December 1907
The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by a pair of oil lamps and the fading glow of the fireplace. This was despite electric light bulbs already being installed throughout the room, a clear indication that the owner preferred the old ways over modern conveniences. The warm, flickering light cast long shadows across the walls, giving the room an atmosphere of quiet dignity and timeless elegance.
Polished wooden bookshelves lined the walls, filled with neatly arranged volumes bound in expensive leather. Thick carpets covered the floor, muffling every sound, while heavy curtains of expensive fabric framed the tall windows. Everything was meticulously maintained, reflecting the habits of a man accustomed to privilege, discipline, and high society.
A sudden knock broke the room's silence.
The man seated behind the desk paused in the middle of writing, setting his pen down upon the paper. He glanced briefly toward the door before leaning back slightly in his chair.
"Come in," he said.
The door opened unhurriedly, and a man dressed in a servant's uniform stepped inside.
"Milord." The servant bowed respectfully before delivering his report. "Mr. Kirilenko has sent a message regarding the shipment. It has been successfully docked and secured. He wishes to know when he should begin distributing the substance to our distributors."
The man behind the desk considered the matter for a moment before replying. "Soon. We need to make certain that no one learns about the size of this shipment. Let us wait until our contacts within the authorities give the signal to proceed."
"I understand, Milord."
The servant bowed once more and turned toward the door.
"Then I shall deliver the message immediately."
He was just about to leave when the man behind the desk called out.
"Wait."
The servant immediately straightened and looked back. "Do you require anything else, Milord?"
The man tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest of his chair.
"Did Kirilenko uncover anything regarding the Jackals?" he asked. "Has he reported anything about that up-and-coming gang in the city?"
The servant shook his head. "No, Milord. He mentioned nothing about the gang. His message concerned only the shipment."
A slight frown appeared on the man's face. "Ask him about it. It has been nearly a year already. We cannot afford to become complacent simply because we have friends within the government. I want to know whether they will become a problem in the future."
"As you wish, Milord. I will include it in the message."
The man behind the desk nodded before waving a hand dismissively. "Go."
The servant bowed one final time and quietly left the room.
Once he was alone again, the man could not help but shake his head in disappointment.
It seemed he might need to appoint a new leader to oversee his gang's operations within the city. The current one had grown far too comfortable in his position and, in doing so, had become complacent. That was something he could not afford.
The amount of goods currently passing through their organization was worth far more than the income generated by any of his estates and legitimate holdings. A business of that scale required vigilance at all times, not carelessness.
For now, however, he decided to give Kirilenko a little more time.
If the man still failed to uncover anything useful about the Jackals by next year, then a change in leadership would become necessary.
Having reached a decision, he pushed the matter to the back of his mind and turned his attention to the papers spread across his desk.
—----
The streets of Saint Petersburg lay buried beneath a thick blanket of snow, their usual bustle long since faded into silence. It was already deep into the night, a time when most of the city's residents had retreated to the warmth of their homes, leaving only the occasional distant carriage, wandering drunkard, or lone watchman to disturb the stillness. Yet despite the cold, the dangers that lurked in the darkness, and the late hour itself, Alexei walked through the snow-covered streets alone, unhurried and patient, his footsteps leaving a solitary trail behind him.
It had been a few weeks since his mother had revealed that he was expected to choose from among the carefully selected princesses she deemed suitable matches for him. Yet even now, Alexei had been unable to make a decision.
How could he? Every time he looked at the photographs, all he saw were children.
Some were younger than him, while others were only a few years older, but none of that changed the fact that they were still children in his eyes. No matter how beautiful, intelligent, or well-bred they might be, he simply could not bring himself to view any of them as potential wives.
And if he was being completely honest with himself, even their beauty failed to leave much of an impression on him. During his time in the cultivation world, he had encountered countless jade beauties whose appearances seemed almost unreal, women whose grace and beauty had captivated entire sects, powerful clans, kingdoms and empires. Compared to them, the young princesses in the photographs simply appeared ordinary to him.
As a result, no matter how long he stared at them, he found himself unable to feel anything beyond mild appreciation. Certainly not enough to imagine any of them as his future wife.
In addition, if he were being completely honest with himself, he still could not picture himself as a married man in this life, especially not at such a young age. He had not even married in his first life before death claimed him, nor had he been given the chance in his second life before he was betrayed by his senior brother and met his end.
Now, after living through multiple lives, experiencing those tragedies, and carrying memories that no ordinary person should possess, the idea of marriage felt strangely distant to him. Sometimes, when he thought about it too deeply, he even found himself afraid of it.
As for why? He did not know.
Alexei quickly shook the thought from his mind and refocused on the present. There was little point worrying about a future that had yet to arrive. If necessary, he would simply delay the matter of marriage for as long as possible and deal with it only when he could no longer avoid it.
Having reached that conclusion, he felt somewhat relieved.
As for meeting the princesses themselves, he had already come up with an idea. Rather than having them travel all the way to Russia, he could visit them in their own countries instead. The arrangement would serve as a convenient excuse to leave the empire for a time while also giving him the opportunity to see the world of this timeline with his own eyes.
The more he thought about it, the more appealing the idea became.
Surely his mother would approve of such a plan. His father likely would as well. After all, they were the ones pushing this matter onto him in the first place.
He could already imagine the disappointment on their faces when he told them that he still could not decide and needed more time when all of the visits were done. The thought almost made him smile behind his mask.
A moment later, he stepped aside to avoid a drunken man staggering down the road toward him.
"Watch where you're going, boy!" the drunkard slurred as they passed one another.
Alexei merely glanced at the man for a brief moment. Seeing that the drunkard had no intention of causing further trouble and was already stumbling away in another direction, he paid him no further attention. Without a word, he turned his gaze back to the road ahead and continued on his way through the nearly silent streets of Saint Petersburg.
However, once he entered the territory controlled by his organization, the atmosphere changed noticeably. The streets were no longer quiet and deserted. Though it was still deep into the night, there were people moving about everywhere. Drunkards staggered from one establishment to another, small groups chatted along the roadside, and patrols regularly walked through the streets, keeping a watchful eye on the area.
Eventually, Alexei arrived outside one of the taverns owned by his organization. Even at this late hour, the establishment remained packed with patrons. Laughter, drunken singing, and the clinking of mugs spilled out through the doors each time someone entered or left. The tavern was as lively as ever, showing no signs of slowing down for the night.
Seeing this, Alexei could not help but feel a sense of satisfaction. At this rate, the streets under his organization's control would soon become one of the liveliest parts of the city after dark.
Of course, growth brought its own challenges. He would need to think of additional legitimate businesses to expand their already growing enterprise while ensuring that security remained tight throughout their territory. Prosperity attracted attention, and attention inevitably attracted trouble. If he wanted his organization to continue thriving, he would have to make certain that both their finances and their defenses grew alongside it.
Once his curiosity was satisfied, Alexei left the still-lively section of their territory and continued deeper into the district where their headquarters was located.
Technically, it was still considered part of the slums. In reality, however, that description had long since become inaccurate.
The streets were noticeably cleaner than many other parts of Saint Petersburg. Trash no longer piled up in the alleys, the roads were maintained regularly, and even the people living there appeared healthier and better dressed than before. The transformation had been gradual enough that few outsiders had paid much attention to it, yet anyone familiar with the area would immediately notice the difference.
The only thing that still preserved the illusion of a slum was the appearance of the buildings themselves.
Many of the houses remained deliberately shabby-looking, with weathered walls, faded paint, and aging roofs. Most of it was cosmetic. Alexei had no intention of allowing the district to suddenly transform into a prosperous neighborhood overnight. Such a drastic change would only attract unwanted attention from the authorities, rival gangs, and opportunistic businessmen.
For now, maintaining appearances was the wiser choice. After all, the less people looked at the area, the safer his organization remained.
As he continued walking, the number of people on the streets gradually decreased. The lively atmosphere surrounding the taverns and businesses faded behind him, replaced by quieter roads regularly patrolled by the Jackals. However, Alexei made no effort to reveal himself to them. The last time he had done so, it had resulted in an unnecessary misunderstanding and a barrage of questions from concerned subordinates. Tonight, and every other night, he had no desire to repeat that experience. It was far easier to remain unnoticed and avoid the checks, reports, and inquiries they would inevitably direct at him.
Besides, he still had not devised a proper system for identifying himself to his subordinates without removing his mask. At the moment, both he and his men relied on coded questions and responses to verify one another's identities. The method worked well enough, but it was hardly ideal. One day, he would need to come up with something more efficient.
Eventually, he arrived at the headquarters without any trouble. This time, however, he revealed himself to the guards stationed at the entrance, something he could not avoid. Unlike the patrols outside, the guards assigned to the headquarters had strict orders to challenge and verify anyone attempting to enter. If he simply barged inside without identifying himself, they would not hesitate to stop him by force and, if necessary, attack first and ask questions later.
Alexei had designed the security measures that way himself. After all, it was only a matter of time before someone attempted to imitate him or infiltrate the organization by pretending to be one of its leaders. He had no intention of allowing a security breach simply because his men were too trusting.
After exchanging the necessary identification phrases and hand seals, the guards immediately stepped aside and allowed him to enter.
Alexei had only just crossed the front lawn when he heard laughter, cheerful shouting, and the unmistakable sound of lively conversation coming from deeper within the compound. His curiosity was piqued, but he continued walking without investigating immediately.
It was only when he arrived at the central courtyard that he finally discovered the source of the commotion. A barbecue party.
Several of his minions had gathered around large grills, roasting meat while others sat nearby eating, drinking, and chatting amongst themselves. The atmosphere was surprisingly festive for such a late hour.
Alexei looked around the courtyard for a moment before immediately spotting the reason behind the celebration.
"Master!" Petrov's voice rang out across the courtyard.
The boy immediately abandoned the group he had been talking to and sprinted toward him. Before Alexei could even react, Petrov had already reached him and wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug.
Alexei blinked in surprise. He had not expected Petrov to miss him quite that much. Still, he quickly recovered and returned the embrace.
"Welcome back, Petrov," he said with a faint smile.
Petrov finally let go and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly before grinning. "I just got back from boarding school."
"I can see that." Alexei smiled back before reaching out and patting the boy's head, which now reached nearly to his shoulder. "You've grown."
Petrov's grin widened at the praise. "Well, I've been eating properly this time."
Alexei chuckled softly as he looked him over. The boy did indeed seem healthier than before. His frame had filled out, though not enough to make him look fat, and there was a newfound confidence in his posture that had not been there when Alexei had first met him, his sister, and his brothers. The timid child he remembered was slowly disappearing, replaced by someone who looked far more assured of himself and his place in the world.
"Come over here, Master! The barbecue is finally ready!" Anna called out from beside the grill, where she had been busy cooking for everyone.
"Coming," Alexei replied immediately. There was no chance he was going to miss Anna's barbecue.
He then nodded toward Petrov. "Let's go."
Together, the two of them made their way toward the others, where the smell of grilled meat filled the cold night air.
"Please, have a seat, Master." Oskar immediately handed him a stool as soon as he approached the gathering.
Alexei nodded toward him. "Thank you.
The moment he sat down, he added with a faint smile, "It seems I arrived at exactly the right time."
"Right?" Sergey replied as he threw an arm around Petrov's shoulders and vigorously ruffled his younger brother's hair. "This fellow finally remembered how to come home."
Petrov immediately struggled to free himself from his brother's grip, but after several futile attempts, he gave up and let out a defeated sigh.
"It's Sister," he muttered. "She wouldn't let me come back no matter how many times I asked."
He had spoken quietly, but everyone around the barbecue heard him clearly enough.
The moment he realized that, Petrov froze and quickly covered his mouth with both hands before staring at Anna in horror.
Anna, however, merely smiled sweetly at her brother.
"I'm sorry about that, Brother," she said without the slightest trace of guilt. "At the time, we were still expanding and consolidating our territory. I couldn't risk letting you come back while everything was still unstable." She paused before continuing. "But now we've secured our position and control enough territory to keep things under control. You can come home whenever you have time."
Then her smile sharpened slightly. "Just remember not to reveal your real identity. Otherwise, you won't be the only one suffering. We both will."
Hearing that, Petrov lowered his gaze and remained silent for a few moments. Eventually, he nodded. "I understand, Sister."
When he looked back up, a small smile had appeared on his face. "As long as I can visit during breaks, I won't hold it against you anymore."
Alexei immediately began clapping. "That's more like it."
The others quickly caught on and joined him, the brief tension around the brother and sister disappearing almost instantly.
Sergey took the opportunity to ruffle Petrov's hair one final time before finally releasing him.
"Don't worry, Brother," he said. "Our sister won't stop you from coming home anymore. She already promised us that."
Petrov nodded in response.
"Alright, that's enough drama for one night," Anna declared as she finished preparing the already cooked batch of barbecue. "Eat before everything gets cold."
No one argued with that. Plates were quickly filled, mugs were passed around, and before long everyone was busy eating, with the sole exception of Anna, who had already begun grilling another batch of barbecue for the group.
The silence did not last long.
"The Jackals almost broke even last month," Nikolai suddenly declared with obvious pride while looking at his master. "We only fell short after paying everyone's salaries. But it doesn't matter. We finally have a source of revenue we can rely on. I'll make sure we break even this month, or at the very latest, next year."
Alexei glanced toward Anna, knowing she would be the one who could confirm whether Nikolai was exaggerating or not.
Noticing her master's gaze, Anna nodded.
"It's true," she said. "They almost broke even last month, and it won't be long before they can sustain themselves entirely. Your idea of paying the Jackals for their services is working." She paused before adding, "Though it has also increased the operating expenses of our taverns and other businesses."
A faint smile appeared beneath Alexei's mask when he heard the confirmation.
"It's only natural to pay the Jackals for their work," he replied. "This arrangement is better in the long run. You no longer have to cover their salaries from your own funds, and eventually Nikolai will be able to support the entire organization through its own operations."
He then turned toward Nikolai, who was still wearing an unbearably smug expression while devouring a skewer of barbecue.
"Just don't force small business owners to hire your men if they don't want to," Alexei warned. "We need them to trust us, not resent us because they think we're extorting them."
"Don't worry, Master. I've got it handled." Nikolai grinned confidently. "I finally figured out how to turn us into a profitable security company. We just need more businesses operating within our territory. Once they're established, they'll hire us on their own. They already know that having Jackals around their shops and taverns means protection. We don't even need to advertise anymore. They come to us instead."
Alexei shook his head.
Only a few months ago, Nikolai had been tearing his hair out trying to figure out how to keep the Jackals funded. The gang had been the single most expensive branch of their organization to maintain. Now, however, the man looked as though he had discovered a gold mine.
After a moment, Alexei spoke again. "Continue recruiting more men. We may expand our territory next year, or perhaps the year after, depending if Ivan finds something in his investigation next year or the year after."
He paused and looked around the courtyard. "Speaking of which, where is Ivan anyway?"
Oskar answered between bites of barbecue. "He's personally tracking someone."
"Someone important?"
Oskar shrugged. "I don't know. He didn't say."
Alexei nodded and let the matter rest for now. If Ivan was personally handling the investigation, then there was probably a good reason for it.
Their gathering lasted until late into the night. Between sharing food, catching up with Petrov, and discussing various matters concerning the organization, the hours passed far more quickly than Alexei had expected. Before leaving, he also held a brief meeting with Anna regarding the organization's finances. The report was encouraging. Their income had continued to grow steadily throughout the later half of the year, largely thanks to the newly established taverns and the finished expansion of the gambling dens and pleasure houses across the newly conquered territory.
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A/N: Please don't forget to rate and review the story after reading. And if you want to read ahead. You know where to look.