Synopsis

In1961,theBerlinWallhadnotyetbeenbuilt,andanundercurrentwassurginginEastGermany.LinZou,amodern-daycorporatedrone,transmigratestotheEastBerlinBlackMarket,becomingaheavilyindebtedgofer.Hisonlycheatisahalf-bakedintelligencesystem.TheBerlinCrisisisimminent,theBerlinWallisabouttobeerected,andtheNewEconomicReformandopportunitiesinEastandWestGermantradearecomingoneafteranother—Heuseshisfragmentarymemoriesandreasoningtogetaheadofthegame:Hoardinggoodstocashout,cross-borderprofiteering,exportingopticalinstruments,andarbitragingchemicalmachinery...InthecracksbetweentheBlackMarket,Stasisurveillance,andtheEconomicMutualAidCommittee'strade,heturnsthetablesandgetsrich.Fromalow-levelthugintheBlackMarket,heclimbsallthewayupwithintheColdWar'sundercurrenttobecomethe“KingofIntelligence”whoinfluencesthetide.UntiltheStasicomesknocking—theywanthimtobeanevenmoredangerouspawn...