Empire of the Ring

Chapter 651: Matador (2)

As Kazakhstan focused its attention on the Thai canal, China took on the issue of Kazakhstan’s nuclear weapons although Kazakhstan had already declared the termination of the nuclear program successfully completed in the past.

China probably wanted to confirm whether Kazakhstan had nuclear weapons since it could only threaten Kazakhstan with force as the last resort only if Kazakhstan did not have nuclear weapons.

“Man, China must be dying to know. It’s because I answered vaguely to the media’s questions.”

Park Jong-il said bringing in China’s document requesting the International Atomic Energy Agency to re-operate Kazakhstan’s nuclear waste program.

When China openly asked for an inspection of Kazakhstan’s nuclear arsenal, Park Jong-il made a strange remark through the media. He said that only the former administration must know whether the thousands of nuclear weapons deployed throughout Kazakhstan had been properly disposed of. In addition, he had said that Kazakhstan was still looking for nuclear weapons hidden in Soviet times, which increased China’s curiosity.

“Good job. China must be freaking out.”

“I wanted to tell that we have nuclear weapons, but I held it back because it would make more noise.”

An intelligence chief should also be good at psychological warfare, which confused the enemy with ambiguous words. It was also an admirable ability if one was capable of draining the enemy’s energy without firing a gun.

“Phew, I wish we could’ve done that. I want to launch a missile right away. China’s now trying to sabotage the Trans-Siberian Railway project.”

China slipped in after Russia pushed to extend the Trans-Siberian Railway to the Korean Peninsula.

As the connection of the Trans-Siberian Train via the Tumen River’s Najin-Hasan was being processed, China took the initiative to suggest the existing railway linking Sinuiju and Dandong near the Yalu River.

China’s suggested project would greatly shorten the travel distance than going around Vladivostok. Then the Trans-Siberian Train Modernization Project would lose its power.

If there was a route to Mongolia through Sinuiju-Dandong or to Irkutsk through Harbin, which shipper would take the Maritime route that took the longer time?

Upon China’s suggestion, the Russian government also threatened that no cargo passing through Mongolia could be on the Trans-Siberian Train. For now, the issue was quieted down, but it would surface again in the near future.

“China collides with us every time, so it must be looking for ways to get us. We should also find a way to shake China.”

“I will try.”

Not only Kazakhstan but also many parts of the world were now having a hard time because of China’s insatiable greed. The U.S. immediately raised retaliatory tariffs against China to improve the trade imbalance issue, and then China started to control imports of U.S. agricultural products.

Such China was not going to be concerned about weak countries such as Kazakhstan.

“I’m going to have to find a way to quiet China, or it’s going to think that it’s on top of the world.”

“You said you could screw China with the Thai canal. Isn’t that enough?”

“It will be years before the canal opens. I can’t wait until then.”

“It’ll know we’re responsible if we make a clumsy retribution move.”

“We’ll have to make it, so they can’t even guess.”

“What the hell are you going to do? If you need someone to do the job in the field, I’ll take the lead.”

“There is a way to disturb China without even moving our fingers, but I wonder if they will listen to me.”

***

After days of contemplation, Youngho visited Volgograd.

“Oh, I can’t be more than happy to see you coming in person who’s always busy. If you move yourself to meet someone like me, what will the face of the Duke of Kazakhstan be?”

Despite his words, Yaniv looked very pleased to see Youngho. A single visit of the Duke of Kazakhstan would raise his status.

Youngho usually refrained from taking such a light step, but he did not hesitate to make a sudden move if it would bring a good result.

Although he was said to be a powerful figure in Kazakhstan, he was not the head of the government nor the king.

“How can I lose face when I visit as your friend Lee Youngho, not as the Duke?”

“Since you’re at my house, let’s have a drink and talk.”

“It’s still midday, and you want to drink already?”

“Don’t you know that Russian men look forward to winter coming? Winter is the season that you don’t have to watch the time to drink vodka, so it doesn’t matter.”

The act of drinking vodka in winter had an excuse for warming up one’s frozen body, so it was easily justified.

“This Siberian vodka suits my taste very well. This guy’s made me drink more.”

“Brother Sergey asked me to supply vodka, and I guess that was all for you to drink.”

Vodka produced at the Kazakh Royal Liquor Factory in Krasnoyarsk was treated as a high-quality that did not have a bad hangover compared to other Russian vodkas.

“Moscow’s greedy people are all happy when they receive the Kazakh royal vodka and hunting gun as gifts. They’re great gifts.”

“Think of your health and drink only a little. When the Trans-Siberian Train is completed, won’t you have to test ride it yourself?”

“You think I’m going to lose to vodka?”

“I’m worried that something worse than vodka appeared.”

“Oh, I get it. I heard that China is pushing for an Ulan-Ude or Irkutsk route rather than going through Vladivostok.”

“Then, we can’t recover the cost of the project in the Far East section. It’s a big blow to us.”

“So I called Putin and asked him if the Siberian railway was owned by China, and he laughed for a long time. China is raining on our parade.”

No wonder Yaniv was upset.

He agreed to invest as much as a billion dollars in the Trans-Siberian Railway project.

He did not spend all of his wealth, but it was still a lot of money and a risky business. He made a bold move since there was a safety device called Youngho, and before it even started, China was trying to ruin it.

“What did Putin say?”

“Putin promised never to link any other cargo other than those produced in China to the Siberian train, but if travelers are connected in China, then that can’t be helped.”

“That’s all we need. It would be great if this tone is kept until we get our investment back.”

“Don’t worry. Putin will never compromise with China because since he’s also expecting a lot from the Trans-Siberian Railway.”

“I see what you mean, but are you going to let China act like this?”

“The Russian economy is at rock bottom, and Putin is not messing with China either.”

The contract for the Trans-Siberian Railway would be signed after the consortium’s investment firms completed their on-site inspection.

However, if the Chinese route was left alone to be processed, it would save losses if the Far East Siberian section was left untouched.

The reason why Youngho visited Yaniv this time was because he wanted to find a way to stop China’s business in Russia and confirm whether to construct the Far East Siberian route.

“If the Russian government can’t do it, shouldn’t you take action? You know what Chinese companies are doing in Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk. If you leave it as it is, your old subordinates will have no place.”

“You mean to wage a war with the Chinese?”

“Yes. We can’t just stand there losing money, can we? I’ll help you.”

“There is a lot of feeling built up with China, but if we overdo it, our organization may collapse. Did something happen that I don’t know about?”

“It’s because everything China does gets in the way. It’ll also damage our business.”

“Well, I should call for a boss meeting in a long time.”

“Have you decided to take action?”

“I have no choice but to make up my mind for what’s happened. You’re not a mafia if you don’t do anything when there’s an enemy in front of you.”

“Will your old subordinates listen to you when you’ve already taken your hands off the mafia group?”

“Even if you wash your hands, once a mafia is forever a mafia.”

Youngho laughed unknowingly as Yaniv’s remark reminded him of the Korean phrase, ‘Once a marine forever a marine.’

“There is an organization in Korea that says the same thing. I guess such phrase is common across the world.”

“It must be an organization as bad as the mafia.”

“Not really but they are the people who stick to their old uniform even if they become grandfathers.”

“Hahaha…”

“The Kazakh royal family will help you from behind.”

“There is nothing the mafia can’t do in Russia. My men have proposed for a long time to deal with the Chinese, but I couldn’t take action because of the officials of Moscow. I guess now is the time to do something.”

“Wouldn’t that diminish your position?”

“I’m going to ask Putin’s understanding in advance. Putin is so furious this time that he won’t object. It’s about the level of the action.”

When the mafia moved to Russia, everything could be resolved.

This was because the Russian mafia was an organization that could not be controlled even by public power.

Putin had given up the war against the mafia, and now he was even mobilizing the mafia in the conflict zone.

If the mafia could take over what the government could not do, Putin would turn a blind eye on it.

“The funds will be paid by our royal family.”

“Oh, no! You don’t have to.”

“I have a personal feeling, too. If you need weapons, just tell me. We’ve got old-fashioned weapons in the royal territory.”

“All right. It’s more reliable if the Kazakh royal family supports us.”

“Where are you going to start?”

“I don’t care where we start as long as it’s where Chinese companies are.”

“Please leave Krasnoyarsk to us. All I have to do is make a statement to Sergeenko.”

“Very well. Sergeenko is your man, so he will follow.”