War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1607: On the Songhua River

In the heavy snow, three sled vehicles, led by Hu Bazhi, entered a valley sheltered from the wind.

"Right here"

As Hu Bazhi spoke, he had already jumped off the sled, pulled the white mule forward a few steps, and stopped beside a dead tree lying horizontally with its roots exposed.

"Brother Hu, how long will it take us to get out of this forest?" Miss Hongxia asked as she tied the black horse she was in charge of to the dead tree.

"almost"

Hu Bazhi took the reins of Wei Ran's horse, raised his hand and pointed in a direction, saying, "Just a few more steps over there will lead to the main road. Let's take a rest first and see what the weather will be like at noon."

While he was talking, Wei Ran took Yang Shiyi to check the wounds of the four injured people one by one.

Fortunately, although they had to travel all night in the wind and snow, the wounded were not frozen because the bedding prepared in advance was thick enough. Even the water in the hot water bottle was still warm.

The only bad news is that Zhao Jinyu is still running a fever and has not regained consciousness.

After briefly communicating their situation with Hu Bazhi and the others, everyone untied the sled and gathered together, unfolded the Japanese canvas that had been pieced together to build a tent that could keep out the snow. After Hu Bazhi cleared the snow on the ground and lit a bonfire, everyone finally warmed up a little bit.

Everyone took off their boots and placed them by the campfire to warm their cold feet. Miss Hongxia also placed the lunch boxes and the kettle that she had just taken out and used as a hot water bottle by the campfire.

"Eat something and take turns sleeping"

As Hu Bazhi spoke, he had already unscrewed the hot water bottle that had been placed in Zhao Jinyu's arms, put it to his mouth and drank a gulp of the still warm water.

"You guys go to sleep," the Sun sisters said in unison, "We'll stand guard."

"I'm not sleepy either!"

Yang Shiyi then said that the Sun sisters could still help drive the car, as she had been sitting in the car and had already taken a nap in the middle.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Wei Ran spoke before Hu Bazhi could open his mouth.

Hearing this, the Sun sisters and Yang Shiyi nodded excitedly. Hu Bazhi smiled after hesitating to speak, and slowly lit a pipe for himself.

"Brother Hu, now that we're on the main road, how far do we have to go to reach Ice City?"

Yang Shiyi asked curiously while warming herself by the fire, "I have never been to Ice City. The farthest I've been is to the county town during the winter."

“I haven’t been there either.”

Hu Bazhi puffed on his pipe and said, "I heard from the fur collectors that if you follow that road for 200 miles, you will reach Ice City. My father went there when he was young, and he said the same thing when he was alive."

"With so many of us old, it's not like any of us have ever been to Ice City, right?"

Miss Hongxia, who had just rolled herself a Toad cigarette, asked a seemingly important question belatedly.

"We have never been there," Sister Sun and her sisters were the first to speak out in unison.

"I haven't been there either," Wei Ran said immediately when he saw Hu Bazhi and others looking at him.

"Squad Leader Xiaohu, have you ever been to Ice City?"

Hu Bazhi stood up and asked, "Brother Shen, Brother Li, what about you? Have you ever been to Ice City?"

"No," said Tian Xiaohu, who was still lying on the sled. "I have never been to Ice City."

"I haven't been there either," Xiao Li and Xiao Shen said in no particular order.

"What should we do?" the Sun sisters asked in a panic.

"What is it?"

Hu Bazhi was not panicked. "What if I haven't been there? Anyway, I can't go wrong if I follow that road."

For a moment, everyone sitting around the campfire fell silent, and even the temperature in the tent seemed to drop a little.

"I think what Brother Hu said is correct."

Wei Ran said at this time, "As long as the general direction is correct, we can just ask around and walk along the way, and we'll eventually get there."

“You’re right”

In fact, squad leader Xiaohu, who had no idea what was going on, said, "Your mouth isn't just for eating. If we don't know the way, why don't we ask?"

"I estimate that it will take three or four days to get there."

Hu Bazhi then said, "Don't worry, I will definitely take you to the ice."

"boom!"

Before Hu Bazhi could finish his words, a gunshot was suddenly heard from across a ridge in the distance, the sound of a Type 38 rifle!

Everyone was shocked, and Wei Ran reacted very quickly and used the snow that was everywhere around him to cover the bonfire that had just been lit.

  After a while, the sound of intensive gunfire from the Japanese Type 99 light machine guns could be heard in the distance!

"Pack your things, they are the Japanese's Type 38 rifles, they are just across a hill at most!" Wei Ran said as he pulled his boots over and started putting them on his feet.

A second later, the others reacted immediately, hurriedly putting on their shoes, loading the food that had not yet been heated onto the sled, and dismantling the tent as quickly as possible.

"Where are you running to?" Miss Hongxia asked in a panic while untying the reins.

"Brother Wei, what do you think?" asked Hu Bazhi, who also pulled the reins.

“They probably haven’t discovered us yet.”

Wei Ran pulled the black horse and turned the direction while saying, "Go into the woods first, get some distance and then go to the main road depending on the situation. Hurry!"

"This little devil is really haunting us!"

Hu Bazhi cursed, shook the reins and shouted at the big white mule to run.

"Who are the Japanese chasing?" Tian Xiaohu muttered secretly, and couldn't help but grab the submachine gun beside him.

No matter who the Japanese's target was, the three sled vehicles that had just rested for a while had just circled the ridge and had not run far when, on the other side of the ridge where the gunshots came from, there were several figures on skis being dragged by mules, speeding through the woods at full speed.

Almost all of these people were injured, even the mule was covered with scars and a layer of ice shell stained red with blood.

Behind them, sled vehicles carrying the Japanese and puppet troops rushed up the ridge, and the machine guns that had been silent for just a moment began to roar again.

The situation of those being chased by the Japanese was not optimistic, and Wei Ran and others were also in danger.

  They had just passed the mountain ridge when they noticed the Japanese soldiers in the snow in the distance, advancing forward in a line of skirmishers to search! Even more unfortunately, those Japanese soldiers also discovered them!

"Get down! Everyone get down!"

Before the Japanese opened fire, Wei Ran shouted loudly and whipped the black horse on the butt with a whip.

"Follow me!"

Hu Bazhi shouted almost at the same time, pulled the reins to direct the big white mule to turn, and whipped it hard to urge it to run faster.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Behind them, the Japanese soldiers started shooting, and the trees around the three vehicles also shook off a lot of snow under the impact of bullets.

"The Japs are chasing us!"

On the sled, Xiao Li, holding up a Type 38 rifle and firing back, shouted, "I estimate there are more than a dozen sleds!"

"Xiao Li, can you drive the car?" Wei Ran asked loudly.

"can!"

Xiao Li put down the Type 38 rifle that had just fired a bullet, turned around and took the reins from Wei Ran.

Looking at Wei Ran again, after handing over the reins, he directly picked up the clay brazier and threw it out, then took out the grenade launcher that Hu Bazhi asked him to bring before setting off, as well as the few grenades he had.

"Run faster!"

While Wei Ran was urging, he had already pulled out the safety pin of a grenade launcher, and then pressed the grenade launcher onto the Type 38 rifle.

"drive!"

While Xiao Li urged, he whipped the horse's butt hard.

"Tom!"

Wei Ran also pulled the trigger and fired a grenade at the maximum distance at the same time. The recoil of the grenade also pressed the Type 38 rifle onto the sled, causing a momentary delay in the speed that had just been increased.

"boom!"

Fortunately, the noise of the successful grenade explosion finally helped the pursuers behind them to regain some calm, and the distance between the two sides was slightly widened.

"That won't work. We can't escape! No one can escape!"

Xiao Shen, holding a submachine gun ready to fire at any time, shouted, "Not only are there sleds over there, but there are also people riding horses and mules. They are faster than us!"

"What are you planning?!"

Xiao Li, who was driving, asked loudly.

"Brother Wei, please ride your horse and run!" Xiao Shen said, "The two of us will stay behind."

"What bullshit are you talking about!" Wei Ran retorted angrily, "Let's run together!"

"Da da da!"

Xiao Shen, who had a broken hand, saw the enemy behind him getting closer and closer, so he decisively pulled the trigger of the submachine gun and emptied most of the magazine.

Although this intensive fire suppression was somewhat stronger than the inaccurate grenade throwing, it was a foregone conclusion that they would be caught up.

"If no one stays to suppress us, everyone will die!"

Xiao Li, who was driving, said, "Brother Shen, let's go to the pass ahead!"

"it is good!"

"Don't stop! I have a way!" Wei Ran, who had just picked up the Type 38 rifle, shouted immediately. He had already guessed what these two were going to do!

“You have to survive too.”

Xiao Shen was surprisingly calm at this time. He used the machine gun in his hand to suppress the pursuers behind him and said, "We still have to rely on you to deliver those letters home."

"Whether Xiaohu and Jinyu can survive depends on you." Xiao Li, who was in charge of driving, also said, "Brother Wei, you have to survive. Brother Shen still needs to kill more than a thousand Japanese to complete his capital. You have to fill this hole for him."

"Not so good!"

As Xiao Shen was talking, he had already replaced the magazine for the Hua Ji machine gun. "We just killed three more. We still have 1,133 to go. You better count them for me!"

"You run, I'll stay."

Before Wei Ran finished his words, he had already pulled the trigger and fired a bullet. Unfortunately, due to the bumps of the sled, his shot did not hit the pursuers behind him.

"Bullshit!"

Xiao Li pushed the sled to pass the pass between the two ridges ahead, saying loudly, "We two brothers died here, and we saved food, but you can't do that.

Brother Wei, you are the seeds of the first guerrilla team. We will have to rely on you to continue fighting the Japanese in the spring of next year!"

"Stop!" Xiao Shen shouted loudly at this time.

“Don’t stop!”

Wei Ran, who had just reloaded the bullet in his Type 38 rifle and was aiming, shouted in panic.

"Shut up!"

Xiao Li ignored him and pulled the reins to shout at the big black horse to stop behind a thick pine tree.

"grass!"

  Wei Ran didn't bother to argue, he aimed at a pursuer who had just rushed through the pass, pulled the trigger and fired a bullet!

"One thousand one hundred and thirty-two!" Xiao Shen suddenly shouted, raised his submachine gun with loaded bullets, and pulled the trigger towards the pass.

For a moment, the sound of dense gunfire resounded throughout the forest, causing the two sleds in front to stop.

"Run! Run!" Xiao Li screamed, "Don't stop! Protect the seeds! Xiaohu! Protect the seeds!"

"Brother Wei, hurry up! Fire a few rounds at the pass!" Xiao Shen, who was suppressing them with his submachine gun, shouted almost at the same time, "How many shells do you have left!"

As soon as he finished his words, Wei Ran had already thrown away the Type 38 rifle and replaced it with a grenade launcher. While adjusting the range, he shouted, "Finish this round, and there are three left!"

"One round left!"

As Xiao Shen spoke, he pulled the trigger again, suppressing the enemy at the pass.

At the same time, Xiao Li used his feet, whose toes were frozen off, to stand up and leave the sled. He took out a sharp dagger from his arms and cut the rope that tied the sled to the saddle with two sharp cuts!

"Tom!"

  Almost at the same time, Wei Ran also pulled the trigger of the grenade launcher!

"boom!"

Fortunately, the bullet hit the other side of the pass solidly and exploded.

"Two more shots!"

Xiao Shen urged loudly while providing cover with his submachine gun.

Almost at the same time when Wei Ran picked up another grenade, Xiao Li also staggered over and pulled out the Type 38 rifle that was placed under the grenade launcher.

Seeing Wei Ran looking at him, and subconsciously turning back to look at the sled whose connection had been cut, Xiao Li smiled brightly, and while loading the bullet into the gun, he sang loudly at the top of his voice.

"My home is on the Songhua River in Northeast China—"

"Ta-ta-ta-ta!"

After firing a series of bursts, Xiao Shen also shouted, "There are forests and coal mines there - and there are soybeans and sorghum all over the mountains and fields!"

It sounded like a self-introduction, but also like a farewell song. The smiles on the faces of the two anti-Japanese fighters, which were covered with frostbite, became more and more intense!

Behind them, on the sled pulled by the big white mule, Tian Xiaohu clenched his fists as he heard the faint singing, and roared with red eyes, "Don't stop! Run! Run!"

"But they"

"Don't let their deaths be in vain!" Tian Xiaohu shouted in pain.

"boom!"

Almost at the moment when Hu Bazhi and Miss Hongxia urged their animals to run again, Wei Ran's third grenade once again hit the other side of the pass accurately and exploded.

"Brother Wei! Get on your horse and run!"

Shen Baoying said with a smile and longing as Li Hai continued to sing, "Send everyone's letters to their families, find Xiao Li's brother, and you have to help me kill enough devils."

"I do not go!"

Wei Ran, with bloodshot eyes, picked up the last grenade while roaring.

"If one less person dies, there's a chance to kill one more."

As Shen Baoying spoke, she replaced a new magazine and said, "Let's go! Run away and fire the last shell at us!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Ran, who had already grabbed the leather buckle on the trigger, couldn't help but tremble.

"Let's go, Brother Wei!"

Li Hai also stopped singing, raised his Type 38 rifle and fired, urging, "You better be more accurate!"

"Go!"

Shen Baoying roared as he fired, "Go! Deliver the letter to me! Kill enough people for me!"

"Let's go!"

Li Hai also shouted, "Brother Hu alone can't protect so many people! Even if you want to die, you have to keep them alive! You also have to protect the flag!"

"Tom!"

Wei Ran had been staring at the direction of the pass without moving. He did not move until he saw a group of Japanese soldiers showing up. Then he pulled the trigger and fired the last grenade!

"Get out! Get out now!" Shen Baoying cursed angrily.

“I have escaped so many times.”

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already run to the side of the black horse and reached into the gun bag and pulled out the Japanese cavalry rifle.

"You are so stupid! Get on the horse! I order you to get on the horse!" Li Hai shouted in panic.

"boom!"

  Wei Ran was too lazy to argue. He just took out his box gun and pulled the trigger at the black horse's head!

"Pfft!"

After the gunshot, the black horse, which was quite human-like, fell straight to the ground, completely cutting off the last possibility of escape for the three people.

“I won’t run away this time”

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already put away his box gun without any concealment, loaded the cavalry rifle in his hand with bullets, hid behind a tree, aimed at a Japanese soldier who was looking out, and pulled the trigger.

"You bastard!"

Shen Baoying laughed and cursed with a crying voice, "This deal is a huge loss!"

"Stop talking about useless things"

Wei Ran loaded the bullet again, aimed again and asked loudly, "Who taught you that song just now?"

"Zhao Jinshan! Squad Leader Zhao!" Li Hai responded loudly.

"Let's sing together?!" Wei Ran suggested loudly after pulling the trigger again.

"Sing! I'll start!"

Shen Baoying wiped her tears on her snow-covered shoulders and sang at the top of her lungs, "My home is in the Northeast—Sing!"

"My home is on the Songhua River in Northeast China--" Wei Ran sang loudly while firing his gun along with the two anti-Japanese fighters in desperate situation.

With the sound of gunfire, more and more Japanese soldiers were around, and Wei Ran soon put down his cavalry rifle and replaced it with a box gun. At the same time, he did not forget to light three cigarettes and gave them to Shen Baoying and Li Hai.

Amid the sound of gunfire and singing, there were more and more enemies in the distance, and the space for the three of them to hide was getting smaller and smaller.

"When will I be able to return to my lovely hometown?"

As the gunshots got closer and closer, Li Hai was shot in the chest and fell onto the sled with his head tilted back.

"When will we be able to recover the endless treasure?!"

While someone was singing, Shen Baoying, who had just emptied his magazine, was hit in the eye by a bullet.

"Ta-ta-ta-ta!"

When Wei Ran pulled the trigger and fired a fan-shaped shot, a bullet from the side hit his lower back.

"Pfft!"

As Wei Ran fell to the ground, the box gun in his hand was immediately put back into the metal book.

After a while, the gunfire stopped. After waiting for a while, more and more Japanese soldiers surrounded us with their Type 38 rifles equipped with bayonets.

As Wei Ran's smile grew brighter, a Japanese soldier got off the sled, walked over holding a gun that was so ugly that it didn't even deserve to be called a weapon, and saw the brighter smile on Wei Ran's face.

Before the Japanese soldier, who realized that something was wrong, could say or do anything, Wei Ran raised his hands in surrender and slammed his sleeves hard against the tree trunk behind him.

This action immediately caused the surrounding Japanese soldiers to panic, and several of them raised their guns and stabbed forward in the sweeping white light.

Amid the sudden chill and severe pain in his chest, Wei Ran saw with satisfaction that his left and right hands exploded successfully along with the two Japanese grenades hidden inside, and saw his hands turned into a blood mist all over the sky.

“I don’t know how many more are left.”

Wei Ran couldn't help but mutter something before he lost consciousness, and at the same time he vaguely heard a helpless sigh that seemed to sound in his ears.

"who is it."

Wei Ran was only curious for a moment before he completely lost consciousness.