Under Okan's guidance, a group of people, plus two girls who were accidentally rescued, headed towards Belgium in the dark deep in the Hürtgen Forest.
At 2:17 in the night, Wei Ran, who was walking at the front, signaled the team to stop again.
At this time, in this silent forest, one could vaguely hear the continuous metal knocking sound like wind chimes.
"There is a barbed wire fence in front of you."
Okan explained in a low voice, "This used to be our position, but it was abandoned after Kleinhao was occupied by the Americans."
"Are there any landmines?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice.
"At least not in this section"
Okan explained confidently, "This piece of barbed wire is almost two kilometers long. I can only confirm that there are no mines in this small section. I am not sure whether there are landmines further on both sides."
"Horst, the three of us will go over first, and the rest of us will wait." Wei Ran said, crawling and following Okan who was leading the way.
Almost at the same time that the three of them set off to open a passage, Dominic, who was replaced, immediately raised his unloaded submachine gun and pointed it at Captain Timov, who was also replaced and did not need to carry a stretcher.
"take it easy"
Timov said, gently pulled out his pistol with two fingers, and slowly handed it to Dominic. At the same time, he reminded in a low voice, "My gun is not loaded, so please keep it for me first."
"I won't help you, hold it yourself." Although Dominic said this, he unloaded the magazine of the pistol and put it into his pocket without any slow movement.
Seeing this, Timov smiled and stuffed the pistol without the magazine into the holster again.
At the same time, the three of Wei Ran also crawled to the edge of the barbed wire fence. Through the moonlight that filtered in from the gaps in the tree canopy above their heads, the three of them could vaguely see that on the other end of the barbed wire fence, there was a
Continuous trenches that have long been deserted.
"Pick the cans first," Okan reminded experiencedly, "I am responsible for holding the cans with my hands, and you are responsible for cutting them."
"good"
Wei Ran and Host responded in a low voice, then each took out the wire cutters and carefully hooked the wire on a can that Okan held with his left and right hands respectively.
Pressing the handle wrapped with bakelite with both hands, the rusty wire was cut easily without any effort.
Carefully removing the unchained cans, Okan took out his engineering shovel, dug up a piece of moss and buried it underneath. Then he grabbed two more cans and signaled Weiran and Host to take action.
With the cooperation of the three of them, the tin cans were removed one by one and buried under the moss, and the barbed wire gradually became quiet.
About ten minutes later, as Wei Yan and Host cut through the rusty barbed wires, they finally opened a passage less than two meters wide.
While Okan moved the barbed wire fence aside, Weiran and Hoster used their engineering shovels as quickly as possible to dig out the soil and cover the cans. They also covered the slippery ground with some soil, and
Use blankets to cover the broken stubble of barbed wire on both sides.
Under the leadership of the three guards, the group carefully lined up and passed through the gap in the barbed wire fence, crossed the abandoned trench, and finally completely left this worthless position.
“There’s a minefield ahead.”
Before everyone could relax, Okan, who was responsible for leading the way, reminded, "But this minefield was laid half a month ago. Although I remember the safe passage, I don't know if it has changed."
"Let me go in front later," Host said proactively. "Okan needs to show the way, and Victor needs to protect everyone, so let me go in front."
"No hurry, let's talk about the situation in the minefield over there." Wei Ran stopped and whispered.
"It's just a defensive minefield. It's not very wide, but it's very long. As long as we pass through this minefield, even if there are barbed wire fences and minefields behind it, we don't have to worry as long as we're careful."
Okan pointed to a looming pine tree lying down in front of him.
Shu said, "Those mines are all placed near the felled pine trees and near the roots of the trees. According to what Uncle Otto told me before, it is safe as long as you keep a distance of more than one meter from them."
Without waiting for Weiyan or Host to speak, Okan pointed in another direction and lowered his voice and said, "But that direction is Clayhorn, which is very close. If the mine explodes here, maybe there will be an explosion there."
How Americans will react."
"Horst, keep an eye on those two Americans and don't let them make any sound."
Wei Ran said, having already taken off his submachine gun and handed it to the other party, "Also, let everyone take a rest."
"you…"
"Do as I say"
Before Wei Ran finished speaking, he had already taken off the helmet on his head, then took out the flashlight, held the helmet with the head of the lamp, turned on the switch, and hid it in his cloak.
With the help of this little trick he learned from the Pacific battlefield, he successfully obtained a faint light that was enough to illuminate a circle around his feet without worrying about attracting the attention of people in the distance.
"Okan, follow me," Wei Ran said, already taking steps cautiously.
Under Okan's guidance, Wei Ran walked forward cautiously, while carefully observing the ground under his feet. From time to time, he would carefully dig out some slightly raised or collapsed moss with an engineering shovel, or simply use
The steel needle used to untie the rope on the gravity knife poked gently. He would not continue to move forward until he was sure that there was no danger under his feet.
Under such caution, when Okan pointed to a pine tree in the distance with an American steel helmet hanging on the trunk, indicating that he had passed through the minefield, Wei Yan also discovered from under a piece of ordinary-looking moss.
A booby trap made from a combination of mortar shells, American mk2 grenades and a mousetrap.
"You go back first"
Wei Ran whispered without looking back, "Let everyone have something to eat and drink some coffee, but I won't allow anyone to come over."
Okan opened his mouth, then silently turned around, hunched over, and returned to Sophie and the others along the safe path they took.
When there was no movement behind him, Wei Ran searched along the hairline that was covered with a little frost, and at the same time, he also paid attention to the ground under his feet.
After digging out two American hand grenades from under the moss, Wei Ran finally saw that on the trunk of a pine tree not far away, under the dry and cracked bark of the pine tree that seemed to be peeled off by the wind at any time,
Stuffed in the hollowed-out tree trunk were several long-handled grenades and two horseshoes that might fall at any time.
After some research, Wei Ran couldn't help but swallowed. If he had just cut off the accompanying hairline rashly, the two horseshoes would have fallen instantly. At the same time, with the help of gravity and acceleration, he would have pulled the grenade's hairline.
But if you start demining from this side, the grenade at the other end of the companion line will also pull away the pin of the grenade with the help of the elastic mousetrap, and then detonate the mortar shell hidden there.
He is a master...
Wei Ran muttered secretly, and after thinking for a moment, he used the steel needle of the gravity knife to pass through the nail hole in the horseshoe and nailed it firmly to the tree trunk.
Returning to the mine he first discovered, Wei Ran took out a lighter and carefully burned off the hemp rope connected to the grenade's safety pin.
Then, he reached under the mortar shell, and after some groping, he pulled out an MK2 grenade with the pin removed.
After a final inspection to confirm that nothing was missing, he took out a pair of socks and firmly sealed the grenade that could explode at any time, and put it into his pocket along with the first deactivated grenade.
Finally, the two mortar shells that had eliminated the threat were directly covered with moss. Weiran came to the end of the accompanying wire again, pressed the horseshoe with his hand, pulled out the gravity knife and cut off the connection between the grenade wire and the mortar wire.
connect.
Weighing the horseshoe in his hand, Wei Ran hung it on the crack in the bark of the tree. He held up the flashlight covered with a helmet and continued to explore for a certain distance until he was sure that there should be no more landmines behind him, then he hurried back.
With Sophie and others who had had enough rest, they carefully passed through this dangerous minefield.
"Next we have to speed up"
Okan whispered, "We have only gone a third of the way now, but fortunately the most dangerous part has passed. The barbed wire fences and minefields encountered behind us are easy to deal with."
"Speed up." Wei Ran took a sip of the still warm coffee and followed Okan to speed up.
Indeed, as Okan said, the road ahead was much easier. Although the frozen or slightly smelly corpses of American soldiers or German corpses they encountered along the way made the children cover their mouths tightly, it was also true.
The existence of these corpses proves that this place is safe enough.
Especially when a thick fog began to fill the forest. Under the cover of this fog, Wei Ran, who was walking in front, could turn on the flashlight covered with a layer of cloth and rush on his way.
It was under the cover of this thick fog that the group of them then easily passed through two other pieces of barbed wire that had also been in ruins for an unknown age, as well as a trench filled with corpses of German soldiers, plus two pieces that had long been in ruins.
A minefield marked by a small American flag.
"Victor... rest, take a rest."
Qiqi caught up and panted, "The youngest children really can't walk, and Dominic and the others can't lift the stretcher either."
"What time is it?" Wei Ran stopped and turned off the flashlight.
"Four o'clock," Qi Qi said, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "There are still 15 minutes left until four o'clock."
"How far is it?" Wei Ran turned to Okan and asked.
"Soon, we'll be able to cross the border soon."
Okan sat down against a pine tree and whispered, "At the current speed, we will be able to cross the border in another hour. We will definitely be able to get out of this forest before the fog clears."
"Take a 15-minute break and take off the labor team's clothes and helmets."
Wei Ran finally let go, and the girls and children following him immediately collapsed to the ground.
Opening the lunch box in the dark, Wei Ran took out a smoked sausage and took a bite. Then he unscrewed the coconut pot and took a big gulp of the already cold coffee.
After hastily filling his stomach, Wei Ran took off his labor corps uniform in the dark, revealing the civilian clothes he was wearing underneath.
Using the cover of the clothes he took off, he put the marching boots on his feet back into the metal book, and then put on the American M43 military boots that had been taken off the feet of an American soldier's corpse halfway.
Also doing this was the American soldier Captain Timov next to him. However, compared to Wei Ran, he looked more resentful towards the boots he had also picked up.
"The shoes are too small?" Wei Ran said as he handed the other person a cigarette.
"No, these boots are just the right size."
Timov took the cigarette and held it in his mouth, letting Wei Ran light it for him. At the same time, he lowered his voice and cursed, "We should have put on these high-waisted leather boots before entering this damn forest."
, the old-fashioned boots we wore before were not only neither warm nor waterproof, we could only pick up your German boots to wear. Unexpectedly, after I became your prisoner, I would have the opportunity to wear the boots I had always needed before, let alone
Come to think of it, these boots were ripped off a dead man's feet."
"When you return to your territory, you will definitely get a new pair of boots."
When Wei Ran put away the lighter, he subconsciously moved farther away from Timov who was smoking - even though he lit the cigarette for him.
"What I need is more than a pair of boots..."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Timov sighed, took another sip of cigarette, and handed it to Buck who was lying on the stretcher next to him.
"There will be other things you want," Wei Ran said perfunctorily, pouring the last few sips of coffee into his mouth.
"Victor, please think about what's next..."
"Let's talk about this matter after we leave the forest." Wei Ran avoided the question again without waiting for the other party to finish speaking.
"Okay, you have the final say."
Timov spread his hands indifferently and wisely ended the topic.
After a short rest, the team set off again under the leadership of Okan. However, as the destination got closer and closer, everyone's nerves inevitably relaxed a little. Even Dominic, who was not carrying a stretcher,
He had already moved close to his little girlfriend, and the two of them were walking hand in hand while whispering about something.
However, when they crossed a stream, Host, who was walking at the front, did not realize that when he stepped on the frozen ice of the stream, he also stepped on a mysterious stone buried under the water.
thunder!
Within four seconds, Wei Ran and Okan, who followed closely behind, crossed the stream, which was less than one meter wide. Sophie and Qiqi, who were carrying submachine guns, also jumped over.
However, at the same time that the two young men carrying the stretcher were crossing the stream, Dominic was holding his little girlfriend Nadia in his arms and was about to cross the stream.
The dull explosion without warning opened up the frozen stream with a "boom", overturning Buck who was lying on the stretcher, and also caused the two young men carrying the stretcher to fall straight to the ground, and even more so Domi
Nick accidentally threw the girl in his arms to the other side of the creek!
