manynovel Chapter 433 Harvesting the Winter
Chapter 433 Harvesting the Winter
August 19, 1991, Deep Water Bay Villa, Hong Kong.
The noise of the morning news broke the tranquility of the living room.
The television screen flickered, displaying blurry images of tanks on the streets of Moscow, and the announcer's voice carried a tense uncertainty:
"...The State Committee for the State of Emergency of the USSR announced the takeover of state power, and President Gorbachev was suspended from his duties in Crimea..."
Chenchen and Xixi, who were building blocks on the carpet, were drawn by the sound and looked up, staring blankly at the cold, steel behemoths on the TV.
Wang Yuling walked over quickly, intending to turn off the TV.
"No need to turn it off."
Lin Yan's voice came from the doorway of the study on the second floor.
He was dressed in simple loungewear, holding a cup of coffee in his hand, his gaze calmly sweeping across the chaotic screen, as if watching a play whose script he already knew.
He walked down the stairs and ruffled the hair of the two children:
"Don't look at it for too long, it's bad for your eyes."
Lin Yan returned to his study.
A huge, illusory map made of spiritual energy floated in the center of the room, marked with points of light from Moscow to Vladivostok, and from Chernobyl to the Baku oil fields.
Dozens of tiny points of light are either moving rapidly or remaining stationary on the map, representing Nascent Soul cultivators who have been activated or are in a standby state.
Lin Yan stood in front of the map and closed his eyes.
With his vast divine sense, he simultaneously connected to several key "nodes".
New York, Manhattan.
On the six screens in front of Alexander, data flowed like a waterfall.
Lin Yan's voice rang in his ears:
"The 'Avalanche' agreement, Phase One, is launched. Targets: ruble forward contracts and Soviet state bonds. Leverage is maximized, and the process will be conducted through twelve phantom accounts in Zurich and the Cayman Islands."
"Understood, young master." Alexander grinned.
His hands moved like ghosts across the keyboard, issuing commands in milliseconds.
On the screen, the numbers representing huge short positions were accumulating rapidly.
In a corner of the trading room, another Nascent Soul cultivator sat cross-legged, his powerful divine sense covering the entire room to ensure that no electronic eavesdropping could reach the real transactions taking place here.
They were exploiting the information gap to their advantage during those precious fifteen minutes before the news of the coup was digested by the global market.
London, the financial district.
Albert was having a casual chat with a worried-looking executive from Barclays Bank in the UK.
The other party was complaining that the large amount of Soviet debt held by the banks was about to become worthless.
Albert smiled and whispered:
"I can introduce you to some Far Eastern clients with 'special risk appetites.' As for the price, it will be halved and halved again, of course."
He casually twirled the wine glass in his hand, and a wisp of spiritual energy silently entered the other person's body.
Over the next few hours, the executive developed an unusual fondness and trust in Albert's proposal.
Lin Yan's divine sense paused briefly at this point, then added, "Focus on acquiring the portion linked to debt collateralized with Siberian oil and gas fields."
Kyiv, the banks of the Dnieper River at night.
An elderly man wearing an old woolen overcoat and with a slightly hunched back brushed past a mid-level official from the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy who had his collar tightly wrapped around his neck and looked flustered.
In an instant, a list was transferred, along with a small gold bar and a sentence:
"The people on the list are provided with 'safe access' to Western research institutions; this is a deposit. Your family's trip to Vienna next weekend is already arranged."
The official shuddered, then disappeared into the darkness without looking back.
In Lin Yan's study, he opened his eyes and his gaze fell on the bright spots on the Soviet map that represented top scientific research cities.
"Lin Yi!" he called softly.
"How's the decorations going in Malaysia?"
Lin Yi's divine sense transmitted.
"As you requested, it's all set! There's a forest villa area, a study and laboratory with constant temperature and humidity, and the latest equipment 'procured' from all over the world, and... uh, their favorite vodka and pickles."
"very good."
Lin Yan nodded.
This is the true meaning of "talent harvesting".
Ordinary monetary temptations have limited power in chaotic times, but a "Shangri-La" that can provide absolute safety, top-notch research conditions, and shelter for family members away from turmoil is irresistible to top minds who are caught in panic and confusion.
"Initiate Project Swan Lake. Get Albert's people in touch with the top 20 priority team leaders on the list. Tell them we offer 'private research grants' with tenured positions that surpass NASA and the ESA, located at... an advanced research institute in Malaysia."
The next three months will be a rollercoaster ride for global financial markets, and also the period for Lin Yan to fully reap the rewards of his network expansion.
In September, the ruble began its free fall.
Alexander's phantom accounts made a staggering first wave of profits in the futures market, and at the same time began to use the profits and pre-prepared US dollar cash to acquire Soviet debts that were being dumped like hot potatoes by institutions such as Barclays and Deutsche Bank through complex European intermediaries.
These debt instruments often come with a right of recourse against specific physical assets.
In October, the Minsk Agreement was signed, effectively ending the Soviet Union's existence.
Albert was frequently seen in Berlin, Vienna, and Prague.
He met with a number of hurried "former Soviet Union representatives" under the names of the "European Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation" and "Emerging Technology Venture Capital".
Containers labeled "industrial parts" and "used machine tools" are shipped from ports such as St. Petersburg and Odessa, destined for African ports controlled by Marcus, and then transshipped to Southeast Asia.
The actual cargo inside consisted of tons of special alloys, precision instruments, and even disassembled aircraft engine parts.
Meanwhile, the first group of seven top scientists (two theoretical physicists, one aerodynamics authority, two materials scientists, and two cryptographers) arrived safely in picturesque Malaysia with their families, carrying "as much non-paper research material as possible."
The initial panic was quickly replaced by the researchers' fervor for the top-notch conditions.
November, the depths of winter are approaching.
Lin Yan's strategy has entered its most crucial and dangerous phase—direct resource sourcing.
Using the vague rights obtained through previous "debt-to-equity swaps," combined with Marcus's "tough" approach to dealing with tribes and warlords in Africa, several "security teams" hired by the "International Mining Consulting Company" ventured deep into the wilderness of Siberia and Kazakhstan.
Their task is not "negotiation" but "reception".
Using US dollars, canned goods, medicine, and a small amount of "just-perfectly displayed force," they directly "purchased" mining rights and stockpiled ore from local mining area managers or ethnic armed groups who were already out of control.
The process is simple, straightforward, and extremely efficient.
The Nascent Soul cultivator's divine sense ensured that each transaction location avoided potential surveillance and double-crossing.
December 25th, Christmas Eve.
7 p.m. Moscow time.
The red flag bearing the hammer and sickle was slowly lowered into the cold wind above the Kremlin.
On television, Gorbachev is delivering his resignation speech.
Beijing, Dongxinglong Street.
The study was dark, with only the huge spiritual energy map emitting a faint blue light.
On the map, the red outline representing the Soviet Union is slowly fading and crumbling.
Instead, countless golden lines, like capillaries, lit up – these were the networks of interests that Lin Yan had built over the past four months through financial means, physical acquisitions, and talent migration, infiltrating the vast legacy of the former Soviet Union.
These networks connect to digital gold in Swiss banks, scarce resources in warehouses at African ports, top minds in Malaysia, and mineral veins beneath the Siberian permafrost marked with the invisible symbol "LM".
The faint sound of a piano drifted from the music room; it was Chenchen clumsily playing "Jingle Bells," while Xixi giggled and clapped along beside him.
Lin Yan slowly exhaled. He stretched out his finger and gently touched the "Moscow" location on the water screen map, where it had already faded into a blurry image.
"An era has ended," he murmured to himself, as if speaking to history.
Then, he turned off the water screen map, turned and walked towards the door, a gentle smile returning to his face.
"Let's go, Xiaoqi. It's time to tell the children Christmas stories."
"Aww." Xiao Qi lightly jumped down and followed at his feet.
He strolled through the courtyard; the door to the music room was ajar, and the chatter of two children could be heard through it.
Pushing open the door, a wave of warmth washes over you.
Chenchen and Xixi have changed into red velvet pajamas prepared by Wang Yuling, embroidered with small Christmas trees and snowmen.
"Daddy!" Xixi spotted him first and immediately pounced over like a little red bird, hugging his leg.
Chenchen turned his head, his eyes reflecting the warm light, and called out "Dad," his voice full of expectation.
Lin Yan bent down and picked them up, one in each arm.
He walked to the piano bench and sat down, placing the two children on either side of him.
"Hold on tight, tonight we're going to play some... pieces that are suitable for Christmas Eve."
His gaze swept across the black and white piano keys, and then, with his left hand, he pressed down on a soothing chord, while his right hand flowed out the tranquil and melodious tune of "Silent Night".
Xi Xi immediately quieted down, resting her little head on his arm, her eyes fixed on her father's fingers moving across the piano keys.
Chenchen sat up straight, listening intently, her long eyelashes casting small shadows under her eyelids.
After the simple "Silent Night", the notes gently shifted, transforming into the more cheerful and familiar "Jingle Bells".
The rhythm brightens, carrying the joy of a winter sled speeding along.
"Jingle bells, jingle bells..." Xi Xi couldn't help but hum along to the melody in her sweet little voice, her body swaying from side to side to the rhythm.
She reached out and tried to pat her own leg as her father struck the loudest note on his arm.
Chenchen was a little reserved at first, only tapping his feet lightly under the stool.
But the cheerful melody and his sister's infectious energy were so strong that his shoulders began to shrug slightly involuntarily.
Lin Yan decided to play a jazz version, and the two children completely let loose. Xi Xi slid off the piano bench and started her self-created "Christmas dance" on the thick carpet next to the piano—spreading her arms and spinning around, imitating snowflakes falling, then suddenly squatting down, pretending to be a reindeer pulling a sleigh and running. Her little face was flushed, and her giggles and piano music intertwined.
The two little ones, who had been jumping around for a while, had almost run out of energy.
She stumbled one last time and leaned softly against Lin Yan's leg.
Chenchen stopped jumping and came over, sat down next to her sister, rested her head on her father's other leg, and her chest rose and fell gently.
He looked down at the two little dumplings at his feet whose eyelids were already starting to droop.
Xi Xi forced her head back, her voice muffled, "Daddy, are you done playing? It sounded so beautiful..."
"I'm done playing," Lin Yan said softly, bending down to gently pick up Chenchen, who was already half asleep.
Lin Yan carefully placed Chenchen into the innermost part of the bed, tucked him in gently, and brushed away the stray hairs that were slightly sweaty on his forehead. Then she settled Xixi in with the same gentle movements.
He stood by the bed and watched them for a long time.
A moment later, he turned and walked to the chest of drawers next to him, and pulled open the top drawer.
Inside lay two brand-new, red and white striped long-pile Christmas stockings, with tiny "Chen" and "Xi" embroidered in gold thread at the top.
This was prepared by Wang Yuling long ago.
Lin Yan took the socks and carefully tucked the one embroidered with the character "Chen" under Chenchen's pillow, leaving only a section of the festive red top showing. Then she tucked the sock under Xixi's pillow.
After doing all this, he tucked the blankets around them again, leaned down, and placed a soft, feather-like kiss on each of the two children's smooth foreheads.
Merry Christmas, my darlings.