In the dim sky, Wei Ran followed Abdul and others towards their ambush location.
In order to increase his goodwill, he even took the initiative to carry three RPG rockets on his back.
This somewhat made these guerrillas have a better attitude towards him, but only a little. No matter what questions he asked through Habibullah, these guerrillas responded with silence, and they were even reluctant to appear at the Weiyan
under the camera lens.
Seeing that Habibullah, who was helping to translate, was becoming more and more embarrassed, Wei Ran put down his camera in time to stop his curiosity, and just silently observed these guerrillas.
Except for Abdul, who was walking at the front, and Habibullah, who was leading a donkey with him and walking at the back, there were only six guerrillas in the middle.
They do not have uniforms, and the weapons in their hands are all kinds of, including bolt-action Lee Enfields, Boboshas, AK47s and Thompson submachine guns that come from unknown sources.
Of course, there are also the crucial RPG rocket launchers, as well as items such as grenades and mines.
Although these people had various clothing and weapons, they all looked to be around thirty years old, and several of them wore glasses, and they all called Abdul "teacher."
Thinking about it, they should all be students, Abdul's students.
So they actually know Russian? They just don’t want to talk to me?
Thinking about this, Wei Ran couldn't help but shake his head. When a country needs students to go to the battlefield to fight guerrillas, it has really reached the most difficult moment.
From this point alone, he admired these people, even though they were deeply defensive of him.
In the increasingly silent journey, everyone finally climbed up a low mountain when the sky became completely dark.
On the other side of this low mountain, you can still vaguely see a winding road at the foot of the mountain. On the opposite side of the road, about 500 meters away at most, is the vague outline of another mountain.
Obviously, this was the location they chose for the ambush.
From Wei Ran's perspective, this place is not bad for ambush but definitely not good.
"Anti-aircraft machine guns are deployed on the back of that mountain"
Abdullah pointed behind him in the direction away from the road and said, "Someone will go to the mountain on the opposite side of the road to ambush the convoy. After attracting the Soviet helicopter, I will use anti-aircraft machine gun fire to lure the helicopter over."
At this point, Abdullah patted Habibullah on the shoulder and said, "Before the anti-aircraft machine gun is destroyed by the helicopter, you have to use American anti-aircraft missiles to shoot down the helicopter."
"I will definitely fight it down!" Habibullah clenched his fists and promised.
"We also have a stinger launcher here."
As Abdullah said, a guerrilla dug out a canvas bag from under a pile of stones and pulled out a stinger launcher.
"Habibullah, you are responsible for shooting down the helicopter that fires at the anti-aircraft machine gun. If there is a second one, leave it to him."
"What if there were more helicopters?" Habibullah couldn't help but ask.
"If there were more"
Abdullah paused, "Then we will make sure to shoot down at least two of them before we are killed by more helicopters."
"I understand." Habibullah nodded seriously, not even thinking there was anything wrong with this.
"Victor Reporter"
Abdul switched to Russian and asked, "We will divide into two positions to fight. Habibullah is where we are now. The anti-aircraft machine gun and I will go to the mountain opposite. Who are you going to be with?"
"
"If it's convenient, I'd like to be with you."
Wei Ran said that his return mission required the completion of weapon transfer and position camouflage. Obviously, among these people and weapons, the only one that needed to be camouflaged was the Soviet-made anti-aircraft machine gun.
"Then come with me"
Abdul was particularly talkative, so he called a bearded guerrilla to carry two ammunition boxes, and then took over the donkeys led by Wei Ran and Habibullah.
Seeing this, Wei Ran also took the initiative to help carry two ammunition boxes and followed behind the two of them.
"Can I know his name?" Wei Ran took two quick steps and asked Abdul in Russian.
"He is my student, Hakim, just call him Hakim." Abdul replied casually.
"Does he speak Russian? Or English too."
"He speaks Russian"
Abdul replied again, "If you have anything to ask, just ask, and he will answer you if he is willing to answer."
"I actually have nothing to ask."
Wei Ran said unexpectedly, "I have to know his name, otherwise I don't even know how to call him. It's so rude."
"Excuse me? This is a word from the peaceful world, but this is Afhan. Even if you remember my name, I might be dead early tomorrow morning."
After saying that, Hakim threw back another question, "Don't reporters all have a lot of questions?"
In addition to leading the donkey and carrying the ammunition box, he also carried three RPG rockets on his back, just like Wei Ran. This load was not small.
"I'm different from them"
Wei Ran replied nonchalantly, "If you don't mind, just let me take some photos for you when the conditions are right. As for whether you have anything to tell me, it's all up to you."
"So you are a photographer?" Hakim said firmly, "War photographer?"
"I'm glad you said that"
Wei Ran smiled and said, "Indeed, I am more of a war photographer than a freelance reporter. Mr. Hakim, do you have anything to ask me?"
"I don't have anything to ask."
Hakim shook his head, and the three people who were getting further and further away from Habibullah and others behind him fell silent again.
"Victor, can you take my Qiao Ya out of Afhan?" Abdul, who was walking at the front, suddenly asked.
"If you are willing to trust me and have this intention."
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "No, I don't intend to let anyone take Joy away." After Abdul said this, he never continued this topic.
As if he had been reminded by the brief conversation just now, Hakim said without warning a moment later, "Reporter Victor, can you send me a letter after you leave Afghanistan?"
"no problem"
Wei Ran replied cheerfully, "Where to send it? To whom?"
"Bazstan"
Hakim paused, then changed his words, "Or France, no, definitely in France, she must have arrived in France."
"Who is she?" Wei Ran asked curiously.
"my girlfriend"
When Hakim said this, his tone became much more ethereal, "Eight years ago, she and her parents escaped from Afhan, and I thought we would meet again.
She said her family would go to France, and if she were still alive, she might have been married long ago."
"Do you have a detailed address?"
Wei Ran asked after a moment of silence, but Hakim did not answer this question, or perhaps he had already answered it with silence.
"Do you regret it?" Wei Ran changed the question.
"Didn't you say that you don't have so many questions like other reporters?" Hakim's rhetorical question was full of bitterness.
"Forget about being a journalist"
Wei Ran said nonchalantly, "If you are willing to treat me as a friend, this is just a chat between friends. If it touches on something you don't want to mention, just pretend I didn't ask."
"What do you regret?"
Hakim said to himself, "Do you regret not keeping her? Or do you regret not leaving Afhan with her?"
"What's the difference?"
“No difference”
Akeem smiled and said, "I love her, so I won't let her stay in Afhan. I also love Afhan, so I must stay."
"So there are no regrets, only regrets." Wei Ran said firmly.
"yes"
The bitterness and melancholy in Hakim's tone disappeared with an obvious deep breath, "I just... just want to know if she survived and lived the life she hoped for."
"Take time to give me your letter."
Wei Ran said, "Let me take a good picture of you after dawn, and I will help you find him."
"No, let's forget it." Hakim rejected Wei Ran's proposal in a panic.
"If she is still waiting for you, I will tell her that you are dead. If she has already started a family and lived the life she hoped for, I will tell you that she is dead."
"I will get the letter to you as soon as possible," Hakim said.
"Then it's settled"
Wei Ran decisively ended the topic, which was the only thing he could do.
After chatting here, the three people and two donkeys also came to the bottom of the valley between the two mountains. They just put down the heavy ammunition boxes in their hands and rested for a while. Then they set off again, leading the donkeys to climb diagonally up the hillside to the top of the mountain with difficulty.
.
On the top of this hill, an anti-aircraft machine gun position has been dug in advance.
No, this doesn't count as digging well, at most it can only count as building a position.
A flat land with a diameter of no more than three meters, surrounded by three walls built with stones, and covered with sand and grass everywhere as a cover.
Putting aside the ammunition box in his hand and the rockets on his back, Abdul called on Weiran and Hakim to help him, and first lifted off the KPV machine gun carried on the back of a donkey. (It is written at the beginning.
It is ZPU1. Although it is the same thing, ZPU1 actually mainly refers to the mountain air defense base. It has been changed and the same below.)
Immediately afterwards, the three of them worked together to lift the mountain anti-aircraft tripod tied to the back of another donkey in the dark.
When Wei Ran took off his suitcase from the donkey's back, Abdul immediately said to Hakim in his native language, "Go and take the donkey to the other side of the mountain and find a place to tie it up."
The latter didn't think much and led the two donkeys to the other side of the mountain.
"Victor, help me assemble the anti-aircraft machine gun."
As Abdul spoke, he lifted off the ragged felt covering the position, took out a candle from the corner, lit it, and placed it in the corner of the bunker.
"no problem"
Wei Ran helped the opponent lift the heavy tripod and supported it in the middle of the position.
This position is not really big, but there are quite a lot of things piled up in the corners. A 50-liter iron oil drum has two Soviet oil stoves and a small rattan basket with carrots on it.
, also leaning on several rolls of dirty felt blankets, and a plastic bucket filled with water.
In addition to these daily necessities, there is an RPG launcher and a wooden ammunition box containing wrenches, engineer shovels and other items.
“Hakeem has been hesitant to leave Afhan for his fiancée”
Abdul picked up the shovel and said while leveling the opened anti-aircraft machine gun tripod, "He has been hesitating between leaving or staying these past few years."
"It seems that I helped him make the decision," Wei Ran said after a moment of silence.
"No one can make decisions for anyone"
Abdul said with a clear head, "Just like I have no right to decide for Joya whether to leave Afhan, you also have no right to decide for Hakim whether to stay. It is his own decision. You just let him
He just made the decision earlier."
"Maybe"
Wei Ran helped step on the tripod's auxiliary hoe, and then together with Abdul, he lifted the machine gun onto the tripod.
After trying to turn left and right, Abdul unfolded a thick felt and called on Wei Ran to help cover it on the low position. At the same time, he lowered his voice slightly and said, "No matter what he did,
Decide to at least take his letter away from Afhan."
"I will try my best to deliver the letter," Wei Ran promised seriously.
"Thanks"
As Abdul spoke, he pressed the corners of the felt with stones that could be seen everywhere, and then scooped up sand and gravel and sprinkled it evenly on the felt.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! As pieces of felt were covered around and above this simple position, the candlelight inside was gradually blocked, Hakim
I also walked back alone.
"Hakim, let's get some food to entertain our reporter friends."
Abdul said in Russian, "This will also keep it warm in here."
"good"
Hakim nodded, opened the lid of the metal oil drum at the corner, and took out a goat half wrapped in a sack.
"I'll make dinner"
Wei Ran said, "Hakim, take advantage of this little time and write the letter as soon as possible."
After a moment's hesitation, Hakim nodded and took out a small Bone Blue Whale and a pen from his bag.
"I have letter paper"
When Wei Ran saw that the other party was preparing to write a letter on the bone blue whale, he had to stop the work he had not yet started. After opening the suitcase and rummaging around for a while, he handed the stack of letters to the other party. By the way, he also found that there was something missing in the suitcase.
I know when there are a few extra naan pancakes.
Thinking about it, someone must have slipped this in yesterday when I and Mahbub went to fetch water.
"Thanks"
Hakim smiled innocently, put the bone blue whale under the letter paper, huddled in the corner of the position and started writing.
"I only need to make enough food for the three of us, right?" Wei Ran lowered his voice slightly and asked Abdul.
"It's enough for the three of us."
Abdul nodded. He was busy inspecting and maintaining the anti-aircraft machine gun he had just set up.
Seeing this, Wei Ran simply used the cover of his suitcase to take out the big cake oven and the matching stainless steel pot from the metal book. Then he took out his butt bag, pulled out an envelope originally used to contain the negatives and handed it to him.
Hakim.
"Why are you still carrying an oil stove and such a big pot?" Abdul, who was busy at work, asked in surprise.
“I always have to eat”
Wei Ran started to make nonsense in a matter-of-fact tone, "And developing the film requires water of a specific temperature. Without this oil stove and this pot, a lot of my work would not be possible."
"It seems you are really a war photographer"
Abdul muttered and said no more, continuing to be busy checking the anti-aircraft machine guns.
Seeing this, Weiran slowly completed the pressurization and ignition of the oil furnace, and then poured some water with ice in it into a small stainless steel pot.
He took out the cooking knife and cut off a few pieces of mutton and threw them into the pot. He dug out three carrots, carefully wiped off the contaminated soil with a blanket and threw them into the pot.
With the help of the ferocious firepower of the oil stove, the water in the pot began to boil in a short time. Wei Ran, with a delicacy that was inconsistent with the environment here, used chopsticks to lift all the meat and three carrots onto the pot lid, and then removed the contents of the pot.
Drain the dirty water and replace it with clean ice water.
He threw enough pieces of meat for three people and cut carrots into the pot again, and then he closed the lid.
Amidst the roar of the high-power oil stove, the camp wrapped in thick felt gradually became warmer and warmer, and at the same time, it began to be filled with the unique aroma of boiled mutton.
"I've written it"
As Hakim spoke, he handed the envelope to Wei Ran, and then he took out a colorful photo from the Bone Blue Whale.
In this photo, Hakim is wearing a Soviet-style gray woolen coat, and his arm is holding a young girl wearing jeans, a leather jacket, high heels, and sunglasses on her head.
"Her name is Vader"
Hakim said, "Vida Said, if she were still alive, she would have gone to France."
"Where will she go in France?"
Wei Ran took the photo and put it on the envelope, took out the flashlight and let the beam of light shine on the photo, then picked up the camera and asked while adjusting the parameters.
“Montpellier”
Hakim said almost without thinking, "She had the opportunity to study at the University of Montpellier. I guess if she has been to France, she must have been to Montpellier."
"If I can leave alive, I will help you find it in Montpellier."
After Wei Ran finished speaking, he clicked the shutter on the photo on the envelope, and then returned the photo to Hakim.
"Thanks"
Hakim took the photo at a loss and clamped it into the bone blue whale again. In that quick glance, Wei Ran could vaguely see that there seemed to be a fiery red lip mark remaining on the back of the photo.
"Let me take a photo for you tomorrow," Wei Ran said seriously.
"good"
Hakim nodded without thinking.
Turning off the flashlight, putting the envelope into his bag, and using the cover of his suitcase to collect the metal book together with the flashlight, Wei Ran sat next to the gas stove in the corner again, using the spoon that came with the pot, he gave it to Haji first.
Mu and Abdul each filled a bowl of piping hot mutton and carrot soup, and helped them sprinkle some salt and pepper into the soup.
"Victor, before the battle starts tomorrow, you have to stay away from us." Abdul took a sip of the mutton soup and said after a moment of silence.
"I..."
"will die"
Abdul said calmly, "This anti-aircraft machine gun and I are the bait for Soviet helicopters to take the bait. If I die and the helicopter has not been shot down, then Hakim will be the bait."
"you..."
"We have been prepared for a long time"
Hakim took a sip of the mutton soup and said very calmly, "You can also drink mutton soup with pepper, and you can send letters. These are the only two things I didn't expect."
"Then drink more."
Wei Ran turned down the heat of the oil stove a little, "I hope you can survive, because there is still a lot of mutton soup."
"I hope we will have a chance to drink mutton soup tomorrow night," Abdul said with a smile, as if...not hopeful.
"Tomorrow all of you can continue to drink mutton soup with pepper," Wei Ran said with great seriousness.