Chapter 64: Soviet Collapse (1)

[German central bank… announces another interest rate hike. UK, France, Sweden, etc. all protest]

[Shaking ERM, criticism of Germany’s egoism intensifies…]

[Thatcher: I didn’t know Germany would unify so quickly]

-Flutter.

I frowned as I read the morning newspaper. It wasn’t because of the hot summer sun, nor was it because of the fatigue from last night’s all-nighter.

‘Coffee…’

There’s no coffee, in the morning.

The distorted, beautiful brow was reflected in the mirror.

“Phew…”

I took a deep breath for a moment and calmed my mind. Even though my skin doesn’t get damaged, an angry look wouldn’t be very beautiful.

“Um, um… Is there anything you need?”

Choi Yeonha approached me hesitantly. She was a new secretary I put in my secretarial office.

She was strangely wary of me, but she was good at her job, so it was nice.

But…

“You’re still lacking, Yeonha. Coffee with the newspaper, don’t you agree?”

Sihyeon has now been promoted to chief of staff, so it’s frustrating sometimes. Seo Jueun is good at her job, but her hospitality is a bit ambiguous.

“Yes? Ah, yes! I, I’ll get coffee!”

-Patter.

Choi Yeonha stumbled in the middle, but steadfastly ran to where the instant coffee was.

Tsk, my tastes have become so high these days. Cheap coffee is a bit disappointing…

But it’s a bit much to bring the chef all the way to Moscow, so it can’t be helped.

Yes.

This is Moscow, the heart of the Soviet Union.

I was in the Soviet Union.

“Russia is… not very good because it’s cold. But the scenery is nice.”

It was only because it was early summer that I came, I might not have been able to come if it was winter.

I stared blankly at the Kremlin outside the window and slowly touched the window with my finger. There was a beautiful woman who had now lost all her baby fat and completely shed the look of a child.

The cold, icy glass seemed to tingle my finger.

-Haa.

The window of the hotel room fogged up slightly. Sparkling eyes, on the contrary, languidly lowered eyes, long black hair like ebony blurred in low resolution.

The appearance of wearing only underwear and a thin negligee was very sensual.

‘Even though it’s cold…, thick pajamas are uncomfortable.’

I told the hotel to make sure the heating was generous… It’s a bit cold. Is this Russia?

…Wouldn’t it be better to just wear pajamas?

Lee Sihyeon would have said this. Then I would have replied that I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to enjoy the feel of the blanket many times over, even though the nanny wasn’t nagging.

But she’s not here now.

“Ahaha, what. Am I attached?”

I laughed lightly. It wasn’t so bad.

-Tap tap.

“…Miss. I brought coffee.”

“You’re a bit late. Yes, I’ll forgive you.”

Just then, Choi Yeonha came with instant coffee, so I stopped my sentimental thoughts and got up.

-Whoosh

The chilly morning wind of Russia swept in.

“Hmm… good. It’s all good.”

Now, this is our territory.

The collapse of the Soviet Union, like the reunification of Germany, did not happen overnight.

There were signs little by little a few years ago, and the decisive blow was the August Coup and the Ukrainian independence vote at the end of 1991.

Looking back at the past, the end of the Cold War was already in the late 80s, and Korea also established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in 90.

That’s why I can come to the Soviet Union, not Russia.

‘This is why when Oppa said that the Soviet Union would collapse this year, he was only surprised, but he didn’t deny the fact that the Soviet Union would collapse.’

The Soviet Union has already lost in the competition of systems.

Lithuania and Armenia seceded from the Soviet Union last year, and a vote on the continuation of the Soviet Union was held in March this year. Secretary General Gorbachev is trying to reform the Soviet Union somehow…

Well.

I don’t know if it will work. Some argue that there was a last chance until the August Coup, but that will happen soon.

The Soviet Union collapses. Definitely.

To the person I met at lunch, I explained the reason for the investment by subtly suggesting such a metaphor.

“Mr. Tchebrikov. So… that’s why I want to invest here. The Soviet Union is already opening up to capitalism. Whether the Secretary General’s reforms succeed or fail… it will be opened up in some way. Definitely.”

When I smiled kindly, the other person seemed momentarily distracted. It’s understandable why his gaze briefly went to my chest and barely fell off.

Anyway, men.

“Ah… yes. I understand, Lady.”

-Crunch.

I heard the sound of french fries crumbling. I didn’t expect it, but the quality is pretty good.

Well, as you can tell from the fact that I mentioned french fries, the lunch meeting was held at McDonald’s.

At first glance, it seems like a very unusual thing… but considering that this is the first McDonald’s in the Soviet Union, it wasn’t that strange.

Is there a clearer sign of victory and defeat than the symbol of capitalism entering the heart of the Soviet Union?

“Ahaha, I’ll give you a lot of time, so eat slowly and think about it. I don’t have much time to stay in the Soviet Union, but now that the Soviet Union is open, right? I can come back anytime, so it’s okay.”

I smiled and straightened my long hair.

“Open… yes. That’s right. To think that people in capitalist countries have always eaten this…”

The man, who runs a small energy company in the Soviet Union, looked at the hamburger with a strange face.

“We don’t eat it that much either. We eat it occasionally, well.”

The reason for eating it occasionally is a bit different, but life is the same everywhere.

“But I didn’t hear that there was such a beautiful Asian lady in Alpha Fund. Haha, it won’t happen, but you look almost like a teenager.”

“Thank you for the compliment, I hear a lot that I’m a bit young. And strictly speaking, I’m not affiliated with Alpha Fund. These days, Alpha Fund is interested in the East, so they tend to connect with local companies…”

A skilled businessman who grew up in a capitalist society could have found something strange in my words, but the young man in front of me was a new entrepreneur in a communist society with a lack of experience.

And in front of a beautiful woman.

“Hmm, it’s difficult.”

You might say what does that matter, but men are creatures that have lower intelligence when there is a beautiful woman in front of them.

Yuri Tchebrikov seemed to have decided to allocate brain capacity to the beautiful lady in front of him instead of understanding the complex system of difficult capitalism.

It was a good thing for me.

Because I could hear praise from a well-off person and deceive a foolish person at the same time.

“Ah, it must be your first time in Moscow. Have you done some sightseeing? Actually… this is not a very suitable place to talk about business.”

Hmm, that’s true.

Other than starting with a typical pick-up line, his reason hasn’t been broken yet.

Because the KGB is watching.

“Ahah, then… shall we go outside and have a drink? I had a place in mind.”

When I smiled, pretending to drink from a wine glass, Yuri Tchebrikov smiled with a subtle twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Do you like women that much?

Hmm… no, it must be because I’m so charming.

“It’s okay, this is great. Among the people I’ve seen in the Soviet Union, there are very few people who have a deep understanding of capitalism, but I believe that Mr. Yuri will be a good partner for us.”

Putting emphasis on the word partner, I firmly grasped his hand and shook it.

“Ahaha, I also… um, think so. Drinking with a beauty makes the drink taste very good.”

A dark and secret bar.

While talking about the contract and chatting for a while, I secretly lowered my head and brought my face close to his ear and said.

“But, maybe… can I meet your other friends? I heard that people who do business in the Soviet Union have a lot of ‘friends’.”

Even though the Soviet Union has opened up, it is a communist country. Of course, you can’t do business without a connection with the government.

Such a young person doing business? 100% probability that he has a very deep connection with the KGB or high-ranking government officials.

The young man, who was flushed as if drunk, seemed to not yet understand my words and tried to touch my body while flirting.

“Hmm, let’s drink first. Miss. Since you’re in Russia, how about vodka?”

Wow, offering vodka to a child, a complete Russian.

I casually pushed his hand away and touched the bag next to me.

“Hmm, this relationship is a bit early for us. Mr. Yuri.”

-Clack.

I opened the bag I brought. It was full of gold bars.

‘It was a bit of a hassle to carry.’

Of course, I didn’t come to the Soviet Union with my bare hands without any preparation.

Maybe the business partner will suddenly accelerate and become a s*x partner. I declined the manly confession of raping me, saying that the girl seduced me first.

-Thud.

When I gave a signal, several large bodyguards came out and stacked the 007 bags one by one.

“T-this…”

Yuri Tchebrikov looked at me with dazed eyes as if he had sobered up.

“Hmm… a small token of sincerity? Or the taste of capitalism?”

As if he finally understood what I meant, Tchebrikov jumped up and pretended to be angry.

“…Because of my uncle? I don’t know how you found out, but an American company openly trying to bribe the KGB! I didn’t think so, but you’re rude.”

He pretended to overturn the bag and casually checked the contents of the bag. The poured-out golden bricks sparkled even in the dark.

-Gulp.

“I… heard that this is how business is done… Am I wrong? About 10 million dollars……, it should be about that. Of course, most of it is a gift for the KGB, but wouldn’t one-tenth of this be okay?”

I smiled playfully and handed him a heavy bag in my hand.

“Here, it’s a small gift for your friend.”

“Hmm…”

It was too much money to refuse.