Chapter 135: My plan: Strike with both fists

In the reception room of the administrative building in the Ferro Floating Oilfield, Li Chengtong and Irbedov Domer had just sat around the table. However, the expressions on these people's faces were all very dull, making the atmosphere in the entire room seem somewhat oppressive. 

Li Cheng took a deep breath, then stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. He glanced at the ashtray and couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart, because the ashtray was already full of cigarette butts. He realised that he had smoked so much at some point, which was not healthy.

Li Cheng shook his head. He put this problem behind him before saying, 'Mr. Domel, I think you should not doubt the abilities of my friend Zhou Ming. No matter how much control Pushkin or Eugens have here in the Ferroflo oilfield, my friend Zhou Ming said he can convince those oil workers, and he will. And as you can see here, these oil workers live in such conditions every day, they must all be full of grievances. Since they are angry, they can be used.'

Domel nodded and said, 'Mr. Li Cheng, I agree with what you said. I also admit that Mr. Zhou Ming is very eloquent, but I don't think those oil workers will risk their lives for the empty promises he made. And as Mr. Zhou Ming himself said, if these oil workers have the courage and ability to resist, I'm afraid Pushkin simply wouldn't have such a strong grip.'

Li Cheng shook his head and said, 'Domel, you're wrong. You're saying this because you don't understand Mr. Zhou Ming at all. He basically doesn't convince people with his eloquence.'

This answer made Domel pause for a moment. He didn't understand at all. If you don't convince people with eloquence, what do you use? Could it be that this Mr. Zhou Ming knows some kind of enchantment magic, and he can convince someone just by looking at them?

Domel didn't understand, but at this time, he didn't have time to think about it, because Zhou Ming had already pushed open the reception room door and walked in.

'Brother Li Cheng was right. If you rely on eloquence alone, you're just trying to deceive and trick people. It's a one-off tactic. Once the other person realises they've been fooled, all your previous efforts will be for nothing. But what I'm going to do is make them keep believing in me and support what I'm doing.'

Zhou Ming said as he walked over and sat down, attracting the attention of the entire reception room. Du Peng and Su Han followed Zhou Ming over as well.

'Zhou Ming, you're back. I wonder how it went with that oil worker named Rege?' Tong Gang asked him immediately.

Zhou Ming nodded and replied, 'It's already been taken care of. He will definitely join the union we organised and support and participate in the activities we organise.'

'That's great! Mr. Zhou Ming, you are indeed a trustworthy person. If we can convince the other oil workers to join our union, centering on Leger, we will be able to organise a force different from Pushkin's, and this force will definitely fight to the end with them!'

Domel said happily, but then his smile froze on his face, because no one shared his happiness. Instead, everyone frowned, which made him feel very surprised: what's going on? Wasn't the original plan to persuade the oil workers to join the trade union? Then why were they frowning when they had achieved their goal?

Domel's surprise didn't last long, however, as Irbeldov's words immediately gave him an answer: 'Mr Zhou Ming, you are very good at persuading the oil workers, but just establishing a trade union and trying to deal with Eugene's gang seems like a long way off.'

Hearing Irbeldov's words, Domel suddenly realised and remembered the crux of the problem.

If their goal was only the Ferrovu oilfield, then they could easily establish a trade union, use the discontent of the oil workers to incite a strike, and even cause some bloodshed, and they could easily gain control of the oilfield. But unfortunately, that was not their goal. Their goal was Eugene in Siberia, and that was not good enough.

Eugene was known as the master of Siberia, and he controlled the two major industries of the Siberian bank and the oilfield. Just the Ferrovu oilfield could not possibly pose any threat to him.

And as for Pushkin, as a member of the Vladimir family, Domer had heard of him. It turned out that he was just a small gang leader who had been appointed to the Ferrofou oilfield by chance.

Then it's simple. Yujin needs to be more ruthless. After something goes wrong at the oilfield, just push Pushkin out and let him take the blame. What else can you do?

Thinking about this, Domer felt very disheartened, and suddenly felt that he had been in vain.

But when Domer looked up, he suddenly saw Zhou Ming's confident eyes, which made his heart suddenly tremble, and an inexplicable confidence suddenly arose in his heart: Yes! They all believe in Zhou Ming so much, and this Chinese guy seems to be very capable, so he must have a plan B!

'If it's just the union of the Ferroflo oilfield, then naturally it can't pose any threat to Eugens. And after the example of the Ferroflo oilfield, other oilfields will definitely strengthen their precautions as well. It'll be more difficult for us to stir up any trouble,' Zhou Ming said with a sigh.

Domel stared at Zhou Ming, unable to figure out why Zhou Ming was saying all this so easily, in an outsider's tone, as if it was none of his business. He could also understand that what Zhou Ming was saying were all real problems.

Not only Domel, but also the other few people looked at each other, unable to understand Zhou Ming's plan. In the end, Tong Gang had to step forward. He sighed and said, 'Zhou Ming, little brother, just tell us your next plan, so that we can all have a rough idea.'

Facing everyone's curiosity, Zhou Ming still did not rush to give an answer, but instead asked in return, 'Chairman Tong and everyone, in your opinion, what is the most important thing for a gang?'

This question made everyone freeze for a moment. Everyone looked at each other, unable to give an answer. Even Domer, who came from the Vladimir family, didn't know what to say. Because logically speaking, a gang needs manpower. Only if there are more people in the group can the gang do a lot of things. Of course, it also needs loyalists and control. Otherwise, if you go to the police station to report a case today, and he betrays his brothers tomorrow, the gang will fall apart in two days.

Everyone sitting here has had contact with the gang, and we can all talk about it to some extent or another. But at this time, no one spoke, and they all stared at Zhou Ming, waiting for him to reveal the answer.

This time, Zhou Ming didn't beat around the bush anymore. He held up a finger and said, 'There's nothing else. There's just one word: money.'

Zhou Ming only had this one sentence, but it gave a sudden and enlightening realisation.

Perhaps to other people, the word 'gang' has many different meanings. Some people think that gangs value loyalty, while others think that gangs are made up of a lot of people or are built on courage. But these are more the things that film and television dramas make up, and in the end, it is all about profit.

It's very simple. If it's not about profit, then what are these people gathering together for, to fight over territory or to illegally hack people up? Is it just for fun?

From another perspective, if a gang leader takes his subordinates out to fight, but then can't even pay for their medical bills when they're unfortunate enough to die, and the leader can't pay the family of the deceased, then who would be willing to die for him?

These are all very real things that cannot be resolved with a sense of loyalty.

Everyone understands these fundamental truths, but what does this have to do with the current situation?

Facing the doubtful stares around him, Zhou Ming smiled and asked another key question: 'Mr. Domer, I know that Mr. Eugene's underlings control almost the entire Siberian mafia. So to whom do these gangs pledge allegiance? Or were these gangs organised by Eugene alone, or by the Vladimir family?'

'Of course it was organised by the Vladimir family. Eugene, that illegitimate bastard, doesn't have the ability...'

Domer's words came to an abrupt end as he suddenly thought of Zhou Ming's plan: 'Mr. Zhou Ming, are you going to sever Yujin's relationship with the Siberian mafia?'

'That's right!' Zhou Ming snapped his fingers, 'I remember you, Mr. Domer, once said that the Siberian oilfields are controlled by the mafia, so that means the oil industry is only a temporary partnership with him, because he controls the Siberian bank.'

'Then Mr Zhou Ming, your attempt to form a trade union in the Ferrovsky oilfield is to send a warning to the gangsters, so that they will reconsider their relationship with Yugens?' Sergeyevsky asked.

Zhou Ming nodded and said, 'I do think so, but it is definitely not enough just to do this in the oilfield. My plan is to attack with two fists.'

'How do you plan to strike with two fists?' Tong Gang asked immediately.

Zhou Ming's answer was still a rhetorical question: 'I don't know if Mr. Irbedov remembers that when you were last in Siberia, I said that I wanted to deal with the Siberian Bank?'

This rhetorical question made Irbedov's eyes light up. 'Of course I remember. Mr. Zhou Ming, by striking with two fists, you mean continuing the run on the Siberian Bank to drive down the price of the bank's shares, while at the same time using the Ferrovia Bank to warn the mob to see the situation clearly and not blindly support Eugens? As long as Siberian Bank can't withstand the pressure in the end, and the mob loses its interest, it won't cooperate with Eugens anymore.'

'More or less,' Zhou Ming said.

'My God, this plan is simply perfect, like something only God could have created! This guy Eugene must have hit his head and suffered a concussion!' Domer exclaimed.

'Not to mention whether Eugene could have come up with this plan even if he hadn't suffered a concussion, I'm afraid even if he had, he wouldn't have been able to stop it,' Du Peng added.

If someone else had said this, Domer would have laughed in their face, but now that it was Zhou Ming, Domer nodded vigorously.