The Rise Of A Billionaire 1943-Chapter 153 - 165: Hydra

People always find opportunities to profit from the suffering of others.

This is true everywhere in the world!

Last September, after the German occupation authorities issued a ban cutting off all food supplies within the Netherlands and imposing a total blockade, the winter of 1944 became a winter of death for the Dutch, who had neither food nor fuel. Although the Allies airdropped tens of thousands of tons of supplies into the Netherlands using thousands of bombers, it was merely a drop in the bucket. Food in the Netherlands was now worth its weight in gold; on the black market, the price of wheat soared to as much as $200 per kilogram.

Famine, cold, despair, and death hung over the Netherlands throughout this winter.

If you ask: what is most valuable during a famine?

The answer: food!

The German blockade of the Netherlands plunged millions of Dutch people into hunger, but at the same time, it presented opportunities for many—such as black marketeers from France and Belgium. These sharp-nosed individuals immediately sensed the business opportunity, and soon, secret smuggling routes sprang up across the sea.

Every night, small boats would set out from the coasts of Belgium or France, smuggling food into the Netherlands in pursuit of huge profits. The food these smugglers brought in saved countless Dutch lives.

And the German army... had no ships to stop these smugglers. Due to a lack of fuel, the German naval patrols had stopped operating a month ago. Now, the main force stopping smuggling operations was the land-based patrols.

But in reality, many of these patrols had already been bribed by the smugglers. Those who could spot opportunity in suffering were not limited to the smugglers—many of the German soldiers enforcing the blockade were also in on it.

Of course, for the Special Operations Group, the rampant smuggling was also an opportunity.

That night, a bulk carrier of about a thousand tons slowly sailed into the waters off Amsterdam. On the deck, Cheng Peng’an and his hastily assembled commando team watched the shore nervously.

"Boss, are we here to pick someone up?" the team members asked.

"Not a person—cargo," Cheng Peng’an replied.

"Stay alert. The Germans are right on the shore."

The Germans were indeed on shore, but they posed no threat to them, because... Berlin had already arranged everything.

In fact, the German patrols on shore would never go out to sea—not just because they lacked fuel, but more importantly, because they too needed to profit from the smuggling.

Moreover, Berlin needed to get the supplies out to sea. Around 10 p.m. that night, a flat-bottomed barge loaded with steel drums sailed out to sea, with dozens of uniformed Gestapo officers on board. When they reached the agreed-upon location, Berlin picked up a flashlight and signaled with it, the red light flashing repeatedly. Soon, the two parties made contact.

Once the barge drew alongside the cargo ship, Berlin raised his right arm and called out,

"Hail Hydra!"

The people on the ship responded in kind,

"Hail Hydra!"

This was the recognition code—very secretive, and it made Berlin quite curious as to why Pierre had chosen this particular code.

"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place!"

That is Hydra—immortal, ever-present.

Perhaps, for them, they really did need such a Hydra!

Then, Berlin boarded the ship.

"Hail Hydra!"

Once again, both sides exchanged salutes.

"Hello, did you bring the goods?" Cheng Peng’an asked.

"They’re all on board," Berlin replied. "For ease of transport, the goods are packed in five-ton pallets. You just need to use a crane to move them."

"Alright."

Soon, the crane on the cargo ship began to operate, lifting five-ton pallets into the hold. While both sides were busy, Berlin said to Cheng Peng’an,

"I hope you can help me with a small favor."

"If there’s anything you need, just say the word. The boss instructed us to follow your orders completely for this operation."

As an intelligence officer, this was Cheng Peng’an’s first time commanding such a covert intelligence operation, and it was in cooperation with the Germans, no less. If word of this ever got out... what would he do? But when it came to the boss’s orders, he obeyed one hundred percent, without question.

"On the way to deliver the goods, I ran into a group of Dutch people. For the sake of secrecy, I had to deal with them, but there was a little girl among them. I thought... maybe you could take her with you. After all... she’s just a child. She deserves to live."

Berlin’s words stunned Cheng Peng’an. He looked at the Gestapo officer in front of him—these men were notorious for their cruelty, yet here was one showing a moment of compassion.

Waiting.

Although he was a bit curious, he still nodded and said,

"Alright, I’ll take care of this. Don’t worry, I’ll bring her to France."

Soon, Ada, who was still unconscious, was carried onto the ship.

Berlin gave special instructions:

"Before we set sail, give her some medication. Maybe if she stays unconscious like this, it will be easier to explain everything."

"Understood!"

By around four in the morning, the cargo was finally loaded. As a reward, Berlin’s ship also received several hundred tons of food and medicine. These supplies were extremely valuable, whether in the Netherlands or Germany. Although their value couldn’t compare to uranium, at this moment, for Berlin and his commando team, these supplies were even more precious than money.

...

When she woke up again, Ada was surprised to find that she was not in a prison. There were no fierce-looking Gestapo around her, but instead, she was in a warm and clean room, even covered with a thick blanket, and there was an IV drip attached to her arm.

She could vaguely hear some commands being called outside the window, but she couldn’t understand them. They were neither German, nor English, nor Dutch.

Everything around her reminded her that this was definitely not a German prison.

"Where am I? How did I get here?"

Looking at the blanket covering her, Ada’s eyes were filled with confusion.

"Wasn’t I captured by the Germans?"

"You’re awake?"

At that moment, a voice reached her ears. It was French. A nurse walked over to her bedside.

"Miss, where am I?"

"This is Reims, miss. You’re in France now."

France!

Ada’s eyes flew open in shock as she asked,

"How did I end up in France? I was clearly in the Netherlands!"

"In Amsterdam, right?"

While checking the remaining fluid in the IV, Emilie said,

"Our commando team attacked a group of Germans in the Netherlands. They found you in their vehicle. Considering your safety, they brought you back. But you’ve been unconscious the whole time."

Looking at the pale, emaciated girl—almost just skin and bones—Emilie said,

"You’ve been unconscious for four whole days. You must be starving. If they hadn’t saved you, you probably would have starved to death by now."

"Four days? I’ve been unconscious for four days?"

Still puzzled, Ada hadn’t figured out why she was unconscious for so long when suddenly her stomach growled loudly. The sound was especially clear in the quiet room, making her lower her head in embarrassment.

"See? You must be hungry. Let’s get you something to eat first."

Soon, Emilie returned with a tray.

There was milk, and sandwiches!

Instantly, her heightened sense of smell from extreme hunger allowed Ada to catch the delicious aroma in the air.

"Thank you, miss."

After thanking her, Ada carefully picked up the cup of milk. The rich scent of milk almost made her drool.

Having not eaten for several days, Ada broke into a radiant smile as she drank the milk—though the smile looked a bit frightening since she was so thin her cheekbones jutted out.

Soon, the food on the tray was gone, and her empty stomach finally felt much better. Only then did Ada ask,

"Miss, may I know who saved me? I’d like to thank them in person."

"I’m afraid that’s not possible right now. The commando team was on a secret mission, and I don’t know their identities either. But the commander is aware of your situation. He instructed that after you wake up, you should stay here for now and wait until the war is over before returning to the Netherlands."

Looking at the frail, skin-and-bones girl in front of her, Emilie couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow.

"At least you won’t go hungry here. If you’re willing, once you’ve recovered, you can help out with the nursing team."

After Emilie left, Ada, alone in the room, was overwhelmed by a long-lost sense of safety brought on by the fullness in her stomach.

Yes.

This was the feeling... the feeling of safety.

The safety that comes from having enough to eat!

Is this what a sense of security feels like?

While Ada was experiencing a long-lost sense of security from a sandwich and a cup of milk, in a warehouse at the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, Pierre was feeling the same way.