War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1569 Preparations before showing off your fists

Few cars can enter the basement of the Time Library, but that doesn't mean cars can't enter.

The space inside is spacious enough. As long as the sofas and the pool table are moved away, there will be enough space for not only an ordinary car, but even two Soviet-era MAZ-537 heavy tractors to drive in.

As Apoli closed the heavy explosion-proof door of the basement himself, Kalp and Wei Ran pushed the door open and got out of the car, looking left and right.

At this time, a row of monitors have been hung on the brackets reserved on the walls on both sides of the basement.

The monitor on the left shows not only the surveillance footage of every corner inside and outside the villa and library, but also the high-definition surveillance footage in the parking lot across the lake.

Part of what is displayed on the right monitor is more like screenshot monitoring of mobile phones and computers, as well as real-time location tracking.

At the edge of the screen, it was even clearly marked in red Russian whether the device in the picture belonged to Mr. Edward or Mr. Messer's mobile phone or computer.

In addition to these, there are several other surveillance images on the display here, also according to the Russian labels above, these are from Mr. Edward's luxury house surveillance in the UK, and even the real-time surveillance images set up by the Hela girls in the Succubus Company outside the luxury house.

“It seems that I am really dazzled.”

In the basement, the first person to speak was Apoli. He was looking up and down at Wei Ran, who had a peaceful smile on his face.

"Is there anything dirty on my face, Mr. Ivan?" Wei Ran asked with a smile.

"You look much more normal than the last time we met." Apoli said as if relieved, "Especially your eyes, they look much calmer."

"Apoli, it seems we are all old," Karp said jokingly.

"I said, my name is Ivan, not Apoli." Apoli reminded dissatisfiedly.

"Yes, Mr. Apoli."

The handsome old man Karp repeated it with a sense of malice, then pointed at the screens around him and turned to look at Wei Ran, "Is this your Hela's ability?"

"How do you feel?" Wei Ran asked with a smile.

"War is always about technology and intelligence, there is absolutely no mistake about that," Culp said with emotion.

"But the final step of war is always the bullet pushed out by gunpowder into the flesh and taking away cheap life."

Apoli urged impatiently, "So have you brought the things I asked you to bring?"

"certainly"

As Karp said this, he finally took out an extra key and opened the trunk lid at the rear of the car.

The trunk was filled with black gun boxes made of engineering plastic, stacked very neatly.

"Where did you get them?" Apoli asked as he took the rubber gloves handed to him by Wei Ran.

"About fifteen years ago, I got a lot of good stuff at a low price from an arsenal outside of Kifu that once belonged to the Ministry of the Interior.

Soon after the scrap metal was bought, an explosion unfortunately occurred there, leaving not even a single intact brick.”

Kapoor also put on a pair of rubber gloves while speaking, and said in a tone that he had expected it a long time ago, "I personally dug out these scrap metals and replaced them with modern modification kits around the same time as Victor's Hela Girls were established. I knew that they would be used sooner or later."

"You guys really dote on Victor."

Apoli joked as if joking, and it was only at this time that he took the gun box handed to him by Kalp and handed it to Wei Ran.

"He is the cornerstone of our successful retirement and new life."

Karp said with a smile, "Aurora is the guarantee for us to live a good life after retirement, so even for the sake of a good life in the future, we old guys have to make some efforts."

"I'm almost moved to tears by you guys." Wei Ran shook his head with a helpless look, and at the same time opened the gun box he had just obtained.

There are only two weapons in this heavy gun box, and they are also two very representative ones, a modernized VSSM silent rifle, and two almost iconic PSS silent pistols, and their spare ammunition.

“This is downtown”

Karp reminded as he moved the gun boxes out, "So try to keep quiet, or you'll attract unnecessary attention."

"Don't bother talking about this kind of thing."

Apoli waved his hand, "I'm going to let the girls in. Are you going to attend the rest of the party? If you don't plan on attending, you can leave now."

“Just a few final questions”

Karp turned his head and looked at Wei Ran, leaning against the gas cap of the car and asked with a smile, "After catching those rats that come to your door, what are you going to do with them?"

“I want to catch him alive this time.”

Wei Ran also said with a smile, "Next, I will arrange for someone to talk to Mr. Edward. I believe that since we have cooperated so many times in the past, he will be very happy to help me lure those mice into the trap we set."

"And then?" Karp asked again without comment.

"Of course I was invited to Warsaw to meet and talk with Mr. Messer."

Wei Ran answered as a matter of course, and at the same time looked at Apoli, "Uncle Ivan, then it will be up to Baba Yaga Security Company to rescue me."

“Just leave it to Baba Yaga,” Apoli said with a smile.

"What's next?" Kalp was waiting for Wei Ran's answer.

"After being rescued, of course I strongly denounced the despicable act of the American corrupt officials who sent assassins to assassinate me." Wei Ran spread his hands, "Please rest assured, I will perform hard."

"American?"

Karp was stunned for a moment after getting the unexpected answer, then he burst into laughter and said with great satisfaction, "This is a perfect answer, Victor, I look forward to your performance!"

"Gentlemen, is there anything wrong?" Wei Ran asked calmly.

"Are you planning to make a big deal out of this?" Apoli finally asked.

"The key to this trouble lies in the photos that the Warts have been looking for."

Wei Ran spread his hands, "Unfortunately."

"The photo is in your hands?" Karp was the first to react. He looked at Wei Ran with a strange expression, "How come you are so lucky?"

“This is not luck”

Wei Ran pointed to the screens hanging on the wall and said proudly, "This is a reflection of technology and professional ability. The salary I pay to the twins every month is not for nothing, and the incredibly expensive servers in that room are not just for show."

"So you're going to make those photos public?"

Apoli asked, "You are not like a brainless Bargochov. You should know that this will get you into trouble."

“It will definitely cause some trouble.”

Wei Ran spread his hands and said in a more serious tone, "But the Bunny Rider chef who came to visit a few days ago was sincere enough, and he brought something I couldn't refuse, so I have enough good reasons to help him solve this problem."

"I don't know whether you are a smart person or a fool." Kapur shook his head helplessly.

"If you want me to be a smart person, I can also give you a reason why it is necessary to do so." Wei Ran spread his hands and said.

"Tell me about it," Karp said with a smile, and took the cigarette that Apoli gave him.

Wei Ran also took the cigarette handed over by Apoli and lit it for the two old men. He said with a smile, "Over the years, I have been attacked by the Japanese once and assassinated by Captain America once. Although I survived, I killed the innocent Mr. Gorman."

Wei Ran spoke seriously, and Kalp and Apoli nodded seriously as well. No matter what the truth was, this was the fact that they all accepted and presented to the outside world.

"so"

Wei Ran cleared his throat, "I think it's necessary to show my fists, otherwise everyone will think I'm just a piece of plasticine, and the trouble will only increase."

"In the name of Baba Yaga?" Apoli asked almost confidently.

"Yes, in the name of Baba Yaga."

Wei Ran said with a smile, "Let everyone know that based on the accidents we encountered many times before, I hired a professional security team at a high price, and they won the first battle and captured a large number of American agents."

"What are you going to do with the people you capture?" Karp asked again.

"Baba Yaga is a legal security company that pays full taxes"

It was Apoli who answered this question, "We don't need to resort to lynching. We just need to make the captured American agents known to the media and hand them over to the Russian Federation intact."

"That's right"

Wei Ran said with a smile, "I will publish all the photos at the same time."

"The Americans would never imagine that you would put the shit-soaked underwear you took off from the chair-sitter directly on their faces." Karp joked with great amusement.

"The Americans will stand with you this time," Apoli said with a smile, "Okay, Karp, it's your turn. You have to participate in the next..."

"I won't participate openly," Karp said with a smile, "but I will help you inform in advance."

"In that case, you should leave here," Apoli said, "Next I will distribute weapons to Baba Yaga's security personnel."

"Have fun," Karp said as he stood up and walked towards the car he had driven.

"Mr. Culp," Wei Ran stood up and asked, "Is Aurora in danger?"

"Do not worry"

Karp had already opened the car door while speaking. "Some of Anna's friends will secretly protect her. If I remember correctly, you met them in Yakutsk a few years ago."

"I remember that." Wei Ran breathed a sigh of relief and added "thank you".

"I said, you are the cornerstone for us to retire smoothly and live a new life. Aurora is the guarantee that we can live a good life after retirement."

Before he finished speaking, Karp had already entered the cab. "So don't worry, Victor. As long as you don't plan to do anything dangerous to Kazan or the Russian Federation, we will stand behind you and Aurora."

"You will retire smoothly and live a good life."

While helping the other party close the car door, Wei Ran also made his own promise solemnly, "As long as you don't intend to let us do anything dangerous to betray China."

"Don't worry, we are just a group of wandering ghosts who can't even find a grave."

Culp mumbled something incoherent, and at the same time as Apoli pressed the blast door remote, he rolled up the window, started the car, and slowly drove out of the library basement.

Almost at the same time as the car drove out of the library yard, two teams of people lined up and walked into the basement.

Wei Ran knew one of the teams, they were all Hila students working for Sui Sui. The other team was also made up of Hila girls, the only difference was that they had been receiving training at Mine No. 52.

Without exception, these girls all wore the same style of black Adidas three-stripe sportswear and the same style of sneakers - they looked like real Russian gangsters.

The only difference in clothing between these girls and the "Inta athletes" who once "stationed" here is the slightly complicated logo on the back of their hoodies.

The pattern, which is as big as a thermos, is the standard image of Baba Yaga in Russian fairy tales: a deformed, skinny old witch squatting on a stone mortar, holding a thick wooden pestle in one hand, a broom in the other, and a pipe in her mouth that seems to be made of leg bones.

The only special thing is that not only are there blood-stained sickles and hammers hanging on the stone mortar under the feet of this ugly old witch, but there are also two angel-like cute children hidden inside the mortar.

Even these two children with innocent smiles were holding a Nagant revolver, a very characteristic of the Soviet Red Army, and a bottle of lit Motorov cocktail in their hands.

“They are the true core strength of Baba Yaga.”

Just as Wei Ran was curiously looking at the ugly yet beautiful logo on the back of the girls' shirts, Apoli had already asked the girls to open the gun boxes on the table.

"Only them?"

Wei Ran asked in astonishment, "All girls? Didn't you say you wanted to pick them from the gangsters under Greeva?"

“I’m already selecting, but even if I’m done selecting, they’re all girls, young, pretty, and full of life.

Of course, the women chosen at that time will only be the nominal core force of Baba Yaga at most.”

Apoli said with a smile, "Also, don't you know that Baba Yaga is a witch? How can a man sneak into a witch group?"

"Okay, what about them?" Wei Ran raised his chin and asked the girls who were receiving guns.

"The true core strength of the witch group, the non-staff members on the surface."

While Apoli was explaining, the team of girls who usually helped Su Su with her work had each received a PSS pistol and a spare magazine full of bullets.

As for the two weapons, one long and one short, and the rest of the spare ammunition and even the gun box, which were left in the gun box, they were distributed to the girls from the other team.

Looking at these girls who were dressed simply, young and pretty, but were extremely decisive in checking their weapons, Wei Ran shook his head in a helpless smile, and asked, "New question, who is the nominal boss of Baba Yaga?"

"Lola, of course it's Lola." Apoli gave the expected answer as a matter of course, "She is a sensible and good child, and is the most suitable to lead these girls."

"All right"

Wei Ran shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. It was obvious that not only Apoli, but also the clever Suo Su, everyone around him was tacitly helping him perfect the imposing yet harmless character of "a historian who hangs out with women."

"When are you going to start?" Apoli asked while the girls were checking their weapons.

"If the girls are ready, we can start at any time." While speaking, Wei Ran took out his cell phone which was still turned off and shook it.

"Let's get started," Apoli said as he stood up.

Hearing this, Wei Ran pressed the power button of his phone.

After a short wait, as the phone's signal was restored, several incoming call reminder text messages popped up one after another.

"It seems that Mr. Edward can't wait to cooperate with our performance."

Wei Ran said this, but he did not call Edward back. Instead, he sent an emoji of a little fox blowing a whistle in a chat group created by Anfia.

Almost at the same time this message was sent out, Monica and Tassie, who departed from Paris only an hour later than Wei Ran, Sui Sui and others but arrived in the UK earlier, were already preparing to have dinner at Mr. Charlotte's house with their little Matthew, who had skipped school again.

"Mr. Victor sent me an emoji of a little fox blowing a whistle"

Matthew fiddled with his cell phone and said that he didn't know what the signal meant, but Monica had given him the task of keeping an eye on the phone before they left.

"Mr. Charlotte, would you like to help?" Monica asked casually as she just brought over the steak she had cooked herself.

"certainly"

Charlotte tucked her napkin into her collar and said, "Whether it's because Victor saved Matthew or because Aurora made me invest in that Antarctic documentary and made a lot of money, even if it's just for justice, I will help."

Hearing this, Monica and Tashi looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief, "Then I'll leave it to you."

"It's just a matter of making a phone call. You don't have to go there in person." Charlotte said kindly.

"Grandpa Charlotte, don't you like us coming to visit you?" Little Matthew, with his naturally curly hair, raised his head and gave Charlotte a critical hit that she couldn't resist at all.

At the dining table, Monica and Tassi, who were busy serving dishes, looked at each other tacitly, and both of them showed a sly smile on their faces.

In the evening of the day when the east and west were two hours apart, Wei Ran and Apoli took the girls who had obtained weapons to arrange their respective tasks. At the same time, in the villa next door, Liubov, with the help of the witch housekeeper Mrs. Samantha, prepared a sumptuous midnight snack for everyone.

That same evening, after having dinner with Monica and the other two, Charlotte walked into the study alone and once again looked at the tablet computer that Monica had brought her, which was not connected to the Internet.

The tablet computer displays some of the incriminating evidence from the CDs that the Kajianka sisters directed Hela to snatch from Edward.

In addition to these things, Monica also verbally conveyed Anfia's request on Wei Ran's behalf, asking him to find an excuse to call Edward and ask him to get together.

For Charlotte, whether to help Wei Ran or to help her old friend Edward is a question that does not require careful consideration.

However, after taking out his cell phone, he did not call Edward, but instead called a friend of his and Edward's in common.

"Good evening, Charlotte."

As soon as the call was connected, an old man with a loud voice on the other end greeted me enthusiastically.

"Good evening Alan"

Charlotte said with equal enthusiasm, "You must know why I'm calling you at this time."

"Of course, we are old friends!"

Alan on the other end of the line said in his loud voice, "My table has been empty for a long time. When are you going to come over?"

"how about tomorrow?"

Charlotte pretended to be silent and asked, "The weather forecast says it will rain heavily tomorrow. According to our habit, this is good weather for playing cards.

Especially last time Mr. Edward and Ms. Kate won several hundred pounds from me respectively, I must win them back, otherwise I will suffer from insomnia even on rainy days. "

"Then tomorrow!"

Alan said confidently on the phone, "I will ask Mr. Edward and Ms. Kate out. I also want to win back the money I lost to him."

"It's settled then," Charlotte said cheerfully, "I'll be there on time tomorrow evening."

"Bring enough cash," Alan reminded with a laugh.

"certainly"

Charlotte hung up the phone with a big smile, then picked up a wet tissue from the table, wiped her hands carefully, and threw it into the trash can with a look of disgust.

That night, a kidnapping team of 13 people took a red-eye flight and rushed to Kazan.

On the same evening, after failing to get through to Wei Ran again, Edward "happened" to receive a call from his poker buddy Allen.

Perhaps it would be safer to contact Victor through Mr. Charlotte?

As Wei Ran and others expected, Edward came up with what he thought was a clever idea, and then readily agreed to play card game tomorrow evening.

On the same night, Inta, who was far away but extremely safe, and Susu, who came with Anna, were lost in the crowd of friends raising their glasses again and again. As most people expected, she was drunk unconscious with just a few glasses of fruit wine, and allowed the Kajianka sisters to take her back to the hotel suite.

Compared to Sui Sui who can't drink much, the other girls who came along to play can drink quite well.

Of course, just as Wei Ran hid some secrets from Sui Sui, he also didn't know that it was not just Sui Sui and Koko who were invited to Inta, but also almost all the girls who joined the Golden Fleece - including Maya, who was supposed to film in Murmansk, and Aniya, who came from France on another flight.

What he didn't know was that these girls were planning a big business while drinking and chatting.

Time passed quickly and it was the next morning. Wei Ran called Mr. Edward back apologetically, saying that he was preparing to make an urgent trip back to China, and so on, completely rejecting the other party's invitation that had not yet been spoken.