Chapter 52: The New Liaison

“The air trembles, as if the sky is ablaze…”

Fran finished the line, his heart pounding in his chest. He stared intently at the other person.

Upon hearing Fran’s words, the other person offered a faint smile, then leaned back, chuckling.

“Yes,” they said. “The storm is coming.”

Ah…

Fran gazed at them, a thrill surging through him. The shop owner nodded, then rose to their feet.

“Haha, indeed, that line exists,” they began. “However, sir, you’ve made a slight mistake. It’s not from a book, but rather a film.”

“Oh?” Fran stroked his chin. The shop owner glanced around, confirming their surroundings were safe before stepping out from behind the counter. They took Fran by the arm, gesturing towards the back room, and smiled.

“Coincidentally, I happen to have the film reel for that movie here. If you’re interested, I could screen it for you. Please, follow me.”

Fran followed their lead, making his way to the back room, eventually arriving at the so-called “screening room.” The moment the shop owner switched on the light, the room’s furnishings were instantly illuminated.

The layout of the room struck Fran as deeply familiar, almost intimate. From the placement of the filing cabinets to the arrangement of the furniture, it was identical to his teacher’s old room.

The only difference was the absence of his teacher.

The shop owner closed the door, then turned back to grasp Fran’s hand, speaking in a low voice.

“You… are Bell?”

At these words, Fran exhaled in relief. His suspicions had been correct; this was indeed the new rendezvous point.

The person before him must be another member of his organization, arranged by his teacher to make contact.

But…

Why wasn’t his teacher here?

Fran nodded cautiously. The other person also seemed to relax, then began to explain.

“Hello, Bell. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Borg. I am the new liaison assigned by the organization to connect with you. My public identity is the owner of this Mofan Bookstore, and my codename is Field.”

“Hello, Teacher Borg. I…” Fran felt a surge of nervousness. He still wanted to ask about Alina. Borg waved a hand, smiling.

“No rush. Please, sit down. We can discuss the situation slowly.”

“Yes, alright.”

Fran steadied his emotions, patiently taking a seat at a square table. Teacher Borg, finding the room still a bit dim, lit a kerosene lamp placed on the table.

The room’s brightness immediately increased significantly. Teacher Borg sat opposite Fran, a hint of excited smiles gracing their face.

Finally having made contact with Fran, they let out a long sigh of relief. For days, they had been unable to reach “Bell,” and the weight of their mission had been suffocating. Now, seeing “Bell” safe and sound, they felt an immense sense of warmth.

Fran sat for a moment, then addressed Teacher Borg.

“Hello, Teacher Borg. My name is Fran, also known as ‘Bell.’ I currently work at the Teutonic Army Intelligence Agency’s Purburg station mansion. May I… ask you a question first? Do you know…”

Hold on…

Just as Fran was about to utter Alina’s name, he suddenly reconsidered. It wouldn’t be appropriate, as internal organizational communication usually relied on codes. He quickly changed his wording.

“Do you know where ‘Firefly,’ my previous liaison, went? I’m very worried about her…”

“Oh, that.” Teacher Borg smiled and shook their head. “Please rest assured, Firefly has been moved to a safe area. She considered that frequent contact between you two could easily arouse enemy suspicion, coupled with the risk of her identity being exposed, so she arranged for me to be your new liaison.”

Ah…

Teacher…

Will I not see her again?

Fran felt a pang of disappointment. He had truly hoped to meet his teacher here, but had she already left?

Hmm…

In truth, Fran had been somewhat prepared. The moment he deciphered those two sentences as the contact code, he had a faint premonition that the person he was meeting might not be Teacher Alina.

After all, he and Alina had no need for codes.

However, Fran looked at Teacher Borg before him and felt an unexpected warmth, seeing such an old scholar as a comrade in his organization. It was as if they were an old country teacher, inspiring natural trust.

Indeed, Yuli had previously revealed some of Alina’s background to Fran. Even if the Teutonics didn’t know his teacher was “Firefly,” they likely had a vague suspicion that she was far from ordinary. If he hadn’t sent the warning, Teacher Alina might have met the same fate as Colonel Raif.

Under such circumstances, executing the transfer plan was the best choice. Fran firmly believed his teacher would entrust him to the person she trusted most. Therefore, he should now prepare for a long-term connection with Teacher Borg.

Moreover, Teacher Borg appeared knowledgeable and well-versed in many things.

Borg watched Fran silently, waiting for him to finish his thoughts. Then, they tapped the table, rousing Fran’s spirits, and continued.

“Many of Firefly’s secret contacts have been transferred in batches to others. But you, Fran, were specially arranged for a direct, single-line contact between us. Your position is too important to take too many risks. It’s best if as few people as possible know your true identity.”

“Yes, but…” Fran began, a little downcast. “My position in the mansion isn’t stable yet. Station Chief Yuli, who trusts me most, has limited control over the mansion. It might take some time to consolidate my position, and I might not be able to do much before then.”

“The resistance is a long-term endeavor, Fran. Don’t worry; time is on our side. We have the patience to wait.”

Teacher Borg adjusted their glasses, offering quiet encouragement. “What’s more, you played a huge role this time. Don’t be so pessimistic.”

“A huge… role?”

“Yes!” Teacher Borg nodded. “You managed to inform the organization in time. After Firefly learned you had taken the newspaper with the message, she roughly guessed it was a trap. Your safety prevented the organization’s members from acting rashly, thereby avoiding further losses.”

In truth…

What Teacher Borg didn’t mention was that the organization had two theories. One was… that Fran might have defected.

But Alina didn’t believe that. Firstly, the Teutonics had actively come to the shop and spoken, and even if it was in Teutonic, it was still highly suspicious—it felt like a fishing expedition. Secondly, she trusted Fran.

However, relocating the contact point to ensure safety was something she absolutely had to do.

Fran listened to Teacher Borg’s account, lowering his head in self-reproach. While he had indeed helped the organization, still…

“Alas, there was also an organization called the Purburg Patriot Alliance that sent people to rescue, and they fell into the enemy’s trap. Some of them were people I knew, and they all…”

“Hmm… I heard about that too.” Teacher Borg nodded helplessly, not saying much more. After all, this small organization had loose ties with the Lorraine Party, and they couldn’t have been notified anyway.

But… one thing remained strange, something Fran hadn’t quite figured out.

How did that small organization get the news?