Chapter 531: Once Trust Is Given, It Lasts Until the End

Upon hearing my refusal, Ivanov fell silent.

"The master of the Kremlin won't allow a threatening deputy. Medvedev has no backing; only the President's trust supports his power. But if you were to become the deputy, it would be different. Would the Siloviki follow the President's orders, or prioritize your will?"

"...."

"Using the Siloviki and oligarchs to keep each other in check—that's the President's political strategy. If one side gains too much power, a purge will eventually happen. Knowing this, do you still want to be the deputy?"

No dictator supports a single force.

Instead, they create discord. That's how dictators maintain their power.

"If you help, the President won't feel compelled to check us too harshly, right?"

No, what kind of delusion is this? He seemed to think I was the one pulling the strings behind the President.

"I don't understand what you're talking about. I feel the same way. Thanks to my investments before the President took power, I became a friend. I'm in the same boat as you. Plus, I'm a foreigner. I know for sure I won't challenge your power, which is why our relationship holds. If I were Russian… it would have been hard to get this close. Yet, I have no interest in supporting you at the cost of giving up such an advantage."

He was someone who would unhesitatingly discard me if I challenged his authority.

Of course, I wouldn't back down easily, but… the more full-scale conflicts there were, the more it would hurt me in the end.

A significant portion of my assets had already entered Russia. And more was to come.

So, I didn't want to take unnecessary risks.

My moves had already become more radical due to the changing future; I didn't wish to alter Russia's future as well.

"There's no value in abandoning my relationship with Medvedev to choose you. That's my answer."

"You'll regret this. Not taking my offered hand was a mistake."

As I firmly rejected him once more, Ivanov's expression hardened.

"Is this a threat?"

"Well, time will reveal if it's a threat or not. But I assure you, I will spare no support for this matter. Recovering the nuclear weapons in North Korea is far more crucial to us than hindering what CEO Kim Mu-hyeok does."

With that statement about support, Ivanov stood up to leave.

"As long as you support Medvedev, we won't maintain a good relationship. Think carefully before deciding."

Ivanov and Lebedev left the conference room. I didn't bother to see them off.

"Is it really okay? You could end up completely at odds with the Siloviki. This might jeopardize your business in Russia, right?"

Manager Ma asked with concern.

I kept my gaze on the door they exited and answered him.

"There's no choice. If I join forces with them, I will have to abandon Medvedev. Ditching Medvedev, to whom I already have ties, to side with these authors would be foolish."

"But Boss, they are the mainstream in Russia."

"I know. That's precisely why I refuse to ally with them. If I allied with the mainstream forces, a monster in the Kremlin would start keeping me in check. He would suspect I'm teaming up with someone who could become a king, as if he were the Tsar of Russia."

While Medvedev might not care, teaming up with Ivanov could lead to him suspecting me.

Our meeting had probably already reached his ears.

Once suspicion arises, it doesn't easily fade away.

It's either thoroughly shake it off or harbor it till the end. Those were the only two options.

"For now, being able to proceed without hindrances is enough. If this matter goes well, even if the Siloviki create obstacles, it won't hinder the business."

Could they truly stop us? It's essentially the President's cherished project.

Thoughts of a transcontinental train and oil pipeline floated through my mind.

For Russia's national interest, they could surely not interfere.

"Tell Igor to come in."

"Yes."

Manager Ma left, and I took a moment to organize my thoughts.

Suddenly, Ivanov, the head of the Siloviki, visited me and bluntly asked for my support.

And Ivanov showed no signs of hiding his greed.

While I may not believe all the authors, I had glimpsed part of the picture he was painting.

'"Perhaps he dreams of becoming the next President once his term ends."'

But I know.

That the bear lurking in the Kremlin already has plans for long-term rule.

That's why he was backing Medvedev.

He was nurturing Medvedev to momentarily hold the presidency in his stead.

After nurturing the powerless Medvedev, using him as a puppet would likely be his plan.

This would probably be revealed after re-election next year.

While organizing my thoughts, there was a knock on the door, and Igor and Manager Ma entered.

"Welcome. Please, have a seat."

Skipping the formalities, I jumped straight to the point.

Igor seemed visibly tense, probably due to the Russian military's earlier appearance.

To lighten the atmosphere, I smiled and said, "There shouldn't be any obstruction from the Russian military regarding this matter."

"Did the SVR director promise that directly?"

"No. The Minister of National Defense personally mentioned it. The SVR director seems to be one of his men. He probably tested me."

"If the Minister of National Defense said it, there shouldn't be a major issue."

"Exactly. They are sending a new commander to lead the Zaslon troops. I've promised to follow Igor's orders. There shouldn't be any major issues. But don't let your guard down. If you can win them over, try to get them aligned with you."

Igor's stiff shoulders relaxed a bit.

"Yes, understood."

"I will be leaving here in a few days. Once all preparations are complete, and the operation date is set, I will return. I'll be staying here at the camp, though I can't take you with me."

"Will the operation start within this year?"

"Possibly. The longer we wait, the less we know what might happen with Kim Jong-il. We need to move as fast as possible. Right now, North Korea is making unusually strong statements about border closures. Kim Jong-il, who in the past wouldn't have dared say such things, is now challenging China. Anything could happen at this point."

Before sanctions were even passed, China completely sealed its borders, cutting off all supplies to North Korea.

This led to a fierce backlash from Pyongyang.

Through the Korean Central TV, they were airing harsh criticisms of being shameless for cooperating with the U.S. or being agents of America—words they wouldn't have used in the past.

The more cornered Kim Jong-il felt, the deeper the tension in the Korean Peninsula became.

We needed to capture Kim Jong-il as swiftly as possible and support Jang Seong-taek in taking power.

"So, train hard. Any slight mistake could increase the chance of mission failure. So, ensure they operate like machines and stick strictly to the operational plan. If they need anything, feel free to ask for help from Russia."

"I will do that."

"That's good. I can only trust Igor. By the way, it seems Igor's name resonates quite well among the Russian military more than I know. Even the Minister of National Defense recognized you?"

I asked playfully, and Igor, not like his usual self, looked embarrassed and lowered his head.

"Those were all in the past. I've forgotten everything now."

"They were also apologizing for not taking care of you all those years. What would you do if they called you back again?"

"I'm just a mercenary now. I pledge my loyalty to the Boss as a member of Black Bear. That's my loyalty."

Igor's loyal answer brought a smile to my face.

"Good. Once this matter wraps up, there will be a significant reward. Make sure to succeed. You may leave now; I've taken enough of your time."

I sent Igor off and stood up, looking at Manager Ma and smiling.

"Manager, let's get moving. We need to start heading into Korea soon."

* * *

After a few more days of handling affairs in Russia, I headed to the airport to finally return home.

— CEO Kim Mu-hyeok. Are you returning now?

Medvedev reached out to me upon hearing my return news.

"Yes. I need to head to Korea now. I might come back soon but likely won't stop in Moscow and head directly to Vladivostok instead."

— Oh, really? Then let's plan to see each other again then. By the way… you spoke well with the Minister of National Defense, right? The President told him to ensure all support is provided.

He acted like he was in charge, showing that he indeed received direct instructions from the President.

"Yes. He assured me that all support would be given for this matter."

While organizing the events in Russia, I had a lengthy conversation with Medvedev.

Before I knew it, it was nearly time to arrive at the airport. I sensed the atmosphere and hesitated, trailing off before continuing.

"By the way…"

Though I opened my mouth, I felt conflicted. Should I say it or not?

But when building trust like this, it often pays off later.

"He asked me to support him."

"— …Sponsor him? He said that?"

"Yes. He wants me to suppress the Siloviki's discontent and support him as the deputy. I don't have any power to merit such a request…"

Even while making light chat, Medvedev's response fell silent.

He likely calculated what would happen if I joined forces with the Siloviki.

However, Medvedev soon regained his composure and posed a question.

— So, what was CEO Kim Mu-hyeok's answer?

"I refused. I see no reason to ally with them."

"— If there's value in it…"

"No. Once I take a hand, I won't release it easily, even if I suffer losses. That's how I do business, and it's my weapon. Once trust is given, it lasts until the end. Of course, if that trust breaks, I won't hesitate to bring that person down in a devastating way."

I heard a small gasp from Medvedev over the phone.

"Director of Administration, wishing to become the deputy means you are declaring war against the Director. Do you think you can compete with the Siloviki?"

To my question, Medvedev answered with confidence.

— Even if I have no power, I am not inferior to the Siloviki, you know? In the Kremlin, trust equals power.

Medvedev firmly recognized that the President's trust meant power.

He was well aware that the President's trust was directed towards him.

"Then that's a relief. Nevertheless, don't let your guard down around that person. If he sees even a slight opening, he will stab at you. Aligning with oligarchs isn't a bad approach either."

— Oligarchs. I wonder if that person would welcome me building power.

Medvedev accurately grasped why that person supported him.

"I'm not saying to build power. Just suggest keeping each other in check against the Siloviki."

— Thank you for the advice. I will think it over.

"Yes. I'll end the call now; it's time to arrive at the airport."

With that, my call with Medvedev concluded, and simultaneously, we arrived at the airport.

After a long flight, we finally touched down at Incheon Airport.

"Phew, there's nothing like Korea."

As I stepped off the plane and breathed in the Korean air, I felt inexplicably cheerful.