War Photographer's Notebook

At about one o'clock in the morning on August 1945, 8, Wei Ran, Tao Canhua, and Guan Bingwen quietly returned to the empty Xuqing Letter Apartment under the cover of darkness.

After climbing over the wall and entering the courtyard, Guan Bingwen took the two of them into the storage room through the dark window of the small building. Then he carefully closed the heavy curtains and then installed light-blocking wooden baffles.

Only then did he allow Wei Ran to light the flashlight.It was only at this time that Wei Ran and Tao Canhua noticed that in the storage room, there were several thin lines tightly connected to the door of the storage room.

After Guan Bingwen carefully opened the wooden board that locked the basement and removed another well-hidden hair pulling wire, the three of them walked up the steps into the basement.

However, when he walked into the basement, he immediately broke out in a cold sweat.The hair-pulling wire that was just removed was connected to the explosive bags tied to the four crucial load-bearing columns in the basement!

On the table next to the load-bearing columns, there were still several glass jars with picric acid and potassium chlorate that he had seen in later generations.But at this time, these glass jars were filled with kerosene!

"It will definitely be enough to dismantle these four explosive packets."

As Guan Bingwen spoke, he carefully removed the obviously homemade explosive packages from the four load-bearing columns.

"Going to blow up the opium den on the pier?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice while taking the explosive bag, "What did you ask?"

"I asked for the contact information of those cranes and the identities they used as disguises."

Guan Bingwen took off the grenade used to detonate the explosive pack as he spoke, "In addition, according to the woman, Youmei is actually a subordinate member of hers. The reason why Youmei is preparing to replace Sister Meixiang and the Chunhua troupe seems to be to use the opera to It is convenient for the team to travel around the world and keep in touch with the cranes lurking in the Northeast.

In other words, rather than saying that she is Ueda's partner, it is better to say that Ueda is her partner.One of them is in the open and the other is in the dark. Ueda is responsible for making friends with the powerful people in Jinmen, and the woman is responsible for maintaining the operation of the crane.

By the way, there is also that child, he was actually born to Ueda by Yumi.The woman just now and Ueda were not husband and wife.But compared to these, there is another thing that is more urgent now. "

"What's the matter?" Tao Canhua asked subconsciously.

“According to the original plan, Ueda will leave Jinmen for Peiping tonight, and then go north to Fengtian and join Youmei.

The woman took another group of people and took the passenger ship tomorrow morning south to Shanghai to form a new crane organization.

Now the people they are going to take to the Shanghai market are hiding in the opium den next to the pier. We have to keep them before they get on the ship. "

After saying that, Guan Bingwen looked at Wei Ran and said, "We have to go blow it up now."

"Brother Guan," Tao Canhua said, "I, I want to join you."

"Anti-Japanese murder gang?" Guan Bingwen asked in a joking tone.

"It's okay," Tao Canhua said rather bluntly, "An anti-Japanese murder gang is also okay, I won't pick it."

Hearing this, Guan Bingwen smiled, took out his pocket watch and looked at the time, and then said, "Okay, it's easy to join the Anti-Japanese Killing Corps. Next, you and I will take an oath together. After you take the oath, you will be considered as a member."

"Okay!" Tao Canhua agreed simply, "I swear! I"

"Don't worry, that's not what I swore."

Guan Bingwen stopped Tao Canhua, looked around and asked, "Is there paper and pen here?"

"Have!"

Before Tao Canhua finished speaking, he ran to the stage, opened a wooden cabinet, took out a stack of rice paper, and then asked, "Is it okay if I only have writing brushes?"

"A brush will do, too." Guan Bingwen took the brush from the other party and wrote a few lines of oaths in neat calligraphy.

Throwing the brush aside, Guan Bingwen showed the oath to Tao Canhua and said, "This is the oath. I'll give you a minute to familiarize yourself with it."

Taking the rice paper with the oath written on it, Tao Canhua immediately began to recite silently, while Wei Ran also stood beside him silently and watched.

A moment later, Guan Bingwen took the oath away and placed it on the table. He raised his right hand into a fist and said seriously, "I swear."

"I swear," Wei Ran also raised his right hand into a fist and said.

Guan Bingwen glanced at Wei Ran in surprise, and then a smile appeared on his face.At the same time, Tao Canhua also reacted belatedly, imitating the two men and raising his fist, "I swear."

Guan Bingwen turned his head, looked forward and continued to recite, "I vow to join the Anti-Japanese Killing Corps with utmost sincerity. In the future, I am willing to work actively under the leadership of the organization, obey orders and absolutely keep secrets."

"I swear to join the Anti-Japanese Killing Group with sincerity. From now on, I am willing to work actively under the leadership of the organization, obey orders and absolutely keep secrets." Wei Ran and Tao Canhua followed the oath in unison.

"If there is any violation, I am willing to accept the most severe sanctions." Guan Bingwen recited the last sentence of the oath.

"If there is any violation, we are willing to accept the harshest sanctions."

"Sign your names." Guan Bingwen put down his arm, picked up the brush he had just thrown on the table, and handed it to Wei Ran and Tao Canhua.

"I'll come first"

Tao Canhua excitedly took over the writing brush and solemnly wrote his name in regular script under the short but particularly vigorous oath.

"My calligraphy is not very good"

As Wei Ran spoke, he also took the writing brush and wrote his name as neatly as possible.

When he put down his pen, Guan Bingwen took out a lighter and burned the oath with their names on it to ashes in front of the two of them.

"It stands to reason that after joining the anti-Japanese murder gang, in order to keep the secret, I should give you a false name."

Guan Bingwen said while trampling the ashes, "But today's murderous gang is no longer what it used to be, and I am the only one who knows that you two joined, so we don't care about so many rules."

Having said this, Guan Bingwen picked up two explosive packs and said, "Let's go, let's blow up that opium den first as an anti-Japanese killing gang!"

"go!"

Tao Canhua was far more excited than Wei Ran, and without saying a word he picked up the other two explosive packets with great enthusiasm.

Seeing this, Wei Ran, who was empty-handed, looked around, and simply threw the British spy radio station he had seized from Ueda, the bag of passports, and US dollars into the secret door leading to the underground printing room, and then locked it again. After seeing the big mirror, he followed with two glass jars filled with kerosene.

A group of three people left the study apartment under the cover of darkness, quietly returned to the abandoned yard in the French Concession, and put all the explosive bags and glass jars containing kerosene into the trunk.

After a while, the cheongsam woman who was originally tied to the tire and the child upstairs no longer knew where they were, leaving only Ueda, who was still tied to the sofa with bamboo sticks, still shaking and blocked. Mouthed head.

After the mute uncle also got into the car, the four of them drove the car belonging to Ueda, still without turning on the lights, and drove towards the dock in the dark.

“That’s the one”

Guan Bingwen, who was in charge of driving, stopped the car far away, pointed to a smokehouse not far away and whispered, "On the surface it is a smokehouse opened by a British businessman, but in fact it is all people from Ueda.

According to the woman, this is also the stronghold that He will soon abandon. Even the Japanese soldiers stationed in the concession do not know of its existence. "

"Blow it up or go in?" Wei Ran asked.

"It has to be blown up, but before that, we have to get in and get something."

Guan Bingwen explained, "The westernmost room on the dark side of the second floor is where the woman and Zhida live. There are several radio stations and code books that we are going to take to Shanghai. We need to get these things to supplement our radio station. Not enough. Secondly, it is also to verify the truth of what the woman said.

In addition, the identity records and code books of the cranes are also kept in that room. It is said that they are in the safe under the bed in that room. "

Having said this, Guan Bingwen glanced at Cao Mute, who was sitting in the passenger seat, and said, "Brother Wei, how about you and Uncle Mute go to the second floor to look for things, and I take Canhua to arrange the explosive packs downstairs?"

"Okay." Wei Ran agreed happily.

Originally, Tao Canhua was planning to say something, but Cao Muba had already opened the door and got out of the car, and took out a roll of rope from the trunk.

Seeing this, Wei Ran, Tao Canhua, and Guan Bingwen all followed suit, either picking up explosive packets or holding glass jars containing kerosene, and moved towards the shadow of the building.

"Canhua, follow me to the front." Guan Bingwen whispered and led Tao Canhua around to the main entrance of this opium den.

Wei Ran and Cao Yuba looked at each other in the night, nodded to each other, and walked to the dark side of the opium den.

On the first floor of this opium den, all the doors and windows were boarded up and closed. Although the windows on the second floor were all open, there were no lights on at all.

Without any discussion, Cao Muteba handed the rope to Wei Ran, then put his hands together and leaned his body against the wall.

Wei Ran also didn't pause. He stepped on the opponent's stacked hands, and while the former lifted him up with force, he also jumped with force, and easily climbed onto the second floor window.

Thanks to the summer temperature, the windows on the second floor were not closed, and what blocked him from entering was just a layer of cotton gauze.

Holding the window edge with one hand, Wei Ran took out his bayonet and easily cut through the screen, and quietly got into a bedroom on the second floor.

There are four beds placed side by side in this bedroom. There is a cigarette lamp at the head of each bed, and there is a squeaking ceiling fan above the head.But among the four beds, there were only two lying on each bed with men snoring.

"puff"

Wei Ran pierced the back of the heart and chest of one of the men lying on his side with a knife, then pulled it out and stabbed the liver and lungs from the ribs.

Next, he rushed to the other person's side without even drawing the knife and hugged his head.

The sleeping man reacted quickly, reaching under the pillow without even opening his eyes.

However, before he could touch the weapon under the pillow, his neck made a crisp "click" sound when Wei Ran moved it, and he also collapsed and became motionless.

Until this time, Wei Ran threw himself next to the previous man, pulled out his bayonet and stabbed him in the neck.

After easily dealing with the only two people in the room, Wei Ran untied the coil of rope he brought up and threw one end out of the window.

Soon, Cao Mute climbed up on the rope.

After looking at the two corpses on the bed, Cao Mute drew his pistol again. After Wei Ran opened the door, he was the first to walk out. Wei Ran, who walked out a little later, gently closed the door.

By the moonlight outside the window, the two easily found the darkest room on the west side of the second floor.

Waiting for Cao Mute to hide in the corner and get ready, Wei Ran took out the hairpin and carefully pried open the door.

Pushing the door and walking into the room, this suite was extremely stuffy. The only window was not only tightly closed, but also reinforced with steel bars inside.

Except for the windows with anti-theft function, the furnishings inside are extremely simple.There was only a table and a set of sofas outside, and the table didn't even have drawers. It was just an office.

Looking inside, there are two single beds and a wardrobe. There is also a safe on the bedside of the two single beds that serves as a bedside table.

Just like what you see outside, the windows in this room are also tightly closed, and the inside is reinforced with steel bars to prevent theft.

Covering the head of the flashlight with a pillow towel, Wei Ran lit the flashlight and did not rush to move the two safes. Instead, he carefully opened the wardrobe with the faint light.There are indeed a few women's and children's clothes hanging in this closet, but on the bottom floor, there are still four suitcase-style British B2 radios and several American-made speakers that are only ten centimeters square.

Wei Ran gently took out a radio, turned the key that was already inserted on it, and opened it. Then he saw four code pads fixed on the inside of the box lid, as well as a plastic notebook and a pencil.

He glanced at Cao Yuba behind him. The latter immediately locked the radio and then picked up an extra one. He walked out of the room and returned to the next door he had just climbed up. He tied the two radios with a rope and put them along the window. Went to the first floor.

Soon, when he retracted the rope, the radio was gone, and what was tied to it instead was a glass jar filled with kerosene.

After untying the glass jar, Cao Duba lowered the other two radios with ropes and lifted up another jar of kerosene.

While Cao Duba was busy working, Wei Ran was not idle either. He had already pried open the two safes beside the bed and carefully opened the thick safe door.

One of the two safes had been completely emptied, and the only thing left in it was a silver dollar that seemed to have been forgotten.

In another safe, there was a tray full of more than a dozen palm-sized spy cameras on the upper half of the tray, as well as several boxes of matching films.

On the lower half floor, there is a stack of portfolios and a photo frame.

In this photo frame, there is a photo of the captured woman and another woman, but the two people in this photo are so young that they look more like a photo taken when they were students.

Wei Ran could even vaguely recognize that the other woman in the photo was exactly the woman who was hung upside down and drained of blood after he killed her, Ueda's original female companion!
That was 37 years ago, right?
Wei Ran muttered secretly, threw the photo frame back into the safe, casually pulled out a file bag and opened it.

In this portfolio, there is only one newspaper from North China News.In this newspaper, issued in February 1945, there was a missing person notice circled in red handwriting. The person wanted in this missing person notice was a fur trader named Zhang Mingyi from Hebei Province.

The general content is that the payment for goods owed to a certain trading company has been delayed for a long time. If anyone provides clues, he can get [-]% of the payment owed.

Under the missing person notice, someone also wrote an address in Fengtian with a pen, as well as a set of numbers that seemed to be radio channels, and the words "[-] Night at [-]:[-]".

Wei Ran stuffed the newspaper back into his file bag and picked up the second one. There was a stack of declarations issued in January 1944.

In this newspaper, there is also a missing person notice circled in red pen. In this missing person notice, what is being searched for is the escaped concubine of a wealthy businessman. Not only does it have the concubine's name and year of birth, Yue and a blurry photo, and there is a detailed introduction, such as accent, height, etc., and at the end of the missing person notice, he also promised a large sum of money to anyone who provides clues.

Just like before, under this missing person notice, there is also a line of address and a set of numbers that appear to be radio channels. The only difference is that the line of address becomes a place in Ice City, and behind the address, written It is the words "11th night 30:[-]".

Without continuing to browse, Wei Ran put the file bag away, then pulled off the sheets, carefully wrapped the dozen file bags in the safe, along with the cameras and films, and handed them to Cao Yuba who returned.

In fact, he has a rough idea that the crane's contact method is most likely based on the various newspapers published as code books, and those missing person notices are most likely the true identity of the crane. As for the remaining addresses and the like, there is no need for them. Explained, that should be the address channel and contact time used for contact.

After the mute uncle sent these things out, he motioned to Wei Ran to hold the two glass jars filled with kerosene and place them on the high tables on both sides of the stairs that were originally used to place vases.

Immediately afterwards, Cao Yuba took out two two-legged kickers as thick as a wrist from his pocket. The cannon-twisting positions of these two second-kicking feet were tied with cloth strips each as thick as a chopstick, but there was only one. A piece of incense stick as long as half a finger.

After looking at each other with Wei Ran, Cao Dumb handed over a two-kick, and then tied the two-kick in his hand to the glass jar.

Following the same example, he tied the incense stick in his hand to the glass jar he was responsible for. Wei Ran and Cao Yuba lit the incense stick in no particular order.

The two of them returned to the room where the two and four people were lying, and when they were about to go down the rope, Guan Bingwen and Tao Canhua also arranged four explosive packets outside the opium den that were enough to blow off the load-bearing columns.

After everything was arranged, the four people returned to the car in the distance and drove away from this busy dock.

Less than 5 minutes later, with two explosions, the second floor of the opium shop next to the pier was burst into flames in a very short time due to the splash of kerosene.

"Why hasn't it exploded yet?"

Less than 200 meters away, Tao Canhua, who was already dressed as a beggar, holding a broken bowl in his hand and a stick in his arms, asked in a worried voice.

"don't worry"

Before Guan Bingwen, who was dressed similarly, finished speaking, a rumble of explosions came from more than 100 meters away.The opium den that stood out in the firelight also collapsed in the explosion and completely turned into a sea of ​​flames.

"There's someone still alive!"

Tao Canhua pointed at a person in the distance who was running out with his body on fire.

Unfortunately, as soon as he finished speaking, the burning man who kept beating and running stopped and turned into a bright light that was particularly conspicuous in this early morning night.

"Let's go, let's take the radio back."

Guan Bingwen, who was also dressed as a beggar, paused and whispered, "Canhua, we are leaving Jinmen for Lu'an Mansion tonight."

"Today?" Tao Canhua obviously didn't expect it to be so urgent.

"If we don't leave now, we won't be able to leave until the Japs seal the city because of the explosion in that opium den."

After speaking, Guan Bingwen glanced at Wei Ran and Cao Mute, who were also dressed as beggars, and shook their hands solemnly, "Brother Wei, Uncle Mute, take care."

"Hey!" Uncle Mute responded forcefully.

"Take care of yourself"

Wei Ran also shook hands with Guan Bingwen and watched him disappear into the night with Tao Canhua.

Waiting until the two people disappeared completely, Cao Yuba patted Wei Ran on the shoulder and led him to avoid the fire brigade and police running not far away, walking through the streets and alleys, and finally got in again. In a car.

"Put on your clothes," the driver of the car said, turning back and handing over the two bundles.

"Mr. Hong?" Wei Ran looked at the other person in surprise. The driver was none other than Feng Maoyun, who was a frequent visitor to Xu Qing Shu Apartment back then!
"it's me"

Feng Maoyun smiled and said, "Hurry up and change your clothes. I have something to do later."

Hearing this, Wei Ran immediately took off his tattered clothes and put on the gown the other party had prepared for him.

After both of them had changed their clothes, the car drove westward out of Jinmen City without any obstruction, and finally stopped at the gate of a ruined temple by the river.

At this time, outside this abandoned temple, the members of the Chunhua Opera Troupe formed a circle and stood guardedly with their backs to the ruined temple behind them.

These young men and women all have suitcases at their feet, and each of them holds a different style of handbag.

After passing through this human wall and continuing into the abandoned and dilapidated small temple, not only Meixiang, Jasmine, Xiao Su's mother, and Qiushi were waiting inside, but also Andy, who was holding a child with the same hatred, as well as Yang's mother and Meng. The uncle, plus the three girls in charge of the underground printing room, and even the young men who were led by Guan Bingwen to rescue them on the train are also here.

"Canhua has already followed Guan Bingwen to Lu'an Mansion."

Feng Maoyun handed Andy the radio station he had just seized, but what he said was, "Miss Meixiang, it's time for you to set off."

"Wait, where are we going?" Wei Ran, who followed in, asked in shock.

Feng Maoyun and Mei Xiang looked at each other and smiled. The former handed the other radio station he had just seized to Cao Mute, who was carrying a file bag full of baggage. Then he said, "Meixiang, I'd rather give it to you." My cousin, please explain."

"We are going to the Northeast to hunt cranes," Mei Xiang explained with a smile, "but cousin, you have to stay."

"Should I stay? Won't I follow?"

Wei Ran's heart sank again and again, "hunting crane", one can imagine the danger hidden in these two words.

"You do have to stay"

Meixiang explained with a smile, "This girl Qiushi, as well as Yang Ma and Uncle Meng are all going to stay.

After we leave, Andy will soon come to Tianjin with her daughter from the south to join me because of her widowed husband. At that time, you and Qiushi will take Andy in on my behalf. You must work together to ensure that the printing room and radio station continue Operation, but also responsible for taking good care of Andy and the enemy. "

"But you."

"Don't worry, Jasmine, Xiao Su's mother, Uncle Mute and those young men will follow me."

While Mei Xiang was talking, the mute uncle also walked behind her carrying the radio, and she continued, "And there are people from the Chunhua Opera Troupe protecting me, so there won't be any danger."

"You guys. When will you come back?" Wei Ran couldn't help but ask.

"soon"

Mei Xiang explained with a smile, "It can take half a year at a slow pace, or two or three months at a quick time. Once all those cranes are killed, we will come back naturally."

"You kid can't bear to let go of your money-losing cousin?"

Little Su's mother, with red and swollen eyes, smiled and teased, "Don't worry, nephew, I will take good care of your cousin."

"Aunt Su must also take care of herself," Wei Ran said, looking at the other party very seriously.

"Haha! You know how to love others."

Xiao Su's mother laughed in response, but at the same time she couldn't help but raise her head to avoid accidentally dropping something.

"Without further ado, let's leave now." Mei Xiang paused and finally said, "Cousin, give us a cigarette at the end."

"it is good"

Wei Ran responded, took out the cigarette case, gave one cigarette to Mei Xiang, Jasmine, Cao Duba and Xiao Su's mother, and personally lit the cigarettes for them.

"There will be a period later"

Mei Xiang greeted her with a puff of smoke and was the first to step out of the ruined temple. Behind her, Jasmine helped her pick up her suitcase and followed.

"Without your cousin's protection, please don't cause trouble in the future. When you need to restrain yourself, restrain yourself." Xiao Su's mother gave her last instructions, also picked up her suitcase, and left the ruined temple.

It wasn't until these people boarded a tank boat parked by the river under the guidance of Feng Maoyun that Andy, who had been standing at the door of the ruined temple with his enemy in his arms, suddenly shouted, "Meixiang! Your troupe still owes us a song." There’s a scene!”

"Remember it!"

Meixiang, who was standing on the bow of the ship, also shouted loudly, "When the war ends! When the war ends, I will sing for you! Only for you!"

"What's the name of that scene?!" Andy shouted in the night.

"You'll know when the time comes!" Mei Xiang also yelled to give it a try.

"Okay! You must sing to us! We are waiting! Waiting for you to sing for us!"

Andy responded happily, and then covered his mouth hard, trying not to cry.

"Cousin!" Wei Ran shouted, and in the rising white light, he shouted with all his strength, "Come back safely!"