"Understood, young master. I'll take care of it." The butler accepted the order and left. He knew that Mavi's decision was the right one. This way, he wouldn't invite trouble upon himself, while also building a relationship with the Russian Air Force.
…
Two days later, the Russian Air Force Headquarters, having received Mavi's invitation, dispatched an Air Force colonel to Ukraine. His mission was to personally inspect the so-called "gift" Mavi had mentioned.
Since the deal involving fighter jets and bombers was made between Ukraine and Mavi, the Russian Air Force was still unaware of the transaction.
However, Russia's intelligence agencies were not to be underestimated—they were likely already gathering information on the matter. That's why Mavi needed to deliver these strategic bombers, complete with engines, as soon as possible. He couldn't afford to risk his life by provoking a certain someone in the Kremlin…
As soon as the Boeing aircraft carrying the Russian Air Force colonel landed at a Ukrainian airport, Mavi personally drove a Dongfeng Mengshi military vehicle to greet him. The colonel's name was Valenkin, and he was accompanied by a group of officers.
"Welcome, Colonel Valenkin. I truly appreciate you making the trip to Ukraine on such short notice." Mavi smiled and extended his right hand for a handshake.
However, he quickly noticed that Colonel Valenkin wasn't particularly friendly. His handshake was cold and brief, and he barely engaged in conversation.
"Mr. Mavi, let's get to the point. You called us all the way here—what exactly do you have for the Russian Air Force?" Colonel Valenkin asked, his tone bureaucratic and indifferent.
He had never dealt with Mavi before and intended to assert his authority as an Air Force colonel, making it clear that, in the eyes of the military, arms dealers like Mavi were expendable.
But at that moment, Mavi casually responded, "Oh, it's nothing much—just two Tu-22 bombers and three Tu-95 bombers."
The moment the words left his mouth, Colonel Valenkin's eyes widened in shock. His face froze as if he had just heard something unbelievable.
"What?! Tu-22s? Tu-95 strategic bombers?!"
"Mr. Mavi… you… you're not joking, are you?" The colonel was so stunned that he started stammering. He had never in his life encountered an arms dealer who could casually give away Tu-22 supersonic bombers—let alone five of them in one go! The sheer audacity of the gesture sent a chill down his spine.
"I'm not joking. If you don't believe me, you're welcome to take a look at them in my warehouse."
With that, Mavi led Colonel Valenkin and his men to the Ukrainian military warehouse.
However…
Upon arrival, the colonel was completely dumbfounded.
Right in front of him, Ukrainian engineers were dismantling engines from Tu-160 and Tu-22 supersonic bombers!
And they weren't just removing one or two—several engines had already been taken apart.
"W-What is going on here, Mr. Mavi?!" Valenkin stammered in shock.
For a brief moment, he thought this might be some kind of joke. But as he took a closer look, he recognized the engines being removed—these were the Kuznetsov NK-321 afterburning turbofan engines!
With a maximum thrust of 14 metric tons and an afterburner thrust of 25 metric tons, these engines were among the best in the world—even the Americans hadn't developed something comparable!
And yet, here they were, being torn out of these bombers. The sight made Valenkin feel like he was witnessing an act of sheer sacrilege.
"Don't worry, Colonel Valenkin," Mavi said casually. "They're just removing the engines from my planes. The five bombers meant for the Russian Air Force are over there." He gestured to the right side of the warehouse, where the five supersonic bombers remained untouched.
Valenkin was completely overwhelmed. He couldn't believe what he was seeing—so many top-tier NK-321 engines being dismantled in front of him. It was both heartbreaking and frustrating.
Heartbreaking, because these were some of the best aviation engines ever built.
Frustrating, because the planes weren't his, and he had no power to stop what was happening.
"M-Mr. Mavi… I, uh… I must sincerely thank you for your… contributions to the Russian Air Force," Valenkin finally stammered. "And I also must apologize for my earlier attitude. Please forgive my behavior."
At this point, he could no longer act superior. Even the most dim-witted person would understand that once these five bombers reached Russia, Mavi's status within the Russian Air Force would rise dramatically.
"It's no problem, Colonel Valenkin," Mavi replied smoothly. Let bygones be bygones. He wasn't the type to hold grudges over minor slights. If he wanted to succeed in the long run, he needed to be pragmatic.
…
After successfully getting rid of this "hot potato," Mavi could finally focus on his business ventures with peace of mind.
As for the Tu-160 and Tu-22 bombers that no longer had engines, he had other plans for them.
He could sell them to supercar manufacturers to create luxury designs based on fighter jets—just like Lamborghini did with the Reventón, turning it into a legendary collector's item.
Alternatively, he could modify the Tu-160 bombers himself. Whether he kept them as personal collectibles or sold them to wealthy military enthusiasts, he was confident they would be in high demand.
As for the MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets, he planned to keep some at the Black Sea Shipyard, packaging them together for future aircraft carrier deals.
The rest? He already had a buyer in mind…
"Ivan, does our family have any business ties or connections in Malaysia?" Mavi asked upon returning to Russia. "Preferably someone with access to the Royal Malaysian Air Force."
In this timeline, Malaysia had yet to purchase fighter jets from Russia, which meant an opportunity for Mavi.
Ivan thought for a moment before replying, "Young master, I believe we do. I'll have someone reach out and confirm."
"Good. Oh, and one more thing—have Marvel pick a movie studio for collaboration. I might invest in a film project."
While waiting for his family to establish connections with the Royal Malaysian Air Force, Mavi wanted to make use of his time by investing in Marvel Studios.
After all, with the trailer for The Avengers gaining massive hype worldwide, countless fans and moviegoers were eagerly anticipating the full film's production and release.
"Understood, young master. I'll take care of it immediately," Ivan responded with unwavering loyalty.
"Good." Mavi stretched lazily. Then, with his maids attending to him, he drifted off to sleep.
(End of Chapter)