Chapter 12: 1.12 – The Nuclear Man – Bogdanov Mansion

The Bogdanov family's residence is truly beyond imagination with a luxurious size and appearance comparable to the Kremlin.

The blue roof on the white walls exudes elegance and sophistication. The harmony between Rococo's unique soft curves and brilliant gold ornaments adds a classic touch, with meticulously crafted circular stone steps and giant marble columns supporting high ceilings. Kwon Taek Joo feels the majesty and solemnity that is hard to touch through the large and sturdy gate. The light centred around the entire building creates a vaguely fanciful atmosphere.

The shadow of the main gate is bold and stretches across the lawn. The door, which has been closed all this time, is quietly opening after midnight. Cars still line up across the large garden even in the middle of the night. The mansion is located next to a large lake, so after passing the main gate, you have to go for a while to get inside. The trees are dense along the small road like a wall separating from the outside, discreetly hiding the activities inside the mansion.

Security is tightened because of the prestigious guests with high social status. Everyone must be allowed to enter by the main gate once and then again must be allowed in at the starting point of the path leading to the main garden. So is Kwon Taek Joo's car.

An armed security guard approached and knocked on the door. Kwon Taek Joo lowered the window according to the instructions and was checked for four or five information items. Even if you bring an invitation card, the name that has been listed on the attendance list, the car number, whether or not someone is accompanied, and even the relationship with the accompanying person, all must match what was previously announced, without exception.

"Can you please show me the invitation?"

Kwon Taek Joo obediently did the request. The guard holds a reader equipped with a special lamp placed near the invitation envelope. Soon, a trace that was not visible to the naked eye appeared. A clear electronic sound came from the recogniser. Immediately afterwards the guard carefully looked into the car. It's to confirm the accompanying person.

It seems that the invitation letter has been processed to not only hide the confidential information on it but also the information of the guest. When the device recognises the serial number of the card, the identity of the guest will automatically appear on the screen. The intention to thoroughly prevent uninvited guests is very clearly expressed.

The security guard carefully observed the rear seats and quickly said "Thank you for your cooperation."and withdrew. The result is congestion that extends from the main gate to the garden entrance and from the garden entrance to the front of the mansion.

"How great is this party that you have to shoot a whole intelligence movie?"

Kwon Taek Joo was grumbling with a depressed face.

"I alone have to suffer these ridiculous tricks, is the world fair?"

Kwon Taek Joo stared at the rearview mirror and complained. He met Zenya sitting in the back seat. His eyes curled up silently.

"Only I was invited, so there was no other way. Uninvited guests have only two ways to join the party, as a driver as it is now or as a lover. If you don't like the first one, you have to disguise it as the second one, right? It must be worth watching."

"There is also a way to control a security guard and change clothes. 'If it's so crowded, no one will know even if a person disappears, right?'"

"Are you a person who likes to live hard? 'If you want to use your strength, save it at important times.'"

It's not wrong either. Kwon Taek Joo doesn't know how Zhenya got such an official invitation, but after being invited, there is no need to make a fuss. He just didn't like the thought of having to treat Zhenya like a boss, even for a while.

"You can close the window," Zhenya said. There's definitely a close/open button in the back seat, it's just that he doesn't want to lift his finger. Kwon Taek Joo glared at Zhenya through the rearview mirror and reluctantly pulled up the window.

Finally arrived in front of the mansion. He put the car aside and put on the handbrake. Meanwhile, Zhenya did not move at all.

"What are you doing, don't you get out of the car?"

"That's what I'm going to say. Did you forget anything?"

When Kwon Taek Joo asked again with a puzzled expression, Zhenya winked at the back door. He shook his head like it was impossible, but Zhenya nodded as if that was exactly what he was saying. There are a lot of eyes watching outside the car. An employee of the mansion is also coming to provide parking for guests. Kwon Taek Joo had no choice.

He sighed and walked out of the driver's seat. He then circled the car and opened the back seat store. Zhenya leaned over and walked out, his gestures leisurely and his eyes seemed to lick his face for a long time. One corner of his mouth raised.

"Please go this way."

The waiter politely guided Zhenya. Kwon Taek Joo hurriedly followed.

A large door appeared after stepping on ten steps. Its height is probably at least 4m with the door opened to the sides by the guards. The Bogdanov family's residence finally appeared.

A completely different world from the outside is opened. The endless ceiling and open hall like a replica of the chapel in a cathedral overwhelmed guests right from the entrance. Pure white walls and pillars exude exquisite elegance, gold-plated jewellery that maximises nobility to the smallest detail. The light from the splendid chandelier shines down on the gentle gold as if making the view more open. The painting on the ceiling has deep tones to help harmonise the colour of the room. Large and small statues are cleverly arranged to erase boredom on monotonous walls. A small-scale orchestra is performing lively on a balcony-style staircase. The lively yet subtle melody fills the vast space without interrupting the conversation.

"I'm going to vomit."

Zhenya suddenly turned to look at Kwon Taek Joo as he talked to himself. Although he was in a mesmerising space that was difficult to find every day, his expression was also depressed. Of course he didn't expect him to have great impressions of his beauty or feel like he was in a fairy tale. Kwon Taek Joo doesn't seem to be an aesthetic eye, and he doesn't seem to be passionate about playing the role of a prince either. Even if you walk into a place where you can only visit once in your life, the only thing you feel is 'Anausea'. Zhenya stared insensitively at Kwon Taek Joo's face, raised his mouth, and then he turned away.

There were a lot of people gathered in the main hall. They split into groups of 3-4 people and chat with each other. Among them is a character who attracts the attention of Kwon Taek Joo. It is the president of Russia. Although it was a face he had seen many times in the media, seeing him right in front of him made him feel intrue.

"Please come in."

Kwon Taek Joo was checking the situation around him when a middle-aged employee approached and greeted him sincerely. He looked like a housekeeper or general manager of the party. Zhenya passed him and walked into the hall without answering. The man who stood up straight stopped Kwon Taek Joo who was accidentally trying to follow.

"The driver goes this way."

He stretched out his arm and pointed to the aisle next to him. It looks like the space is mainly for employees. Kwon Taek Joo hurriedly looked at Zhenya but the bastard just walked straight ahead without looking back. It's like this every time. Even though he is a partner, he can't help with important matters.

"Come on."

The manager silently urged. It's hard to act in the circumstances of a driver. With no choice, Kwon Taek Joo follows him to the designated location. The last time he saw Zhenya, he medled in with other high-level guests. He is like an indispensable person in Russia's top royal club. Zhenya, who is that guy after all?

Kwon Taek Joo's eyes became sharp in the moment. Every emotion evaporated on his tough face.

The place he was brought by the manager was the storage store next to the kitchen. That place receives uninvited guests, including Kwon Taek Joo. As soon as he stepped in, the door behind him slammed.

The people gathered in the room were all intently plugging their heads into their phones as if they were too used to being treated like that. Some people are playing chess or joking with each other. If this is the case, why do they let the staff into the mansion? Isn't it better to be in the car? If you definitely have to find a reason, it is to prepare for a surprise call from your boss. Kwon Taek Joo clicked his tongue and was bored at that extremely ineffective scene. It's comforting to know that, unlike them, he has work to do.

The party that is going on is also the perfect opportunity to find out the secret. If so, then Kwon Taek Joo needs to leave this place and return to the main hall, where there are important characters.

But he had no proper reason. As a driver, he even had to be allowed to go to the bathroom. If Kwon Taek Joo's unexpected behaviour is discovered, his identity will immediately be suspected. Should I trust Zenya and wait? No, that's not okay.

What should I do? Kwon Taek Joo continued to wander by the door and thought of a way out. The curious staff looked at him because he was suspiciously busy but they quickly lost interest. If you just leave quietly like this, it seems that no one will notice.

Kwon Taek Joo quietly opened the door after confirming that no eyes were watching him. He gingerly opened the gap, being careful not to make any noise from the hinge. Outside the doorway it seems that someone is transporting alcohol and food. Kwon Taek Joo found the right time and walked out quickly and quickly closed the door. He didn't let go of the tension until he completely let go of the handle. Only after the door closed did he breathe a sigh of relief. On the aisle there is only Kwon Taek Joo.

He had to find a way to return to the main hall before anyone appeared. Kwon Taek Joo immediately turned his back on the kitchen and began to walk away. There is a corridor that turns to the side not far away. Everything is going smoothly.

"Where are you going?"

Until he heard an unexpected voice. When Kwon Taek Joo stopped and turned around, the manager he met before was standing tall. His eyes looked suspiciously at Kwon Taek Joo without regretting a corner. You have to quickly find some excuse.

"I want to find a toilet."

He made the most awkward expression possible. It is a physiological problem that humans often understand. However, the manager's suspicion is not easily dispelled.

He silently checked Kwon Taek Joo little by little. He also did not avoid it, but just responded to that look. Kwon Taek Joo also tried to lift the corner of his mouth. The capital manager makes a living by dealing with people, so it is not easy to deceive him. Suspicious eyes seemed to be scratching Kwon Taek Joo's skin like glass beads.

Not long after, he signalled to a waiter who was coming out of the kitchen.

"You over there, take this guy to the toilet."

Although he said it was urgent, he still looked full of pressure. The waiter approached Kwon Taek Joo and said "Let's go."Unfortunately, the toilet is located on the opposite side of the hallway. He had no choice but to bow to the manager and follow the waiter.

Toilets are mainly used only for employees here located near the kitchen. On the way there, Kwon Taek Joo carefully looked at the ceiling, walls, columns, windows and all the gaps but did not see a single CCTV camera.

"I'm here. I ask for permission."

The waiter nodded and turned to prepare to walk away. Kwon Taek Joo obediently nestled against the wall to get out of the way and suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

"What is it..."

"You should probably take a break."

"What?"

The waiter is silly and difficult to understand. But that didn't last long either, because Kwon Taek Joo suddenly hit his weakness. The waiter, who was stunned in surprise, quickly jailed. Kwon Taek Joo pulls him inside.

After a while, he came out and looked like a perfect waiter. The door of the room where the waiter was earlier was closed. Something fell from the inside. Kwon Taek Joo took a mop that was being erected against the wall and inserted it across the door and the opposite wall. It will take a long time to spot the waiter. Kwon Taek Joo has to handle everything during that time.

He did not hesitate to go straight to the kitchen.

"Where's my Whiskey! Where did you make the canapé run! 'This lazy guy, move quickly!'"

Outside is an elegant party that is going on in full swing, but in the kitchen it is like a battlefield. The cranky and grumpy chef handed a tray of Single Malt wooden wine to Kwon Taek Joo as he entered the kitchen. He pushed his back hard and told him not to act like a slug. Just like that, Kwon Taek Joo was kicked out.

*Single Malt: a whiskey

Although quite confused, this is a good opportunity for him to enter the main hall alone. Kwon Taek Joo followed closely behind another waiter who was walking before him. Thanks to that, he could return to the main hall without getting lost. Kwon Taek Joo met the manager again when he just walked to the lobby door, but he quickly raised the tray to his shoulder and covered his face.

Recently, many people gathered in the hall, and although they were in the same space, the aspects of the conversation were very different. One side is discussing political issues with a somewhat serious face, on the other hand, young men and women giggle together. The children who were reluctantly dragged here were falling asleep, some were eating, some were sitting like dolls. It is not easy to find the usual lovely purity of children in anyone.

Kwon Taek Joo both travelled back and forth among the high-class guests and offered them to Single Malt wine on the tray, while naturally eavesdropping on the conversation back and forth. Perhaps because the space is so large that there seems to be no interesting story at all. There must be someone among these people who knows Anastasia's whereabouts.

Kwon Taek Joo decided to narrow the reach goal. A special lens worn in the left eye will quickly print the information of a specific person when he looks at them for more than 3 seconds. If you look at Lomonosov for three seconds, the words 'Valery Antonovich Lomonosov, President of Russia' will appear in one corner of the vision and disappear.

Kwon Taek Joo slowly rolled his left eye and checked each guest's face. From senior government officials, including the president, to world-renowned corporations and notorious mafia bosses, they all stand together in one place.

"This also suits you."

Kwon Taek Joo was watching around with interest when a familiar voice suddenly sounded. When he turned his head, Zhenya was standing right next to him. He reached out for a glass of Single Malt and then looked happy, probably due to the attention from around him. Kwon Taek Joo also occasionally offers wine for those who pass by in front of the two.

Zhenya muttered as he gently shook the wine in the glass.

"Isn't this a strange place? It's noisy like this like no one really exists."

He almost asked again. Feeling like he had just heard something strange, Kwon Taek Joo wondered if he had heard it wrong. But then he realised his current situation and closed his mouth, only his eyes full of suspicion glanced at Zhenya. He slowly raised the glass to his lips and changed the subject as if the previous muttering was just an illusion for Kwon Taek Joo.

"The one standing with Lomonosov is the second son of the Bogdanov family, Bazim Vissarionovich, known as one of the president's closest associates. I heard that the two of them always like to ride together once a week. He is the most influential of the Duma MPs, isn't he? In general, every public project proposed by the Russian government must go through his hands before it is approved by the president."

Come to think of it, Kwon Taek Joo heard that the head of the Bogdanov family was the real representative of Gazprom. It is understandable that his son is one of the President's close friends and also one of the influential MPs in parliament. Zhenya quickly put the empty glass in his hand down the tray and explained why the energy facility construction contract with Japan was successfully signed and why the Bogdanov family became the biggest beneficiary. He drank another glass in a row and pointed to an elderly character.

"The person in the wheelchair over there is Vissarion Romanovich, the powerful figure of the state corporation Gazprom. The reason why the Bogdanov family got what it is today is thanks to that old man who firmly grasps the energy industry. The country has survived so far thanks to the abundant resources that became a source of capital and economic support right after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The ruler of Russia is the president, but the one who really controls everything is the tycoons like him."

The true nature of the Bogdanov family is much greater than what Kwon Taek Joo imagined. Curiosities about the rest of the family also began to pop up. He quickly rolled his eyes to find Vladimir Vissarionovich, the eldest son of the Bogdanov family. After a while of searching but not finding him anywhere, Kwon Taek Joo took a glass of Single Malt and handed it to Zhenya. He understood the meaning of the act and smiled and calmly took the glass and said "He's here."

Kwon Taek Joo turned his head in the direction of Zhenya's eyes. A man was walking down the stairs and shaking hands with the guests. Surprisingly, he has a small body but makes a sharp impression.

"It is said that the eldest son, Vladimir, will take over the family business. When Vissarion Romanovich dies, he will become Russia's number one energy tycoon. Slaves give birth to slaves, kings give birth to kings. He has received more attention than his father in the industry. Some predict that the family business will grow stronger at his hands."

"People are already gathering here, so what about Psych Bogdanov? Is he the illlegitimate child of Vissarion Romanovich? A gangster like him is not really suitable for the royal family."

"Nor really. Seriously, that person is a state civil servant."

Kwon Taek Joo unconsciously turned to look at Zenya. Apparently this time he heard it wrong. Otherwise Zhenya might have told a joke that wasn't very humourous. But Zhenya only faced Kwon Taek Joo with an extremely calm expression.

Can't believe it. The person who tries to kidnap an innocent foreigner is a state civil servant. The person holding the bazooka in the centre of the city in broad daylight was a state servant... The dog passing by must have laughed to death.

But Zhenya did not correct what was said, but only added a little more detail about Psych Bogdanov.

"That person is very well versed in the Defence industry. The capacity is also quite impressive. 'In the underworld where the diverse arms trade is active, no one is unaware of him.'''

The underworld is the mafia. The fact that the mafia has become an emerging force in the Russian economy has become an obvious fact. In the past, mafia gangs maintained their strength through illegal activities such as prostitution, human trafficking, drug trafficking and violence. However, since the early 1990s, they have turned their attention to the Defence industry. As a result, they increased their income and Defence industry along with the energy industry, which has become the great power duo of today's Russian economy.

Many weapons developed in Russia are often traded through the mafia. It's because they can achieve higher returns than complying with formal and legal procedures. The government cannot help but know about the way to buy and sell advanced weapons created with the national budget. And even if they know it, they either turn a blind eye or are willing to agree. With powerful financial resources, the mafia is not the enemy of the government, but the brothers. The main living witness was the Bogdanov family.

The Bogdanov family was not too prominent in the business world before the time of Vissarion Romanovich. Their rapid emergence followed the collapse of the Soviet Union, during a period when new corporations were flourishing. Although it may be an over-conjecture, if assuming the Bogdanov family is linked to the mafia, everything can be explained, including the difficult situation they had to go through before the 1990s.

Kwon Taek Joo can also guess why Psych Bogdanov is called the 'nuclear' of Russia. Although he made enemies in the Royal Family, he still maintained a relationship in the underworld. It has become a seamless bridge between the two divided economies.

*Pants together: Bogdanov is a mafia family that emerged as a group that backs the Russian government. And Psych Bogdanov is a bridge between the Russian government/royal family and the mafia, so even if he makes enemies with the Russian government, no one can do anything to him.