Chapter 12: The Storm Before Dawn (Part 2)

  Inside the dwelling, Chu Si Nan faced Gil Neylov with an expression full of hesitation.

  Compared to him, Zhilina is obviously much freer. After all, she has a low status, and if it weren't for her identity as Chutsin's fiancée, she wouldn't even have the qualifications to enter the Kremlin. Therefore, even though the internal struggle in the Kremlin was cruel and overcast during this period, she was not affected much. Every few days, she could come in and meet with Chutsin once. According to her own words, the security near her residence is also very relaxed, and there are no people of unknown identity lurking around.

  It was precisely for this reason that Chu Si Nan made a major decision after several days of repeated deliberation - to contact Kryuchkov through Gil'ni Lo'va, on the one hand to test the attitude of that little guy, and on the other hand to calm his heart and arrange specific actions for the future.

  Chu Si Nan's decision to head south was not an easy one, he had many concerns. Firstly, although Gil Neylov was his fiancée, they didn't know each other well, and Chu Si Nan wasn't sure if he should trust her. Secondly, in Chu Si Nan's eyes, Gil Neylov was a very innocent girl, although she wore military uniform and had a high rank, but after all, she was still a woman. And this time, the plan he was about to carry out was so fraught with danger, one misstep and everyone would end up on the execution ground, Stalin's previous purges were living examples. Chu Si Nan didn't want to involve his innocent fiancée in this plan, making her worry for no reason.

  But did he have any other choice? Obviously not, except to let Zhilnayova help him out, he had no other options at all. Since the "Pravda incident", he lost all his freedom of contact with the outside world, and he could not even leave this residence unless he was summoned by Stalin or went out for a meal. In such circumstances, it seemed that he could only communicate with Kryuchkov through Zhilnayova who had the freedom to act.

  "What's this inside?" Jill Nielson asked in a low voice, her brow furrowed as she held the envelope that Chu Si Nan had handed to her.

  "Sumi, don't ask what's inside," Chusinan said in a low voice, his back to her and his eyes fixed on the guards patrolling outside the window. "Just remember it's very important, and after you leave here today, be sure to deliver it to 74 Lenin Street and hand it over to a woman named Natasha."

  "Don't worry, I'm not a German spy or a remnant of the Trotskyist organization," Chuson said, turning to see Gilnirova's somewhat suspicious expression. "The reason I didn't tell you what was inside is that I was worried you wouldn't be able to keep calm, but I can assure you that this letter is crucial for both the war and the future of our Soviet regime. If there's even a slight leak, the consequences will be unthinkable."

  "No, I don't doubt you," Zhilnina hesitated and then said, "but I have to figure out why, since this letter is so important, you didn't give it directly to Comrade Stalin or Comrade Beria? I think no matter what happened, they would be able to resolve it well."

  "I..."

  "Bang! Bang!"

  Chu Si Nan was about to give further explanation when suddenly a knock at the door was heard.

  "Shh!" Making a silencing gesture, Chu Si Nan said loudly: "Please come in."

  "Comrade Chusonan," a guard walked in, looked at Gilnernova sitting on the sofa, and then looked at Chusonan standing by the window, saying, "Comrade Stalin asks you to go over right away."

  "Alright, I understand." Chu Si Nan nodded and said.

  "You go, I'll head back first today and come see you again after a while." Zhil'niylová also stood up, she gave Chu Si Nan a reassuring look behind the guard's back.

  At this time, Chu Si Nan finally breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, as long as he could contact Krukov, it meant that there was still hope for the situation.

  "Alright, I'll go first, you can head back yourself." Chu Si Nan nodded and said a sentence before walking towards the door.

  The Kremlin was still shrouded in a thick, dark cloud, and the sky that had been gloomy for days seemed to be brewing an autumn storm. Walking through the unusually dim corridor, Chusinan thought about what Stalin might want to see him for at this time, with two armed guards closely following behind him.

  After passing through dozens of bright and dark ridges, Chu Si Nan finally arrived at Stalin's office location. Before he even pushed the door open, someone came out from inside, and to his surprise, it was exactly Kryuchkov, the person Chu Si Nan most yearned to see at this moment.

  Kryuchkov saw Chusnan, his face expressionless, and only used his shoulder to bump him hard. At the same time as this bump, Chusnan felt something being stuffed into his palm - a piece of paper, neatly folded into a single sheet. Without looking, Chusnan knew it was a secret letter.

  "Comrade Chu Si-nan, come in and sit down." Before Chu Si-nan could think much, Stalin's voice, which was not angry but authoritative, had already sounded from the room.

  Silently, Chu Si Nan quickly walked into the office and immediately saw Stalin standing in front of the window smoking.

  "Get out, all of you! And close the door behind you." Stalin still did not turn around.

  The two plainclothes guards who were originally standing in the room quietly retreated.

  "Sit down." When the door closed, Stalin turned around, looked at Chu Si Nan and said expressionlessly.

  "Tell me, Comrade Chu Si-nan, what are your thoughts on the events that have taken place during this period?" Stalin asked slowly as he paced back and forth after Chu Si-nan had sat down.

  "I don't have any thoughts on that." Chu Si Nan smiled faintly and said, "But I think that in the current situation, to continue with this kind of meaningless internal strife is truly unwise."

  Stalin did not say anything directly, neither affirming nor opposing what Chu Si-nan had said, but instead paced back and forth in the room, fiercely puffing on his pipe.

  "Comrade Stalin," Chu Si-nan finally couldn't help but speak up in this oppressive atmosphere, "are you not worried that Comrade Beria might have other ideas if you let him run wild like this? His power has grown after this..."

  "Comrade Chistyakov," Stalin suddenly spoke up, interrupting Chistyakov's words, "I now need you to use your brains and calculate something for me."

  "What's wrong?" Chu Si Nan asked subconsciously.

  "Take a look at this newspaper first, and you will understand after reading it." Stalin did not answer directly. He pointed to a newspaper on the table in front of Chu De.

  Chu Si Nan picked up the newspaper with a puzzled expression, and it was again "Truth Report", the publication date was today. Looking at the content, a row of large characters on the front page jumped into his eyes - "In the face of national crisis, where will our revolution go?"

  "Beliya demanded a convocation of an extraordinary Central Political Bureau meeting to discuss the composition of the Supreme Command, Voroshilov and others expressed their agreement." Stalin's tone was utterly dejected. "According to party regulations, I have no right to object. Comrade Chuson, what does this meeting mean for me?"