red moscow

Chapter 2702

Sokov still remembers that after the Kursk nuclear submarine sank, the Russian side spent the whole day studying rescue plans, but delayed implementing them. As a result, all the crew members who survived the explosion in the submarine died of lack of oxygen. If the rescuers who went to Khovlin Hospital today only studied plans but did not take action as soon as possible, the chances of survival for the people trapped underground would be very low.

"Can I go to the scene after the rescue begins?" Sokov asked tentatively.

Victoria remained silent, probably trying to organize words in her mind to think of how to respond to Sokov.

After a long while, she said, "Don't worry, Misha. I'll ask the lieutenant when I call him later to see what he thinks."

"Well, I'll wait for your news."

Anna walked into the store and saw Lena ironing clothes. She couldn't help but ask curiously, "Lena, are there any new goods?"

"Misha told me that a cargo owner wanted to return to his country, and she was worried about leaving these goods with someone else, so she sent them all over."

Although Anna does not sell fur, she is able to distinguish the quality of furs. After carefully examining a few pieces, she said with emotion: "They are all good goods, so they must be expensive."

"It's not just not cheap, it can be described as ridiculously expensive." Lena said without confidence: "We can only hang it in the store to attract customers. As for whether it can be sold, we can only leave it to fate."

"Lena, I believe in you." Anna put her arm around Lena's shoulders and said with a smile, "With your ability, you will definitely sell all these valuables."

"I hope so." Lena sighed and said, "These are high-end products after all. If I can sell a few of them, I will definitely get a commission."

"Where is Misha?"

"Inside the house." Lena pointed to the inner room and said, "I'm on the phone."

Anna walked into the inner room and saw Sokov finishing his phone call. She asked casually, "Misha, who are you talking to on the phone?"

"Officer Victoria," Sokov said truthfully without hiding anything, "She told me on the phone that the police station there has already asked the geological survey team to help rescue the trapped people."

Anna grabbed Sokov's hand and asked excitedly, "Misha, are the people trapped underground Khabarov and his group?"

"I really don't know about that." Sokov shook his head and said, "Officer Victoria told me that after the geological survey team arrives at the location, they will have to conduct a survey to confirm the location for the rescue. It will probably be six o'clock before the rescue can officially begin."

"What? We have to wait until six o'clock to start the rescue?" Anna said in surprise. "If there is a lack of oxygen underground, won't Khabarov and the others be suffocated to death?"

"There's nothing I can do. The police said it's six o'clock. There's nothing I can do about it." Sokov sighed softly and said, "Whether they can survive depends on how tough they are."

After chatting with Anna for a while, Sokov thought that she was working for someone else and it was not a good idea for her to stay here and chat all the time, so he persuaded her to leave.

Who knew that just after sending Anna away, the haunted Xiao Ma came over again and asked directly: "Brother, are there any English courses in Russian universities?"

"No, there are no English courses in any regular university," said Sokov. "As for whether less famous colleges and universities offer this subject, I'm not sure."

"Why?" Xiao Ma asked in confusion, "Why don't they offer English classes?"

"The reason is very simple. The United States and the Soviet Union have been in a state of hostility since the Cold War in the 1950s. Do you think the Soviet Union would offer language courses in its own universities?" Sokov continued, "Plus, the Russians have a big country mentality. They think that since foreigners are coming to their country, they must learn to adapt to them and learn their language in order to facilitate communication."

"A few days ago, my uncle said he would take me to St. Petersburg, but he changed his mind today and asked me to go alone." Xiao Ma said with a bitter face, "I don't know Russian, but I know a little English. Will it work if I just run over there and communicate with the locals in English?"

Although Sokov thought it would not work, he did not want to cause trouble for himself, so he said vaguely: "I have never been to St. Petersburg, and I don't know whether people there can communicate with you in English. If your uncle doesn't have time, then you can wait until your uncle has time, and then it won't be too late to go to St. Petersburg."

After saying that, Sokov had no plans to talk to him, so he turned and walked into the store and went straight into the back room.

Seeing Sokov enter the inner room, Xiao Ma stood at the door in a daze for a while, and then went back to his shop.

When Lena saw Xiao Ma leave, she quickly went to the inner room to report to Sokov: "Misha, that annoying guy is gone."

Annoying guy? Hearing Lena say that, Sokov was stunned for a moment, and immediately realized that the person Lena was talking about was the pony across the street, so he nodded and said, "It's okay to just go over there. It's annoying to come here every day."

"By the way, is there any follow-up to Khabarov's case?" Lena asked curiously, "Is Khabarov among those trapped underground?"

"Lena, I really don't know." Sokov shook his head and smiled bitterly. "My police officer friend told me that there are indeed people trapped at the bottom of the Hovlin Hospital, but the geological survey team they invited is still looking for a suitable rescue site in the hospital. The rescue work can only start at six o'clock at the earliest."

Lena was also shocked when she heard what Sokov said: "What, we have to wait for a few more hours? You know, those people have been trapped for two days. Even if there is oxygen down there, it is probably very thin. Plus, there is no water or food. I'm afraid they can't hold on for much longer."

"There's nothing we can do about it," Sokov said helplessly. "I'm not in charge of the rescue work, so it's useless for me to say anything, let alone change the police's plan."

"Then will you go to the scene to observe the rescue process?"

"I would like to go, but I probably can't get in." Sokov shook his head and said, "I can only stay at home and wait for the latest report on the search and rescue operation."

"I hope nothing happens to Khabarov." Lena said with emotion: "I think he is a good person and a true friend of yours. If something really happens to him, you will lose a good friend." Thinking that he might lose one or even several good friends, Sokov felt extremely heavy. He stood up and asked Lena: "How many clothes outside are still unironed?"

"I only ironed more than 20 pieces." Lena glanced outside and said hesitantly, "I think it will be tomorrow afternoon at the earliest to finish ironing all these clothes."

"Leave the rest of the work to me." Sokov said to Lena, "You go and have a rest first." He was in a bad mood at the moment and just wanted to find some work to divert his attention so that he wouldn't always think about the rescue.

Sokov was ironing his clothes while waiting for Victoria's call. If she called again, it would mean something had changed. Then he waited until the end of the day, but still didn't receive a call from him.

Lao Wu, who was standing opposite, saw Sokov still ironing his clothes, so he came over and asked, "Xiao Lin, can you take my nephew and me home today?"

Perhaps worried that Sokov would refuse, he added: "Today I bought two 25kg bags of rice and two 5-litre barrels of cooking oil. It's a bit inconvenient to carry so many things on the bus."

If he wanted to send Lao Wu home first and then return to his own home, Sokov would have to drive almost 20 kilometers more. However, for the sake of face, Sokov could not refuse the other party, so he nodded and said, "Okay, wait for me to close the store first."

While driving Lao Wu and the others home, Lao Wu suddenly asked, "Xiao Lin, now that the off-season has arrived, do you plan to keep your store open, or take a break before reopening it?"

"Two of my three employees have left," Sokov said. "Next month, Lena will also go home, and I will be the only one left in the store. I plan to close the store for a few days to rest, and it won't be too late to reopen when there are new employees."

When Lao Wu heard Sokov say that he was going to close the store for a few days, he showed joy on his face: "Xiao Lin, I want to discuss something with you. I wonder if you are willing to agree?"

When Sokov heard Lao Wu speaking to him in this tone, he realized that he would not agree to what he was going to say next, so he asked, "What is it?"

"It's like this," Lao Wu looked at Xiao Ma and said, "You know, my nephew has just been in Moscow for a short time and has never been anywhere. Can you spare a few days to drive him to St. Petersburg for a visit?"

It is more than 760 kilometers from Moscow to St. Petersburg, and the fastest driving time is more than eight hours. Sokov used to go to St. Petersburg by train because he was worried that it would be too tiring to drive alone. When it was dark, he got on the train at St. Petersburg Station and took the train to St. Petersburg; after dawn, the train arrived at Moscow Station in St. Petersburg. Since it was a night train, he could sleep in the sleeper car and didn't feel tired at all.

But Sokov was very unhappy when he heard Lao Wu's request. Xiao Ma is your nephew, not mine. Why should I drive nearly 800 kilometers to send him to St. Petersburg? So he said simply, "I'm sorry, Lao Wu, even if the store is closed, I'm afraid I can't go to St. Petersburg, because I have agreed with others to go to Sochi, and I don't have time to go to St. Petersburg."

Lao Wu was also a person who loved to take advantage of others. He thought he would take a ride if he could, but he didn't expect Sokov to refuse so straightforwardly, which made him feel a little embarrassed. He coughed twice to cover up his embarrassment and said unwillingly: "Xiao Lin, can't you spare two days to accompany my nephew to St. Petersburg?"

"Old Wu, this is really not possible." Sokov continued, "I agreed with others to go to Sochi last week, I can't go back on my word. If you really want to go to St. Petersburg, you can go to the Moscow Railway Station and take the evening train."

"Xiao Lin, I'll be honest with you." Lao Wu said a little embarrassedly, "It's already the off-season. Not only can we not sell any goods every day, but the expenses are also high. If the two of us go to St. Petersburg, the expenses will be too high. I can't afford it."

Sokov understood what was going on. Lao Wu was worried about wasting money, so not only did he not go, he also wanted to save Xiao Ma's car fare by using his car. This was a very clear plan that I could hear it even from the other side of the ocean.

Sokov didn't want to indulge Lao Wu's petty habit, so he said to him directly: "Lao Wu, I've already said that I'm going to Sochi in a few days and I definitely can't go to St. Petersburg. If your nephew really wants to go, you can ask your colleagues around to see if anyone is going to St. Petersburg. If there is, let your nephew go with them, so that you can take care of each other. Don't you think so?"

After hearing what Sokov said, Lao Wu couldn't force it anymore and could only say awkwardly: "Well, when I go to the market tomorrow, I'll ask if anyone is going to St. Petersburg and ask them to take my nephew with them. It will be more convenient with their care."

As soon as Lao Wu finished speaking, Xiao Ma unexpectedly said, "Since you are not going to St. Petersburg, take me to Sochi. I heard that it is a holiday resort on the Black Sea. I have never seen what the sea looks like in my life."

"It's not convenient." Seeing Xiao Ma clinging to him like this, Sokov was very unhappy, so he said bluntly: "The people going with me are all women, it's not convenient for you to go with them."

Xiao Ma wanted to say something, but Lao Wu raised his hand to stop him.

"Xiao Lin," Lao Wu said somewhat awkwardly, "Don't mind what the kid says. Since you don't have time to go to St. Petersburg, forget it." At this point, he turned to Xiao Ma and said, "You are unlucky this time. If you want to go to St. Petersburg, you can only wait for a chance in the future."

When they arrived at the destination, Lao Wu got out of the car and bent over to look at Sokov who was sitting in the driver's seat. He said in a fake tone: "Xiao Lin, you are already downstairs of my house. How about going upstairs to have a meal?"

Sokov waved his hand quickly and said, "No need, I have something else to do. See you tomorrow."

After saying that, he turned the car around and left quickly.

As they were about to get home, the phone on the passenger seat rang. Sokov quickly glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Victoria calling. He quickly stopped the car on the side of the road and answered the call: "Vika, what's the situation? Has the rescue started?"

"Misha, that's what I'm telling you." Victoria said in a hoarse voice, "The lieutenant called me and told me that the geological survey team didn't bring enough tools, so they needed to temporarily dispatch new equipment to the base. The rescue work might be delayed."

"What? The rescue work will be postponed?" Sokov asked in surprise, "I wonder until what time?"

"I don't know either. It depends on when the new tools can be delivered to the rescue site." Victoria said helplessly: "If we are lucky, we can start the rescue around 7 or 8 o'clock. If we are unlucky, we may have to wait until 10 or 11 o'clock."

When Sokov heard this, he was completely speechless. He originally thought that starting the rescue at six o'clock was already late enough, but he didn't expect that the real rescue work would be delayed for several more hours. It seemed that the chances of survival for the people trapped underground were reduced again.

He sighed softly and said weakly, "Vika, does this mean that whether the people trapped underground can get out alive depends on fate?"

Victoria did not deny Sokov's statement, but said helplessly: "Yes, their life and death can only be left to fate."

(End of this chapter)