Dragon Raja 5; Chapter 261: For Your Majesty (76)

Dragon Raja 5

“It was just a meal!” Lu Mingfei suddenly became tough, “We often eat together!”

He felt that Bunin was speculating that he and Zero were having an affair, and he had to firmly deny such a fabricated thing.

This was the truth. When he was at Cassel Academy, besides Finger, he ate the most with Zero. Every time he relied on Zero’s help to pass the exam, he would treat Zero to a midnight snack in return.

Recalling those years in the Cassel restaurant under the candlelight, the princess in a T-shirt gnawed on roast pork legs with him, and the cicadas chirped lazily outside the window. It was a wonderful time.

“The Romanov family has always been known for its tyrannical and extortionate style in Moscow’s business world. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to establish themselves in just a few years. When a tyrant appears particularly friendly, it’s always a good idea to think about why.” Bunin said this and turned to leave.

Lu Mingfei was stunned. It turned out that Bunin wasn’t concerned about his relationship with Zero at all. For a seasoned man like Alexander Bunin, women were never a concern. It was perfectly normal for Lu Mingfei to have an affair with Zero; if they didn’t, it was because he hadn’t cherished a great opportunity.

What Bunin was concerned about was the role played by the Romanov family in the battle for the Soviet legacy. The more people who shared the spoils, the less legacy Bunin would get.

    ***

In the owner’s box next door, Su Enxi, wearing a maid’s skirt, was leaning against the window sharpening her nails, while Her Royal Highness the Princess, wearing a nightgown, was cleaning the room herself.

Su Enxi came in under the pretext of cleaning, and she had to leave clean. However, Black Gold Swan was always a sloppy person, not even cleaning her own bedroom. To avoid being exposed, she had to let Zero clean up, taking the opportunity to say a few words.

“How was dinner?” Su Enxi blew on her nails and suddenly remembered something.

“You said it would take seven days to complete the Trans-Siberian Railway. Today is the sixth day, but we haven’t even reached Lake Baikal yet.” Zero said with a cold face.

“I mean an express train, but Bunin’s train is a completely slow train with its constant stops and starts!” Su Enxi sighed. “Do you think he’s running away? On business? Or is he just out sightseeing?”

Zero had nothing to say.

She also thought Bunin would be in a rush, if not to avoid Moscow’s pursuers, then to be anxiously digging for treasure in those mysterious ruins. But Bunin had actually hooked his carriage up to the slowest train, a sightseeing train that stopped at almost every station, even stopping for several hours in larger cities, giving passengers plenty of time to get off and eat and shop.

So even though she had invited Lu Mingfei to have his last meal, because the car wasn’t driving too slowly, Chairman Lu had to live for several more days.

It’s like the funeral is over, but the victim is still alive and well.

“That was just a joke, but you actually put on your makeup and bleached your hair before treating him to a farewell dinner,” Su Enxi said slowly. “After meeting that idiot Lu Mingfei, it seems like you’re also becoming an idiot.”

The high-pitched sound of a train whistle came from far away. Lu Mingfei looked out and saw another train slowly approaching. The train they were on also responded with a whistle.

A moment later, the two trains slowly collided with each other. The oncoming train handed over its locomotive and several carriages to this train, and this train also abandoned most of the carriages and headed towards Lake Baikal at a higher speed.

This was what Bunin called a “replacement of the locomotive.” They were no longer the train that had left Moscow, but the “Bunin train,” and the passengers who had bought tickets to Vladivostok had been left behind.

The door between the carriages opened, and the beautiful Sonya rushed forward, hugging Bunin, Lu Mingfei, and Chu Zihang one by one. Out of respect for Her Majesty, she simply bowed slightly when she reached Zero. Following her were Valoya, Alexei, Nikolay, Semyon… They all wore warm smiles, and even the shy Valoya eagerly shook Lu Mingfei’s hand. They had met at the Bunin family’s drinking party.

Bunin’s “business partner” in Moscow also rushed over, and the train must have chased them all the way until it caught up with them near Lake Baikal.

At every major transportation hub along the way, they would load up new carriages, all luxurious, bulletproof, and from them emerged a diverse group of young people, hailing from all corners of the country, from every state and republic, their fathers renowned figures in the former Soviet Union’s military and political circles. Some were humble and understated, others arrogant and aloof, but without exception, they had received the best education and appeared far more mature than their peers. They all expressed respect for Zero and were quite friendly towards Lu Mingfei and Chu Zihang, though sometimes they still gave them scrutinizing glances. They brought their own dining car, where they dined every night. After a few drinks, they would sing Soviet-era songs and link arms in an old-fashioned yet heroic Russian tap dance, presumably a family tradition.

This was why Bunin was moving so slowly. The moment he set out from Moscow, he had already gathered his accomplices from all over the country. Everyone set out at top speed, heading towards the Trans-Siberian Railway.

The young people who had arrived in the past few days also walked into Bunin’s carriage. Everyone hugged each other, kissed each other, and exchanged greetings. It was obvious that they all knew each other. Waiters walked through the crowd and handed out small glasses of liquor. It was like a party for young people.

“Mr. Bunin, are you organizing a sightseeing tour? But I’m afraid there’s nothing worth seeing in the Siberian wilderness.” Zero said coldly.

“They’re all my business partners from all over the country. I told them there’s a huge Soviet-era fortune waiting for us to inherit in Siberia, and they all came excitedly.” Bunin held a small glass of wine and looked at the young people with an elder’s smile. “They will be your royal guards, Your Highness.”

“The safest approach would be to sneak around like an assassin, rather than roaming the Siberian railway line with your guards in a high-profile manner. Even if you have bulletproof carriages, they can’t stop a ground-to-ground missile.”

“Your Highness, have you ever thought about who is the world’s biggest arms dealer?”

Zero was stunned for a moment, not understanding the meaning of this question.     

“It’s the country. My motherland is promoting its Soviet-made fighter jets worldwide. My small business is just eating the country’s leftovers. Even this little bit of leftovers is only possible with the motherland’s tacit approval. My huge profits go to my protectors, and they are my protectors.” Bunin nodded at the young people. “To be more precise, it’s their fathers. These children’s families still hold the lifeline of this country.” Bunin suddenly lowered his voice. “With them on this train, we don’t have to worry about a missile dropping from the sky and blowing us up.”