War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1144 Atrocities on the trail
In the sweltering and humid jungle, Wei Ran borrowed Hugo's lighter and roasted the blood-sucking leeches on the opponent's body, and then let the opponent help him burn the leeches on his back.

"Hugo, how should we investigate?" Neil, a white soldier, asked while sitting on a large moss-covered rock.

"Go around behind those monkeys." Hugo said without thinking, "The ones who are fighting with Dean and the others are only the vanguard. We need to find their main force."

"Before then, I think it's better to find a way to fill the stomach first."

Wei Ran said that he had already opened the canvas barrel bag that was used as a backpack, and took out half a bunch of bananas that were crushed or crushed in the previous firefight.

Each of the people present was given one, and when Wei Ran ate his own banana in two or three bites, the rest of the people also dug out some food from their bags to share.

Barely filling his stomach, Wei Ran dug out a box of condoms that he had brought in from the tailor in the field, first changed himself into a pair of dry socks, and then put on another layer of condoms.

Not only that, but he also put one on his head, wrapped the bandaged wound like a swimming cap, and cut off the other half, put it on the bandaged wound on his leg, and performed surgery with a cloth strip. Wrapped and bandaged.

Finally put on the boots, and Wei Ran waterproofed the wounds of Hugo and Neil with condoms.

While he was busy, Hugo was also busy communicating with the two native warriors in the native language.

And that Neil, following Wei Ran's example, changed into a pair of clean socks and covered them with a condom.

Although they didn't get much supplies and rest in the position that Commander Di was in charge of just now, at least two indigenous fighters got a pair of busy-bought bloomer-style training pants and a British-style water bottle.

While the two aboriginal soldiers were busy changing their canvas skirts into shorts, Wei Ran also took out his titanium alloy pistol, filled the empty magazine with bullets, and then loaded a dozen rounds of shotgun shells into his pocket.

After all this preparation, there are still several boxes of shotgun shells and a small stolen medical kit and six or seven hand grenades in this long canvas bag that still smells like bananas—not counting the ones that are strapped to his waist. Those four grenades.

However, looking at the relatively abundant ammunition, Wei Ran was inevitably a little scared. He was really worried that he would starve again this time. He was really scared of being hungry.

At this moment, Hugo finally communicated with the two indigenous soldiers who put on shorts.

"Take another 10 minutes break"

Before Hugo finished speaking, the two indigenous soldiers named Waloro and Kaikai had already got up and walked towards the distant jungle with submachine guns, Enfield rifles and pistols handed over by Hugo.

"They'll find food"

Hugo lit a cigarette while speaking, and said in a puff of smoke, "They are the masters here."

"Hugo, where did you learn the native language?" the white soldier Neil asked curiously.

“It will be very early”

Hugo explained with a smile, “I grew up in Port Moresby and worked on cargo ships between Port Moresby and Australia very early on.

Later, although I went to Darwin Port with my parents, before the war, I often came to Port Moresby to do business, and I have been good friends with those indigenous tribes for many years. "

"So you're a sailor?"

The white soldier Neil also took out a cigarette and lit it. He leaned against a big rock and said, "Before the war, I had never been to the north. I am from Melbourne and I was also a sailor before."

"I used to be a third officer." Hugo rolled up his sleeves while speaking, revealing the sea anchor tattoo on his arm.

"You should go to the navy," Neil said, "I should go to the navy, too."

"Then why didn't you go?" Wei Ran couldn't help asking.

"The shamans of Waroro's tribe told me that I would die at sea." Hugo spread his hands, "So I didn't go."

"When I arrived at the conscription point, only the militia was recruiting," Neil said innocently, "I can't go back to Melbourne, it's too far away."

"Sufficient reason." Wei Ran shook his head dumbfounded.

After chatting, the two native soldiers also rushed back from two directions, each carrying a large bunch of bananas and a pack of oranges in their hands.

Although the only thing they could eat was fruit, it was better than nothing. They distributed some among themselves and put them in their own bags. They carried weapons and continued to move forward in the dense jungle under the leadership of two indigenous soldiers.

Not long after, there was a fierce exchange of fire from the direction behind him. Wei Ran and the others knew that it was Di Paichang and the others who had blocked the devils who were trying to outflank them.

Without saying anything, no matter the two native soldiers or Wei Ran and the others, they all subconsciously quickened their pace.

Under the leadership of the native soldiers, they circled around the front line where the fire was being exchanged, and the group of five became more and more quiet and careful.

However, just as they carefully turned over a low mountain and tried to approach the Kokoda trail, they vaguely heard the screams resounding through the valley, the howls of extreme horror, and the unbridled and crazy smiles.

Without hesitation at all, Hugo took off the binoculars around his neck and handed them to the native named Waroro, saying something in the native language at the same time. The latter also took off his backpack and extra weapons before taking over the binoculars .

Under the watchful eyes of Wei Ran and others, the native named Waloro, like a nimble monkey, quickly climbed up a tall tree, stepped on the branch and raised the binoculars.

Soon, he climbed to the waist of the tree as fast as he could and whispered something in the native language.

Following his description, Wei Ran also noticed that Hugo's face gradually became gloomy and he clenched his fists.

"What's wrong?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice.

"Those demons have caught a few stray soldiers, and they are torturing them, they are torturing them."

Hugo paused, gritted his teeth and said, "Waloro said that someone is chopping off the arm of an Australian soldier with a long knife, and there are many bastards around watching."

Looking up at the tall tree entwined with vines, Wei Ran handed over the canvas bag and weapon to Hugo, and after Waloro came down, he climbed up with his hands and feet stepping on the vines at a speed not much slower than him .

Not long after, the dense canopy completely blocked everyone under the tree. Wei Ran also hugged a branch, took out the gas mask bag from the USS Johnston destroyer, and took out the MK43 telescope belonging to Captain Evans from it. Aligned in the direction of the screams.

Between the gaps in the canopy, he clearly saw a path that was less than one meter wide and meandering through the dense forest.

On this path, heavily armed devils were marching in line, but on the branch of a big tree by the roadside, there were a few young white soldiers hanging by ropes.

In front of them, a young soldier's arms had been severed from the elbow. At this time, there were four devils in groups of two, tying his wound with a rope and roughly stopping the bleeding.

And beside this suffering soldier, there is another devil who is wiping his command knife with a cowboy hat. Under his feet, there are two hands with all the fingers cut off!

At this moment, Hugo also climbed up another tree next to him. He also raised his binoculars and silently watched the tragedy that happened on the path.

Soon, with a new round of screams, the devil wielding the command knife cut off another leg of the young soldier, and the devils around were still clapping and applauding, even passing by. Those soldiers, after passing by the bloody execution site, were whispering to each other with smiles on their faces.

Although it was not very clear with the cover of the tree canopy, Wei Ran still noticed that Hugo raised the Enfield rifle on his back several times and then put it down several times.

In the end, trembling, the 23-year-old soldier took out a small book that was only the size of a palm, hugged the tree trunk, and wrote something on it with a pencil, and wiped the corners of his eyes from time to time, Raise your binoculars and focus on that polluted trail.

At the same time, Wei Ran on the other tree did not put down the binoculars in his hands from the beginning to the end, watching silently the demons in the distance wantonly chopped off the soldier's limbs and genitals and roughly stopped the bleeding, silently Watch as they strip the still living soldier of all his clothes and fasten his limbs to the trunk of a stout tree that grows by the path with four wooden wedges.

Finally, those demons stretched out their butcher knives to another young soldier who was hung from a tree.

Under the peeping of Wei Ran and the tearful Hugo, in the vision of their respective telescopes, the soldier had his limbs cut off, his abdominal cavity opened, and then his head was cut off with a knife.

The third, the fourth, the fifth.

In the end, when the last Australian soldier who was frightened and completely collapsed was nailed alive to the tree trunk by wooden wedges amidst meaningless screams, the soldier who was nailed to the tree trunk at first followed There was a desperate roar.

And on the canopy of the tree next door, Hugo raised the Enfield rifle he brought up again, first aimed at the demon wiping the butcher knife, and then aimed at the two nailed to the tree. young soldiers.

But in the end, he just hammered the tree trunk hard, gritted his teeth and put on the binoculars again, and continued to stare at the winding enemies that couldn't even be seen, recording vital information.

After about 5 minutes, Hugo and Wei Ran climbed down from the dense canopy in no particular order and returned to the surface.

"Guys, we must not let those demons take over Moresby, we must not let them invade Australia!"

Hugo, with a pale face but red eyes, gritted his teeth and said, "We must drive them away, from Papua!"

"Hugo, what did you see?" Neil asked nervously.

"Don't ask." Wei Ran answered the question for Hugo, and asked, "What shall we do next?"

"Let's go north." Hugo rubbed his face vigorously and said, "We need to know how many troops they have."

While talking, Hugo tore a piece of paper from the palm-sized notepad, folded it in half, and handed it to Waloro. At the same time, he communicated with Waloro and Kaikai in the native language.

Soon, this piece of paper was handed over from Waloro to Kaikai, along with the Sten submachine gun in Waloro's hand.

After receiving the note and the weapon, the aborigine named Kai Kai unscrewed a small brown glass medicine bottle tied around his neck with a leather rope, rolled up the note, stuffed it in and screwed on the cap, and then fastened it around his waist. The Browning rifle he owned was handed over to Varoro, and he said something in the vernacular.

Under the watchful eyes of Wei Ran and others, Kai Kai held the Sten submachine gun in one hand and the magazine removed from Qiang's body in the other, and disappeared into the jungle like a green hell in the blink of an eye.

"Let's go quickly too"

After Hugo finished speaking, he exchanged a few words with Valoro in the native language. The latter first took the Enfield rifle that Hugo had just borrowed, and exchanged the submachine gun he held for him to the former. Hugo's Browning Hi-Power pistol was pinned to his belt, and then he waved at the three of them, taking the lead in crossing a dead tree lying on the ground, covered with moss and mushrooms.

"Will Kaikai come back? Can he find us?" Neil asked worriedly.

"Valoro has already made an appointment with him to meet"

Hugo, who was much more silent than before, responded dully. Seeing this, Neil and Wei Ran looked at each other, and closed their mouths wisely.

Walking all the way under the leadership of Waloro, everyone had just had time to climb up to a high ground, and there was no warning that there was a downpour of rain above their heads.

Compared to Neil's bewilderment, Waloro, who was born and raised in this jungle, is obviously used to it. He found a few banana trees in the rain, and skillfully built a small tree with large banana leaves and vines. Shelter, and then took the opportunity to fill his jug with fresh rainwater.

At the same time, Wei Ran and Hugo also braved the rain to touch the Kokoda trail not far away, and saw those recruited soldiers who also paused to avoid the rain.

"Do you want to do something?" Wei Ran whispered to Hugo beside him.

"never mind"

After some hesitation, Hugo waved his hand to express his refusal, "We have too few people. Rather than killing a few enemies here, it is better to guarantee that the information will be sent back."

"When you were in the 27th Infantry Brigade, what was your position?" Wei Ran changed a topic that had nothing to do with the scene.

"Motorcycle Courier"

Hugo wiped the rain off his face, and replied almost to himself, "Every day's job is to send battle reports on that Norton motorcycle that seems to be farting every time you refuel. Drop by for a drink."

"Where's your friend?" Wei Ran asked nonchalantly, "That good friend named Hannibal Simpson, what does he do?"

"He's a radio operator"

Hugo held up the binoculars wrapped in banana leaves and tried to see the soldiers in the rain. He kept explaining, "That's a real playboy. He joined the army just because he thought it was cool. In fact, he doesn't like fighting. .But I have to admit that he is very good at sending and receiving telegrams, and very generous.

Of course, he is also very popular with girls.That bastard would borrow my motorcycle to hang out in bars whenever he had the time, and even nearly lost my motorcycle on one occasion. "

"He'll be fine," Wei Ran wished against his will.

"I hope so"

Hugo sighed, and after some observations to no avail, he retreated carefully and continued, "I really don't know how to face his parents, do you understand that feeling? I came back, but he disappeared.

His parents must have wondered why it was I who came back and not their Hannibal.People are selfish, aren't they?Especially when it comes to your own children.But again they have been very nice to me and my wife.But the more this happened, the more guilty I felt. "

"Hugo"

Wei Ran stopped the other party in the majestic rain, pointed behind him and said, "You have to figure out one thing, it wasn't you who caused Hannibal to disappear, it was the bastards behind you. If you want to do something, I think there is nothing more useful than killing those invaders."

"I think so"

Hugo took a deep breath and said, "That's why I came here. I didn't want to go back to the battlefield. Who knew that those bastards came here again. In this case, we have to kill them."

"Go, go."

Wei Ran patted the other party's shoulder as he spoke, and took a quick step back to the banana leaf shack that Waroro had temporarily built.

Just like last time at Savage Mountain, Wei Ran took this rare opportunity to rub his clothes on a stone, and then took a big moss as a towel to take a bath.

Seeing this, Neil and Hugo followed suit and washed their clothes and bodies, and then lay naked on the two banana leaves under the shelter.

While they waited patiently, the rainstorm without warning lasted for more than two hours, and then stopped without warning. When everyone saw this, they immediately took their things and set off. The Kokoda trail runs in parallel and advances quickly through the dense forest.

Soon, as night fell, the rainforest became more and more noisy, and the devils who were on their way stopped again and started to cook.

Seeing this, Wei Ran and the others also stopped and hid on a slope at the edge of the path, quietly watching the enemies who had already set up tents, watching them unscrupulously light a bonfire, roasting the drenched clothes and shoes.

At the same time, Wei Ran and the others also imitated Valoro, chewed up a slightly bitter plant leaf, and smeared the sticky paste mixed with saliva on the exposed skin to resist the crowd Swarms of mosquitoes.

I have to say that this method is indeed effective, but the price is that the place where it is applied, including the mouth, has an indescribable itching and a seemingly non-existent burning sensation.

After rinsing his mouth with water from the kettle, Valoro left the crowd in the dark, and not long after, he brought back his friend Kai Kai and a bunch of bananas.

After communicating with Kaikai, Hugo was silent for a moment and said, "Kaikai said that when he came back, Dean and the others had already retreated. At the same time, the base camp hopes that we can find out how many enemies there are."

"What do we need to do?" Neil asked after eating a banana in two or three bites.

"Guys, maybe we can do something tonight."

Hugo took a bite of a banana and said in a low voice, "Even if we just shoot them from a distance and run away, we can keep them busy for a while."

Wei Ran pushed aside the bushes that blocked his view, glanced at the ghosts around the campfire at the edge of the trail and whispered, "Maybe we can keep them from resting all night."

As soon as these words were said, Hugo's eyes lit up immediately, and he moved to Wei Ran's side and asked, "Do you have any good ideas?"

"Do you think they dare to enter the jungle at night?" Wei Ran asked a new question before answering the question.

"Don't say they dare not, neither can we."

Hugo said helplessly, "There are many deadly things in this jungle, from poisonous snakes without legs to crocodiles with four legs, to spiders with eight legs, maybe some inconspicuous little things can kill us Life."

"It's a bit of a hassle"

Wei Ran muttered regretfully, and began to ponder over the risks and benefits of sneak attack at night.

In the dark forest, Wei Ran and the others fell into contemplation, until Waloro whispered something in the native language, Hugo immediately sat up straight, with a trace of excitement that could not be concealed, and started again with the two indigenous soldiers. communicated in a low voice that only the three of them could understand.

(End of this chapter)