382: Chapter 380 Grand Ivan 382: Chapter 380 Grand Ivan Having left Catherine’s hospital room and reunited with Yelena, neither asked any questions nor did Gao Yang say anything.
Regarding matters of affection, both Gao Yang and Yelena had strong confidence in each other, and indeed, there was simply nothing to say.
Thus, all was glossed over in a vague confusion.
After spending a night in Punta Arenas, Gao Yang and Glolov departed.
They could not wait until Catherine returned to the US before leaving, as Gao Yang still needed to go to South Africa to pay the remaining ten million US Dollars to Grand Ivan.
Of course, the main reason was that Gao Yang truly dared not et Catherine and Adele again.
As before, they first traveled to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and then caught a connecting flight to Cape Town in South Africa.
Once there, Glolov made his own way to Djibouti to return to the mothership, since Grand Ivan had not indicated he would et anyone other than Gao Yang, so Gao Yang had to et Grand Ivan alone.
While still in the Southern Ocean, Gao Yang had planned to transfer the money to Grand Ivan, but Uriyangko had stopped him, suggesting it was better to deliver the final paynt in person upon eting Grand Ivan.
When Gao Yang landed in Cape Town, Uriyangko, who had arrived just a short while before him, picked him up at the airport.
Then Gao Yang and Uriyangko returned to Grand Ivan’s estate in the outskirts of Cape Town.
In the sa living room as before, Gao Yang saw Grand Ivan again.
When Grand Ivan noticed Gao Yang, he stood up from the sofa with a smile and stretched out his hand, saying, “I’m very happy to see you again, my friend.”
Gao Yang shook Grand Ivan’s hand, sincerely saying, “I’m also very pleased to see you again, Mr.
Grand Ivan.
I cannot thank you enough for the help you’ve provided.”
Grand Ivan waved his hand and, after sitting down again, said with a chuckle, “I suppose you are satisfied with the service I’ve provided?”
Gao Yang nodded repeatedly, saying, “Satisfied, so completely satisfied that I couldn’t ask for more, everything was impeccable.
You organized a perfect operation.
Frankly, I still can’t imagine how you managed to arrange all this in just five days—the Eastern European crew, the South Arican ship, torpedoes from who knows where.
I really can’t fathom how you did it.”
Grand Ivan laughed heartily, then said with a smug expression, “I don’t an to brag, but in this world, apart from , no one else can achieve all this in five days.
However, to get it done within five days cost more.
Normally, a deal that would cost ten million needed more money due to the rush.
You know, when you are racing against ti, you just have to accept the other party’s price.
I hope you’ve brought the final paynt today; rember, I’m still fronting five million dollars, ha ha.”
Gao Yang imdiately said, “Of course, I’ve brought the remaining ten million.
It’s just that, I’m sorry, I only have ten million dollars with ; I can’t make up for the loss in your profit.”
Grand Ivan waved his hand and stated, “A deal is a deal for how much money and how long.
Arms dealers are the most trustworthy people.
So give another ten million dollars, and our business can be considered concluded.”
Gao Yang smiled and said, “Please give a phone, I didn’t bring mine inside.
I will transfer the money to your account right now.
Also, Mr.
Grand Ivan, I know you gave very favorable terms in this deal, and I owe you one.”
Grand Ivan sighed and said, “To be honest, if it were anybody else, this deal would have been impossible.
But because of Uriyangko, we were able to make this deal.
However, if it weren’t for the fact that you were doing this rely to give your girlfriend so satisfaction, I would never have pushed the preparations down to five days.
You must understand that if I had ten days to prepare, I would have saved a lot of money.
No, even if I had just seven days, I could have saved a significant amount.
Just two days short, and I lost at least five million in profit.”
Uriyangko chid in, “Ram, as I told you, we had so issues with our own torpedoes, and torpedoes aren’t exactly hot commodities, so we weren’t prepared with many.
To save ti, Grand Ivan dismantled six torpedoes from active military ships of three different countries.
Doing so ant the torpedoes cost many tis more than Grand Ivan anticipated because, after all, without a hefty price to convince the decision-makers, no one would be willing to take the risk of selling us the torpedoes.”
Gao Yang understood Grand Ivan and Uriyangko’s explanation quite easily, as it was like needing sothing that if you’re not in a hurry, you could just fix up what you have or calmly compare prices among several sellers.
But when you urgently need sothing that isn’t easily purchasable, especially with ti constraints, then price becos less of a factor, and it’s all about getting it quickly.
Gao Yang said earnestly, “I’m very grateful for this, Mr.
Grand Ivan.
But I’m curious, why did you make such a great sacrifice when you found out I was doing this just to let off steam for my girlfriend?”
Grand Ivan pointed his finger at Gao Yang and said in a deep voice, “I admire you, I really do.
We’re cut from the sa cloth.
If it were anyone else, I would never accept a deal with less than three hundred percent profit.
Because of Uriyangko, I can accept a hundred percent profit margin, but because I admire you, even if I don’t make money out of this deal, I’d still do it.”
After he finished speaking, an agitated Grand Ivan stood up, his face grave as he said, “In this world, most people vocally place familial love first, place friendship first, but when family conflicts with self-interest, how many do you think would still put family first?
Not many, believe , not many.
Family must make way for money, let alone friendship!”
As he paced, Grand Ivan slowly continued, then abruptly turned to face Gao Yang, his face full of fervor as he said, “Uriyangko said that you are a true friend, and moreover, you are willing to risk your entire fortune just to give your girlfriend a taste of revenge.
That convinced of Uriyangko’s words, so I believe that you and I are of the sa breed.
Why do I say we are of the sa breed?
Because when I first entered the arms dealing circle, I was just a greenhorn who didn’t know anything.
I wanted to beco wealthy, I wanted my wife and children to live the life of the privileged, and for that, I was willing to do anything, I dared to do anything.
The Soviet Union had just collapsed, and there was gold everywhere.
I seized the market with low-priced weapons, used the money I earned to buy more weapons, sold them at even lower prices, used the money I gained to bribe more people, and then acquired even more low-priced weapons.
However, my thods hurt a lot of arms dealers’ interests.
They wanted to remain in the era of high profits, while I wanted to open markets through low prices.
When I started to make a na for myself in this field, I also made many enemies.
One of my enemies launched an attack on ; he targeted my car, but I wasn’t in the car.
My wife and son were in that car.”
A sorrowful Grand Ivan let out a sigh and said, “You can guess the outco.
My wife and son both died, they were killed by stray bullets.
I never let my wife and son ride in my car, but that ti, I was out of my senses.
You should understand how I felt, I completely lost my mind then.
After that, I began seeking revenge.
Because of low profits and my desire for a larger market, I didn’t have much money.
I spent all my money on revenge.
I was willing to risk everything.
I didn’t want to be an arms dealer anymore; I only wanted my enemies dead.
To be honest, I did not know who my enemies were, for I had too many.
But no matter, as I strove to identify the killer, I retaliated against those who might have been responsible.
They killed my wife and children, so I slaughtered their entire families.
No one could stop , and I unleashed a storm of blood and violence.”
With a fierce expression, Grand Ivan abruptly stopped and asked Gao Yang, “Have you watched the movie ‘Lord of War’?”
Gao Yang was taken aback, then said, “I have.”
Grand Ivan gave a cold smile and said, “The movie portrays arms dealers too good-naturedly, too kindly.
However, one line from the film is very well said: war between arms dealers is a ssy business, because we all have endless ammunition, and not one of us is a fool.
My revenge wasn’t progressing smoothly, but when a person directs all his energy towards revenge, he can unleash boundless potential.
My revenge went on for four years; I conducted business while seeking vengeance.
Every penny I earned went to waging war against my enemies.
I killed three very famous arms dealers—the adults, the children, the relatives, the close friends.
When a family is completely exterminated, only then are they removed from my list of revenge.
They grew afraid, they conceded, they submitted.
They told who had planned and carried out the killing of my wife and children.”
At this point, Grand Ivan spoke with emotion, “You have to understand, one’s status isn’t handed to them for nothing.
Back then, I was just a small arms dealer playing outside the rules; I didn’t have sufficient intelligence channels to figure out who my enemy was.
But after confirming who my enemy was, it took two years, and I finally completed my revenge.”
Gao Yang also let out a long sigh of relief, then said, “Congratulations.”
After a faint smile, Grand Ivan solemnly said, “Do you know why my nickna is ‘Grand Ivan’?
Because back then, I went to war with nine arms dealers at the sa ti.
I was like the Tsar Bomba manufactured in the Soviet era, the largest nuclear bomb, powerful and disregarding all rules.
I detonated over their heads like the Tsar Bomba, hence, they called Grand Ivan!”
Gao Yang sincerely said, “Nicknas given by enemies are often the most fitting.
I originally thought your na was Ivan; I didn’t expect your nickna to be that of the largest nuclear bomb ever detonated by humanity.”
Grand Ivan shrugged and said, “I don’t have many friends, but I feel like we are friends now.
And I always invite friends to see my enemy when I tell them my sad past.
So, are you interested in seeing my enemy now?” (To be continued.
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