Chapter 462: When a Whale Falls, All Things Thrive

The winter of 1990 in Shenzhen seemed colder and damper than previous years.

Lead‑gray clouds hung low, as if they could press down on the bustling city's head at any moment.

The sea wind was damp and cold, salty and briny, slipping into collars and chilling the very marrow of the bones.

Li Ping'an stood by the window of the top‑floor office in Wanxiang Dasha, his hand clutching a freshly delivered dispatch still scented with news agency ink.

His gaze fell on the misty Victoria Harbour outside and the equally gloomy Kowloon Peninsula across the water.

His fingers unconsciously brushed the edge of the paper.

The paper was light.

But its contents weighed as much as a thousand pounds.

The dispatch was brief, yet every word was startling.

"…Moscow time this morning, the red flag was lowered from the dome of the Kremlin… The Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics passed a resolution declaring its cessation…"

Just a few short lines.

It announced the end of an era.

A red giant that once made the world tremble, under the combined weight of internal maladies and external pressure, finally fell irretrievably into disintegration.

The office was terrifyingly quiet.

Only the air‑conditioner vents emitted a faint hiss.

Li Ping'an slowly turned and walked to the massive world map.

His eyes lingered for a long time on that vast territory already marked with countless red circles and blue lines.

Faint memories from a past life and fragments of information gathered over the years in this life collided and merged at this moment, becoming strikingly clear and real.

It really happened.

And it unfolded faster and more completely than he had imagined.

A complex emotion churned in his chest.

There was awe for the relentless wheel of history.

There was an inexplicable sigh for the sudden collapse of that once‑great union.

But more than that, a cold, pre‑meditated decision and a scorching sense of urgency ready to be acted upon.

The window of opportunity truly opened.

Moreover, it might be an unprecedented, fleeting golden window in history.

He pressed the internal call button on his desk.

His voice was calm, showing no ripple of emotion.

"Notify Zhou Wenbin, Chen Jianghe, Lin Wanyi, Ma Guotao, and also Zhang Wei, Xu Jiaming: an emergency meeting in Conference Room One in one hour."

"Notify Wang Dahu to strengthen security on all overseas projects, especially the Australian mining area and the London bank, and raise them to Level‑2 alert."

"Also, connect me to Beijing, the Political Commissar's dedicated line."

One hour later, Conference Room One.

Heavy curtains were drawn halfway, blocking the gloomy daylight outside.

Only a few spotlights were lit in the room, the light focused on the middle of the long conference table, making every face appear especially solemn.

Li Ping'an sat at the head seat, the dispatch spread before him along with a thick stack of classified analysis briefs on the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

Everyone was present.

Zhou Wenbin had just flown back from London, his face bearing the fatigue of a long flight, but his eyes were sharp.

Chen Jianghe was even more disheveled; he had been in Moscow coordinating the evacuation of the last batch of technical experts and was recalled urgently.

Lin Wanyi, Ma Guotao and the others also wore serious expressions.

The air was filled with the bitter aroma of coffee and an intangible pressure.

"The situation, you all know," Li Ping'an began, his voice low yet like a stone dropped into still water, "the Soviet Union is officially history. The Eastern European upheaval has reached its climax. The world order, from today, will change completely."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over each person.

"For us, this is not a political issue. It is a fundamental reshaping of the business environment, resource landscape, technology flow, and even talent migration. Both danger and opportunity have been amplified to the extreme."

"Today's meeting sets direction only, not details. I emphasize three points, which are three highest‑priority orders that must be executed immediately."

Everyone straightened their backs and picked up their pens.

"First, the finance and capital line: Zhou Wenbin has full authority."

Li Ping'an looked at Zhou Wenbin, "Use the European license and channels of the Matthew Bank we have just absorbed to immediately launch research on capturing and guiding outbound capital from the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. The focus isn't to pick up depreciated rubles, but to find hard‑asset collateral, fragments of foreign‑exchange reserves, and… possibly state‑owned core enterprise shares that may be rushed to liquidation as the regime changes."

"Act quickly, but keep a low profile. Intervene under the commercial pretext of 'helping stabilize local financial order' and 'providing international liquidity support.' We may cooperate with Western investment banks, but must ensure our independent judgment and ultimate profit. Remember, we are new players in the shark pack; we must exploit the chaos, not be devoured by it."

Zhou Wenbin jotted notes rapidly, his eyes shining.

This is a genuine deep‑water battle in global finance.

"Understood. The London team has prepared several contingency plans; I'll go back and activate them immediately."

"Second, the technology and talent line: Chen Jianghe leads, with Zhang Wei and Xu Jiaming providing full support."

Li Ping'an looked at Chen Jianghe, "You must return to Moscow immediately—no, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Saint Petersburg… every heavy‑industry and cutting‑edge research hub we previously marked must have someone present."

"Strategy upgrade. Shift from prior 'invitation' and 'cooperation' to 'absorption' and 'transfer.' Those design bureaus and institutes have halted or partially halted; top experts haven't been paid for months, morale is low. This is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity."

"Activate the backup 'Ark Plan.' Through our local agents, under the banner of a newly registered 'International Research Company' in Hong Kong, Singapore, or even Western Europe, directly sign employment contracts. Offer competitive US‑dollar salaries, promise full laboratory relocation and family resettlement. The target is no longer a few individuals but entire teams, along with the blueprints, data, and even small experimental equipment they can take."

Chen Jianghe took a deep breath and nodded heavily.

"Over in Ukraine, the talent lists for shipping and aviation have been broken down to individuals. Mr. Andrei's first batch can help with identification and liaison. It's just that the situation is too chaotic now, security…"

"Wang Dahu will pull a contingent of Russian security personnel from Australia, under the guise of 'company‑dispatched staff,' to cooperate with your operation and ensure safety during the transfer of key personnel and data."

Li Ping'an cut him off, his tone unequivocal, "Safety first, but speed must not lag. I estimate Western and Japanese‑Korean competitors will soon rush in like sharks smelling blood."

"Third, the resources and industry line: Ma Guotao is in charge, Lin Wanyi coordinates."

Li Ping'an's finger traced over the map of the Soviet Union's vast territory, "The alliance collapses, the original unified economic system crumbles. Between the republics, especially between Russia and Ukraine's heavy‑industry zones, the existing supply chains will break. Many factories will lack raw materials and halt, and finished goods will pile up unsold."

"Our target is these 'trapped' industrial lifelines: heavy machinery, special steel, non‑ferrous metals, chemical raw materials… even entire production lines. Through trade firms, we'll exchange light consumer goods, food, even hard currency for the things they now rush to liquidate and we will need in the future."

"Focus on investigating Ukraine's steel plants, Russia's aluminum plants and non‑ferrous metal mines. Prices are negotiable. Transportation—find a way. Even if we can't bring the goods back immediately, we must first secure the cargo rights and rent local warehouses for storage. This requires extremely high‑level negotiation skill and precise judgment of the local situation."

Ma Guotao's face grew solemn, yet there was fire in his eyes.

This is another form of "bottom‑fishing," betting on the huge price differentials during the nation's transition and future demand.

"For the three lines above, funds are centrally allocated by the group headquarters, authorizing you the highest‑limit discretionary authority in your respective fields. But every forty‑eight hours, an encrypted briefing must be submitted."

Li Ping'an concluded, "Remember our bottom line: the legal and compliant façade must be flawless, all transactions must leave clear traces. Do not engage in any political speculation, do not touch any sensitive military technology. We are merely merchants, making the purest commercial judgments and resource integration in the cracks of this era's massive change."

The meeting ended.

Everyone left quickly, each heading to their own battlefield.

Only Li Ping'an remained in the office.

He walked back to the window.

The sky grew darker, and scattered raindrops seemed to tap on the glass, winding down.

He picked up the red Telephone and dialed Beijing's number.

Some matters require the highest‑level reporting and tacit understanding.

The call connected.

Zhou Zhengwei's voice came through, also tinged with fatigue.

"Ping'an, you received the news."

"Received, Commissar. The meeting just ended, the three lines have already been deployed."

"Hmm, your sense of smell and action are always the fastest." Zhou Zhengwei paused, "The higher‑up's attitude is clear: seize the opportunity, grow stronger. Private commercial activity is welcomed by the state. But the big principles must not be touched, especially the last one—you've handled it well."

"I understand. We only operate within commercial and technical scopes. Also, Commissar, through years of contact and this talent‑acquisition drive, we have amassed a large amount of 'by‑product' data on the Soviet Union, especially the industrial layout, technology stockpiles, and even some personnel details in Ukraine and Russia. This information may be valuable for the state's comprehensive understanding and future planning. I will arrange the most reliable method to compile and submit it."

The other end was silent for a few seconds.

"Good. This 'intent' is timely and weighty. Pay attention to the method and security."

He hung up, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.

In his mind, countless pieces of information streamed and collided at high speed.

He knew that from today onward, for at least the next two to three years, he would enter a global arena even more complex, larger, and more uncertain than the Tokyo financial war of old.

There is no smoke here, but it is equally brutal.

There is no artillery here, but it still tests wisdom, courage, and resource‑mobilization ability.

He seemed to already see Zhou Wenbin in London's financial district, inside a cold glass tower, smiling as he vied with elite veterans of old investment banks for mysterious asset lists from the East.

He saw Chen Jianghe and Wang Dahu's people, escorting, in the cold night of Moscow and Kyiv, technical experts carrying simple suitcases, eyes still determined, boarding flights to the East.

He saw Ma Guotao's trade representatives, in idle giant factories, using calculators, gestures, and half‑learned Russian to seal astonishing barter deals.

The rain outside grew heavy.

The dense raindrops hammered the glass, producing a rapid sound.

Like war drums.

Also like a charge horn sounded by the era itself, exclusive to him.

Li Ping'an opened his eyes, his gaze becoming sharp and calm again.

He rang the bell and called the secretary.

"Book me a ticket to London for tomorrow. Also, inform my family—I may be on a long assignment, timing uncertain."

The secretary took the order and left.

Li Ping'an stood, walked to the bookshelf, and pulled out a thick leather‑bound notebook.

Opening it, inside were the scattered thoughts he had jotted over the years about future technology trends, industry directions, and global potential opportunities.

On the blank space of the newest page, he lifted his pen and slowly wrote eight characters:

"Winter has arrived, the whale swallows silently."

The pen tip pressed through the paper.

He closed the notebook.

The rain curtain outside turned Shenzhen's brilliant lights into a hazy, restless sea of light.

It seemed to herald a grander, more perilous era rushing forward unstoppable.

And he, already standing at the tide's crest.