Chapter 91: Kenon's first appearance

'The law enforcement bureau will clear the area in five minutes. Everyone, please leave the Chelf Market immediately. Violators will be forcibly evicted!'

On 15 August 2012, the stand-off at the Chelf Market was still unresolved. The Director of the Law Enforcement Bureau, who had reached the end of his patience, finally shouted the words that he would forcibly clear the market. And with his order, behind him, a team of uniformed Law Enforcement Bureau members had also set themselves in position, ready to forcibly shut down the Chelf Market and end today's farce.

'Mr. Konon, it seems that the law enforcement bureau is really determined to shut down the Chelf market today. There is nothing we can do about it. Who let us take so much market share from Krisco?'

'Thank you very much today, Mr. Konon, and everyone else for your help. All of us Chinese businessmen will remember this. We will definitely repay you in the future if we have the chance. But now, please leave first. If the law enforcement bureau really has to forcibly clear the market later, and if Mr. Konon gets hurt or has any other accidents, we will be hard to blame.'

Faced with such a show of force by the law enforcement bureau, the general manager of the Chelf Market persuaded Kernon to leave first, but Kernon and his followers still insisted on standing there, and no one took a single step back.

Kornon said, 'Mr. General Manager, if we really have to say thank you, then I should be the one to thank you, because it was this Chelf Market that saved all of us Kriskers twenty years ago. This is not just a market, it is a symbol in the hearts of all of us Kriskers. If these bastards close the market today, it will be a lifelong shame for us! We North Russians will always be sorry to you Chinese!'

We are even more sorry to that great Chinese man, Mr. Zhou Ming!

Konong shouted this last sentence in his heart, but although the general manager of the market couldn't hear it, he saw Konong's determined and almost pilgrim-like expression. He knew he couldn't dissuade Konong.

What worried him was that the law enforcement bureau was about to start clearing the area forcibly. What were Konong and these old Northern Russians going to do?

Five minutes passed quickly. When the law enforcement chief saw that the crowd blocking the entrance to the Chelf Market had still not dispersed, his forehead veins bulged with anger, and he roared out the order to clear the area: 'Quickly! Let the law enforcement team forcibly clear the area and drive all these disobedient scum out!'

His deputy turned around to give the order, but at that moment, with a piercing alarm sound, police cars whizzed by, and riot police in camouflage uniforms got out and quickly formed a queue in front of the entrance to the Chelf Market.

The sudden arrival of the riot police stunned everyone, and even the law enforcement chief said in a daze, 'We didn't call for backup, we can solve it!'

At this point, only Konon stood up. He waved at the riot police and said, 'These are the law enforcement officers. They want to forcibly shut down the Chelf Market. They simply don't care about the law. They are thugs!'

If Konon had said this at any other time, everyone would have taken him for a joke. But now, after Konon had shouted this, the riot police over there did indeed move towards the law enforcement officers. One riot police officer after another held up a shield and took a rubber bat as they advanced towards the law enforcement officers.

'We are from the law enforcement bureau, we are here on official business, why are you beating us?'

The law enforcement bureau chief shouted, but these riot police simply ignored him and just kept on advancing towards them, swinging their rubber batons.

Everyone who saw this scene was stunned. This was an outcome that no one had expected. After a while, someone suddenly remembered and pointed at Konon, shouting, 'You're Konon, the Konon from the Liberal Party!'

After this shout, everyone suddenly realised, because he was also a very famous figure in Krisco. He had organised the Liberal Party during the most turbulent times of the North Russian economy. Although he was not actually an official, he had a certain amount of influence within the North Russian government. Many big officials were related to him, so today he was able to command the riot police.

Amidst the people's exclamations of surprise, Kernon also shouted, 'I am Kernon! Please be assured that as long as I, Kernon, am here, I will definitely protect the Chelf market!'

Konon's shout brought a cheer, and in the midst of the cheers, Konon's eyes welled up. He was very moved, but he wasn't because of the cheering crowd around him, it was because he remembered twenty years ago...

The time went back to 1989, the location was on Gele Street. Compared to twenty years later, Konon was very young at this time. He took a loudspeaker to an intersection, where there was a simple raised platform. This was something Konon had set up last night, just in case he needed it today.

Konon jumped onto the platform, adjusted the trumpet in his hands and said, 'Hello everyone, I have some very important news here that I hope you won't miss. It's about the old rubles you all have in your hands!'

Konon repeated these words several times. After a few minutes, the area around his platform was filled with people, circle after circle. This was not because Konon had great charisma, but because after the economic collapse in Northern Russia, many people were wandering aimlessly on the streets of Grozny. Of course, the more important reason was the important news about the old rubles that Konon had mentioned.

Because these people, like Konon, each had old rubles in their hands that they had not had time to exchange or simply did not know how to exchange. These people were at their wits' end as to what to do with the old rubles.

In the past, no matter how much the ruble depreciated in value, at least it could still be used. But now, with the continuous decrees of the government in Northern Russia, the old rubles could no longer be used. How could this not make people despair?

Now that they, who were in the abyss of despair, suddenly heard the news about the old rubles, they would definitely grasp at it with all their might.

Looking at the pairs of eyes in the audience watching him, Konon suddenly couldn't say a word with the megaphone in his hands. After all, no one is born a natural orator.

Before today, Konon was just an ordinary clerk at the United Bank, going to work from nine to five every day. He had never been involved in any big events, and even for internal gatherings at the bank, he never stood out. Now suddenly he was asked to stand on the stage and speak to so many people below with a megaphone in his hands, how could he not be nervous?

He remembered that yesterday, also on this Gele Street, Kernon had once looked down his nose at someone else who was speaking from a loudspeaker on the street, thinking that what he was saying was just nonsense. But today, when it was his turn to speak from a loudspeaker, he could not say a word.

What should I say? Where should I start? I should have a speech prepared, I remember having memorised it, but now I can't remember a single word.

Cornon was panicking inside, like a candidate in an exam who has forgotten the key points marked by the teacher.

On the Gröberstraße, directly opposite Cornon's elevated position, there was a Volga car, from which Cornon had a perfect view.

Zhou Ming and Tong Hua were sitting in the car. Tong Hua saw the situation over there and said to Zhou Ming, 'Mr. Zhou Ming, it seems that this Mr. Kenong has some psychological problems. You see, he can't even speak in front of so many people. Should we prepare to find someone else?'

Compared to Tong Hua's worries, Zhou Ming was very open-minded. He said, 'Don't worry. After all, this Mr. Kenong is just an ordinary person. It's inevitable that he will be a little nervous when he has to give a speech in front of so many people for the first time.'

Tong Hua was speechless at Zhou Ming's words. Indeed, for an ordinary person, it is a bit difficult to be able to speak without any nervousness in front of so many people for the first time. But the problem now is that they are not trying to cultivate an orator, but need this person to do things for them, to stand on a high platform and speak to everyone, to help them spread the news about the Chelf market.

To be pragmatic, this is all that Konon is good for. Now that he can't even do this, what use is he to them?

If he were facing someone else, Tong Hua would have shouted at him, but now he is facing Zhou Ming. Thinking about Zhou Ming's legendary experiences and his father's words of teaching him to learn from Zhou Ming, he can only choose to suppress his temper and keep these doubts to himself, waiting for Zhou Ming to give him an answer, even though Zhou Ming is still younger than him.

Tong Hua did not deliberately hide his expression, but even if Tong Hua deliberately acted, Zhou Ming could also guess what he was thinking at the moment.

Zhou Ming said to Tong Hua, 'In fact, I don't really have many reasons, I just don't suspect people who I don't need to. Besides, we are not familiar with the situation here in Northern Russia, and it is difficult to find someone who is not politically involved. There is only this Konon. He has done things for us before, and at least he is someone we can trust.'

Tong Hua nodded in silence, because he agreed with what Zhou Ming said. Because generally speaking, people with excellent eloquence or ability are unlikely to be overlooked, especially in the current situation of Krisko. For political needs, Western countries will definitely recruit a large number of eloquent and capable Northern Russians to work for them. At least they have to brainwash this group of people and not leave them in the Soviet Union.

Judging from the many years of the Project Dagger Tower, the layout of Western countries must have penetrated every corner. Even if there are still some fish that have escaped, Zhou Ming and the others have only been here for a short time, so how can they find them? Even if they are found, how can they make them willing to work for them?

This is the truth, and anyone can understand it, but Tong Hua was still very anxious when he saw the way Konon was acting over there. He hated the idea of having to kick him off and take his place.

But the problem is that he is a foreigner and is not as persuasive as the local Konong.

Zhou Ming patted Tong Hua on the shoulder and said to him, 'Don't worry, this Konong. I have seen that he has resilience and perseverance. Most importantly, he worships me. He can overcome his own psychological barriers. Just wait and see. My judgment is never wrong. He won't let us down.'

Tong Hua looked at Zhou Ming blankly, completely unable to understand why Zhou Ming was so confident.