Chapter Eighty-Four: A Journey Far Away (Part One)

Mid-April, north of the Northeast.

As the second youngest province in the Republic, the Lingbei Special Administrative Region rejoined the motherland ten years before the Beihai Special Administrative Region did.

Unlike the world’s history as we know it, the Republic in this timeline is the largest country by land area in the modern world. The “Northern Bear” never rose to dominance as it did in our world; although the revolution also began in lands controlled by Tsarist Russia, it was suppressed before it could take root. The Tsarist dynasty maintained control over the “Northern Bear,” refusing to ally with Germany during the First World War, and instead clung desperately to power until the war’s end.

It was during this era that the Republic seized political control, later crushing the invaders in the Second World War and emerging as the leader of the Eastern world.

Wedged between East and West, the “Northern Bear” played the role of a double-dealer, keeping its royal family in power by cultivating close ties with Western Europe and America while maintaining a measured relationship with the Republic.

After the Second World War, to further cement their rule, the Tsarist rulers of the “Northern Bear” implemented generous welfare policies for their citizens. To sustain these benefits, they began selling off their resources.

The vast and sparsely populated Far East, lacking sufficient governance, was seen by the Tsarist royal family as a burdensome asset—so long as their rule was stable, everything else mattered little to them.

Thus, despite vehement opposition from Western nations, the Tsarist dynasty eventually succumbed to the Republic’s financial offensive. The Lingbei Special Administrative Region, together with the Beihai Special Administrative Region—nearly three million square kilometers in total—returned to the Republic as its economy improved.

Initially, some at home questioned the necessity of spending so much to purchase these territories, yet when the Republic’s population surged in the postwar years, those voices fell silent. It must be said: the passion of the Chinese people for land is unparalleled, perhaps ingrained in their very genes. Even city dwellers, at the sight of a patch of earth, can’t help but want to plant something. If this were a game, the Chinese racial trait of cultivation would surely be maxed out.

Wang Lei was not visiting Vladivostok for the first time. As the capital of the Lingbei Special Administrative Region, Vladivostok was now the largest and most prosperous city in the Far East. Thanks to progressive immigration policies, Vladivostok attracted settlers from all over the country, and even residents of neighboring nations sought ways to move here—for three years of residency grants permanent status.

When Wang Lei first came to Vladivostok with his team for a tournament, he was only seventeen—the youngest player ever to appear in the Republic’s top men’s basketball league. Yet his first encounter with Vladivostok left him overwhelmed by the local fans’ fervor.

Though Vladivostok is a city of immigrants, its residents possess a stronger sense of belonging than those elsewhere. They make visiting teams feel as though they are true invaders, constantly under siege from all directions.

Unfortunately, Wang Lei’s provincial youth team’s first opponent in the northern regional qualifiers for the National Games youth basketball tournament was the Lingbei Special Administrative Region’s youth team.

With its open immigration policies, the Lingbei Special Administrative Region drew many outsiders from neighboring countries. The Republic treated them all equally, and they gradually became part of this great nation.

“Become Chinese when in China, become barbarian when among barbarians.” Truly, no Western nation can rival the cohesion of the Chinese people. This capacity for embracing all has quickly endeared the country to many first-generation immigrants.

With so many newcomers, Lingbei’s sports scene blossomed as the economy improved, producing numerous gifted athletes. Basketball, especially, became the city’s favorite sport. Although it is one of the Republic’s youngest provinces, Lingbei has already claimed multiple championships in national leagues.

Facing such a famous northern powerhouse as the first opponent, Wang Lei’s luck could be considered quite poor.

The qualifiers were divided into four regions. Wang Lei’s border province youth team competed in the north, with additional central and southern regions, and a less fiercely contested overseas region.

The top four teams from each group would advance to the National Games youth finals. For Wang Lei’s team, qualifying was a daunting challenge. From what he knew, other provinces took the youth tournament very seriously, often fielding their best young athletes from top provincial clubs.

Leading his team on a long journey was something Wang Lei had never done before. As coach and manager, every decision fell to him.

He had no time to dwell on his dispute with Borderland University. He had to focus on guiding his team through their opening match.

Wang Lei wasn’t worried about further interference from Borderland University; after all, subsequent developments showed that Hawule’s punishment was lifted, and neither Hawule nor Sun Dexun were barred from the provincial youth team.

For these student athletes, playing an away game in such a distant city was a first. Some had never left their home province, let alone traveled from the Republic’s far northwest to the far northeast for a match.

Though they were somewhat reserved, their spirits were high. The airport warm-up game had given them confidence, so Wang Lei had no concerns about stage fright.

Upon arriving in Vladivostok, the border province youth team’s itinerary was well arranged by the host. As the Far East’s premier city with an excellent port, Vladivostok’s economy far outstripped that of the border province. Even though they were rivals, the hosts did not stint on basic amenities for their guests.

Wang Lei’s team, though gaining some local fame after the warm-up match, was insignificant in the wider northern region. Their opponents’ respect was merely perfunctory, a sign of their low expectations, since the Lingbei youth team never considered the border province a serious threat.