War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1378 A grenade

On the way back to the city of Kazan, Wei Ran deliberately took Comrade Channing to ride in the same car with him, and by the way, he also made insinuations to test the other party's tone.

However, until the car drove into the large yard by Lake Kaban, the topics the comrade from the United States talked about were all about the documentary and the prototype gun he sent back, without mentioning the so-called gun at all. Short Asians exist.

Although Comrade Channing didn't ask anything, when he got out of the car, he immediately learned that just five minutes before their arrival, a gentleman named Hans arrived here with a gift. At this time, they were waiting for him and Mr. Charlotte in the library.

Hans?

Wei Ran secretly increased his vigilance and looked at Charlotte. Then the two of them tacitly understood each other and took the gifts Matthew's parents had given them and walked towards the library.

"Victor, we all know that the body is fake. It is not the body found by Matthew's parents. In other words, it is not Fabian Schubert."

Charlotte whispered, "So now I am stuck in time to find the person who comes to the door."

"No, what we found was the body of Hans Ozil, and it was him who Matthew's parents found." Wei Ran stopped and spread his hands, "Wouldn't this make things simpler?"

"makes sense"

Charlotte also stopped, and after thinking for a moment, she took out the acrylic box containing the military ring from her pocket and handed it to Wei Ran, "I'm older and can't compare to you young people. , and the ride experience on that transport plane was indeed not that good.

Wei Ran waved to the other party as well, and walked into the library a little faster.

Hearing this, Wei Ran didn't say anything in a hurry. He just reached out and took out a Youth League knife from the suitcase. He gently pulled it out and inspected it carefully. At the same time, he couldn't help but think of someone who also had this knife. The "idiot" who grows a pocket knife.

“Everything is fine”

Mr. Hans, you see, I have just come back and the Antarctic cold has not left me, so we might as well talk straight to the point. "

Soon after, the two senior students also came to the library with interview equipment, and found a table near the coffee bar, sat down and waited quietly.

Wei Ran took the box containing the ring without any hesitation and walked back to the Time Library, which was not open.

As the old man spoke, he waved to the black man standing behind him, who immediately lifted the suitcase at his feet onto the table and opened it, revealing the World War II German swords inside.

Wei Ran smiled, looked slightly satisfied and said impatiently, "My research direction is mainly the war history of World War II, and knowing German is a basic professional requirement.

In addition, I also agree to your request and agree to tell the story of my adventurous uncle in front of the camera. "

When he saw the other party, the other party also saw him, and immediately stood up and waved enthusiastically to Wei Ran through the window.

"He was so tired that he entrusted this matter to me."

So Victor, why don't you take part in my next meeting with the other party? I'll accept the result no matter what. I just want to lie in bed and have a good sleep. "

"I don't know that"

About half an hour later, the two of them put down the items in their hands in no particular order.

After Hans finished speaking, he also took out two rings from his pocket with original wooden boxes, certificates, and detailed files of the grantors.

Hans said, putting down the sword in his hand, and then gently handed it over, "Where is Mr. Charlotte? I also want to exchange it from him for the ring left by my uncle, which is the one in the documentary. "

"Thank you for the compliment"

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he saw an old man in a suit sitting at one of the tables by the window. Behind the old man stood a thick-lipped black man.

The old man, also named Hans, took out a pair of white silk gloves and put them on as he spoke. Then he took out a regular navy sword from the box and gently pulled it out, "Mr. Victor, I want to Exchange these items in the box for my uncle's relics.

"I am willing to exchange two rings of the same year"

Wei Ran sighed, and then said happily, "Mr. Hans, I have no reason to refuse this deal. I will accept these swords, but that's all."

"But what?" Hans asked with a smile.

For a moment, the only sounds left in the library were the tinny sounds of the two of them checking items.

"Mr. Victor speaks German very well. If it weren't for the different skin color, I would have thought you were a native German." Mr. Hans also sincerely praised you after sitting down.

"Is there such a thing?" Wei Ran asked pretending to be surprised, "Is there any big shot in there?"

"Hello, Mr. Victor." This old man, who looked to be in his sixties or seventies, took the initiative to say hello in proficient German.

Wei Ran said with satisfaction, "And they are all top quality. Mr. Hans, is it difficult to collect this set of things?"

Wei Ran also responded in German, shook hands with the other person and sat across from him.

Seeing this, Mr. Hans just smiled, and then also picked up Major Schubert's sword and inspected it carefully.

Before Wei Ran finished speaking, he had already opened his briefcase, first took out the sword belonging to Fabian Schubert, and then took out the ring he just got from Charlotte from his pocket.

"I'm afraid I have to ask my uncle Mr. Ozil this question."

"Okay, in that case, you can go to the guest room to rest first."

"Alright"

"what a pity"

Hans said regretfully and pretending to be mysterious, "To tell you the truth, my uncle once had contacts with some Nazis who escaped trial, and most of these things were obtained from them."

"Can I get my hands on it and take a look?" Wei Ran also took out a pair of silk gloves as he spoke.

Mr. Hans spread his hands and said, "All I know about him comes from my mother, but she doesn't know much about him, and even less has told me."

"These are actually from my uncle Hans Ozil's collection."

"Hello, Mr. Hans."

After a long time, just when Wei Ran put down the last sword and started to inspect the two rings, Mr. Hans also put down the Major Schubert sword that he had been checking in his hand and picked up the sword instead. Got that ring.

"Of course, please do."

"Just like you mentioned at the beginning"

Wei Ran waved to the senior students in the distance, "If you want to take away your uncle's relics, you must at least cooperate with our interview first."

"Of course, of course no problem." Hans agreed happily.

"In that case, I will take these things away." Wei Ran said impatiently, "You must understand my urgency. No historian would."

"Of course, of course I understand." Hans expressed his attitude before Wei Ran finished speaking, "After all, I am also a collector of war artifacts."

"Thank you for your understanding!" Wei Ran had already buttoned up the suitcase before he finished speaking. After introducing the senior students in charge of the interview to Mr. Hans, Wei Ran left the library almost jogging with his suitcase and the two rings.

He was almost certain that Mr. Hans in the library was most likely a remnant of the Nazis. In this case, of course it is better to have less contact.

Carrying the suitcase, she almost jogged all the way back to the villa next door. At this time, Suisui was already leading the girls to prepare for a celebration banquet and a party to share the spoils.

On the other hand, in the small living room on the second floor, Charlotte, who originally said she was in a hurry to rest, was chatting quite speculatively with Comrade Channing from the United States, each holding a cup of coffee, accompanied by her child Matthew.

"How was the harvest?" Charlotte asked with a smile.

"This is yours"

As Wei Ran spoke, he handed the two rare early-version complete set of military rings to Charlotte, then lifted the suitcase he was holding onto the long table next to him and opened it, showing off the swords inside. .

"Berlin Honor Guard!"

Comrade Channing was the first to exclaim, "Comrade Marx, someone actually gathered the Berlin honor guard! Victor, can I take a look?"

Lu Xinda, who was waiting for the coffee to come up behind her, helped translate it into Chinese. Wei Ran, who was pretending to be proud, nodded happily and said, "Please do it."

Before he finished speaking, Channing hurriedly took out a pair of silk gloves and a magnifying glass with a light as big as a bowl from his briefcase and started admiring it.

"Exchanging one fake ring for two real rings is a very sincere transaction."

Charlotte said with satisfaction while looking at the rings in the wooden box, and then handed one of the rings and the matching certificate to Wei Ran.

"What are you doing for me?"

“Just a small gift from a friend”

Charlotte said generously, "Victor, take it. Thanks to the help of You and Aurora, this matter can be solved so perfectly, so please don't refuse this small gift."

"Want to pick out some swords?" Wei Ran reciprocated the ring while pointing to the suitcase on the table.

"No need"

Charlotte waved her hand, "I don't want to destroy the formation of the honor guard. Okay, now I really have to take a rest. Victor, remember to wake me up when Aurora's spoils sharing meeting starts."

After saying that, the old man didn't wait for Wei Ran's response, and Shi Shiran walked to his guest room.

Watching the other party close the door from the inside, Wei Ran tossed the ring in his hand. After feeling Chanin's gaze moving up and down with the ring, he handed it to the other party generously, "Let's talk about these first. I won’t put things up for auction.”

"I know it without you having to tell me."

After Lu Xinda finished translating, Channing took the ring box and said, "I wouldn't sell these treasures."

"Comrade Channing must be here not only to return the prototype gun, right?" Wei Ran asked while picking up his own coffee. Lu Xinda, who was left behind, also looked at the things in the box and started to cook. Two people translated.

"I would like to introduce a friend to you"

Comrade Channing was particularly candid, "We arrived a few days ago. I took him to look carefully at the photos in the library and learned about the touching stories behind the photos."

"So where are your friends?" Wei Ran asked curiously after Lu Xinda finished translating.

"Because he didn't know when you would come back, he took a trip to Moscow by himself."

Channing spread his hands, "But I informed him yesterday, so I think he will be back soon."

"If you don't mind, tell me about your friend."

Wei Ran was too lazy to beat around the bush and asked in a joking tone, "This friend of yours definitely doesn't want to come here to listen to stories and see old photos, right?"

After listening to the translation, Channing looked at an Air Force sword and continued to speak extremely candidly, "I do want to introduce you to a business, but let him talk to you in person about this matter."

Having said this, Channing finally looked at Wei Ran again, "As for what this friend of mine wants to ask you for, I actually don't know, but I know that it seems to be a huge secret, and he will not tell anyone easily. Reveal, at least, a secret that you won’t tell me.”

"secret?"

Wei Ran raised his eyebrows after listening to Lu Xinda's translation, "Since it's a secret, what does he do?"

This time, before Wei Ran could finish speaking, and even before Lu Xinda could translate, Chan Ning said, "I know what you are going to say. Do you still remember the group photo we took when I came here last time? Mine That friend saw our group photo and recognized you immediately."

After Lu Xinda finished translating, Chaning added before Wei Ran could speak, "I forgot to mention that my friend is a very difficult person."

As soon as these words were spoken, Wei Ranbian felt a stinging pain on his back, and he almost subconsciously wanted to avoid this topic, or in other words, avoid the "business" related to the more difficult people.

However, Channing added an additional sentence after this sentence, "Although he is a difficult person, he speaks Chinese very well."

Is it harder for people to speak Chinese?

Wei Ran took advantage of Lu Xinda's translation time to pick up the coffee cup, and used the action of drinking coffee to cover his facial expression. At the same time, he also began to wonder what the other party wanted to see him for.

Could it be that the war is getting harder? A tree that speaks Vietnamese? No, no, no, I can’t take this job, and I can’t even talk about it!

Unable to help but shudder, Wei Ran put down his cup and was about to change the subject when he heard Chanin continue, "I almost forgot, Comrade Wei Ran, my friend asked him to leave Kazan for Moscow before he left. I will give you a gift."

"A gift? What gift?" Wei Ran asked absentmindedly after Lu Xinda finished translating.

"please wait for a moment"

Channing said, finally putting down the sword in his hand, then walked into the guest room that belonged to him, and soon after fetched a Chinese-style wooden box.

Reaching out to take the wooden box, Wei Ran and Chan Ning looked at each other, and then gently opened the lid of the wooden box.

It was lined with bright red velvet, but there were only two things lying on the left and right.

Fixed on the left is a silver-white Dongfeng brand watch. In the lower middle of the cream-colored dial, there is also a row of particularly powerful small red characters inlaid with hair: Serving the People;

Picking up this watch gently, you can see that there is a lot of wear and tear on the watch and the steel bracelet, as well as some rust that has been oxidized by contact with sweat. But even so, you can still clearly see the words "East Wind Overwhelms West Wind" on the back.

Gently put the watch back to its original position. On the right hand side of the box is a small opaque silicone square.

However, when he opened the soft silicone cube and saw what was fixed inside, he was stunned. It was a grenade!

A grenade that was all black, with a shiny dark red cloth rope wrapped around its neck.

A type 82-1 handleless grenade produced in China.

One, glorious bomb!

(End of this chapter)