Chapter 143: That's called internal and external troubles (Part 1)

'We are all born with our own original sin, and only the almighty God can forgive our sins. All the suffering we have endured today comes from the fact that we have abandoned our faith. If we can regain our faith and believe again in our Lord and Heavenly Father, then all this will pass, our sins will be forgiven, and we will be happy, and we will enter the beautiful paradise!'

On Gele Street, a white-haired priest was standing on a high platform by the street, loudly preaching his teachings to the passing pedestrians, but there were only a handful of people around the platform.

A Volga sedan drives past, with Zhou Ming and Du Peng sitting inside. Du Peng looks over at the priest, who is still talking, and comments, 'I know this father. He's been here every day for many days now, trying to convert people. It turns out that there are quite a few people who listen to his lectures, but now that the capital market is booming, it seems that no one wants to listen to his nonsense anymore. What original sin? What forgiveness? The money in your hands is the most real thing.'

Zhou Ming, however, has a different opinion: 'I think he's right. According to Western teachings, everyone is born with the seven deadly sins, one of which is greed.'

Zhou Ming said, turning his head to look at the priest who was still preaching, and then said, 'If those people weren't so greedy, maybe the situation now would really be different. It's because of greed that capital has revealed its fangs, turning everyone into crazy monsters.'

The Volga sedan soon drove off, and Zhou Ming and the others did not pay much attention to the priest, because their destination for the day was a securities company not far away.

As in China, the securities companies here in Northern Russia are actually places that combine the functions of securities brokers opening accounts and stock exchange trading. When Zhou Ming and the others arrived here, it was just after 9am, and the market had only been open for ten minutes. The place was already packed with people, and it was difficult for Zhou Ming and the others to even drive past. They could only park far away, because the crowd was so dense that it extended from the securities company's lobby all the way out onto the street. Even with traffic police here to maintain order, the entire road was still blocked by this group of stock investors.

Of course, these people didn't just stand there. Zhou Ming and the others could hear the shouts from afar.

'It's going up, it's going up! The stock of United Bank has skyrocketed ten percent as soon as the market opened today. I bought 100,000 new rubles yesterday, and when I opened my eyes today, I had made 10,000. This is enough money for me to buy several bottles of good vodka! I hope this upward trend can continue for a long time, so that I can become a millionaire soon. It's really great that there are securities companies where you can buy and sell stocks! Haha!'

But not everyone managed to buy shares. Many people did not have this opportunity and cursed: 'Is the guy in front of me going to give birth? Why have you been standing there for so long without moving? Don't you know that thousands of new rubles are rolling in every minute? If I don't buy the shares I want next time, I'll kick your ass!'

Others bemoaned their fate: 'Damn it! I should have bought this stock yesterday. The situation is now very good, and all stocks will make a lot of money!'

Sitting in the car, Du Peng looked through the window and listened to the situation over there, sighing and saying, 'It's the same as when stocks started to rise in our country. Everyone just followed the trend and bought, regardless of why the stock price was rising or whether someone was manipulating it behind the scenes.'

Zhou Ming laughed and explained, 'Didn't the priest we met just now explain it very clearly? This is the original sin that people bring with them from birth, and greed is one of them. It's just that in the face of capital, this greed is infinitely magnified.'

Zhou Ming leaned back in his car seat and said, 'Fortunately, our country is still closed off. If there is an influx of so much hot foreign money as there is here, I'm afraid we will suffer even greater losses.'

Du Peng and Su Han both nodded. Du Peng in particular had witnessed thousands of people gathering outside the Nanjiang Securities Company, almost causing a disturbance, so he understood this point even better. These Northern Russians can only see the stocks rising, but they don't know that it's all a scam. The money they invest is going into someone else's pockets.

'And there is no such thing as a trading limit in the stock market here in Northern Russia. All stocks can rise as much as they can in a day. I heard that it skyrocketed by more than 200 percentage points yesterday. With such a high return on investment, it's strange if these people aren't crazy,' said Du Peng.

At this time, in the direction of the securities company, a Northern Russian parted the crowd and ran towards Zhou Ming, mumbling all the way, 'Crazy, this stock market is really crazy!'

This Northern Russian was none other than the one who had been arranged by Zhou Ming many times, Konong. Zhou Ming smiled and said to him, 'Of course it's crazy. In one day, the money in your hands can double. With such a big profit, I'm afraid it's strange if you're not crazy.'

'But there must be a problem with this,' Konong muttered.

'Of course there are problems,' Zhou Ming said, but that was where Zhou Ming's words ended and did not go any further. 'So, Mr. Konong, you're not going to keep watching these crazy people perform here?'

Zhou Ming's question made Kernon suddenly remember, and he said, 'Of course not! I have been helping you, Mr. Zhou Ming, keep an eye on the place, but from yesterday to today, there have been these retail investors here pushing each other to buy stocks, and no big investors have come. I have also asked my friends in the securities company, and there are some telephone orders from big clients, but due to the confidentiality system, I'm sorry, Mr. Zhou Ming, I don't know who they are.'

'That's enough,' Zhou Ming said with a smile and a nod to Kenong. "Okay, Mr. Kenong, you go back and keep an eye on things.'

Kenong nodded and went back to the entrance of the securities company. Zhou Ming turned his head, but saw Du Peng's solemn eyes: "I said, Zhou Ming, why do I feel even more uneasy after hearing Kenong's answer?'

'Because it wasn't an answer that could make anyone feel at ease,' Zhou Ming said. 'Yesterday, they were all so eager to find a way out, waiting for us at the airport hotel for several days. Now that the Dota Project has finally started, and their stocks have also begun to skyrocket with the influx of foreign capital, how could they possibly remain indifferent? I don't believe my words have that kind of hypnotic power.'

'So what you're saying, Zhou Ming, is that those people have only temporarily suppressed their actions, but that doesn't mean they won't think this way.' Su Han said.

Zhou Ming shook his head: "I'm afraid they haven't even suppressed their actions. Han, have you forgotten what Konon told us just now? He has learned through friends that many big clients are buying stocks by telephone commission.'

'Among these so-called big clients are not only the Dota Project, but also those Northern Russians like Irbedov?" Su Han said.

'It is impossible for us to know who exactly is involved, or whether they are all involved. I don't think there is any need to investigate, but one thing is for sure: a 200% profit increase in one day is enough to tempt everyone!' Zhou Ming said.

'Including Irbedov?' Du Peng asked.

Zhou Ming gave a bitter smile and said, "I'd rather believe the uncooperative Bortasksy, because as you know, his people have never been a tough people, even though they have established a very tough country in the Middle East and fought many tough battles.'

'Then isn't this situation a combination of internal and external troubles?" Du Peng said.

'Indeed, it is a combination of internal and external troubles,' Zhou Ming said.

...

Internal and external troubles. When Du Peng mentioned this phrase to Zhou Ming, in Villa 8 on the other side of Glei Street, Wilhelm also mentioned it to Meta. Although the words and Chinese characters are not the same linguistically, the meaning is the same.

'Mr. Maita, this is fantastic! I never thought that we had just started gaining momentum and that such an important person would come knocking on our door. As far as I know, this Irbedov, the richest man in northern Russia, was pulled up by Zhou Ming single-handedly. This is incredible!' Wilhelm was so happy that he danced with joy.

In contrast to William's excitement, Meta was just wearing a shallow smile on her face: 'Actually, this is not surprising. After all, this nation is a nation of greed and selfishness. They are not strong either, especially this person Irbedov. He has inherited almost all the fatal flaws of their nation. So now the situation has suddenly changed, and Zhou Ming has no time to react. He has to find another way out.'

At the end of the day, Meta thought for a moment and added: 'Anyway, this is not the first time Irbedov has done this, so there's no need to make such a big deal out of it, right?'

William laughed and said, 'That's right. That Chinese guy Zhou Ming is really suffering from internal and external troubles right now. I'm starting to feel a little sympathy for him. I really don't know what his expression will be when he finds out that his biggest partner on the northern Russian side, who never trusted him, has been secretly contacting us, ready to abandon him and defect to our side at any time.'

'In fact, everyone is looking for the path that suits them best. That Jew is just trying to maximise his own interests in this war.'

Meita said this, but suddenly thought of himself. Because behind the Dota Project, he was not also contacting Zhou Ming to find a way to protect himself? From another perspective, his actions seemed to be the same as the Jews that Wilhelm cursed.

'Mr. Meita, what's wrong?'

William asked, noticing a change in Meita's expression. Meita shook his head and said that he was fine, then asked him, 'But we also need to be prepared. Since Il'yadov has started, I'm sure the others won't be far behind. Soon, no one will trust that Chinese Zhou Ming anymore.'

William saluted Meita and said, 'Commander Meita, please be assured, I promise to complete the mission!'