War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 552 29 degrees north by west

In the gap between the two sand beams, after a lot of work, Felix finally dug out from the depths of the yellow sand two oil drums and two water jugs tied together with paracords, plus a few of several cans.

"What day is this?" Morris asked after taking the half-small glass of water handed by the former.

"It's the fifth day, the evening of the fifth day."

Felix shook the light oil barrel and poured the last sip of water into his glass, "We only have the last barrel of water and six cans left."

"That is to say, we still have five or six days?" Morris asked, frowning.

"After a week at most, our water and food will be exhausted. After that, we can persist for at most two to three days before we die of thirst." Felix finished speaking and poured the only sip of water Put it into your mouth, and lick the last drop of water that you don't want to fall by the way.

"We have to cover [-] kilometers in seven days," Morris told the more brutal truth.

"Maybe we can find water along the way. Before that, we can only save some water."

Felix was more optimistic. After tying the empty oil drum to the chair, he stacked the last oil drum full of water on it and carefully wrapped it with parachute cloth.

Finally, he wrapped the few remaining cans in a blanket and placed them on top, and then he helped Morris sit on it, then picked up the paracord, and walked westward along the ravine between the two sand beams.

On the sand beam behind the two of them, Wei Ran unhurriedly drank a glass of beer and ate half a Snickers bar. This combination is definitely not delicious, but it is much better than the two of Felix. And his reserves are enough to last longer without any problem.

In the past five days, he drank more than half of the beer stored in the oil barrel, and nearly a quarter of the fresh water, but the various energy bars, compressed biscuits, chocolates and other things in the food box were still enough He has no problem eating for half a month.

But just like Felix and others, at this time he also had to start thinking about saving consumption by taking precautions.

Waiting patiently for the distance between the two parties to be one kilometer away, Wei Ran unhurriedly wrapped up the silk turban made of parachute cloth, put on a flying cap and goggles, and followed slowly with a shotgun on his back. go up.

After the strong wind, the terrain of the desert has undergone tremendous changes compared to before, and at the same time it has become more and more difficult to walk. From time to time, you have to climb high sand beams, otherwise you can only go around twice or even three times.

Although this is equivalent to more physical exertion for Felix, as long as Morris climbs up the sand beam, the two of them can at least slide down the inverted chair.So in general, the speed hasn't changed much, it's just a few more somersaults on the soft sand.

Of course, for Wei Ran, this way of traveling has brought a lot of trouble.In the past few days, he has been using the time on the watch and the number of steps he walked along the way to calculate the changes in Felix's footsteps, and then calculate his physical state.But now, he can only focus on his journey.

For the next three days, the three people divided into two groups repeated the boring itinerary of resting during the day and rushing at night.

Fortunately, since the ground became flat again two days ago, he could finally recalculate Felix's footsteps.

Compared to when Leon was alive, Felix's speed has dropped by nearly half.

According to Wei Ran's own physical strength estimation, he can only walk less than ten kilometers every day by dragging Morris.

Although the speed has slowed down a lot, in the past few days, Morris seems to have completely trusted Felix, and now the direction of progress every day is completely fixed at 29 degrees west by north.

"Felix, let's lighten up some more."

On the eighth day after the forced landing, and at dusk on the third day after the sandstorm ended, Morris said while Felix was opening a can.

"We have nothing to throw away," Felix said, having opened the fourth last can.

"Blankets, submachine guns, and submachine gun magazines, even my shoes, and things that I don't need at all." Morris said, and even pulled out the P38 pistol that originally belonged to Felix, together with The things he just mentioned were thrown aside from the chair together.

Glancing at Morris who was struggling to take off his boots, Felix kicked away the pistol and submachine gun that the former had just thrown aside, picked up the opened can again, poured some into the cup and handed it to Morris. Then he asked while helping him take off his boots, "Morris, according to your estimate, how far are we from the airport?"

"At least there is still a straight-line distance of 150 kilometers to 180 kilometers"

Morris glanced at the compass on his wrist, and continued almost desperately while holding a cup of food, "According to our current speed, it will take at least 10 days or even half a month to go back."

"It's really going to take some weight off"

Felix sighed, threw aside the boots that he had just helped the other party take off, and then bent down to pick up the pistol and submachine gun that Morris had discarded, "But we have nothing left to discard."

"That iron bucket that's out of water?" Morris froze before he finished speaking, "Felix, you."

"The airport is 29 degrees west by north, 150 to 180 kilometers in a straight line, right?"

While Felix was speaking, he reached out and took out a bright silver pocket watch from his pocket, opened it, hooked the chain on the pocket watch with his fingers and shook it gently.

Morris glanced at the pocket watch reflecting the light of dusk. His face covered with wind and sand was full of despair. It was not a pocket watch, but a pocket watch-style compass!
"So what you said before was all lies?" Morris asked desperately.

"What lie?" Felix let go of the pocket watch-style compass in his hand, letting it fall on the yellow sand at his feet.

"Your family, and your mission." Morris asked almost muttering, "It's all fake?"

"Of course it's all true"

Felix took two steps back, sat on the warm sand and explained slowly, "But my parents have already passed away, and my wife was also sent to a concentration camp by me because of her blood. It is because of my loyalty that I have the opportunity to be sent here."

Morris was silent for a moment, picked up the cup he was holding and took a sip of the canned soup, then pinched a piece of soft pork from it, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed it.

Morris didn't ask until he had eaten all the food in the glass, "Can I have another glass of water?"

"sure"

Felix put down the weapon in his hand, got up and generously poured Morris a full glass of water.

Taking the water glass, Morris took a big sip of water, then put it aside, untied the standard-issue compass from his wrist, and threw it away together with the watch Felix gave him back then.

Taking advantage of the time when Felix put the compass and watch on his wrist, Morris said again, "The location of the two camps, how about you take me out of this desert?"

"It doesn't have to be"

Felix blew hard on the sand stained on the dial, and said in a flat tone, "The 450 kilograms of gold on the plane is enough for me. As long as I leave the desert alive and hide after the war is over, the gold is enough for me to start a new life." Life."

"This is your loyalty?" Morris mocked.

"Mr. Morris, that's cleverness."

While Felix was speaking, he took out a photo and a certificate from his pocket, and then took out a lighter, and slowly burned the upper right corner of the photo with flames, burning the upper body of several people Afterwards, the flames in the photo were extinguished with a sand cover.

"In the future, I will start a new life as the Belgian prospector Laus Berger." Felix shook the ID in his hand, "As for you, Maurice, you will carry the secrets of those two camps Just stay here forever."

Before the words fell, Felix had picked up the P38 pistol, slowly checked the bullets in it and asked, "I give you two choices, either I will give you a shot, or I will leave you here to slowly die of thirst .”

"Help me, in fact, I have long expected that this day will come"

Morris drank the remaining water in the glass, with a bleak smile on his face, "I thought you would abandon me in the desert after you ran out of food and water."

"Sorry, I have to live."

While speaking, Felix moved closer to Maurice's side, and held the latter's chin with the muzzle of the gun stained with yellow sand, "Is there anything else you want to say?"

"You will die in this desert too." Morris was unusually calm at this moment, and there was no longer any fear in those eyes, only sarcasm was left.

"I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you." Felix pulled the trigger before he finished speaking!
"Bang!" After the crisp gunshot, Morris fell on the warm yellow sand.

At the same time, the shot also alarmed Wei Ran, who was putting on a one-piece flight suit behind another sand dune [-] meters away.

"broken!"

Wei Ran's heart sank, he kicked off the flight suit that had just been put on his feet, and climbed up the sand dune with bare feet as fast as he could, raising the telescope.

Under his gaze, Felix put the pistol in Morris's hand, then sat next to him, and slowly finished the remaining can.

Throwing away the tin can, Felix untied the parachute cloth from the chair, tore off a large piece and carefully wrapped Morris' body, and even put his own soldier badge and pistol on Morris's chest to wrap it together. Get up!
After finishing all this work, he picked up the rope tied to the chair, his pocket watch compass and the submachine gun, carried a small half bucket of water and a few cans on his back with the paracord, and headed towards the north by west 29 Take a step in the direction of degrees.

(End of this chapter)