I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France
Chapter 271: Game 2

Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Game 2

As the sky gradually darkened, the winter in Paris was extremely bleak. Especially in the moments before nightfall, the last bit of light and warmth would be instantly drawn away, leaving only endless darkness and cold.

The French Defense Intelligence Agency, also known as the French General Staff Department Two, was often simply called the "Second Bureau" or "Bureau Two" by many.

Captain Gabriel from the counter-espionage group of the Military Intelligence Department was staring blankly at the telegram in his hand under the desk lamp.

The telegram was sent by Captain Watson of British Military Intelligence (MI6). He was the head of MI6 in France. Coincidentally, Captain Gabriel had been classmates with him during his training in Britain.

Perhaps due to this relationship, their cooperation was close, sharing intelligence while also exchanging counter-espionage knowledge and experience.

In the telegram, Captain Watson complained, "This battle was lost, completely and utterly lost. Unbelievably, the Royal Navy wasted the strategic opportunity Shire obtained for us with such inefficiency!"

This wasn’t news; Captain Gabriel had known the result of the Dardanelles Strait offensive right away.

He was interested in the latter part: "wasted the strategic opportunity Shire obtained for us".

What opportunity?

How did Shire obtain it?

Could Shire have collaborated with British Military Intelligence (MI6)?

Shire was French. What he did that the British knew but Bureau Two did not was a disgrace to Bureau Two!

Thinking deeper, Captain Gabriel believed it was likely related to espionage.

Previously, Captain Gabriel had always found it strange why the Allies’ attack on the Dardanelles Strait lasted for 28 days but only saw German reinforcements for the Ottoman Empire at the end.

This wasn’t the usual efficiency of the Germans, especially since they had always valued and tried to win over the Ottoman Empire.

It must have been...because of Shire!

Captain Gabriel keenly sensed that Shire might have been involved in this operation, possibly deceiving the Germans in some way.

And the only way to make the Germans fully believe it seemed to be by using German spies in reverse.

Thinking of this, Captain Gabriel suddenly stood up from his chair and said to his aide Bernou, "Go to the City Defense Headquarters!"

"The City Defense Headquarters?" Bernou followed behind nervously, "Captain, if we are going there to check on someone, shouldn’t we write a request or ask Major Durra..."

"No, we are just going to visit an acquaintance." Captain Gabriel explained while putting on his military cap, "It’s not official business."

Captain Gabriel thought this might be a chance to achieve a great feat; he might catch a big fish!

Bernou was somewhat relieved to hear this. Bureau Two’s people weren’t very welcome, and they were going to the City Defense Headquarters.

However, when they showed their credentials and entered the City Defense Headquarters, Bernou realized he was wrong.

Captain Gabriel went straight to Shire, who was about to leave work, saluted, and introduced himself, "Hello, Colonel. I am Gabriel, from the counter-espionage group of Bureau Two."

Bernou instantly turned pale with fright.

Captain Gabriel was actually looking for Shire, and he came to the City Defense Headquarters to find him. He’s utterly mad!

As expected, the surrounding officers who were about to leave stopped in their tracks, and Major Fernan, who had already gone downstairs, was called back.

One by one, they surrounded Captain Gabriel and Bernou with unfriendly expressions.

...

Gallieni had just returned to the rest room, lying on the bed waiting for the orderly to bring dinner when a messenger ran in to report, "General, Bureau Two’s people are here to see Shire!"

Gallieni was taken aback and hurriedly got up, not even putting on his hat, and quickly walked out of the rest room.

Gallieni wasn’t rushing to protect Shire but to protect the ungrateful Bureau Two individuals. They had the audacity to barge into the City Defense Headquarters to arrest a spy, and the target was Shire.

They would be beaten up by the Headquarters staff and thrown out. If the citizens of Paris knew this, they would continue doing so.

Sure enough, when Gallieni reached the operations room, Major Fernan was already grabbing the other’s collar and saying fiercely in a provocative tone, "This is no place for you, Captain. There are too many military secrets here, and I have reason to believe you are here to spy..."

"Stop!" Gallieni shouted, walking up through the path the crowd made.

"Sorry, General," Captain Gabriel hurriedly explained, "I just wanted to ask Shire a few questions..."

Gallieni interrupted Captain Gabriel, "You know what the procedure is."

Captain Gabriel replied, "No, no, this doesn’t need any procedure, I..."

At this moment, Major Durra rushed in, shouting from afar to Gallieni, "General, this is a misunderstanding. Gabriel is an admirer of Shire, he just wants to talk to Shire about personal matters!"

Gallieni raised an eyebrow. He recognized this Major Durra, head of the Bureau Two’s counter-espionage group. His presence here signified something significant, contrary to his words.

Shire hadn’t said anything the entire time, just smiled lightly, feeling it somewhat absurd that Bureau Two only realized now? Isn’t it too late!

...

Major Durra and Gabriel sat in the back seat of the car returning to the Intelligence Bureau. Durra remained silent with a sullen face throughout the journey.

In the end, it was Gabriel who first spoke, "Major, Shire must know something..."

"You fool!" Major Durra coldly interrupted Gabriel, "If you could guess that Shire set a trap for the Germans, didn’t you realize what you were doing? What if the trap is still in play, what do you think the result would be?"

Gabriel was taken aback, suddenly realizing: If this involved a military secret that could even affect the outcome of the Dardanelles campaign, his rash actions not only failed to catch the big fish but also risked disrupting the trap set by Shire and the British for the Germans.

Realizing this, Captain Gabriel broke into a cold sweat.

This wasn’t just a matter of ruining his future; the entire Bureau Two could be implicated.

Major Durra was so angry he almost drew his revolver to shoot this glory-seeking fool.

Do you think Shire is someone a mere captain like you can approach?

Major Durra had long suspected something but had never dared to act rashly. He didn’t expect this reckless captain to storm in.

Though Shire was just a colonel, the Dardanelles campaign, a national-level operation, could likely be his plan, and you intended to interview him!

If he hadn’t happened to see the telegram and guessed that Gabriel would come here, it might have been a disaster...

No, perhaps it already was.

If the City Defense Headquarters or its vicinity had German spies, Gabriel’s actions today would certainly arouse German suspicion.

Now, he could only hope that this secret was history.

Otherwise, the entire Bureau Two might be disbanded!