War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 829 Malaria
It was already the morning of the third day when the raging torrential rain finally turned into a drizzle and thick rain and fog covering the entire mountain forest.

Although the rain took a lot of time for everyone, it also allowed everyone to get a full rest.

Not only that, Squad Leader Liang also, with the help of everyone, dried the bear meat and put it into a specially prepared bamboo tube, and selected all the damp rice to make fried rice.

With the help of the young monk, Zhou Guochang also used bamboo and bear skin to help Luke, who had a broken calf, make a pair of strong and durable crutches.

Even Tan Shouzheng, who was wearing a splint with one hand, used this rare rest time to re-weave two pairs of straw sandals.

"Check it one last time," Squad Leader Liang instructed, "Take everything that should be taken away, and throw away everything that should be thrown away. Let's go as far as Yuxiao can go."

"The rice is all here." Zhou Guochang checked the bamboo baskets on the two donkeys, "the tarp is also wrapped."

"Dried meat and bamboo shoots are also there," Tan Shouzheng replied.

"The quinine is ready." Wei Ran patted the back basket. Apart from helping Luke with some extra things, his main task is still to keep the quinine in one of the lunch boxes. As for the other half, Squad Leader Liang Carry it yourself.

"I'm ready too," Luke responded, leaning on a pair of bamboo crutches.

"Then let's go." Squad leader Liang put on a mosquito mask and bamboo hat while speaking.

It was said that Wei Ran and Zhou Guochang were at the front again, followed by the little monk and Tan Shouzheng who were leading the donkey, and at the end of the line were Squad Leader Liang and Luke, a businessman with a cane.

Although it was only because of the rain that they rested for a day, the traces left by the large troops passing through the jungle were almost covered by the surrounding vegetation, which also forced Wei Ran and Zhou Guochang to take turns waving the mountains Knife or machete, clearing the vines blocking the road, or the branches of trees washed down by the heavy rain.

"Squad leader, why haven't the people from the 288th regiment followed?" Tan Shouzheng asked worriedly.

"Maybe we are going on a different path than us." After a moment of silence, Squad Leader Liang worriedly gave the most optimistic answer.

"The regiment you mentioned is in charge of the post-break mission, right?" Luke, who was on crutches, asked.

"Yes." Squad Leader Liang nodded, "They may still be fighting for time."

"I hope so," Luke muttered, not expressing his guess after all.

Sliding all the way down to the foot of the mountain, everyone walked through the knee-deep mud with bamboo poles, and continued to follow the path left by the predecessors, moving towards an unknown direction.

Four days passed in a flash. During these four nights, the little devil's plane never appeared again, but there would be a rain from time to time, which made them feel like they were soaking in water every day.

Especially Wei Ran, Zhou Guochang, and Luke who were wearing boots, their feet almost showed signs of trench foot after every rain.

As a last resort, Wei Ran was the first to do it. After some cutting, he turned the ammunition boots into leather sandals with exposed toes and a lot of holes.

His method was quickly learned by Zhou Guochang and Luke, but these small changes can only make the feet more comfortable at best.However, the number of mosquitoes and locusts, which had increased significantly due to the increase in rainfall, often surrounded the crowd at dusk, and they seemed to not stop until they were sucked dry.

Although the little monk Sehao simply hung a smoking bamboo tube on the donkey and everyone, but even so, everyone still inevitably scratched and swelled and bleeds everywhere on the body.

On the other hand, as time passed, the traces left by the large troops in front became more and more difficult to see clearly, and even at noon on the third day, they encountered a fork in the road.

When they decided to walk along one of the forks in various ways for most of the day, the end of the fork led to a cliff of more than 20 meters straight up and down, and below the cliff was a rushing However, on the other side of the cliff tens of meters away, there is no trace of large troops passing through.

There is no doubt that this was the case when the vanguard also went the wrong way.As a last resort, everyone could only support their tired bodies and return the same way overnight.

At noon on the fourth day, Wei Ran, who walked to another fork in the road again, smelled the strong smell of corpses again in the drizzle.

Looking at each other with Zhou Guochang, the two quickened their pace a little, each wielding a machete or machete in their hands to clean up the vines blocking their vision.

In the end, they found dozens of decomposed and smelly corpses scattered near a stream hidden in the forest.

Most of these corpses have traces of being bitten by wild animals, but their bodies are more or less wrapped in gauze and even carry various weapons.

Taking a peek at Squad Leader Liang who was frowning tightly, Wei Ran walked to a relatively intact corpse leaning against a big tree.

At a glance, the petite stature, barely recognizable facial features, and shoulder-length black hair all hinted that this was a female soldier who followed into Savage Mountain.

There is even a red cross cuff on the female soldier's arm, and a canvas medical bag with the same red cross on her waist.

Carefully opening the medical bag, Wei Ran sighed secretly, all the medical equipment in the bag had been taken away, the only thing left was a palm-sized mirror with a crack in the middle, and a patterned mirror. Just a silver bracelet.

In addition, the female soldier held a small pistol with her mouth open against her chin.

"I know him"

Tan Shouzheng clenched his fists and said in a low voice, "She is a health worker in a field hospital. I remember her surname is Zhang, yes, her surname is Zhang, and her name is Zhang Xiu'e. That gun was given to her by Yang Wenshu from our battalion. It's all right, and he said that he will invite me and the wedding party when we go back.

Before, Yang Wenshu was killed by a devil's plane, and we all helped to hide it from her, saying that Yang Wenshu was left behind, but we didn't expect her to."

"I remember too"

Squad leader Liang sighed, "The first time I got malaria, it was she who gave me an injection. We had just arrived at Lidian at that time. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have known where I was buried."

"They are all wounded, lightly wounded who followed into Savage Mountain."

Zhou Guochang pointed to the lettering on the trunk of a big tree and said, "There are 46 in total. They really can't keep up. Because of the lack of medicines, many wounded wounds are infected. Besides the wounded, there are also a few who have malaria. They... They were suicidal, to... relieve logistical pressure."

"We... we have to hurry up." Squad leader Liang said tremblingly, "Let's hurry up, let's go, Wei Ran, keep going! We have to send the medicine over quickly!"

"immediately"

While Wei Ran was speaking, he had already pulled out his camera, turned around the corpses, and pressed the shutter again and again aiming at the lettering on the tree trunk.Then he quickened his pace and left this heart-wrenching tomb almost as if he was running away.

In the unspeakable silence and oppressive atmosphere, a group of people pulled a long or short distance until it was approaching dusk, and then stopped in the drizzle.

"The cave, there seems to be a cave over there." Zhou Guochang said weakly, "Do you want to rest for a night?"

"Squad leader, take a break"

Tan Shouzheng continued, "I've eaten all the fried rice these days. Let's make some new ones. And Old Lu needs to rest. His crutches are so worn out that he bleeds."

"Then rest for the night"

Squad leader Liang wiped the sweat from his forehead through the anti-mosquito mask, "Go in and have a look. If the space is big enough, let's go in and rest for a night."

"I'll go"

Wei Ran put away the water bottle he had just taken two sips from, and stooped into the cave with his submachine gun in his hand.

Taking out the flashlight and looking it over, Wei Ran heaved a sigh of relief. The cave is not too big, but it is enough for everyone to come in and rest. The ashes of the location, obviously, the original vanguard probably also rested here.

"Come in." Wei Ran bent down and came out of the cave to say hello, "The big troops in front seem to have rested here too."

Hearing this, everyone immediately got into the cave, put down their respective baskets and the dry firewood they picked up along the way, and then became more proficient, working together to unload the weight of the two donkeys and move them into the cave.

"My little master and I went to find water"

Before Zhou Guochang finished his sentence, he had already packed the water bottle, bamboo tube, and canvas bucket into his back basket, and by the way, he also took the pole that Squad Leader Liang made from bamboo slices and tree forks a few days ago.

"I'm going to chop some firewood"

Wei Ran also emptied the back basket, took the hatchet and left the cave. After these days of running-in, everyone had already found their respective positions.

Before the three of them left the cave, Tan Shouzheng, who was still wearing a splint in his hand, was also carrying the machete that Wei Ran used to use, and looked at the banana leaves from the door.

Inside the cave, Luke also helped Squad Leader Liang to do what he could to clean up the cave as much as possible.

When Wei Ran came back with a basket of damp dead wood on his back, the cave had already been paved with banana leaves, and even the opening of the cave was covered with banana trees cut down by the previous group of people who stayed here. Most of the time.

With the help of fuel oil, Squad Leader Liang easily lit the bonfire and put the cleaned iron pan on it.

Soon, Zhou Guochang and the little monk also returned to the cave with a full harvest.Not only did they find enough clean water this time as expected, but they even brought back half a basket of golden wild mangoes!

It's a pity that no matter whether it's fresh mangoes, or the rice stewed by Squad Leader Liang, or even the bear meat and dried bamboo shoots that have been steamed and cooked together on top of the rice, everyone obviously doesn't have much appetite.

After a night of nothing, when everyone was woken up by Tan Shouzheng, who was on the last shift, early the next morning, they found that Luke was shivering tightly wrapped in a blanket!

"Luke, what's the matter with you?" Wei Ran, who was instantly sober, leaned forward and asked.

"Leng Leng." The pale-faced Luke subconsciously responded in trembling English, and even when he switched to Chinese that was out of tune and answered again, Wei Ran could hear the click of his teeth colliding with each other.

"It seems to be malaria." Wei Ran frowned and made a judgment. Although Hongqi Forest Farm had taught various situations about malaria, this was the first time he encountered it.

"It's indeed malaria." Squad leader Liang just took a look and made a judgment, "Quick, give him medicine!"

Hearing this, Wei Ran immediately took out the wrapped lunch box from the backpack that was used as a pillow, took out the somewhat serious melted quinine pills, and stuffed them into Luke's mouth. At the same time, Zhou Guochang also put the water bottle stopper Pulled it out and handed it over.

After feeding him the medicine, Squad Leader Liang dug out two more bottles of cold pills and asked everyone to take them as a precaution.

"Looks like I can't go anymore," Tan Shouzheng said while leaning against the wall.

"It's better than last time." Squad leader Liang patted the wall, "Wei Ran, Guochang, you two have worked hard, bring more firewood back."

"follow me"

Wei Ran stood up while speaking, "I found a dead tree yesterday, let's drag it back with a donkey."

"I'll tell my little master." Zhou Guochang said hello to his little master Sehao while putting on his bamboo hat.

When the little monk nodded, Zhou Guochang immediately got out of the cave, and Wei Ran and Wei Ran each led a donkey and left the cave.

(End of this chapter)