As for the other victims, Mavi wanted to save them, but he was powerless. He couldn't prevent such things from happening, and even if he spoke up, the Americans might not believe him.
Worse yet, they might turn against him, interrogating him harshly about how he knew such things—perhaps even suspecting him of being involved with terrorists...
"Alright! Where are we going?" Jennifer asked over the phone.
"Come to Russia. Bring your whole family—I'll host you," Mavi said with foresight.
"Okay! I'll ask my dad and mom," Jennifer replied happily, unaware of the situation.
Only Mavi felt uneasy, unsure whether the disaster from his past life would happen again. But he wasn't Superman—he couldn't save everyone. That much, he understood clearly.
After finishing the call, Mavi took a hot shower. Then, out of nowhere, he received a call from the Kremlin.
The Russian president wanted to buy the 30%-completed Ulyanovsk-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier from Mavi's Black Sea Shipyard.
"Hello? Is this Mr. Mavi? This is Mikhail—we spoke on the phone before. Do you remember me? Here's the situation: His Excellency, the President, wants to revive the Russian Navy. So, regarding the Ulyanovsk-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier at Ukraine's Black Sea Shipyard, what price would you consider reasonable?"
Mikhail, a national security advisor to the Russian president, was one of Putin's closest confidants.
The reason they wanted to buy a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was simple: every time Russia participated in the Rim of the Pacific Military Exercise, their fleet was utterly outmatched by the U.S. Navy. Not only did the Americans have several more carriers, but even the Royal Navy was on the verge of surpassing Russia in aircraft carrier numbers...
For Russia—the world's second-strongest military power—this was humiliating. Their naval power had always been a weakness.
Fortunately, after recently defeating Chechen terrorists and reclaiming Chechnya, Russia had also regained control over the Caucasus region's vast oil and natural gas reserves. These resources would allow Russia to rise as a global energy powerhouse, capable of competing with Saudi Arabia.
"Ulyanovsk-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier?" Mavi asked instinctively. The cost of building a nuclear-powered carrier exceeded $650 million, while the usual export price was around $5 billion.
As the saying goes, even among brothers, financial matters must be settled clearly. Setting the right price for this transaction was a delicate issue between Russia and Ukraine.
If the price was too high, it could strain relations between the two nations—many countries had turned into adversaries over economic disputes.
If the price was too low, Ukraine would lose out on profits. The country was already short on money, making this another potential instability factor.
"Mr. Mikhail, regarding the price, you know that I'm just a weapons dealer—I don't have full authority over this matter. You'll need to consult the Ukrainian Navy for their input," Mavi replied. This was a multi-billion-dollar deal, and he had no intention of making unilateral decisions.
If he mishandled the deal, he'd end up being resented by both sides—like Zhu Bajie looking in the mirror: ugly from every angle. It was better to let Russia and Ukraine negotiate directly.
"Alright, Mr. Mavi, I understand," Mikhail said. As a rational man, he didn't press the matter. Instead, he would approach Ukraine directly.
After the call, Mavi still had a nagging feeling that something big was about to happen. This vague unease unsettled him, though he couldn't pinpoint why...
### One Week Later
The Russian government and the Ukrainian government negotiated an agreement:
- Russia offered $1.2 billion worth of oil and natural gas in exchange for the Ulyanovsk-class aircraft carrier from Ukraine's Black Sea Shipyard.
- To ensure a long-term partnership, Russia also promised to establish an oil pipeline from the Caucasus to Ukraine's national oil and gas company, guaranteeing an annual supply of 8 million tons of discounted crude oil.
This was the best deal Russia could offer. Given the state of their economy, oil and natural gas were their most valuable assets. A barter trade was the most practical approach—it was now up to Ukraine to decide.
"Mavi, Russia is offering $1.2 billion worth of oil and gas, plus an annual 8-million-ton crude oil supply as part of the deal. Should we accept?"
Although Mavi had distanced himself from the Russia-Ukraine negotiations, that didn't mean they wouldn't seek his opinion.
Sure enough, after Mikhail's call last week, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Snezhnaya and Admiral Petrovich reached out to him for advice.
After all, Mavi owned 50% of the Black Sea Shipyard. Avoiding involvement wasn't so easy.
"I think it's a decent offer… Given the emerging global energy crisis, oil and gas will only become more critical in the future. I've even heard that Saudi Arabia's oil reserves are running low," Mavi said over the phone, offering a neutral opinion without forcing a decision.
### But Then…
Shortly after the call, Deputy Prime Minister Snezhnaya urgently contacted him with bad news!
"Mavi, the European Union seems to be making a move. The moment they found out we were selling the Ulyanovsk-class carrier, they rushed their diplomats to Ukraine—offering a higher price to outbid Russia!"
Snezhnaya was well aware that the EU had ulterior motives.
By offering more money, they weren't just trying to buy the aircraft carrier—they were deliberately trying to sow discord between Russia and Ukraine, weakening their alliance.
As for where the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier would end up?
Coincidentally, South Korea, a country known for its ambition and vanity, had been eager to purchase an aircraft carrier.
### The Korean Factor
In this alternate timeline, South Korea never bought two scrapped aircraft carriers from Russia after World War II. As a result, they had always felt restless about not owning a carrier.
By 2001, South Korea's economy had grown rapidly—from a per capita GDP of less than $80 in 1960 to $9,800 in 2001.
They definitely had the financial strength to compete with Russia for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
Unlike the Cold War era, South Korea's relationship with the U.S. was not as close in this world. Instead, they had aligned more with the European Union, which had rescued them in the past.
Moreover, the Americans were unwilling to sell them a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
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(End of Chapter)