Mavi was going all in!
At this moment, a surge of boldness rose in his heart. Having been given a second chance at life, he had to live it grandly, freely, and without regrets! Being timid and overly cautious was not his style.
If you're a man, face it head-on—don't back down!
At worst, if he failed, he would rise again. In eighteen years, he'd be a man once more.
"I truly respect your sense of responsibility, Mr. Mavi! If this succeeds, the Russian Federation will never forget your contribution!" said Mikhail, the National Security Advisor, in a solemn tone over the phone.
But Mavi wasn't doing this solely for Russia—he wasn't that selfless. His own interests always came first.
He was heartbroken at the thought of Ukraine destroying its nuclear warheads, strategic bombers, and cruise missiles. He might be doing business with them in the future! If they were destroyed, who would he sell to? If Ukraine lost its nuclear deterrence, it wouldn't be a strong ally for him anymore!
"Alright, Mr. Mikhail, I'll give it a try. Hopefully, I can succeed." This was the most dangerous decision Mavi had made since his rebirth—riskier than gambling.
Could he turn the tide and defuse the crisis? Honestly, he wasn't sure.
But if he won this gamble, he would secure deep ties between Ukraine and Russia. After all, many high-ranking government officials and military leaders in both countries were anti-European Union. If he could help them counter the EU's plans, he would earn their recognition and respect.
"Damn, impulse is a devil! How did I end up taking on such a crazy task?" Mavi muttered after hanging up. It still felt like a dream—too surreal to process.
This time, he couldn't just stand with his hands on his hips acting tough—because his opponent was the EU. And that was no joke.
"Young Master, we just received a call. The Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister wants to schedule a meeting with you within the next couple of days. They say it's urgent and need a quick response."
Mavi had barely finished speaking with Russia's National Security Advisor when Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister urgently reached out. Clearly, this was because of the EU's economic aid proposal.
Sighing, Mavi picked up the phone again. A middle-aged woman's voice came through the receiver.
"Hello, is this Mr. Mavi? I'm Snieryana. Mr. Mikhail mentioned that you might have a way to help our government navigate this nuclear disarmament crisis?"
Snieryana was Ukraine's Prime Minister—often called the "Iron Lady of Ukraine." A dominant figure in Ukrainian politics, she was a staunch anti-EU advocate and opposed accepting European aid.
But political winds change quickly. Snieryana had already caught wind that some pro-EU factions were organizing to sway opinions in parliament. In ten days, a vote would decide whether Ukraine accepted EU aid and dismantled its nuclear weapons in exchange for closer EU ties.
"Yes, maybe," Mavi replied, feeling the heat from constant phone calls. He had just been enjoying himself in the U.S., and now trouble had fallen from the sky. Did it really have to be this exciting?
"Alright then, Mr. Mavi. Do you have time in the next two days? Can we meet in person to discuss this?" Snieryana's firm and direct tone left no room for refusal.
"Tomorrow then! I'll take a flight over right now," Mavi replied decisively. He wasn't one to stall—better to deal with things as quickly as possible.
The EU's economic aid program was no different from the arms trade. The only difference was that one involved buying weapons, while the other involved paying to destroy them.
"Alright, I'll wait for your news. See you tomorrow," Snieryana said.
"See you tomorrow."
---
After hanging up, Mavi immediately boarded a flight to Ukraine. It was already late at night, so he got some sleep on the plane. The entire trip was rushed.
By the time he woke up and was in a car from the airport, news had already spread across the internet in the U.S., U.K., and France about the EU's aid plan for Ukraine and its intention to dismantle its nuclear arsenal.
Reactions from the media and military analysts varied.
American media remained neutral, merely analyzing Ukraine's economic situation and how its nuclear arsenal posed a potential threat to the EU.
In contrast, German, British, and French media took a completely different stance.
Scanning a few articles, Mavi noticed they all praised the EU's "generosity" in helping Ukraine. Of course, the condition was Ukraine dismantling its nuclear weapons to show it posed no threat to the EU and was willing to develop friendly relations.
Several well-known military experts also chimed in, encouraging public support for the aid plan. They claimed it was almost certain to pass, citing Ukraine's dire economic situation and the exorbitant maintenance costs of its large arsenal. Some argued that these costs could bankrupt the government.
These news reports fueled heated discussions online, with internet warriors and moralists flooding the comments section.
"Ukraine is such a poor country, yet it has 1,300 nuclear warheads. After the U.S. and Russia, it's the third-largest nuclear power! If they don't dismantle them, the country will collapse sooner or later. The EU is doing a great thing!" one self-righteous commenter wrote.
"Bullshit! I think $25 million in aid and a $500 million loan is way too much! A country like Ukraine could survive on just $15 million! They should've dismantled those nukes ages ago!" an ignorant internet troll ranted.
---
Sitting in the car, Mavi scrolled through these comments and shook his head. No matter the country, online outrage and misinformation were always rampant. These so-called experts and keyboard warriors loved to flaunt their opinions just to feel relevant.
Rubbing his eyes, he shut his laptop and focused on the road ahead.
He was on his way to the Ukrainian Prime Minister's Office for his meeting with Snieryana.
The Iron Lady was known for her decisive approach.
As soon as Mavi arrived at her office, after only a few pleasantries, she got straight to the point.
"Mr. Mavi, thank you for coming so promptly. Let's not waste time—our situation in Ukraine is dire."
---
(End of Chapter)