root
Volume Two, Chapter Ten
The Japanese sweeping force withdrew completely within two days, like a receding tide. The mountains and forests returned to a semblance of tranquility, leaving only some burned woodlands, abandoned garbage, and shell craters that silently testified to the brutal hunt. The continuous rainy weather finally cleared up, and the long-awaited sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on the damp forest and creating a misty haze.
Gu Tieshan led his team back to the area where they had initially operated, but which was now deeper and more secluded. This time, instead of building an inconspicuous wooden hut, they found a huge, centuries-old tree whose heartwood had been hollowed out by lightning strikes and wind and rain. The interior of the tree hollow was unexpectedly spacious, enough to accommodate several people. The entrance was hidden behind a thicket of vines, and there were natural ventilation gaps above, making it an excellent natural shelter.
Centered around this "treehouse," they established multiple concealed observation points, supply storage points, and emergency evacuation routes within a one-kilometer radius. Gu Tieshan used his military knowledge to transform this area into a miniature fortress that could be attacked or defended at will.
The first thing to do after settling in was to reflect and rest.
The continuous high-intensity fighting and escape had pushed everyone to their physical and mental limits. Gu Tieshan ordered a three-day rest for everyone. They could finally light a safe campfire, dry their soaked clothes, and cook a pot of hot porridge with wild vegetables and a small amount of dried meat (from the spoils of the last ambush) using captured Japanese mess kits. Xiu Niang's face regained some color, and the child stopped crying so often, even showing a babbling smile in the sunlight.
During his rest period, Gu Tieshan did not remain idle. He found some relatively smooth birch bark, used charcoal as a pen, and began to systematically organize his revived military memories and combat experience from this period.
His writings are varied, but extremely practical:
• "Essentials of Mountain and Forest Scouting": How to use terrain and landforms for concealment, how to identify directions and track targets, and how to set and identify simple traps and markings.
• Squad Tactics: Basic tactical coordination, firepower configuration, alternating cover, and battlefield communication (gestures, bird call simulations, etc.) for three-man and five-man combat teams.
• Identification of Japanese Military Equipment and Tactics: This book draws simplified diagrams of the main weapons and equipment of the Japanese army, marks their performance and weaknesses, and analyzes common tactical patterns at the squad and company levels.
• "Polar Survival Notes": How to obtain water and food in frigid environments, how to prevent and treat frostbite, and how to build simple snow shelters, etc.
He not only wrote these things himself, but also had Geng Dashan, Xiao Chen, Zhao Xiaoshuan, and others participate in the discussion, supplementing them with their own expertise and experience. For example, Geng Dashan added several methods for setting traps using local plants and identifying edible fungi. Xiao Chen and Zhao Xiaoshuan offered their own understanding and suggestions for improvement on tactical maneuvers.
This process was not merely about summarizing knowledge, but also about unifying thinking and improving the entire team's tactical skills and teamwork. Looking at the rough but detailed "teaching materials," Geng Dashan and the others felt an even greater admiration for Gu Tieshan. They understood that Gu Tieshan was imparting all his knowledge, truly forging their small team into a sharp blade capable of effective operations behind enemy lines.
Meanwhile, Shen Lanjun's work was also proceeding intensively.
Contact with Wang Degui was quickly restored after the sweep. This time, Wang Degui's attitude had subtly changed. Previously, he was mostly coerced and fearful, but now, after witnessing firsthand (albeit indirectly) Gu Tieshan and his group repeatedly thwart Onizuka and even snatch food from the jaws of death, he felt not only fear but also a sense of awe for this mysterious force and... perhaps even a hint of wishful thinking that he himself was unaware of—maybe they really could succeed?
The intelligence he provided became more proactive and in-depth, no longer limited to logistics and transportation, but also involving personnel changes within the Heihe Special Service Agency, Onizuka Ichiro's emotional state (reportedly due to his unusual irritability caused by consecutive defeats), and some social developments, such as the recent tightening of control over border residents and the investigation of books containing "suspicious ideas."
Like a patient spider, Shen Lanjun began carefully weaving her intelligence network, starting with Wang Degui. Through Wang Degui, she identified and contacted two other potential targets: one was a junior employee at the Heihe dock who was responsible for registering goods and deeply resentful of the Japanese army's exploitation; the other was a Chinese nurse at a hospital whose younger brother had died at the hands of the Japanese army and who harbored hatred in her heart.
Contact was extremely cautious and indirect, often requiring several "chance encounters" and coded probing to establish initial trust. Leveraging her extensive experience and exceptional courage accumulated during her underground work in Shanghai, Shen Lanjun gradually expanded her sources of information.
She also repaired and concealed the captured radio, making communication with the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces headquarters more stable. She not only reported situations and received orders, but also began sharing tidied and filtered intelligence with brother units in other areas via radio. The Jiangwan communication station was gradually evolving from a passive recipient of orders into a proactive, regional intelligence gathering and distribution center.
As night fell, the campfire flickered inside the "treehouse." Gu Tieshan had just finished explaining the meaning of a tactical hand signal to Zhao Xiaoshuan when he looked up and saw Shen Lanjun, by the firelight, coded a telegram she was about to send on a small piece of paper. Her profile, illuminated by the firelight, appeared focused and serene, possessing a captivating power.
Geng Dashan was wiping the parts of the precious Type 92 heavy machine gun, Xiao Chen was counting the ammunition, and Xiu Niang, having put the child to sleep, was mending everyone's worn-out clothes with Shuanzi. Everything seemed orderly, even carrying a rare sense of "home" warmth amidst the flames of war.
Gu Tieshan sat down next to Shen Lanjun, picked up a piece of birch bark, and continued to supplement his "Polar Survival Notes." The two did not speak, yet a silent understanding flowed between them.
The roots have taken deep hold on this land trampled by the enemy's iron hooves. No longer afraid of wind and rain, it draws strength from the baptism of blood and fire, awaiting the moment it will break through the soil and reach the sky. Gu Tieshan and Shen Lanjun, this couple who united in hardship and were tempered in the flames of war, also completed the most important transformation of their lives—from wandering survivors to steadfast guardians and sowers of this land.
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