War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 112 The Gunshot Outside the Hot Spring Pool

Under Alili's leadership, Wei Ran took off his skis and walked into the huge beneficiation workshop. The inside was not clean, and as far as he could see, there were piles of large mining equipment that he couldn't recognize at all.

Most of these devices were tightly covered by canvas soaked in sludge, and the few that were not covered were also coated with thick lubricating oil.

And the large water pool that is steaming with water vapor, more than [-] meters long on a side, and surrounded by a glass wall that goes straight to the ceiling, is at the corner of this workshop, and even on the thick wall on the side of the pool, there is a special design. There was a row of windows that looked out into the mine.

What's even more exaggerated is that the temperature in this huge abandoned workshop is exceptionally warm, and all kinds of flowers and weeds growing wantonly in the corners are in stark contrast to the ice and snow outside.

Following Alili through the concealed sliding door, in the lingering water vapor, Wei Ran squatted on the edge of the pool and stretched out his hands to test the temperature. The water inside was at least forty degrees.Some cooked weed branches, leaves and flower petals floated on it, making the entire almost airtight large pool loom a rotten smell that could not be said to be unpleasant or pleasant.And at the bottom of the clear pool, you can still see the remaining rust and the traces of it being cleaned.

As if guessing what Wei Ran wanted to ask, Alili told the two men who came over to move the canvas rolls from the sleigh cart to the edge of the pool at the entrance, and explained, "I heard that I used to work here The elders said that a well was planned to be drilled in the workshop for the convenience of mineral processing, so as to prevent the well water from freezing due to the low temperature in winter.”

"Then the hot spring came out?" Wei Ran stood up dumbfounded.

Alili smiled and nodded, "It is said that the workers who worked here at that time would come here to soak in the hot springs every day after get off work, and even the reservoir built for the beneficiation workshop had to be expanded again and again and finally became what it is now. "

Jima came over and continued talking while taking off his clothes, "It is said that after those miners come here to soak in the hot spring every day, the water in the whole pool will be dyed red by the iron ore powder on their bodies, and then it will be pumped again. There will be no waste at all when entering the concentrator, and even other mine workers within a range of dozens of kilometers will come here specially to soak in the hot spring."

"Can this pool really be used for soaking?" Wei Ran looked at Jima and Alili, who were already taking off their pants, with no suspicion in his tone.

"Of course!" Jima and Alili gave an affirmative answer in unison.

Without waiting for Wei Ran to say anything, Jima pointed to the slightly tumbling water in the center of the pool and said, "But you'd better stay away from the water outlet in the middle, the water temperature there is at least over 50 degrees."

"Victor, the water here is very clean."

As if to prove the credibility of his words, Alili took a handful of spring water to his mouth and gulped it clean, then continued to explain, "We just pumped the water here yesterday. It was cleaned and replaced, and even the rust in the pool was cleaned.”

The other party talked to this point, and Wei Ran, who was not particular about people, dispelled the only remaining concerns.

Just as the three of them were taking off their clothes and preparing to soak in the hot spring, another patrol member who came with them had already driven the reindeer into the ore dressing workshop. After he closed the iron door, the cold wind blowing in from outside was also blown away. completely blocked out.And Jima and Alili have already jumped into the pool in no particular order and made a fierce fight.

"Victor, come down quickly." Jima wiped the water from his face and teased, "Could it be that you have a big baby on your body that men don't have?"

"Is it because you lack something that men have?"

Wei Ran raised his middle finger, imitating those people, wearing only a pair of underwear, carefully dipping his body into the scalding pool bit by bit.

Leaning against the edge of the pool, Wei Ran looked up at the various huge machinery and equipment abandoned in the workshop outside, as well as the remaining propaganda slogans on the wall not far away, and was filled with emotion for a while.Although the scenery is far inferior to those hot spring resorts he has been to before, it does not have a real Soviet taste.

And while he was distracted with his neck up, the patrol member who was still on the edge of the pool actually took out a large enamel tea tray with the word "Happy" from the sleigh cart, and let it float on the surface of the water. superior.

The problem is, this tea tray obviously made in China not only put a plate of pickled cucumbers and a plate of sausages, but even a few fucking apples that are extremely precious in this kind of place!And in the second enamel washbasin, there were two large frozen bottles of cold vodka and a large piece of smoked venison!

Not to mention, the patrolman also threw three small brooms tied with fresh pine branches into the water.Almost subconsciously, Wei Ran followed Jima and Alili to grab a small broom in his hand.

This is almost a feature of Russian baths. In warmer places, birch branches are used for this little broom, but in this cold zone near the polar circle, pine branches are the only choice.The usage is also simple, just take this small handful of soft branches with green pine needles and gently pump it on your back or someone else's back.As for the effect, according to Wei Ran's understanding, it is nothing more than promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, relaxing tendons and activating collaterals.

But whether it is the tea tray and washbasin floating closer and closer to you on the water, or the bathing broom in your hand, when all these things you are used to in Volgograd or Kazan, in this place near the polar circle When it appeared in the abandoned mine, it was very subtle.

After taking the apple thrown to him by Ji Ma, Wei Ran stared dumbfounded at the smug former, "You prepared this too?"

"Of course!"

Jima picked up the vodka and cups in the washbasin, poured a cup for Wei Ran and Alili himself, raised his head and drank it all, then took a bite of a sausage, and said sincerely while chewing , "Victor, the conditions here are indeed not as good as those in the small village in Finland, but we promise to provide the best service. Whether it's apples or vodka."

Wei Ran opened his mouth, not knowing what to say for a while.

Jima refilled the vodka, sighed and said, "Look at my friend Alili, although he is the captain of the local patrol, he can't earn fifty thousand rubles a month. Although I can bring some rich people Come here, but after all, such good things don’t happen every month. So Victor, we don’t plan to make too much money from tourists, as long as we can improve their lives a little.”

Wei Ran sighed when he heard the words, and after drinking the wine in the glass again, he said with certainty, "You will have the first batch of guests soon."

"Really?!" Jima and Alili looked at Wei Ran in surprise.

"It should be true." Wei Ran allowed Ji Ma to help him fill up the wine again, "As long as you can do what you promised."

"No problem! Of course no problem!" Jima and Alili once again made a promise.

Wei Ran smiled, and timely changed the topic to another direction.However, just as they were about to come out of the pool, a series of crisp gunshots suddenly came from outside the huge workshop!
The three subconsciously looked at the glass window not far away. Ji Ma picked up a handful of water and splashed it on the steamy window, and then Wei Ran saw two snowmobiles coming from a distance in the heavy snow. Leaped out of the forest and rushed towards the workshop where they were located along the steep slope!

(End of this chapter)