Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The two-street-long block where the Federal Intelligence Agency was headquartered in Berlin was completely blockaded. The outermost defense was ordinary anti-riot police who wore bulletproof helmets and vests, and carried bulletproof shields. They were completely armed, but no one knew against who. Germans were different from Hua Xia people in that they didn’t like to join in the excitement. As a result, nearly all the Germans avoided the area after the streets were blockaded. Residents in the area also didn’t dare peek their heads out, and they locked their doors and windows tightly.
The residential buildings on both sides of the street were swarming with fully armed soldiers wearing sunglasses and carrying semi-automatic submachine guns. They occupied commanding heights and vigilantly monitored everyone inside and outside the area. Many plainclothes police officers were coming and going as they walked around looking for evidence. In the center of the blockaded area was the small restaurant where Als had been assassinated. The restaurant owner and the diners at the time were already sequestered inside another room. They were not accused of being criminals but were treated as primary eyewitnesses. There was also a chance there were spies among them, so no factors were ruled out.
Als still laid on the small dining table, but there was a tiny bit of black blood seeping out of the bullet hole in his forehead. It made a strange “S” symbol resembling a snake on his pale skin. The senior detective from the Berlin Police Headquarters barked his conclusion to his subordinates. “This is obviously a cult killing. Look at the symbol on his forehead. I’ve seen this symbol before in my years of handling cases…”
Many detectives nodded in agreement with his theory. But there were also ones who didn’t agree. They surrounded Als and swept their eyes around looking at everyone on the scene. Soon after, the shrill squeal of car brakes could be heard at the entrance of the block completely blockaded by anti-riot police.
“Everyone! Salute!” The uniform sound of numerous heels kicking together in salute could be heard from the entrance. The police officers investigating the case looked outside to see a strapping man in a black trenchcoat rush inside. He had an aquiline nose, deep set eyes, blonde hair, and blue eyes to form the classically handsome Germanic face. There was a small cleft in his chin, and his expression was somber as if he had no interest in the pleasures of life. He carried the aura of religious abstinence. All the German soldiers present saluted to him, but he was expressionless and ignored them all.
“Major General Reinitz!”
“That’s Major General Reinitz?!”
“Why is he here?!”
“He’s the head of the General Directorate of the Federal Intelligence Agency, newly promoted to the role of Director of the General Directorate at the beginning of this year!”
“The dead person is his important subordinate. He must be here to show his respect?”
The Berlin police officers chattered away, but Reinitz didn’t make his way to them. He turned and went over to the small, three-story residential building across the street. Although Reinitz didn’t come over, several plainclothes agents from the Federal Intelligence Agency walked over and told the police officers after displaying their identification, “We’re taking over this case. You can all leave now.”
“Why? This is a criminal case of a cult murder. Our police department has always handled this, and you are the Federal Intelligence Agency. Isn’t this beyond your jurisdiction?” The detectives refused to give up. This was another huge case that was going to rock the nation. How could they willingly give up this chance to become famous?
“You can ask your own Chief of Police.” The Federal Intelligence agents were very arrogant and escorted the police out without further explanation. “Do you want to walk out now, or should I throw you out?”
The police had no choice but to glance at the solemn soldiers on duty and the aggressive Federal Intelligence agents. Without the support of the police headquarters, they could only diminish their fanfare and retreat from the area. Before they left, they saw a group of people escorting Major General Reinitz atop the small residential building across from the restaurant. The police had no idea what they were doing.
Reinitz was standing on the rooftop of the residential building, staring blankly at a spot there.
“Major General Reintiz, this is where the criminal must have set up the sniper rifle.” Bureau 6 of the Federal Intelligence Agency was responsible for technical support, and one of its special technicians was demonstrating the ballistic curve to Reinitz. “The culprit had very accurate marksmanship. The sniper rifle should be a Hua Xia Imperial JS05 12.77mm model, using an ultra-accurate micro bullet to make one direct head shot. Also, the bullet strength was perfectly controlled, so it did not pass out of Director Als’ head but directly imploded in a small area of his brain.” That explained the little blood spilled. “The specific circumstances will be determined once an autopsy is performed on Director Als and the bullet is extracted.”
Reinitz remained expressionless and replied coolly, “You already said the bullet had caused an implosion in a small area. How could you find any evidence from that?”
“…What do you mean?”
Reinitz checked the markings left by the culprit’s sniper rifle once again and nodded. “It’s certainly a Hua Xia-produced sniper rifle. There is no doubt about it.”
“This is really the work of a Hua Xia special agent?! They are too barbaric! They dare instigate something in our territory!?”
Reinitz didn’t nod or shake his head, but a peculiar smile appeared on his face. However, it quickly melted away into his characteristically stoic and joyless expression. “This evidence alone cannot prove this was done by a Hua Xia agent.”
“Why not?”
“Because this sniper rifle was once sold by the Hua Xia Empire at an international gun show. Anyone could’ve bought it, so it’s the same as not being able to accuse the killer of being an American just because you saw an American Remington sniper rifle…” Reinitz spoke evenly and gently, but all his subordinates knew that the President of the Federal Intelligence Agency was comparable to that youngest Hua Xia Major General and was also a cruel man himself. However, the difference between him and his good friend Als was that Als’ cruelty was on the surface, so everyone knew he was a psychopath. Reinitiz wouldn’t physically touture people like Als did, but he still had a way to make people beg for death.
“Oh? Then who did it? Could it really be what those policeman were saying, that it was a cult killing?” The technician was skilled in his own field, but he wasn’t very good at analyzing the case.
Reinitz didn’t reply but turned to go downstairs and headed to the small restaurant across the street. A tall and glamorous woman had been waiting for him for a long time now. She went up to him as soon as she saw him walk down. “Major General Reinitz, I believe this was the work of a Hua Xia agent. Their goal was to avenge Gu Nianzhi.” She stared at Reinitz with clear fury on her face. She was blaming Reinitz.
Reinitz didn’t look at her as he replied dryly, “Dina, am I the Director, or are you? I don’t want to hear that kind of talk again.”
Dina balled her hands into fists as she stared at Reinitz’s straight back and shot back icily, “Major General Reinitz, are you telling me you don’t want to avenge Als?! Or are you still distracted by that woman’s beauty and forgot your responsibilities and loyalties?!”
Reinitz ignored her and quickly strode into the restaurant. He glanced at Als lying on the dining table and turned around to command, “Check all flights to and from Berlin in the last three days and target anyone coming from the Hua Xia Empire, regardless of their nationality.” He frowned deeply and now regarded the enemy several grades more seriously than before. In the last few days, he had been busy dealing with all the Federal Intelligence Agency’s Central Control System files being stolen. All field personnel were summoned back, all passwords were changed, and all communications were suspended. And it was because of this that he only received news of Als’ attack several hours after it occurred.
At the same moment, Huo Shaoheng and Yin Shixiong’s plane was already flying over Kazakhstan. Reinitz considered for a few minutes and used his titles of the German Military’s Major General and the President of the Federal Intelligence Agency to send a special message to General Ji of the Hua Xia Military’s Supreme Military Council. In the message, he questioned the Hua Xia Military about why evidence of the ballistic curve from a Hua Xia Imperial sniper rifle would be found at the Berlin murder scene of Director Als of Bureau 1 of the Federal Intelligence Agency. He also requested a list of names of all purchasers of the Hua Xia JS05 12.7mm model sniper rifle. Of course, Reinitz was not naive enough to believe the Hua Xia Empire would truly provide him with the list of purchasers. He was merely using this as a way to warn the Hua Xia Military that he already knew what they had done in Berlin…
When General Ji saw the special message from Germany, he finally realized what Huo Shaoheng had done and was instantly enraged. He lost his temper inside his office. “Insolent! I already told him not to take the risk!” However, as much as he shouted, there was no way he would respond to the Germans’ instigation.
General Ji had his secretary send a simple message back. “Trade secrets cannot be disclosed.” At the same time, he also had Secretary Cao accost Huo Shaoheng at the Special Forces Operations base once again.
…
Huo Shaoheng and Yin Shixiong left the Imperial Capital International Airport and got into Fan Jian’s car to head back to the Special Forces Operations headquarters. They had only been gone for two days for this trip and ended the operation as quickly as lightning. However, the two men acted normally because this wasn’t the first time they had done such a thing, and it was nothing to be excited or boast about. Also, the anger in Huo Shaoheng’s chest did not find relief from killing Als. But just when they arrived at headquarters, Secretary Cao stopped them.
“Major General Huo, please stop for now. We must go back immediately. General Ji nearly flipped the dining table over.” Secretary Cao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It had only been three days, and he had to stop Huo Shaoheng at the Special Forces Operations headquarters base twice already…
Huo Shaoheng stiffened slightly. General Ji knows about it already?
Secretary Cao walked closer to whisper, “Germany sent a special message…”
Huo Shaoheng nodded. The enemy had reacted quickly, indeed. He followed Secretary Cao to General Ji’s study. He had just been let out of this study two days ago and was already back here today. A single lamp was on inside the room, so it was rather dark. General Ji sat behind the wide desk and began to shout as soon as he entered, “How many times did I tell you!? Don’t take the risk! Don’t take the risk! Are you just ignoring my words now?!”
Huo Shaoheng stayed silent as he endured General Ji’s lecture. After yelling at him for nearly a minute straight, General Ji felt some relief when he finished. He picked up a teacup from the desk to sip and leaned tiredly back into the chair. “Your target was too important this time. They won’t let this go easily.”
Huo Shaoheng finally looked up and replied confidently, “Yes, I did it on purpose. Two of our field personnel died because of them, so they must pay the price. The price being that kindness is always repaid tenfold.” Otherwise, they wouldn’t remember the lesson.
General Ji admired Huo Shaoheng’s tenacity greatly, but he didn’t believe this explanation. “Why did it have to be Als? Even if you are repaying their kindness by tenfold, why did you choose the second-in-command of the Federal Intelligence Agency? That’s the same as the enemy killing your Deputy Chief. Would you just let it go?” General Ji stared directly at Huo Shaoheng to study all the changes in his expression.
However, Huo Shaoheng remained as unperturbed as a mountain. “They have to let it go, even if they don’t want to. This incident is certainly not over, but when did they ever let us off? Why do we have to give them an excuse to back down?”
His words made too much sense, and General Ji found himself speechless. He was also reflecting on himself. Was he so old that he had lost the fearless lethal edge of youth? After a long moment, General Ji waved his hand. “Fine, go back for now. I’m going to give you a three-month break so you can collect yourself. You’re too murderous lately, and it doesn’t align with work.”
