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Chapter 1396: Sudden Changes (Third update, please subscribe)

After the train clanged around a curved section of the track, it soon entered a straight section. The train began to speed up under people's feet, and the iron wheels on the track made a regular squeak.

Several passengers in the carriage had been reviewing the investigation report from the past week.

These foreign passengers in suits just sat in the first-class carriage, some smoking silently, some writing scattered, incoherent comments, waiting to start again.

Luo Yuean was smoking a cigarette while flipping through the report. While flicking the ash into the ashtray, he asked:
“Do you really think that this year’s corn production will exceed 1800 million tons?”

"There is absolutely no problem with 1800 million tons."

Adjusting the frame of his glasses, Wang Zhengzhen explained:
"Ethiopia has about 1719 million hectares of arable land, of which 200 million hectares are reclaimed land on state-owned farms. Those farms not only use modern agricultural machinery, but also have modern irrigation systems. They use the improved seeds provided by our company, with an average yield of about 3000 kilograms per hectare. Taking into account the impact of crop rotation, the output of state-owned farms alone is as high as more than 1200 million tons."

While analyzing Ethiopia's corn production, Wang Zhengzhen still couldn't help but marvel at the progress.

Since the song title a few years ago, this country has undoubtedly been the most dazzling star in the whole of Africa. With the help of agricultural experts from the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, it has launched a vigorous agricultural reform, reclaiming wasteland, building irrigation projects, improving seeds, and applying fertilizers. In just two years, Ethiopia's grain production has increased several times.

While agriculture was undergoing tremendous changes, experts from the Soviet Union helped them plan the railway network and build new roads. Modern enterprises such as steel mills and fertilizer plants appeared for the first time on this ancient land.

Railways, which had never appeared before, appeared for the first time on the East African Plateau.

As the whistle blew, a train ran along the rails, and the passengers on the train always looked out of the window - the endless corn fields stretched to the horizon.

"1200 tons..."

Luo Yuean took a puff of his cigarette and sighed.

"I never thought that in just three years, there would be such a big change here!"

"With more than 5 Russian experts and agricultural workers, tens of thousands of heavy tractors and other agricultural machinery, and hundreds of millions of rubles in loans, the changes that have taken place here are simply..."

Pointing at the land outside the car window, Wang Zhengzhen said:

“The Russians changed everything here.”

Luo Yue nodded.

"Yes, it was the Russians who changed everything here. The Russians brought modern agricultural technology, machinery and seeds."

“The seeds were provided by a plant breeding company.”

Wang Ganglei reminded from the side.

The plant breeding company was once the largest breeding company in the UK, but it moved to Southeast Asia a long time ago and became the largest breeding company in Southeast Asia. In the past ten years, the company has cultivated many fine varieties, among which corn varieties are the most outstanding.

"Without our seeds, the Russians would not be able to produce so much corn, but their production is problematic. Our yield per hectare in Kenya is around 4500 kilograms, while here it is only 3000 kilograms."

"In terms of natural conditions, Ethiopia has a good climate, sufficient rainfall, and fertile land, which is as fertile as Kenya, but the yield is 30% less!"

Luo Yuean said with a frown.

"A 30% gap is still very large, and this is the key to our investigation."

He smiled, then took off his horn-rimmed glasses, held them up to the light, wiped them, and put them back on.

"Ethiopia is not Russia. There is an iron curtain here, but it is not as solid as the Soviet Union. We can use the data obtained here to analyze Russian agriculture and serve national decision-making."

Although they say it is a "national decision", they are indeed employees of the Global Trading Company. In the past two years, they have come here as the Russians have developed Ethiopia's agriculture. Unlike the Russians who have spent hundreds of millions of rubles on agricultural development here, they came here to do business with the Russians.

For example, corn varieties. Although Russia also has corn seeds, the seeds of plant breeding companies are more suitable for the weather in East Africa. There are even fertilizers. Although the Soviet Union also has fertilizers, the average nutrient content of fertilizers produced by Nanyang is 38.7%, while that of Russia is 27.7%. The production and quality of other herbicides, pesticides and other drugs are also very backward. Even with combine harvesters, Nanyang's equipment is far superior to Soviet products in terms of quality and life.

To a certain extent, Nanyang was the "shovel seller." They entered Ethiopia almost at the same time as Russia.

Over the past decade, Nanyang has been able to build a huge overseas business empire and a technological powerhouse, thanks to a top-down intelligence mechanism. The core science and technology decision-making mechanism at the top is the "Comprehensive Science and Technology Conference" which has the dual functions of "consultation and decision-making".

As your think tank, this is the command tower for innovation decision-making in Nanyang. Its information collection tentacles cover various ministries and provide strong support for the medium- and long-term planning of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. The Ministry of International Trade and Industry also has a special intelligence agency responsible for small and medium-sized enterprises in Nanyang to prevent them from being involved in information asymmetry and falling behind.

Each of Nanyang's overseas employees is required to collect intelligence information and receive corresponding training. Intelligence is the foundation of business activities and an indispensable aid for enterprises to go overseas. Without intelligence support, enterprises will definitely fail overseas.

Because of this, from the very beginning, Nanyang's commercial intelligence has been closely linked to the Secret Intelligence Service, and it is still the same now. Even inadvertently, their "feelings" were exposed. That's it.

A few hours later, the train stopped at its final destination, a small station in central China. This station was like other places, with porters carrying goods on the simple platform. The goods unloaded from the train were materials such as fertilizers.

The railway itself was designed to serve corn production - fertilizers, pesticides and other materials produced in the Soviet Union were transported from the port to the inland, and corn produced on the farms was transported to the port and then to Russia in order to repay debts.

In this deal, the Russians found a market for their inferior products and also got the food they needed, while Ethiopia gained machines and weapons, and of course, the modernization of its country.

At least to some extent, both sides are winners.

At this time, the porters and a station staff member started arguing. Hearing their quarrel, Wang Ganglei raised his eyebrows and said to Luo Yuean:
"Chief, something seems to have happened."

Wang Ganglei can speak the local language, so he naturally knows what they are saying.

"what's up?"

"The official accused them of piling fertilizer at the station. It had rained in the past two days, so he asked them to move the fertilizer away quickly. But the porters explained that there were no cars. All the cars were taken away by the Russians, who said they were for the Kenyans."

“Kenyans!”

Luo Yuean frowned and said:

“What do they need cars for?”

"It seems to be transporting munitions."

"arms!"

Several people looked at each other, and seemed to read some kind of worry in each other's eyes. They were indeed company employees, but their intuition told them that this was extremely abnormal information.

"It must be the Land Freedom Army. They have been in the camps in the border area for the past few years!"

……

In a camp not far from the Kenyan border, teams of soldiers are training.

The soldiers in this camp are all from Kenya. They participated in the Mau Mau Movement and fled to the mountainous rain forests after the uprising failed. Two years ago, they retreated to Kenya, where they not only received weapons but also training.

Under the training of Russian instructors, they not only learned how to operate and use light weapons, but also learned how to drive tanks - the Russians even provided them with T34 tanks.

After more than two years of training, this guerrilla force of nearly 10,000 people has become an army.

Standing on the balcony and watching the troops in training, Kimati, the "marshal" of the Land Freedom Army, had eyes full of desire.

"Marshal, how is it? Just as I promised in the past, now you not only get more weapons, but also receive good training. With these tanks and artillery, you will be able to liberate the whole of Kenya soon!"

Listening to Wilson's words, Kimati nodded and said:

"Major, thank you for your help. After we liberate Kenya, I will invite you to help us build our country!"

“Marshal, this is the wisest choice. Just like Ethiopia, we have all seen the changes that have taken place in this land over the past few years. I believe that Kenya will be even more prosperous in the future!”

As an intelligence officer sent by the KGB, Wilson entered the mountains and contacted Kimati as early as seven years ago. It was with the help of the KGB that they escaped the encirclement of the British army and fled to Ethiopia two years ago, where they received training from Soviet advisers.

After two years of preparation, the "Free Army" that fled in panic has now upgraded its weapons and transformed into a well-equipped modern army.

Now, they are about to return to Kenya!

As long as he thought of this, Kimati was excited, but he still had some concerns and said:
"Major, we are going back to Kenya now, but the British troops there are also a group of very tenacious guys."

"Marshal, the whole world is attracted to Congo now, including Britain!"

Wilson said:
“Now is your time to liberate Kenya!”

(End of this chapter)