Chapter 177: No More Joking Around

I pushed open the door to the mansion’s annex reception room.

Ivanov sat comfortably in a chair, surrounded by mercenaries keeping a close watch on him.

Yet, there was no hint of tension on Ivanov’s face..

In fact, he even smiled at me as I entered.

“President Kim, it’s nice to see you again.”

Ivanov spoke as if he weree relaxed.

“Indeed. It’s good to see you, Ivanov.””

I settled into the chair that Manager Ma had brought, crossing my legs.

“I should have realized you were more aggressive than I expected when you brought Igor with you; I didn’t think you’d strike openly in Moscow.”

Ivanov replied without a ccare in the world. Perhaps it’s because he used to be KGB, but he seemed adept at hiding his emotions.

Even though I had captured him, I couldn’t fathom why he would need to keep tabs on me.

“If you had warned me, you might’ve thought twice about it. Shouldn’t you have weighed whether I would be more beneficial to Putin than you?”

“I never thought I’d lose to someone who has only known Putin for two years. I guess I’ve lost my touch.”

Despite the self-deprecation, Ivanov’s expression remainned calm.

“It’ll be difficult to survive. You’ll serve as a lesson for those who underestimate me.”

“Ha ha, I know. This has happened before.”

It was starting to make sense why he appeared so nonchalant.

“The only thing that’s changed since then is that I sat in President Kim’s seat.”

“If you’re going to let me go, could you help satisfy my curiosity?”

That was the reason I had ordered him to be captured.

I needed to know if the Siloviki were truly concerned about me or if it was just Ivanov’s personal paranoiaa.

And what the reasons behind it were.

“I have something I’m curious about too; let’s alternate questions and answers. If you don’t want to answer, then I won’t either. How does that sound?”

I kept my eyes fixed on Ivanov..

Looking into his sunken eyes made me consider whether I should torture him.

Ivanov must have picked upp on my thoughts as he chuckled softly.

“Whether through torture or drugs, you’re not going to get the answers you want from me. The first training KGB agents undergo is to build resistance to torture and drugs.”

But how would he know unless he tried?

Just as I was getting lost in cruel thoughts, Igor, who had been standing beside us, chimed in.

“It’s true that confessions or drugs don’t work on KGB alumni. We train, but there’s no comparison to their training intensity.”

I turned back to Ivanov after Igor’s commennt.

“I guess you’re quite curious about me.”

“That goes both ways, doesn’t it?”

“Well, fine. Let’s do it your way then.”

I ordered all the mercenaries to leave, leaving only Manager Ma and Igor behind.

“President Kim, we’re going to have an honest conversation. Wouldn’t a drink be in order? I’d like to have one last shot of vodka.”

This guy really knows no bounds.

A thought crossed my mind to just kill him, but I still had unanswered questions, so I decided to hold back.

I nodded towards Manager Ma.

“If someone saw us, they might think you’re the guest, Ivanov.””

“No matter what I do, I can’t find a way to survive. This little indulgence isn’t so bad as I make my way to my end, right?”

“Take it easy. Curiosity or whatever, I could just kill you anytime.”

The conversation was growing terse.

Soon after, the door opened, and Manager Ma returned with the drinks.

Pouring a shot of vodka into a small glass, he asked.

“I’ll go first. What’s the real reason you came to find me?”

Ivanov raised the glass too his lips and drank it in one go before answering.

“Just as I said back then; I came to deliver a warning to stay away from Putin. You’d be a stumbling block for what I plan.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“Calm down. Isn’t it my turn now?”

Chuckling, Ivanov grabbed the vodka bbottle and poured another shot into his glass.

The vodka quickly filled the small glass.

“What exactly is your identity? I couldn’t fathom why you approached Putin. You’re not short on cash, and Dream High’s assets alone are astronomical.”

Ivanov tipped his glass baack as he raised a brow.

“What are you trying to gain by sponsoring Putin in Russia?”

“Wealth without power is meaningless. I will make Putin the emperor of Russia. And when I want it, I’ll use Russia’s powers for myself.”

“As expected.”

Ivanov nodded, seemingly iin agreement.

He wasted no time firing off another question.

“Why would I hinder whatever it is you want to do? What exactly are you attempting?”

“I’m sure Putin has promised you, right? To hand you Gazprom’s stocks and some of Russia’s leading companies.”

Ivanov seemed to have guesssed our deal.

Without a word, I observed him.

“But I wanted to give those shares to someone else. That’s why I came to warn you. I should have killed you back then instead of warning you.”

Ivanov took another shot wwhile allowing a sardonic grin to surface.

“I never expected you to move so fast. I must have misjudged you.”

Even as the de facto leader of the Siloviki, Ivanov couldn’t deploy thee army without Putin’s approval.

He came with a warning, yet it seems he could do nothing but warn.

He intended to pass those privileges to someone else rather than keep them for himself.

“Now it’s my turn. How did you know Putin would become president? No one could have predicted that. Everyone thought Zyuganov or Primakov would follow Yeltsin.”

Ivanov’s voice was riddledd with curiosity, revealing just how genuinely baffled he was.

“Yet from the beginning, you came to Russia searching for Putin. It was none other than Putin. And you supported him, as if you were someone who knew the future.”

Ivanov’s elite status in tthe intelligence community let him piece together bits of information leading to an answer.

The gap he perceived must have piqued his curiosity.

When I first arrived in Russia, the plan had been to meet Putin directly.

However, I had no intention of revealing that I knew the future.

“I never thought he’d become president. I merely wanted to get close to Putin, the head of the FSB, to conduct business in Russia.”

To convey it straightforwardly, I shrugged my shoulders, acting unconcerned.

“Things just fell into place; I got lucky.”

Ivanov erupted into laughtter at my response.

“Ha ha, you’ve got to be kidding! Lucky? It sounds like fortune smiles upon you from all sides. Fine, I’ll let that slide.”

Ivanov didn’t seem convincced but chose not to dig deeper.

He wouldn’t suspect that I knew the future.

It seemed my tedious exchange of questions was nearing its end.

“One last question. Whom were you planning to transfer Gazprom’s stocks to instead of me?”

“Hmm…”

Up until now, Ivanov had readily answereed every question, yet this time around, he hesitated slightly.

“There’s no way a Russian would like a Jew, and there’s no chance you’d give it to an American. So that leaves those European aristocrats?”

Although I already knew the answer, I spoke playfully, causing Ivanov to raise an eyebroww.

“I suppose Putin has disclosed that much to you. The two of you have a closer relationship than I imagined. Then again, seeing as he chose you over me, it’s not hard to see.”

“So who is it?”

While the comment about being chosen rubbed me the wrong way, I chose not to dwell on it.

“They’re the ones who’ve supported me for a long time, but I’m not sure who they are.”

Ivanov shook his head slowwly, continuing.

“I only received instructions to have a few shares of Gazprom and some companies disposed of that will be up for sale.”

“Where did they tell you to transfer them?”

“UT Investment Bank.”

I recognized the name.

They were the ones who had recently approached Han Gyeong-yeong and set up futures contracts.

Was it a coincidence? I thought for a moment, but there was no way that could be a coincidence.

“How many people like you are there in Russia?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been under their sponsorship since before I joined the KGB. So, there can’t be just a couple out there. I wouldn’t know because my two questions exceeded the limit?”

Ivanov flashed a cheeky smmile.

“No more joking around.”

“I’ve still got a question left.”

“You don’t seem genuinely curious, do you? Fine, then just pass along what information you have.”

Ivanov clicked his tongue lightly, seeming annoyed that my joke didn’t land as he offered his reply.

“Well, there’s nothing really significant to share. I only know as much as an average person. I guess I know more than Putin did when he was the head of the FSB.”

Ivanov’s expression was soo indifferent that it didn’t seem like a lie.

I couldn’t glean any more information from him.

The only useful bit I got was that UT Investment Bank was someone’s underling.

It was a bit deflating, but not a bad harvest.

The reason why they had tried to keep tabs on me wasn’t due to any personal vendetta; it turned out it was just directives from people who were unsettled with my presence in Russia.

‘Using someone like Ivanov as nothing more thaan a pawn…’

Something much larger was at play than I initially thought.

“If you have any last words, say them.”

I no longer had any business with Ivanov..

“I had fun. It’s a shame.”

As Ivanov poured vodka into hhis glass, his hand was noticeably trembling.

No matter how tough he pretended to be, this was going beyond his limits.

I had never seen someone who appeared unflappable in the face of death.

“Can I smoke a cigar before I die?”

I nodded and got up from my seat.

I had no intentions of interrupting his final moments.

“The body will float in the Moscow River; I must warn others. Especially the Siloviki and oligarchs in Russia, as well as those standing behind you.”

Forewarning was a form of consideration.

Although he had been used, Ivanov was worth it..

Before leaving the reception room, I glanced at Igor.

“Please send him off in one go. And toss the body into the Moscow River.”

“Understood.”

Without looking back, I exited the reception room.

Moments later, as I stepped outside the annex, a single gunshot shattered the night sky.

‘Russia has been tidied up somewhat.’

I gazed at the night sky for a moment before turning away.

A national assembly election was on the horizon. It was time to return to Korea.

* * *

“I hear Ivanov’s body is floating in the Moscow River.”

Lorenze Medici commented while looking at the man in front of him.

“Really? That’s unfortunate. He was a loyal dog, wasn’t he, Lorenze?”

“Indeed. For now, I need to pause my activities in Russia. I must establish a force to counter Putin.”

Despite the death of someone who had followed them, they spoke as if it were of little consequence.

“Unfortunately, our family hasn’t been paying much attention to Russia.”

“You should have been the head of the family. Isn’t that right, Mikael?”

The man named Mikael Valenbergh smiled and responded.

“How could I succeed your position with you around? That’s absurd, ha ha.”

“Your family really favors primogeniture. Even with your greater ability, they fail to give you a chance.”

“Let’s drop that topic, Lorenze.”

Mikael’s face, which had been wearing a mask of joy, hardened.

Lorenze waved his hand with a smile.

“I’m just expressing my regret. It wasn’t my intention to criticize your family.”

“I understand.”

“By the way, it would be foolish to leave Russia to Kim Mu-hyeok. People are dismissng him.”

As Lorenze tapped his fingers on the table, he fell deep into thought.

Kim Mu-hyeok was moving faster tan they had anticipated.

“It can’t be helped. For half a century, there hasn’t been anyone threatening us.”

“If you let your guard down, trouble comes knocking. Our family once almost faced extinction in a single moment.”

Although Lorenze spoke with apparent ease, Mikael couldn’t laugh knowing the Medici family’s past.

“Still, I appreciate your help.”

“I wouldn’t refuse the opportunity to make money. Although, it does require more funding than I was prepared for.”

Lorenze laughed at Mikael’s exaggerated complaints.

“Don’t worry. It’s a deal we can’t lose. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s true. Unless another global event like World War II occurs, companies like Microsoft or Amazon won’t see their stocks drop below half.”

“I think the same. For some reason, Dream High always knows how to make money.”

Dream High’s strategy could be summed up in one phrase.

“High risk, high return. Of course, back then we weren’t paying attention to Dream High, and things are different now.”

Lorenze narrowed his eyes, while Mikael nodded.

“Exactly. It’s free money, ha ha ha.”

The contract made between Dream High and UT Investment was not a standard options deal.

The contract stipulated that if the stock prices of the top ten NASDAQ companies fell below a set price, payments would be made.

Every month, Dream High faced substantial losses.

“If things go south, we can always reach out to the Rothschild family for help, most banks on Wall Street are under their influence. They may be despicable, but they do possess talent.”

The thought of losing to Kim Mu-hyeok never crossed theirminds.