He'd heard everything just now. The young woman's Russian was superb, just as fast as the rapid-fire speech of those Russians!
He had to get on the good side of such a capable young woman!
'You never know when a connection like that might come in handy.'
Having witnessed Xie Changning's command of Russian, the man from the Northeast struck up a conversation with her that lasted for the rest of the journey.
As Xie Changning chatted with the man from the Northeast, she kept an ear out for any activity in the adjacent car.
'Logically speaking,' she thought, 'given their status as a Russian procurement delegation heading to Chuncheng for negotiations, they should be in a sleeper car. So why are they in a hard-seat car?'
'Or is it that their 'procurement' role is just a cover, and their true identities are not what they claim?'
"Sir," Xie Changning began, sensing something was off, "do you know if any factories in Chuncheng are planning to cooperate with a Russian company?" She asked the man from the Northeast about the recent activities of the city's factories.
The man from the Northeast frowned.
"We were all just at the Spring Trade Fair, and I didn't hear anyone say they were going to cooperate with a Russian company."
'Our contracts were all signed at the trade fair. There's no reason to go back to Chuncheng for further talks.'
"The people in the next car said they're coming to Chuncheng to purchase machinery." Xie Changning's brow furrowed. It seemed they weren't a company looking for a legitimate partnership, but were more likely bottom-feeders looking for a steal.
Not every factory at the Spring Trade Fair manages to land a deal that involves foreign currency, and those who didn't would be feeling disappointed right now.
Now, with a Russian company suddenly showing up wanting to buy machinery, they would be pumped up like they'd been shot with adrenaline, desperate to seize the opportunity and increase their foreign currency quota.
Moreover, using the prices from other companies as leverage, they could drive the price down even further. Then they could just turn around and resell the machinery to other countries for an obscene profit!
'What a brilliant scheme!'
From what Xie Changning said, the man from the Northeast also understood: those Russians were here to take advantage of them!
"If it weren't for..." The man from the Northeast was so angry he almost blurted out something rash.
'I know what he means,' Xie Changning thought. 'If our country weren't so far behind right now, he'd want to march right over there, grab those guys by the collar, and beat the hell out of them!'
'Such bullies!'
Xie Changning's lips curled. "Let them go. We can certainly make a profit from this."
'As for how to make that money,' she mused, 'that will depend on how things unfold.'
'People who are used to being fawned over won't be able to stomach being slighted by Chinese people they look down upon. They'll definitely look for a way to get even.'
'Of course, they're afraid I'm some kind of monster, so they won't dare come after me. But they might not be so hesitant with others...'
Things happened just as Xie Changning had predicted.
That night on the train, she heard it: from the vestibule connecting the cars came the familiar sound of low, threatening Russian, accompanied by the pained cries of a man being beaten.
She opened her eyes and sat up.
Most people were asleep. When Xie Changning stood up, no one else noticed.
She walked to the vestibule, and the man's whimpers and the sounds of punches and kicks grew clearer.
'Judging by the sound, his mouth is covered. There are several of them. Ganging up on one person like this is pathetically easy.'
Xie Changning frowned and pushed the door, but it didn't budge.
Without a second thought, she kicked the door. Her strength was immense, and it flew open with a loud BANG, startling everyone in the car awake.
The vestibule door was kicked open.
Xie Changning saw the man whose foot had been stepped on at noon lying on the floor, his mouth stuffed with someone's stinking sock. He was beaten black and blue.
They had gotten their revenge.
Her eyes darkened. She grabbed a mop that was leaning near the toilet and swung it at them.
Xie Changning showed no mercy this time. As she struck them, she also pulled a hammer and an axe out of her space.
The Russians watched in terror as the objects in her hands kept changing. They all scrambled back, not daring to confront Xie Changning head-on.
"I'll take your lives!" she roared. 'Who gave them the nerve to bully a Chinese person on Chinese soil!?'
Xie Changning's sheer presence completely intimidated the Russians.
Especially since she had already beaten them black and blue and broken their legs. They were in no condition to fight back; all they could do was wait for the train security to arrive.
Xie Changning walked over to the man, untied him, and pulled the sock from his mouth.
"What are you going to do?" She could save him, but she had no intention of handling everything for him.
'What he does next is up to him.'
'If he thinks he can stomach this, then he can let it go. But if he wants to see this through to the end, I can act as an eyewitness and get these bastards sent to the police.'
The man looked at Xie Changning and wiped his face in anguish. 'Our country is too lenient with foreigners,' he thought. 'I—'
"I... I don't know."
"Go get the train security."
Since the man didn't know what to do, Xie Changning didn't press him further and just sent him away.
The man nodded and hurried off in the direction of the train security, leaving Xie Changning alone with the Russians.
Xie Changning leaned against the doorframe, eyeing them coldly.
Her stare made their skin crawl. They huddled together nervously. "You can't lay a hand on us! We're guests in your China! He was the one who provoked us at noon. We were just joking around with him, we really haven't done anything yet..."
"Y-You know what we're here for. You'd better think this through..."
The Russian woman tried to use her status as a Russian to threaten Xie Changning.
But her tone held no threat at all; it was more like she was trying to curry favor. She still remembered what Xie Changning had done at noon.
'She'll eat me! Chinese ghouls are way more powerful than werewolves and vampires!'
Xie Changning lowered her gaze, a little tempted.
'Foreign currency is crucial for the factories right now,' she considered. 'It could even save several of them!'
"Is that so? Well... why don't we go to the conductor's office and have a chat about the machinery you're here to buy?" Xie Changning smiled faintly. As the man returned with the train security, she offered him a kind smile.
"Of course, you can also choose not to go."
Xie Changning flexed her hands, and the mop handle she was holding snapped in two. Then she stepped back to the doorway and tossed the broken mop into her space.
The Russians shuddered in fear and nodded in unison. "We'll go, we'll go! We'll go with you right now!"
When the train security officer arrived, she heard them saying they were going to the conductor's office with Xie Changning.
"Hello, Comrade. Could you please make an announcement for all the directors from machinery plants on this train to gather in the car near the main conductor's office? These distinguished guests would like to discuss purchasing some machinery."
Xie Changning said to the security officer.
"Of course! I'll go right now!" the security officer exclaimed. 'This is great news! I can't hold this up!'
And so, having just rushed over, she rushed off again.
"Hey, little sis, need a hand?" Just as Xie Changning was wondering how to herd these people to the conductor's office, the man from the Northeast, who had been sound asleep, suddenly appeared.
Xie Changning nodded.
"Could I trouble you gentlemen to help me take them to the main conductor's office? And while you're at it, could you ask if there are any other factory directors from machinery plants in the car? These people are here to purchase machinery."
"You bet!" The man from the Northeast nodded eagerly. "Hey, all you factory director brothers! These Russians want to buy machinery! Anyone selling, come on over!"
The man had a booming voice. The moment he spoke, people in the two adjacent cars heard him loud and clear.
Before long, more than twenty excited factory directors had gathered around Xie Changning.
"Where are the people from... Russia?"
"It couldn't be these guys, could it?"
In truth, the factory directors had all been infuriated by the lowball offers at the Spring Trade Fair, but for the sake of their factories, they had no choice but to swallow their pride and plead with potential buyers.
Now, seeing these bruised and battered Russians, they were momentarily unable to process the situation.
Xie Changning cleared her throat lightly. The Russians immediately scrambled to their feet and started jabbering.
"They said they want to meet in the main conductor's office, so let's not block the way here. We're all going to the main conductor's office." Xie Changning ignored their gibberish pleas for help and deliberately mistranslated their words.