Celia Miller didn't fully understand what had transpired but wisely chose not to ask questions as she watched Simon burn the piece of paper with a time and place on it. After Simon resumed his seat at the desk, she shifted to another report.
"Regarding that suppressed article in Ukrainian Rural News, we've traced the source. It's backed by a France-based offshore NGO called the Eastern European News Transparency Foundation. Currently, two of their employees are in Kyiv, looking for alternative channels to publish it, but they're under our surveillance."
The incident had taken place over a week ago.
Ukrainian Rural News, one of Ukraine's highest-circulating newspapers, had almost published an investigative article titled "Rivne Oblast is Becoming a Colony of the Westeros Empire."
The word "colony" was directly used in the article.
Given the sensitive and volatile political climate in Eastern Europe, publishing such an article would have undoubtedly caused an uproar.
With Westeros support, Rivne Oblast was now the most economically prosperous region in Ukraine. Therefore, even if the article was published, locals in Rivne might not have much to say against it.
However, the benefits Rivne Oblast had received over the years hadn't reached the rest of Ukraine, which was currently at its lowest ebb. People in dire straits are the easiest to provoke; if they can't have the benefits themselves, they'll find no regret in destroying them.
Under the fury of public opinion, the Kyiv authorities would be compelled to give the public an explanation.
Whatever response they chose would inevitably harm the Westeros empire's interests in Rivne, and if it impacted Simon's top priority, UFMS, it would strike at the very heart of the Westeros empire's strategy in Ukraine.
Once again, the French!
Simon smirked.
They'd been persistently biting at him for years now.
He could hardly bother to be angry.
It was ironic, really, that a country still holding a substantial number of former colonies worldwide would accuse others of colonialism.
But… a colony?
It wasn't a bad idea at all.
Seeing Simon leaning back in his chair in thought, Celia waited a moment before suggesting, "Boss, should we retaliate using the material on Rwanda?"
Simon's thoughts returned at her words, and he nodded. "Arrange it."
The idea he'd just considered wouldn't happen overnight. Since the French were at it again, Simon didn't mind striking back immediately.
Since it had started in Rwanda two years ago, they could continue with that.
Sensing that her boss had other ideas, Celia didn't press further and moved on to summarizing the main aspects of the "weeding operation," specifically the tasks she'd been overseeing.
The darker aspects were handled carefully. Neither Simon nor Celia would get personally involved.
Some things are never completely foolproof, but as long as one didn't directly engage, there would always be wiggle room if something surfaced in the future. In case of a scandal, the classic excuse of plausible deniability was always useful: I didn't know.
"I was unaware."
"It was unauthorized action by lower-level personnel."
At worst, they could resign, move on to another position.
What could one do?
After Simon and Celia finished discussing, it was already noon.
After lunch, Simon left the hot spring resort. His first stop was the UFMS military base.
To ensure loyalty and create a force with a distinctly "Westerosian" character, Simon had, last year, launched a training program from the ground up for UFMS soldiers. Sixteen-year-old recruits were selected for cultural and military training, and results were starting to show.
Simon observed a group of young UFMS recruits going through military drills, then spoke directly with some of the more outstanding recruits in English.
These would be the true core of the Westerosian private army.
However, it would be another two years before they could officially be deployed in combat. The initial selection process had already been stringent, and only about one-tenth would remain after final evaluations at 18.
Due to its unique nature, the private army couldn't be too large and had to focus on the quality of each individual soldier.
Simon only wanted elite soldiers.
Quality over quantity.
Two hours later, Simon left the UFMS military base and went to the newly opened Ukrainian Peace Military Theme Park.
After over a year of preparation, the 20-square-kilometer military theme park quietly opened on April 1. Unlike conventional theme parks, this one offered customized packages for visitors from Western Europe and North America, with prices ranging from $2,000 to $10,000.
Depending on the package, visitors could experience anything from basic shooting practice to piloting fighter jets.
Beyond the packages, to increase the park's popularity, basic admission tickets were also offered to locals and foreign tourists. These tickets were cheap but restricted visitors to specific routes for viewing the military facilities inside the park. Shooting practice, tank driving, and flying activities were only available for package holders.
Since it was still in its trial phase, the park currently accepted only 300 package tourists per month.
After all, this wasn't Universal Studios; the experiences were guided and carried inherent risks. So, Simon repeatedly emphasized one requirement for the theme park's operation: safety, safety, and more safety.
Accidents would affect the park's reputation despite a comprehensive insurance policy.
Without visitors, everything else would be in vain.
To this end, every package tourist, regardless of the package, had a personal guide to ensure maximum safety.
Since its opening, the park's precise marketing on European and American military magazines and online military forums, along with positive word-of-mouth, had filled the 300 monthly slots for the first two months. Bookings were now extending into August.
So much so that the park's manager had repeatedly suggested shortening the six-month trial period.
The request had not been granted.
In the first two months after opening, the park had generated $1.96 million and $2.07 million, respectively.
Such revenue numbers would be dismal for any Universal Studios under Daenerys Entertainment. However, for this military theme park, they were thrilling for the other investors outside the Westeros empire.
Because the costs were incredibly low.
The land was provided by the Rivne government at almost no cost.
Weapons? Ukraine currently had no shortage of those.
A large portion of the military equipment from the Soviet era was essentially abandoned. Industrial collapse meant factories were shut down, and there was no need for scrap metal. The military units had even competed to provide weapons for the theme park in exchange for shares, making what should have been the most expensive part of the budget essentially free. And they selected only the newest and best tanks, planes, and even military vessels for the park's artificial lake.
Lastly, infrastructure.
This portion was funded by the Westeros empire.
During construction, one of the park's military shareholders deployed an entire regiment of engineers for free labor, even bringing their own machinery. Although Simon generously provided meals, accommodation, and additional wages, the final costs for the artificial lake, airstrips, shooting ranges, and recreational facilities totaled only $30 million.
This amount exceeded Simon's initial budget but was still far from the billion-dollar-scale investments required for Universal Studios.
And now, revenue was proving quite substantial.
In trial operations, monthly revenue had already reached $2 million, while costs—including labor, fuel, and ammunition—were under $400,000. With an 80% gross profit margin, the initial investment was expected to be fully recouped within a year of full operation.
A lucrative venture, indeed.
Simon knew this was unlikely to be sustainable forever.
Currently, the park relied mainly on Soviet-era military resources from the Ukrainian armed forces. Once these were depleted, the park would have to buy arms and ammunition from official suppliers, driving costs up significantly.
But future issues could be dealt with in the future.
After half an hour at the military park, Simon went to the nearby hunting grounds and later to the hot spring resort.
The theme park, hunting grounds, and hot spring resort formed a large integrated resort in northern Rivne. It offered summer getaways and winter hot springs, and, besides the hot spring baths, the resort featured casinos, theaters, bars, and other Vegas-style entertainment.
All of this was managed by Westeros empire teams.
Though newly opened, its relatively affordable pricing and extensive marketing efforts had earned it a solid reputation worldwide.
After leaving the resort, Simon made stops at various important Westeros enterprises in Rivne: a fertilizer plant run by Ekaterina's father, Maksim Noskov; a furniture factory under Oldek; and the recently opened Nokia factory in Rivne's northern suburbs.
Finally, they returned to the bustling commercial street where Simon had first met Yulia Antonenko last year. It was already past eight o'clock. Even though Rivne's summer nights were long, darkness had already fallen.
They dined at a high-end restaurant run by the Westeros empire on this street.
Throughout the afternoon, Simon was accompanied not only by Celia Miller and other staff members but also by Rivne's core executives: UFMS leader Klim Derevyanko, Oldek's Sergey Komarov, Alexander Lyudayev from Rivne Media and Entertainment, and Andrei Smirnov, the governor of Rivne Oblast personally selected by Simon last year.
Simon was essentially touring his domain.
Like a lion king.
Simon had no particular passion for such inspections, but they were necessary. Without them, over time, some people might forget who truly ruled this territory.
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