red moscow

Chapter 3162

After the movie ended, Sokov and his two companions got up and followed the crowd out of the small auditorium.

As they walked back along the road, Asya and Gulia chattered about the movie's plot, while Sokov was thinking about Yakov, wondering if he had moved from the Industrial Bureau's guesthouse to the Military District's guesthouse after leaving with Lukin.

Back at the villa, the guards inside immediately came to greet him, "Comrade Deputy Commander, you're back!"

Sokov nodded to the other person and casually asked, "During the time we were gone, did you receive any phone calls?"

“Yes, Comrade Deputy Commander,” the guard replied. “Shortly after you left, Deputy Commander Lukin called.”

Upon learning that Lukin had called him, Sokov immediately realized it must be related to Yakov. "Did he say anything?"

The guard shook his head and explained to Sokov, "I told Deputy Commander Lukin that you had taken Asya and Gulia to the movies, and I asked him if there was anything important and if he needed to come back to you. He said no, just call him back when you get back."

Sokov picked up the phone and dialed Lukin's home.

The phone was answered after only one ring, and an unfamiliar voice came through: "This is Deputy Commander Lu Jin's villa. May I ask where you are from?"

"This is Sokov. Please let Deputy Commander Lukin answer the phone."

"Yes, Comrade Deputy Commander." The person who answered the phone was clearly one of Lukin's men. Although he had never dealt with Sokov, he knew who Sokov was, and he quickly and respectfully said, "I'll let him take the call right away."

A moment later, Lu Jin's voice came through the receiver: "Misha, you're back after you finished reading the call?"

“Yes, I just got home,” Sokov said. “I heard from the guard that you called me. I wanted to ask what was wrong?”

"It's about accommodation in Yasha."

"So, have he and his companions moved to the military district guesthouse?" Sokov asked first.

“No.” To Sokov’s surprise, Lukin’s answer was unexpected: “They didn’t go to the military district guesthouse.”

"What happened?" Sokov asked, frowning. "Why didn't you go to the military district guesthouse?"

“When we arrived at the Industry Bureau’s guesthouse, Yasha’s colleagues were being moved to a different place with the help of their naval comrades,” Lukin said. “I asked the naval officer in charge and learned that their destination was the Black Sea Fleet. I don’t know why the people who were receiving them would settle them in the Industry Bureau’s guesthouse. It’s just ridiculous.”

Sokov sensed a hint of conspiracy in Lukin's words and quickly asked, "Where is the person who was responsible for receiving Yasha and his group?"

"I don't know. We couldn't find the receptionist anywhere after we got there. Who knows where he went..." Lu Jin's words stopped abruptly. After a long while, he tentatively asked in a slightly trembling voice, "Misha, do you think there's something wrong with that receptionist?"

“I can’t think of any other possibility.” Sokov said to himself, seeing that Lukin had guessed his thoughts. “Since Yasha and his group came to Odessa this time for the Black Sea Fleet, the reception staff should naturally have settled them directly in the fleet’s guesthouse. Why would they be settled in the Industrial Bureau’s guesthouse? This is obviously a problem.”

“Yes, you make a good point.” Lukin agreed with Sokov’s assessment. “There’s definitely something wrong with this receptionist. I’ll contact Marshal Zhukov immediately and have him notify the Police Headquarters and the Internal Affairs Department to search for this receptionist in the city.” “Lukin, since you’re going to call Marshal Zhukov, could I ask you for a favor?”

"What is it?"

“My injuries have mostly healed, and I’m getting quite bored staying home every day,” Sokov said cautiously. “Ask him if I can go back to work as soon as possible?”

"Oh, you want to go back to work?" Lukin said, somewhat surprised. "Can your body handle it?"

“No problem,” Sokov replied confidently. “I feel that my current physical condition is more than enough to handle the job.”

After listening to Sokov's words, Lukin remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Alright, Misha, I will convey your message to Marshal Zhukov. But I can't guarantee whether he will agree to let you come out to work."

As soon as Sokov put down the phone, Asya immediately leaned over and asked, puzzled, "Misha, if you want to get things done, you can just call Marshal Zhukov directly. Why did you have to go through Comrade Lukin?"

Sokov turned to look at Asya, grinned, and explained, “If I call Marshal Zhukov directly and he refuses outright, there’s no way to back down. But if I ask Lukin to convey my request to start the work, it doesn’t matter if I’m rejected. I can use Lukin’s explanation to develop a script to persuade Marshal Zhukov to change his mind.”

About half an hour later, the telephone rang suddenly. Asya, who was sitting next to the phone, grabbed the receiver: "Hello, this is the Sokov family. May I ask who this is?"

Asya listened for only a moment before handing the receiver to Sokov: "Misha, this is a call from Deputy Commander Lukin."

"Hello, Lukin, it's me!" Sokov held the microphone close to his ear and asked, "What's up?"

“Misha, I just received a call from the head of the police headquarters,” Lu Jin said, his voice heavy. “He told me that three bodies were found in a house in the city. After identification, they were confirmed to be personnel sent by the Navy to receive Yasha and her group.”

"They were silenced so quickly?" Sokov asked in surprise.

“No, Misha, you’re mistaken,” Lukin said unexpectedly. “They weren’t silenced; they were murdered by unidentified individuals.”

Lukin's words confused Sokov: "Lukin, I don't quite understand what you mean. Could you explain it in more detail?"

“According to what I understand, the Black Sea Fleet sent three soldiers today, one a sergeant and two privates,” Lukin explained to Sokov. “Their mission was to pick up Yasha and his party at the train station, but somehow they were killed on the way. The person who killed them took their identities, picked up Yasha and his party at the station, and took them to the city’s industrial bureau’s guesthouse.”

Upon hearing this, Sokov was immediately alarmed: "Lukin, if I'm not mistaken, the reason these enemies posing as naval soldiers arranged for Yasha and the others to stay in the city's industrial bureau's guesthouse is probably to take advantage of the insufficient security here and carry out some action against them."

“I think so too,” Lukin added. “The naval officer I met at the guesthouse told me that the duty room received a complaint call from a colleague of Yasha, who said that as representatives of the Armaments Department, they were there to work for the Black Sea Fleet, so why were they being housed in the city’s industrial bureau’s guesthouse?”

Upon receiving the call, the duty officer acted promptly and reported the matter according to regulations. Then, the Black Sea Fleet Chief of Staff, upon learning of the incident, immediately arranged for personnel to transport the technical personnel from Moscow to the Black Sea Fleet's guesthouse.

"I see." Sokov nodded slowly after understanding what was going on, then asked about matters concerning himself: "By the way, have you told Marshal Zhukov about my situation?"

“How could I forget what you told me?” Lukin sighed softly. “When the Marshal learned that you wanted to come out to work, he immediately and without hesitation refused. He said your health still needed to recover, and it wouldn’t be too late to talk about work in another month or two.”