One moment, attention needed to be on this side, the next, it had to shift to another. Any lapse in focus, and it was easy to miss an exciting moment.
"Mr. Mavi, these candidates on TV... they don't seem like ordinary bodyguards, do they?" a Russian tycoon, who was glued to the screen, asked Mavi without even turning his head.
Mavi was also closely following the situation, too occupied to look elsewhere. Without turning around, he responded directly, "That's right. They are former members of the Signal Flag Special Forces, the Alpha Group, and Delta Force. The one holding the Kar98k used to be a Secret Service agent..."
Mavi spoke in a calm, indifferent tone, but those around him couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines.
"Signal Flag!? Alpha Group? Delta Force? No wonder these bodyguards are so skilled! They're leagues above the useless ones I have!" a cigar-smoking Russian tycoon exclaimed in amazement.
Many others shared his sentiment. Compared to bodyguards from ordinary security firms, the six teams Mavi had assembled were undoubtedly the best of the best.
As the crowd marveled at the broadcast, a wealthy woman in a striking red dress, adorned with jewelry, approached Mavi.
"How much does it cost to hire that male bodyguard on the screen for a year? I want him. Name your price."
Her family ran a highly successful fur business and had plenty of bodyguards, yet none had ever met her standards. The moment she saw Viktor—an Alpha Group operative engaged in a firefight—she was captivated. He was not only highly skilled but also exuded an irresistible charisma.
Mavi chuckled. He hadn't expected someone to be so eager. The evaluation had barely begun, and she was already trying to buy a man from him. It seemed he couldn't avoid the title of "human trafficker" now.
"Sorry, I have other plans for him, so he's not for sale," Mavi replied succinctly.
Barely a second after he finished speaking, the red-dressed woman fixed her gaze on him and insisted, "I'll pay $200,000 for a year. Let me have him."
She made her offer with confidence—$200,000 was enough to hire an entire team of bodyguards in Russia.
But before Mavi could respond, another wealthy woman raised her hand and countered, "I'll offer $250,000. I want him."
There was no doubt that Mavi's party was a hit. The thrilling, live-streamed combat simulation made every wealthy guest feel like they were part of the action.
Naturally, this heightened their desire to spend. With over thirty affluent guests in attendance but only twelve bodyguards available, competition was inevitable. Better to act fast than lose out.
"I'm afraid I can't let him go," Mavi once again refused the two ladies.
Viktor was not only highly capable but also demonstrated strong leadership. In Mavi's eyes, assigning him as a bodyguard—even as a top-tier one—would be a waste of potential.
A strong soldier alone was formidable, but a great leader could elevate an entire unit. With Viktor's talent, Mavi envisioned him leading an elite special operations force under his command.
Seeing Mavi's firm stance, the red-dressed woman reconsidered. Instead, she decided to offer $150,000 to hire Viktor's teammate, Stepan.
Many other tycoons in the room had the same thought. None of their personal bodyguards could compare to these twelve operatives. Hiring one of them would significantly enhance their security.
"Mr. Mavi, how much for this one?" a rotund Russian businessman pointed at a Signal Flag operative on the screen.
Almost simultaneously, another balding tycoon asked, "What about those two Brits? How much to hire them together?"
Orders flooded in like a tidal wave, even before the evaluation had concluded. Fortunately, Mavi had anticipated this and made the twelve operatives sign agreements beforehand. If they wanted a chance at the $1.2 million prize, they had to accept these conditions.
By the end of the three-phase evaluation, Mavi had leased out nine operatives for a total of $3.15 million. Some contracts were for one year, others for two or three.
As for the remaining three operatives, it wasn't that they lacked offers—Mavi simply had plans to recruit them into his own private military force.
Thanks to this real-life battle royale event, Mavi's security firm, "Weihe Security," had already made a name for itself among Moscow's elite.
Even after the assessment concluded, more tycoons who had heard about the event came to him, hoping to hire bodyguards.
However, Mavi didn't give them a clear answer. At that moment, he was too engrossed in watching the recorded footage of Viktor and his team in action.
"If I use this footage as a foundation to create a game like PUBG, it could be a hit," Mavi mused as he analyzed the video. Suddenly, he had a realization and hurriedly opened his browser.
But what he found shocked him.
In this parallel world, the classic 1999 shooter Counter-Strike didn't exist! That game was the predecessor to Crossfire, PUBG, and many other shooters…
Mavi's eyes glowed with ambition as he scrolled through the search results. The gaming industry was one of the most profitable sectors in the world. With his knowledge from his past life, he could create a gaming empire and make his life even more exciting. Not to mention, the industry had a faster return on investment.
As Mavi pondered this new opportunity over the next two days, he received an invitation to a grand hotel opening.
This was no ordinary hotel—it was one of the most extravagant in the world, built at a staggering cost of $1.5 billion back in 1994.
"Young master, the Burj Al Arab in Dubai has officially opened. Your friend Arkadula has invited you to visit for a couple of days. What do you think?" his butler, Ivan, asked as he massaged Mavi, who was lounging on the bed.
"The Burj Al Arab?" A vivid image of the sail-shaped hotel, built on an artificial island in the Arabian Gulf, flashed in Mavi's mind.
"Yes, young master. Construction started in 1994 and took six years to complete," Ivan added.
"Got it. Arrange the trip," Mavi replied casually.
In both his past and present lives, he had never been to Dubai, nor had he experienced a stay at the iconic seven-star hotel. Now was as good a time as any.