The Kolkoshko brothers and Yuri Yagusevsky were escorted to the largest private room in the club, where several of the key figures of the Rovno Syndicate had already gathered.
Among them were the brothers' father, Vladimir Kolkoshko, the governor of Rovno Oblast, Andrei Smirnov, Sergei Komorov of the Ordek Corporation, Alexander Lyudayev from Rivne Media Company, and even Andrei Vodmirka and Alexander Nagiyev, the heads of the nearby resort. These two, however, had to content themselves with taking less prominent seats.
Seated next to each of these key figures were one or two strikingly beautiful young women of varying styles.
The room was dimly lit, with flickering lights creating an atmospheric haze. The air was thick with the mingling scents of tobacco, strong alcohol, and perfume—a combination overwhelming for anyone unaccustomed to such a setting. A middle-aged man with a flushed face, clearly drunk, was holding a microphone on a small stage in the corner, passionately belting out a Soviet-era revolutionary song while embracing a young woman.
After a brief exchange of greetings upon entering, the four newcomers took their seats. It wasn't until the flushed man finished his song that the group engaged in more formal introductions. The guests tonight, it turned out, were high-ranking government officials from Volyn Oblast, which borders Rovno Oblast to the west. The man who had just been singing was none other than Ilya Cherpchenko, the governor of Volyn Oblast.
Although still somewhat tied to underworld dealings, the Kolkoshko brothers understood the purpose of the visit from these officials from Volyn Oblast.
The primary reason was to discuss electricity supply cooperation.
Compared to other regions in Ukraine, still mired in the chaos of collapse, Rovno Oblast's development was progressing at a remarkable pace. Economic growth in any region depends on robust and comprehensive infrastructure, as encapsulated by the well-known Chinese adage: "To get rich, build roads first." Infrastructure like construction, transportation, energy, water management, and telecommunications are all indispensable.
Currently, Rovno Oblast's rapid development is being propelled by the unwavering support of the Westeros system. Factories are sprouting up across Rivne, the state capital, and other parts of Rovno. While most sectors can keep pace with the growth, energy—particularly electricity—has become the bottleneck restricting further progress.
This problem had been anticipated as early as the previous year, leading to the investment and commencement of construction for the fourth unit of the Rovno Nuclear Power Plant. However, the new unit wouldn't be operational until the following year. Moreover, the existing power systems, including the Rovno Nuclear Power Plant and local thermal power plants, were already running at full capacity. To prioritize industrial electricity needs, many areas within the state were now experiencing frequent power outages.
Given the bright future projected for Rovno Oblast, the construction of the fourth unit of the nuclear power plant was accompanied by plans for a coal-fired power plant with a capacity of 2,000 megawatts, capable of generating 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. But, like the nuclear plant, the thermal plant would not be completed in the short term. For now, the only solution was to import electricity from neighboring states.
This arrangement benefited all parties.
Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine's annual electricity generation reached 290 billion kilowatt-hours, making electricity relatively abundant. However, after the collapse and the ensuing economic crisis, thermal power plant output plummeted across the country. By two years ago, Ukraine's annual electricity generation had dropped to 170 billion kilowatt-hours—a decline of over 40%.
While electricity generation had declined, much of the original infrastructure, especially thermal power plants, remained intact. With sufficient funding and demand, these facilities could quickly ramp up production.
The primary hurdle now was funding.
Unlike nuclear power plants, which can operate stably and cost-effectively for decades once built, thermal plants require significant expenditures on coal, which must be purchased. Additionally, importing electricity from other regions necessitates upgrading power grid lines, which is another financial burden.
Fortunately, Rovno Oblast is in a relatively advantageous position to resolve this issue. Importing electricity from elsewhere is quicker and cheaper than building new plants.
The main negotiations had already been conducted during the day, so the evening gathering was purely for entertainment.
Vladimir Kolkoshko invited his sons to join in order to help them build relationships with other members of the Rovno Syndicate. As for Yagusevsky and his companion, they excused themselves after a brief stay to avoid raising suspicions.
The night's festivities carried on until late, ending on a high note.
The Volyn officials, accompanied by the women they had chosen, retired to the hotel area. The Kolkoshko brothers wanted to stay longer, but their father insisted they leave together. When Kirill Kolkoshko protested, his father smacked him on the back of the head, silencing him immediately.
In the parking lot, one of their subordinates reported that the siblings they had encountered earlier had returned to the hotel area without causing any further trouble. The subordinate had also taken the initiative to investigate the siblings' mother's identity.
Upon hearing the report, Vladimir Kolkoshko questioned his sons to ensure they hadn't lied to him. Satisfied, he ushered them into a Mercedes sedan, taking the rear seat with his eldest son beside him, while his younger son was relegated to the front passenger seat.
As the car started, the weary Vladimir leaned back against the leather seat and, addressing his eldest son, said, "You two handled that matter well earlier."
From the front seat, Kirill turned to comment, "If we had known earlier it was that woman everyone's been talking about, Nik and I wouldn't have intervened at all."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Vladimir reached forward and smacked his younger son's head.
Kirill rubbed his crew-cut head, unfazed by the hit—he had gotten used to it after years of being smacked. He even thought of their younger sister's fiery temper when dealing with them, which was clearly inherited from their father.
After reprimanding Kirill, Vladimir said, "Never think that way again. Don't forget how much you admire Simon. Stick to that, and it will only benefit you two fools. Remember last year? Our family stayed safe and gained Simon's favor because we knew how to position ourselves."
Kirill, wary of his father's lectures, quickly replied, "Got it, old man."
Vladimir raised his hand as if to strike again but decided against it. Years of scolding and hitting hadn't changed much. Still, in Ukraine's current chaotic climate, a rough-and-tumble demeanor often proved advantageous. At least the businesses run by his sons were thriving.
The older son, Nicholas Kolkoshko, brought up a subject from earlier in the evening. "Dad, Governor Cherpchenko invited us to set up factories in Volyn Oblast. I think it's a good idea. Why does no one seem interested?"
Kirill chimed in, "Yeah, Dad. That way, we can expand Rovno's influence into Volyn and eventually take it over."
This was a serious matter. Vladimir was pleased that his sons were thinking ahead. Shifting his weight to get comfortable, he replied, "It's not the right time. We need to solidify our roots in Rovno before we think about expanding outward."
Kirill disagreed. "I think our foundation is solid enough."
Vladimir shook his head, lit a cigarette with Kirill's eager assistance, and cracked the window. "Many people think like you, but they're wrong. Simon vetoed similar suggestions because our control over Rovno is far from absolute. If Kyiv decides to act against us, we'd still face significant trouble."
Nicholas asked, "So what counts as absolute control?"
Recalling Simon's words from a past meeting, Vladimir explained, "When we've tied millions—if not tens of millions—of people's livelihoods to our cause so thoroughly that they have no choice but to support us. Only then will we have true, unshakable power."
Both brothers seemed thoughtful. Kirill turned to ask, "Dad, Rovno only has a little over a million people. To reach ten million, wouldn't we have to expand?"
Vladimir replied, "Not necessarily. We don't have to expand outward. Instead, we can attract more people to Rovno. Think about it—how many people were in Rivne two years ago, and how many are there now?"
Kirill guessed, "Fifty thousand?"
Vladimir shook his head. "Over eighty thousand now."
Two years ago, Rivne's population had dwindled to just over twenty thousand due to economic collapse. But thanks to the influx of industries supported by the Westeros system, the demand for labor had drawn tens of thousands of people from across Ukraine. Rivne's population was now surging toward 100,000 and was expected to surpass that by the end of the year.
This growth was only the beginning. With future projects in the pipeline, Rivne had the potential to outgrow Kyiv and become a metropolis of millions, bolstered by a superpower-level economic system worth trillions of dollars.
Hearing the numbers, the brothers were surprised but began to connect the dots. Kirill remarked on the rapid pace of apartment construction in the city's northern district.
What they didn't know was that Rivne's population boom had also created sprawling slums on the city's western outskirts, home to over 100,000 people living in makeshift housing.
The situation was becoming a pressing concern for the Rovno leadership. The onset of winter, with temperatures potentially plunging to -
30°C, posed a severe risk to those in the slums. Additionally, the densely packed wooden shacks were a fire hazard waiting to happen.
For Vladimir, such problems underscored the need to solidify his position in Rovno. Knowing Simon intended to elevate him to governor within a few years, he resolved to focus entirely on Rovno, avoiding any ambitions toward Kyiv.
"Know your place," as the saying goes—a principle Vladimir had unwittingly adopted. His family's cautious approach, rooted in this mindset, had helped them thrive, avoiding the fates of other rivals who had been crushed under Simon's iron hand.
One of his current priorities was addressing the slum issue. However, there was also a personal matter he wanted to discuss with his sons. Turning to Nicholas, he said, "From now on, set aside the best amber from the mines for your sister."
Before Nicholas could respond, Kirill protested, "Dad, she already gets way better stuff than we do. Plus, she took several crates last time. Do we really have to give her the best? We've just opened the Chinese market, and they're willing to pay top dollar for premium amber. We recently traded a batch for 100,000 TVs—Chinese ones, much cheaper than European brands. With their ongoing price war, we've made about $3 million."
This time, Vladimir didn't bother explaining. Using his authority as their father, he ordered them to comply.
The reason wasn't for his daughter's personal use. Instead, Vladimir planned to have her present the amber as a gift to Janet Westeros during the year-end holidays. After learning about his daughter's month-long stay in the U.S., Vladimir understood the importance of currying favor with the Westeros family matriarch.
Though his daughter had endured weeks of admonishment at the Westeros estate, Vladimir saw this as a sign of Janet's tacit approval. By ingratiating himself with her, his daughter's position in the Westeros household—and by extension, the Kolkoshko family's standing in Rovno—would be further cemented. The benefits, as he saw it, were endless.
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