Chapter 56: Our Hearts Are Connected, Are You Trying to Outsmart Us?

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In the room, Wang De paced back and forth.

Today, Qian Wenbing’s call came at a suspicious moment, forcing him to overthink.

Previously, Xu Dongguo had unilaterally obstructed the progress of the second purchase of the 956E, while Qian Wenbing had shown concern. Wang De took this as a sign that the two leaders held conflicting opinions.

Each had their own reservations, which was normal.

The navy’s predicament was known throughout the nation, so Wang De very much hoped to negotiate two 956E ships at a lower price.

But now, even Qian Wenbing’s attitude had shifted, making him suspect something had happened.

“Could it be that something happened in the navy that I don’t know about?”

“Or is the procurement plan simply too costly, and they really can’t afford it?”

“But that doesn’t seem right. From the tone in Qian’s call, there was no heaviness.”

Wang De racked his brain but couldn’t figure out what exactly was going on.

Just as he was pondering how to face Turgenev and the others, suddenly, the landline on his desk rang again.

He picked up, and his expression immediately turned solemn.

“Yes, sir, understood.”

After hanging up, Wang De’s confusion deepened.

This time, even Xiao Chongjun had called, explicitly stating that the second purchase of the 956E was off.

“The three leaders have reached a unanimous decision on this matter again!”

The last time this happened was when they decided to buy the 956E.

“The navy must have something going on!”

Now, this thought was even more firmly rooted in his mind.

Thud, thud, thud!

Heavy footsteps echoed in the room.

After a moment, he stopped and sighed deeply.

“Sigh, what on earth is happening in the navy?”

He could never have dreamed that the core technology of the 956E, which the navy and countless military enthusiasts had cherished, had long been cracked, even the Russians’ contingency measures embedded in the 956E had been solved.

Given time, the navy could even build the 956E themselves!

“Forget it, no more thinking. When the time is right, everything will become clear.”

Putting aside distractions, Wang De’s thoughts turned once again to how to handle Turgenev and the others.

‘Failed negotiations’ and ‘we don’t buy’ were two different matters.

Turgenev and his team had been in China for nearly three months; this matter couldn’t be brushed off simply by saying we don’t intend to buy.

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If mishandled, it could cause unnecessary trouble.

If the navy truly had secrets, this would only increase the risk of exposure.

As a negotiation representative, Wang De was by no means inexperienced; many scenarios flashed through his mind.

Whether his suspicions were true or false, he needed to prepare in advance.

Meanwhile, at the guesthouse in the capital, Kovsky paced back and forth with a grim expression.

The other Russian representatives displayed a variety of uneasy looks.

Turgenev said, “Kovsky, stop pacing. You’re making me anxious.”

“It’s been 21 days! We’ve waited 21 days already! Wang De still hasn’t sent anyone to contact us! What are they up to?”

Kovsky was slightly exasperated.

Last time, following Turgenev’s advice, they deliberately ignored Wang De for over two weeks, hoping to make him panic.

But the seventh round of negotiations ended in outright failure.

This time, headquarters had finally relented and offered a two hundred million dollar discount, yet Wang De still didn’t seem eager to reach out.

“We’ve been here almost three months with nothing to show for it! If it drags on, the Chinese will celebrate their New Year, and so will we?”

Kovsky urged anxiously.

“Headquarters is still waiting for our update!”

Someone suddenly suggested, “Why don’t we stop waiting and just contact Wang De directly?”

“No, that’s not wise,” Turgenev shook his head. “It would put us completely on the defensive. After all, they want to buy our warships—it’s us who hold the upper hand!”

“Well, they’ve already discounted two hundred million. Being on the defensive isn’t so bad; the sooner we finish, the sooner we can report back.”

“I agree!”

“Me too!”

Seeing the consensus, Turgenev could only nod reluctantly.

They then contacted Wang De and arranged a time and place.

Three days later in the morning, Turgenev and the others appeared full of confidence.

This was the final negotiation; they were determined to secure the order. If it dragged on any longer, they’d really be celebrating New Year in China.

“Secretary Wang, regarding the second batch of 956E procurement…”

Before Kovsky could finish, Wang De interjected.

“Mr. Kovsky, have you been enjoying your time in Beijing?”

“Very much! About the price…”

“As long as you’re enjoying yourselves. If there’s any kind of gift you want to take back, just say the word. We’ll try our best to accommodate.”

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“About gifts, I think… no, I didn’t come here to discuss this…”

“I know, I know. Mr. Kovsky understands that our navy is strapped for cash and doesn’t want gifts. But no matter what, we still want to show our hospitality.”

No matter how Kovsky tried to steer the conversation back to the 956E, Wang De skillfully diverted it.

After more than half an hour, Kovsky felt numb. He realized he was no match for Wang De in verbal exchanges.

Kovsky glanced for help at Turgenev, who caught on immediately and said,

“Mr. Wang, let’s not beat around the bush. We’re willing to cut another two hundred million from the original price. That’s our sincerity!”

Wang De, once smiling, now looked utterly helpless and sighed heavily.

“Gentlemen, our navy truly has no money. Not to mention a two hundred million discount, even halving the price, we couldn’t afford it.”

“To be honest…”

Another half hour passed, and Wang De looked utterly defeated, as if he had been deeply wronged.

Meanwhile, Kovsky and the others sat on pins and needles, restless and uneasy.

“Mr. Wang, please don’t say any more. This agreement clearly isn’t suitable. We didn’t think it through properly.”

“That won’t do. How will you report back? I’ll try to find another way.”

“No worries, we’ve got ways.”

“Gentlemen, I’ve taken note of your kindness. Next time you come to China, let me know in advance—I’ll make sure to treat you well. I’ll go prepare gifts for you now…”

Wang De rose solemnly, shook hands with them, and then left.

“Mr. Wang is truly a good man,” Kovsky and the others remarked appreciatively.

The final negotiation failed, but after Wang De’s heartfelt words, Kovsky suddenly felt, “Why are we selling so expensively? We’re really the villains here!”

Only Turgenev, who had dealt with the Chinese a few times, looked puzzled. He felt something was off somewhere but couldn’t pinpoint the problem.

As soon as they returned to their lodgings and were contemplating how to report this to headquarters, Turgenev suddenly slapped his thigh.

“Damn! Wang De played us!”

Kovsky sighed, “Turgenev, don’t overthink it. Wang De’s had a tough time. The Chinese navy is struggling. They live so frugally, yet we still sell the 956E to them at such a high price. That’s our fault. I’ll tell headquarters that this deal…”

“Kovsky, you’re missing the point!” Turgenev, now fully alert, said, “Think about it. What was Wang De’s reaction in the previous rounds? He already offered 1.3 billion dollars. Now suddenly he can’t even come up with 900 million, and how much time has passed? This is clearly suspicious!”

“Ah?”

After Turgenev’s explanation, the others snapped out of their daze.

“You mean we were played by Wang De?”

“That damn Wang De! We thought we were on the same page, but he was playing chess with us!”