Translator: AlfredoPoutineSoup  Editor: DesTheSloth
The matter which Efim was most worried about eventually happened; and it occurred on the same dayâHe suddenly felt he had been caught in a huge net.
An uneasy feeling arose since his identity had been disclosed in the manor.
And when a police car arrived at the building, such a feeling reached its peak.
âDid they say why they came here?â
âNo, they didnât.â He said quickly, âHe just showed his Police ID and said he needs to see you for an important issue. But he looks very anxious.â
Efim thought in silence before nodding, âTell him to wait for me downstairs and Iâll right there after changing my clothes.â
âGot it.â
His follower nodded. He had to do many things, include receiving the policeman, cleaning this room thoroughly and taking away something that didnât belong to this place.
â¦
â¦
âHahaha, thanks for waiting for me for such a long time. I was taking a shower just now, because I have a habit of going to sleep before ten oâclock.â
Efim, who changed his clothes, went downstairs during this time. He glanced at the cop. His follower said he had verified his ID, so he didnât suspect him.
âHello, Mr. Efim, Iâm Victor, sorry for bothering you at night.â Victor nodded and suddenly approached Efim.
But Efimâs bodyguard stopped him, and replied calmly, âMr. Victor, stay away.â
Victor said calmly, âMr. Efim, can I talk with you alone⦠I donât think you will refuse me.â
âReally?â Efim said indifferently, âIf I say to your boss that some of his subordinates came to my house to harass me, I donât think he will refuse my complaint.â
But Victor smiled and lowered his voice, âI heard Mr. Efim bought a wonderful thing today, right?â
Suddenly, Efim narrowed his eyes, hesitating for a moment before waving his hand, âYou guys leave for now, Iâll talk with Mr. Victor.â
After all his men had left, Efim sat down slowly, and asked calmly, âWhat did you say just now? I didnât hear it clearly.â
Victor now revealed a smiling face, walking to Efim again. He took out his cellphone and put it on the tableâ just in front of Efim.
âI think Mr. Efim will be quite interested in the contents of the video.â
âOh, will I?â Efim picked up the cellphoneâ and played it.
However, Efimâs face gradually turned awkward as the video wentâ He didnât need to watch it to the end and paused it midway.
He laid down his cellphone and looked up at Victor, whose fingers were slowly tapping the handrail.
After a long time.
Efim suddenly opened his mouth, âWhat do you want?â
Victor slowly said, âThis is what my subordinate provided me with. I guessed he was hoping to provide some contribution⦠After all, this video clearly reveals that Mr. Efim bought a painting, which has been stolen from the art museum⦠It happened today, so we have reasons to believe that the painting is still in your hand. But I have buried the news, nobody knows about that for now except me.â
Efim calmly said, âWonât it be good to turn it in? This is a great merit, isnât it?â
Victor shrugged his shoulders, âDoes Mr. Efim know what the salary for a permanent detective like me is? What it would be after being promoted to the higher level? And how about a director generalâs?â
Efim answered in a neither humble nor pushy tone, âDo you know that Iâve known your director general for some time.â
Victor smiled, âMr. Efim, a great merchant like you will definitely know a lot of people. However, most of the businessmen in Moscow will make a clean break with you⦠because of the video about a gang boss has been uploaded to VK, which has many implications. Mr. Efim, do you know how many years Iâve been in this profession? 23 years. I even got Alexanderâ¢Nevsky Medal granted by the President personally.â
Victor said with confidence, âI believe my words worked. Even our boss may not get me to pack up and leave my current position immediately.â
Efim said calmly, âItâs good to be confident. In addition, I admire your courage to come to me alone⦠Good, I like to cooperate with a courageous person. Iâll buy the video, tell me the price.â
While Victor said, âDoes Mr. Efim think itâll be OK after simply purchasing the video?â
âWhat are you trying to say?â
Victor said, âI donât believe that a newly graduated cadet can get this video. Did Mr. Efim offend anyone recently?â
Efim hand softly patted the handrail, standing up, âMr. Victor, thank you for bringing me the news, but Iâm a businessman and I like to call a spade a spade.â
Victor said indifferently, âOur director general is not free from corruption, he may be dismissed at any time. I think Mr. Efim may need a more stable and younger partner.â
âIs this your purpose?â Efim squinted his eyes.
âI was the recipient of Alexanderâ¢Nevsky Medal, but I have to stayed in a small office all the time, donât you think itâs a pity, Mr. Efim?â Victor got close to Efim and lowered down his voice âSomeone wants to oppose Mr. Efim, and I think Mr. Efim needs some more helpers as well, right?â
âWhy should I believe you?â Efim sneered.
Victor shrugged his shoulders, âTime can prove anything. Our boss is not in a good situation now, maybe shortly after⦠Anyway, only I will know about this video. However, I think the person who wanted to spread the video will do something if he doesnât hear any rumors from us. This is my business card, Mr. Efim can contact me if necessary.â
Looking at Victor, who took back the cellphone and walked toward the door, Efim suddenly said before he opened the door, âHold on.â
âAnything else?â
Efim took out the checkbook from his clothes, signing his name and tearing down one piece without an amount, âWrite down a nice number youâd want. I cannot let you down and feel like it has been a wasted trip.â
Victor two fingers nipped this cheque and waved his hand, âWell, Iâm looking forward to the call from Mr. Efim.â
â¦
â¦
âBoss, what did the vile cop say?â
His subordinate asked while looking at Efim, who was in deep thought.
Efim simply described it, which had the follower frown, âBoss, it seems the Typica Family is opposing you deliberately this time. But out of their expectations, it was stopped by Victorâ¦Heâs an ambitious man; money and power are both his favorite.â
While Efim suddenly asked, âDo you think Victor doesnât have a problem?â
His follower thought for a while, âBut it doesnât make sense that he came to you with such important evidence. It has seriously violated military discipline. If he thought it was a chance to make rapid advances in his career, I think he would have took it. In my opinion, itâs really a pity that the recipient of Alexanderâ¢Nevsky Medal is still working in the small and common policeman office.â
Efim fell into silence for a while and suddenly said, âDid you clean up everything?â
âIâve packed up the garbage, and itâs been taken away by a garbage truck.â The follower looked at the watch, saying coolly, âItâs almost the time for burning it.â
Efim nodded and said slowly, âBook one air ticket to Italy next week for me, any time is acceptable.â
â¦
â¦
â9:05, Miss Anna went into the building.â
â9:10, Victor came to Efimâs building too.â
â9:30, someone threw a black sack into the garbage truck.â
â9:50, Victor left the building.â
â11:40, Miss Anna hasnât appeared yet⦠Boss, I think the big bag on the garbage truck should beâ¦â
Urey waved his hand to stop the man from talking, who was sitting next to the driver. He just opened the car window, looking at the garbage truck stop by the roadside from afar.
Two men wearing the uniforms of garbage collectors moved a big black bag down. They spilled gasoline and burned it while nobody was nearby at night.
He witnessed the flame cover the whole bag at one go⦠When it turned into ashes, he closed his eyes slowly.
Finally, he said, âLetâs go.â
The black motor vehicle hit the road and the garbage truck was drove away secretly. Then, the high wind blew away the ash.
Maybe there would be no trace remaining there tomorrow.
â¦
â¦
The sound.
â⦠Later, a canal connecting the Moscow River and Volga River was built, giving accesses to five different sea areas; therefore, the river transport becomes more developed.â
âFive sea areas?â
âYes, master, they are the Black Sea, the White Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Azov Sea.â
âAh.â He sighed with a gentle smile, âI may no longer need a web search engineâ¦â
She heard voices.
From a man and a woman, who seemed to be chatting.
So she opened her eyes, but only darkness and stuffiness appeared. She seemed to be trapped in a narrow space.
She struggled for a while, and finally found the exit to leave this narrow spaceâ a zipper.
She pulled open the zipper, and broke through the black bag. She could breathe fresh air again.
The night light in Moscow interspersed the riverside, turning it into a starry river. A couple were talking about something softly while pointing at the river bank.
She remembered where she had seen them.
When she was strangeld.
She seemed to have heard this manâs voice.
â Customer, what do you need?â
She, Anna.