It was late autumn, and Murmansk, located in the northern boreal zone, had only a very short day every day, and just after 4 p.m., the orange-red sun had completely sunk below the western horizon. The harbor was lit up to dispel the darkness approaching from all directions, and if a satellite could look down from a high-altitude orbit at this time, it would be seen that the port was the only light within nearly a thousand kilometers northwest of the Soviet Union.

Fang Yan stood in front of the window, looking at the aircraft carrier Blucher that had entered the dry dock with a relaxed face. Although she was taller than a battleship, and her entire hull resembled a floating island, her overall height was still within the reach of the cranes on both sides of the dock, as she did not have a towering superstructure like the latter. By this time the heavy dock door had been closed, and four high-power main pumps were pumping the water in the dock in a roaring and vibrating, and it was expected that in another three or four hours, the seawater in the dry dock would be drained, and then the Blucher would be able to be truly repaired.

At the same time, two smaller slipways were also laid under the command of German officers with keel piers and side piers to suit the underwater line of the German Königsberg-class heavy cruisers that were about to be docked. This is the work that must be done before the battleship is docked, otherwise once the sea water is pumped out, the cruiser's hull with a rounded bottom will come into direct contact with the hard dock bottom; At that time, the weight of the whole ship of 8 or 9 thousand tons will be pressed on a small area, which will cause the load-bearing structure to twist at least and directly break the keel at worst. However, as long as the piers used to support the ship's weight are accurately placed, the next thing is simple: simply open the dock door and drop in the seawater, and the boat can be towed in.

"Sir, the Soviets have invited you to a banquet." A German lieutenant about Fang Yan's age knocked on the door and entered the lounge and said to Fang Yan, who was standing in front of the window. Fang Yan was stunned when he heard this, as if he didn't expect this dinner to start so early. He withdrew his gaze from the window, nodded, and followed the lieutenant downstairs.

The cold wind blows, and the air is filled with the humidity and slight saltiness of the sea. Yevgeny, the commander of the port garrison, who had had had a lot of exchanges with Fang Yan during the day, was waiting downstairs, and under his guidance, Fang Yan and the others soon came to the depths of the back garden of the port headquarters. Not long after, a two-story building covering a wide area appeared in front of Fang Yan's eyes. To Fang Yan's surprise, although this building was located within the walls of the port headquarters, its magnificent Baroque style was fundamentally different from the solemn majesty of the army.

Yevgeny stepped forward and pushed the thick gate open with a look of complacency; For a moment, Fang Yan couldn't help but shrink his pupils, and the few lieutenants who followed him let out a shocked gasp.

The floors are bright and green, the walls are shining red, the windows in the tall and open rooms are exquisite, and the distilled gold engravings are incomparably delicate, which are dazzling and brilliant in the white light. On the front wall hang two huge oil portraits, one with a thin and bald head, the other with a beard, none other than Lenin and Stalin, the two generations of leaders of the Soviet Union. Huge glass chandeliers hang from the 8-meter-high dome ceiling into the air, like silver roses in full bloom; It is from it that the brilliant and pure light emanates from it, reflecting the entire hall into a sea of magnificence.

Rao is Fang Yan has been in and out of his father-in-law, Lao Ziano's top villa, and he is still shocked by the luxury and luxury of this room at the moment. Fang Yan roughly estimated that the interior decoration of this building alone would cost at least millions of dollars, which was much more than the courage of his father-in-law's family. For a while, Fang Yan actually had the illusion of being in a dream, as if this was not the bitter cold Murmansk in the extreme north, but entered the rich and luxurious Milan Palace.

"Mr. Colonel, was this once the Tsar's residence?" Fang Yan asked tentatively, his expression full of incomprehensible confusion. This was impossible even for him, for Murmansk was a desolate and remote area, not a place for a summer vacation like the shores of the Black Sea. At that time, even the railway from Murmansk to the interior had not been built, so who would come to such a hellish place with enough to eat?

Hearing the translator's relay, Yevgeny shook his head with a smile and said proudly: "The building was built at the beginning of 1933. At that time, the magnificent White Sea-Baltic Canal was about to be opened and the expansion of the military port of the Northern Fleet was also coming to an end. After that, whenever there was a celebration, officers of the Northern Fleet and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the colonel and above would celebrate here. We are here today to host your personnel, and it is the most suitable place to be. ”

Fang Yan smiled politely and thanked him, but there were surging waves in his heart. He suddenly realized that he was standing on the most terrifying Soviet territory in the world. Although the rough fighting people still live in this land, their souls are completely cut off from the universal European concept of God-fearing and human rights; Especially after the catastrophe of the "Great Purge", the ******** of the Soviet military and civilians has undergone unprecedented distortions. They regard their leaders as infallible and brilliant stars, and have become accustomed to using all kinds of hypocritical gestures and social resources to sing the praises of virtue and meet them with all their might. Originally, Fang Yan's cognition of this unique society was still on the surface of what he had heard of, but now, he was in it and saw it with his own eyes.

The warmth of spring inside the room and the cold and dark Arctic winter nights outside are two completely different worlds. More than a dozen high-ranking Soviet officers were gathering in the hall to talk and laugh, and when they saw the door being opened, they all turned their attention to Fang Yan's side. Facing the friendly, bland, or cold gazes, Fang Yan's heart was unwavering, he had experienced this situation hundreds of times, and ordinary trash fish had long been unable to have any impact on him.

"Mr. Lieutenant Colonel, our people have already arrived, just waiting for you to come." The young lieutenant general Valentine, who had a relationship with Fang Yan during the day, greeted him with a smile on his face at this moment. Although Valenjing had disguised it quite well, Fang Yan still read the enthusiasm in his eyes that was obviously deliberately created. Fang Yan quietly and humiliated with the Soviets in front of him, and became more and more curious about their plans in his heart, judging from the current posture, the Soviets must want to get something from themselves.

"Comrades." A hoarse voice sounded in the room, but it was Oleg, a lieutenant colonel of the Internal Affairs Commissariat who was over fifty years old, who spoke. In a moment, the main banquet hall, which was still noisy just now, immediately fell silent, and even Valentine stopped exchanging words with Fang Yan, and stared solemnly at the old man who was a whole rank lower than him. Fang Yan secretly observed all this, and there was no doubt about his judgment in his heart. The Soviet Red Navy was indeed subjected to a tragic purge, and almost all the backbone officer class was replaced; And the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs behind Oleg played the role of a murderous and bloody executioner in it.

Oleg looked at the quiet hall with satisfaction, and spoke again: "Today, we are here to feast close German allies from afar, which fully demonstrates the unbreakable and solid friendship between the comrades-in-arms of the socialist revolution condensed with faith and blood, a banquet of cooperation, and a banquet of victory...... A series of words spit out from his mouth like fried beans, and the coherent sentences and routines have at least ten years of effort.

As time passed, Fang Yan gradually became a little impatient, the lieutenant colonel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in front of him had not finished his dogmatic speech, and it had been 40 minutes since Fang Yan entered the banquet hall. Its tirade is endless, making people almost crazy, and they can't wait to immediately interrupt this ****** mental torture with a loud yell. The Soviet officers, however, had their eyes shining and seemed to be listening with relish, wondering whether they had really been brainwashed or had been forced to make such a gesture to avoid misfortune. Fang Yan finally understood why the dinner party would kick off at 4 p.m., it turned out that it was to leave enough time for political discipline.

In the palatial hall, Oleg's voice still echoes endlessly. Fang Yan, who couldn't bear it, hinted to the translator next to him to shut up, and to make sure that he didn't understand, and sure enough, he felt that his mind was too clear. He breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, and at the same time couldn't help but feel sincere guilt for Hitler in Berlin: compared with the people in the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs, Hitler's equally chattering theories and teachings were like a gentle breeze and drizzle!

I don't know how long it took, Fang Yan, who was wandering in the world, suddenly heard Oleg's tone suddenly turn excited, he thought that the other party had said something important, and hurriedly signaled the translator to continue to fulfill his mission. Soon, he understood Oleg's words: "...... Comrade Stalin, the father of the father, geniusly built the Soviet Red Navy into a socialist steel fortress, bringing endless glory to our military and people. We are grateful for the great kindness of our fatherly leader, to whom we will swear allegiance to all generations. The great human star Comrade Stalin, Ulla (long live)! ”

"Ulla!" As soon as Oleg finished speaking, the hall suddenly erupted in a deafening cheer that was like a spring flood and a landslide. All the Soviets, including Oleg himself and the interpreter, raised their hands and cheered in frenzy at the huge portrait of Stalin on the wall. Seeing these Soviets jumping tirelessly and repeatedly as if they had springs on their feet, trying to praise their leaders, several German lieutenants accompanying them were dumbfounded; Fang Yan saw it in his eyes, and suddenly felt unprecedented pity and sympathy for these Soviets in his heart. (To be continued.) )