Great Power Industry: You're a private company building an aircraft carrier?

A gentle night breeze blew as Antonina and Li Jianshe followed Qin Chuan into Alexei's car. Najesta stayed behind to continue drinking with the other guests. When the banquet ended, she would give each person a small gift, the kind that looked quite valuable.

Antonina glanced at Qin Chuan several times, hesitant to speak, until they entered the port of Sevastopol and Alexei went to his men to arrange the operation, at which point she finally found an opportunity.

"Qin, wasn't it a bit inappropriate to say those things in front of so many people?"

Doing something like this requires secrecy; the fewer people who know, the better. It would be unwise to say such things at a banquet.

"Privately speaking, I also need to have the opportunity!"

Qin Chuan said, "Everyone was a bit tipsy just now. If they were encouraged by a few words, they might get carried away and dare to fight a polar bear! If we wait until tomorrow and go to Alexei's office, do you think he'll back down like a coward?"

Antonina suddenly realized.

Russians like to drink; after a few drinks, they get carried away and dare to do anything! But when they're sober, they might not be so reckless.

Moreover, by stating the price in front of so many people, they know that the money will go into the national treasury and increase the country's revenue. Even if the authorities investigate, they can still justify their actions!

As for the profit, the $1.5 million worth of goods delivered could be resold for $3 million, and the difference would be Alexei's and his team's.

Alexei returned quickly: "Come on, follow me to the dock!"

"Alexei, you're really something. With all the streetlights out and it pitch black, even if we sail the warship away, Russia won't know."

Alexei shook his head: "That's not how it works. The streetlights are off because the base has been in arrears with its electricity bills. The power company cut off the power to us a few months ago. If we need electricity, we generate our own. If we don't need it, it's just been dark."

Sevastopol, the best ice-free port during the Red Empire era, a major port that once docked more than 800 warships, is now experiencing a power outage because people can't pay their electricity bills!

The situation here is no better than that of the Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok, after all, this place is jointly managed by both sides.

The so-called "everyone managing together" actually means that nobody is in charge!

The base requires a lot of expenses to operate. Who will pay for it?

People need to eat, so everyone should take care of their own needs. As for electricity and such, we should save as much as possible.

"What about the sailors' wages?"

“We’re just waiting for the money from selling the St. Petersburg,” Alexei said. “We’ll talk about it once we’re on the warship.”

The car continued driving through the port, and under the cover of night, the shadows of the warships looked incredibly lonely.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, most of the warships have never sailed out of the port, and have met their final resting place amidst the sun and wind, covered in rust.

The same goes for the St. Petersburg.

As the second ship of the Type 1123 fleet, it was officially commissioned into the Navy in 1968. During its more than 20 years at sea, it cleared mines in the Suez Canal, conducted joint exercises in Cuba, and participated in the famous Western 81 military exercise.

All of that is in the past. Since 90, it has been lying idle in the port, its whole body covered in rust, as if it would rot away at any moment.

On top of its bridge, half of the huge, back-to-back, orange-segment-shaped long-range search radar antenna had fallen off, and the remaining half was also teetering on the verge of collapse.

On the stern deck, there were traces of fire, suggesting that a Yak-38 fighter plane may have been parked there, or that sailors had held barbecue parties on it. There were quite a few empty bottles, though.

Standing on the deck, you can feel a slight vibration beneath your feet.

"The boiler was lit an hour ago."

Alexei said, "We've been very lucky. Two of the four boilers are still working and can drive the two propellers at the stern. We should be able to make it to the East without any problem."

The Type 1123 helicopter carrier has a full-load displacement of less than 20,000 tons. This is not because the Russians were unwilling to build larger ones, but because of the restrictive orders issued by leaders who did not like aircraft carriers. This way, only four boilers are needed to drive two steam turbines, which would allow the warship to reach a speed of 30 knots at sea.

It's really not easy to get both boilers working after they've been idle for two years.

"Come on, let's go down and take a look."

The warship's engine room is at the rear, so going down from the flight deck is the fastest way. Qin Chuan turned on his flashlight, illuminating the rusty gangway, and walked down. When he entered the hangar, his eyes suddenly lit up.

The hangar wasn't empty; there were actually seven or eight shipborne helicopters parked there!

With its bulky body and short tail, this is a unique coaxial reverse-rotation helicopter, a specialty of the Russian Karimov Design Bureau!

Moreover, the fuselage is larger, and this is not the old K-25, but a Ka-27 that was mass-produced in the 1980s!

The St. Petersburg helicopter carrier is actually not very useful; once it returns, it will be dismantled and sold for scrap metal.

However, helicopters are very useful here!

Once I get back, I'll refurbish it. Even if only half of it is still usable, I'll still have made a huge profit from this deal!

A single Ka-27 helicopter can sell for millions of dollars, which is equivalent to the scrap metal price of this aircraft carrier!

"There are also some decommissioned helicopters here," Qin Chuan said casually. "We'll pack them all up and take them with us. When we settle the bill later, we'll give you an extra $100,000 in cash."

“Okay!” Alexei nodded happily; the $100,000 was now right into his pocket.

Following behind, Antonina felt a sense of déjà vu at the scene, as if she had returned to the last time she went to the Far East to return in a submarine, only this time she was even bolder!

Last time it was underwater, but this time? They're sailing back on the open sea, completely uninhibited!

The group continued down to the engine room, where they saw seven or eight sailors.

"how's it going?"

"The boiler is about to reach its rated temperature. In ten minutes at most, we will be able to sail this ship away."

"You've all worked hard! We can have something to eat and drink after we finish work," Qin Chuan said.

Li Jianshe followed behind him, carrying a box containing bread, ham, and vodka, a favorite of the Russians.

When these people saw something, their eyes lit up.

“Okay, once we leave the port, we’ll be completely safe…” Before Alexei could finish speaking, a loud voice suddenly came from outside.

"Hey, who's up here? Why is there smoke coming out of the chimney?"

That accent, you can tell it's from Russia!

Instantly, Alexei's expression changed, and he said to his assistant beside him, "Zaytsev, take your men and quietly go up there and take care of these annoying guys. Be careful not to make a sound!"

After the division, the two sides maintained a seemingly amicable relationship, but there were still many conflicts. In the Black Sea Fleet, the two sides were constantly at odds, and fights often broke out.

However, this is the first time he has killed his opponent.

"Ahem." Qin Chuan spoke up from the side, "Why make such a fuss over something that could be solved with a few bottles of vodka? Tania, go up and take a look."