The man leaned forward, his hands clasped on the table, fingers interlaced with a deliberate, calm precision.

  “Mr. President,” he began, his voice steady. “The answer to your question is not a simple one. The reasons are layered, complex—far beyond what I can explain in a single sitting.”

  He paused, his eyes locking onto the leader’s. “Do not mistake our presence for a mere grudge against Nation R. We aren't standing by your side simply because we despise them. As for the deeper 'why'... I cannot provide that answer yet. However, I can tell you this much.”

  A heavy silence stretched between them before he added, his voice dropping to a low, chilling murmur:

  “We appeared because it was time for us to appear.”

  “Time to appear?” Evgeny blurted out, unable to contain his frustration. “Who exactly is 'we'?”

  The man’s gaze shifted toward Evgeny, sharp and unyielding. “I cannot say. Not yet. You will find out in due time—naturally.”

  Kelensky cut through the tension, leaning back. “Fine. Let’s get to the bottom line. The fact that this meeting is even happening gives you a baseline of my trust. Now, tell me: how exactly do you plan to help us? And more importantly... what is your price?”

  A suffocating silence settled over the room once more. Only the rhythmic sound of their breathing remained, echoing softly like a slow-burning fuse toward an inevitable fate.

  “Then, allow me to explain. As I mentioned in your dream…”

  The man rolled his eyes slightly, a playful glint of wit dancing in his gaze. He moved with the effortless leisure of someone sharing a peculiar joke, seemingly unfazed by the gravity of the room.

  “Grant us the battlefield for twenty-four hours. From midnight tomorrow until midnight the following day—exactly twenty-four hours. During that window, we will take full responsibility for the front and conduct all combat operations.”

  His voice remained calm, yet each word landed on the table with the physical weight of a lead weight.

  “Consequently, all forces stationed along the thousand-kilometer frontline must cease all military action starting at midnight. Not a single shot is to be fired. Though, in truth... they won’t be able to fire even if they tried.”

  He paused, letting the implication hang in the air before continuing.

  “At 11:00 AM tomorrow, make a public announcement via TV broadcast. State that you have signed an agreement with an international mercenary group to provide combat support for twenty-four hours. Keep it brief—a short, casual segment in the news cycle. We don't want the other allies paying too much attention. At least... not until high noon, when everything changes.”

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Evgeny finally snapped, unable to stomach the absurdity any longer.

  “You’re out of your mind! Entrusting a thousand-kilometer frontline to you for twenty-four hours? How does that even make sense?” he barked. “How are the generals and officers in the field supposed to understand or agree to this? A mercenary group independently holding a thousand kilometers of trench? And above all... do you honestly think the Americans would ever permit such a thing?”

  The man simply nodded, a thin smile playing on his lips as if he were watching a predictable scene in a movie he had already seen.

  Here is the translation, optimized for the pacing and tone of a Royal Road web novel.

  “Mr. Evgeny,” the man said, his voice smooth as silk. “Your nation has always utilized mercenaries; you are using them even now. Announcing a contract with an ‘international mercenary group’ won't cause a stir among your citizens or your soldiers. The allies, even the Americans, will view it as business as usual. However...”

  He tapped a rhythmic, slow beat against the table with his index finger. “The timeline is paramount.”

  “Here is the sequence of events. Tomorrow at 11:00 AM, introduce our group via broadcast under the placeholder name: ‘International K Mercenary Group.’ Keep the announcement brief—state that we are deploying to the front lines at noon to provide combat support. During the broadcast, show a clip of the President and me shaking hands, wishing for success. A simple video captured on a smartphone today will suffice.”

  He leaned in closer. “The moment the broadcast ends, issue the order to the entire military: ‘International Mercenary Group deploying to all sectors at 12:00.’ To the world, this will look like a routine procedure. Even if the Americans see it, they won't press for details. They never have. But... once noon strikes and our presence becomes visible, you must issue a strict 24-hour ceasefire for your own troops. From that moment on, the geopolitical landscape will enter a completely different dimension. I will contact you then.”

  Kelensky stared at him in silence for a long time before finally speaking.

  “So... hmph. Without revealing your weapons or your methods, you intend to prove your existence to the world through action at noon tomorrow. From our perspective, even if nothing happens, it will be dismissed as a ‘routine mercenary deployment.’ No harm done to our reputation with the public or our allies... is that what you’re saying?”

  The air in the room grew heavy once more. In that weighted silence, an invisible storm was beginning to take shape.

  “Does any of this actually make sense to you?” Evgeny asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Exactly what kind of weapons do you have? How large is your force? Where does this absurd confidence come from?”

  Kelensky remained silent, his lips pressed into a thin line as he stared at the table. The only sound in the room was the faint, rhythmic ticking of the wall clock.

  “Mr. Evgeny,” the man’s voice was unnervingly calm. “You have nothing to lose. Even if nothing happens, your situation cannot get any worse than it already is.”

  “Fine. We’ll know by noon tomorrow,” Kelensky muttered. “Now... what are your terms? What do you want from us?”

  “Once the war ends, we want a portion of the plains near your front lines. Not as a gift, but as a lease. The area won't be excessively large. We can discuss the specifics later, but I assure you, the terms will not be a burden.”

  “Hmph...” Kelensky leaned back, resting his chin on his hand.

  “Mr. President, are we really going to listen to this nonsense?” Evgeny raised his voice, looking at Kelensky in disbelief. “Every hour is critical right now. This isn't a decision we can make on our own!”

  “Evgeny...” Kelensky’s voice was quiet, but the tremor of hesitation was gone. “We have dragged this war on for over four years. It’s just one day. We’ll have our answer by noon tomorrow. Let’s do it.”

  His gaze was fixed, signaling that his mind was made up.

  “Ah...” Evgeny let out a short, frustrated sigh.

  The Asian man stood up slowly from his seat. He looked at Evgeny and spoke with a faint smile.

  “Then, Mr. Evgeny, please record the video on your phone. Mr. President, simply state that an international mercenary group is being deployed to assist the nation, then smile and shake my hand. And one more thing...”

  His eyes glinted with a mysterious light.