General Vigtor handed over the floor to the Army General who had participated in the Chechen campaign, allowing him to present a summary of the operation.
This process lasted for about 45 minutes. Everyone in attendance listened attentively—there was no sign of impatience or anyone dozing off.
Sitting in the front row, Mavi also focused intently on the report. After all, with so many high-ranking officials watching, even a mont of distraction could leave a bad impression.
After another ten minutes, General Vigtor picked up a list from the podium and announced loudly to the audience, "Now, please welco Valenkin Ivanovich Topolov, Igor Mikhailovich Bobreshev... and Mavi Ivanovich Mikoyan to the stage!"
General Vigtor read more than a dozen Russian nas, with Mavi's na appearing at the very end.
Hearing his na called, Mavi swallowed nervously before standing up. Under the watchful eyes of the high-ranking officials, he took asured steps toward the stage.
Though the distance was only a few ters, it felt like a half-hour journey to Mavi—especially when he unintentionally glanced toward the front row and saw the Russian President looking directly at him.
For a brief mont, their eyes t. That gaze alone was enough to make Mavi feel a surge of nervousness. His lips and throat went dry.
Once all the nad individuals had lined up neatly on stage, Mavi noticed countless military and political leaders in the audience directing their attention toward them. The sheer magnitude of the occasion was overwhelming.
At that mont, General Vigtor, holding a microphone, spoke from the side, "Ladies and gentlen, standing before you are the officers and soldiers who made outstanding contributions to the Chechen campaign. They are heroes of Russia! Now, let us welco our esteed President to personally present them with their awards!"
As General Vigtor finished speaking, the room erupted in applause.
From the front row, the Russian President stood up solemnly and walked straight toward the stage.
At the sa ti, two female Russian officers, who had been waiting nearby, gracefully approached with trays carrying dals.
As the President arrived at the front of the stage, General Vigtor naturally handed him the microphone. "Mr. President, please say a few words."
Taking the microphone, the Russian President spoke briefly but powerfully: "Thank you all for your outstanding contributions to our country."
With that, he picked up the Zhukov dal from the female officer's tray and began awarding it to each of the honorees on stage. This dal was given to individuals who had made exceptional contributions to Russia's military efforts, particularly in ground warfare and large-scale operations.
Mavi was honored to receive this prestigious award, personally bestowed upon him by the Russian President himself. The sense of pride was indescribable.
As the President continued down the line, pinning dals onto each recipient's chest, Mavi discreetly checked the pace of the ceremony and realized he was just two people away from his turn.
Thump, thump, thump! His heartbeat quickened—whether from nervousness or sothing else, he wasn't sure.
But that hardly mattered now. In just thirty seconds, he would be standing only ten inches away from the Russian President.
At this mont, Mavi's mind felt blank. He wasn't thinking about anything in particular—just waiting for the inevitable.
He didn't have to wait long. Soon, the Russian President, dressed in a formal suit, appeared right in front of him, his face solemn as he held the prestigious Zhukov dal in his hand.
"Thank you for your service to our country," the President said in a low voice before deftly pinning the dal onto Mavi's chest. He then shook Mavi's hand and posed for a photograph with him.
---
Five minutes later, the entire award ceremony concluded amidst thunderous applause from the high-ranking officials.
The photograph of Mavi and the Russian President was developed the next day and sent both to the Mikoyan family and his own ho.
To prevent this precious photograph from being ruined by his two mischievous siblings—or his equally mischievous child—Mavi instructed the butler to have a craftsman create a sturdy fra and hang it on the wall.
With the large-scale Chechen campaign successfully concluded (though sporadic guerrilla conflicts remained), Mavi's status within the Russian military soared. Many no longer saw him rely as a capable arms dealer—he was increasingly regarded as one of their own.
Because of this strong connection, coupled with Mavi's sharp business acun, the Russian governnt assigned him a major client to handle.
And that client was none other than Vietnam—the "Little Overlord" of Southeast Asia, which had previously spent $1 billion purchasing military equipnt from Russia in another tiline.
In this world, however, it was Vietnam's first ti engaging in such a transaction with Russia. They were unsure about what to buy—fighter jets, Kilo-class submarines, Grisha-class frigates, or T-90S main battle tanks. They needed recomndations, and Mavi was entrusted with full responsibility.
Vietnam's military procurent budget for this deal was also $1 billion. Leading the delegation was Pri Minister Nguyen Phi Anh, accompanied by representatives from the Vietnase Navy, Army, and Air Force. Their mission was to visit Russia, conduct inspections, and decide how to allocate the funds.
"Mavi, the Vietnase delegation is expected to arrive in Russia next Tuesday at 11 a.m. We hope you can represent our military and properly receive them. Let us know if you need any assistance," said a courteous middle-aged Russian officer over the phone.
Mavi thought for a mont before replying in a deep voice, "Understood. Leave it to —I won't disappoint you."
After hanging up, Mavi sat in contemplation.
How exactly should he "host" these so-called guests from Vietnam?
To Mavi, Vietnam was nothing but a backstabbing opportunist.
Vietnam had once received imnse support from China, which had helped it defeat both France and the United States, two Western powers. But afterward, Vietnam's ambition swelled rapidly. It began referring to itself as the "Little Overlord of Southeast Asia" and even the world's third-strongest military power.
User Comments
0 comments from readers