Reconnaissance in the Soviet Area (Part 3)
Under the cover of night, the investigation team rushed to the spy's site. The lights inside the house turned on and off repeatedly, and everything was quiet, as if the owners had just gone to bed and there was no sound at all.
On the other side, Zhao Fengnian and Chunmei, having completed their telegram transmission mission, quickly assembled their team. The group hid behind lush bushes, and in front of them was an ordinary house, backed by a mountain. Inside the house, two men were walking back and forth.
According to Lu Wei's revelation before he fell into a coma, this should be the largest opium den in the base area. The house is connected to a natural cave that stretches for several kilometers and has a complex and bottomless terrain.
If we act rashly, not only will we alert the enemy, but if the spies are determined to fight to the death and launch a counterattack using the terrain advantage, we will suffer heavy losses.
Unfortunately, he had only been there once, and he was blindfolded, so he couldn't draw a map. He only remembered that if you went straight in, you would turn left at the second fork in the road, there would be a downhill slope, and if you went down for about a kilometer, you would step on three steps. Then, if you went diagonally to the left and walked horizontally for three kilometers, the warehouse would be on your right.
The warehouse is stocked with a staggering amount of opium paste; comrades, we must be fully prepared before launching another attack.
However, if they don't break through now, once the spies realize what's happening and move away, they won't have a chance to attack. They have to race against time and destroy as many hideouts as possible.
Section Chief Zhao acted decisively, secretly requesting the Military Commission to lead two companies of soldiers to prepare for a strong attack. When they encountered resistance from the spies, they were shot dead.
After Section Chief Zhao gave the orders, the company commander began assigning specific tasks. He selected three elite soldiers to disguise themselves as civilians and infiltrate the vicinity of the houses, waiting for the agents to change shifts. When the opportunity arose, they would break into the houses, quickly control the entrance, and open the door for the main force. Then, the main force would enter the houses through the main gate to carry out the search and arrest missions.
"Section Chief Zhao, that company commander, judging from his accent, might not be a local. We locals all know that the terrain inside the cave is extremely complex, and we wouldn't dare go too far without someone familiar with the area. It's highly likely that the spy escaped from the back mountain." Chunmei whispered to Zhao Fengnian, "Should we organize a pursuit team?"
"It's alright. The focus of this operation isn't capturing spies, but rather confiscating opium paste, raw opium, and manufacturing equipment. We absolutely cannot let these harmful substances leak out," Section Chief Zhao said firmly. Chunmei nodded, only half understanding; listening to the leader was always the right thing to do.
At three in the morning, the village dogs were already snoring, which was the best time for the combat team to attack. The key was one word: speed.
The three men quietly opened the door, giving the person inside no time to react. Almost simultaneously, they covered the patrolman's mouth and nose, and with a snap, his neck went limp and he collapsed to the side. The entire squad, which had been prepared beforehand, rushed in in one go.
Suddenly, everything went black. Chunmei rubbed her eyes. She couldn't see clearly in the dark, but her vision would return to normal in bright places. She didn't know why.
Bang bang—
Muffled gunshots came from all directions, seemingly not ahead, but beneath her feet. A cool breeze blew by, and Chunmei saw the house again, immediately becoming extremely alert.
"Comrades, get ready, come directly to the warehouse with me." Section Chief Zhao handed Chunmei a bolt-action rifle, and took one for himself as well.
The tranquility of the mountains was broken, and the chirping of insects immediately became the accompaniment. Without hesitation, Chunmei and her colleagues from the investigation team filed in.
The cave was filled with smoke and fire, sparks flying and dancing on the stone slabs. Chunmei grinned, itching to fire, and took down a firing point. Before she could fire a second shot, Section Chief Zhao pulled her away. They couldn't linger; their mission was to find the warehouse.
The deeper they went, the fewer gunshots they heard. The comrades used flashlights to light their way, and the only sound inside the cave was the rhythmic breathing of everyone. Chunmei, who wasn't used to staying up late, couldn't help but yawn. Suddenly, she lost her footing and fell onto Section Chief Zhao's back. Startled, he immediately picked up his gun.
Her comrades all turned to look at her. She waved, gave an awkward smile, and glanced down at the steps: one, two, three, three steps.
This meant they were very close to the warehouse, and their destination was just ahead. In her excitement, Chunmei rushed in front of Section Chief Zhao, only to be suddenly pulled back by him.
Clang! Sparks flew as a bullet struck the wall she had been leaning against. Her head was ringing. Chunmei shook her head and looked around. A dark shadow flashed past stealthily.
"Listen up, you inside! You're surrounded! Surrender now! Lay down your weapons and you'll be spared!" the loud-voiced comrade shouted at Section Chief Zhao's signal.
Bang! Bang! Two gunshots rang out in response. The comrade who was shouting was unfortunately grazed by a bullet, and blood slid down his cheek. Chunmei's eyes instantly turned red. "Damn it! These dog spies not only refuse to surrender, but they dare to fight back!"
"You little bitch, if I don't kill you today, I'll be letting my third uncle down!" Chunmei's temper flared up, she pulled the bolt of her gun, ignored Section Chief Zhao's attempts to stop her, and leaped up, firing a shot at the dark figure on instinct.
With a scream, Chunmei had already run to where the dark figure was. A large backpack flipped the dark figure over, and with her knee on the dark figure's arm, she twisted it with a snap, disarming the figure and breaking its arm in the process.
"Zhang Chunmei, mission!" Section Chief Zhao rushed over and sternly stopped Chunmei, then turned to the shadowy figure and asked, "Besides you, who else is in the warehouse?"
But the other party was a tough nut to crack and completely ignored Section Chief Zhao. Chunmei put her knee down hard, and the other party cried out in pain. He immediately said, "It's all gone, it's all gone. Really, I'm just a small pawn, I stayed behind to cover the retreat."
They ran away! Section Chief Zhao's face darkened, and he ran towards the warehouse. Chunmei also ran towards the warehouse.
However, with one right turn, Chunmei's heart sank to the bottom.
The cave, which was larger than the government granary, was empty. The few black marks left on the ground and walls indicated that a large amount of opium paste had once been stored there.
How could this happen! Everyone was already working so fast, how could they let them take away the opium right under our noses? It's outrageous!
Under the intense stimulation, Chunmei's vision flickered, as if a mischievous child was playing a game of blindfolding behind her.
In the brief moment of shifting gaze, several clear white drag marks were reflected on the gray floor. Chunmei quickly nudged the comrade next to her, but due to the poor lighting, it took him a long time to confirm that there was indeed a drag mark on the floor. He gave her a thumbs up with admiration, while Chunmei scratched her head sheepishly.
Following the drag mark, Chunmei noticed something unusual about the wall. She pressed it and found it to be soft, like linen.
With a whoosh, she tore it open, and a rush of cool water vapor surged up, revealing a huge hole taller than a person, with a rope as thick as an arm hanging from it.
Below the rope was an extremely wide underground river, more than enough to carry a medium-sized cargo ship. It seemed that the spies had received advance notice and transported the goods away. Section Chief Zhao held his forehead and slowly closed his eyes, while Chunmei was completely plunged into darkness.
The mission failed, and she didn't know what to do next. She could only wait for orders from her superiors. On the way back, Chunmei couldn't resist the exhaustion from staying up all night and fell into a deep sleep listening to the chirping of insects and birds.
"Sister Chunmei, Sister Chunmei." In her half-dreaming state, someone shook her vigorously.
Who is it? Why can't I rest? She opened her eyes impatiently and saw a boy of about ten years old wearing a sleeveless white shirt with a bright red undershirt showing through the open shirt.
"Oh, it's the children's group from our village." Chunmei wiped the sweat from the little boy's forehead with her sleeve: "Xiao Haizi, what time is it? What's the rush?"
After catching his breath while supporting his knees, Xiao Haizi whispered mysteriously in Chunmei's ear, "There are White bandits in our village. They're impersonating Red Army soldiers and they're even carrying weapons."
"What! Are you sure?" Chunmei shuddered and sat up abruptly.
Chunmei learned from the little boy that just as dawn was breaking, Xiao Haizi went up the mountain to cut grass, cutting all the way to the top.
The weather wasn't that hot then, but Xiao Haizi saw a guy in a blue-gray military uniform sitting under a big tree enjoying the shade. The man had binoculars around his neck and looked like a high-ranking officer.
The leader was very approachable, smiling and waving to Xiao Haizi to chat. Red Army soldiers often stayed in their village, so Xiao Haizi, out of respect, was happy to talk to the leader.
But after only a few words, the leader suddenly asked if their village had a militia. Xiao Haizi answered yes. The leader then pressed for details, asking who the militia commander was and how many there were.
"Commander? Only White bandits call themselves commanders!" Xiao Haizi had a vague feeling that something was wrong, so he made up a name, gave a false number, and then made an excuse that he had to go back to feed the pigs, otherwise he would get beaten.
Unexpectedly, the man grabbed Xiao Haizi and insisted that the child lead the way, as they wanted to go to the village to take a look and ask if they could stay for the night.
A thought suddenly struck Xiao Haizi, and he tentatively asked, "Sir, how many of us are there?"
The man, unaware of the problem with his address, happily pointed downstream, where he saw three unfamiliar large fishing boats moored on the river bend. Xiao Hai pretended not to see clearly, which startled the White bandit into showing him his binoculars.
It wouldn't have been a big deal at first; their village is located on a tributary of the Gan River, and the villages on both banks all make a living by fishing. But when Xiao Haizi saw it, he was shocked. Everyone on the boats was carrying a gun, and each boat had about ten people showing their faces. There were definitely more people who hadn't shown their faces yet. Conservatively speaking, there were about twenty people on each boat.
Good heavens, three ships and sixty people! Wait a minute, ships, White bandits, and they're armed! Chunmei slapped her forehead, a sudden realization dawning on her. Alas~ those damn spies are trying to walk right into our trap!
The tender willow branches droop down to the wide river channel, and the water surface, bathed in the warm sun, gurgles. On the mudflats, three or five fishermen are bending over, nailing fish traps. Soon, this place will be submerged by the river.
The tranquility was broken by a series of clattering hooves. The playful children by the river stopped running around and shouted at the carriage adorned with red ribbons, "The bride is coming home! What delicious treats has the new son-in-law brought us?"
"I brought candy, but if I get back late, it'll all be gone." The man on horseback had a ruddy complexion. Although he was a man, he was not very old; his slightly immature face made him look no more than sixteen or seventeen years old.
As soon as he finished speaking, the children rushed towards the village, afraid that if they were late, the candy would be gone.
With a series of crackling sounds, the prepared firecrackers went off as soon as the horse-drawn carriage entered the village, scattering red paper all over the ground. The women in the village stood at the entrance, discussing the grandeur of the bride's return to her parents' home. The carriage carried nine large boxes, some big enough to hold people, suggesting that the bride had brought back a lot of gifts.
Finally, the carriage stopped in front of the village chief's house. The new son-in-law jumped off his horse, took his bride's hand, and got out of the carriage. Then, the two of them knocked on the village chief's door together: "Father, we're back."
A moment later, the gray-haired village chief pushed open the wooden gate, beaming, and said, "You've come back at just the right time. We have double good news today, as a high-ranking official wants to stay at our house."
"That's great! Let's invite the leaders to our homecoming banquet together. The more people, the more lively it will be," the new son-in-law said as he entered the house with his father-in-law and wife.
Inside the main room stood a man in a blue-gray military uniform, with binoculars hanging around his neck. After exchanging pleasantries, the commander indicated that he could attend the homecoming banquet, but his subordinates could not, as they were bound by discipline.
The village chief wanted to persuade him further, but the new son-in-law pressed down on the village chief's hand, advising his father-in-law not to worry anymore. He said that the fact that the leader was willing to attend was already a huge honor, and they shouldn't break his rules.
"Please sit in the main room for a while. If you need anything, you can ask my mother-in-law. After we finish visiting relatives, we can start the banquet. I will personally come to invite the leader to take his seat then." The new son-in-law bowed respectfully.
After listening, the leader smiled and praised, "Village chief, your son-in-law is young but mature in his dealings with people. He will surely achieve great things in the future."
"Hehe, no problem, no problem." The village chief chuckled as he led the new son-in-law and daughter away.
After rounding several fences, the village chief's smile faded. He looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, then asked the new son-in-law, "Little Plum, did you bring everything?"
The new son-in-law—no, Zhang Chunmei—nodded: "He's here. Are my third uncle and the others ready?"
"Of course, the best swimmers in the village have gone," the village chief cautioned. "Don't get too excited yet. Tonight will be tough, and we need to be prepared for any unexpected situations. Their weapons aren't just for show. You're young, so don't rush ahead recklessly, understand?"
Chunmei patted her chest and assured her, "Yes, yes, I'll follow orders in everything."
Thick fog obscured the moon, stars and fishing lights crisscrossed the river, and the backyard surrounded by fences was crowded with guests, who seemed to have gathered all the enthusiasm they had held back during the day at the village chief's house.
With a snap, the village chief used the back of his knife to break the seal on the wine jar. Amidst applause and congratulations, the village chief poured the first bowl of Daughter's Red wine for the leader.
"Watch out, it's hot! Crispy and piping hot fried anchovies are here!"
Chunmei placed the steaming plate in the middle of the table and invited the leaders at the table to try it. They were all small fish that had just been caught from the river and were very fresh.
Crunch! The crisp little fish were eaten one after another. The commander was enjoying his meal. The village chief then brought up the soldiers on the boat, suggesting that they be given some as well.
The "leader" took a sip of wine, then popped a small fish into his mouth, waving his hand to indicate that he didn't need it and that they would find their own food.
"No, no, sir, this won't do. We must treat them properly, or we'll both be disgraced." Chunmei shouted loudly, "Brother, bring out the fried river fish and send some food to the soldiers."
The village chief filled the leader's cup again: "I know you are disciplined, but the military and the people are as close as fish and water. These are all fish that we caught ourselves, and they are not worth much money. If you refuse again, I will get angry, really angry."
Before the leader could react, the village chief gave Chunmei a look, and Chunmei immediately led several young people, like an honor guard, to jump onto the small fishing boat with gongs and drums, and left the village with a long pole.
The riverbanks are lined with trees. In the distance, a large boardwalk protrudes across the river, and you can vaguely see about a dozen people in blue-gray military uniforms cooking over a fire. About ten meters behind them, a large fishing boat is moored.
With a wave of her hand, the young man at the stern started frying fish, while Chunmei stood at the bow, shouting energetically, "Hey, everyone, come out quickly! There's a banquet in the village, and the leader has given us special permission to bring you fried fish to share in the joy!"
The aroma of fried fish wafted along the river breeze to the boardwalk, and the soldiers in the cabins peeked out, sniffing the air with gleaming eyes.
Some daring individuals even disregarded the truth and jumped directly onto small fishing boats on the boardwalk, grabbing handfuls of small fish and chewing them up, acting like starving ghosts reincarnated.
Once the first person tried it, a second and a third followed, and eventually the last few small boats used for frying fish were full of people. Those who hadn't made it onto the boats were cursing and swearing on horseback on the boardwalk. Chunmei distributed the fried fish while simultaneously counting the enemy's numbers; it seemed a little short.
"And another one, and another one, everyone, don't rush, one at a time. Is there anyone else in your cabin? Come out and eat together," Chunmei greeted warmly.
"Yes, ignore them, they don't like fish." A soldier spoke up to stop them, reaching out his oily hand and grabbing another handful of fish despite the heat.
The generals ignored the soldiers, and the soldiers ignored the generals; the ranks were visibly disunited. Chunmei rolled her eyes; if they didn't like fish, they'd surely drink wine.
She greeted everyone with a grin and said, "Gentlemen, my wife is returning home today for a joyous occasion. My father-in-law specially opened a jar of fifteen-year-old Shaoxing wine. It smells so good! The commander drank several bowls of it. Would you all like some?"
Immediately, everyone's eyes lit up, and they all started chattering excitedly.
"Of course I want to, of course I want to."
"Really? I'd like to try it too."
"I've never drunk Nu'er Hong before."
"I want one too."
As expected, Chunmei gave a wink to the young man at the stern of the boat. The young man frowned and said, "Young master, no, the commander won't let them drink. He's afraid they'll mess things up."
He deliberately emphasized the word "commander," looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. Chunmei smiled and said to the young man, "What are you saying? How can a little drinking interfere with the commander's important business? There are still some people on the boat who don't want to come out. It's good to watch the boat and save a couple of drinks for everyone. What do you all think?"
"Yes!" the soldiers responded in unison.
Suddenly, a bald man stood up from the deck, stretched, and said, "Such fragrant wine, how can we let them have it! All of you get down here! The officers haven't even had a sip, what are you going to drink?"
The bald man's unquestionable tone terrified the group of soldiers. They looked at each other, then lowered their heads dejectedly, remaining silent.
Perhaps seeing that no one moved, the bald man put his hands on his hips and glared at everyone menacingly, "Damn it, don't push your luck. If you delay my drinking, I'll throw you all over the boat."
Hehe, the big fish has finally come out of its slump. Chunmei shrugged: "So you're an officer too. Your commander didn't give any orders not to drink. Otherwise, the soldiers can watch the boat while the officers go back to the village to drink."
Forced by the bald man's tyranny, they had no choice but to disembark one after another. Chunmei also jumped off the ship, claiming that she was making room for the officers.
The soldiers were quite angry, but they dared not show it because of their superior's authority. Only when the lights of the small boat disappeared in front of them did they spit on the ground and curse the bald man to drink himself to death.
Chunmei, not forgetting to fan the flames from the side, said: "Forget it, you are the officers' soldiers, so you don't need to drink. I'll fry some fish for you instead."
"I'm not eating anymore. Hey, let me ask you, do you guys have any fun here?" Seeing that Chunmei didn't seem to understand, he pinched his index finger and thumb together and made a circle. "I guess there's not much good stuff in a small place like yours. I won't be picky, any kind of shady place will do, just let me cool off."
Her fist hardened instantly. Only then did Chunmei realize what his actions meant. Disgusting! If she had a weapon right now, she would have already shot that dead ladybug in front of her. Looking at him was just an insult to her eyes.
"No," Chunmei replied immediately, silently repeating to herself, "The mission is the most important thing! The mission is the most important thing!"
"Are you too young to have been before? I feel a connection with you, so how about I take you to broaden your horizons? I'll cover the expenses." The other person persisted, even putting their dirty hand on her shoulder.
With a snap, the nerves in her brain broke, and Chunmei reflexively swung her right arm, striking the other person's face. After a scream, blood streamed down the other person's nose.
"You...you're biting the hand that feeds you, you don't appreciate kindness!" The soldier wiped his nose and cursed, feeling wronged.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm used to fishing, and when someone puts their arm around my shoulder, I just want to pull hard." Chunmei rubbed her hands together, looking apologetic, but she felt really good inside.
"Forget it, they didn't do it on purpose. It's better to avoid trouble." People around her, who were indebted to Chunmei, all came to advise her, "You've eaten your fill, go back and rest."
Following the direction the soldier went back, Chunmei apologized as she followed closely. Now was the time to investigate, and everyone assumed she wanted to make amends and did not stop her.
There was nothing unusual on the deck, except for a faint fishy smell. When they opened the cabin, a stench like rotting fish assaulted their senses, making them dizzy.
But this wasn't the real smell of rotten fish; it was almost identical to the smell of raw opium that had been prepared. Chunmei couldn't help but cover her nose. She was now almost certain that the opium was on the ship.
The cabin was dimly lit, and Chunmei could barely see the interior structure. Her peeking around alerted the other crew members, who scolded her and kicked her off the ship.
Using the excuse of going to the toilet, Chunmei quickly slipped into the grove and ran far away. After making sure no one was around, she found a secluded corner and took a firecracker off her calf.
Whoosh—orange fireworks exploded in the sky, and a few seconds later, fireworks were lit at the other end of the village as well. The colorful fireworks drew beautiful arcs in the night, illuminating the river as if it were a palette of colors.
As a red firework exploded, Chunmei's lips curled into a cold smile. Some people, even dressed in dragon robes, don't look like princes. Reactionaries, tremble before the true revolutionaries.
Fireworks briefly illuminated the forest. Chunmei, pulling up her pants, ran and shouted, "Oh no! The White bandits are here! Everyone, get out of here!"
bang bang bang...
As if someone were to prove her words true, bullets flew towards the plank road amidst the sound of firecrackers, and many people fell to the ground. The battle had now begun.
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