Chapter 120
There was little communication between the Kush sentries and guides.
However, Jiang Wenxing had worked with Ilya for two years in his previous life and developed a deep camaraderie with him. He was not afraid of Ilya at all, unlike ordinary guides.
Therefore, when Ilya asked him how he was adapting to the cooking squad, Jiang Wenxing smiled, revealing eight teeth, and his eyes lit up: "I learned a lot in the cooking squad."
Seeing Jiang Wenxing covered in dust but still full of energy, Ilya couldn't help but smile slightly: "Thank you for your hard work."
Jiang Wenxing shook his head like a rattle-drum: "It's not hard work."
He suddenly felt a pang of sadness as the things he had seen and heard in the mess hall these past few days flashed before his eyes.
Squad Leader Xiong had a very thick notebook in which he meticulously recorded how much food was used each day and how much was left over, down to the last egg and bean.
But even in his previous life, Jiang Wenxing had no concept of food scarcity. The guide school provided them with the best food and lodging, and the border guards never let them go hungry.
But after getting to know it better, he found that it was completely different from what he had thought. Food was too difficult to transport in, and even if it was transported in, it was hard to guarantee that it wouldn't spoil. Therefore, most of what entered the border was food that could be stored for a long time. Even so, not everyone could have enough to eat.
The soldiers in the cookhouse only eat two meals a day.
Moreover, at that time, that paper had not yet been published, and the cooks did not understand the concept of a balanced diet.
The outpost lacked vegetables and fruits, and some soldiers suffered from minor problems due to a lack of trace elements that were difficult to supplement with medicine. For example, toothaches were not serious illnesses, but they were extremely uncomfortable.
In order to ensure that the patrol post could eat its fill, the wounded sentry voluntarily reduced the amount of food he received, resulting in malnutrition and poor recovery.
Squad Leader Xiong did not receive proper care during his serious injury period, and he watched helplessly as his spirit dissipated before his eyes.
A black-and-white photo of him holding the trophy is still tucked in his notebook; he's smiling brightly in the sunlight, as if the future belongs to him. Now, however, he struggles even to aim for the bullseye. The once mighty eagle is now relegated to this place, tossing a ladle.
Jiang Wenxing felt a sudden heaviness in his heart. He looked at the captain, whom he had trusted so much in both his lives, took a breath, and said firmly, "Captain, I will definitely do my best in the cooking squad. I want every soldier in our Kush to have enough to eat."
The sentry in front of him was slightly moved after hearing these words. He believed that Jiang Wenxing had truly felt it and was willing to make changes. Was this the old guide's intention in keeping him here?
Can the Kush border guards retain such guides?
How long can he stay here?
Thinking this through, Ilya, as a seasoned and experienced sentry, did not dismiss the young man but solemnly affirmed him, saying, "Comrade Jiang Wenxing, your awareness is worthy of our learning and praise."
Jiang Wenxing's bright smile dispelled his natural gloom.
"Captain, I'd like to talk to you about building vegetable greenhouses in Kush. I know it seems like a waste of resources..."
The two walked and talked. Ilya's brows furrowed at first, but gradually relaxed as he took the guide's advice to heart.
Upon arriving at the warehouse, they discovered that there was no key to the warehouse door.
The door was blocked by a huge piece of driftwood, which could not be opened by ordinary people except for high-ranking sentries. It was both appropriate for the situation and very practical.
Ilya told Jiang Wenxing to step back. He loosened his collar, took off his military jacket, revealing a faded white shirt underneath. He looked around and, finding nowhere to hang it, casually tossed the jacket onto a chair nearby.
The chair was dusty and dirty. In a split second, Jiang Wenxing's hands moved faster than his brain, and he caught the coat with a quick grab.
He caught it, only to find Ilya staring at him.
Jiang Wenxing suddenly felt that the comradeship he was holding was a little too hot to handle. He explained, "Captain... there's dust on the chair."
After saying that, Jiang Wenxing realized that he was even dirtier than before. He blushed and felt embarrassed, but since he had already taken it, it would be too obvious to throw it away. So he held on, not daring to look at the captain's expression.
Fortunately, Ilya didn't say anything. He turned around, took a breath, and slowly pushed aside the log blocking the door.
The light was dim, and no one noticed that the experienced captain seemed a little uneasy, or even dared not turn around, as he walked straight into the warehouse.
Jiang Wenxing followed behind, clutching his coat. There was a faint trace of Sentinel pheromones on Ilya's coat, and he instantly understood Ilya's strange expression earlier. Jiang Wenxing blushed and held his breath.
But Jiang Wenxing had just taken off his coat, and his pheromones were so active that in the cramped room, they were like a spoiled little devil, noisily trying to get into his nose.
Jiang Wenxing had never smelled Ilya's pheromones. He didn't have the chance in the early stages of the war, and his mental strength was severely damaged in the later stages. Even when Ilya was injured and his pheromones were scattered in his blood, he couldn't smell them.
Jiang Wenxing started panting heavily, turning his head to breathe. His breathing was so strong that Ilya couldn't ignore it. Both of them began to feel a little uncomfortable, and Ilya's ears turned a strange red.
He quickened his pace in selecting tables and chairs, picked up two, and said in a deep voice, "All done."
He carried the table and chairs, and Jiang Wenxing also let out a soft breath. The sentry with his keen senses could even feel the breathing sound close to his ear, and Ilya's ears twitched.
A faint scent of pheromones lingered around Jiang Wenxing's nose; it turned out that Captain Ilya's pheromones smelled like lilacs...
Jiang Wenxing's face flushed bright red, like a steaming teapot. Ilya, who had been looking serious, also blushed when he saw Jiang Wenxing's red face.
In the end, the tables and chairs couldn't be delivered. It was the cooks who helped out. Captain Ilya said he had something urgent to attend to and left, taking two tables and three chairs with him when he left.
After bringing the tables and chairs back, Jiang Wenxing squatted on the ground and thought for a while. Then he cleared out the unused washbasin stand, tied it with wooden boards, and turned it into a bookshelf.
The rest, without Jiang Wenxing's help, were all handled by the comrades who came to read the book.
While still covered in dust and able to work, Jiang Wenxing went to the place he had been looking for to build a vegetable shed.
Squad Leader Xiong refused to arrange a room for him, so Jiang Wenxing decided to build a greenhouse himself. He had discussed these theories with Ilya in his previous life through letters, and they had even agreed to build the greenhouse together when he recovered and returned to Kush. However, he ultimately did not survive the severe cold and died in the military hospital. This time, it could be considered as fulfilling his wish from his previous life.
After Jiang Wenxing left, Yano, who lived in the next dormitory, came out to get water. He stood at the door for a while, then came inside and said, "It's quite lively next door. Why don't you go and take a look?"
Zhu Ning, who was lying in bed reading, rolled over and said, "No, why would I go and join in the fun?"
Arno sat down next to him, smiling: "I heard he set up a library and offers free book loans. Do you think he's that kind-hearted?"
Zhu Ning looked puzzled, shook his head, and didn't understand. Arno chuckled and pinched him, saying helplessly, "Do you really think he's setting this up for ordinary people? There's a saying in mainland China: 'Unsolicited kindness is either a lie or a thief.' That library he set up is probably targeting..."
Arno made a gesture, and Zhu Ning suddenly realized: "Sentinel?"
But he was quickly puzzled again: "Why is that? There's no reason for it. We were forced to contact the sentries, so why would he actively contact those guys?"
Arno's eyes were clear, with a kind of insightful understanding of people's hearts. He tapped Zhu Ning's forehead: "I'm telling you, you're really stupid. You really don't use your brain. Ning, I'm asking you, what are you here for?"
To enhance his resume, so that he could go straight to the White Pagoda when he returned to the city...
Zhu Ning fell into deep thought, while Arno said, "Xiao Ning, Alena has never been your threat. Your real threat is Jiang Wenxing. Did you know he was so good at winning people over? If he really climbs over you to get into the White Tower, do you think he would give you a chance to turn things around?"
Arno said, "Are you content to stay here for the rest of your life?"
Zhu Ning understood Jiang Wenxing's ulterior motives, his expression changed, and he slammed the book down: "That bitch!"
...
The place Jiang Wenxing found was quite far from the Little White Building. There were piles of swept fallen leaves, thick and dense, so the soil must be very fertile. There was plenty of sunshine, but it wasn't very convenient to get water.
Jiang Wenxing measured the length and width of the side distances and calculated the size of the greenhouse. He planned to build a miniature greenhouse to test the waters.
However, even a miniature greenhouse requires main beams, steel bars, and tarpaulins, but these materials are hard to find in Kush, so suitable substitutes have to be used.
After Jiang Wenxing finished calculating, he stuffed the draft paper into his pocket, tucked it into his belt, spat twice into his palm, gripped the hoe handle, and began to work. He was going to level the entire piece of land.
The hoe was raised high and then fell heavily.
When you actually dig down, you realize the soil is frozen solid, like stone. When you hit it with a hoe, it makes a hard, solid sound.
Jiang Wenxing refused to believe in superstition and raised his hoe high.
But anyone who has done manual labor knows that the higher you lift a hoe, the more strenuous it is and the easier it is to injure your hands. Jiang Wenxing worked up a sweat and was panting heavily. When he was exhausted, he looked up and realized that even the tip of the iceberg was not enough to describe his workload.
The battle horn sounded, but the charging soldiers were too exhausted. Jiang Wenxing was panting heavily, his face turning pale. His body was hot, cold, and tired, and he could not hold on any longer.
Again!
Jiang Wenxing tried to spring up, but failed. He bounced on the ground and lay there for a while before finally realizing the situation.
Jiang Wenxing planned to come back tomorrow. He carried the hoe back to his dormitory, his hands trembling.
In the nearby woods, a large gray-white wolf, seeing the guide about to leave, howled anxiously, eager to rush out, but was pinned to the spot by its master's words, "You dare?" It pitifully nudged its master's leg with its nose.
Jiang Wenxing was dirty and exhausted, and all he wanted to do was lie down and sleep. When he got back to the dormitory, he found there was no hot water, so he washed his face with cold water and shivered violently from the cold.
"Waaah—"
A huge, grayish-white, furry creature was squatting by the doorway. Jiang Wenxing exclaimed in surprise, "A wolf?"
Ilya followed behind with his notebook, coughing from the cold wind. He turned on his fountain pen and said sternly, "Room check."
Jiang Wenxing immediately stood at attention. Ilya went inside and looked around. The tables and chairs were already set up, and someone should be coming to read soon.
The dormitory was clean...not bad, but definitely not up to standard. Ilya frowned, about to speak, when the giant wolf nudged his leg and whimpered twice, making wolf-face expressions out of Jiang Wenxing's sight, which was very human-like.
Ilya then shut his mouth.
Jiang Wenxing watched as Ilya turned left and right for more than two minutes, but still showed no sign of leaving.
"Teammate, is something wrong?"
Ilya: "..."
The giant wolf couldn't understand its master's complex thoughts. It tilted its head and looked around, then decided to follow its nature and enthusiastically nudged Jiang Wenxing's calves, pushing him forward.
Jiang Wenxing looked bewildered. It was rare for Ilya not to get angry at the giant wolf, and his tacit approval left Jiang Wenxing completely baffled.
Could it be that there's some unsolvable problem? Captain Ilya is finding it difficult to speak up?
Jiang Wenxing thought about it more and more and felt that it made more sense. From being pushed along to actively following the giant wolf, Ilya breathed a sigh of relief.
The two men and the wolf wound their way through the forest, even crawling through a burrow, before finally reaching their destination.
What comes into view is a small waterfall with a strong impact, with a quiet pool at its bottom.
The giant wolf jumped into the shallow pool with a splash and frolicked happily.
Seeing that Jiang Wenxing was not moving, Ilya called the giant wolf back and reminded him, "Go wash up, I'll wait for you outside."
Jiang Wenxing was silent for a moment, then asked, "Captain, is this... snow water?"
Ilya bent down and touched it: "It's at room temperature."
Jiang Wenxing shuddered: "Room temperature..."
Ilya nodded: "At least ten degrees."
Jiang Wenxing: "..."
Author's Note:
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com