War Photographer's Notebook

While waiting quietly, the intense white light in front of Wei Ran's eyes that seemed to cover everything slowly faded away. When his vision returned to normal, he finally returned to the basement of the Time Library.

"call--"

Wei Ran let out a long breath and stared blankly at the table in front of him, where the metal quill pen wrote down lines of blood-red text on the pale yellow paper:

The east wind overwhelms the west wind

Dao Baoguo, the leader of the sharp knife squad, participated in Operation Dongfeng on March 1984, 3 and won the third-class collective merit. He retired in September of the same year. At the end of the year, he opened a Lao Dao photo studio and also engaged in bee breeding.

In September 1990, after the war ended, the photo studio and bee farm were closed, and it became increasingly difficult to sneak across the border privately, using the pseudonym Dongfeng to search for the remains of his comrades.

In the summer of 1998, he unfortunately died in a landmine explosion while trying to rescue a young child who accidentally entered a minefield.

Luo Bing, artillery reconnaissance platoon leader, participated in Operation Dongfeng on March 1984, 3, and won third-class collective merit. In November of the same year, he died during a reconnaissance and prisoner-capturing mission, and was posthumously awarded second-class martyrdom and personal merit.

Luo Bing left a son, Luo Qingyan, who joined the army in 2006. After training, he is now an Air Force test pilot.

Zha Yongfang, leader of the artillery reconnaissance squad, participated in Operation Dongfeng on March 1984, 3 and died due to a mine strike. Posthumously awarded third-class collective merit, third-class individual merit, and posthumously awarded the title of martyr.

Hai Dongqing, deputy squad leader of the artillery reconnaissance squad, participated in Operation Dongfeng on March 1984, 3 and won third-class collective merit. In December of the same year, he returned to his hometown from the army and attended night school. In the autumn of the following year, he obtained a veterinary license and has been operating the "Haidongqing Mobile Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station" to this day.

Zhang Hongliang, a prisoner in the artillery reconnaissance squad, participated in Operation Dongfeng on March 1984, 3 and won third-class collective merit.

In December of the same year, he transferred to the local criminal police and won many awards. In the summer of 12, he unfortunately died in the battle to arrest drug criminals and was awarded the title of martyr.

In the summer of 2004, Zhang Hongliang's daughter Zhang Qiangwei restarted her father's police number and joined the criminal police force.

Li Dazhai, a prisoner in the artillery reconnaissance squad, was disabled while participating in Operation Dongfeng on March 1984, 3. He received third-class collective merit and second-class individual merit.

After recovering from his injury in the same year, he transferred to the local armed forces department as a firearms administrator. Since 1992, he has also been engaged in archives management until now.

Zhao Yuejin, an engineer of the artillery reconnaissance squad, participated in Operation Dongfeng on March 1984, 3, and won the third-class collective merit. In December of the same year, he was transferred to the Golden Force of the Armed Police. In 25, he was transferred to the geological exploration department and has been working ever since.

Wang Beizhan, a gunner of the artillery reconnaissance squadron, participated in Operation Dongfeng on March 1984, 3 and won the third-class collective merit. He retired in December of the same year and returned to his hometown to engage in border trade.

In 1998, after learning about the disappearance of Squad Leader Dao, he moved to Wenshan City at the invitation of his comrade Lu Yao, and continued to operate border trade between Wenshan and Ha Giang City in Viet Nam. He also inquired about the whereabouts of Squad Leader Dao, but so far to no avail.

He Yong, a communications officer of the artillery reconnaissance company, participated in Operation Dongfeng on March 1984, 3 and died protecting his companions. Posthumously awarded third-class collective merit, second-class individual merit, and posthumously awarded the title of martyr.

Lu Yao, a technical scout of the Artillery Regiment, was injured and disabled while participating in Operation Dongfeng on March 1984, 3, and won third-class collective merit.

After recovering from his injury in the same year, he switched to work at the observatory and has been working at the observatory ever since. He also adopted Luo Qingyan, son of platoon leader Luo, as an adult.

After writing this, the metal quill pen also started a new line and replaced it with black handwriting. First, it wrote an address in Wenshan City, and then Lu Yao's name and a string of mobile phone numbers.

In Wei Ran's anxious anticipation, the metal quill pen once again started a new line with blood-red handwriting, and slowly wrote out a set of precise coordinates.

Just taking a look at the latitude of this set of coordinates, Wei Ran breathed a sigh of relief. He was sure that this set of coordinates was most likely in a more difficult territory, but he just didn't know.

In his wild thoughts, the metal quill started another line again, but only wrote four large blood-red characters, "Defend Southern Border" without any regrets.

As Wei Ran watched silently, the page that seemed to be sprinkled with blood was turned to the back, and the quill moved under the slowly rotating red vortex, and slowly wrote the last line of writing: Take them home.

"Okay, take them home." Wei Ran murmured silently, making a promise to himself.

Rubbing his face tiredly, he picked up the bottle of gin on the table again and drank the boss a sip. Then he turned the page to the front and took out the negatives in the paper bag next to the black and white photo.

Staggeringly standing up, he left the studio and went into the adjacent darkroom.

When he left the darkroom again, he had a stack of color photos in his hand.

Among these photos, there are some taken by him and some taken by Lu Yao, there are group photos of all of them, and there are also individual photos of each person - those individual photos that were once prepared to introduce the target.

With a silent sigh, he stuffed the photos into the shredder one by one, put away the negatives, and then took out the latest thing in the red vortex - it was a folding gun butt. The Bayi rifle wrapped with large five-leaf camouflage cloth strips!

"This is much better than AK"

Wei Ran looked at the rifle in his hand and muttered to himself. He had forgotten when he had been looking forward to taking out a big AK from the metal book.

Just, just.

But now that he has obtained the Bayi Kong, which is easier to use than the AK, he is not happy at all.

“It’s time to go to Laoshan”

Wei Ran muttered as he put away his gun, put away the relics belonging to Squad Leader Dao on the table and put them in his bag. He turned around and walked out while sending a message to Xia Shushi.

When he walked out of the basement, the last ray of sunset just passed through the glass canopy of the library and shone on him. By the way, it also dyed the Kaban Lake outside the courtyard a dazzling golden color.

Without stopping at all, Wei Ran walked straight up the stairs and found Suisui, who was still busy working.

"Do you have time in these two days? I'm going to go back to China."

Wei Ran sat down on the sofa in the office and asked Suisui, who was typing on the keyboard not far away.

"Do you plan to make it more difficult to act like a monkey?" Suisui asked without looking back, without even stopping what he was doing.

"Even if I wanted to go, I wouldn't be that quick. I haven't found anything yet."

Wei Ran explained with a wry smile, "I'm going back to talk to Xia Shushi in person to see if we can find any clues together."

"Really?" Suisui finally looked at Wei Ran, but both her face and her tone were full of suspicion.

"Isn't it true?" Wei Ran spread his hands, "How could you find out so quickly? If you don't believe it, come back with me?"

"I don't have that much time"

Suisui rolled her eyes and said angrily, "I'm just about to take over the work of the studio, and I'm starting to make a business plan. At this time, Aunt Anna and Uncle Culp will think too much about leaving my job and returning to China."

"How about sending a secretary to follow me?" Wei Ran asked jokingly.

“Beautiful thought”

Suisui thought for a while and said happily, "You can go back by yourself. I won't send anyone to follow you this time, but we can agree in advance. If you plan to go, it will be more difficult, so at least you have to tell me in advance. "

"Sure, I'll tell you in advance when the time comes." Wei Ran promised, patting his chest.

"When will we set off?" Suisui continued to ask.

"No hurry," Wei Ran replied casually, "Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow will be fine."

"Then tomorrow"

Suisui simply gave him permission, and finally warned, "It will be even harder if you don't go secretly."

At this time, Wei Ran naturally patted his chest and made a promise. That night, the two of them had an in-depth exchange of the essentials of radio gymnastics movements, and he was certain that his girlfriend was not pregnant.

In the blink of an eye, early the next morning, Wei Ran took Lola to drive him to the airport with not much luggage.

Not to mention the message he sent to Zha Xifeng before boarding the plane and the long flight. When the plane landed at Jinmen Airport and when he pulled his luggage out, Xia Shushi, who was embarrassed, and Xia Shushi, who was even more embarrassed. Qin Er has been waiting at the airport for a long time.

"Didn't those beauties of yours come back?" Qin Er, wearing beach pants, a floral shirt and flip-flops, asked jokingly.

"Why are you here too?" Wei Ran asked with a smile, but he didn't answer the other person's words at all.

"His butt hurts. This guy has been staying with me for months." Xia Shushi said helplessly. "Is that free for me?"

Qin Er said angrily, "Our movie Savage Mountain is about to start filming. You kid seems to be constipated and you haven't come up with a qualified script yet. Why don't I come here and keep an eye on you?"

"You guys"

Wei Ran just started and asked again, "No, I mean, how are the preparations for our Savage Mountain movie going?"

"The actors are almost fully trained, and all the props are ready."

Qin Er said proudly, "It was shot in the Savage Mountain, and even the shooting location was cleared."

"Shooting on location at Savage Mountain?" Wei Ran frowned, "Is it possible?"

"Don't worry, it won't happen."

Qin Er patted his chest and made a promise, "Do you really think it's still the same as it was eighty years ago? If anyone dares to make trouble, Zhong Zhen can beat them to death without us even having to do anything."

"What's his condition now?" Wei Ran asked.

"Since we uprooted those little devils last time, he has become quite popular in the area."

Qin Er said with some relief, "Our family-hunting group has become more popular now. In the words of their old man from the Zhong family, it is not much worse than it was back then. If nothing else, this movie shooting is definitely It’s full support.”

Speaking of this, Qin Er also lowered his voice keenly, "Brother, tell me, can this investigation be made into a movie like the one in Savage Mountain?"

"Are you addicted to making movies?" Wei Ran asked curiously.

"Let's talk about it after we get in the car"

Qin Er was extra cautious. He asked Wei Ran and Xia Shushi, who obviously knew something, to take a few steps quickly and get into his old Beijing-brand Land Cruiser 80 off-road vehicle.

It wasn't until the car started running that Qin Er, who was in charge of driving, said, "I'm not going to hide it from you, I've tasted the sweetness. Do you still remember the documentary about Savage Mountain?

I'm not afraid of your jokes, buddy. Just because of that documentary, I finally qualified to go home for the Chinese New Year after all these years, and my stupid dad even poured me a glass of wine himself. "

Without waiting for Wei Ran to say anything, Qin Er continued, "I won't hide our brothers from you. If you can investigate what you will find this time, and if conditions permit, I really plan to continue making movies. No matter what, I can be a director from now on."

"Row"

Under Xia Shushi's eyes, Wei Ran finally did not ask about Qin II's family background, but happily agreed.

After receiving his promise, Qin Er was obviously very happy. He immediately patted his chest and said that he would help solve any troubles encountered in the subsequent investigation.

"Don't talk nonsense," Wei Ran said following the topic, "I came back this time to ask for help."

"Tell me what trouble you encountered?" Qin Er asked with great interest.

"We'll wait until we get there. Everything is in the box." Wei Ran retaliated and deliberately let it slip.

Hearing this, Qin Er just raised his middle finger, and then stepped on the accelerator very gently, seeming to cherish this old-fashioned off-road vehicle.

"I have been investigating for the past two days."

When Xia Shushi saw that Qin II had finished farting, he took the large intestine and continued, "With the help of Qin II, I asked many seniors who had participated in the Self-Defense Counterattack and the Battle of the Two Mountains, but they all... No one recognized the person in the photo.”

"Are there any other clues?" Wei Ran continued to ask.

"No

Xia Shushi shook his head regretfully, "There are too few key clues. There are no names, no numbers, and not even a photo that does not cover the face. I have a hunch that these people and what they have experienced must be detailed in the relevant files. Records, but we lack key words, do you understand what I mean?"

"Understand"

Wei Ran sighed silently. In a sense, the situation Xia Shushi faced at this time was similar to the situation faced by Squad Leader Dao?

The topic hit a dead end here, and the three brothers tacitly changed the topic and talked about the mental hospitals invested by Zhong Zhen.

When the topic was over, Qin Er also parked the car at the door of the small western-style building that Mr. Tao Canhua left to Wei Ran.

It had only been a few months since he had seen her, and now a lot of wall-climbing roses had climbed up the courtyard wall of this small foreign-style building. When he opened the courtyard door, he immediately smelled the rich fragrance of jasmine.

"Your small building is really well done," Qin Er said with envy.

"It's a pity that such a small foreign-style building is like this. If you don't come back to live there, it's all for nothing." Xia Shushi continued.

"Maybe I'll come back in a few years."

As Wei Ran spoke, he opened the door, led the two of them in, and went all the way to the second floor.

"Can you tell me about your trouble now?" Qin Er asked as he sat down on the retro-style sofa.

“I’m going to go to the harder and harder to see it on the ground.”

Wei Ran answered, "The harder it is to reach Hejiang City, my employer has already set off from the United States. He will be able to arrive in Jianghe City in about two days, but I don't trust him too much."

"Need bodyguards and a translator?" Qin Er asked bluntly.

Hearing this, Wei Ran nodded happily, "Xia Shushi is lacking key words now. I want to go and have a look. Maybe I can find some key words."

"Should I go with you?" Xia Shushi, who was wandering around the living room on the second floor, asked enthusiastically.

"Just stop following me."

Wei Ran waved his hand, "If I can find any clues, I will send them to you immediately. It will be up to you to find the relevant file records."

"That's okay." Xia Shushi was particularly easy to arrange and nodded without thinking.

"Me and you"

"Don't follow me either."

Wei Ran blocked Qin Er, who was about to accompany him, "If I really encounter an accident, I still count on you to save me."

"The harder it is, although that ghost place doesn't have domestic security, it's not as chaotic as you think." Qin Er said in a dumbfounded voice, "You are too cowardly."

"I'm just a historian, and I'm not Rambo, so I must be afraid of death." Wei Ran naturally started to pretend to be timid.

"I'm going to beg my little aunt to let Brother Yang accompany you."

Qin Er had already taken out his mobile phone as he spoke, "Brother Yang, you are familiar with it and others can trust it. When do you plan to set off?"

"Let's wait two or three days until my client arrives in Ha Giang City first."

Wei Ran suppressed the impatience in his heart and said, "Besides, I will trouble you with the entry and exit procedures."

"Don't worry, don't worry." Qin Er agreed without hesitation, and then pressed the dial button in front of Wei Ran.