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Becoming a Russian Oligarch After Rebirth-Chapter 18 - Chinese Tycoon_1
Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Chinese Tycoon_1
Chapter 18 -18 Chinese Tycoon_1
After buying the SIM cards, Zhou Yuan guided everyone to a three-story Little Red Building located in a corner of the market.
The building seemed quite rundown, indicating it had quite a few years to its name.
“If you need a haircut, or want to get some daily supplies, you can come here. There are several barbers and a small supermarket selling Chinese goods,” Zhou Yuan explained.
Entering a relatively large shop on the first floor, it felt like stepping into a small grocery store in China.
The shelves were laden with familiar products, like Master Kong Braised Beef Noodles, various snacks, Laoganma Hot Sauce, dried noodles and so forth…
Clearly, the prices here were significantly higher than back in China.
A pack of Master Kong Braised Beef Noodles was priced at twenty-five rubles.
And a bottle of Laoganma Hot Sauce was sold for eighty rubles.
The prices were basically two or three times that of domestic cost. However, it wasn’t unexpected considering the shipping fees of bringing these goods from China.
Everyone picked out some items. Since they had made the trip, it would be a loss not to buy something to take back home.
Wang Ye bought a bottle of Laoganma, two packets of egg-dried noodles and a few packs of instant noodles.
These were items that he couldn’t purchase at the supermarket near the school.
Although Russian supermarkets do stock instant noodles, after trying them once, Wang Ye decided to keep his distance from them…
…
After shopping, Zhou Yuan said excitedly, “Let’s go, it’s almost noon. We should head to a Chinese restaurant for lunch. The food here is reasonably priced, with various types of hot and cold noodles, beef noodles, and mini stir-fry combos. For hundred to a hundred and fifty rubles per person, it should be enough.”
Having been there almost a week, they’d only had a decent meal at the welcome dinner so far. Otherwise, it was mostly bread and milk to get by.
Everyone was still learning how to cook, so the food they made wasn’t particularly tasty.
Besides, fresh vegetables were overly expensive here. The reasonably-priced ones were just staple greenhouse crops – potatoes, cabbages, onions and radishes.
Hearing Zhou Yuan talk about the affordable meals at the Chinese restaurant, they naturally decided to go and try it out!
A group of them followed Zhou Yuan walking towards the other side of the market. On the way, near a large construction site, they saw a group of tough-looking, tall men approaching and people around them started moving aside.
Wang Ye and his group did the same and hastily moved out of the way.
Not only because these men were all over one meter ninety in height, it was also because each of these camouflage-wearing brutes were holding a dark object in their arms…
Liu Xiaojie widened his eyes, asked incredulously, “Is that… an Uzi submachine gun?”
Zhou Yuan quickly lowered his voice, “They are probably bodyguards for some big shot. These Russian guys aren’t in military service.”
It was only when the group was passing by that everyone saw the person they were shielding in the middle was unexpectedly a stocky dwarf of Chinese descent.
The stout man looked to be in his thirties or forties, a pair of gold-rimmed glasses resting on his fair face. Dressed in a sharp suit and a glossy, black fur coat, he carried a swagger about him!
Zhou Yuan seemed to recall something and whispered excitedly, “That’s Big Head Kong!”
“Who is Big Head Kong? Is he Second Brother’s elder brother?” Liu Xiaojie curiously asked.
“He’s quite a big shot, branded as the wealthiest Chinese in Russia, with billions under his belt and hold sway in both the underworld and legal circles. It’s said that he has invested in that newly built market over there. No wonder he has such a swagger.” Zhou Yuan said enviously.
Wang Ye just quietly watched Big Head Kong surrounded by his bodyguards without uttering a word.
Deep down, however, there was a stirring within him.
He remembered, in his previous life, he had also seen Big Head Kong’s swagger.
Back then, he was quite envious, fantasizing about how one day he could be as illustrious as Big Head Kong.
Just like the story of Liu Bang being deeply impressed by the magnificence of the First Emperor’s parade, exclaiming how “a real man should be like this!”
Unfortunately, even after graduating and working for over a decade, he couldn’t even reach the ankles of Big Head Kong…
This time, upon witnessing the swagger of Kong once again, Wang Ye’s feelings were different.
He was thinking, “I can replace him!”
As someone “reborn,” if his achievements fell short of the so-called “wealthiest Chinese in Russia”, he would feel ashamed of himself…
Big Head Kong, with his head held high, continued to walk on under the protection of his bodyguards.
He had come today to check on the progress of the construction site and then take a stroll around the old market. After all, he intended to shift his customers from the old market to the new one in the near future.
Such grandeur was not just for show.
For one, he actually needed it, after having offended many influential people over the years. Some of them were from the underworld so if he moved around without bodyguards, there was a real possibility of falling victim to a sniper!
Secondly, it was to show off his power and impress those Chinese merchants in the old market!
Being able to have armed bodyguards wasn’t something any rich people could arrange. The mere possession of a gun permit showed he had connections in high places!
Enjoying glances from passers-by on both sides, he confidently strode forth.
As Big Head Kong passed by Wang Ye and his group, he didn’t pay them any mind. A group of young students, their gazes undoubtedly filled with jealousy and envy, were something he was used to…
Right now, his mind was full of matters related to the new market.
Big Head Kong had invested his entire fortune in this new market!
If successful, it would be an endless gold mine, taking his wealth and social status to another level!
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If it fails…
Then it would equal to having wasted his nearly two decades of toil in Russia!
Building a large-scale market like this was not as simple as buying a piece of land then building and inviting merchants in.
The behind-the-scenes work required was far more than the surface jobs!
Merchants who had operated in the bigger market were all aware that the wholesale business there could be described as operating in the “grey zone,” neither entirely black nor white.
Since all the goods weren’t officially imported through customs, they were all technically “smuggled goods!”
But that was the situation here; doing business through proper customs clearance was impossible.
The financial groups backing the large market also provided tax-inclusive customs clearance and logistics services. Once the payment was made, merchants wouldn’t need to worry about transporting, customs clearance, or taxes. They handled everything quickly and efficiently.
The interest chain involved behind the scenes was huge!
Despite The Emperor’s many attempts to clamp down on it since taking office, it was still impossible to eradicate entirely, showcasing the formidable power it held…
……
Only once Big Head Kong and his entourage had gone far did everyone continue under Zhou Yuan’s guidance towards the Chinese restaurant.
Wang Ye also collected his thoughts. For now, Big Head Kong was an entity that he couldn’t reach. His goal was to start small, earn his first pot of gold, and then consider what’s next…