Chapter 1268
Zong Xianfeng is arrested, Andrei mysteriously disappears, and Li Aiguo goes to Zaporiz
"Zong Xianfeng was captured by the Cheka in Zaporizhzhia."
"Dasha was also taken away, along with her mother, Professor Anna Besonova."
Inside the supply and marketing cooperative.
Li Aiguo, who had just received the phone call, frowned deeply.
The call was from Dasha's father, Professor Alexandrovich, a professor at Zaporozhye University.
The old professor was greatly frightened and, as Zong Xianfeng had instructed, immediately called Li Aiguo for help.
Li Aiguo didn't take it to heart.
After all, it's a traditional skill for the Cheka to generate revenue on the territory of their big brother.
As long as Andrei, that local bigwig, intervenes and offers a token gesture, the matter can basically be settled.
"Aiguo, what's wrong? Your face looks worse than stale pig liver?"
The woman from the supply and marketing cooperative noticed that Li Aiguo's expression was off and asked him what was wrong.
"It's alright, Aunt Wang, I just need to make a phone call."
Halfway through his sentence, Li Aiguo remembered the phone number of the supply and marketing cooperative. Unable to make an international call, he smiled at Aunt Wang and said, "Aunt Wang, I'm sorry to keep you from getting off work."
"It's alright, we're all neighbors. We're really grateful for the help from your patrol team."
That's true. Since the establishment of the patrol team in Nantongluo Lane, the security situation in the area has improved significantly.
Especially those troublemakers, they don't dare to come and cause trouble anymore.
After thanking Aunt Wang, Li Aiguo rode his mountain bike back to the office of the Qianmen Locomotive Depot.
After closing the door, Li Aiguo skillfully connected to the Moscow headquarters of Andrei Trading Company via a dedicated line.
However, the message from the other end of the phone made his heart skip a beat.
"What? Andrei has gone missing? It's been three days already?"
Andrei is a seasoned veteran with top-notch survival skills. How could he possibly disappear without a trace?
"Okay, when he gets back, have him call me back immediately. Yes, this is the Qianmen Locomotive Depot workshop."
After hanging up the phone, Li Aiguo tapped his fingers on the table.
Something's not right.
Zong Xianfeng was arrested, and Andrei went missing.
These two things together seem like a carefully orchestrated scheme.
He took a deep breath and pulled a black-covered notebook from the bottom of the drawer.
Turn to a certain page, and all that's written on it is a string of Moscow numbers.
This number was the emergency contact information left to Li Aiguo by Berezhnaya, the Cheka codenamed Azalea.
Since Li Aiguo returned to China, he has never made a call.
Li Aiguo took a deep breath, shook the phone, and after the call connected, he told the operator the number.
"Sir, please wait a moment, I'll transfer you right away." The operator in charge of international calls had a very pleasant voice.
The receiver emitted a "beep-beep" waiting tone.
One sound, two sounds, three sounds...
Time seemed to stretch out.
A few dozen seconds later, the rhythmic "beep beep" sound suddenly turned into a rapid busy tone.
Li Aiguo's heart sank to the bottom in an instant.
This level of security phone number is staffed 24/7, but now no one is answering it.
What exactly went wrong on Big Brother's side?
Li Aiguo took out a cigarette and lit it. The pungent smoke rushed into his lungs, clearing his confused mind slightly.
First Zong Xianfeng was arrested, then Andrei disappeared, and now even "Azalea" has lost contact.
Now even Berezhnaya can't be contacted.
If one event can be considered a coincidence, then this series of coincidences piled up together indicates that someone is deliberately setting a trap.
The sole purpose of this scheme seems to be to force him to go to Zaporizhzhia.
"Interesting." Li Aiguo exhaled a smoke ring.
"I want to see who's behind this."
Zong Xianfeng is the core member of the studio.
Li Aiguo knew all too well the Cheka's style of doing things on his elder brother's side. If this was left unchecked, Zong Xianfeng would be severely injured, if not killed.
He picked up the phone again and dialed the weather station's number.
He didn't explain the reason on the phone; he just wanted to see the farmer.
The farmer had just returned from a meeting at the lake and immediately said he would wait for him in his office.
When Li Aiguo arrived at the weather station, it was already 10:30 p.m.
The weather station remained serious and busy, with meteorologists carrying telegrams and moving about in the corridors, their feet barely touching the ground.
Now, with the establishment of branches in Africa and North America, the coverage area of the weather stations is becoming increasingly wider.
Li Aiguo straightened his collar and knocked on the office door. Besides the farmer, Old Cat was also in the office.
"Aiguo, it's so late, why did you rush over? Is something wrong?"
Li Aiguo first recounted the circumstances of Zong Xianfeng's arrest, and then began to speak.
"Teacher, I want to go to Zaporizhzhia."
Before the farmer could even speak, Old Cat immediately objected: "No, the situation on Big Brother's side is complicated right now. According to news from Moscow, the struggle between the Korean Emperor and the Generalissimo has reached a life-or-death stage, involving a wide range of people. Even Commander Xie has been suspended from his post. It would be too dangerous for you to go there now."
"Commander Xie has been suspended from his post?"
No wonder Berezhnaya couldn't be contacted. Commander Xie was Berezhnaya's direct superior, while Li Aiguo, as the code name driver, had a very high level of secrecy, known only to Commander Xie and Berezhnaya.
This matter is getting more and more complicated.
“Teacher, I think we should make this trip.” Li Aiguo pondered for a moment, then looked up at the farmer.
The farmer didn't immediately respond, but instead looked at the old cat: "I have something to discuss with the train driver."
Old Cat knew the two were about to discuss confidential matters, so he stood up, saluted, and left.
Old Cat had no idea what Li Aiguo and the farmer had talked about, but he soon received a call from the farmer.
"Comrade train driver, you're going to Zaporozhye. You'll be going with him. Make the necessary preparations. It'll be tomorrow morning!"
"understand!"
That's how the weather station operates. If you understand it, you have to follow it; if you don't understand it, you have to understand it through following it.
Hang up the phone.
The old cat scratched its head in confusion, looking at the pitch-black night outside the window.
"Patriotism is not about being reckless. What exactly are your plans for this trip to Zaporizhzhia?"
*****
This wasn't Li Aiguo's first visit to his elder brother's house, but for some reason, Chen Xueru felt a little uneasy.
Inside the bedroom, Chen Xueru helped Li Aiguo pack his luggage while chattering away.
Knowing full well that it was summer in Moscow, she still stuffed a thick coat into the bottom of her trunk.
"Take it with you. It's always good to have an extra layer of clothing on a long journey. What if the weather changes over there? My brother's temper is like the weather there—it can change in an instant."
"Brother Aiguo, Xiao Jiujin has started school. My sister-in-law came to our house today and asked me to thank you."
"We're all family, why say such things?"
Li Aiguo leaned against the headboard, a cigarette between his fingers, watching Chen Xueru busy at work while his mind raced over the affairs of the studio.
The construction of the wind tunnel laboratory is on track, and with Chief Engineers Liu and Qi overseeing it, there won't be any problems.
Mass production of voice controllers has also been put on the agenda. Although Zhou Gaoyuan is young, he is reliable and trustworthy.
As for the development of transistor radios, it had to be put on hold for now.
There's also ibuprofen. Wang Chengdong, the pharmaceutical factory owner, hasn't prepared the equipment yet. There's no use rushing this; good things come to those who wait.
As for the steel rolling mill, Director Yang was disciplined and is now much more obedient, and spare parts can be supplied in a timely manner.
Li Aiguo considered the situation in his mind and felt that although there were many things to deal with, at least someone was keeping an eye on things.
If you want to get ahead in this era, you have to work harder.
Just as I was pondering this, I heard a noise coming from the outer room.
Nan Yi, Xu Damao, Liu Haizhong, Yan Jiecheng, and several others, upon hearing that Li Aiguo was going on a business trip, all arrived one after another as if they had made an appointment.
Although we didn't bring any expensive gifts, just a couple of handfuls of melon seeds and a few apples, the "favor" was still conveyed.
That's how it is these days; a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative.
It's just that there are too many oddballs in the courtyard houses, which creates a wrong impression.
Nan Yi and Liu Haizhong even patted their chests and guaranteed that they would take care of all the chores for the Li family.
"Thank you all." Li Aiguo cupped his hands in thanks.
"But it won't be too much trouble. The Qianmen Locomotive Depot will send comrades from the Education Office to help out, and Huang Jing will also come over often."
Upon hearing this, the expressions on their faces changed slightly, but they quickly regained their smiles.
It seems Li Aiguo had planned this all along, leaving no room for error.
After seeing the others off, Li Aiguo washed up early and went to bed.
Silent all night.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.
Li Aiguo, carrying his suitcase, walked out of the house amidst Chen Xueru's reluctant gaze.
As soon as I stepped out of the courtyard gate, I saw Yi Zhonghai, leaning on a cane, limping out of the house to empty the chamber pot.
Yi Zhonghai was taken aback when he saw Li Aiguo carrying the suitcase, but then he understood what was going on.
He's leaving? Is Li Aiguo really leaving?
Great! This menacing figure is finally going on a business trip!
As long as Li Aiguo is not around, this courtyard will still be under Yi Zhonghai's control!
He could seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to quickly approach Director Yang and pull some strings to get the deaf old lady out.
Yi Zhonghai tried hard to suppress the smile on his lips and nodded to Li Aiguo in a perfunctory manner, but in his heart he was planning how to talk to Director Yang about the deaf old lady later.
Li Aiguo glanced at Yi Zhonghai and knew immediately what kind of wicked schemes the old man was plotting.
However, he doesn't have time to deal with these trivial matters right now.
****
Nanyuan Airport.
Li Aiguo and Lao Mao, dressed in dark Zhongshan suits, boarded a Tu-104 passenger plane bound for Moscow.
Due to the urgency of the situation, Li Aiguo was traveling on an academic exchange basis, as a researcher from the Qianmen Locomotive Depot's workshop, heading to Zaporizhzhia University.
The documents are all genuine, and even the registration is flawless, able to withstand any inspection.
The cabin was packed, and most of the passengers were dressed similarly to them—either government officials or technical experts; there were almost no passengers traveling for personal reasons.
Li Aiguo sat down near the porthole, while Lao Mao sat next to him.
Just as I sat down, a flight attendant came over and asked with a smile.
"Gentlemen, please show your identification."
Li Aiguo's eyes narrowed slightly, and he paused, momentarily stunned.
You should know that in this day and age, flight attendants from Big Brother's companies have another nickname: "Dinner Ladies." As the name suggests, they are only responsible for serving dinner, and you shouldn't bother them with anything else.
Moreover, the documents had already undergone strict border checks before boarding, so checking them again on the plane was unprecedented.
Old Cat frowned, about to ask a question, but Li Aiguo calmly pressed down on the back of his hand.
"Thank you for your hard work here." Li Aiguo said calmly, taking out two certificates from his pocket and handing them over.
The flight attendant took the ID, flipped through it, and lingered on Li Aiguo's photo and name for a moment, as if confirming something.
She then closed the document, handed it back with both hands, and turned to walk to the back row.
Li Aiguo put his documents away, and the flight attendant checked the documents of the other passengers before turning and walking towards the tail of the plane.
Old Cat followed him under the pretense of going to the restroom. He returned a moment later and whispered in Li Aiguo's ear:
"That flight attendant is suspicious; she gave the note to that middle-aged Russian man."
"Really?" Li Aiguo turned his head to look out the porthole. He noticed that the sky was now covered with dark clouds.
The plane taxied and accelerated on the runway before finally soaring into the sky.
Although the air currents caused some turbulence, the pilots from the Big Brother's country were undeniably skilled; they flew like fighter jets, managing to make the passenger plane look like a bomber.
These days, there are no direct flights to Zaporizhzhia; you have to go to Moscow first, then take a train, and transfer in Kyiv along the way.
It was 13 hours later when we arrived in Moscow.
As soon as I exited the airport, a young man quickly approached me from beside the waiting SUV.
His name is Qi Fang, and he is a chauffeur sent by Andrei Trading Company. The driver is of East Asian descent, and his Chinese name is Qi Fang.
Before liberation, our ancestors came to live with our elder brother. Although they were the second generation, they could still speak fluent Mandarin.
However, it was precisely because of his appearance and fluent Chinese that he was able to secure this cushy job at Andrei Trading Company, earning a salary far exceeding the Moscow average.
"I have already booked your train tickets to Zaporozhye. The train departs at 3 p.m.."
As Qi Fang spoke, he cautiously observed the two of them.
He was unaware of the two people's identities, but the order to receive them came from the company's senior management.
"Should we go eat first? But if we do that, we might miss the train and have to reschedule for tomorrow," Qi Fang asked tentatively.
"No need, let's just go to the train station." Li Aiguo raised his wrist to check the time; there was less than an hour until the train departed.
"clear."
Qi Fang was chosen to be in charge of the reception mainly because he was a cautious person who knew when to ask questions and when not to ask them.
After Qi Fang helped put the luggage in the back of the car, he invited the two people into the car, and the driver started the vehicle.
The car sped along the street and arrived at the train station. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but Li Aiguo felt something was amiss.
Just then, a young man dressed in military uniform and covered in all sorts of tattoos (the exact tattoos were not found) suddenly darted out from the side.
Although the driver reacted quickly, the young man was still knocked to the ground. Perhaps he fell on his own.
Li Aiguo exclaimed that even the older generation of people these days are so professional at staged accidents.
"Oh no!" Qi Fang's face turned ashen.
Before the car had even come to a complete stop, a dozen or so people who had seemed to be lounging around suddenly surrounded it, banging on the windows and hood while shouting incomprehensible Russian profanities.
This is a typical group of "Gopniks," the Russian bastards.
"What should we do? Mr. Li, they... they're faking an accident!" Qi Fang's voice trembled.
He knew these people's methods all too well; at best, he would lose money to avoid disaster, and at worst, his car and his person would be in danger.
A fierce glint flashed in the old cat's eyes in the passenger seat, and his right hand instinctively reached for his chest.
"Don't move." Li Aiguo pressed down on the old cat's arm.
"These bastards, they'll learn their lesson if we don't teach them a lesson." Old Cat gritted his teeth, but still let go.
Li Aiguo pushed open the car door and got out.
The leader of the thugs, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, tilted his head and looked Li Aiguo up and down with a provocative gaze, while toying with a butterfly knife in his hand.
"Hey, Oriental, you're in trouble. You'll have to pay up!" The leader of the thugs spat out the sunflower seed shells and said menacingly.
The surrounding thugs burst into laughter, and the encirclement tightened even further.
Li Aiguo showed no sign of panic. He straightened his collar and suddenly spoke in Russian with a strong sense of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry).
"Watch your mouth, kid. Do you know who you're picking a fight with?"
The moment those authentic slang terms were uttered, the ringleader of the thugs was stunned.
This kind of incision is usually only understood by people who have been involved in the Gulag or are seasoned veterans of the underworld.
How could a foreigner say such a thing?
Li Aiguo didn't give him a chance to react, stepping forward with eyes as sharp as knives: "We're with 'Law Thieves'. Don't make trouble for yourself, you fool."
Upon hearing the term "law thief" (a notorious Russian scoundrel), the faces of the thugs changed.
They're just street thugs, good at bullying honest people, but if they really mess with some big shots in the underworld, they won't even know how they died.
Just then, a series of orderly footsteps came from not far away.
A squad of military police wearing gray overcoats and red armbands was patrolling this way.
The thugs were starting to panic, both intimidated by Li Aiguo's coded language and afraid of being caught red-handed by the military police.
Li Aiguo glanced at the approaching military police, and his face instantly put on a friendly smile.
He took out two packs of cigarettes from his pocket, which were considered hard currency in those days, and quietly slipped them into the hand of the leading military policeman.
Hidden between the two packs of cigarettes were several purple ruble banknotes.
"Comrade, it's a small misunderstanding. My friend was driving carelessly, and we're negotiating a solution," Li Aiguo said in fluent Russian.
The lead military policeman squeezed the cigarette pack in his hand, feeling its thickness, and a knowing smile appeared on his serious face.
He waved his hand and yelled at the group of thugs as if shooing away flies, "Get out of here! Get out of here! Don't block the way!"
The thugs, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, glanced at Li Aiguo with apprehension, and dispersed while cursing.
The "wounded" person lying on the ground also scrambled to their feet and ran faster than a rabbit.
"Let's go." Li Aiguo turned and got into the car, as if nothing had happened.
Qi Fang stared in disbelief at all this until the old cat patted him on the shoulder.
He finally came to his senses and hurriedly started the car.
"Mr. Li... what did you just say? How could those thugs..." Qi Fang looked at Li Aiguo with awe in the rearview mirror while driving.
"It's nothing, just a few words in my hometown dialect," Li Aiguo said casually, glancing out the car window.
The clock tower at the train station was now in sight, and the hour hand pointed to 2:45.
Ever since getting off the road and onto the train, Old Cat's brow has remained furrowed.
Only when the train started moving and the wheels hit the rails with a rhythmic "chicken-chicken" sound did Old Cat lower his voice and speak.
"No, something's not right."
We were driving a large SUV; these kinds of vehicles are a status symbol on the streets of Moscow.
Even the most thugs wouldn't dare stop a car like this, no matter how brave they were. This is intentional!
"As you can see, someone has made a move. But whether they want to stop us or have other ideas is still hard to say."
Upon hearing this, the old cat's eyes widened suddenly.
No wonder Li Aiguo wouldn't let him use the gun; it turns out he was testing the intentions of the person behind it all.
Qi Fang, standing to the side, looked completely bewildered: "What are you talking about? Who's stopping us?"
Just then, the door at the connection between the carriages was suddenly pushed open, and a squad of fully armed military police walked in expressionlessly.
"Ticket check! Foreigners, please show your identification!"
*****
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away on the shores of the Black Sea.
The eldest brother's family built many resorts in those years, among which Sochi on the Black Sea is the most famous, simply because it is the eldest brother's "Camp David", the highest-level "summer capital".
The surface of the Black Sea off Sochi shimmered under the sunlight.
The light shone on the beach and also on the middle-aged man sitting on the beach chair.
He wore an old military uniform without any rank insignia, but his chest was covered with medals that gleamed metallic in the light.
"You mean, little Andrei's Eastern friend managed to subdue the hooligans and the military police with just a few words?" The medal-bearing marshal looked at the undulating sea.
A man in a gray Zhongshan suit standing nearby bowed his head and reported: "Yes, not only that, but military police deliberately tore up his passport."
He didn't use a gun, but instead produced the certification documents for Andrei Trading Company, and asked to contact the railway department here, while also handing over rubles.
After weighing the pros and cons, the military police allowed them to pass.
This person reacts extremely quickly, is very bold, and... knows the rules very well.
"Adaptable and resourceful. It seems that little brat Andrei was right about this; it is indeed a fine knife." The medallion-wearing marshal's eyes narrowed slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.
"Then what about the 'roadblocks' we set up in Zaporizhzhia..."
"Let's withdraw." The commander waved his hand casually.
"Now that we've tested its quality, there's no need to set up any more checkpoints."
The bait is in the water; if the water is too murky, the fish won't dare to bite.
The man in the gray Zhongshan suit hesitated for a moment: "But, if we let him meet Jason too easily, wouldn't that...?"
"Foolish." The commander sneered, baited the hook, and cast it into the sea. "Only when he thinks the sea is calm will he relax and think that he can solve everything with his little bit of cleverness and money. People are most likely to fall into a trap when they think they are in control of the situation."
"Yes, I understand."
"Tell the men below to pave the way. Let him walk comfortably into Zaporizhzhia, into that greedy Jason's interrogation room." A meaningful smile curled at the corner of the Medal Marshal's lips.
"The real show has only just begun."
"understand!"
"And Andrei, he's causing a huge scene at the villa, threatening to set it on fire."
"Let it burn. Uh, remember, bring out the box containing my medals." The Medal General thought for a moment and quickly said.
"Understood." This was the first time the gray-clad man had seen panic on the face of the medal-wearing marshal. He was about to laugh, but quickly composed himself.
"I'll make the arrangements right now."
Just as the man in the gray Zhongshan suit was about to turn and leave, he saw the float move and exclaimed excitedly, "Boss, the fish has taken the bait! It's taken the bait!"
General Medal picked up the fishing rod and laughed heartily.
*****
Zaporozhye was an important industrial base for the Big Brother's family during that era.
The sky is always gray. The huge industrial chimneys spew out thick smoke day and night, as if it were the heavy breathing of this behemoth.
Li Aiguo stood on the platform of Zaporizhzhi Railway Station, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and frowned slightly.
Everything went too smoothly.
The journey from the border was initially fraught with peril.
A petty thug is causing trouble; documents are "lost," and there are problems with train tickets—it's as if an unseen hand is deliberately picking on them.
Li Aiguo felt like he was going on a pilgrimage to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures.
He had to use all his skills to counter every move.
But right after passing Kyiv, all the trouble suddenly disappeared.
The train conductor, who had initially been hostile towards him, suddenly became warm and attentive.
The lost luggage inexplicably returned to the entrance of the private room, and even the usually strict document check became a mere formality.
This feeling.
It's like someone suddenly closing a window during a storm; the world becomes eerily quiet.
"It seems they really welcome us here!" Li Aiguo exhaled a puff of smoke and looked towards the Zaporozhechika branch not far away.
“Zong Xianfeng, Dasha, and my wife are being held in this Cheka office.” Dasha’s father said with a worried expression.
He didn't know if his old friend, Zong Xianfeng's superior, could really rescue the man from that ruthless place.
Cheka branch of the Zaporizhzhia police station.
trial room.
The dim light bulb overhead swayed, casting intermittent light on Jason Petrov's greasy face.
The local Cheka official was sitting with his legs crossed, fiddling with a blueprint in his hand.
That was a gift from Zong Xianfeng to his father-in-law, Jespan: a sketch of an improved heating stove.
"Tsk tsk tsk, intricate structure, complex piping... Mr. Zong, you still say this isn't stealing secrets from our great Soviet Research Institute?"
Sitting opposite him, Zong Xianfeng's face flushed red as he vehemently argued, "Comrade Jason, I've explained this many times! It's just a civilian stove! The Chinese label on it is very clear!"
"Chinese?"
Jason chuckled and casually tossed the blueprints onto the table.
"Here, I only understand the ruble. Or the US dollar is fine too."
Dasha, who was sitting next to Zong Xianfeng, stood up angrily.
“This is extortion! I’m going to write to Moscow! My father is a professor at Zaporizhia University, and he has many friends…”
“Sit down, dear Dasha,” Jason waved his hand casually.
The two burly men behind him immediately stepped forward, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure.
"This is Zaporizhia, far from the reach of the emperor. This is Cheka. What do you think of this place?"
As for your parents… hey, they'd probably be in for a headache if they knew their daughter brought home a 'Dieter' son-in-law, wouldn't they?
Just then.
There was a knock on the interrogation room door.
A young Cheka man poked his head in, looking somewhat strange.
"Boss, someone's here. They say they're... Mr. Zong's superior."
“A leader?” Jason raised an eyebrow. “An Asian?”
"Yes. They came in a big SUV, they had a lot of presence, and they said they were here to solve a problem."
Jason's beady eyes darted around twice, then he burst into laughter: "Ha! I knew it! Someone who can draw these kinds of blueprints must have a big fish behind them! Quick, take him to the reception room, I want to receive him personally!"
(End of this chapter)