"But do they deal with the other sentry posts the same way?"
Cheng Zhuo was speechless.
"That's different."
But after saying that, he sighed.
“I know it’s tough for everyone. But you know, there are at least a hundred outposts along this border; building them would be a huge project.”
With only a basic understanding of history, what we now call outposts are small outposts used for patrolling, monitoring, reconnaissance, and guarding a certain area. This vast border has been divided into more than a hundred outposts.
At this time, personnel and supplies are scarce, and outposts are rudimentary, with only three or four people at each outpost. They are far from the scale and fortification of outposts in later generations. However, with the environment and supply of materials being equally rudimentary, it is only the people who suffer.
Cheng Chao and Qin Qinghuai exchanged a glance. They had also considered this problem, but while construction was easy to talk about, it was difficult to put into practice.
For safety, these outposts are built on different terrains, along the side of the mountain to avoid the wind. They are almost all built on hillsides, but not all of them are flat, so building them is quite troublesome.
Moreover, in this season, when the ground is already frozen solid, breaking ground is no easy task.
Building it or not building it, both are difficult choices.
After a long silence, Cheng Chao finally spoke.
"Second Uncle, do you remember the thing I came to tell you before?"
You might have said it in anger, but we took it seriously.
The supplies have been transported back, and plans have been made. Construction here was also in the plan, but we originally intended to start construction after the thaw following the New Year. We didn't think this through.
However, are the conditions for breaking ground now?
Having lived in Northeast China for so many years, they should know this basic common sense. Cheng Zhuo shook his head.
"Forget it, if you can keep it in mind, a little more time won't make a difference. We've been through so many winters, one more won't make a difference. As for the weather, it's tough, but in another month or so, the coldest days will be over."
Let's wait until spring when the ice thaws; it's really not a good time now.
Cheng Chao suddenly reached out to roll up Cheng Zhuo's sleeve. His hands were noticeably swollen, and faint white marks could be seen. His hands trembled, and Cheng Chao's nose felt stuffy. He couldn't sit still anymore, so he stood up abruptly and turned his back.
Jian Dan and Qin Qinghuai were speechless for a moment after seeing this.
"You don't need to do this,"
Cheng Zhuo slowly lowered his sleeves, casually scooping his hands up with his own, looking every bit the typical Northeastern man.
"I'm used to it. Besides, being able to do something practical here makes me feel more at ease. This is nothing. Apart from the annoying little thing, it doesn't have any other impact."
The wind outside blew in boldly through the cracks in the wall. Cheng Zhuo's face turned pale, but he remained calm, as if he hadn't noticed anything.
"I can still move around freely, and I can still come in to seek shelter from the wind and warm myself, while they,"
Looking out, I saw two young soldiers standing guard, weapons in hand. They were covered in a layer of snow, even their eyelashes were covered in it, glistening and seemingly heavy. They blinked, trembling slightly.
"They are all young, but they have been in the military for several years. They have to stand like this day and night. When they are off duty, their legs, arms, and even brains are frozen stiff. If they move, it feels like being pricked with needles. They have to walk around this area ten times or so to recover."
Spending every day with them, I truly understand the helplessness of soldiers at the grassroots level. Even in peacetime, they still struggle to get enough to eat and wear, let alone support their families.
Why do you think people join the army? Why leave their families and homes to suffer here?
Everyone says it's glorious to defend one's country, especially in this peaceful era!
Cheng Zhuo was in low spirits and didn't know what to say for a moment.
Cheng Chao paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice,
"I'll listen to you about the reconstruction, but you have to listen to me about everything else. The house can't just be left like this. I'll go back and find some materials and plaster it inside. It can't be exposed to the wind during the day and then exposed to the wind inside at night. Nobody can stand that kind of constant wind."
I looked at several rooms nearby, some of which were even worse than this one. They were very shabby, and some of the gaps were so big that they were just stuffed up with unused things.
In the early days of the People's Republic of China, the country was riddled with holes and needed to be filled. This area was remote and the higher-ups didn't notice it. Along this border, there were only a few relatively sturdy outposts, but they were also remnants of the war. They made use of these remnants and suffered much less than their brothers.
Cheng Chao had served in the army for many years, enduring hardships and fearing no environment, but he felt truly distressed every time he saw his brothers suffering in the increasingly dilapidated dormitory.
He had no choice before, but now he felt he couldn't just sit around waiting for the thaw in the spring; he had to do something.
Qin Qinghuai's expression was also not good. Compared to Cheng Chao, he was closer, and they hadn't even noticed the problem right under their noses, which made him feel a bit embarrassed.
"Don't overthink it,"
Qin Qinghuai's expression clearly showed that Cheng Zhuo sighed.
"This is not your responsibility; it's a problem that has been left over for many years."
"Yes, it's our problem,"
Cheng Chao's face was filled with grief, indignation, and heaviness.
“Over the years, I’ve come here more than three or five times, and I never noticed anything wrong with it. Even though the conditions over there are worse, the brothers there can still sleep in dormitories that don’t get any ventilation. It’s my oversight here.”
After this incident, the meal was not very enjoyable. After the group left, they watched from a distance for a long time. It happened to be the change of shift, and the soldier who was about to go off duty could only move slowly with the help of his comrades. Just as Cheng Zhuo had said, he moved around like a snail for a long time.
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