cicada

Chapter 1437 Security Measures
After walking through a connecting corridor, Zuo Chong and the others entered the venue. The venue building was entirely white, surrounded by swaying date palm trees and some local flowers and plants.

The British security chief, who was standing next to him, explained the situation of the venue to everyone as he went, his voice sounding particularly cold in the empty hall.

"The Marham Palace was originally the hunting lodge of the fifth pharaoh of the Farouk dynasty, and was later bought by imperial merchants and expanded into a hotel."

"As early as the opening ceremony of the Suez Canal, this place was already a venue for receiving state guests, and the security measures were very strict."

As they spoke, the group walked through the hall to a wooden door at the end of the corridor. The British security chief opened the door, talking incessantly.

"Considering the threat of German bombing, we converted the hotel restaurant into a meeting venue. This restaurant is located in the heart of the hotel and has an additional floor on top."

"We have calculated that if there is an air raid, ordinary bombs cannot penetrate multiple floors to cause fatal damage to the three leaders."

Zuo Zhong looked up and saw that the meeting place was a sunken square space with a large round table in the middle and several small tables on both sides.

The British security chief said at the opportune moment: "The large round table is for the three heads of state and key negotiating representatives, while the smaller tables are for accompanying staff and other service personnel."

"Are there any air-raid shelters here?" Zuo Zhong looked around the venue and asked the other party in English.

He didn't believe in any nonsense calculations; war was full of uncertainties, and the best way to avoid accidents was to be fully prepared.

“Of course, please follow me.” The British security chief pointed to a small door in the corner of the hall.

"Behind the door is the hotel's wine cellar, which was reinforced by engineers who added an H-shaped support frame, making it strong enough to withstand a heavy bomb attack."

"In addition, the air-raid shelter is stocked with a large amount of drinking water and food. In the event of a building collapse, these supplies will allow the delegates to survive until the rescue team arrives."

Zuo Zhong led Gui Youguang down the steps to take a look. Just as the British had said, the air-raid shelter had supports on all four sides and looked very sturdy.

He patted the cold steel frame, turned to the British security chief, and made a request in a deep voice.

"Prepare several gas masks and rubber protective suits. I don't know about the Germans, but if the assassin is Japanese, we must consider the possibility of a biological weapon attack."

The British and American security chiefs' expressions changed; they had indeed overlooked this threat. The two immediately whispered instructions to their subordinates to prepare the aforementioned equipment.

At this point, Zuo Zhong entered the backup evacuation passage of the air-raid shelter. After confirming that the passage led directly to the bunker, he made several more suggestions.

For example, adding simple surgical equipment, explosion-proof lights and airtight doors, preparing blood plasma of various blood types, and pre-setting evacuation procedures in case of emergencies, etc.

After inspecting the basement, the group returned to the meeting room. The U.S. security chief stated that all items in the room had passed inspection and no explosives were found.

The British security chief also confidently assured that, after investigation by the counter-surveillance department, there would be no listening devices in the venue.

Zuo Zhong shook his head: "That's not enough. All the electrical equipment in the room has been abandoned, the old circuits have been cut off, and a temporary power line has been built instead."

“No, Mr. Zuo,” the British security chief emphasized, raising his objection.

"The talks require lights, microphones, and telephones. Do you expect the three heads of state to communicate with their families back home using pigeons?"

This was a very impolite remark, even carrying a hint of discrimination, but Zuo Zhong was not angry. John Bull had always been like this; he just wanted to eliminate all risks.

After circling the room twice, Zuo Zhong earnestly addressed the people present: "Gentlemen, as security personnel, we can die, but we cannot make mistakes."

"Discarding old electrical equipment is to be on the safe side. If there are bombs or eavesdropping devices in the equipment, I don't need to say more about the consequences."

"As for the new equipment, we can purchase it again. When purchasing, we will be responsible for choosing the shops, and your two countries will be responsible for randomly selecting the equipment."

“I think it’s worth spending a little more money for the safety of the leader. After all, the threat of assassins is real, and we can’t gamble on it, nor can we afford to.”

The British and American security chiefs remained silent, acknowledging that the randomly purchased equipment could indeed ensure the safety of the venue to the greatest extent possible.

No matter how powerful an assassin is, it's impossible for them to tamper with all the equipment in the Cairo market.

After a moment of silence, the British reluctantly agreed to the request, and then briefed the delegation on the security measures outside the venue.

All participants at this conference must wear exclusive passes, which are differentiated by their status, including conference delegates, attendants, staff, and security personnel.

Different passes allow entry to designated areas, and everyone except high-ranking officials from various countries must undergo body searches and searches of their personal belongings.

In addition, the food for the banquets during and after the meeting is traceable and is prepared by a dedicated team of chefs.

Food supplies were sourced from Allied-transported materials whenever possible, avoiding local purchases, and were tested by specialized toxicology personnel before consumption.

Gui Youguang, who hadn't spoken until now, nodded slightly upon hearing this, indicating that the security measures were very comprehensive.

After listening to the British man's words, Zuo Chong smiled and nodded. Then, the man explained the arrangements for the service personnel. "Gentlemen, for security reasons, we are using Imperial citizens instead of locals to handle the logistical work for the talks, such as waiters and drivers."

“These people have passed the highest level of background checks and are not suspicious at the moment. I will temporarily regroup them tomorrow.”

This concludes the presentation on the security arrangements for the meeting. The US security chief concluded by stating that personnel from the US, China, and the UK would monitor each other to prevent espionage infiltration.

Zuo Zhong and the British representative readily agreed to the suggestion, and the group chatted and laughed as they left the meeting room to return to their accommodations.

Just as he was about to step into the car, Zuo Chong glanced at the heavy machine gun on the M2 half-track in front of the door, and suddenly stopped.

"Mr. Zuo, what's wrong?" the British representative asked.

Zuo Zhong walked to the half-track vehicle, thought for a moment, and then slowly said, "It would be best to separate the personnel and equipment outside the venue from the ammunition, as the enemy is more likely to be inside."

Those present were stunned upon hearing this, then their hearts pounded, and a terrifying image flashed through their minds.

The three leaders stepped out of the car with smiles, and the M2 heavy machine gun on the half-track opened fire.
Thinking of this, the British and American officials swallowed hard and immediately decided to follow the advice of the people from the Republic of China and separate the guns and ammunition.

An assassin can turn one person against their own side, but it's difficult to turn two guards in key positions against their own side at the same time.

Zuo Chong was quite satisfied with their reaction. He wasn't afraid of god-like opponents, but he was afraid of pig-like teammates. Fortunately, these two were quite professional.

However, he still had to say something, so he looked around the hotel and pointed to the dark night as he continued to add to the story.

"If convenient, divide the area within a one-kilometer radius of the venue into three zones."

"The first layer is for external patrols, the second layer is for close guard, and the third layer is the core area, which is off-limits to prevent internal spies from infiltrating."

"Air defense positions will also be set up around the Malham Palace, and no aircraft will be allowed to approach the core area during the meeting."

Thanks to the joint efforts of China, the United States, and the United Kingdom, the security arrangements for the meeting were largely without flaws, at least on the surface.

Zuo Zhong returned to the Heliopolis Palace with a yawn. After exchanging a few words with Gu Qi and Wu Chunyang, he went back to his room and fell into a deep sleep.

While he was sleeping, Gui Youguang worked with the British and Americans to set up temporary circuits and purchase new electrical equipment overnight.

Faced with the dark muzzle of a gun, the merchants, awakened by the sound of banging on the door, seemed quite understanding, smiling as they loaded lamps, microphones, and telephones onto the Allied trucks.

The Nationalist government delegation departed for the meeting at 9 a.m. the next day, and martial law was imposed along the route.

At 9:30 a.m., the motorcade arrived at Malham Palace, where Zuo Zhong and Gui Youguang escorted someone off the vehicle, one on the left and one on the right.

At 10:00 AM sharp, representatives from various countries entered the venue one after another, and the meeting officially began.

Zuo Zhong stood in the corner of the conference room, listening to the representatives haggling over prices. The scene was no different from that of ordinary people buying vegetables on the side of the road in the mountain city, and even more meticulous.

For example, the US proposed that Japan must return the occupied territories, but the UK wanted to change that statement to "Japan must relinquish them."

Although it's only a difference of a few words, the implications are worlds apart, and the Nationalist government representative resolutely rejected this statement.

The three parties continued their discussion word by word, leaving no detail overlooked. The atmosphere in the meeting room grew increasingly heated, and the temperature gradually rose.

Cairo is a typical transitional zone between Mediterranean and desert climates, where daytime highs in winter can reach over 20 degrees Celsius, making indoor temperatures inevitably stuffy.

The meeting was adjourned at noon. The British security chief called in a dozen or so locals who entered the meeting room and hung several strips of cloth on the iron rings on the ceiling.

Upon seeing this, Zuo Chong frowned and questioned the other party about his identity. The Englishman, unconcerned, shrugged and said, "Fan installer."

While the two were talking, the dozen or so locals took out several hemp ropes, connected one end of the rope to a strip of cloth, and threaded the other end through a hole in the wall to the outside.

Seeing this, Zuo Zhong suddenly realized that it was a worker pulling a fan.

This is a unique profession originating from Indian colonies. Workers use ropes to drive strips of cloth to create a cool breeze. It is quiet and does not require electricity, making it very popular among British nobles.

Fearing that Zuo Zhong might be uneasy, the British security chief repeatedly assured him that there was nothing wrong with the fan and the workers. He even had the workers lick the dust off the fan.

Zuo Zhong felt a chill run down his spine. He watched as the workers left the meeting room and went to the corridor next to the wall. Seeing that the group of people were behaving themselves, he felt a little relieved.

As for whether the workers were eavesdropping, the British security chief quietly made a throat-slitting gesture, implying that these people would "disappear" as soon as the meeting ended.

Zuo Zhong was not surprised at all. The British were known for their inhumane behavior, and how they treated the people in their colonies was none of the Nationalist government's business.

I wrote a long passage about negotiation and confrontation, but then it warned me of the risks and I deleted it.