HK Composite: Starting from Shenghe Leading

Chapter 584, at most six thousand.

It is precisely because of this tacit acceptance that Kravchuk needs to affirm Lin Zehao's starting point in order to convince himself that there is absolutely no problem with doing so.

This deal is absolutely beneficial to the country, the people, and social stability...

In short, this is absolutely a win-win deal!

This is exactly the effect Gorbachev wanted to achieve—a classic case of wanting to have your cake and eat it too.

Moreover, and most importantly, this gives Gorbachev an excuse to shirk responsibility should anything go wrong after the deal is completed.

Within the system, one must never be careless. Any seemingly insignificant detail can become the last straw that breaks the camel's back in the future.

“You and I both know that Lin Zehao is playing the capitalist game, which is different from our approach.”

“Looking at the larger capitalists in the Western world, they all basically follow a similar path: after monopolizing the market, they build high and solid moats to ensure their own security.”

"However, unlike most conglomerates, Lin Zehao rose to power too quickly, and many things simply could not be developed into a covert operation. Although he has been trying to do so, it still seems to be a drop in the ocean."

"I think he might have some novel idea to escape his manipulated fate by resorting to force."

Some things don't need to be said too clearly or too bluntly. We were all taught by the same master, so not only can we not break each other's moves, but many of our moves are exactly the same.

For example, during the most frenzied period, a single order from the committee could lead to the confiscation of property, regardless of whether you were a high-ranking official or a wealthy businessman.

The true value of power was fully revealed at this moment.

Given this context, if we put ourselves in Lin Zehao's shoes, we can probably understand his concerns.

Although Kravchuk spoke in a very veiled manner, Gorbachev quickly grasped the point.

For a moment, the atmosphere became somewhat silent.

Seeing that the moment was critical, Kravchuk immediately added fuel to the fire, saying, "The most urgent task now is to stabilize social order and security, and the most important thing is to make sure people have enough to eat, so that they can see that the government is capable and willing to work for the people and solve their problems."

"Given the current international situation, only Lin Zehao has the ability to procure a huge amount of supplies for us."

"Moreover, the Black Sea Fleet's annual military expenditure is astronomical, not to mention how many of them are paid without working. If we can take this opportunity to completely disband it, it will relieve a lot of pressure on the committee."

"As long as we see our determination to reduce the size of our army, it will serve as a warning to other forces, making them hesitant to act rashly."

Kravchuk analyzed the benefits of this event from various angles, and also subtly indicated that Lin Zehao had a very large influence in the United States.

Gorbachev, who was initially deeply conflicted, gradually began to tilt his mind under the barrage of reasoned arguments.

As Kravchuk implied, this deal yielded not only commercial benefits but also significant political value.

As an outstanding politician, Gorbachev has made his choice.

"You're one of us, you should know a lot of things."

"Many of the weapons in the Black Sea Fleet's arsenal are on the controlled list, and we cannot sell these to anyone."

"Furthermore, Lin Zehao must sign an agreement guaranteeing that these weapons will absolutely not be leaked, and will absolutely not fall into the hands of any organization or country other than Hutchison Whampoa!"

"The costs associated with disbanding the Black Sea Fleet soldiers must be borne by Lin Zehao, but nominally it is the committee's responsibility. You should understand, right?"

Gorbachev must use this deal to maximize his benefits.

He not only wanted to be a vanguard in disarmament, but also to portray himself as a national hero who led the people of the Polar Bear Alliance out of famine and darkness!
“These conditions should be fine, but Lin Zehao is very interested in certain professionals within the fleet…”

"You know he can't possibly have professionals in this field, so..."

Kravchuk went all out to ensure Er Mao's safe landing in the impending storm and to win the support of the Western world. He was still thinking about securing conditions for Lin Zehao, making him a prime example of someone who takes money to do things.

Hopefully, Lin Zehao's performance after this matter is resolved will not disappoint him.

"Four thousand, at most four thousand people, any more than that is unrealistic."

Seeing Gorbachev hold up four fingers, Kravchuk quickly said, "Such a large fleet, four thousand people are not enough, it needs at least six thousand."

With a fleet as large as the Black Sea Fleet, four thousand professional soldiers are definitely not enough.

This number of people is not enough to guarantee rotation, let alone be able to be on duty in any situation!
"Okay, six thousand it is. Consider it a favor to Lin Zehao."

Gorbachev then thought that even if they didn't allocate enough soldiers to Lin Zehao, he could still easily poach a lot of talent by using his financial power.

After all, the Polar Bear Alliance these days is in a state of imminent collapse, and anyone with a bit of foresight is making plans for the future.

"Alright, I'll have Lin Zehao start preparing the train cars right away. How about we go through the Far East for the route?"

Kravchuk finally breathed a sigh of relief, but his mind raced as he began to consider the next steps.

These days, when it comes to transporting large quantities of goods, the most suitable method after comprehensive consideration is definitely railway transportation.

Moreover, the two countries have a natural geographical advantage, making train transportation the optimal choice.

Gorbachev pondered for a moment, then said while smoking, "Such a big move is easy to explain from the outside, but it's probably impossible to keep it a secret from the inside."

"Once the news spreads, there will definitely be another round of open and covert struggles over the distribution of profits and the order in which supplies are obtained, and it may even escalate..."

Large-scale transportation of supplies is definitely a good thing for the Polar Bear Alliance, and a great thing that benefits the country and its people.

However, the Polar Bear Alliance is a large and complex organization with many different factions and leaders.

With so many supplies arriving initially, who should we distribute them to first?

Gorbachev knew very well that, based on past practices, this batch of supplies would definitely not be distributed to the people who truly needed them as soon as it arrived.

Instead, they first intercept the flow of funds, then distribute the profits layer by layer, and finally sell it at a high price to people who have money but no power.

For this to truly be implemented, those at the top must first be well-fed.

Gorbachev was well aware of this situation, but felt utterly helpless. Not only was he powerless to change it, but he himself was also a member of the system.

"Here's what we'll do: immediately grant Lin Zehao two special transport routes in the name of the Supreme Council for use in domestic and international transport. No individual or department has the right to interfere, and the local military forces along the routes must provide the highest level of protection."

"In addition, doesn't Lin Zehao have large transport planes? While he sends out the trains, he should first send ten large transport planes fully loaded with supplies to Moscow. I will send fighter jets to escort them along the way."

"With the supplies from these ten transport planes, we shouldn't be too overwhelmed in the early stages."

"No problem, I will definitely deliver it. I will also make sure he transfers the Black Sea Fleet's severance pay as soon as possible. I will have my staff calculate the exact amount and report it to you later."

Upon hearing this, Gorbachev waved his hand, indicating that this should be done.

After leaving the house, Kravchuk suppressed his excitement and immediately called Lin Zehao.

Subsequently, the two sides agreed to meet in Ermao.

At the same time, thanks to the current international situation, Lin Zehao's financial business in the Polar Bear Alliance is booming, with daily revenue reaching astronomical figures.

While issuing loans, they converted all the ruble deposits in their affiliated banks into US dollars.

This simple transaction generates countless price differences.

Moreover, some of the clients who couldn't repay their high-interest loans had their businesses seized by Lin Zehao.

Of course, he couldn't let Hutchison's men do this kind of thing. They were all local gangs of the Polar Bear Alliance, with countless layers of cover between them, so no one could find any flaws.

After all, Lin Zehao's business is growing bigger and bigger, and his status is becoming more and more important, so there are some businesses he can no longer do openly.

It's not that it's illegal, but many types of business can damage the image of a company and an individual, and the losses often outweigh the gains.

Therefore, Lin Zehao basically wouldn't do this type of business in China, and even if he didn't have as many concerns abroad, he would still choose to wear many layers of white gloves.

…………

Time will pass, and most of the Arctic Bear Alliance's territory will be covered in a blanket of white snow.

In its coldest areas, temperatures can even reach minus fifty degrees Celsius!
The wealthy have the means to keep warm, or rather, the truly wealthy have long since moved away from such areas, while the poor, the vast majority of ordinary people, live in misery due to a lack of basic necessities.

The railway lines in the Far East have long been under martial law by the troops in the area, and no one is allowed to approach them.

The officers, dressed in woolen overcoats and thick scarves, couldn't help but sigh as they watched the heavy snow falling from above.

"These days, it's really tough on ordinary people. It's already a year of famine, and now this heavy snow is just adding insult to injury..."

"What are you saying? Under the strong leadership of the great and wise Gorbachev, the Polar Bear Alliance will surely embark on the road to world domination!"

"The hardships we face now are merely tests from God."

As they were talking, the distinctive whistle of a train sounded, followed by billows of thick smoke. Everyone turned their gaze to the distance.

"I'm coming!"

"The train is here! Quickly tell the people below to unload the cargo!"

The group of people who had initially disagreed instantly united, putting aside their earlier unpleasantness and began to mobilize.

Since the train service began, the local garrison at each station has been taking advantage of the situation, unloading a portion of the supplies from the train.

One or two stops might seem insignificant, but doing this at every stop resulted in the train arriving at its final destination with very little of its supplies remaining.

Everything was exactly as Gorbachev had predicted: every capable faction or leader was instigating their subordinates to fight over supplies.

Fortunately, Gorbachev had the foresight to have Lin Zehao send ten transport planes full of supplies to Moscow.

Otherwise, the vodka that the leaders above hadn't even had a chance to drink would have made the soldiers along the way burp!

With a steady stream of supplies arriving, the social pressure on the Polar Bear Alliance was immediately alleviated.

Although the poorest people still couldn't fill their stomachs, at least they could receive government relief food every now and then. Although it wasn't tasty and the portions were small, it prevented them from starving to death and allowed them to continue to live on by the skin of their teeth.

The Black Sea Fleet was also announced to be completely disbanded after three meetings of the Supreme Council of the Polar Bear Alliance.

The seemingly smooth-sailing outcome was actually achieved at a high cost by Lin Zehao.

Putting aside everything else, he gave away thirty luxury villas in California, USA, all of which were fully furnished!
Fortunately, these villas were built by Hutchison Whampoa Construction, so the cost wasn't that high; otherwise, it would have been a real financial burden.

It's worth noting that California has the most wealthy people, so naturally, housing prices are high.

These villas were designed for the high-end market from the very beginning, with each unit priced at over four million US dollars!

You know, these days, the emergence of a millionaire in America is something to be celebrated!
You can imagine how valuable a four-million-dollar mansion is!
"There's no need for a handover ceremony. I don't want to publicize this kind of thing. Those who need to know will know, and it won't do any good for those who don't."

"In short, keep everything simple, reorganize the troops as quickly as possible, and head to the Arctic Ocean in battle formation."

"I will send you the relevant coordinates. Do not act rashly before you receive an order personally signed by me."

Lin Zehao had a cigar dangling from his mouth, the wisps of smoke perfectly obscuring his face, making it impossible to see his expression.

This feeling was just like those Hollywood movie scenes, Eisen Nimitz thought.

He came from a prestigious family and by the age of forty-five he was already a powerful rear admiral in the U.S. Navy.

Because of his involvement in a power struggle during filming, Eisen Nimitz was sentenced to 236 years in prison after a military court trial.

Eisen Nimitz, who was originally going to spend the rest of his life in prison, was noticed by members of Hutchison Whampoa's think tank and reported to Lin Zehao.

After reviewing the man's resume, Lin Zehao decisively used his connections at the Pentagon to rescue him at a great cost.

(End of this chapter)