"You brat, your appetite is rather big!" Old Master Lin scolded with a laugh.
"Grandpa, it's first come, first served."
Lin Chenran replied with a smile, "If other Flame Nation military enterprises think they can do it too, then they can bypass the 077 Machinery Military Factory and develop the international arms market themselves."
Opportunities had to be fought for and seized by oneself.
Lin Chenran's words carried a sense of determination and confidence.
The many Flame Nation military enterprises could bypass the 077 Machinery Military Factory and develop foreign arms markets on their own.
This was a matter of mutual willingness! Whoever had the ability could step up; whoever secured the orders was the boss!
"Smooth talker!"
Old Master Lin could not help but scold him with a laugh.
He could not help feeling emotional as he remembered the Lin Chenran who had once been so timid before him that he barely dared to breathe.
Now, Lin Chenran had not only become mature and steady, but was also full of wisdom and vitality.
He was no longer as hesitant and fearful as before. He could even joke with him now.
"You brat, it seems you've gotten quite a bit of training at the grassroots level lately!" Old Master Lin said with feeling.
"Yes, Grandpa."
Lin Chenran nodded with a smile. His grassroots experience had benefited him immensely.
Old Master Lin nodded approvingly, his face filled with a satisfied smile.
Seeing his grandson's growth and progress, he felt incomparably proud.
Old Master Lin did not say much more, merely telling Lin Chenran to be careful.
Lin Chenran responded with a smile, saying that he would pay attention to his safety and thanking his grandfather for his concern. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll be careful."
"Tell me about your upcoming trip to the Bear!"
Old Master Lin looked at Lin Chenran with bright, piercing eyes, awaiting his report.
Seeing this, Old Master Lin no longer asked about the 077 Machinery Military Factory acting as an intermediary for the many domestic Third-tier Military Factories, and instead asked about Lin Chenran's trip to the Bear.
Lin Chenran took a deep breath and began introducing his plans and arrangements for the trip to his grandfather in detail.
"You're going to Vladivostok?"
Vladivostok was the largest port city on the Bear's Pacific coast, the base of its Pacific Fleet, as well as the largest city and economic center in its eastern region.
Old Master Lin had not expected Lin Chenran's first stop in the Bear to be Vladivostok.
This surprised him greatly. Vladivostok was where the Bear's Far East Fleet was stationed. What exactly was Lin Chenran planning to do there?
Shouldn't he have chosen some important heavy industrial cities, such as Kharkiv, or perhaps Moscow, the Bear's capital?
Yet when Lin Chenran explained his thoughts, Old Master Lin fell into deep thought.
"Why Vladivostok instead of Kharkiv, the Bear's heavy industrial city, or Moscow, its capital?"
"The reason is simple: because it's far away!!!"
Lin Chenran's answer left Old Master Lin puzzled.
"Far?" Old Master Lin frowned, seemingly unable to understand.
At that moment, Lin Chenran continued, "Vladivostok is located in the Bear's Far East, very far from Moscow, the Bear's capital."
"That makes it less likely to attract the attention of the KGB, the Bear's elite intelligence agency."
"At present, most elite KGB agents have already been sent to the European continent on assignments. There are relatively few KGB agents remaining near Vladivostok."
"That's why I chose Vladivostok. It can reduce the risk of being discovered and monitored."
Old Master Lin came to a sudden realization, and an approving smile appeared on his face.
He said emotionally, "Little Lin, you've really grown up. You've changed so much I can barely recognize you."
Lin Chenran's maturity and quick wits filled Old Master Lin with pride.
Hearing this, Old Master Lin immediately felt that Vladivostok was indeed a good choice.
It would avoid the KGB's eyes and make things easier for Lin Chenran!
"Grandpa, the Bear places enormous importance on heavy industry, and its heavy industrial capabilities are extremely advanced. In certain fields, even Eagle Country cannot compare."
Lin Chenran calmly explained, "But because it places too much emphasis on heavy industry while neglecting light industry, its light industrial capabilities are extremely underdeveloped."
Old Master Lin frowned and asked, "And then?"
Lin Chenran continued, "Many light industrial products have to be imported. Now, its economic growth has slowed, prices are soaring, and some degree of chaos has emerged."
Old Master Lin nodded. That was indeed true.
Lin Chenran continued, "Grandpa, I also know that disorder has already appeared within the Bear."
After a moment of silence, Old Master Lin said, "Mm, I've heard such reports as well."
As a senior figure in Flame Nation's military, Old Master Lin naturally had his own intelligence sources.
He had also learned of some of the Bear's internal situation through other channels.
Slowing economic growth, rising domestic consumption, soaring prices, constant activity by foreign forces, and so on—these factors had all exerted a tremendous impact on the Bear.
After thinking for a moment, Old Master Lin asked, "Chenran, how long do you think the turmoil inside the Bear will last?"
Lin Chenran shook his head and replied, "I don't know. It may last for a long time, and there's even a risk that it will fall. After all, their national leader now isn't the powerful figure from the days when the sun shone brightest."
But Old Master Lin had a somewhat different view. Or rather, everyone in this era believed that the Bear's leadership possessed enough wisdom and capability to handle this crisis.
"No way, the Bear will fall?"
Old Master Lin was utterly astonished upon hearing this.
He did not believe that such a powerful Bear could collapse overnight.
It was not just him. No one in this era would believe it!
Perhaps apart from Lin Chenran, this was the consensus of everyone else. Who would have thought that the powerful Bear could collapse overnight?
A nation capable of wrestling with Eagle Country.
Could the mighty Bear, which made all the nations of the European continent tremble at the mere mention of its name, really collapse overnight?
Today wasn't April Fools' Day, was it?
Lin Chenran said with a solemn expression, "My guess is almost certainly correct."
"Although the Bear is very powerful, it lacks a strong leader and faces encirclement and containment by other countries. Most importantly, corruption within its upper ranks is also severe, and state-owned assets are being lost at an alarming rate."
"With all these problems combined, even a Bear as powerful as this won't be able to withstand them!"
In any case, Lin Chenran voiced his thoughts.
"Will the Bear really fall?"
Old Master Lin asked again in a doubtful tone.
"Almost certainly. Even if the Bear does not fall, this wave will weaken it considerably."
"We can make plans to fish in troubled waters while it is in chaos."
"We can prepare in advance. Even if it does not happen later, we'll merely have done some preparatory work and lost nothing."
Lin Chenran spoke calmly.
Being prepared for danger was useful under any circumstances.
Before you continue