Reborn in Russia as a Big Shot

22. Gusinski, one of the "Seven Oligarchs"

Only Li Xiang and Galina were in the study.

Bigfoot stood guard outside the door, while Galina's entourage remained in the living room on the first floor.

"How big of a deal are you planning to discuss that requires a private meeting?"

Li Xiang poured Galina a glass of water.

Galina took the water glass but didn't drink it. She casually placed it on the table. "My business is huge. Pavel told me what you do, and now I'll tell you what I do."

Galina walked up to Li Xiang and said in a low voice, "You've come to St. Petersburg to do business, the Tambov Gang must have heard about you, right? No matter how much goods you have, we can help you distribute them."

Li Xiang frowned. "The goods you're talking about don't seem to be clothing."

"You know perfectly well what I'm asking." Galina reached out and touched Li Xiang's chest, muttering with a hint of doubt, "You're so skinny, but you're quite muscular."

Li Xiang: "I really don't understand."

Galina leaned forward and whispered in Li Xiang's ear, threateningly, "I don't care who you're working with. You've put your foot in Petersburg, so I get a share of your business. You'd better think carefully whether you want to be friends or enemies."

Li Xiang stepped back, looking at Galina with a serious expression. "I'll reiterate, I'm a legitimate person. Threatening me won't work. I don't have what you want."

"You've offended the Tambov gang, you won't be able to move an inch in St. Petersburg." Galina's harsh words were cut short when her phone suddenly rang. She moved to a corner of the study to answer the call.

Li Xiang opened the [Scan] function, wanting to try and eavesdrop on Galina's phone call.

They were too far away to hear anything.

She could only vaguely hear a man on the other end, speaking in a harsh tone, scolding her. Given the vast difference in their social standing, Galina's face paled from the scolding, and she didn't dare retaliate.

"Mr. Li, I'm sorry, I won't bother you again."

After being scolded, Galina came over to apologize to Li Xiang.

Before the call ended, Galina, holding her phone, said, "I already said I was sorry."

"Has she forgiven you?"

This time, Li Xiang heard it clearly: it was a middle-aged man.

"Please forgive me." Galina held the phone microphone to Li Xiang's lips.

"I forgive her."

Li Xiang thought he could chat with the person on the other end of the phone for a few more minutes, but the other person hung up immediately.

Galina put her phone away, pouted, and said, "I was misled by Sasha, thinking we could cooperate. I was really being presumptuous this time."

"You really have to forgive me, or I'm dead."

After a few seconds of silence, Li Xiang said, "You were involved in Pavel's smuggling of jerseys to Germany, right? How exactly did he die? If it's inconvenient to say, just pretend I didn't ask."

Galina took a deep breath and replied, "I don't know the specifics either. My people went to Latvia to do the deal with him. Sasha was the one who made the contact with us."

Li Xiang pressed further, "Could you tell me where the transaction will take place?"

"Port Roya." Galina looked at Li Xiang with curiosity. "You still want to collect Pavel's body? Do you even think you can find it? It's probably already been fed to the fish."

"Just asking for a friend," Li Xiang said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Who called you?"

"Kumalin." Galina did not reveal her relationship with the Kumarin family to Li Xiang.

-

Vladimir Kumarin was the leader of the Tambov gang and was known as the "Night Mayor" of St. Petersburg.

In this household, the only one capable of taming this hungry wolf is Aunt Dalia.

Today is the World Cup semi-final, Germany vs. Italy, and Dalia is watching the game in the living room on the third floor.

Li Xiang brought up the fried chicken and fries.

"Are those plague gods gone?" Dalia glanced at Li Xiang.

"Hmm." Li Xiang sat down next to Darya with a grin and asked, "Are you and Kumarin close?"

"The leader of the Tambov gang? Never seen him before."

"So how did you manage to persuade him?"

Dalia took a piece of fried chicken and said, "My husband did some things for Gusinsky. I felt that the people Tambov was helping didn't have good intentions, so I called him and asked him to help mediate."

Li Xiang exclaimed, "Your social circle is impressive!"

Dalia has a very clear understanding of herself.

"What social circle? In their eyes, we who do dirty work are just rats in a stinking ditch. They'd better die early and never show their faces again."

Gusinsky was also a core member of the "Seven Oligarchies" and a well-known Russian media mogul.

Because he openly opposed the Great Emperor's campaign by using media opinion, Gusinski was arrested for "embezzling state assets" just one month after taking office.

Gusinski sold his media assets while in prison to obtain the opportunity to leave the country, and subsequently went into exile.

First Spain, then Israel.

After arriving in Israel, Gusinsky did not become despondent. He acquired the famous Israeli newspaper, The Marif, and founded the television station RTVi.

RTVi is now the world's largest Russian-language overseas television station.

Both Gusinsky and Khodorkovsky were purged of the seven oligarchs, but their fates were completely different.

Although Gusinsky was in exile abroad and unable to return home, his film and television production company continued to produce content for major Russian television channels.

Moreover, his clients are mainly state-owned television stations.

Without the Kremlin's tacit approval, which state-run television station would dare to cooperate with him?

This is a deliberate attempt to send him money so that he will keep his mouth shut while he is overseas.

Gusinsky's influence in Russia is certainly not what it used to be, but even a weakened camel is bigger than a horse. He could easily mobilize some resources behind the scenes to crush Kumarin, the "night mayor" of St. Petersburg who only deserves to live in the shadows.

-

Moonlight spilled across the sea, rippling with the waves.

Sasha was forced into the sea at gunpoint.

"Don't waste my time, or I'll shoot."

Galina didn't care about losing face, but being scolded by her brother and called a "good-for-nothing" and a "disgrace to the family" was something she couldn't swallow.

They need to vent.

"At least let me die knowing why. I meant well." Sasha stood in the sea, the water already above her knees.

Continuing forward means drowning, not moving means being shot; either way, it's death.

"Li Xiang's boss is Gusinski, one of the Seven Giants. You pointed at a dead body and got out of here, now I'm giving you one back."

"Keep moving forward!"

Galina fired, but deliberately missed.

Being shot is murder, drowning is an accident.

"How could that be? Even if Gusinski were to get involved in drugs, he wouldn't hire a Chinese person to represent him."

"Are you questioning my sources?" Galina fired three shots in quick succession.

Sasha was so frightened that he bent over and covered his head. Just then, a huge wave came and almost swept him away.

"It's my fault for not investigating Li Xiang's background properly. It's all my fault." Sasha, still shaken and choking on seawater, coughed and shouted, "I'll give you money. Can't I just buy my own life? You have no reason to turn down money."

Galina's anger had subsided considerably, and then she thought about it again. Li Xiang had just asked Pavel about the cause of his death, and then Sasha's body was found floating in the sea, which seemed somewhat like a cover-up.

It wasn't originally her business, but now it's become unclear.

One million US dollars.

"I gave you a 30% discount on those 300,000 jerseys, and I also took on Pavel's debts. Where am I supposed to get a million dollars for you?"

"Do you have one?" Galina fired another shot in a threat.

"Yes!" Sasha slumped in the sea, shouting at the top of her lungs.

Galina put away her gun and waved to her subordinate, "Get him out of there, don't let him drown."