Chapter 8 Toshiro Diary (6)

When the sun finally set at the end of the earth, the torrent of sweaty and dusty fighters reached the town of Shaheqiao. I picked up peanuts and boiled them as snacks, and roasted pork to fill my stomach.After that, I put my body deeply into the only entertainment and the only pleasant sleep, thinking about nothing, just waiting for tomorrow's march. The march of September 27th ended safely, and the night came safely.In a collapsed farm house in Nanguying, like a lost dog, I fell asleep greedily while looking at the twinkling stars in the cold sky. I heard that the enemy's base camp is in Xianxian County, with about three divisions in strength.We start the general attack tomorrow.

We don't even have a vague general picture of the situation, so we have no idea where the battle took place in northern China, how it unfolded, or when it ended. We only know part of it. And we don't know much about such a thing as war.Even if you know the techniques of fighting, you don't know the form of war. So the phrase "total attack" hits our ears very hard and gives us a sense of something extraordinary.In fact, if not the final situation of the battle, it should at least give us a general guess about the situation of the war. At dawn, we were unable to advance at Nangu Camp due to flooding.There is not a single Chinese in this village.

There are many old woodblock printed books piled up in an empty private house, all of which are hard-to-find rare books, as well as many rare ceramics.Eggs were also dug out in the yard of a residential house, and eating them was as uncomfortable as chewing salt.Thinking about it, probably the residents in this area don't have refrigerators, so they store things underground. There are so many chickens that one person can eat as much as he wants.There is a clear small river flowing in the grass, the water is very shallow, it doesn't matter if you can't swim.We had a great day off.After that, Captain Uchiyama and I were responsible for scouting the road conditions, and we left the village in light clothes.

There are muddy rivers everywhere, and the embankments stretch straight through the water.All the wealth of the earth is soaked at the bottom of the water.One thousand meters to the left, a dense forest can be seen. Houses are faintly revealed in the forest. Surrounded by a flood, the village looks like an island. Although I don't know what the situation in Venice is like, I'm afraid it's just like this.Seeing the tall birch trees towering over the water is like looking at the tall coconut trees on the Nanyang islands in the photo. Water covers the dilapidated scene and creates beauty.

It was a beautiful sight.If this scene is natural, how beautiful and peaceful it will arouse people's longings. At this moment when there is no sound of cannons or fighting, this beautiful scenery is simply unimaginable. Also hides the greatest brutal killing. The water itself that creates this beauty has become the vanguard of cruelty. We advance on the embankment.After walking about two miles, there was another opening thirty meters wide.The surging river accelerated the collapse of the embankment built with mud.The breaks are constantly collapsing and the openings are constantly expanding, which will slow down the advancing speed of the troops and increase the difficulty of advancing at the same time.

On the way we saw an incredible phenomenon.That is, the water on one side is to the right, and the water on the other side is to the left, and they run in parallel.Because I was submerged under the water, I couldn't know what the land looked like, but it was strange that the water flowed to the left and right in the same place.On the way back, I saw a rare crow (suspected to be a magpie). It was as big as a pigeon, with a white back, black tail, and fan-shaped feathers. On the other hand, the enemy's cutting of the embankment is also to be thanked.why?Because this can prevent us from moving forward, and we can rest and recuperate in place.Tonight I can nest in the grass of last night again.After our report, we wanted to sleep well tonight, but we were too busy to get enough sleep.The winter clothes were sent out.From the perspective of the season, although it is a little earlier, due to future battles, there may not be time to distribute it, so it was released earlier.Fires were lit everywhere for warmth.When we were ordered to line up to get winter clothes, like Private Okuyama of the second unit, Captain Uchiyama took aim at Mr. M, who lined up wearing only a pair of underpants, because he wet his clothes because he messed around during the day.

Warrant Officer Uchiyama spotted his costume sharp-eyed and scolded him.He muttered in his mouth and couldn't answer clearly.The warrant officer severely reprimanded him for his usual behavior, and today he lost his temper especially. The reason why the warrant officer was more angry than usual was because the squadron leader whom we despised was here, and the warrant officer wanted to show off his strictness, discipline and loyalty in front of this young squadron leader who had no courage and no good deeds.I couldn't help but find it pathetic for the aged warrant officer who made such a pathetic boast to the squadron leader.

The warrant officer ordered Wuchang Zhujian to beat Mr. M. Wuchang Zhujian was Mr. M's sub-captain. "I can't fight, he is my comrade-in-arms and my subordinate." The corporal said.The warrant officer made repeated orders and repeated requests, but the corporal chief refused to execute them.Under the reflection of the blue fire, Mr. M's face showed a kind of indifference. On September 29th, I received the No. 4 winter coat.Moreover, I also received the first class, so before arriving at the destination and entering the dormitory, I have to spend a lot of time on these things, which makes people anxious.

After counting several times, our third team is still one person short.After checking the various units, there is a shortage of Private First Class Kinoshita.Together we shouted in contempt and anger, "That bastard!" Private First Class Kinoshita seems to be a decent character from the outside, not bad looking, very smart.However, his thoughts were out of tune with his dignified appearance, and he didn't even have the slightest thought of caring for others.He is not a person who can bear hardships and stand hard work, but a despicable coward full of bold words. This big man who wants to fill his stomach after tasting a few mouthfuls of melon has been dedicated to rear duties since he set off. The battle in Shaheqiao Town was his first battle. war.Moreover, today is his first battle march.He was too far behind to refuse to fight tomorrow.

When no one had any sweets, or even a cigarette, he would take out a small piece of candy from his pocket, chew it in his mouth, and savor the small pieces carefully.His advantage is to cherish things.However, his cherishing is similar to collecting antiques. It is not out of worry about using them, but just cherishing what he owns. Angry as I was, I had to go find this bastard who was so irresistible that others could not control him, and because of that there was something lovable about him.His presence is nothing.We can only think that he is not here to fight, but to cause trouble.I walked back on the dark road where the troops kept coming up from behind, while shouting "Kinoshita-" "Kinoshita-".I call him a jerk because he's either a real jerk or a man with too little common sense.

I finally found him.My feet hurt, my body was tired, I wanted to rest as soon as possible, my stomach was growling, and my whole body was going to be angry.As soon as I saw him, I cursed: "Bastard!" At this time, he also roared and cursed: "Fuck you!" I became more and more angry, and shouted: "What! What are you doing, you pig brain !" He also shot back: "Can I walk as hard as you guys do? Stupid!" Three days of grain [one liter of two rations (according to the old Chinese weight and measure system, one liter of rice is one and a half catties, and two heals is two-tenths of one liter.) rice] and one day's rations of B, I put these rations Packed into the backpack and set off at seven in the morning to participate in the general attack.Because the embankment was broken, we had to weave forward from the rear. Back to Shaheqiao Town, and then start to move forward.It was an out-and-out march. A day's rest for the enemy's destruction of the embankment is now repaid with our iron feet, with interest. However, the embankment is also difficult to walk in the direction we are now advancing, because the enemy has dug deep trenches in their retreat.We crowded each other on the road opened in the middle of the embankment, advancing like a torrent. In order to allow the carriages and horses to pass, the engineers are sweating profusely and wielding their big shovels with their strong arms. The night is coming, but it's got to go, go.We walked silently and carefully on the dark embankment.Several squadrons joined each other, flowing from the darkness to the darkness. This is the torrent of war. Some fell into the trenches dug by the enemy, some were tripped, some sighed and fell out, some threw away some of their belongings to reduce the burden on their bodies, and some dragged their tired legs toward the enemy. Walking forward, some people desperately... I don't know when, we saw the fire ahead. It's a campsite!Our instincts are correct. There is a village on the left side of the embankment. "Stop! Alright, camp in place!" Joyful gratitude welled up in our hearts. Nothing is more irritating and drowsy than the roll call, procrastinating dormitory assignments, and unclear lectures from the team leader. It is deliberately torturing people.Oftentimes I really want to knock him down and kick him all the way.However, he also suffered a lot. The size of the dormitory assigned to our first team cannot accommodate ten players. I lay down with my clothes on by the fire outside where the water was boiled.At such times, one's timidity will be revealed. Kinoshita may feel that he is sorry for causing trouble to others. He takes a bottle of whiskey that has been hidden for a long time and goes to the squad leader and the chattering soldiers first. up.As for me, who suffered a lot directly, I just brought a glass of leftover wine. It is said that the enemy in Xianxian County has changed from defense to offense. Our departure time is set at 2 o'clock in the morning on the second day.Night duty at a time like this is a disaster.The sleep time was less than two hours, and it was difficult to fall asleep due to the night dew soaking. The fatigue was hardly relieved, and the rapid march began again in the dark.After a while, we stepped into a dark mud pond.The muddy water crept into the shoes along the lace holes, making people uncomfortable.The slow-moving private first class fell several times, his body was covered in mud, and he kept yelling and cursing. Soon, the morning sun suddenly rose in the icy air, and the dazzling sunlight shone across the brilliant clouds.Surrounded by mist, the rising sun is like a rainbow, creating a superb view.There is no highland in sight, and the endless wilderness stretches infinitely into the distance.The march was in a hurry, and only fifteen minutes were allowed for breakfast.Also, the time for the second meal is just as short as the time for the last meal.The rations that used to be two meals now have to be divided into three meals.After breakfast, I started to set off until my leg was about to break.At about ten o'clock in the morning, I was extremely tired. The other soldiers couldn't help being hungry and walked to the side of the road to pick pears, but I no longer had the energy to catch up with the troops.I wanted to eat, and when I was passing a village, I saw pears piled up into a hill in the yard of a farmer, and soldiers were densely packed.I also greedily stuffed pears into my gas mask, my backpack, my pockets, two in my left hand, and one in my mouth, and walked away quickly, like stealing a fish in my mouth. Like a stray cat being chased by someone.While running, one, two... gnawed forgetting everything. Delicious, delicious, delicious, really delicious.It was indescribably delicious. I'm afraid I've never eaten a pear as sweet as that in my life. In the afternoon, after eating too many pears, my stomach began to feel uncomfortable and had diarrhea, which made my stomach even empty and aggravated my fatigue.I don't know how hard the diarrhea is for me, because it not only makes my stomach empty, but also increases my fatigue, and every time I fall behind, I have to run to catch up.It takes a considerable amount of time to unload the carry-on every time I am convenient, and I have to finish it quickly while regretting. Go forward, go forward, go forward desperately without knowing where the end is.Without squinting, he walked silently.At about three o'clock in the afternoon, a cloud of a strange color rose from the horizon.Clouds of the color and shape that can only be seen on the mainland spread across the land.Lightning flashed and thunder thundered in the distance, and a chilling wind blew over like when the refrigerator door was opened.The sky turned dark, and heavy drops of rain fell down.In the blink of an eye, the road became muddy, sticking to shoes, making it difficult to walk, but the troops had to keep going endlessly.A dirt road without a pebble is not so much a muddy ground as it is a terrible thing that deprives our feet of freedom to walk.The diarrhea made my stomach empty, and the muddy road accelerated my fatigue, and I couldn't walk anymore.However, in order to fight, you must move forward.Personal pain is nothing in front of the great cause of war, only to go forward with all our strength. I can't stand the hunger for pears, but I can't say the words when I think of the troublesome pears that brought about this ironic result.But I still can't bear it.I thought, I don't eat a lot, I can eat a little bit, so I eat one and walk a mile, and then I eat another and walk a mile.It would be good to have a compressed biscuit at this time, I moved my despicable mind.Can anyone give me a piece, can anyone give me a piece?If you don't give it to me, I will grab it, I stare at the comrades who are walking crookedly with blood red eyes. I actually looked like this, ah, the order to attack hit my heart like a hammer. "There are no enemies in Xian County. The enemy is running away. Go after them with all your strength!" I walked like a sleepwalking patient again.Nothing.Hunger, fatigue, pears, biscuits, everything is forgotten.I have become a machine. Only mud passed by me, only military boots moving alternately. In this way, I finally arrived at a village in front of the county seat of Xian County after dark. It was twelve o'clock in the middle of the night when I laid down my limp body. On October 1st, at 8:30 in the morning, we set foot on the stone road in Xianxian County. Legend has it that there was a concrete city wall six meters high and three meters wide in Xianxian County, but it turned out to be the upper wall that collapsed.The watchtower was damaged by air-dropped bombs, and sentries with tired faces stood in the city.The seat of the county government was thought to be a great place at first, but it was actually very inconspicuous.Walking in the narrow and dirty street market with a strange feeling, smoke came out of a house, with the smell of burnt grains. This was the granary that the enemy set on fire when they fled.We went across the city to camp outside the city.Compared with yesterday's rapid march, today I only walked a short mile, and soon camped.As soon as we heard about camping, we immediately forgot our fatigue and drowsiness, jumped up and desperately searched for food. First, dig some yams, and then kill a pig in the village.We happily chased the pigs around like children, forgetting all our sufferings. Yesterday's thunderstorms are gone today, and the bright sunshine has returned to the earth. Nothing was exciting, everything seemed peaceful and serene.Rest and food can be enjoyed as much as possible, and it is really a pleasant day for everything.Sweet potatoes, pork fried fish, grilled meat and homemade pickles, etc., these things are stuffed into a big belly.The next day, we got up with our bulging bellies in our hands, slaughtered pigs and dug potatoes, and sang about our own world like optimists. Since my hair grew very long, I went to the No. 6 Squadron's barber shop to have my hair cut, took a shower, which I hadn't had in a long time, and smoked a cigarette in comfort.At this time, the order came down, let us pack our tents, clothes and other personal belongings, and pack as lightly as possible. Oh, thank God, the future marches can lighten our burden.But doesn't packing light mean marching by force? ...and this uneasiness ensues.As if to confirm this uneasiness, the order said: "Anyone who thinks that his body will not be able to hold on, please apply. You can take care of your luggage." "It turns out that it's not a good thing to pack lightly!" People had to discuss with each other. However, the backpack that was lifted lightly made us feel relaxed, with a cheerful smile on our face.If it is so light, the little march is not a big deal at all. In the afternoon, our cheerfulness suddenly disappeared, and sorrow surrounded us, because the seven-day ration was issued.When the knapsack couldn't fit, the socks became rice bags filled with grain and tied to the knapsack like a gourd.The heavily stuffed backpack sat on the ground solemnly as if mocking our premature joy in the morning. At seven o'clock in the evening, the order to start was suddenly ordered. "The regiment is starting now. There is a river a mile from here. There are sappers on the river to take us by boat, and they are waiting for us. If the enemy attacks on the way forward by boat, no matter whether someone is wounded Death, absolutely no noise is allowed. The dead and wounded are left there. Absolute silence is required for this advance." We hid the stern words in our hearts and set out in the dark.The biting cold river wind blows.Everything went smoothly and secretly, and after ten o'clock in the evening, we boarded the light boat made of veneer. It was in vain for the soldiers to think where they were safe on board, for the ship was as thick as a thin plank.Even so, some people squeezed in the middle and wanted to use the bodies of their comrades as their own protective walls. The lecture "If you encounter an enemy attack, you may die or be injured..." disturbed people's hearts. The boat advances in the dark river.Only the sound of the boat breaking through the waves and the sound of the motor carried on the river, and disappeared in the silent darkness.We finished our roasted yams and dozed off. The sun shone on the surface of the water, and the gentle river breeze caressed our faces. It was a pleasant morning.After advancing for a while, enemy cavalry appeared on the river bank on the right, but they were immediately repelled. Some of them jumped into the river and swam away, some fled straight away, and the horses who lost their masters also ran away alone.The river is very wide, because the enemy is still breaking the dikes, trying to block us with floods.The flood is vast. The river is full of wooden boats carrying cars.Just look at a boat or two, and they're all going on in spite of the heat.In the twists and turns of the river there was a wooden boat, although hidden among the reeds, but because of this, it was suspicious and was shelled.The ship was damaged by our unerring shells.The Chinese soldiers hidden in the boat jumped into the river and swam out, and finally became the ghost of the gun without knowing it. At around ten o'clock in the evening, a village was seen on the river bank, and the No. 1 Squadron was ordered to go ashore to sweep it.Their reward was to capture three enemy soldiers, who were immediately shot and killed. At this time, the ship of our first unit collided, the hull was damaged, and we had to change to a large speedboat.As we continued on the river, another dawn came.