dognovel Chapter 1510 The Closest Friend
Chapter 1510 The Closest Friend
Chapter 1510 The Closest Friend
"It just flew away..."
Petrov looked up at the sky at a 90-degree angle; the sky was covered with dark clouds, just like his future.
"Hey, you still haven't told me your name."
"Snapped--"
The sweet girl was being too polite, slapping him across the face. If that was a reward, Petrov should be happy.
Yes, his face was so happy it was swollen.
"Do you want to buy him time?"
Sweetie sized up Mao Han's bruised and swollen face and asked, "Or should I suspect you're really on our side?"
"Heh—" Petrov, his hands cuffed together, shook his head in pain. "Even if I told you now, are you sure you could catch up with him?"
"I've already said, I don't need you to teach me how to do things."
The sweet girl knelt on Petrov's chest, looked up and glanced around; all the bandits had been brought to justice.
"If you don't cherish the opportunity I'm giving you..."
"boom--"
Sweetie felt a heat near her ear, and then her face was covered in "watermelon juice" that exploded, which tasted a bit salty.
She could clearly feel that her body below the knees had lost its strength, like a deflated balloon.
No, it's not just a leak.
"Lie down! Take cover—"
After a burst of gunfire, chaos erupted at the scene, and the Stasi officers who had come with Anna quickly sought cover nearby.
As for the captured bandits, who cares about them now? Let them die somewhere far away on the open road.
The only one still standing was Anna, who had just stood up in anger. She couldn't believe that the other party dared to make a move right under the Stasi's nose and was so arrogant.
"Captain! Take cover—"
"Go away——"
Anna forcefully pushed away the squad leader who lunged at her and chased after the gunshot in the direction it came from.
She knew that chasing after them would be futile, as they were likely already far away.
But—she wasn't willing to give up—
"Protect those people—"
Anna only had time to say one sentence before she ran off in her leather boots. The squad leader called for the others to get up quickly, while he himself tried his best to chase after her.
He was worried that it might be dangerous for the captain to go alone.
As for the scene, with so many people present, what could possibly happen? What could be more outrageous or worse than what has just occurred?
Since its founding, the Stasi has never encountered such a powerful sneak attack. Just who is the other side? Could it really be the enemy?
"Son of a bitch—ha—"
Clearly, Anna was too late. Only a spent shell casing remained on the roof of the seven-story building, along with…
"Captain, look here—"
The squad leader rushed to the rooftop and, finding only himself on the roof, immediately began the search.
If the GFJs at this time were all castrated cowards, then the Stasi still had two tough guys.
Yes, but not many, and they even rely on women to maintain appearances.
Anna's father was the deputy head of the GFJ, a truly important figure.
Anna received intensive training and systematic education from her father from a young age. She was supposed to go to the military for training, but she ended up in the Stasi intelligence agency by chance.
If it were said that one could rise to a high position simply through connections, then that statement would be insufficient to describe Anna's formidable strength.
She wasn't able to carve out a niche for herself in a male-dominated world; she relied on real skills and hard work.
She got to where she is today through her own strength and achievements, but it is precisely today that she has encountered an unprecedented crisis.
"Who did this?!"
Anna was burning with rage, and her face, red and white as if it had been dried by the wind, made her look like a messenger from hell, coming to claim her life.
"Could it be a case of murder to silence them?"
The squad leader could tell from the captain's anxiety and quickly analyzed, "Judging from the scene, the murderer shouldn't have been here long."
He pointed to the clothes drying on the rooftop, as well as some household items, indicating that this place was frequently visited.
If we consider it this way, the other side couldn't possibly have been lying in wait here for so long; it must have been a surprise attack.
“He didn’t spit it out.” Anna turned abruptly to her subordinate and emphasized, “But he’s about to.”
"Perhaps that's why—"
The squad leader looked at her hesitantly and reminded her, "We probably won't get anything out of those bandits next."
"Damn it—"
Anna, unable to vent her anger, kicked the railing hard, making a loud "bang".
They are not criminal police officers; they don't need to investigate every case thoroughly. Once they identify a target, they can carry it out by any means necessary.
The key issue is that they neither know who the one that flew away in the sky was, nor are they sure who the one who just fired the shot was.
Perhaps the two things were done by the same person?
He can fly a plane, use a sniper rifle, and escape unscathed from being surrounded by more than a dozen people... Has God come?
"This bullet seems to be..."
The squad leader took the spent cartridge from Anna's hand, frowned, and said, "It looks like an SVD that the Soviets just put into service?"
"Are you sure?" Anna composed herself, glanced at the squad leader, took the spent cartridge back from his hand, and carefully examined it before asking, "Have you used that kind of rifle before?"
“I saw it at the training camp. It’s a very good precision shooting rifle.” The squad leader explained thoughtfully, “Since I couldn’t touch the gun, I did observe the spent cartridges it ejected carefully.”
"Let's go back to the scene." Anna didn't want to waste time here, so she waved and quickly walked down the building.
"Notify the local police to check suspicious persons and vehicles. We can't let them get away so easily."
Anna didn't know how she should feel when she returned to the scene, because Petrov, whom she had just met, was really dead.
Nonsense, with his head smashed, how could he possibly survive?
Anna was somewhat bewildered that her curses against the other party came true so quickly.
Even when the squad leader reminded her to wash her face, she seemed to be in a daze and didn't hear him.
"The bartenders and other patrons can attest that a scarred foreigner committed this crime after drinking two large bottles of brandy."
When they returned to the scene, the team members who remained there performed the procedural tasks very well.
The other team leaders shrugged and said, "They all agree that the other side is just being drunk."
"Two large bottles of brandy?" Anna frowned and said, "Are they drunk? That's why they're talking so nonsense."
"I've asked many people about this issue," the person in charge said helplessly, spreading his hands. "But that's just how it is."
"The bartender said a group of dark-haired foreigners came in and met a local, and then the guy who had just been shot in the head came into the bar to cause trouble for him."
"And then? The two sides clashed?"
Anna pushed past the manager and strode toward the tavern door, which had been damaged by the explosion, wanting to go inside and take a look.
"No, they just drank heavily."
The person in charge followed Anna closely and explained, "The bartender said that the guy who just got his head blown off lost the fight, said something harsh, and then left."
“You just said they are foreigners.”
Anna glanced back at the person in charge and asked, "What language do they speak?"
"I've already confirmed the Chinese version."
The manager shrugged and said, "So the bartender doesn't know much about their conversation."
"I know who those people are."
Anna turned around, pushed open the tavern door and went inside. The bartender was being interrogated repeatedly, his face full of horror and exhaustion.
“Listen to me, buddy,” she said, placing her hands on the table and looking the bartender in the eye. “I need you to tell me what that scarred foreigner did.”
"I don't know, I didn't see it." The bartender was always a smart man, and he knew that he was just a nobody.
He frankly stated, "I'm standing inside the bar, so my view is limited."
"But I know that after that scarred foreigner went out, there was an explosion and shooting outside."
Just as the sweet-looking captain in front of him narrowed her eyes, preparing to explode, the bartender tactfully added, "He walked in with an AK-47 and said something to the guests he was with."
He described what he saw and heard very meticulously, refusing to guess or speak carelessly about anything he didn't know.
"Are you sure it's an AK-47?" Anna asked him suspiciously. "Have you ever used this kind of gun before?"
"I've never used it, but I've seen it."
The bartender shrugged again and said, "You should be able to tell that I'm just a waiter."
"And then? What did they do?"
Anna asked impatiently, "Did they borrow the phone here?"
"Yes, before that they borrowed our phone and called the police station, saying that there had been an attack here."
The bartender frankly described the scene at the time and what happened after those people left.
"You're saying you don't know what happened later?"
Anna was about to lose her temper. She had already had enough of a bad day, and now she had to waste her breath on this kind of person.
"Of course! If there are fireworks outside, why would I crawl under the bar to watch the fun?
The bartender replied matter-of-factly, "I only saw him walk in carrying a rifle, and I have no idea how he got out."
"So—" the squad leader who followed in frowned and questioned, "you ran away as soon as you saw the rifle in his hand?"
"I'm not running away, this is my territory."
The bartender was really witty. He pointed to the bar counter and said, "This bar counter has been specially treated so that ordinary bullets can't penetrate it."
"It's all nonsense, not a single word of it is useful."
Anna straightened up and said to her subordinates, "The only thing we can be sure of is that the scarred man participated in the battle."
"Where did this person go?" the squad leader asked, frowning. "If he got in the car, why didn't those people chase after him?"
“Up in the sky,” Anna said, pointing overhead. “That scarred man is very likely the one who flew away.”
"This—how is this possible—"
The squad leader asked in confusion, "Isn't he the one who's being besieged? Why would he call us on his own initiative?"
"And wasn't it us who helped him out of that predicament?"
Anna stepped outside, saying as she went, "Let's go, I know where to find him. I believe that once we find him, all the problems will be solved."
“You mean—” the two squad leaders caught up, one of them pressing, “That scarred man caused the car bombing, he planned it all, right?”
"No, the scarred man is only a suspect."
Before getting into the car, Anna tapped her subordinate's chest and reminded him, "This is not a simple case, so don't act rashly or impulsively. The other party's identity is very troublesome."
"How troublesome is it?" the squad leader asked just before helping Anna close the car door. "Is there any trouble that we Stasi can't handle?"
“Heh heh—” Anna gave him a cold laugh, slammed the car door shut, and said to the driver, “Let’s go to the Dresden City Garden Hotel.”
***
"Just who is this person?"
Three police cars arrived at the Dresden Hotel, where everything was as calm as a sleeping baby, without a ripple.
The squad leader, eager to make a name for himself, pressed his captain Anna, who had just jumped off the vehicle, with some curiosity.
"Do you know where the convoy that left the scene went?" Anna glanced back at the squad leader, who shook his head. She lowered her eyelids helplessly and said, "I don't know either."
"Even I don't know their destination, yet I'm responsible for ensuring their safety. Do you think their identities are complicated?"
As she said this, she led her people into the hotel lobby, and the sight of them startled the waiter.
"Excuse me, this is the City Garden Hotel."
The manager on duty at the entrance quickly stopped them, reminding them, "We have our own security department."
“I am the captain of the Stasi Dresden branch action team.” Anna showed her identification, which made the duty manager frown, because Anna was still wearing makeup.
"Captain, please go to the restroom and wash your face first."
The squad leader sensibly handed over his identification, while quietly expressing concern for the leader with powerful connections.
Anna noticed the strange look in the duty manager's eyes at this moment. As if she remembered something, she suddenly vomited on the smooth marble floor.
As they watched her jog towards the restroom, the duty manager and the others exchanged bewildered glances: "Am I that disgusting?"
Or... is this woman pregnant?
"We're looking for a scarred man."
The squad leader gestured as he explained, "We have enough evidence to suspect that he was involved in a series of bombings."
"Please cooperate and tell me where he is."
"Scarface?" The duty manager looked him up and down, checking his identification, but didn't give a clear answer.
Watching the duty manager hand over his ID to someone else and quietly instruct them to make a phone call to verify it, the squad leader's hands trembled with anger.
"He's a very dangerous guy. If your delays cause serious consequences..."
"This is the City Garden Hotel."
The duty manager stubbornly and arrogantly emphasized, "We have our own security department that can ensure the safety of the hotel."
"You will pay the price for saying that."
The squad leader raised his hand and pointed at him, narrowing his eyes as he uttered a harsh threat.
At this moment, the supervisor jogged over, handing over two ID cards while whispering something to the duty manager.
Seeing that the duty manager was looking him up and down again, the team leader turned his head away haughtily, not wanting to look at him anymore.
"How's it going? Any results yet?"
Anna returned with a pale face and bloodshot eyes, clearly having just gone through a period of psychological torment.
The squad leader raised his chin, gesturing to the duty manager opposite him, and said, "We just finished verifying our credentials."
Just as Anna frowned, preparing to explode, the duty manager ignored the team leader who was speaking ill of her and handed Anna his identification, emphasizing very seriously, "We do have a guest here who matches your description just now."
Before the squad leader could charge forward, he tilted his head and said, "But I'm sure that gentleman can't do what you're saying. It's ridiculous."
Whether or not you can do it is not up to you.
Anna patted his shoulder without any hesitation and said, "Lead the way and take us to him."
The duty manager tilted his head and looked at the shoulder that had just been patted by the other person, and frowned slightly.
The City Garden Hotel isn't a place where just anyone can cause trouble, but according to regulations, he had to cooperate with their actions.
"this way please."
The duty manager politely led the person towards the elevator, reminding them, "Please be mindful of your words and actions and do not disturb the other guests resting here."
“What good people could live here?” The squad leader clearly disliked the wealthy people of East Germany.
But his words drew contempt and disdain from the duty manager.
Anna didn't say anything. She knew that she needed the other party's cooperation and couldn't cause trouble here.
If a real case were to occur, they could cause all sorts of trouble here without any problem, but not now.
“You stay here. We’ve confirmed he’s carrying unconventional weapons.” Stepping out of the elevator, Anna patted the duty manager on the shoulder again, urging him to stay and prepare to go up herself.
The duty manager stopped them first, frowning and reminding them, "I just said, don't do anything out of line."
“I’m in charge here. Otherwise, I will report to the hotel management and question your Stasi headquarters about the purpose and qualifications of this operation.”
"Fine, if you're not afraid of death, what do I have to be afraid of?"
Anna scratched her brow. She wanted to see the scarred man and find out what kind of person he was.
So she didn't care what the duty manager said, as long as she saw the target.
Seeing that they were no longer acting recklessly, the duty manager walked to the door and gently knocked.
The squad leader originally intended to kick down the door, but was reminded by the waiter who followed behind him, "The doors here are worth 3000 marks."
"Is it edged with gold?" The squad leader awkwardly lowered his right foot under the watchful eye of the duty manager.
"Hmm, who is it?" A slightly annoyed voice came from inside the room. It was a man, and he was saying something they couldn't understand.
The duty manager adopted a respectful expression and explained in French through the door, "Mr. Li, some colleagues from the local Stasi branch would like to speak with you about some matters. Would it be convenient for you to open the door?"
Before the people in the room could answer, he added, "If you have already rested, I can ask them to come back tomorrow."
pat-
The door opened, and Li Xuewu, still half-asleep in his plaid pajamas, walked out, looking at the people in the doorway with a puzzled expression. "What Stasi? What is a Stasi?"
"Don't pretend..." The squad leader was about to speak when he saw the scars on his face, but Anna shoved him away, and he swallowed the rest of his words.
The hotel's tolerance is limited, and continuing like this will be very detrimental to them.
Even if we could get the investigation documents from the leader, it would have to wait until tomorrow, by which time it would be too late.
"Hello sir, I am the captain of the Stasi Dresden branch action team." Anna introduced herself to Li Xuewu in fluent French, while also sizing him up.
It really looked like it was asleep, yawning one after another, and seemed annoyed at being woken up.
"I hope you haven't forgotten your evening in the Grey Street neighborhood, and the two large bottles of brandy you drank."
"I don't understand what you're saying."
Li Xuewu frowned, looking at her with suspicion, and asked, "Two large bottles of brandy? Are you talking about me?"
He scratched his head in bewilderment and explained, "I think you've misunderstood. I've been resting at the hotel the whole time."
"Hehe—" Anna was amused by his words and tilted her head, saying, "Mr. Li from China, you really like acting, don't you? But is it really that interesting?"
"You know I'm Chinese?"
Li Xuewu looked the other person up and down and said, "What brings you here? I know nothing about your so-called Grey Street or those two big bottles of brandy."
"Do I need to remind you of something?"
After observing Li Xuewu for a while, the duty manager looked at Anna and reminded her, "This gentleman doesn't look like he's drunk two large bottles of brandy at all; he doesn't even smell of alcohol."
Did he even need to remind her? Anna had already noticed that.
but--
When the bartender was giving his statement, he spoke very vaguely about everything else, but he spoke of the two large bottles of brandy in great detail.
He even showed them the empty bottles in the cabinet, and the recovered alcoholics swore that it was true.
But now that the scarred face is right in front of me, where's the wine?
The hotel could not provide evidence of the other party entering and leaving the main entrance, nor could it guarantee that the other party remained in the room.
Just as the duty manager said, there was no trace of alcohol on the other person's body or in his breath.
Even if you eat fruit or other food, or even drink a whole bucket of water, it won't mask the smell of two large bottles of brandy.
On the other hand, the claim that someone could drink two large bottles of brandy in a beer mug is somewhat untenable.
So, is the story about the scarred man told by the drunkard and the bartender true?
"If there's nothing else, I'm going to rest."
Li Xuewu glanced at the duty manager with slight displeasure and said, "If this happens again, please contact my secretary."
"I'm so sorry, sir—"
"Wait—" Before the duty manager could finish speaking, Anna pressed down on the door that was about to close, stared into Li Xuewu's eyes and asked, "Don't you care about your colleagues at all?"
"What do you mean?" Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, looking at the sweet girl in front of him.
“Without our protection,” Anna said, staring at him defiantly, “those people won’t let them get away with it.”
"I do not know what you're talking about."
Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and said, "If you want to find my colleague, please contact my secretary. He will handle these matters."
Just as they were arguing, Sha Qizhi arrived with a translator and blocked Li Xuewu's door.
"Sorry, I'll handle this."
Sha Qizhi, equally dissatisfied, glared at the duty manager and emphasized, "You assured me upon check-in that this was the safest and best-serviced hotel in Dresden."
"I'm very sorry, comrade."
The duty manager was practically bent over at a 90-degree angle, and his patience with Anna and the others had reached its limit.
"I will report tonight's events to the hotel management in detail and hope to get an explanation from the Stasi headquarters."
He gave Anna a serious threat, asking her to help Sha Qizhi and the others isolate Anna and the others, and to make sure Li Xuewu could close the door.
Even so, Anna still didn't want to let Li Xuewu go, and loudly reminded him, "The leader of the squad that went to the tavern to ambush you has been assassinated. You have no choice but to cooperate with us..."
"Excuse me, please leave!"
Hotel security personnel rushed up and surrounded Anna and her companion, firmly stopping her shouting.
"Don't escalate the conflict—"
The squad leader slapped the guard's hand away and pointed at him, reminding him, "The Stasi are in charge; who dares to stop them!"
“I reminded you that this is the City Garden Hotel, and we have our own security force.”
The duty manager was fed up with her and frowned as he instructed the security guards, "Send these two away first. Don't let them in without the necessary documents."
"Understood." There were many guards, all carrying weapons, leaving Anna and her companion with no chance to resist.
Besides, they're not crazy; they know where they are.
"Let's go back first; this matter isn't over yet."
Anna didn't need the guard's "please" and walked towards the elevator.
The squad leader pointed to the numerous guards, wisely refraining from uttering any harsh words, and then left with his captain.
Next, the duty manager had to keep apologizing to Sha Qizhi and the others, as it concerned the hotel's reputation.
If guests staying here are disturbed at will, who would choose City Garden Hotel?
Sha Qizhi's expression was not good, but his tone was very friendly, and this contrast made the duty manager feel even more pressured.
After making a long list of assurances, he deployed security forces directly at all entrances and exits on this floor.
Sha Qizhi knew what he was thinking, but did not stop him, tacitly accepting this mutual guarantee.
Since the Stasi claims that Mr. Li went out and drank two large bottles of brandy while sleeping, and committed murder and arson, the hotel must ensure that Mr. Li does not continue to "sleepwalk."
This also serves as support for the Stasi and ensures that Red Star Steel Group will not be harassed.
There are seasoned veterans everywhere; they can handle things from all angles, leaving others speechless.
But no matter how well he prepares, the other person still has to appreciate it.
What is certain now is that the Chinese Red Star Steel Group is extremely dissatisfied, and the Stasi will not be grateful to them either.
Early one morning, the duty manager was reminded by the supervisor that the Stasi agents who had come the night before were here again.
This time Anna was prepared, bringing with her the bureau's approval to carry out her official duties according to procedure.
Once the duty manager confirmed the correctness of the other party's enforcement, he did not interfere further, which was beyond his scope of duties.
As for the upstairs area, he emphasized that it was not allowed to disturb other guests' rest.
In other words, they were not allowed to go upstairs.
Anna didn't plan to go upstairs. Instead, she found a sofa in the lobby and sat down, patiently waiting for the other person to come down.
Li Xuewu got up very early and worked out in the hotel's gym for a while before going downstairs to have breakfast.
Of course, he didn't see Anna and the others until they were about to leave, as the breakfast was on the second floor.
"Mr. Li—"
When Li Xuewu, dressed in a suit and leather shoes and wearing an expensive woolen overcoat, led his inspection team out of the elevator, Anna and her entourage came to greet them.
The hotel security team, which was well-prepared, kept a close eye on the situation and would step in to stop any conflict that might arise.
Fortunately, the Stasi forces did not come with the same heavily armed and aggressive posture as they had the previous night, and their attitude was much more peaceful.
Li Xuewu sized up the woman in front of him, raised an eyebrow and asked, "I forgot to ask your name last night, ma'am."
“Annabelle von Hohenzollern.” Anna looked at the scarred man, who seemed different from last night, and introduced herself, “You can call me Captain Anna, or Ms. Anna.”
"Well, what brings you here, Comrade Anna?" Li Xuewu didn't address her by her self-introduction. He raised his hand to check his watch and said, "I'm in a hurry. I have work to do. I hope you won't disrupt our schedule."
"Of course not, I'm here to protect you." Anna smiled and looked at Li Xuewu, saying, "My colleagues and I will always protect you."
"As you know, something very bad happened last night. You may not know, but two key figures in that case flew away from Frankfurt Airport on a plane last night."
She raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Xuewu, saying, "You wouldn't want another dangerous accident like that to happen in Dresden, would you, sir?"
"What are you talking about? I don't understand."
Li Xuewu led his team outside, saying, "We don't need your protection either."
“No, you do need to,” Anna reminded Li Xuewu, following in his footsteps. “You’ve messed with the wrong person.”
"Who? God?" Li Xuewu walked out of the hall, and just as his secretary opened the car door for him, he turned back to Anna and asked with a smile, "How many divisions does your God have?"
"Don't blaspheme God, you won't be that lucky."
Anna narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly not impressed by his words, which also proved that she was a devout believer.
"Trust in yourself, or in someone who can't even save themselves?" Li Xuewu shrugged, stepped into the car, and said with a smile, "Should we believe in the gods of our country?"
"If you want to get rich, you can believe in the God of Wealth; if you want to be safe, you can worship Guan Yu; if you want a child..."
Li Xuewu looked her up and down, raised an eyebrow and asked, "From your introduction, you're single, right?"
He closed the car door, rolled down the window, looked at her, and said, "How about we have a drink tonight? Let's see if I can really drink two big bottles of brandy?"
"What a daredevil!"
Watching the luxury car drive away, Anna curled her lip, opened the door handle of the car her colleague had driven over, and got in.
"Let's go, follow them, and keep a close eye on them."
-
"They've caught up."
Sha Qizhi spotted the tail of the convoy in his rearview mirror; there was more than one car behind it.
"It doesn't matter, ignore them."
Li Xuewu is still experiencing some lingering effects from last night; he knows why Anna is still chasing after him.
The smell of alcohol can disappear and be masked, but the smell of gunpowder can never be washed away and will remain on the skin.
If you don't understand, think about it: when setting off firecrackers during Chinese New Year, even if you don't light them yourself, the smell of gunpowder on your clothes will be strong for a while as you walk by. That's the same principle.
He was certain that he had taken a shower and changed his clothes after returning to the hotel, but the smell of gunpowder still lingered.
But it doesn't matter. The Stasi can't afford to mess with the KGB, and they also don't want to ruin their hard-won cooperative relationship.
He didn't target ordinary people. Even if there were casualties, they were those outlaws on the other side. What was there for East Germany to care about?
Furthermore, East Germany probably couldn't understand how he escaped, or even be sure if it was him at all.
Anything can happen when it gets dark.
Besides, those who have met him are all drunkards, so how can their words be presented as evidence?
Therefore, the Stasi couldn't control the KGB, nor did they want them to cause trouble, so they wanted to interfere and sow discord between the two sides.
"The other side already knows our people have left," Sha Qizhi warned. "Could they be planning something else?"
"East Germany? No way."
Li Xuewu flipped through the documents in his hand concerning the development and technology of the steel industry in the Dresden region, explaining, "They only lost an insignificant nobody; it wouldn't cause a major upheaval and affect the current cooperation."
Is Peter really that important?
Sha Qizhi frowned and said doubtfully, "We looked into the development of lithography technology in East Germany, and there are many problems."
"Their photoresist is heavily reliant on imports, and production has been forced to stop for years due to embargoes."
He turned to Li Xuewu and reported, "Not to mention production capacity, the products made using rudimentary methods only have a production capacity of 20% of those from West Germany, which is completely incomparable."
"Moreover, they suffer from a severe brain drain, and the chip industry is hardly valued here, which is a contradictory relationship."
"This is East Germany—"
Li Xuewu smiled and said without looking up, "What great future can a country that is forced to split up have?"
"However, we must not be too arrogant."
He tapped the document in his hand and looked at Sha Qizhi, saying, "Even if our lithography technology is not as advanced as that of the West, we don't have it either. I don't have the ability to go to West Germany and get a set."
"Yes, you're right."
Sha Qizhi smiled and said, "If we can truly develop our own lithography technology, we might be able to make a breakthrough in the chip industry."
"This is my greatest wish."
Li Xuewu looked out the car window at the ancient buildings. Had this place never been bombed? Were the Allied planes blind?
If you ask Li Xuewu to talk about photolithography, he can speak fluently and knowledgeably because Shangguan Qi taught him about this subject.
In fact, the principle of photolithography is very simple: electron beams and light go the same way and both have wave-particle duality.
Okay, that's enough for now. Saying anything more would be pointless.
Peter could provide the complete R&D principles and solutions for the technology he couldn't understand. The research institute also had no shortage of such technical personnel and equipment; all that was needed was the road to success.
Now that the path is in place, whether it can be successfully implemented depends on how much the group is prepared to invest. He has no intention of seeking sponsorship for this project.
While some say drone technology holds a market worth hundreds of billions, Li Xuewu believes that lithography technology is more worthy of being kept secret than drone technology.
This thing could easily lead to technology leaks, but it's a completely different matter from drones. Drones are sold to the public, but can lithography machines do the same?
In any case, Hongxing Steel Group will definitely not produce or sell lithography machines in the short term. Wouldn't it be better to sell chips?
Li Xuewu's schedule was very tight today. First, he went to steel companies in Lisa and Gredetz in the Dresden area to inspect steel pipe production technology, and then he had to listen to the evaluation report of the accompanying experts.
If there is anything worth learning in the technology, he can start negotiations on the spot, because today he is going to visit not only the steel industry, but also the mechanical industries in Dresden, such as electrical engineering, electronics, and instrument manufacturing.
Lithography machines couldn't be sold, but CNC lathes could still make a lot of money. East Germany's CNC development wasn't that fast; at least the Soviets held back, or rather, the Soviets' CNC development was also very slow.
The Russians are just impulsive and careless; when it comes to such precise technology, they can't compare to those petty devils who know little about etiquette but lack big virtues.
Actually, today's inspection wasn't targeted at anything; it was just a matter of casting a wide net since we were already there.
He's already taken the lithography technology he wanted, so this is a double win; he has to finish his tour today anyway.
He came to East Germany with only a few purposes: shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing, optoelectronics, and machinery.
If he has the time, he also hopes to acquire technology in the chemical and food industries through cooperation.
For example, he single-handedly directed Beijing Chemical Industry to the far northeast; he's just an easy older brother to fool.
"Don't stop, keep going in."
Anna waved to the driver, signaling him to ignore the security guards ahead and follow the convoy into the factory area.
Unexpectedly, the other party's convoy was actually there to inspect industrial projects; she had thought they had run away.
"Boss, they're catching up."
After getting off the truck, the driver noticed that the tail vehicle had also followed into the factory area and got off to follow as well.
Li Xuewu stood beside the car, glanced back, and waved with a smile.
Anna didn't understand his behavior, raised her eyebrows, but still walked over.
"What, you've realized the importance of security so quickly?"
A slight smile played on her lips as she asked, "Is there anything we can help you with?"
How much do you know about this place?
Li Xuewu gestured to the factory manager who was walking over and asked in a low voice, "Could you help me investigate their background and production situation?"
"..." Anna looked up speechlessly, wondering what gave this shameless man the audacity to make such a bizarre request of her.
Li Xuewu, however, didn't mind. He smiled and extended his hand to the other party, politely saying, "Hello, I am a representative of Hongxing Steel Group. I apologize for bothering you."
"Welcome, welcome, friends from afar."
The factory manager was very polite and treated them like comrades. He shook hands firmly, which suggested he came from a working-class background.
Li Xuewu didn't treat the sweet Anna as an outsider, and gestured with his hand, saying, "To ensure the safety of this trip, I have invited the Stasi's head in Dresden, who is also my closest friend, Ms. Anna."
Wait a moment——
Anna's eyes widened. When did she become his closest friend? Wasn't this introduction a bit ambiguous?