Petrovich shifted the topic and said, "Mr. Mavi, I need to inform you in advance that once you acquire a 50% stake in the Black Sea Shipyard, you will also have to bear a proportionate share of its annual losses." He was an upright person who preferred to state any unpleasant facts upfront to avoid any misunderstandings.
"That's not a problem, Admiral Petrovich," Mavi replied calmly with a nod. Then, with the assistance of his lawyer, he signed the share transfer agreement for the Black Sea Shipyard with the Ukrainian Navy.
Once the contract was signed, Mavi felt a great sense of relief. At this moment, Admiral Petrovich returned to his original question: "Mr. Mavi, now can you explain how you plan to turn the shipyard's situation around?"
Seeing the Ukrainian admiral pressing him again, Mavi knew that if he continued to withhold information, it would only create distrust. So, he smiled and said in front of both Petrovich and Sheknia, "I believe the key to reviving the Black Sea Shipyard lies in the two aircraft carriers docked inside."
"Aircraft carriers? You mean the Varyag and the Ulyanovsk?" Admiral Petrovich immediately narrowed his eyes and asked. These two aircraft carriers had been sitting in the shipyard for over a decade. There had been attempts to sell them, but few countries could afford such purchases.
"Yes, I believe I have a way to sell these two aircraft carriers." During the 1990s, many countries lacked the economic strength to purchase aircraft carriers. However, by the 2000s, some developing nations had the money to buy them but lacked the capability to build them. For Mavi, finding buyers was not an issue.
"Which country are you planning to sell them to?" Admiral Petrovich asked with concern. If things turned out as Mavi claimed and they found buyers for the carriers, the Black Sea Shipyard could be revitalized almost instantly.
"I'll reach out and negotiate first," Mavi replied with a smile. There was only one available conventionally powered aircraft carrier, yet multiple nations needed one. This naturally placed Mavi in a strong bargaining position. He was confident that some countries would go out of their way to accommodate him to secure the deal.
"Well then, let's leave it at that. I look forward to our cooperation, Mr. Mavi," Admiral Petrovich said, extending his right hand. He wasn't going to pressure Mavi too much—after all, Mavi was a brother from Russia, not his subordinate. (During the Soviet era, Ukraine and Russia were close allies, and in the previous timeline, this relationship remained strong until 2012.)
"Looking forward to our cooperation, Admiral Petrovich," Mavi replied, shaking his hand.
---
After concluding negotiations at the shipyard, Mavi left the Ukrainian Navy headquarters, accompanied by Major Sheknia.
Throughout his interactions with Admiral Petrovich, Mavi not only gained insight into the admiral's character and working style but also noticed that Petrovich treated his daughter, Sheknia, more like a son or a subordinate. During the entire negotiation process, they interacted like soldiers, without any eye contact or personal exchanges.
From this, Mavi couldn't help but feel some sympathy for Sheknia. Her childhood must have been far from happy…
"Major Sheknia, are you available next week? You might need to accompany me on a trip to China," Mavi said, turning to her as their Jeep came to a slow stop.
"Next week? To China? To discuss the aircraft carrier deal?" Sheknia asked with a hint of surprise. In her understanding, China's economy had not yet developed enough to afford an aircraft carrier. Even if they could barely afford the purchase, the annual maintenance costs were no joke.
Mavi knew that Europeans in the 1990s had a limited understanding of China, often seeing it as an overpopulated and underdeveloped country. But they were wrong!
"I'm just going there to establish some connections. Are you coming or not?" Since the Black Sea Shipyard wasn't entirely his, Mavi needed a Ukrainian military officer to accompany him to avoid any potential scrutiny.
"Tell me the time and place, and I'll be there," Major Sheknia responded crisply. She found Mavi frustrating—despite their partnership, he still refused to reveal any details.
If given the chance, Sheknia would love to tie Mavi to a chair and whip him until he spilled all his secrets…
"Next Wednesday afternoon, at Qingdao. See you then." With that, Mavi stepped out of the Jeep and got into a security escort vehicle, leaving Sheknia standing there, watching him depart, lost in thought.
---
A week quickly passed, and soon it was Wednesday afternoon.
Inside the Qingdao International Airport terminal, a large group of fully armed, stern-faced Chinese soldiers suddenly appeared.
They patrolled the terminal in pairs, maintaining strict vigilance, as if they were expecting the arrival of an important figure.
Domestic travelers at the airport were bewildered by the scene, whispering among themselves:
"Hey, what's going on today? Why are there so many soldiers here?"
"I have no idea. This is the first time I've seen something like this. Maybe the military is here to receive someone important?"
---
As the crowd speculated, a sleek white Gulfstream G200 jet safely landed at Qingdao International Airport.
The moment the aircraft came to a stop, several imposing military off-road vehicles—Dongfeng Mengshi—swiftly drove up to the private jet.
The Dongfeng Mengshi was a domestically developed off-road vehicle (ORV), originally set for release in 2003, but in this alternate timeline, its development seemed to have been accelerated.
Seated inside the plane, Mavi looked at the familiar military vehicles, often seen in movies, and felt a sense of nostalgia.
As he stepped off the jet, escorted by his security team, he was greeted by a high-ranking officer from the People's Liberation Army's Northern Defense Fleet—Wu Kai.
This was Mavi's first time engaging with China's military. The sight of their familiar uniforms made him pause and observe them intently.
"Welcome, Mr. Mavi! Thank you for taking the time to visit our Northern Defense Fleet. I am Wu Kai of the People's Liberation Army Northern Defense Fleet, and I welcome you to China!" Wu Kai was one of the fleet's youngest senior officers. His voice was firm as he spoke in Chinese. A designated translator stood nearby to facilitate communication.
Hearing the familiar Chinese language gave Mavi an inexplicable sense of comfort. However, due to nationality constraints, he replied in Russian and let the female translator relay his words:
"Hello, Wu Kai. I appreciate the warm welcome and your hospitality."
(End of Chapter)