Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2625 Opportunities are earned (Second update, please subscribe)

what!
Everyone was stunned and stared at the head, completely bewildered.

"We must tell the east immediately that we are going back!"

Hans emphasized this again, then looked at Andrei, Nop, Linowski, and Langminger and said:
"If we don't respond, they will definitely send a task force to carry out the mission. Don't forget, we have families here!"

They have families!
Because they were all long-term undercover agents in West Germany, they married, had children, and lived and worked like ordinary Germans in order to remain in the country.

Now, when the East recalls them, where will the East reach if they refuse?
The leader's reminder made everyone's faces turn pale. Even Nop had a wife. In fact, family was their best cover. Who would believe that a person with a family, a wife and children was a spy?

"and then?"

Andrei's question stirred up a strange emotion in Hans's heart: heartache... but more so anger, resentment, and of course fear, and even more so, bewilderment.

He was the commander-in-chief of the operation, a major. From the day he joined the KGB, he disregarded life and death. But he never imagined that his more than ten years of work would end like this.

The interrogation was worse than death, and the relentless pursuit was deadly; both paths led to certain death.

He wasn't afraid of ending up in a desperate situation, but he couldn't ignore his family. Although his wife was only there to cover his actions, years of living together had made him feel affection for her and his children.

"And then... only they can protect us!"

Although Hans didn't say who it was, Andrei immediately said:
"Are you crazy? This is defection!"

"Then tell me, do we have any other options?"

Faced with Hans's question, Andrei opened his mouth, wanting to rebuke him and berate him, but the words were stuck in his throat as if by an invisible hand, and he couldn't utter a single word.

The warehouse was eerily quiet; everyone was silent, but they all knew very well that this was their only way to survive.

Although this would implicate their families back in the Soviet Union, they knew that at least they would survive.

Going back means an interrogation worse than death, or an execution that will ruin your reputation!

To run away is to be hunted to the ends of the earth, to be in a desperate situation with nowhere to hide!
Only by defecting, only by choosing this path, can one have a glimmer of hope.

This was a dead end, but it was also their only way to survive.

Slowly closing his eyes, Andrei pursed his lips, his expression pained. He never imagined he would make such a decision one day. He was willing to sacrifice for his country, but now... how could this be?
He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Finally, Andrei let out a long sigh, and that sigh seemed to drain the last bit of strength from them.

Nop sat blankly in his chair, his expression wooden, and Linnowski was much the same, just silently smoking; as for Lanminger, he leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, his expression solemn, yet with a sense of helplessness.

Hans looked at Andrei, a complex expression flashing in his eyes—a mixture of relief, guilt, and a barely perceptible resolve. He said in a deep voice:
“Now that we’ve made the decision, there’s no turning back. We must immediately contact the East, appease them first, and then use the limited time we have to seek protection from Western intelligence agencies with our families.”

Andrei didn't answer, but slowly raised his head. He glanced at his friends around him, and seeing that they didn't object, he silently nodded, then asked:

"Is it too late now? Could they have already sent out a task force?"

"I don't know, but..."

Hans said:

"This is our last chance!"

Andrei nodded:
"Okay, let's get moving! Protect your family first, then we'll contact each other again."

They then left the safe house.

As Hans walked from the basement to the surface, he couldn't help but look up at the dark night sky, gazing eastward—the direction he had once served, now the most dangerous abyss.

Thinking about the choice he was about to make, he couldn't help but sigh, and then he could only keep walking forward.

He also has family members who need protection.

This is the predicament of spies.

In this game, they are nothing more than pawns. They were originally pawns in the hands of the player, but now they have become discarded pieces.

This was the only way he could fight for his survival.

Just then, Andrei walked up to him and said:

"Hans, what do we do next? Whom should we side with? West Germany? The Americans? Or the British?"

Hearing Andrei's question, Hans remained silent for a moment, then said:

"I will never betray our motherland..."

"what?"

While Andrei was looking on in surprise, Hans said:

“We have other options.”

……

As a representative of a trading company, Gao Huaiyuan had been active in West Germany for many years. However, he never expected to receive such a special phone call. It was that call that brought him to this restaurant, where he listened to the news on television while having breakfast.

"...The bombing in Karlshorst has been acknowledged by East Germany, which claims it was a terrorist attack by Nazis. The attack resulted in the deaths and injuries of several Soviet officers and soldiers, but their organization also suffered a devastating blow, with several neo-Nazi members arrested..."

The news on TV made Gao Huaiyuan raise an eyebrow and a mocking smile appear on his face.

Just then, a man sat down in front of him. Judging from his appearance, he was a typical German man, around forty years old. Then the man spoke.

"Isn't this news interesting? Neo-Nazis? They actually managed to send bombs into Carl Shost. It's utterly absurd!"

The man's words puzzled Gao Huaiyuan.

"You are……"

"My name is Hans Stein,"

Sitting down opposite Gao Huaiyuan, Hans said directly:
"I am a professor at the University of Bonn..."

Before Gao Huaiyuan could figure it out.

“This is the phone number I gave you, Mr. Gao. I also have another identity: a KGB major. I lead a task force that has been operating in the West for the past eighteen years.”

The sudden confession stunned Gao Huaiyuan. He even involuntarily looked out the window. Was there a sniper?

Is this a trap?

His public identity was that of a trader; he also had another identity—Hydra, who had been working in secret intelligence in Germany for many years.

If this is a trap set for him, then who set it up?

Is it BND?

Or KGB?

"Sir, if you want to go to the West, you can go to BND."

BND stands for the Federal Intelligence Service of Germany, which is Germany's foreign intelligence agency.

"No,"

Hans shook his head and said:
“If we go to BND, my comrades and I will have to betray our country. I will have to sell out my country to gain their protection. This is not what I want, so…”

Hans paused slightly, looking at the man in front of him, scrutinizing him for a few seconds before speaking:
"Therefore, I hope to receive your help and protection."

"us?"

Gao Huaiyuan sized up the other person, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said in a playful tone:

"What are you referring to as 'us'? Is it my trading company?"

"After the end of World War II, the East and West entered the Cold War. During the Cold War, the confrontation between the intelligence agencies of the East and West was covert and brutal. The United States, SEA, Britain, West Germany... all countries had their own intelligence agencies, and they confronted the KGB, Stasi and other agencies."

We are fighting against each other in every corner of the world; it seems to be just a confrontation and contest between us.

Hans recounted everything in a slow, deliberate tone, keeping his eyes fixed on Gao Huaiyuan as he spoke.

"However, between the intelligence agencies of the East and the West, there is a secret intelligence agency. Almost no one knows of its existence, nor does anyone know which country it is loyal to. Many people do not even believe in its existence, but it is real."

It first appeared in Siam more than 30 years ago. Later, it appeared in many places. Where it appeared, there was war, death, and many other things.

Although no one knows who it is, it always exists, so intelligence agencies from various countries have been tracking it and trying to find it. However, on the other hand, they have all had some degree of interaction, and even cooperation, with this secret intelligence agency.

Hans, who had been staring directly at Gao Huaiyuan, spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Cut off one head, and two more heads will grow back."

After saying this, he fell silent, but his eyes remained fixed on Gao Huaiyuan.

In fact, even now, he cannot be completely certain of the other party's identity. It was only a few operations that brought him into contact with Hydra, or rather, made him suspect that those operations were planned by Hydra. When he followed the clues, he found Gao Huaiyuan.

Although the clues pointed indirectly, he was willing to take the risk at this time because he did not want to betray his country.

People betray their homeland for many different reasons: resentment, ideological differences, not being promoted or given important responsibilities, hating their superiors, being caught red-handed by the enemy, fearing being recalled to their homeland for trial, and so on.

For Russians, another reason is that they often experience disillusionment after seeing everything around them.

However, he was different from those people. Although he was worried about being recalled to China and tried, it did not mean that he was willing to betray his country. He knew very well what he would face if he went to Western countries: he would have to betray them in exchange for asylum.

So, are there any other options?
Hydra—a secret intelligence agency with no one to pledge allegiance to, which is why this meeting has taken place.

"Are you sure it's me?"

Faced with this question, Hans shook his head and said:
“I’m not sure, but Hydra is my only option. My team and I can trade our work for your protection. If Hydra really exists, then I hope to get a chance! A chance to prove myself.”

Faced with such a request, Gao Huaiyuan pondered for a moment:

Opportunities... need to be earned.

(End of this chapter)