720: Chapter Seven Hundred and Twelve: Unraveling the Cocoon 720: Chapter Seven Hundred and Twelve: Unraveling the Cocoon Catherine had replaced the watch with another brand, this time gifting Gao Yang a Marathon military watch.
He wasn’t sure what model it was, but after dinner, he casually strapped it on.
After some lovey-dovey chatter with Yelena, Morgan called again.
Gao Yang summoned Natalia and then went to call on the Frye Family and Glolov.
Afterward, he fetched Tommy, and the group marched downstairs in high spirits.
Tommy came out alone, and in the elevator, Frey asked curiously, “What’s the matter, doesn’t Vita want to move?”
Tommy replied with an embarrassed tone, “She’s used to living here and is a bit reluctant to move.
But since she doesn’t have many friends, she’d be bored by herself if everyone else moved.
So Vita agreed to the relocation, she’s just a little shy about it.”
Once outside the apartment, Gao Yang saw his own car, and there was also a person standing next to it.
Approaching to greet the man, the man said respectfully, “Sir, I’ve brought your car back.
From now on, I’ll take you to see the house.”
No further words were needed.
Gao Yang drove his car with Yelena, while Glolov and Natalia took along Tommy.
The Frye Family drove on their own, all following the person sent by Morgan to the new community.
The apartment Morgan had found was indeed excellent, with very nice furniture and decor, and also a larger size.
Crucially, it was right next to Central Park, offering a much better environment than before.
The first house Gao Yang and the others viewed was the one arranged for Yelena and Natalia.
While they were looking around, the person sent by Morgan respectfully informed them, “Currently, there are five apartments available for rent.
I’ve done my best to keep all the apartments on the same floor, though the sizes vary a bit.
Two apartments are the same size, and one is smaller.
If you all want the same-sized apartments, they would be on different floors, but it’s just a two-floor difference, still very close.”
Tommy laughed and said, “No problem, Vita is usually by herself, so a smaller one is just right.
Even with me staying, it would still be spacious enough.”
Everyone was very satisfied with the new environment.
At this point, Frey joked with Tommy, “Tommy, are you planning to marry Vita?
It wouldn’t be right to move Vita’s home here if you’re not going to marry her.”
Tommy shyly responded, “We, we haven’t planned the wedding yet, but I think we probably will get married.”
The group continued to look at all the apartments with laughs and jokes; everyone was very pleased.
Gao Yang said to the person showing them the apartments, “Very good, this place is lovely, we’ll rent it.
What’s the procedure?”
“Sir, Mr.
Reeves has already taken care of the paperwork for you,” the person explained.
“After you choose your apartments, just register your personal information and sign here.
Also, the rent has been paid for one year.
The longest contract available is for a year, so we had to pay for a full year upfront.
Here are the keys, please keep them safe.”
While everyone was signing the papers, Gao Yang’s phone rang.
He stepped aside to answer and heard Morgan’s grave voice saying, “Gao, do you like your new place?”
“The house is fantastic, thank you,” Gao Yang replied.
“Glad you like it.
Gao, there’s news about the photo,” Morgan said.
Gao Yang had thought Morgan was calling just to talk about the house and was utterly surprised that there were already results regarding the photo.
He responded with surprise, “That was quick!
What’s the situation?”
Morgan sighed and suggested, “Let’s talk about it in person.
Do you have time?
If you do, I’ll come over to pick you up.”
Discerning a hint of dejection in Morgan’s tone, Gao Yang felt the outcome might not be great.
After arranging a time with Morgan, he returned to the group and announced, “I have to leave again, Morgan wants to meet.”
After speaking, Gao Yang took Yelena aside and whispered apologetically, “Sorry, I can’t be with you this afternoon.”
Yelena smiled gently and replied, “You forgot, I have a very important paper due today.
I must go to the university this afternoon.
Actually, I was going to apologize to you.”
After giving his car keys to Yelena so she could drive back, Gao Yang hurriedly made his way to the street outside of the new apartment.
It wasn’t long before a Bentley pulled over in front of him, and he got into the car.
The driver had changed to Morgan’s personal chauffeur.
After telling the driver the name of a café, Morgan let out a sigh and said to Gao Yang, “The results are in, not bad, but not great either.”
Gao Yang, slightly anxious, asked, “What happened?”
As he spoke, Morgan handed a stack of documents to Gao Yang, saying, “Take a look.
We’ve managed to uncover Dusselyev’s identity.
He was initially a KGB operative stationed in Dresden.
From 1980 to 1986, he worked in Dresden, then in 1986 he was transferred to an operational division of the Berlin KGB Security Department, until the unification of Germany in 1990.
Dusselyev belonged to a powerful department, though it was semi-public as part of the KGB, it was strictly confidential.
Usually, any espionage activities against other countries were carried out by this department, and Dusselyev was one of the dangerous elements within, which is why the CIA has his file.”
Gao Yang glanced at the documents in his hand, which were only about Dusselyev.
After looking them over, he said, “Did you find the other person’s file?”
Morgan took out another stack of documents and said, “Based on Dusselyev’s background, the CIA people smoothly found another individual.
This man is named Peter Sergeyevich.
He too was KGB, working long-term in the KGB’s Third Chief Directorate, later transferring to East Germany into the public eye, having served for a long time as head of the KGB’s Dresden Security Department, from 1978 until 1990, clearly having been Dusselyev’s superior.”
Gao Yang flicked through the documents in his hand and said, “So the time Dusselyev and this man named Peter went hunting can also be determined.
It should be between 1980 and 1986.”
Morgan nodded, sighed, and said, “Getting the files on these two men was much faster than I had anticipated, but what comes next, finding where to look, that’s going to be tough.”
Gao Yang frowned and asked, “Why?”
Morgan nodded and explained, “Currently, we don’t know to whom the hunting rifle really belongs—Dusselyev or Peter?
Either is possible.
According to the files, neither man had a hobby of collecting antique hunting rifles, yet the guns both were carrying were indeed antique hunting rifles.
The one we’re looking for, not to mention, while the one in Dusselyev’s hands was crafted by a German gunsmith in the 19th century, also a valuable antique hunting rifle.
So, the question is whether they each brought their own hunting rifles, or if one owned both and lent one to the other.
It’s difficult to judge.
Given that you always seem to make the right choices, I feel I must ask for your opinion on who’s more likely so I can follow that lead.”
Gao Yang sighed and said, “It’s troublesome, isn’t it?
If we’re going to investigate, we have to investigate both.”
Morgan also offered a wry smile and said, “Investigating both isn’t really the troublesome part.
The real trouble is that there’s nothing to go on.
Dusselyev’s file indicates that he was always single.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the CIA had no further information on Dusselyev.”
Gao Yang frowned and said, “At least there are no hunting rifles, in fact, no firearms at all, in his home here.”
Morgan sighed and said, “KGB files are too difficult to investigate.
Peter is a bit easier, given his higher rank and his semi-public status is less challenging, but information on Dusselyev is too scarce, making it impossible to obtain any details of his family life.”
Gao Yang looked over the files and said, “Can the hunting location be traced?
Could we start there?
If we know where their homes were and the hunting location is the same, we could focus the investigation on one of them.”
Morgan nodded and replied, “That’s what I was thinking, too.
However, it will take time, especially as we will need experts in flora and fauna.
We have already reached out to experts in this field, hoping to pinpoint the hunting site.”
Gao Yang, leafing through Peter’s file again, suddenly said, “This Peter, was his father in the Soviet Red Army?
Or the Ukrainian Second Front Army?”
Morgan, smiling, nodded and said, “Correct.
You’re very observant; it seems you’ve also noticed that detail.”
Gao Yang said in a grave tone, “From the file, it seems that Peter’s father was a major in the 46th Army Group of the Ukrainian Second Front Army and retired after the war ended, which means his father certainly took part in the Ukrainian Second Front Army’s Vienna operation!”
Morgan nodded and said, “Exactly, my mother came from Vienna, and my grandfather’s estate was plundered clean.
It is very possible that it ended up in the hands of the Nazis who occupied Vienna.”
Gao Yang, excitedly picking up the thread, said, “And after Peter’s father took Vienna, he could have seized the gun from the Nazis!
This is very possible; time and place seem to point directly to Peter Sergeyevich.
Go after him.”
Morgan, with a wry smile, said, “Keep going through the file.
Peter’s father was Russian, but he worked in Kiev, Ukraine, after retiring and ultimately died in Ukraine.
The file does not show where Peter lived after his father died, nor do we know, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, whether Peter made his home in Russia or Ukraine.”
The most troubling part is, Peter was born in 1935, yes, he’s dead.
He died of alcohol poisoning in 1990, and we don’t know whether he left any family, or where they might have lived.”
Gao Yang scratched his head and said, “This does complicate things.
I think that the hunting rifle is most likely with this Peter.
As for Dusselyev, it’s possible to put him aside for now.
However, it looks like Peter’s trail might have gone cold.”
Morgan heaved a sigh and said, “It’s almost as good as gone, but at least we have a direction to follow now.
I’m having people search full force for any information on Peter.
Let’s hope we get some leads.”(To be continued.
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