Chapter 22: The Sorrow of the Chinese People

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  Almost a dozen trucks were jolting along the road pockmarked with shell holes, moving very slowly. Besides the bad road conditions, they had to be prepared for German blocking detachments that could appear at any moment. Anna and I sat in the second truck of the convoy, Anna sitting beside me was gloomy all the time, actually everyone's mood was not good, including mine.

  Anna suddenly spoke up and said: "I want to go back!"

  "No way!" I opened my mouth and refused Anna's somewhat excessive request.

  "I'm a journalist, Germans won't dare do anything to me! Look, I still have my press card..." Anna said as she was about to pull out her ID for me to see.

  "Anna! You're wrong, no one here wants to leave like this! And now it's unavoidable! Anna, look at the people in those trucks behind us. They were once healthy soldiers with all their limbs intact, but now they're severely injured, missing arms and legs! Anna, they're human beings too, they can't be left unprotected!" I looked at the wounded soldiers in the trucks, my emotions sinking low, my tone of voice also becoming subdued.

  Anna fell silent and no longer spoke, her gaze turned to the pitch-black night sky, I don't know what she was thinking. Was it Carrington or the wounded soldiers behind her? I couldn't guess either!

  This time, retreating from Caen, apart from keeping a spark of the mobile cavalry D company, my important task was to protect the wounded soldiers and some important figures of special organs in the battle, and retreat back to Normandy. This is not an easy task, on the road between Caen and Normandy, there are still many active German guerrilla forces. Dealing with these German guerrilla forces that can eat if they can, and run away if they can't.

  Guerrilla forces, in my opinion, should also be classified as a type of special forces. Although they may not have the same level of expertise as professional special forces from various countries, their core mission is the same: to disrupt and infiltrate, using any means necessary to cause destruction with minimal casualties and maximum combat value. They destroy roads, railways, and communication lines, kidnap important figures, and can demoralize the enemy through sporadic sniper attacks, undermining their will to fight. While it's difficult for them to turn the tide of battle, these tactics are enough to give the enemy commander a headache, albeit only a headache.

  I suddenly thought of the East at this time, the one who was in Yan'an, led a fierce and intense special war, how much trouble did it cause for the Japanese? I couldn't help but smile bitterly. As a great man's clever plan, it was indeed formidable. The main battlefield was left to Chiang Kai-shek, while small skirmishes were kept for himself. Although he couldn't achieve major victories, his casualties were absolutely fewer than Chiang's. As the war dragged on, his power grew stronger and stronger, and his grasp of political power became firmer. Yes, his power indeed grew stronger, to the point where he could organize the Pingxingguan Great Victory and the Hundred Regiments Campaign. Unfortunately, after eight years of resistance, these were the only two battles that could be won. Later, was it because there wasn't enough strength to organize more battles, or was it a deliberate effort to conserve strength? I don't want to think about it; actually, I'd rather believe the latter.

  No wonder Chiang Kai-shek was so wary of the heroes of Yan'an, anyone would be! Chiang Kai-shek only regretted that he really couldn't make peace with the Japanese. No wonder he could say: "Repel the external enemy first and then pacify the internal!" This is an eternal famous saying. However, this is after all a family matter between two emperors! Unfortunately, it was still the ordinary Chinese people who suffered. If there were fewer people between these two, perhaps they would not have brought eight years of suffering to the entire Chinese nation! This is the sorrow of the Chinese people, the sorrow of being helpless, just like my current situation.

  "All vehicles in the convoy, be vigilant for any unusual conditions on both sides of the road! There are more woods here! Beware of Germans!" The order was quickly passed down and the troops became highly tense once again.

  "Anna asked as if asking the sky and also asking me: 'You say, why can't things between countries be resolved through negotiation when they arise? Why must there be war!'"

  Anna's words immediately made me think of the United Nations established after the war. I smiled and said, "It's because there is no law or police protection between countries like there is for ordinary people!"

  Anna's eyes lit up. "We can wait until after the war, propose that all countries form a union, and then establish a law that is equal to civilians! Wouldn't there be no more wars then?"

  Lovely dream! It reminds me of that world in my previous life! I didn't explain to Anna, just faintly said: "Maybe!"

  Boom! The sudden explosion of the first car made it lose control and overturn into a roadside ditch like a drunkard who had drunk too much wine.

  "An ambush!"

  "Everybody get off! Hurry up!"

  Except for the wounded, all the soldiers jumped out of the vehicle quickly and immediately lay down on the ground, nervously pointing their guns at any suspicious place. At this time, the entire convoy also urgently extinguished its headlights and stopped in place!

  "Stay quietly in the car and don't go anywhere! This must be a small detachment of Germans!" I soothingly patted Anna's hand, saying softly.

  The pitch-black night made the trees by the roadside seem a bit selective. All the soldiers and I were on high alert.

  "David, what's the situation with the car ahead?" I asked David who had just returned from observing.

  "Look at the power! It's been blown up by an anti-tank mine!"

  "Are there any other thunderclaps?"

  "It's too dark and can't see clearly! Also don't know if there are Germans in the woods?"

  I crouched on the ground, whispering to Jo and Bruce. "Jo, Bruce, each of you take a small team into the woods to check it out. Keep your distance apart, and at any movement, no matter if there's anyone or not, open fire immediately!"

  "Yes! Lieutenant!" Josen and Bruce called out behind them "Kelly! Avey you two follow me!"

  Josen and a dozen or so people cautiously formed a loose defensive formation, with Josen's machine gun firepower at the center, covering each other as they moved forward. Bruce was in an attacking formation, following behind Josen. Everyone proceeded with bated breath.

  A gust of wind blew by, making a rustling sound, adding an extra layer of eeriness to the entire forest.

  "There's something!"

  Rat-a-tat, Jossen first fired a fierce burst at the flickering shadow, covering Kelly as he sprinted over.

  “stopfrie！stopfrie！”

  The gunfire finally stopped, and Chausson had actually only hit a swaying thicket of grass, but it still made Chausson break out in a cold sweat. The search party did not find any signs of Germans in the woods. However, the next trouble is that I don't know how many landmines the Germans have laid on this road. In fact, you don't need many, just over a dozen, and it can make my entire convoy paralyzed here.

  "Damn roadside bomb!"

  I couldn't help but feel some sympathy for the US patrol in Iraq, who never knew when or where it would happen, and then suddenly, boom! But now that it's happening to me, I'm starting to wonder if this is what it means to be an American - to always have to enjoy the hospitality of roadside bombs from hostile countries. At least, I don't feel very good about it right now!

  I am not far from Careton now, just about 10 kilometers away. The sound of guns and cannons on the side of Careton can be heard very clearly here. John Joe is still fighting with the Germans. Should I go back because of the uncertain roadside bombs? Or should I continue to advance at the risk of being bombed again? It's also hard for me to make up my mind!

  "What should I do? Should I go back or continue moving forward?"

  "How much farther is it to Kutztown?"

  Roughly estimating around the map, Jones said: "That would make our journey at least twice as long!"

  I pondered for a moment and said, "Let's go! The farther we are, the safer!"

  Actually, my intention is very clear. The main force of the German army in the entire Normandy region has basically been cleared out now, but if we follow the original plan to return to Granville, it's obviously impossible.

  The Granville Allied forces' main logistics hub, where reinforcements were constantly being transported to various places. However, it is estimated that German blocking troops have laid many landmines on the road from Granville to Cherbourg, waiting for us. Although Coutances was also an important base for the Allies, if they were to support Cherbourg, their first choice would be Granville.

  "Full speed ahead, make for Kuantan!"

  The convoy continued to advance, fortunately on the road except for encountering two small German troops that caused us some trouble, a car of wounded soldiers was completely lost, and several of my men were killed, but with the support of the reception troops in Coutances, it was relatively smooth.

  The motorcade had just stopped at the US military base in Kourens when the officer in charge of the guard, Colonel Jouen, called me over.

  "Thanks for bringing our soldiers back safely, good job, young man!"

  I knew he was referring to the wounded soldiers, and I said wearily: "General, this is my duty!"

  "Alright! Now that you're here, you're safe. Go rest now, I'll find you again tomorrow!" Zhu En was indeed very understanding of people's thoughts.

  I fell onto the bed and went straight to sleep as soon as I returned to my quarters. It wasn't until the next morning when the base's morning exercise assembly call woke me up thoroughly!

  It's June in Europe, the days are longer and it gets light very early. I took a look at the officer's watch that was distributed to us, and it was just past 5 o'clock, so I got up.

  "Captain! No, it should be Lieutenant Colonel now!" Josen said with a smile as he waited at my door early in the morning.

  "Huh? I looked at Joelson in confusion!"

  "Captain! It's the appointment notification from General Zhu En to the Allied Command Headquarters that was sent to you this morning! You've been promoted!"

  "Oh, really? That's great news!" I wasn't too surprised by the promotion of the military rank, I had already known about it from Anna, just hadn't had a chance to announce it yet!

  "By the way, General Zhu En asked us to inform you that at 8 o'clock, he wants you to go to his office for a visit. He seems to have something to say to you!" Qiao Sen said to me as if he had just remembered.

  "Alright! I got it!"