” Qin Yuan said decisively, “During the litigation, everyone will be watching my cash reserves and defensive posture.”

"This is the perfect opportunity for us to launch a surprise attack!"

He unveiled his long-planned scheme: "So, on the surface, we should respond to the government's request for help by having the Far Eastern International Bank and the Moscow State Bank jointly provide 'rescue loans' to local governments or enterprises on the verge of bankruptcy, and the collateral would be their core corporate controlling stakes."

"While everyone's attention was drawn to the lawsuits and our 'good deeds,' it was precisely then that we used every lever to launch a lightning acquisition of the high-quality assets on the list."

This seemingly insane strategy even made Catherine, who was used to seeing all sorts of things, feel a little uneasy.

Under such immense pressure, most people would think about how to shrink back and protect themselves, but Qin Yuan was thinking about how to take the opportunity to expand.
This courage and ambition are beyond imagination.

But
"Qin, isn't your plan... too conspicuous? Won't it be too obvious?"

Ekaterina raised her head, her eyes filled with doubt.

Qin Yuan said calmly, "Comrade Director, we're not going to rob, we're going to 'help'."

We are providing them with these valuable loans in the noble name of 'supporting national industries and ensuring workers' employment.'

"If they manage their business well and repay on time, we're happy to collect interest. If they mismanage and are unable to repay..."

"So, according to the contract in black and white, the ownership of those factories was naturally and legally transferred to our name."

"This is a legitimate business practice, and no one can find fault with it."

As the head of the Moscow State Bank, Yakov understood the application of financial rules better than Ekaterina.

He said, "I think Qin's 'loan-for-shares' plan is brilliant! It fully complies with current laws and regulations, and even occupies the moral high ground."

“Providing loans to struggling localities and businesses is a timely act of kindness that puts us in an invincible position from the very beginning.”

Seeing that Yakov had said so, Ekaterina nodded, but the admiration in her eyes for Qin Yuan grew even stronger.

"...Qin, you understand how to utilize the 'rules' better than many of us."

"Go ahead and do it. Everyone in our club will support you."

Qin Yuan smiled nonchalantly, his heart unmoved by these words that contained both warning and praise.

He knew that the greater the value he demonstrated in such an alliance of interests, the more secure his position would be.

He gestured to Wu Weiguo.

Wu Weiguo immediately handed a thick, pre-prepared document bag to Ekaterina and Yakov.

With a mixture of curiosity and seriousness, the two bent down together and opened the document.

After reading only a few pages, their breathing caught slightly in unison.

Seeing the enormous ambition and meticulous plans displayed above, Ekaterina and Yakov were deeply impressed.

However, they also saw huge profits in it.

(End of this chapter)