In the cave that was blocked from the cold wind, Wei Ran and Kirill each had their own dinner and then lay down. They closed their eyes and listened quietly to the vague chatter of the family beside the simple fireplace in the distance, and the cave.
The howling wind outside.
After an unknown amount of time, Wei Ran fell into a deep sleep, but Kirill was still looking at the photo left by Ruslan in the dim light of the bonfire.
When Wei Ran was awakened by the cold wind again, the felt blocking the entrance of the cave had been put away, and it was almost dawn outside the cave.
This time, it was Ayana who was still in charge of guarding the two of them with a gun, while the others, led by Mahbub, were holding their hands on the spread blanket and performing morning rituals devoutly.
While Kirill was holding up the camera to take pictures of Mahbub's family, Wei Ran also placed the leg of lamb, naan bread and leftover milk tea that he had not finished last night again by the campfire.
As usual, they finished the simple but enough breakfast in silence. Accompanied by Habibullah and Hakim holding guns, they went to urinate outside the cave and then carried Ayana again.
, followed everyone and left the cave.
The wind last night kept blowing all night long. Although the snow had been falling for who knows how long, there was only a thin layer of snow mixed with wind and sand on the ground. The only effect of this snow was to make the snow fall.
The body temperature is much lower, which makes walking on the rugged mountain road even more difficult.
"What do you want to talk about today?" Kirill asked proactively, speaking in Farsi.
“Save your energy and hurry”
Hakim, who was walking at the end, tightened the blanket around him and said, "We have to get to the next water source today."
Hearing this, Kirill shut his mouth obediently. This cold windy and dusty weather was really not suitable for chatting.
Throughout the whole day, everyone was walking in silence. Every hour, Habibullah and Hakeem would replace them and give them half an hour of rest.
At this time, the two of them would go to the back of the sheep, and they would be guarded by Mahbubu riding a donkey with a gun.
As evening approached, everyone who had barely stopped all day finally arrived in a deep valley.
After walking along this narrow valley for more than an hour, Habibullah, who was walking at the front carrying an oil lamp, finally stopped.
Within the range that the oil lamp could cover, between a huge stone and the foot of the mountain, a shack was built against the mountain with stones and felt, which was not too big, but was sufficiently concealed.
"Just rest here tonight"
Mahbub said, and with the help of Habibullah, he got off the donkey. Weiran and Kirill immediately carried the stretcher to the door of the small shack.
There were also several bundles of dirty felts placed in this shack, in addition to a greasy iron bucket.
"Habibullah, you and Multaza go get water."
Mahbub arranged, "Hakim, you take Soraya and Joya to set up the tent. Su... Victor, Kirill, can you be responsible for pumping up the oil stove?"
"No problem" Weiyan and Kirill said at the same time and accepted the simple job.
After receiving the oil stove handed over by Hakim, the two sat down against the rock wall and began to inflate the oil stove. At the same time, they also looked at the busy people.
Mahbub was not idle. He was cutting up the mutton that he had not finished last night with a knife. Next to him, Ayana was still responsible for guarding Wei Ran and Kirill with a gun.
"Do you often take this route?" Kirill asked in Persian as if he was out of words.
“Walking every day”
Mahboub answered the question casually, "Habibullah, Multaza and I are responsible for transporting weapons and ammunition to the guerrillas."
"We lost a lot of people on the road, right?" Wei Ran also asked.
"yes"
Mahbub replied while cutting the mutton, "Several of my students and my children all fell on this road, but the ammunition and weapons we transported also killed many Soviets."
"In the years since I came to Afhan, I have also seen many injured soldiers and dead soldiers." Kirill said absently.
"We paid a lot of casualties," Mahbub said slightly helplessly.
"What are you going to do with me and Victor when we get to Kandahar?" Kirill asked casually.
"Maybe I'll exchange you for weapons and ammunition," Mahbub said. "We won't know until we get to Kandahar."
"Have you ever taken prisoners before?" Kirill continued to ask.
"I've caught some, they all..."
"boom!"
Before Mahbub finished speaking, a huge explosion came from the direction where Habibullah disappeared!
"Habibullah! Multaza!"
Hakim dropped the felt in his hand and ran over with Joya and Soraya.
"Medical kit!"
Wei Ran and Kirill also abandoned the oil furnace that had not yet been pressurized. They didn't even care about the weapons that Ayana was still holding. They quickly ran to the restless donkey, each took off a medical bag and ran after him.
Got out.
"Are you going to run away?" Kirill asked in a low voice.
Subconsciously looking around, the slopes on both sides of the valley were steeper than where Ruslan fell before. They couldn't escape at all.
"Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything." Kirill reluctantly chose to give up before Wei Ran spoke.
They ran quickly chasing Hakim's flashlight beam in front of them. When they stopped, they had already seen the scene of the explosion.
This is a small pool that is not too big and has been frozen.
At this time, Habibullah was lying on the edge of the pool, but...his legs and even his abdominal cavity had almost been blown apart...
Just by looking at the injury, Wei Ran could tell that he had stepped on a PMN explosive anti-infantry mine, and only this type of mine could cause such excess damage.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Without looking at the lifeless Habibullah, Wei Ran and Kirill both ran to Multaza's side.
Although it is inappropriate to say this, in fact it was indeed thanks to the fact that it was an explosive highly suspicious of a PMN explosive anti-personnel mine.
Compared to Habibullah's tragic situation, Multaza's injuries were much less serious. He only had the tibia of his calf broken by flying fragments. Based on Wei Ran's judgment, he did not even need amputation.
"Hakim, let's take him back first."
Wei Ran said, and with the help of Kirill, he used a tourniquet to initially stop the bleeding of Multaza who was screaming. The latter even gave him an anesthesia in time.
Before Hakim could agree, Wei Ran had already picked up Multaza and ran with Kirill in the direction they came from.
"them..."
"We are going to operate on Multaza and let Hakim explain the rest. Kirill, plasma pack."
Wei Ran didn't wait for Mahbubu to finish speaking before he had already carried Multaza and got into the low shack. This place could at least block the wind and sand that could infect the wound. By the way, it could also allow him to escape and explain to the old man what happened.
of pain.
Kirill, who was also worried about how to inform Ruslan's family of the bad news, was obviously running away. He just picked up the plasma bag as quickly as possible and followed it into the low shack.
"Am I going to die?" Multaza asked loudly in panic.
"Won't"
The person who answered this question was Kirill, who helped Weiran.
"I can't hear, what did you say?" Multaza asked, shouting in panic. His ears were already ringing because of the explosion just now.
"You will not die, and your legs will not be disabled."
Kirill shouted louder and louder, "You will become a guerrilla fighter like Hakim and Mahbub in the future, and you will not die here."
"Is Uncle Habibullah dead?" Multaza asked loudly and cried while shaking uncontrollably.
"he..."
"Multaza, stay quiet, we have to help you suture your wound, don't be distracted." Wei Ran reminded loudly with a hard heart.
"Can you save him?" Multaza held back his tears, "Please, save him."
"We will save him"
Wei Ran sighed and coaxed, "Your injuries are more serious than his. Once your wounds are treated, we will go rescue him. Multaza, please stay quiet now."
Hearing this, Multaza finally stopped talking. He just opened his mouth and bit a roll of gauze that Kirill handed to his mouth. He stared blankly at the other party as he hung up a bag of plasma for him, and then used a dressing.
Covered his eyes.
At the same time, Wei Ran had also begun debridement and pulled out a piece of shrapnel that was only the size of a fingernail from the wound on the opponent's calf.
Fortunately, the shrapnel penetrated the calf and only broke the bone.
"Will he become disabled?" Kirill asked quietly in Russian.
"Won't"
Wei Ran replied firmly, "I will try my best to help him take care of his wounds and leave as few sequelae as possible."
"Thanks"
"Thanks?"
"I don't know why I want to say thank you," Kirill sighed as he held up the flashlight.
Hearing this, Wei Ran was stunned for a moment and said nothing. He very carefully completed the debridement of the wound with the help of Kirill, and carefully sutured the blood vessels and muscles.
Finally, after finishing bandaging the wound, Wei Ran went out and asked Hakim for some boards to fix the broken leg, and then he and Kirill got out of the low shack.
At this time, Habibullah's body had been brought back. Ayana, who was lying on the stretcher, and Mahbub, who was kneeling next to him, were each holding a piece of cloth and carefully wiping the blood and hands on Habibullah's face and hands.
Stains.
"Need...ahem"
Wei Ran cleared his hoarse throat, "Is there anything we can do to help?"
"He's dead"
Mahbub said, "The rest is beyond what the doctor can do. Leave it to Lord Jane."
"If you want to help, dig a grave for him." Hakim said calmly.
"good"
Wei Ran nodded and walked to Hakim's side with Kirill. The former picked up a small ax and chopped the ground full of sand and gravel. When the soil loosened, the latter dug it with his hands.
aside.
During the busy work of the three of them, a small grave pit was reluctantly dug out, and Habibullah, who had been wrapped in felt, was held by Hakim alone and placed in the shallow grave pit.
As large and small rocks pressed down on the mutilated body, Ayana, Soraya and Qiaoya who were not far away couldn't help crying.
Amidst the suppressed cries, the old Mahbubu tightened his grip on the Bobosha submachine gun and pointed the gun at Wei Ran and Kirill who were helping to bury the bodies again and again.
Come down.
In the end, the old man who lost his last son sighed. No one knew what decision he made.
In the silent busyness, Habibullah's body was finally completely covered by stones and sand mixed with snow grits, leaving only an inconspicuous bulge on the ground at the bottom of the valley.
“This road is no longer safe”
Mahbub said in a hoarse voice, "Let's change the road after daybreak."
"Is there any other way we can go?" Hakim couldn't help but ask.
"have"
Mahbub sighed, "We still need water, Hakim..."
"Let me go"
Wei Ran didn't wait for the other party to finish speaking before he said, "Let me go. If you are not worried about me escaping, just let me go. No matter whether we are on opposite sides or not, at least no one of us can get hurt now."
"Won't you get hurt if you go?" Hakim couldn't help but said.
"You are the only able-bodied adult male in this guerrilla group."
Wei Ran reminded him bluntly, "If you also want to get hurt and let us decide whether to save you or leave you all and run away, then go ahead."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "Hakim, they are indeed helping us now." Mahbubu said weakly, "Let him go."
After a slight hesitation, Hakim handed the flashlight to Wei Ran, and then handed him an enamel kettle and an ax, "If you run away..."
"Then you kill him"
Wei Ran pointed at Kirill, who seemed to be distracted, and then walked towards the water source in the distance without looking back.
Returning to the edge of the water pool that was still filled with the strong smell of blood, Wei Ran held up a flashlight and looked carefully. He carefully bypassed the blood on the ground and any suspicious places, came to the other side of the water pool, and smashed it with an axe.
He opened the frozen ice and put the not-so-clean ice cubes into the kettle.
Instead of fetching water, he was looking for other landmines. He wanted to see whether the landmines nearby were dispersed by planes or buried here by humans.
If it's the former, it's okay, but if it's the latter, from the guerrillas' point of view, they should probably leave here as soon as possible to have a chance of survival.
Because of this, when he filled the kettle, he did not rush back, but walked around nearby.
Not long after, he finally discovered the second PMN mine with the beam of his flashlight. It was lying on the gravel ground without any cover, but it was still full of danger.
With a slight sigh, Wei Ran returned to the camp with the kettle and placed it on the already lit gas stove.
Yesterday, because of Ruslan's death, the seed called friendship seemed to have a tendency to sprout. But tonight, because of Habibullah's death, the seed called hatred was also planted in the only remaining place, watered by blood.
In the hearts of several guerrillas.
Even so, Weiran and Kirill were given enough naan bread and mutton soup to fill their stomachs, and were given a felt tent that was barely airtight.
"They only left the two girls and Hakeem unhurt."
In the low tent, Kirill huddled next to the small oil stove and lowered his voice and said, "Our situation is getting more and more dangerous."
"Yeah, it's getting more and more dangerous."
Wei Ran, who was also curled up by the oil stove, murmured in agreement. At this time, the balance of combat power between the two sides had been broken. Once they missed, once Wei Ran and Kirill seized the opportunity, not only could they escape
, and can even achieve counter-kill.
This is not good news. Instead, it will make Mahbub and others excessively vigilant. In other words, if there is any misunderstanding, they may really want to shoot.
"What do you want to do?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice.
"I'm not going to run away," Kirill said abruptly.
"You...you don't want to go home?" Wei Ran glanced at the other party unexpectedly.
From his own point of view, he didn't care about betraying the Soviet Union. He was just a passerby in time and space and an insignificant bystander.
But from Kirill's perspective, even if the decision he made was not a betrayal, it was no different from surrendering himself into a trap.
"Except for three people who were not injured"
Kirill said, "They also have an injured old man, an injured child, a woman who has just given birth and two babies, Victor, and they need a doctor."
"Then what?"
Wei Ran asked bluntly, "Follow them to Kandahar?"
"Let's go first"
Kirill said, "There are also troops stationed in Kandahar. I want to wait until we get to Kandahar and then find a way to escape."
"Is this your plan?"
"We are escaping now, are you sure we can walk back?"
Kirill asked rhetorically, "We are at least 150 kilometers away from the base, which is just a straight line distance on the map. Or do you plan to snatch their donkeys and goats and then kill them?"
"Aren't they enemies?" Wei Ran asked deliberately.
"We are their enemies"
Kirill's tone was filled with confusion and pain, "I am a military doctor. I have never killed any Afghans. I have been saving people, saving our soldiers, and also saving those Afghans who went to the base for help.
I don’t plan to kill anyone in the future, this is my bottom line.”
"Then go to Kandahar"
Wei Ran said, "Let's go to Kandahar with them."
"You might die on the road," Kirill warned.
"yes"
"I just thought you were going to run away."
Kirill turned over, "I'm fully prepared for them to find you escaping and kill me."
"If I ran away, they might not kill you."
Wei Ran reminded bluntly, "After the strength of both sides becomes dominant again..."
"They won't have the advantage unless they kill you."
Kirill is obviously not a fool, "If you escape alive, it will only become a hidden danger to them, a hidden danger that requires constant attention."
What if there is no time and space for me?
Wei Ran couldn't help but think, did Kirill offer to fetch water?
If he proposed it, did Mahbub agree?
If he agreed, did Kirill not run away because of the half-truths and half-truths he just said?
"Will anyone die tomorrow?" Kirill asked in a whisper.
"I have no idea"
Wei Ran gave the same vague answer, then closed his eyes, forcing himself to fall asleep quickly and get through this cold winter night.
Turning his head and looking in the direction of Mahbub and others, Kirill took out his miniature camera, opened the lens cover that acted as a winding film, and then took out a small picture from the inside of the long cover.
Small negatives.
Aiming the film at the burning oil stove between the two of them, you can see through the continuous burning fire that what is frozen in the film is Kirill before joining the army and a man riding a motorcycle with a gun in his hand.
Rapunzel holding a shotgun.
"I will go back..."
Kirill murmured to himself, and then carefully stuck the inconspicuous film inside the lens cover again.
"Someone has to survive..."
Wei Ran, who squinted his eyes, muttered something worriedly in his heart, and then Quan pretended that he didn't see anything and turned over with his eyes closed.