Chapter 40

This was not Shefov's counterattack. In his view, the people had the right to know the truth. Whether to join the confrontation or become a neutral country should be decided by the German people themselves. The tape played on the evening of the eleventh, when ordinary people, after a busy day, gathered around their dining tables. It came from the radios scattered throughout Berlin.

The tape recorded the entire scene of the four-nation negotiations that day. Even without visual footage, people could still sense the tension and hostility in the air. Not everyone understood Russian and English, but once human curiosity was aroused, the energy it unleashed was unimaginable. If they didn't understand, they could always ask; it wasn't that difficult.

Phrases like "No one can threaten the Soviet Union on land. You are clearly afraid of a united Germany, so why be so hypocritical? A single strike from the Western Group can solve the so-called NATO!" echoed in the minds of the Germans. Shefov's aggressive tone was clear to anyone with normal intelligence, and people formed their own judgments from the snippets they heard.

First, the Soviet Union had a crushing advantage over NATO on land, evident from Shefov's tone and the silence of the representatives from the other three countries. Second, the Soviet Union had long favored a united Germany as a neutral country, but the United States, Britain, and France had consistently ignored this, avoiding the Soviet Union's suggestions.

This was inconsistent with the propaganda from West Berlin. According to the U.S., Britain, and France, the obstacle to German unification was always the Soviet Union, which stationed troops in East Germany, while the U.S., Britain, and France supported unification. The Soviet Union was portrayed as the main culprit preventing German unification and the cause of the country's division. Now, it seemed the truth might be different.

The calm lasted only one night. The next day, it became the topic of discussion on the streets of Greater Berlin. For the Germans, they naturally hoped to reunify as one Germany, not remain divided into two countries. Everyone wanted their country to be strong, and the Germans were no exception.

Thus, the following afternoon saw a situation where Shefov, dressed in work clothes and covered in cement, was surrounded by over a hundred journalists from various countries at a construction site. This was far beyond his expectations. He thought it would take a few days to build up interest, but these shameless journalists arrived much faster than he anticipated.

"Mr. Shefov, what do you think about using spy equipment to eavesdrop during negotiations?"

Shefov, though somewhat prepared, was genuinely surprised by the first question's audacity. He really wanted to ask which country had sent this journalist to twist the truth. He had always been wary of the enemy's shamelessness, but now it seemed his caution was not enough; he had overestimated their decency.

"Recording the negotiation process is necessary to provide an answer to my country. This was a minor issue, but I didn't expect West Berlin to shamelessly shift the blame for the delay in talks onto us. Now I realize how right it was to bring recording equipment. You can't expect capitalists to have any basic morals, and in fact, they really don't!" Fortunately, Shefov was also an expert in this field, and his skill in shifting topics was no less than that of his American counterparts. Otherwise, he might have fallen into a trap.

"But I can assure you that the Soviet Union's stance is still focused on German unification. We hope Germany can play a greater role and serve as a buffer between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in their current adversarial state!" As he said this, Shefov rubbed his hands together awkwardly. "If you want to interview me next time, could you please give me a heads-up? I'm very worried that you might use my current photos in your reports, taking things out of context to say the Soviet Union is poor..."

This was not impossible. For journalists, the most unethical profession, he never had high expectations. Shefov's words caused a burst of laughter among the journalists, and the atmosphere became quite relaxed.

Shefov's words were currently without issue. At least within the Soviet Union, the majority still favored Germany as a buffer zone. However, if the Soviet Union's strength increased further and it believed it could confront the U.S. comprehensively, the policy might change. For now, Khrushchev was still pursuing a policy of détente, but it was unclear how long this would last.

When these uninvited guests left, Shefov's tense lips finally relaxed. He patted the chalk dust off his hands, preparing to finish work. As long as these journalists told the truth, he didn't believe that a Germany with normal intelligence would side with the U.S.

This proletarian attire was not limited to construction sites. For example, now, Shefov put on an apron he might wear only once a year. Without chopsticks, he skillfully stirred the egg cake with a spoon, then tasted it himself before turning to take it into the bedroom. "Can you sit up? Never mind, I'll feed you!" In one sentence, Shefov transformed from a cold face to a devoted caregiver, a performance worthy of an Oscar.

Ismotni had a fever these past few days. As a tough guy, Shefov could occasionally show his tender side. "How is it?" He had always lacked confidence in his cooking, even after tasting it himself. His standards for food were simple: first, it must be edible; second, it must not be poisonous! Moreover, Shefov's pickiness was quite severe; he still dismissed the European taste for sweets after all these years.

After feeding the girl and giving a few worried instructions, he asked Lukani to stay with her sister. Shefov took off his apron; he had things to do tonight. Marcus Wolf was waiting for him at the Stasi headquarters.

Five days had passed since the construction site interview. Initially, Shefov's interview appeared in many countries' newspapers, but the U.S. and Britain took a very smart approach, not commenting on Shefov's words and adopting a cold shoulder. They hoped the initial heat would pass before launching a counterattack.

"Is everything ready?" Shefov held a dart, repeatedly sticking it into the table and pulling it out, the table displaying a map of West Berlin.

"Six thousand internal troops and four thousand militia are in position. The barbed wire is already prepared, enough to cover 150 kilometers!" Marcus Wolf said coldly.

Shefov looked at his watch. "In one hour, the Red Flag 214 Engineering Brigade will move out, starting from the suburbs. By 2 a.m., we will begin sealing off the city. By tomorrow morning, I want to see the expressions on the faces of those in West Berlin when they realize they are sealed off! We have only one night to complete the blockade..." As he spoke, Shefov suddenly threw the dart, which embedded itself deeply into the table. This made Marcus Wolf's eyes widen; the dart's head was completely buried in the table. This man had incredible strength. Could he have come from an assassination unit?

[Do not call me by my online name in the review section!]

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