As soon as the meeting room door opened, a middle-aged man in a black suit with a red tie appeared before Mavi.
The man had thinning hair but sharp eyes. Although he hadn't spoken a word, his presence was naturally imposing.
When he stared at someone, it felt like a predator eyeing its prey, making people instinctively tense up, even breaking into a sweat.
Mavi glanced at the middle-aged man before immediately standing up. "Hello?"
He quickly realized that this man was not President XX but someone else.
"Hello, Mr. Mavi. I apologize for the sudden change. President XX had an urgent matter to attend to, so I've been assigned to welcome you on his behalf. Let me introduce myself—I'm Pavel, the Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation's Ministry of Internal Affairs."
After introducing himself, the middle-aged man extended his right hand in a polite handshake with Mavi.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation oversaw the country's police force as well as the internal security forces.
"Nice to meet you, Minister Pavel." Mavi couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that he hadn't met the president himself. However, he quickly adjusted his mindset. He knew that whatever he did today would inevitably be reported back to President XX, so he had to remain composed and focused.
"Please have a seat, Mr. Mavi. His Excellency the President often mentions your name," Deputy Minister Pavel said, motioning for Mavi to sit down.
Then, he continued, "The President has always spoken highly of you, saying you are a remarkable talent. Now that I've met you, I see he was right. Securing billions of dollars in orders for the Russian Navy and Air Force at such a young age—truly impressive!"
When dealing with high-ranking officials, it was wise to believe only about thirty percent of what they said—sometimes even less. Mavi understood this well. Otherwise, he might get taken advantage of without even realizing it.
"Thank you for your kind words, Minister Pavel. Honestly, I was just doing my part to contribute to Russia's national defense," Mavi replied with a calm smile. He suspected that he hadn't been called here just to receive praise. There was definitely something else coming.
After some back-and-forth conversation, Pavel finally shifted the topic, signaling that the real discussion was about to begin.
"Mr. Mavi, I'm sure you're curious why the President suddenly summoned you today, aren't you?"
"Yes, Minister Pavel. I would love to hear more," Mavi responded, sitting up straight and slightly leaning forward. This was the real reason for the meeting.
"Well, it's not an urgent matter, but as you may know, Russia has many oligarchs who became wealthy overnight by exploiting privatization. Especially the top ten of them—they always like to meddle where they shouldn't. This has been a source of great frustration for His Excellency the President…"
As Pavel spoke, he deliberately glanced at Mavi. Before this meeting, they had already conducted a thorough background check on him and confirmed that he was not one of those oligarchs who enriched themselves by draining national assets. That was why they had invited him for this conversation.
The implication was clear—the Russian government intended to get rid of these parasitic oligarchs.
Mavi didn't rush to take a stance. Doing so would make him seem untrustworthy. Only by demonstrating maturity, composure, and responsibility could he earn their respect and be entrusted with greater responsibilities.
"Mr. Mavi, in your opinion, how should the Russian government deal with these financial oligarchs who have embezzled national assets?" Pavel asked, staring directly into Mavi's eyes and enunciating each word carefully.
Having lived two lives, Mavi knew this was a critical test. If he showed even the slightest sign of nervousness, hesitation, or lack of confidence, he would be eliminated from consideration. He would never get close to President XX's inner circle or advisory team again.
"Minister Pavel, how your government chooses to handle these oligarchs is entirely your internal affair. As for me, I only know one thing—as a Russian businessman, I would never seek wealth through such dishonorable means."
Mavi's response was flawless. Right now, he was merely a businessman, and it wasn't his place to tell the government what to do. This was clearly a test to gauge his stance.
If he eagerly aligned himself with the government, it would make him seem opportunistic and unreliable. But if he remained completely neutral, the consequences could be even worse—not only would his future prospects be destroyed, but he might also lose his most important source of protection.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Well said, Mr. Mavi!" Deputy Minister Pavel suddenly applauded, clearly pleased with Mavi's response.
Mavi, however, remained silent, simply watching Pavel. He was fully immersed in this "performance." If he smiled too soon, it might make his previous response seem calculated or insincere.
Dealing with high-ranking government officials was always exhausting. Deception and political maneuvering were just the basics. The most important thing was that every single one of them had deep political cunning.
If not for his experience from a previous life, which allowed him to conceal his true thoughts well, he would have already been exposed and stripped bare.
---
After the meeting, Mavi left the presidential building drenched in sweat.
As he got into his car, he had no idea that on the top floor of the presidential building, a man with similarly thinning hair had just summoned Deputy Minister Pavel.
"Well, Pavel, do you think he can be trusted?" The man's deep voice asked.
(Author's Note: Find more content at 69 Book Bar!)
"Your Excellency, I believe… he is trustworthy," Pavel answered respectfully.
That's right—the man speaking to him was none other than the current President of Russia. He had never actually left the presidential building. Instead, he had sent his trusted aide to test Mavi and determine whether he could be relied upon.
Indeed, dealing with top government officials was never an easy task. One misstep, and it could mean complete and utter ruin.
---
Leaving the presidential building, Mavi felt like his acting skills had reached their peak. At least for today, they had. He had successfully passed the Deputy Minister's test.
The next time, it would likely be an initial collaboration. In any case, having the Russian government as a backer meant that no one would dare to challenge him anymore.
As soon as Mavi returned to his mansion, his butler, Ivan, rushed over with a phone in hand.
"Young Master, it's Mr. Anatoly calling."
"Oh, I see." Mavi casually took the phone. "Hello, Mr. Anatoly."
(End of Chapter)