The Best New Year's Gift

Wang Ye had never figured out which faction Khovchenko was closer to.

Logically speaking, he should not have gotten along with the First Faction.

After all, the First Faction was Putin's "private preserve."

The Second Faction?

That seemed unlikely too. The Second Faction was the stronghold of Moscow Oblast's political circles, and Khovchenko had never seemed particularly close to anyone from that faction.

As for the Third Faction, that was somewhat possible.

After all, core figures of the Third Faction like Abramovich and Zhirinov were all good friends of Khovchenko.

But Wang Ye was now the leader of the Third Faction. If Khovchenko joined the Third Faction and ran in the next election through it...

It was not impossible, but it somehow felt rather strange...

Could Khovchenko be planning to form a new faction?!

Hearing Wang Ye's question, Khovchenko smiled and casually said, "I'll probably gather some people and form a new faction. The election the year after next will be very lively. Your Third Faction should prepare properly as well. Don't let yourselves fail to hold even your current seats when the time comes."

Just as expected!

A man like Khovchenko had risen to the level of an oligarch in the business world. Once he entered politics, he certainly would not be content to trail behind others.

He was making a grand move right away—forming a new faction and competing for both Duma seats and that position in the Kremlin!

Wang Ye bared his teeth in a wry smile. "That would be troublesome, wouldn't it? You'd have to start everything from scratch. How about joining our Third Faction..."

Before he could finish, Khovchenko shook his head and refused. "No. Even if I joined the First Faction, I couldn't join your Third Faction. That would not only put you