Hyunwoo made a perplexed expression on his face after meeting Alexander’s envoy.

The envoy held his hands and pleaded earnestly,

“I beg you! You already witnessed the atrocities that Russia committed in the Chechen republic, right? They already massacred thousands of people. Do you think this kind of tragedy should be allowed to go on?”

Hyunwoo was aware of that.

“Well, I can’t make a decision on my own. Let me consult with the President first.”

“Yes, please. Please help us.”

Hyunwoo left the hotel room, leaving the envoy alone.

But he didn’t head for the Blue House to meet the President. He went back to his office and opened a map of Russia and thought deeply about the best strategy.

He suddenly hit upon an idea.

In fact, the current Russian strife was like a civil war. The Russian atrocities provided a good cause for outside intervention, but such an intervention would bring about international blame.

Even if Korea decided to intervene, there was no guarantee that the Vikal Federation could succeed.

Still, the conclusion that Hyunwoo came to was that he could win it. For he had been preparing something in anticipation of such civil strife in Russia.

It was called the Solgae Project.

Actually, the project was not intended for a war scenario in which Russia would launch an attack against South Korea.

As the project had been proceeding very secretly, the South Korean military didn’t even conduct any large-scale drills on it. But Hyunwoo was convinced that the Solgae Project could help the rebellious republics of Russia win the civil war.

But he had to take into account the practical benefits of Korea’s participation.

What can we give and what can we take in return?

At that moment, he took a panoramic view of the whole Russian map.

The Littoral provinces of Siberia and Sakhalin Islands.

Those were the areas dominated by the Korean nation in ancient times.

Hyunwoo coveted those areas in return for providing assistance to the Vikal Federation.

But that was out of the question.

Nonetheless, Hyunwoo wanted to give it a try. If he directly met with the leader of the Vikal Federation and persuaded him, he might respond favorably.

For this project, however, Hyunwoo needed the President’s approval first.

Hyunwoo headed for the Blue House.

The incumbent President was Doyoung Chung, who replaced Wonju Ha when he stepped down when his term expired. President Chung, a young reform-minded politician, saw eye to eye with Hyunwoo on many affairs.

Hyunwoo persuaded President Chung persistently.

“Let me take back the Littoral provinces in return for our assistance to the Vikal Federation. Otherwise, I’ll never get involved in any negotiation.”

“But I can’t dispatch our soldiers there. No matter how important our national interests are, they’re not as important as our people’s lives. Do you think it’s right to sacrifice our young men’s lives in the foreign battlefield? I can’t approve the dispatch of our soldiers under any circumstances.”

Hyunwoo understood that.

“But we have the Solgae Project, Mr. President. If we use it, we can help the Russian rebellions win the strife without sending our troops.”

“The Solgae Project? I have heard about it, but are you sure it can beat Russia?”

The President looked skeptical.

His reaction was natural. As the project was prepared in total secrecy, even the President didn’t have a full grasp of it.

“Well, you will see if you approve the project. I can guarantee you that we have nothing to lose, though.”

Only then did the president nod.

“Got it. I won’t approve the project, though, if you tried to negotiate with the rebel leader beyond what you and I talked about here. Above all, I won’t send our troops.”

“Yes, sir.”

After parting with the president, Hyunwoo now headed for Irkutsk next to the Vikal lake, where the Vikal Federation government was located.

Alexander, Victor, and Hyunwoo sat face to face.

Hyunwoo brought up the topic first.

“Hand over the Littoral provinces south of the Amur River and the islands south of Sakhalin Islands to South Korea. This is the condition of our government in return for its assistance.”

Victor’s jaw dropped at his demands.

“That’s nonsense…”

But Alexander was not easily excited. Instead, he looked at Hyunwoo quietly, lost in thoughts.

And then he cautiously opened his mouth, “As you know, trading can happen only when we give and take on an equal footing. If you want that vast land, you must have something to give us in return.”

Victory intervened quickly, “No, no, this is too much. Nonsense!”

Alexander raised his hand and stopped Victor.

“Let’s listen to what he has to say, Victor.”

Hyunwoo then presented his opinion,

“First of all, we will help you win the current strife. If you don’t win, we won’t get the land, of course. Secondly, we’ll provide you with military assistance for 20 years. If the Vikal Federation disappears from history in 20 years, we won’t get the land, either.”

Alexander kept silent. Obviously, he was not ready to accept Hyunwoo’s conditions.

Hyunwoo continued, “Thirdly, we will provide economic assistance. Even if the Vikal Federation becomes independent from central Russia, you will suffer severe economic difficulties. The economic assistance of Korea will help you overcome the difficulties.”

At that moment Victor asked excitedly, “How much assistance…”

But Alexander stopped him again because he might want to ask questions after Hyunwoo was done.

Hyunwoo now mentioned the last but not the least benefits.

“Lastly, we are going to raise the GNP of the Vikal Federation to 10,000 dollars per person within 20 years.”

Now it was Alexander’s turn to ask.

“How much is your economic assistance?”

“We are thinking of 100 billion dollars. I think that is enough to restore your country devastated by the civil war.”

Alexander shook his head.

“Well, that’s far below what I had in mind. I thought you would provide at least one trillion dollars.”

This time Hyunwoo shook his head and explained, “Sorry, that’s all our government can give at this point. We can’t give you any more.”

Alexander could not make a decision easily. What was more important was the future of the Vikal Federation after the civil war.

It was around noon the next day when Alexander sat face to face with Hyunwoo again.

Alexander opened his mouth, “Are you sure the Korean government can’t give any more assistance than what you mentioned yesterday?”

“Yes, no more,” said Hyunwoo coldly.

Alexander then asked in a different way, “Okay. Can you assist the Vikal Federation individually? If you accept my proposal, let me hand over the lands you mentioned to Korea.”

At that moment, Hyunwoo’s eyes opened wider with surprise.

“What kind of proposal?”

“I heard that your personal wealth is over one trilion dollars. Can you use some of your wealth to support us? And please allow our companies to use either the technology of Toughtex engine or Jihwa Solar Cell. If you okay it, let me hand over the Littoral islands to South Korea, and the Sakhalin islands to you.”

Hyunwoo scratched his head at his proposal.

In fact, Hyunwoo was willing to pay as much as Alexander wanted as long as he could obtain the Russian islands.

What was important was the Toughtex engine and the Jihwa Solar Cell. That was not Hyunwoo’s own property but the future industry of Korea.

Of course, Alexander didn’t want it in entirety. He just wanted the right to use the technology of either one.

Which one should he give to Alexander?

In fact, nobody could imitate the core technology of Toughtex. On the other hand, the technology of Jihwa Solar Cell itself was not that great despite the excellence of its original concept.

“Sure. Let me personally support you with 100 billion dollars. Let me also give your companies the right to sell Jihwa Sola cells to Europe.”

At that moment, Victor clenched his fist, as if he was satisfied with Hyunwoo’s proposal.

Alexander’s face brightened.

But the negotiation was not over yet. Alexander tried his best to get the most out of this deal as he had to hand over the vast lands to Korea.

“Okay, then. Our deal is done! I’ve one more condition, though,” said Hyunwoo.

“What is it?”

“Our country won’t provide any combat assistance. Of course, we will help you win the civil war without our troops.”

Nodding his head, Alexander said, “No problem. What we want is just victory, not combat troops.”

Three months later, Russia annexed the Chechen republic, at last. Originally, Russia planned to conquer the Chechen republic in one month and attack the Vikal Federation. But the resistance of the Chechen republic was much stronger than expected.

According to the intelligence, there was little evidence that the United States, China, Japan and Europe would provide any support to the Vikal Federation.

By using the satellites, they confirmed the movement of tens of thousands of containers moving to the Vikal Federation from South Korea, but there weren’t weapons.

Though South Korea was economically growing fast, its military strength was not yet large enough to draw Russia’s attention.

And summer was approaching; it was the best time for attack.

The Russian military commander ordered, “Concentrate all our military resources on the Vikal Federation.”

They mobilized tens of thousands of fighters, tanks, and troops and marched toward the Vikal Federation.

There was no severe military resistance from the Vikal Federation until the Russian troops marched deep into the Siberian territory. The fall of Irkutsk would mean the victory of the civil war.

The Russian President had a broad smile, checking the war situation.

“Alexander, you can’t do anything now. Why did you make that stupid choice when you don’t have any guts to resist?”

But at that moment he began to hear some bad news from the frontline, “The 347th Fighter Wing was annihilated.”