Bunin raised his head violently and stared at the phone, as if this tinkling thing was some dangerous beast.

He took a deep breath, adjusted his mood, sat up straight, and picked up the phone.

"We already know about Vishniak. It is very regrettable that his family has made contributions to us. His funeral should be properly arranged and his body should be properly disposed of."

The calm male voice was noble and distant. It was impossible to distinguish the other party's accent or age from the voice, but we could tell that he didn't really regret this incident.

Bunin said: "He bought himself a cemetery in Moscow and wanted to bury himself there."

The man said calmly: "Ashes."

"Understood." Bunin lowered his voice.

The man turned and said: "The transaction must be carried out as scheduled. This is the last time you will preside over the transaction. We are grateful for your many years of service."

Bunin was silent for a long time, "If you can, I have a small request."

He mustered up the courage to speak out this request, with an attitude as humble as a courtier kneeling before a king to pray for a small fief for retirement. If the other party were standing in front of him at this moment, he would even kneel down without hesitation.

However, the other party refused without even thinking, "Unfortunately, we must maintain the fairness of the transaction. Even if you are the host, you cannot violate the rules."

The phone was hung up, and Bu Ning sat quietly in the darkness.

He hung up the phone with force, wiped his face fiercely with his big, stubby hands, and regained his majestic ruthlessness.

…

It was late at night, but the party in the bar was still going on as usual. Not only Christina and Lu Mingfei, but also Gu Chen and Ling came.

Tomorrow is the auction. Everyone has their own concerns and is not as noisy as before.

Sonia is here too.

This girl seems to have completely recovered from her grief. She wears high heels, a silk skirt, and big curly red hair. She still looks full of energy, but her makeup is heavier, probably to hide her crying eyes.

Okinets took everyone to play card games, and the winnings and losses for each game were tens of thousands of dollars. This should already be a big deal in an ordinary casino, but in City 023, this was just a warm-up.

The atmosphere was very harmonious, everyone left their cards at the bar, and the money was transferred around automatically.

Christina's outfit tonight was a sky-blue gauze dress and blue-gray high boots. She looked very domineering, but no one paid attention to her.

Everyone played cards, drank, and left her alone.

She walked around here and there, and finally Ling asked her to sit down next to him.

Kristina is the kind of beauty who is fierce and beautiful, while Rei is as obedient as a child.

"What are you doing here with a knife on your back?" Lu Mingfei whispered to Chu Zihang.

Chu Zihang brought out the knife bag tonight and carried it on his back in a dignified manner. Everyone could see that there was a dangerous weapon inside, but no one paid much attention to it. The waiter took a second look and let him in.

"I always feel like this group of people will start fighting at some point." Chu Zihang responded in a low voice, "It's a life-and-death kind of thing."

"That's right." Lu Mingfei nodded, "Remember to protect Senior Sister No. 3 in case of a fight."

In terms of seniority, Nono is the number one senior sister, Susie is the second senior sister, and Zero is ranked third.

Chu Zihang looked at Gu Chen, "Senior Sister No. 3 still needs my protection?"

"Why are you looking at him?" Lu Mingfei glanced at Gu Chen, who was looking at everyone, "But I don't know why, I'm a little worried, I feel like something big is about to happen."

Suddenly a clear ringing sound came from the street, and everyone who was playing cards, drinking, and chatting stopped and turned to look in the direction of the ringing sound.

Then, headed by Okinets, the guests stood up silently, put on their coats or furs and walked out of the bar.

Lu Mingfei and Christina looked at each other and followed her out.

The black hearse slowly passed through the wind and snow, the copper bell on the front of the car jingled, and the heavy "Volga Boatman Song" echoed in City 023, which was the music Vishnyak chose to funeral himself.

People first took off their hats and stood on the roadside with their heads bowed. When the hearse came, they stepped forward one after another, put their hands on the car, escorted the car forward, and looked ahead, like loyal and brave guards.

They were familiar with each other and fought openly and secretly, but at this moment Lu Mingfei had no doubt about their mourning for this friend.

The hearse traveled through almost the entire city No. 023 and stopped by the glacier outside the city. A firewood pile as high as one person had been set up there. Alexander Bunin stood silently beside the firewood pile.

Vishnyak's body bag was carried onto the pyre by the guards. Bunin poured a whole bucket of kerosene on it, took off the cigarette from the corner of his mouth and threw it on top.

This morning his order was to freeze Vishniak's body, but tonight he was cremated. He didn't know if he had any relatives, and he didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to the body.

The bonfire soared into the sky, like a totem on the ice sheet, and people gathered around the fire to support each other.

The world was silent but the sky was full of wind and snow. Lu Mingfei was thinking about the last lonely figure in the bar.

Everyone came to see Vishniak off, but not Sonia. She was sitting at the card table, wearing heavy makeup and drinking spicy wine, without moving, as if the person playing cards with her was still there.

Sit opposite.

Christina yawned. The intelligence agent didn't seem to be affected by the atmosphere here. "You don't know him well, why are you sad?"

"It's not that I'm sad." Lu Mingfei said softly, "I was wondering if my funeral would be so grand."

"Yes." Gu Chen responded.

"...Then I really thank you." Lu Mingfei twitched the corner of his mouth.

"That's right. Who told us to be friends?" Gu Chen smiled slightly.

Lu Mingfei secretly cursed.

The funeral ended like this, the people gradually dispersed as the burning continued.

Returning to the apartment from the river, passing by the bar, Sonia was still sitting there drinking, but no one pushed the glass door open again.

Probably because of watching the funeral, Lu Mingfei had a long dream. In the dream, he was walking on the frozen river with a group of people. Among them were distinguished guests from City 023, as well as Gu Chen, Caesar, and Chu.

Zihang, Nuonuo and Ling, and even Lu Mingze were also in the team.

The river was wide, and everyone spread out widely. They walked in silence, and no one spoke.

As we walked, there were fewer and fewer people. Finally, when Lu Mingfei suddenly looked back, only Lu Mingze was left behind like a follower.

"Are you the only one left?" Lu Mingfei asked him.

"The day the devil leaves you, the angel will also leave." Lu Mingze tilted his head and looked at him, and spoke words like a prophetic poem.

The dream was so clear that Lu Mingfei thought Lu Mingze had come to visit him again, but it was really just a dream. In the dream, the cold wind howled and the world was frozen for thousands of miles. He and Lu Mingze supported each other as they trudged across the river.

It seemed like it would never end, even Gu Chen was gone.

It was already morning when I woke up. Looking back on what happened in my dream, it seemed like it was also a funeral, but I didn't know whether it was him saying goodbye to everyone or everyone saying goodbye to him.

He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and tidied up. The breakfast cart had been placed at the door of the apartment, and a black dress was hung on the door.

The dress was in the style of a Soviet-era military uniform, with double-breasted buttons and gold embroidery on the cuffs and collar. It was obviously made after Lu Mingfei's figure, and it fit every part after putting it on.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I seem to have become a part of this old city, but I am still quite handsome.
Chapter completed!