Chapter 10 Chapter 9 Don't Say Goodbye

The chaotic golden sun is crawling and crawling, moving slowly above the horizon, and the Arctic Circle is in the season of eternal day. "We're almost reaching the Bering Strait." Malinov nodded in response to Guxiang's words. "Yeah, it's almost there." Clarice leaned her face to the small round window, looked at the ground with great interest, then slightly turned her eyes and asked Gu Xiang. "We're not going over Soviet airspace, are we?" "Don't worry, if it exceeds, the US Air Force will come to meet it. Radar is 100% undeceptive, and the sky is so bright, visual inspection can also judge."

"As long as the Soviet government doesn't make a decision to abandon Uncle Jacob, it's still safer to stay in the Soviet airspace. If that happens, it won't be too late to surrender to the United States." Just when Gu Xiang said so—— "I see!" cried Clarice.Guxiang left the driver's seat and walked towards Clarice.Clarice's white and slender fingers pointed down through the thick glass window. "Bering Strait Dam!" It was a long, long chalk embankment spanning the eastern and western hemispheres.Linking Cape Diezhnev in Eurasia and Cape Prince of Wales in America, the 85-kilometer-long concrete embankment divides the dark blue-gray sea into two, and looks like it is boldly inserted into the blue sea. Like a knife edge on the surface of a grained cheese.

"Indeed, it really is the modern Great Wall." "Just that has become part of history." "Tens of thousands of years ago, the ancestors of American Indians crossed this strait, but at that time the two continents were connected." "It's simply a magnificent and magnificent legend." "I don't object to the feeling of being immersed in geology, but we'd better decide on the plan for later." Malinov interrupted their conversation unceremoniously. "Where can I put you down?" "Are you going to throw us down?"

"I made a slip of the tongue. Where should I put you down?" "Near the dam that will not be swept in by the current. If you are willing to lend the rubber boat, we can also go there by ourselves." "and then?" "The management committee that rushed into the dam! If there were only the United States and the Soviet Union, it goes without saying what will happen, but Canada and Denmark are also involved, so I will try my best to cause a huge commotion in the media. In the future, Clary If something happens to Si, Ossop must be the one who strikes, as long as the situation is made like that, Ossop probably won't be able to act rashly."

"There's no need to worry about Osopp, that guy doesn't have much to live for." After Malinov finished speaking in an ominous and calm tone, Gu Xiang smiled regretfully. "Osop's head is yours. Although I'm a bit reluctant, I can't let you go." Hearing these words, when he was about to answer something, Malinov's attention was suddenly attracted by Clarice's cry. "what is that?" Clarice's fingertip passed the windowpane, pointing at a white trail approaching the dam.Malinov and Guxiang moved their faces closer to the window at the same time, and turned their eyes to a small point several kilometers away.

"Is that... a ship?" "No, it's not a boat, it's..." "hovercraft!" Malinov jumped from the window as if struck by lightning and shouted at Lieutenant Koryugin. "Lower the altitude! Get closer to that hovercraft!" Muttering lines like "how did this happen to me", the lieutenant carried out the KGB agent's order.The seaplane lowered its nose like an overgrown duck and began to drift down toward the target. "What exactly is going on?" The person who made Malinov and others nervous asked suspiciously. "What if that's really a hovercraft?"

"Just lower the altitude a little bit and it will be clear. In my opinion, it is not an ordinary hovercraft." Maintaining a posture like kissing a glass window, Furugo replied.A pair of hound's eyes fixed on the point on the sea that was rapidly approaching. "How about it, Guxiang? Did you see it?" "I see." "and then?" "As you think, Malinov, it's a British military hovercraft." "Sure enough..." "Are hovercraft also used for military use?" Clarice's eyes widened. "Of course there are! Especially the British ones are the best. Because they are amphibious, they are most suitable for crossing rivers and swamps. Large-scale models can transport an entire fully armed mech unit at high speed."

At the same time as Gu Xiang gave a brief explanation, the seaplane had already reached a height of about 200 meters above the bow of the hovercraft.In the eyes of Clarisse, the air duct in the center of the deck looks like a ventilation fan in the kingdom of giants, and there are lumps covered with gray covers on the front, back, left, and right sides. "Is that a heavy machine gun?" Malinov said. "Or howitzers..." Guxiang mumbled back. "Is that General Ossop's?" Clarice asked a question. "Otherwise whose would it be?" Gu Xiang asked back and glanced at Malinov, who had turned into a combat expert with a fierce expression.

"The timing can't be bad. Those people are preparing to attack the dam. You might become a hero to save the country!" "I'm not interested, as long as I can crush Osopp's attempt." "You can't say that. Once you become a national salvation hero, the KGB may value your testimony more than that uncle Jacob Brave said!" "So that's the case, you are really scheming." "Where, it's still far behind Osop!" Guxiang turned his eyes back to the window, and his mouth was tightly pressed together.The hovercraft just burst into an orange flash and white smoke, followed by a strange sound like a rush of compressed gas.

The emitted object looks like a thick needle threaded on a thread.At first, people climbed up to the sky at a speed so slow that it seemed that they could be grasped by hand, but it began to accelerate rapidly halfway, and then it turned into a beam of light and pierced into the dam.Fragments of concrete danced in all directions with the bang, raising a cloud of gray smoke. "It's a bazooka launcher for attacking machine gun positions! Let's start!" Guxiang ran to the driver's seat and patted Lieutenant Koryukin on the shoulder. "Hey! Shooting down the grandson of the king, blasting that with a depth charge won't hurt your conscience, right? Now you can have a big fight!"

"If there is no order from the superior..." Furugo frowned at the bureaucratic answer.He took the Makarov pistol from his pocket and pressed it against the lieutenant's helmet. "Okay, you are now pointed at by me with a pistol, facing a life-and-death threat, which already meets the urgent distress, what is the ship plank of Carneades (Note: The theory proposed by the Greek philosopher Carneades. Assuming that there is a ship accident, and there are two survivors and a plank at sea, at which time it is permissible and innocent to kill another person for one's own life.) condition, which is innocent in any country of." "Do you think I'll be fooled by your sweet words?" Guxiang shrugged helplessly, and Malinov put his hand on the lieutenant's shoulder from the other side. "The Japanese are right. Are we going to let those guys destroy the dam as they please? You should understand the Soviet people's expectations for the dam. Can you stand by and watch it be destroyed?" "This……" The lieutenant was lost in thought, but only for a moment.Then his eyes sparkled wonderfully, and he spoke in a passionate and excited tone. "Okay! Let's have a big fight!" Exactly according to the pilot's will, the seaplane enters a combat state.Continue descending while drawing a gentle arc until the hovercraft is within range of the machine gun. At this time, the rocket launcher of the hovercraft has fired the fourth shell, and the wall of the dam has been damaged in four places. The concrete fragments falling into the sea have turned part of the sea water into a cloudy state, but those are just like a light scrape. The thick skin of dinosaurs is like thorns.The size and sturdiness of the dam is far above the destructive power of the rocket launchers. If the Great Wall of Chalk is to collapse from the outside, apart from nuclear missiles, I am afraid that only super battleships can fire hundreds of cannons with their main guns! Of course, the men on the hovercraft knew this very well. Their mission was to demonstrate in order to attract the attention of the dam guards outside, and this purpose was gradually being achieved.Dozens of figures running here and there above the dam, and the sound of sirens roaring hysterically, spoke of this fact.The sound of the dam siren is a loud boom that almost completely overwhelms the noise made by the hovercraft's air cushion. "It's about time." A man looked up at the sky after saying this to his companion.There may be patrol planes coming from the nearby US or Soviet air bases, but they probably won't arrive right away, probably not...probably... "...!" The man shouted, the shadow of the Soviet Navy's seaplane was just around the corner!Because his hearing was dulled by the noise of the hovercraft, he didn't notice the sound of the approaching seaplane at all, not to mention the roar of the siren that seemed to go crazy. Added the sound of machine gun fire, a trio or quartet.Bullets fired at high speed poured down on the hovercraft like a shower of death, bouncing around after hitting the armor plate. "Hey! That armor plate is really thick!" In the cockpit of the flying seaplane, Lieutenant Koryukin sighed. Guxiang peeped at his hand and asked. "There are no other weapons? Like anti-ship rocket launchers and so on." "Yes, but it's malfunctioning." "A lot of malfunctions, I still call you the strongest army on land!" "It's you meddling in your own business." Although the lieutenant retorted, he was not energetic. "By the way, there should be depth charges, right? Don't be reluctant to use them!" "The reason why depth charges are called depth charges is that they are used against submarines. Unless they are subjected to water pressure and the pressure fuze is activated, they will not explode." "In short, let's throw it down first. If it doesn't explode, then use a machine gun to blow it up." "That's right, let's try it!" Clarice, who was listening to the conversation behind the two, couldn't help shrugging. My God, I didn't expect Guxiang and Lieutenant Koryukin to really get along well!It turned out that there were such frivolous men on the other side of the Iron Curtain. Suddenly the plane shook violently, and a loud bang sounded at a very close distance at the same time. "Damn, shot!" Lieutenant Koryukin cursed, his voice loud but lacking strength.Gu Xiang looked at his chest with strange eyes, blood stains spread in waves on the chest of his flight jacket. "Lieutenant Koryukin! Hello..." "Laugh, Japanese, I really don't have the face to meet my grandfather..." With one hand on his chest, which was fatally injured by fragments of rocket shells, a weak smile appeared on the lieutenant's face, and with a slight convulsion, all expressions disappeared without a trace. Furusato shook his head silently, and dragged the body of the lifeless lieutenant out of the driver's seat. "Malinov, can you drive?" "know a little." "Then you'll take over! I'm going to treat those guys to a special depth charge meal!" Furugo rushed to the back seat and pushed open the black cover, revealing the pneumatic depth charge projector.The depth charge placed in a corner of the machine is the same old cylindrical shape. "Do me a favor, you are..." "Fommin." After Malinov's colleague answered briefly, he immediately helped Guxiang install the heavy depth charge on the catapult.Jacob Brave, who was bound, looked at the movements of the two from a distance with an awkward expression on his face. "Take aim!" The eyes and hands of the two were busy. "Malinov, adjust the course of the seaplane to match that of the hovercraft!" "learn!" After Malinov answered, the seaplane immediately dragged its tail of light smoke and flew in accordance with the heading of the hovercraft. "Clarice, get the rubber boat ready first, if you get shot again, you will have to escape." "understood!" This is a joint operation of Japan, the Soviet Union, and Canada!Guxiang couldn't help thinking with a wry smile.However, it never occurred to him that he would be on the same side as KGB agents.Life is funny, he murmured to himself. The reason why human beings can enjoy the fun of changing fate is probably because they do not have the ability to predict! "Aiming complete!" Fomin said in a tense voice. "emission!" Press the switch of the projector.After a sound like thick cloth being blown by the wind, the clumsy depth charge jumped into the air, and fell rapidly as the buoyancy was lost.The depth charge dropped all the way, and the air duct of the hovercraft waiting in front grinned like the mouth of a devil fish. The atmosphere was buzzing, and the disorderly dance of colors and sounds surrounded the hovercraft. The fire and smoke seemed to be competing to stick out their tongues in all directions, and the groan of the broken hull was carried into the ears of Guxiang and others.The central part of the hull was damaged, and the hovercraft, which lost the buoyancy generated by the valves, hit the sea surface. The waves washed violently against the sloping deck, and a figure with a flame cloak on his back could be seen rushing out of the thick smoke. into the sea. "Big success……" Before the knowing smile faded from Gu Xiang's mouth, a sudden shock shook the seaplane. "what happened?" "Shot in the right engine...we are counterattacked!" Malinov let out a sharp squeak.Kogo walked away from the bomb catapult, his eyes gleaming with sarcasm. "Are you still able to fight back now? It really deserves to be a professional team." However, the situation in front of him seemed not to allow him to continue rapping.The right engine was completely engulfed in blazing flames, and if the fuel tank caught fire, the crew of the seaplane would obviously have to be scattered in the air one by one. "Let's land!" Gu Xiang shouted behind Malinov.Clarice pulled the rubber boat out of the bag, which was the type that would inflate when thrown on the surface. "Help me untie it!" The shouts of excitement came from Jacob Brave. "Let me go..." Clarice looked at the deputy chairman of the KGB. Although she hesitated for a moment, she still ran over to help him untie the rope from his hands tied behind his back. "Clarisse! That guy..." Can't be trusted——by the time Furusato finished speaking, Jacob Brave's hands were already free. There was a sly light in the eyes, and the fat and big hands suddenly grabbed the girl's slender neck. "Ah! The tables are turned." Jacob Brave smiled. "If you cherish this girl's life, hand over the gun and obey my orders..." "You bastard!" Just as Gu Xiang growled with deep disgust and contempt, the machine body was hit again, and everyone in the machine was shaking violently. The seaplane landed.The reason why Malinov landed in such an extremely rough way actually had ulterior motives. He knew what happened behind the scenes, so he wanted to help Guxiang.Using the sudden impact to make Jacob Brave stagger and distract his attention from Guxiang is enough for Guxiang. The powerful arms flashed horizontally, and the throat of the double-chinned Jacob Brave was hit hard with a hand knife. The neck bone was bent backwards by the giant body of the KGB deputy speaker, spinning in circles like a top, and then hit the floor from his face. "Vice Speaker!" It was Burris Fomin who cried out.Fomin picked up Jacob Brave's fallen body in a strange twisted posture.Jacob Brave looked back at the pale faces of his subordinates with a pair of empty eyes like dead fish. "How did things become like this? I didn't expect such a thing to happen..." Fomin muttered to himself with a stiff expression. "Hurry up! Boris, the plane is about to explode!" Not responding to his friend's exclamation, Malinov urged. "We'll have to take a rubber boat instead!" The rubber boat was already floating on the sea surface next to the lift port.Kogo let Clarice go up first, while he yelled at Malinov with one foot on the rubber boat. "Malinov! Come on!" "Boris!" Malinov, who finally came to the elevator entrance, turned his head to look at his friend. Fomin seemed to have been stunned by excessive shock, and he was sitting blankly holding the corpse of his boss. "Boris!" There was a turbid explosion sound, and the turbulent flow of scorching hot air hit Malinov head-on. He turned his face away for a while to dodge, and when he turned his face back again, the inside of the plane was completely occupied by misty black smoke.Malinov, who called his friend's name for the fourth time, was grabbed by the waist by Gu Xiang and forcibly pulled out of the plane.Malinov's body rolled onto the rubber boat. After rowing the rubber boat close to the iron ladder installed on the outside of the dike, Guxiang looked back.On the surface of the sea, hovercraft and seaplanes were blazing under the embrace of Vulcan. The chaotic and noisy voices came from above the embankment, which must have shocked the people who manage and operate the dam, and they couldn't help but feel depressed when they thought of the troublesome negotiations. Clarice yelled suddenly. "Look! Shengsi! It's a cat fork!" "What did you say?" Guxiang stared dumbfounded at the surface of the sea that Clarice pointed to, a mess of dirty and tattered objects was swimming towards them desperately paddling the water.That was indeed Furuso Seiji's cat, not anything else. "Did it hitch a hovercraft too?" "Fortunately, I was saved... how wonderful!" Clarice, with a face full of joy, stretched out her hand and picked up the cat from the sea, but she didn't think it was wet, and immediately hugged it tightly in her arms. "You are such a strong little thing! What a cat with nine lives!" "I wish I could be as lucky as you." Kogo said only this, and patted the cat's head, which had closed its eyes comfortably, before grabbing the ladder. "Give me the cat, and I will hold it up with one hand. You can't go up without using both hands." The cat understood the situation, so he didn't express dissatisfaction when he was carried away from the beautiful woman. It took quite a while, and the three of them, plus a cat, finally climbed the long ladder and stood on the weir. "What exactly is going on?" While being half-surrounded by gun-wielding guards, a middle-aged man came briskly.Light brown hair, black-rimmed glasses, and a white coat over the suit. "Everything is as you see it." Furugo's answer made the man frown. "I just asked because I couldn't understand it after reading it! Also, who are you?" "We are good people." "But you should be wearing the uniforms of the Soviet army..." "The design is so ugly, I don't wear it because I like it." "Senior, your way of speaking will only make things more confusing." Clarisse, who was holding the cat, took a step forward. "Are you on the management committee?" "That's right, I'm Chairman Harman Vigel. American." "I'm Canadian Clarice Raine, and we're here to prevent terrorists from planning to destroy this dam." Clarisse shut her mouth and opened her turquoise eyes wide as a figure followed them up the ladder.Although the whole body is soaked in sea water, the character is still cheerful and open-minded. "Hi! Miss Rain, and Guxiang!" He greeted in an almost cheerful tone. "There's no need to be so surprised. After all, even your cat was saved. It's not surprising that I escaped danger at all, isn't it?" The three of them glared at Simon Ossop, who was so outrageous, with three expressions.Clarice Rain was full of astonishment, Kogo Seiji was extremely unhappy, and Vladimir Malinov was burning with hatred and anger. There are six men, women and a cat in the office of Harman Vigel, chairman of the Bering Strait Dam International Management Committee.The sixth person besides the office owner Harman Weigel, Clarice Rein, Vladimir Malinov, Guxiang Shengsi, and Simon Ossop is a man named Yi Young Belarusian engineer of Van Filimonov. This room is unexpectedly messy, Guxiang thought.Bottles of wine and refreshing drinks are lined up on the large conference table, and a large remote-control plane that is probably a collectible is decorated on the cabinet, but the desk has been tidied up. "So you planted a bomb in the power supply room for the control rods of the nuclear reactor?" Chairman Weigel confirmed in a heavy and gloomy tone. "Yes, that's right." Filimonov affirmed listlessly. "You are a member of the Belarusian Liberation League. In order to protest the Soviet government's suppression of ethnic minorities, you attempted to destroy this dam..." "yes." "And you regret it now, don't you?" "yes……" Filimonov ran his fingertips through his sweat-soaked hair, and the shudder seemed to be on his skin. "Because I finally understood that what I had done was a very terrible thing. Fortunately the bomb could be defused, and the time for the explosion was set at seven o'clock in the morning, and there was more than an hour and a half to go, whether to evacuate or destroy the bomb. Still in time." "But have you ever wondered how your comrades will perceive what you have done?" Furusato smelled a strange smell in Chairman Weigel's words, and he couldn't help but look at the chairman's face. "They might think you a mean traitor." "Perhaps! I accept the condemnation willingly. But..." Filimonov turned his gaze to Ossop, pleading desperately. "Klay, I won't ask you to forgive me, but I ask you to understand that detonating a nuclear reactor is a very terrible thing. I couldn't stop you from shooting that woman in Moscow, but from that incident After the incident, I have been living in regret, not to mention that there will not be only one person who will die in this incident!" Malinov turned pale when he heard these words, and clenched his fists tightly.He stood at the back to prevent Osop from escaping or resisting, so no one noticed the change in his expression. "I just don't get it." Ossop responded icily. "And as a matter of course, I can't allow it. The weak traitor should receive the retribution he deserves." "That's right!" Chairman Weigel excitedly agreed. "And right away." Guxiang senses danger.Habits made him reflexively stretch his right hand to his left armpit, but now there is no holster, let alone a pistol, and the condition for entering the chairman's private office is that he must disarm, so each of them is unarmed. Fierce gunshots rang out from Weigel's hand.Vanessa - Ivan Filimonov was shot through with a red spot in the center of his chest, and a red flower bloomed.Fulimonov's body was supported from behind by Kogo, who fell limply. "Chairman! You..." Clarice's voice trembled. "I just let the traitor get the punishment he deserves." Weigel responded flatly. "Don't worry, miss, this room is completely soundproof, no matter what happens in the room, no one will know." "Call the doctor!" "It's useless, Clarisse, the great chairman is a member of the Ossop Symphony Orchestra." Gu Xiang carefully supported Vanesse's body and asked him to sit against the wall, and said displeasedly. "It looks like the international wiring project is done, if someone could explain the overall plan and make it clear to the less minded audience it would be much appreciated." Gu Xiang stared at the muzzle of the gun where the smoke cleared. "That's plenty of time, right?" "That's right, all right!" Osop stroked his chin leisurely.This guy likes to make statements that show he's in a good position at all times, Furusato thought. "The thing is like this, Guxiang. The first to express dissatisfaction with the US-Soviet joint funding for the construction of the Bering Strait Dam was the munitions faction inside the Soviet Union, that is, the foreign hardliners in the political and military circles. The reason why they opposed it was not only Because pouring the state budget into dam construction will have a negative impact on military expenditures, but because the success of dam construction represents the victory of the popular demand faction in the Soviet Union, and with the further promotion of US-Soviet cooperation, the improvement of national living standards , the power of the military supply faction will also be weakened. For them, their own power is far more important than the interests of the people. Is it clear so far?" "Understood. The lower the standard of living of the citizens due to xenophobia, the stronger the military's power. This was the case in Japan before World War II." Furusato's pupils shone with a sharp light. "So they used the Belarusian Liberation League to try to sabotage the dam..." "That's right, Guxiang, and you can use that as an excuse to suppress the domestic minority movements. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone." "Having said that, I always thought you were a money worshiper and an anti-communist. When did you start getting along with Soviet hawks?" "From a long time ago. It is true that I have fought against the left wing forces all over the world, but the left wing can be divided into national independence faction and Moscow vassal faction. Generally speaking, the former has no funds, while the latter does not." "So you've been assisting them to kill the Nationalists and expand the colonization of Moscow?" Kogo looked up at the ceiling. "In that case, what about the threat of international communism you're loudly advocating? It really doesn't feel like it's all fake." Ossop put a happy smile on his face. "That's the strategy, and I can sing about the threat of American imperialism if I have to, but that won't attract right-wing military regimes that are keen on anti-communism or multinational corporations with privileges in the third world." "Amazing backbone." "However, Guxiang, it is troublesome to give too high an opinion to people like me. This incident is not all planned by me alone, because I am just a participant, and I just try to make the best of the situation." "Is it the munitions faction of the Soviet Union who proposed the plan?" "That's right." "I really want to say that I fully understand it, but unfortunately I can't say it. Although you didn't mention the United States at all in your talk, the United States and the Soviet Union can be said to have a strong desire for domination and conspiracy. It's evenly matched! Those CIA guys are actually clean in this incident? Even I can't believe it." Osop backed away smiling, his eyes narrowed. "Otherwise, what do you think?" "The CIA may not really be involved, but there are also guys in the United States who disapprove of the construction of the Bering Strait dam. As you once said, a group of guys who don't want the Soviet Union to strengthen its national power. When those guys know that the Soviet Union's military supplies What will they do when the conspiracy is active? It should not be stopped." "why?" "First, if the dams are destroyed, Siberia will remain Siberia and will not become ten Ukraines, which will prevent the Soviet Union's agro-industrial productivity from growing dramatically. Don't forget that the current Soviet Union is agricultural products for the United States If the Soviet Union is able to produce a large amount of food due to global warming, wouldn’t the United States lose a large consumer group? In case of any situation, it cannot be threatened by cutting off the food supply. Second, as long as the Arctic Ocean remains In a frozen state, the Soviet Navy, which is the largest in the world in terms of numbers, will be dispersed and unable to move freely, which is very important to the military balance between the United States and the Soviet Union. Third, let the military supply faction successfully complete the plan , and expose it after the fact, and use international public opinion to criticize the Soviet Union as a vicious conspiracy country. Fourth, take advantage of that situation to weaken the power of the Soviet moderates in the country and transfer political power to the Soviet hardliners. In the hands of the United States, let the allied countries unite under the leadership of the United States, each of which is not a small benefit!" "Sure enough, it is very characteristic of you, full of arbitrariness and prejudice." "This is the hint you gave me. I just changed my point of view a little bit, and then I came to this conclusion. Who can enjoy the benefits because of the destruction of the dam? Thinking from this perspective, the answer is not so Difficult. Only my stupidity to blame for taking so long to notice." "That's right." There was something ominous in Ossop's tone. "Half-toned good mind. Well! I admit that, as you said, the United States had a share in this matter. I acted as its agent in order to accelerate the spiraling out of control of the Soviet anti-military faction. " "Ossop!" Weigel scolded. "What does it matter, Chairman? Anyway, he will pay the price of knowing the facts with his life. I approached the restless Dr. Shaw, bought KGB's Yekobrev, provided weapons to the Belarusian Liberation League, and deceived the Soviet Union's military supplies. Attacking the dam directly with acquiescence... Are you satisfied with this, Guxiang?" "Basically. But don't you think it only takes one wrong step to start World War III?" "That's impossible. The two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, are not so ignorant. They both know where their boundaries lie." "Hmph! This is the most unlovable thing about the two great powers." Guxiang said sarcastically. "All in all, it was a game played by the United States and the Soviet Union, who meddled in each other's business so far as not to put themselves in real danger, and competed for points. One was a bastion of working people, the other a A champion of freedom. Of course the parties are very happy! But even if you play games like a child, you will still trample ants to death. If you are keen on power games, you should worry about the troubles of others! Don’t think that the world or history is not just for They exist." Furugo thinks of those caught up in the seesaw game.The Liberation League of Belarus, the fake Dr. Sholo, the Deputy Speaker Yekobrev who is really not worthy of sympathy, and the wife of Vladimir Malinov who has always remained silent... After the heavy wheel of state supremacy of the great powers has passed , leaving only bloody traces. In the arms of Guxiang, Vanie Filimonov twisted his body weakly, a strange expression flashed on his waxy face, and at the same time he exhaled a weak breath regularly. "He... he's laughing..." Clarice said in disbelief. "He seemed to want to say something." Gu Xiang put his ear close to Vane's mouth, and the sound of breathing and speaking mixed into his ear. "Serious mistake...too ridiculous..." Enduring physical pain and spiritual despair, the Belarusian youth smiled. "I accidentally...set the bombing to Siberia time...I didn't notice until now...but the bomb's timer is synced to Alaska time, so..." The sudden laughter came out again. "...The time of the explosion was six o'clock in the morning of Siberia time...that is, seven o'clock in the morning of Alaska time...a mistake...it was a mistake until the end...I'm really not suitable to be a terrorist..." When the sound disappears, the life disappears. Guxiang raised his face, the expression on his face frightened Clarice, it was an expression she had never seen before. "Sage, what's wrong? What did he just say?" Malinov also silently questioned Guxiang. Gu Xiang made a movement like shaking off sticky bugs. "Oh my god!" Gu Xiang noticed that his forehead was covered with cold sweat. "He forgot about the jet lag on both sides of the international date line..." "jet lag?" Clarice asked with a puzzled expression, and it was Malinov who responded sensitively. "Is it about the timing of the explosion?" "Yes. He set the explosion time at 6:00 a.m. Siberia time, but the bomb's timer was synchronized with Alaska time. 6:00 a.m. Siberia time is equivalent to 7:00 a.m. Alaska time. The time difference should be It is exactly 24 hours, but for the sake of convenience, the time on the east side of Siberia is changed to be the same as the time in the previous time zone on the west side, so it is one hour behind, so the time in Alaska is relatively fast by one hour." "In that case..." Even Malinov couldn't help but change his face, he and Gu Xiang looked up at the clock on the wall. "It's not one hour and fifteen minutes before the nuclear reactor explodes, but only fifteen minutes left!" Clarice covered her mouth with her hands, suppressing her screams. As if being hit hard by an invisible hammer, Weigel staggered and couldn't stand his feet. "Are you kidding me..." The proud self-confidence collapsed silently, and Weigel lost his composure into a panic. This accident dealt a serious blow to him, and it also clearly demonstrated his lack of ability to grasp the situation that cannot be expressed in mathematical formulas. "It turned out that it was hindered by someone who was just using it and had already used it." Unknowingly, Malinov put on a serious face and murmured. "Hey, hey! There's no time! Why don't you run away, you two?" Guxiang yelled sharply. Vigel turned his face as stiff as a paste to the leader of the mercenary organization. "Ossop..." "There is no need to panic, there are still fifteen minutes left, and you can fly to a place fifty kilometers away by helicopter." Ossop's tone revealed displeasure, and Vigel's excessive panic seemed to disgust him. "Yes, yes...that's right..." Weigel, who nodded in agreement, had a fierce look in his eyes. "Let me get rid of these guys before that..." 枪口瞄准了克拉莉丝。就在那一瞬间，伴随着激烈的吼叫，完全被众人遗忘的猫儿突然来势汹汹地扑到维格尔脸上，迅速地对着他的右眼使劲一抓，立刻跳回地板上闪躲尖叫与扑打。 紧接着古乡右脚一伸踢中会议桌，会议桌两脚朝天猛然倾斜，在桌面上的玻璃杯如雪崩般滑落时往欧索普和维格尔的方向翻倒。欧索普以敏捷的动作迅速跳开了，但企图做出同样动作的维格尔却慢了一拍。沉重的会议桌不偏不倚地落在他的鞋子上，往他的脚背施以猛烈的一击。 伴随着痛苦的哀嚎，维格尔开枪射击。子弹擦过古乡的左脸，薄薄削掉皮肤喷洒出血雾。古乡感受到一股瞬间的灼热感，但动作却丝毫没有停滞，蹬着地板一跃而起，杀气腾腾第一脚立刻对着维格尔的脸上飞去。倾注全身力量的一脚，让维格尔的鼻梁与门牙发出异响应声碎裂，整个人就这么飞了几步的距离撞上墙壁，然后像个沙包一样崩溃滑落。 跑上前去的马利诺夫从他手中夺下手枪。 “欧索普呢？” 克拉莉丝指着敞开的门口。 “逃走了……” “还是老样子，溜得真快啊！” 古乡再次往墙上的时钟看去，距离爆炸还有十二分钟。 马利诺夫握着手枪冲出门外，如恶灵附体般的憎恶眼神在克拉莉丝眼里留下了深刻的烙印。 “你可是立了大功喔！” 古乡轻轻拍着猫儿的头。一副“那是当然的”模样，猫儿对着饲主英勇地竖起尾巴，没想到饲主却正好转向克拉莉丝。 “欧索普就交给马利诺夫去对付，我去拆除炸弹。” “可是警卫一定会出面阻挠的，他们会相信你吗？” “利用广播！通知水坝内的所有人员说核子反应炉有爆炸的危险，必须进行紧急疏散。这样或许会引起恐慌，但警备应该会跟着瓦解。问题是怎么把炸弹运到远处……” 古乡的视线突然停留在置于橱柜上方的遥控飞机上，逃出迷宫的喜悦在他的眼里闪耀着。 “就是那个！”他大喊道。 这里是设置于水坝内的直升机专用飞机库。马利诺夫抵达的时候，微弱的照明底下已经躺着好几具尸体，新鲜的血腥味扑鼻而来，告诉他那些是刚刚才产生的尸体。 “你也是个固执的男人呢……” 听起来不太高兴的声音传了过来。马利诺夫把视线转向停在前方约三十公尺处的直升机上，坐在驾驶座上的赛门·欧索普从升降口将狙击枪的枪口对准马利诺夫。狙击枪大概是杀害了警卫兵后夺取的。 “别动，俄罗斯人，从这个距离而言对我可是比较有利的。” “也许吧！你何不试着确认看看呢？” “成全你的希望倒是无所谓，不过在那之前我想先问你一个问题。你似乎特别憎恨我，到底是什么原因？” “你想知道吗？” “时间不多了，所以你得长话短说。” 欧索普以欧索普式的回答应对。 “那我就告诉你吧！” 马利诺夫的双眼散发出炽烈的光芒。 “上个月你以克烈的名义潜入莫斯科，还出了一场车祸对吧？” "what……" 欧索普仿佛完全理解似地点了点头。 “那是你太太吗？原来如此，你的动力原来来自于私人的复仇心哪！” “我在妻子的遗体前发过誓，一定会杀了你为她报仇，我一定会履行我的誓言！” “这绝对是一件不幸的意外……” “是你带来的不幸！” “我心甘情愿接受谴责，不过我不会让你杀了我的，因为有许多人都对我感到憎恶或怨恨，要是只满足你一个人的报复心，对其他人就太不公平了。” “你这个大言不惭的……” 激愤化为灼热的硬块哽在喉咙上，让马利诺夫无法继续把话说完，欧索普则仍无半点动摇的神色。 “已经没时间了。那么，我就先告辞了。” "Wait!" 马利诺夫以闪电般的速度将手枪瞄准欧索普并扣下扳机。子弹并未射出，只听到扳机徒然的空响。 “维格尔是个懒散的家伙，老是忘了要及时填充子弹。虽然我早就知道了，但是却没有义务要告诉你。” 欧索普嘲笑的语尾被枪声的轰响盖过。 大口径的枪弹贯穿了马利诺夫的左胸。 马利诺夫倒退了一两步之后跪在地上。按住胸口的左手指缝间窜出数条红色的小蛇。某种灼热沉重的东西撕扯着他的整个胸膛，当中的一部分急遽地往咽喉压迫。他面朝下地，把塞住咽喉的异物吐出，那是色泽艳丽的鲜红色流动物体。他知道自己的肺部已经受到损害。 “永别了，能干的KGB探员。” 殷勤地一鞠躬之后，欧索普起动了直升机的发动机，旋翼缓缓地开始发出声音，直到其旋转速度无法被肉眼捕捉，直升机便在混凝土地板上腾空浮起。 欧索普让直升机维持在距地五十公分左右的高度，慢慢朝着大致被切割成正方形的出入口前进。身受致命重伤的KGB探员已完全被他抛在脑后。 马利诺夫一面在地板留下红黑色血渍一面向前爬行，他早已失去站立步行的力气。血液不断地从他的嘴巴到下颚冒出，然后从咽喉流到胸膛，当中还零星参杂着一些极其微小的线团般的东西，那是连同血液一起被吐出来的肺部组织。 距离他的目标只有数步之遥，那是他一进到这里就看到的飞机库的控制盘，出入口铁卷门的升降把手应该也在那儿才对。 奇异的恶心感再次涌上，他吐出大量的鲜血，把衣服和地板都浇得湿淋淋的。他真实地感受到自己身上的细胞正因出血所造成的缺氧而不断遭到死亡的侵蚀，但是他既不恐惧也不痛苦。他伸出手臂，触摸到垂直竖立的金属物体，被染成红色的手仿佛受到某种力量引指似地正确握住把手。 欧索普的直升机开始加速，急速往出口接近。 “哎呀呀……” 欧索普发出声音嘟哝着。 “虽然是件吃紧的工作，但总算到此落幕了。” 就在那一瞬间，原本在他眼前展开的明亮光线突然消失不见，出入口的大门被关上了。在欧索普与直升机前距离仅三十公尺的地方，伫立着一道二十公分厚的钢铁制铁卷门。 欧索普张大嘴巴，他仿佛听到一声极惊慌且有失体统的尖叫声。那不是他的尖叫，因为惊慌失措或大喊大叫违反了他的美学理念。无论面对什么样的状况，他都能够保有精神上的余裕，沉着冷静地应付。他之所以能受到众人的尊敬与畏惧，不就是因为如此吗？赛门·欧索普是不可能发出尖叫的，绝对不可能！绝对…… 直升机就这样载着欧索普和他的骄傲，以时速一百公里之速度激撞铁卷门。 几乎被黑暗所占据的马利诺夫的视野中，出现了一个摇曳摆动的明亮光点，他毫不怀疑地认为那是仇敌所乘坐的直升机爆炸的火光。敲打耳膜的闷响大概就是爆炸声吧？不过马利诺夫错了，那个声音是他拉下把手之后身体失去平衡倒在地上，头部撞到地板的声音，不过他并不知道。 瞬间之后，所有的一切急速远离，深沉的睡眠包围住马利诺夫，并且再也没有离开过。 距离爆炸时间还有五分钟。 “请所有人员紧急撤离！请所有人员紧急撤离！核子反应炉有爆炸的可能性，请赶快撤离避难……” 播音器如此大喊。 古乡圣司在喧嚣与混乱中奔跑着。两条手臂抱着某种沉重而笨拙的东西，那是用皮绳绑上了刚拆下来的炸弹的遥控飞机以及飞机的遥控器。这是他为了在短时间内把具有强大破坏力的炸弹运至远处所想出来的办法。古乡知道这种类型的遥控飞机可在承载五公斤重量的情况下以两百公里的时速飞行，不过一切纯属理论，承载物体的形状会如何改变平衡，这点实在难以预测。然而，此刻的他也只能够姑且一试了。 古乡原本打算利用电梯登上堰堤上方，从那里让遥控飞机起飞，不过他知道那是不可能的，因为三台电梯都停在顶楼，而且电梯间里挤满了无数的男女。 古乡发出了渎神的咒骂转动身体，一路撞开好几个人的肩膀，穿过电梯间，然后一步三阶地跑上楼。心脏和肺开始在胸腔的体内抗议负荷过大，是在通过的楼梯平台数超过两手手指的时候，膝盖的关节也开始默默抗议被过度驱使。 “吵死人了！你们！” 古乡出声骂道。 “身为主人的我也一样在努力奋斗，你们有什么资格抱怨啊？” 古乡在前进的途中和好几个人擦身而过，并且被其中一人尖锐地询问是什么人。事到如今仍然不忘职业本份固然值得敬佩，但是古乡并没有加以称赞，反倒是拿出炸弹向那个人吼道。 “你想被炸翻天吗？” 对方立刻有如被阳光照射到的吸血鬼般消失无踪。 把遥控飞机和炸弹、遥控器、疲劳、焦虑、恐惧还有自我鞭策满满地抱在怀里，古乡爬完楼梯之时，距离爆炸只剩下短短的一分钟。打开门，踉踉跄跄地来到室外的古乡的眼前出现了一条很长很长的白垩平面，仿佛有好几打的飞机跑道连成一气似的，真是一幅奇妙的光景。 古乡克制住手部的颤抖，把遥控飞机放在堰堤上，开启遥控器的开关。螺旋桨一开始转动，不安的脉动也跟着激烈了起来。遥控飞机承受得了炸弹的重量吗？万一飞不起的话…… 遥控飞机开始在堰堤上滑行，紧接着加速，机首上扬，机轮一度离地又再次接地。 还有三十秒！ 不行吗…… 正当这么想的时候，遥控飞机的机体突然像是在开玩笑似地，从白色混凝土的平面上飘了起来，然后在上升至三、四公尺左右的高度时因失去平衡而剧烈摇晃倾斜。 古乡精疲力竭的心脏在胸腔里猛然挣扎跳动。 遥控飞机好不容易在空中恢复平衡之后，立刻描绘着和缓弧线向上攀升，并以乘着神之气息般的优美姿态开始远离水坝，速度为每秒五十公尺。 还有十秒。 快飞呀！飞远一点，再远一点…… 在天色大亮的白夜中，遥控飞机的轮廓随着远离而越来越小，最后化为黑点被吸入天空。 零秒！ 空中出现一团火球，那形状与其说是一朵花，感觉上到更像是一团橘色的泡泡。晚了一秒，轰响化为肉眼看不到的箭矢从古乡的头顶倾盆降下。 古乡踉跄地后退一步，像是感到刺眼般地仰望火球消失后的天空，突然间挥起强韧的右臂，以全身的力量把遥控器丢出去。长方体的机械一边反射着天空的白光一边往海面落下。 吐出一口几乎将肺部掏空的叹息之后，古乡在堰堤上盘腿坐下。 一只手轻柔地搭上肩膀。那是谁的手，用不着看古乡也知道。 “得救了，水坝和我们……” “总算……” 古乡坐在地上如此回答之后，问出心中的忧虑。 “马利诺夫死了吗？” "Ok……" “他杀了欧索普？” "Ok……" “真是个笨蛋。要是活着肯定会成为救国英雄的，竟然在比赛即将结束的时候死掉了。” 古乡以如此的形容来哀悼KGB探员之死。猫儿叫了一声，年轻的日本人知道自己养的猫也在一旁。 “不过，我竟然会为了KGB探员的死而感到悲伤，实在连自己都意想不到。唉，虽然那家伙跟他的身分一点都不像……” “他走的时候留下了这个东西，就放在他右胸内侧的口袋里。” 克拉莉丝拿出来的东西是一块像是被染红的板子，充满了血腥味。知道那是儿童用的写生簿，古乡不禁有无限的感慨。 “是马利诺夫的儿子的？” “一定是的，这东西对他来说大概就像是护身符一样吧！” 必须做的事有两件，古乡心想。一是把克拉莉丝的钱还给她。赛门·欧索普可能把钱藏在阿拉斯加半岛的训练中心，那个地方古乡知道。虽然欧索普肯定还有余党在那儿，但只要自己的运气不是坏得太厉害，应该可以还她一笔足够设立一座小规模气象研究所的钱。不过这件事目前最好只让自己一个人知道就好。另外一件事也一样…… 古乡若无其事地咳了一声。 “骚动好像已经平息了。” “因为他们知道爆炸并没有发生。不过接下来可就麻烦了，全世界的记者想必会为了寻求真相而疯狂地奔走。” “那就把真相告诉他们不就得了，肯定会让他们狂喜乱舞的，反正终究得告诉什么人不可。” 古乡站起来，把带有血腥味的写生簿夹在腋下。 “那么，我就在此告辞了。” 古乡尽可能以爽朗的语气说道。 “工作总算完成了，接下来大概没有我出场的份了吧！你是个走在正道上的人，只要向水坝管理委员会的丹麦代表或加拿大代表请求保护就行了，而我就不能这么做了。” “你不跟我一起来吗？” 克拉莉丝睁大了碧蓝色的大眼睛。 “从今以后你再也不帮我了吗？” 说不出话的不只是古乡而已，克拉莉丝本身似乎也是如此，因为她忽然察觉到，在下意识中所培育出来的情感已经超出友善或信赖的范围。她的情感化成呼唤共鸣的波动，将古乡包围住，也让他产出类似的冲动。古乡好不容易才克制住自己，并为了隐藏自己而将脸转向一旁。 “那是不可能的，你我所居住的世界是不同的。不，我们走的路根本完全不同，要不是因为这种不幸的事件，根本不可能有所交集。” 古乡非常清楚自己所追求的东西以及她所期望的东西，事情是不可能尽如人意的，这对他来说更是不言可喻的道理。古乡把脸转了回去，倾全力以开朗的语气开口。 “今后我们只能各自走回自己所属的地方了。你有你的生活方式，我有我的生活方式。你会继承你父亲的遗志，成为气象学者吧？” “对呀，那你呢？接下来有什么打算？” “回复到遇见你以前的生活呀！当然并不会完全一样。我不回巴黎了，这只像老女人一样的猫只好塞给你……” “你要把猫叉给我？” 站在两人脚边的猫，满脸好奇的表情抬头仰望着两人，仿佛在诉说经过这次形形色色非同小可的体验之后，回归到安稳的生活也不错呢！ “你愿意收下的话，我会很感激的。” “当然，我高兴都来不及呢！” 仿佛感到眩目似地望着点头回答的克拉莉丝，古乡在心里想着，她会明白吧！男人都希望在一生当中能有一次机会邂逅到让自己展现出高尚情操的女性，对古乡来说，克拉莉丝就是这样的女性。但他们终究是不同世界的人，她不可能成为职业恐怖份子的妻子，而他也不可能以一个优秀女气象学者丈夫的身分经营家庭。古乡明白，自己只能成为一个存在她记忆中的人，正因为如此，他才更希望展现出高尚的一面。不过，她能明白这点吗？ 克拉莉丝笑了，一个对古乡而言价值千金的微笑，一个表达出完全理解的微笑。 “我明白了，我也必须独立自主了。” "That's right!" “不加油可不行。白令海峡水坝是完成了没错，可是将来的问题也已经堆积如山了。气候被改变之后，或许会对自然生态造成不良的影响，身为未来的气象学者，实在有太多的事情不得不做。” 结果就是，白令海峡水坝根本不应该建造，将来搞不好会有这样的结论出来，古乡心想。百分之百的理想未必能产生出百分之百令人满意的结果，这本来就是稀松平常的事。在人类的期盼下诞生的埃及亚斯文大水坝，所带来的就是当初完全预料不到的生态系统破坏。 不过，克拉莉丝应该不会屈服于那样的失败或困难才对。古乡确信。 克拉莉丝再次望入古乡的眼眸。 “我不说再见，因为总有一天我们一定会在什么地方重逢的。到那个时候，我也许会给你一份比这次更加困难的工作喔！” “那就拭目以待吧！” 古乡虽然如此回答，但他知道自己说的是虚伪的话。轻轻地抬起一手致意之后，古乡转身背对着她，在绵延的白色长堤上迈开大步离去。 他和克拉莉丝再也不会见面了吧！而且无论他在什么时候怎样死去都好，他都不会忘了她此刻的模样，伫立在大放光明的白夜中的模样。为了证明他曾经在人生的道路上邂逅了凉爽的绿洲，这件事情将会永远刻画在他的脑海里。 终章星期二的正午前 由于事情来得实在太过突然，艾莲娜·洛斯托夫斯卡亚医师一开始也无法理解到底发生了什么事。当艾莲娜看见少年总是紧闭的双眼变成了一对大大睁开的褐色眼眸时，她不由得提高了声调。 “沙夏！你终于醒了！” 名为亚历山大·马利诺夫的少年一脸不可思议的表情回看着女医师。一转头发现小熊玩偶的时候，数十日来毫无表情的童稚脸庞立刻绽放出灿烂的微笑。缓缓地伸出一手将小熊拉到身边之后，视线再次转向艾莲娜。 “沙夏，你看得到我吗？” 在病床边的椅子坐下之后，艾莲娜按奈住雀跃心情开口问道。 沙夏轻轻地点了个头，小小的声音从小颗的白色牙齿之间逸出。 "Who are you?" “我是艾莲娜·洛斯托夫斯卡亚医师。啊，太好了，沙夏！你完全看得到也听得到了！” "Where is this place?" “是医院，沙夏，你睡了好长好长的一段时间，现在终于清醒过来了。” 沙夏往左右转动脸庞，似乎知道身边缺少了自己生活当中不可或缺的存在。 “妈妈在哪里？” 这个问题，艾莲娜从几十天前就一直在思考着该如何回答，结果她只做出了一个结论，那就是不到那个时候或那个场合是没办法知道的。 “沙夏，你妈妈在很远的地方。” 关于这方面的事，人类的智慧一点进步都没有，对此艾莲娜一方面感到痛心，一方面也不得不这么说。 “很远的地方？” “非常非常远喔。” “哦……那爸爸呢？” “你爸爸也在很远的地方。不过呢，沙夏……” 艾莲娜对少年展露笑颜。她很高兴关于他父亲的部分能够说真话。 “你爸爸每个星期二的正午都会打电话来。今天正好是星期二，他很快就会打电话来了。” 病房墙上的时钟显示的是正午前一分钟，少年恢复意识的时间实在太恰好了，艾莲娜心想。沙夏仿佛是因为感应到父亲的关爱而清醒的。 想像着乌拉基密尔·马利诺夫的忧郁声音将转变为欢喜的声音，艾莲娜的一颗心便不由得温暖了起来。他一定会从出差的地方飞回莫斯科的，因为这对少年的父亲而言是最重要的。 时钟的长针与短针重叠，护士应该很快就会打开房门，通知她有长途电话进来了。 已经逐渐变成习惯的星期二的…… 房门开启，年轻的护士进来向艾莲娜报告。 “洛斯托夫斯卡亚医师，有访客来找你，他说他是乌拉基密尔·马