Chapter 24

"What happened in the German Democratic Republic?" Kirov drank the water poured by the Chairman with great comfort, his demeanor showing a high level of enjoyment. This kind of treatment was not something just anyone could enjoy. In the KGB, only Kirov himself dared to be so bold in front of Serov, and no one else.

"As the head of the Main Directorate, don't you think you are neglecting your duties?" Serov said with great incomprehension, "We are almost fighting with the Americans over Berlin, and you, as the head of the Main Directorate of Military Administration, have no knowledge of the situation in Berlin at all?"

What's the problem with that? Kirov was the head of the Third Main Directorate, and Berlin's affairs were the responsibility of the First Main Directorate. Not knowing the specific situation was quite normal. Kirov felt that Serov was just using this as an excuse, perhaps because he had just been scolded by Khrushchev. However, Kirov would never say that; he would sympathize with him, and being able to hold back his laughter was already a sign of their personal relationship.

Kirov's granite-like stubborn thinking was something Serov had long become accustomed to. He directly took a file from the table and threw it at Kirov, saying, "Aren't you going to accompany your wife? That's good, it will live up to the 'Model Couple' banner given by the city government. Give you fifteen days to read the documents, then go to Berlin to take charge. If you can resolve the Berlin crisis, it will be a great achievement for our Soviet motherland, and a medal for serving the country will be inevitable..."

"The Berlin crisis?" Hearing this, Kirov's thoughts finally shifted from the domestic situation, feeling as if he was opening his eyes to the world. He stuffed the file into his briefcase and said, "Boss, we have over twenty Main Directorates, two hundred departments, and two hundred thousand personnel in the KGB. Don't you think it's a bit unfair to always send me to the front lines? Shouldn't the work of the Main Directorate of Military Administration be put on hold?"

In a vast organization of a million people, the first person the Chairman thought of when something happened was always him. On one hand, this was a recognition of Kirov's abilities, but repeatedly sending him out made Kirov feel like the Qing Empire was doomed.

"The affairs of the Third Main Directorate are still your responsibility. I have full confidence in your abilities, and handling two jobs at once is no problem. I have always believed that you are the most suitable for our entire profession!" Serov said without any sense of propriety, his tone suggesting that he had high hopes for Kirov.

Should I thank you for thinking so highly of me? Kirov detested this earnest tone. Handling two jobs? Why not consider double the pay? "I'll do my best..."

"The Berlin issue is the most suitable for you, from all aspects, you are the best representative!" Serov felt relieved, placing Kirov, the most ruthless head of a Main Directorate, in the country was not reassuring. It was better to send him to Berlin to irritate those imperialists.

The matter was settled, and now they could discuss the necessary support. Being in the KGB had one advantage: not having to worry about being left to fight alone. Kirov thought about all the possibilities and said, "I need the Fourth Department of the First Main Directorate to cooperate!"

"No problem!" Serov readily agreed. The Fourth Department of the First Main Directorate, responsible for intelligence activities in West Germany and Austria, was not a major department and had a smaller structure compared to some larger departments.

"Also, the Eleventh Department!" The Eleventh Department, known internally as the Advisory Department, was responsible for liaising with the intelligence agencies of allied countries. People from this department often held key positions in the intelligence agencies of their respective countries, facilitating communication between the KGB and foreign intelligence agencies.

"Do we have an engineering unit in the Western Group of Forces?" Kirov asked a seemingly stupid question. As the head of the Main Directorate of Military Administration, he should be more familiar with the Red Army's situation than anyone else. The irony was that the Third Main Directorate had only been established for a year, and the intelligence agencies in the four major groups in Eastern Europe had not yet been set up, and even needed the help of the intelligence agencies of the host countries.

"The 201st Red Banner Engineer Brigade is part of the Western Group of Forces! I can help you communicate with the Ministry of Defense!" Serov returned to his desk, unscrewed his pen, and signed a KGB Chairman's order, instructing all KGB departments to cooperate with Kirov's work. This order not only bound the KGB departments but also required the intelligence agencies of the host countries to cooperate with the Soviet side.

The headquarters of the First Main Directorate was the closest to the KGB headquarters, separated only by a Palace of Pioneers. This Palace of Pioneers, located between the two headquarters, often hosted primary school students on legal holidays. KGB agents frequently saw innocent children around. Kirov couldn't say whether this was good or bad, but he was certain that this Palace of Pioneers was the safest place in the world. If any criminal dared to harm the children here, they would be torn apart by the thousands of KGB agents surrounding them.

"Shred the documents, I need to go in and communicate with Comrade Sakhatovski. After all, it's the work of the First Main Directorate!" Kirov instructed Isayev to destroy the documents he had just reviewed. Now that the entire file was memorized, the documents were no longer necessary.

Kirov had been to the First Main Directorate before; for a long time, he was part of it. As he entered the building, people kept greeting him, but he didn't see his two subordinates, the head of the Operations Department, Mendeleev, and the head of the Disinformation Department, Shirekov.

"The Chairman has sent me to take charge in Berlin. I wonder if this is a demotion!" As soon as he entered, Kirov said to General Sakhatovski, the head of the First Main Directorate, with a wry smile, "It seems I have never been far from the work of the Foreign Intelligence Directorate. I will be working with you again..."

"If you are handling it, I have no surprise at all!" General Sakhatovski showed no resentment at Kirov taking part of his forces. When he took over the First Main Directorate, Kirov was already the head of the Foreign Intelligence Department, so he had never been out of his sight.

"But I lack confidence now. Berlin is the front line, far from the situation in Italy, where we could catch the Americans off guard!" Kirov's mood was low, as he couldn't find a breakthrough.

"Regardless, the First Main Directorate will absolutely support you. Don't worry about internal pressure!" At this moment, General Sakhatovski was like an elder, encouraging Kirov, who was over twenty years younger.

"Your words give me confidence. What do I have to fear?" Encouraged, Kirov regained his spirit and said, "The outcome may not change with my efforts, but that is not an excuse for me not to try. Thank you, Comrade Sakhatovski..."

[Thank you for the support from my readers. I will write a book for every 1861 donations, but unfortunately, I always get banned. But this time, it won't happen!]

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