Chapter 41: Your Situation Two

  "Right above the electric stove, about a few inches up," said Mr. Gold, "is hidden a high-powered microphone detector with wires leading into the chimney and straight up to the back of the Muntzes' electric stove upstairs. From there they hook on an amplifier. I figure in their room is a steel wire recorder, earphones for them to take turns listening in. That's why Mrs. Muntz has had this convenient flu, eating all her meals in bed, and that's why Mr. Muntz stays with her instead of going out to enjoy the sunshine and gambling of this beautiful resort."

  "We know this because our intelligence people are very smart and capable, and in the hours before you arrived here, we had opened up your electric stove and confirmed other issues."

  Guo Guoyong walked over with a puzzled expression, carefully examining the wiring board on the wall equipped with resistance wire, and found tiny scratches in the screw slot.

  "Now it's time to recite another passage," said Jin Qiang, walking over to the radio which was still playing a passionate and sonorous song, and turning off the switch.

  "Are you satisfied, sir?" he asked. "You heard it, the sound quality is clear, the singing voice is beautiful, this machine is not bad, right?" He circled his right hand and raised his eyebrows to gesture to Guo Guoyong.

  "Everything is fine," said Guo Guoyong, "I also want to listen to this program." Thinking of the Meng family exchanging angry glances on it, he couldn't help but laugh. "This machine is really good, just what I need to buy and bring back to Jamaica."

  Jin Qiang made a face at him and then turned on the radio again. The room was filled with loud music once more.

  "What's wrong with me and Jamaica?" he said, sitting down on the bed with great displeasure.

  Jin Qiang frowned at him. "Brother, getting angry is useless," he said. "We've been disguising ourselves for a long time, but what's inexplicable is how they found out our true identities so quickly."

  Guo Guoyong's brain was painstakingly searching for clues, had the Russians already cracked their cipher system? If so, then he'd better pack his bags and go home, because he and his mission had been completely exposed to the enemy.

  Jin Qiang seemed to have seen through Bond's mind.

  "It's impossible to decipher the code," he said. "However, we immediately informed headquarters and they will change the current password right away. In any case, we've already caused a big commotion, haven't we?" The two of them smiled at each other knowingly.

  Jin Qiang continued solemnly: "We must finish our proper business before the end of the music program."

  "First, he took a deep drag on his cigarette. 'You'll be very satisfied with the assistant your superiors have sent you,' he said. She's beautiful, which made Guo Guoyong furrow his brow - indeed, she was extremely beautiful."

  Jin Qiang was very satisfied with Guo Guoyong's reaction, and continued: "She has black hair, blue eyes, and an enticing... uh... figure. She is flawless," he added.

  "She's a wireless expert, and although I didn't consider her looks at all, I hired her anyway. She's an excellent employee in the wireless department, and now she's also my assistant, helping me to sell wireless equipment here in this beautiful summer season, probably without arousing suspicion."

  He smiled. "We'll be staying at this inn too, and if your new radio goes on the fritz, my assistant can check it out for you anytime. These new machines, although British-made, often have some minor problems a day or two after customers buy them, usually at night," he said with a few winks.

  Kuo Kuo-yu was unhappy. "Why on earth did they send a woman?" he said angrily. "Do they think this is an easy job?"

  "Steady, she's just as you'd expect, a straight-laced person, cool as ice. She speaks Spanish as fluently as English, knows all the regulations for covert operations, and it's perfect to have her cover for you. It's only natural that you'd choose a pretty girl to help yourself out, since you're a billionaire playboy from Jamaica."

  He coughed softly a few times, "A young and handsome guy, without beautiful women by his side, makes people suspicious."

  Guo Guoyong hummed suspiciously.

  "Is there anything else astonishing?" he asked in bewilderment.

  "There's nothing more," Jin Qiang replied, "Liefen is currently living in his villa, about ten miles from the coastal highway. He has two bodyguards with him, both of whom look like capable guys. We found that one of them had been to a boarding house just there, where three suspicious people checked in two days ago."

  They may be in cahoots with Liever, their IDs seem to be in order, apparently they are stateless Czechs, but one of our informants says that the language they speak in the room is Balkan.

  There are few Balkan people here, most of whom have been used to deal with Turks and South Slavs. They are very stupid but very obedient. The Russians only use them for killing or as scapegoats in more complex issues.

  "Thank you very much, is there anything else?"

  "No, come to the hermit bar before lunch and I'll introduce you to your deputy. You can invite her for dinner tonight. Then it's natural for you and her to go into the King of Springs Club together. I'll also be there, but just to help you in secret. Your second brother will also send one or two capable people to secretly protect you."

  "Oh, there's an American named Wright who also lives in this boarding house. His name is Felix Wright, and he's a CIA operative stationed in Buenos Aires. Headquarters wants me to tell you that he's reliable, but he's a double agent, and maybe he has another purpose for being here."

  A burst of Italian cheers exploded from the radio on the ground, and the performance was nearing its end.

  Jin Qiang turned off the radio and they talked for a while about the radio and how Guo Guoyong should pay.

  Then, Jin Qiang said a few warm and affectionate farewell words, finally winked an eye, and walked out of the room.

  Guo Guoyong sat by the window, sorting out his thoughts.

  Jin Qiang's words made him feel uneasy, he had been targeted and was under the surveillance of a real professional detective, while he knew little about his enemy, maybe not even having the chance to confront Lifer at the gambling table before being taken down.

  Russians have always been ruthless killers. Now there's this annoying girl who's a burden, he sighed.

  Women are meant to be indulged, and in the execution of tasks they often get in the way, frequently messing things up due to their gender, self-esteem, and emotional burdens, ultimately requiring men to both take care of them and protect them.

  Guo Guoyong cursed a sentence of national curse, and suddenly he remembered the Mengtzu couple upstairs, and loudly cursed another sentence of national curse.

  Kuo Kuo-yung left the Brilliant Restaurant at noon, when the big bell of the City Hall was slowly playing a tune on its chime. The air was filled with the fragrance of pine trees and honeysuckle. On his way to the Mineral Spring Wang Club, he passed by neat gravel flower beds and small paths.

  The sun is shining brightly, and the air is filled with joy and delight. This seems to be a good omen for new trends and a new atmosphere, indicating that this small coastal city has begun to show its vitality again after experiencing many ups and downs.

  Show off its wealth and grandeur.

  In Mar del Plata, each beach has its own name and some are private property, only open to individuals or club members.

  The Ocean Park in Mar del Plata is a must-visit for tourists, where all the animals are within arm's reach. You can buy a box of small fish and watch the sea lions snatch them from your hands.

  The penguins were enclosed in a partition just half a meter high, within arm's reach.

  The most wonderful thing is the performance of dolphins and sea lions. Dolphins jump high, drill circles, hang upside down, top balls, and play with people in the water.

  The sea lions performed a love story with their trainers.

  Another feature of Mar del Plata is its seaside community, where there are century-old fortresses and modern newly built villas.

  Walking in the quiet community streets, both sides are houses with different building shapes, except for occasional passing cars, there is almost no one. It allows people to carefully appreciate their architectural style, inviting greening, and even a small exquisite door lamp at the entrance.

  At the beginning of this century, when this small seaside town was in a slump, the goddess of fate brought it a turning point.

  At that time, people began to realize that tourist destinations should not only provide entertainment but also treat the body.

  In the mountains behind the Mineral Water King Castle there is a natural hot spring which contains many dilute sulfur, helpful in treating human liver disease.

  Because most of the French-Argentines have liver problems, this place immediately became famous.

  However, it failed to sustain its prosperity for long. A series of vicious incidents occurred here one after another, causing many people to lose a lot of money. Soon, its service targets were limited to local people again.

  Fortunately, every summer, tourists from many countries come to vacation here, and in winter, they rely on fishing boats to go out to sea to catch fish, people's lives are still going well.

  However, the Baroque-style building of the Mineralwasser Palast Club is quite magnificent, with a strong sense of elegance and luxury from the Victorian era.

  In 1950, the Mineral Springs Hotel was acquired by a syndicate from the Cayman Islands and renovated. The hotel entered an era of prosperity, with its exterior repainted in its original white and gold colors, interior walls painted light gray, adorned with purple-red carpets and curtains, and large chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

  The garden was renovated and the fountain sprayed high water columns again.

  In the city, two major restaurants - Hui Huang and Yinsi have been renovated, attracting passing customers. Now, this small town and ancient port are doing their best to show a smile and welcome guests from all over.

  The main street is dotted with famous jewelry stores and fashionable women's clothing stores, looking very prosperous and bustling.

  Against this brilliant backdrop, Guo Guoyong stood in the sunlight, feeling how out of place his mission was with this scenery, and how great the disparity was.