East Siberia, autumn.
In the distance, lush Siberian red pine and white birch trees looked solemn under the setting sun. The sound of bird songs echoes deep in the primeval forest, and as the harsh winter approaches, flocks of Taiping birds are once again preparing to migrate to northern China. The old man leaned against the huge oak office desk, his hands clasped in front of his chest, motionless gazing at the forest sea. His top floor office is nearly 150 feet above the ground, just above the top of the Siberian pine forest.
Nathan Mann often watches Lin Hai in the evening, and this habit has been going on since he moved into this office for many years.
A slight door noise. The female secretary who came in was slender and beautiful, with her light golden long hair neatly combed against her scalp and tied into a bun on top of her head. She behaves lightly and gracefully, like a princess of the Romanov dynasty. This is an authentic Russian girl. She placed the wooden tray on the desk behind the old man and said, "Doctor, the red wine you requested is ready
Very good. Thank you, Katerina, "the old man didn't look back." Please let our young man in
Yes. "Katerina stepped back.
Another faint doorbell rang, and the old man remained motionless, gazing at the forest sea, but a smile had already appeared on his face.
Come, taste this red wine! "The old man turned around, picked up the dark green wine bottle, and poured rose red wine into two tulip glass glasses.
The young man took down his glass and sat in the chair opposite the old man. He is six feet tall, wearing a simple black uniform and military cap, with a clearly defined Asian face that resembles a portrait quickly drawn with a hard pencil.
Bordeaux red wine has always been the queen of wine, "the old man smiled." Drinking this kind of wine reminds people of Paul Sartre
I heard that there will be frost this spring, which will reduce the production of grapes in Bordeaux and sharply decrease the number of wines on the market. Isn't this wine very expensive
Yeah, it's very expensive on the market. But this is the old wine I hid in the cabinet, from 2049. It was given to me by a friend and I haven't been willing to open it. It's to celebrate my student's smooth return home, "the old man raised his glass." I'm glad to see you back, Theo, my child
Lin also raised his glass and said, "Thank you, Doctor
Thinking back to when I was young, "the doctor turned his glass and gazed at the swirling liquid in it," it was thirty years ago when I visited Bordeaux on behalf of the United States Navy aboard the Long Beach. Back then, a bottle of top-quality red wine from Novatec cost only three hundred francs, and there were many beautiful French girls, Spanish bullfighting dances, and I gazed across the water at the Church of Saint Michel. There was a girl from an art academy who was sketching there. She quietly painted my portrait and sold me a canvas for only one franc
Now it's a ruin there, "Lin sipped the wine, the aroma of grapes rolling on the tip of his tongue with a hint of tannins.
The doctor nodded and said, "War is truly the worst collective activity in human history. Ten years ago, I rode a tank from Lisbon to Bordeaux, and all I saw along the way were burning vineyards, which made me feel very sad
The two of them fell silent from then on. They drank separately across a desk, occasionally closing their eyes to feel the aroma of the wine. Lin's gaze remained fixed on the smooth oak desk, while the doctor leaned on his swivel chair and looked towards the lush red pine forest. The sunset gradually sets, with warm and aged colors.
Lin finally finished drinking the wine and said, "Doctor, thank you for the wine. If there's nothing else, I'll leave first. This report has already been handed over to Katerina
No, Theo, wait a moment, I have bad news, "the doctor waved his hand to stop him.
What? "Lin paused for a moment.
He saw some kind of shadow on the doctor's face.
The doctor placed the glass on the table and gently pressed the rim with both hands. "Some people we have lost forever. During your three-month mission in the Caucasus, Agent 9 and Agent 21 were assassinated respectively. Agent 9 died in Turkmenistan and Agent 21 died in Lanzhou, China
Is that so? Do Juste and Heins have any clues? "Lin whispered.
The 9th Juster and the 21st Heins cannot be considered his friends, and he cannot be said to feel sad about it. But now the cloud on the doctor's face has shrouded his heart. In the history of the academy, there has never been a record of losing two agents in such a short period of time, except for the unforgettable night several years ago.
The doctor shook his head and said, "No. We have tried to send the most capable personnel to form a special investigation team to figure out this matter. But you should understand that Juste and Heins are the most capable personnel. They are just like you, my children. If they cannot escape the bullets from the shadows, the special investigation team will not gain anything
What can I do to help you
It's not necessary yet, I can still handle it, "the doctor chuckled silently." Anyway, I'm glad to hear that you're back, but I've been worried about you
Thank you. But it's not like you, "Lin looked into his gray eyes.
Be careful, Theo. We've lost too many people along the way
I will remember
The top management cares about you very much
The highest level? "Lin was somewhat surprised.
At the academy, the highest level is rarely mentioned, even though everyone knows about the existence of this organization. He always reports to Nathan Mann, and Lin never asks what kind of power is hidden behind this senior soldier known as the dean. The highest level is not within his reach and understanding.
The incident between Juste and Heins has shaken them greatly, and they are very satisfied with your performance in the Caucasus. Please let me greet you on your behalf
Thank you, "Lin stood up and took a step back, slightly lowering his head.
Go see her, "the doctor sighed softly," she's like a Sleeping Beauty