In another cave in the guest house, Mr. Chen and two members of the condolence group were chatting. The door was suddenly knocked open. Several spies entered the house without saying anything, and dragged a few people away and ran out the door.
"What are you doing? What are you going to do?"
The confused Mr. Chen kept asking, but the little agent said nothing and just guided him towards the guest house door. Their mission was to protect each other, not to explain.
At this time, the yard had become a mess. Someone was shouting loudly. The roar in the sky was deafening. The mules and horses by the wall seemed to be aware of the approaching danger and neighed irritably.
Zuo Zhong brought Gui Youguang to join the crowd. As he walked, he explained to the members of the consolation group: "Everyone, the Japanese are coming for an air raid. Please evacuate with us immediately."
Air raid?
The overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia who experienced this military term for the first time did not take it seriously. In their mind, air strikes were nothing more than planes dropping a few bombs.
The terrain of the border area is complex, there are few buildings, and there are more hills than people. The Japanese can't blow up anything, so there is no need to be so nervous.
Aware of the sympathy group's thoughts, Zuo Zhong was a little helpless. People living in the Heping period could never understand the cruelty of war, nor the cunning of the enemy.
With the Japanese's stinginess, it was impossible to waste ammunition in vain. Since the other party dared to send a plane late at night, they must have been fully prepared and confident enough to do so.
But now was not the time for gossip. Zuo Zhong escorted Mr. Chen and others out of the courtyard and started running wildly in the dark night.
In order to make this trip go smoothly, the military commander made a number of plans, including anti-air raids. As early as when he checked into the guest house, the special agents found a hiding place nearby in advance.
"Team Leader Xu, are you okay?"
After running less than a few hundred meters, everyone ran into the Shannan guerrillas who came after hearing the news. Cui Hong asked anxiously and then joined the evacuation team.
Zuo Zhong looked at the panting guerrillas and shook his head: "It's okay. Thank you, instructor Cui. Let's go quickly. Listen to the sound. The Japanese plane has entered the dive stage and may be about to drop a bomb."
Just as he was talking, there was a loud noise from behind the team. Everyone looked back and saw fiery red flames instantly engulfing the location of the guest house, and the originally invisible night became like day.
MD, the Japs really spent a lot of money. They even used incendiary bombs on them. Zuo Zhong took a breath and ordered the team to disperse immediately.
Unlike ordinary aerial bombs, the burning range of incendiary bombs after explosion is very large. Once it is stained, it will be troublesome. Even if they are not burned to death, the sequelae of burns will accompany the injured for life.
Suddenly, several burning mules and horses rushed out of the fire and jumped off the cliff with a shrill scream. They fell to death on the spot. A strange smell mixed with the aroma of meat and burning protein floated in the wind. Disgusting.
Such a tragic scene frightened the members of the condolences group into speechlessness. Only then did they understand why "Team Leader Xu", who had been calm and unhurried along the way, reacted like this after encountering an air raid.
It’s no wonder that Western European countries were vulnerable to the German air raids. The ones who were burned to death today were mules and horses, but what if they were living people? Thinking that someone in this condolences group couldn’t hold back, they started to vomit.
The little spies didn't care what they were thinking. They took the members of the condolence group away from the road in groups, escorted the protection targets to a hidden place under the cover of darkness, and pushed them in.
This is an abandoned cave dwelling located on the middle of a hillside. There are no residents around and it is overgrown with grass. Even if the Japanese are crazy, they will not bomb such a target with no tactical value.
Zuo Chong sat down on the ground in embarrassment, panting heavily and looking at the guest house that had become a sea of flames. The wavering firelight shone on his face, making him look a little eerie.
"Team leader, we've finished counting the people. The brothers and the condolences team have all come out."
Wu Chunyang was meticulous in his work. The first thing he did after arriving at the hiding place was to count the number of people. Before, the troops were in a panic and it was easy to leave people behind.
Fortunately, everything was going according to the plan. Not only were there many people, but the two radio stations were completely brought out by the operators.
"Okay, let's have someone check to see if Mr. Chen and the others are injured."
After hearing the news, Zuo Zhong's face finally looked better. After saying that, he stood up and stared at the Japanese planes that were constantly circling over the flames. Although he was angry, he always felt that he had forgotten something.
What did you forget?
He thought hard for a long time, but so many things happened in just a few days. For a while, he couldn't determine what went wrong, so he simply stopped thinking about it and ordered the little agent to contact the border area.
They retreated too quickly just now and did not have time to notify the staff at the guest house. They must let the other party know that the condolence group is safe as soon as possible, otherwise the news will spread to the mountain city and who knows how much trouble will be caused.
Several spies received the order and ran out quickly. Cui Hongyong also sent his men to follow to avoid unpleasant things happening. After all, this is a border area station.
More than ten minutes later, the Japanese aircraft, which had repeatedly confirmed that its target had been completely destroyed, swung its wings and flew eastward in a mighty manner, and the roar gradually disappeared.
They didn't run away. These planes must have come from the flying team under the Japanese 1st Army stationed in Jin Province.
Yoshio Shinozuka is such a bastard!
Zuo Zhong stood on the hillside with his hands on his hips and remembered this in his heart. The 1st Army, right? I will definitely give you some clues when you look back.
At the foot of the mountain.
Seeing the Japanese planes leaving, many Eighth Route Army soldiers rushed over and used various tools to pour water on them despite the scorching flames. However, the burning caused by incendiary bombs was difficult to extinguish with water, and the fire demon was still raging.
There were smart people among the Eighth Route Army. When they saw this, they immediately changed the method of extinguishing the fire. Since water was not good, they used earth. So under the cover of a spade of loess, the flames that cut off the air were quickly extinguished.
At the same time, several cadres from the Border District Diplomatic Office followed the little spy back. Seeing that Mr. Chen and others were safe, the other party was relieved.
Then, one of them counted the number of visitors against the list of visitors. They believed their own eyes more than the Fruit Party's rhetoric.
The station is no different than other places. It has many important agencies. If spies get in, big problems will arise.
As a result, after this inventory, a problem was indeed discovered. Several Eighth Route cadres took a few steps back vigilantly, and the leader even asked seriously.
"Team Leader Xu, may I ask where Deputy Director Xu from the Central Command is?"
Xu Enzeng is not here?
After realizing it, Zuo Zhong slapped his thigh and said that he had forgotten something. It turned out to be Xu Enzeng. This guy had not appeared since the air raid. Could it be that he was buried in the flames?
Also, during the retreat, everyone's attention is on the members of the condolences group and their own people, who will care about each other.
Maybe Xu fell asleep and didn't hear the warning and failed to evacuate in time. The dignified deputy director of the Central Military Commission might be burned to ashes like those mules and horses.
Thinking of his old enemy ending up without a burial place, Zuo Zhong's sadness was beyond words, and he said to the cadres of the Communication Department with a heavy expression.
"Alas, we left in a hurry and didn't call Deputy Director Xu. I'm afraid he would hahaha."
At the end of the sentence, Zuo Zhong couldn't hold it back and burst out laughing. If it weren't for the wrong occasion, he would have wanted to set up a few tables to celebrate the ascension of Xu.
The cadres of the communication office opposite were confused. Why did team leader Xu react like this when he knew that Xu Enzeng had been killed? Was he too sad and unable to control himself, or did the two of them have a deep hatred?
Noticing that the other people were looking at him a little strangely, Zuo Zhong quickly shook hands with his heart, looked at Wu Chunyang with a straight face, and issued an order.
"Immediately send a report to the mountain city, saying that Deputy Director Xu Enzeng died for his country heroically and committed suicide. He is truly a role model for us. We will definitely inherit his legacy and never forget the late President."
Zuo Zhong was remembering Deputy Director Xu's great but short life when another group of people came from the bottom of the mountain, and a familiar voice called out.
"Slander! You are slandering me. Xu is just going out for a walk, not a meeting. I don't know this person at all."
"Zuo...Xu, please say something quickly. If Minister Chen knows that you refuse to save him, he will definitely hold you accountable!"
"Mr. Chen, please be kind and ask the Eighth Route Army to let Xu go. I promise not to interfere with the condolence team's inspections again. If there is any violation, I will be struck by lightning."
"Brother Li, for the sake of working together, I beg you to be noble. I will release the rebel bandits immediately when we get back. No, they are your captured comrades!"
As the voice approached, Xu Enzeng, who was tied up, appeared in front of everyone, screaming non-stop. There was a middle-aged man who was also tied up next to him. He looked like he was a small vendor.
Vice Minister Li from the Ministry of Social Affairs followed the two of them, his expression not very good, perhaps because of the misunderstanding Xu Enzeng said, or perhaps because of the air raid.
Seeing the members of the condolences group, Vice Minister Li first looked at the status of Mr. Chen and others. After confirming that no one was injured, he solemnly expressed his apology to the other party.
"Mr. Chen, everyone is fine. It's because we didn't take good care of you this time and you were frightened. Please don't be offended."
Mr. Chen understood that the underground party was not to blame for this incident. There were no planes or anti-aircraft guns in the border area. He knew that air strikes would be useless. He couldn't let people use their bodies to block bombs. He immediately waved his hand to indicate that it was okay.
Vice Minister Li nodded in response, then took out two small notebooks and handed them to Zuo Zhong, pointing at Xu Enzeng and the middle-aged man dressed as a vendor and questioning them.
"Team Leader Xu, I need an explanation as to why your Deputy Director Xu left the guest house privately to meet with this person without notifying us.
This is the cipher document and code book we found from Xu Enzeng. After deciphering, the document involves the head of the border region. Is this the sincerity of the government? "
Zuo Zhong looked at the document and everyone felt numb. Was Xu Enzeng no longer satisfied with sending his men to death, and wanted to go into battle himself and kill them?
Knowing that the border area would monitor them, they still communicated so hastily. The most bizarre thing was to bring the code book with them. This was because they were afraid of making the work of the Ministry of Social Affairs more difficult. He was a very nice person.
Niangxi┴pi! You and I are doing door-to-door delivery!
(End of chapter)