Liu Shanmin knew Li Long needed this equipment, so he paid the Kazakh man a hundred and fifty thousand US dollars for it. That very night, he found the factory's former technicians to dismantle it and load it onto trucks in batches.
Those technicians did not even want money. They only asked Liu Shanmin to provide some bread, dried meat, and canned food, plus two kilograms of white sugar each. To them, money that kept losing value to inflation was not as tangible as these supplies.
Liu Shanmin had hired them mainly because he feared ordinary workers might lose or mix up parts while dismantling the equipment. To be safe, he also brought along the complete manuals.
The equipment was very new and well maintained. It had never been used, and the protective grease inside was still intact.
Once the trucks were loaded, Liu Shanmin drove off with his bodyguards toward the border crossing, intending to clear customs and transport it out.
When they were almost at Panfilov, another group arrived at the factory. Faced with the now-empty equipment room, they flew into a rage, but there was nothing they could do.
Administration on this side was already rather chaotic. Five or six departments might be involved in a single matter, and when something happened, all of them wanted a cut. Of course, some people in those departments might also be hauled in for questioning over it.
Liu Gaolou was a little surprised to see his second uncle at the border crossing. It had taken only two days to get the job done.
"Tell Li Long I've brought him the equipment. I paid real money for it. On this trip, apart from the money for the white sugar you're bringing back, have him give you the rest in US dollars,