Chapter 27: Desert Expedition

  After a lot of discussion, Li Zhengwei concluded: When we enter the desert, we need to prepare a large amount of water and food. We can get water locally, but what about food?

  Li Zhengwei smiled and said: Today, Ma Fei has brought us a lot of gifts. Everyone else also burst into laughter after hearing this.

  Wu Bing thought to himself: This time, the Left Column Army entered the desert, but it was completely different from the historical record of breaking through the encirclement and entering the Gobi Desert. If they had known that historically, the Left Column Army had broken through the encirclement and entered the Gobi Desert without bringing water and food supplies...

  Perish on the desolate beach of Gobi, the hardships in it are beyond the reach of outsiders. Now it's all good, the enemy was repelled at Baitunzi, and the dead war horses brought a large amount of 'meat' food supplement to the Left Wing Team. Moreover, there is also sufficient time to prepare water and rations, and make preparations for crossing the Gobi Desert.

  Wu Bing's mind was wandering, thinking about things unrelated to the meeting, when someone nudged him from beside. Wu Bing snapped back to reality and only then heard someone calling him, he looked up to see Li Zhengde saying: "Comrade Wu Bing, what are you thinking about?"

  Wu Bing felt a bit embarrassed and said: Sorry, sir. I just thought of something. In some professional foreign newspapers, I saw the experience of crossing the desert and the equipment needed to prepare. Combining our current situation, I think we need to do some preparation work now.

  Alright, Comrade Wu Bing, you tell me. What are the inadequacies in our current preparations? Let's make some supplements so we can be better prepared and avoid unnecessary losses. Said Li Zhengwei.

  Wu Bing didn't mince words and entered the desert, saying: Alright, I'll say something. From what I've seen of those foreign explorers who have crossed the desert, they generally don't go to the desert in the 'spring' or summer seasons. Starting from mid-to-late March

  At the beginning, until May, the desert climate is changeable. The wind is very strong, especially sandstorms, which can easily cause people to lose their way and put their lives in danger. Sandstorms come suddenly and violently, when you feel like there's a sound coming from far away, just a few seconds later

  Inside, the sky and earth turned yellow, with sandstorms covering everything. Everything that could be grabbed was swept away, and it was gone in a flash. The sand hitting people's bodies was like sandpaper, grinding every inch of skin.

  I was talking about the sandstorm in the desert. Originally, neither spring nor summer is a good time to cross the desert, but we are now forced to cross it due to circumstances. The sandstorm phenomenon that occurs easily in spring poses a threat to our large team.

  So while we are preparing water and food, we also need to prepare a large amount of rope for emergency use, and we also need an experienced desert guide.

  Survival in the desert depends on three interdependent factors: ambient temperature, physical activity and water storage. In direct sunlight, even without physical exertion, a person loses about three times as much water as in the shade.

  People reduce water consumption to the lowest limit, and the possibility of survival increases. Explorers have a warning phrase: "Don't fight against the desert, but adapt to it."

  Also, I have four words to give to everyone: "Travel at night and rest in the morning". If water is scarce, try to minimize walking during the day and change to walking at night, which can reduce the body's consumption of water.

  Everyone nodded after listening, and Li Zhengwei said: Well, Comrade Wu Bing's experience must be passed on to everyone. Let's all go prepare the necessary work!

  The crowd slowly walked out of the command center, and Li Zhengwei again kept Wang Tuanzhang and Wu Bing alone.

  Li Zhengwei said to Wang Tuanzhang: We discussed it among ourselves just now, and we hope you can let go of your attachment and allow us to transfer Comrade Wu Bing to the headquarters as a staff officer.

  Commander Wang and Soldier Wu both looked at Commissar Li with some surprise, Commander Wang's heart suddenly became tense and he stuttered: But if Comrade Wu leaves, our third company will have no company commander.

  Commander Wang really couldn't bear to part with Wu Bing. Although Wu Bing was alone at times, he could be used as a whole regiment or division.

  Li Zhengwei smiled and asked Wu Bing for his opinion after hearing Wang Tuanzhang's words. Wu Bing said: Commander, compared to being a staff officer, I still prefer to fight and lead troops. How about this? I'll stay as the company commander of the 3rd Company, and if Headquarters needs me, I'll report immediately.

  Li Zhengwei burst out laughing and said: I knew you couldn't bear to part with it, Comrade Wu Bing is also a person who can't stay idle. Alright then! Let's do it according to Comrade Wu Bing's method.

  Commander Wang obviously let out a sigh of relief after hearing Commissar Li's words and left the command center with Wu Bing.

  The left detachment prepared for a whole day at Baitunzi, during which they prepared a large amount of water and food. They hired an experienced guide locally to prepare to cross the Gobi Desert in front of them.

  On the third day, the troops officially entered the Gobi Desert via Hongliu Garden, a must-pass route to the west. Wu Bing led the soldiers of the three companies and still walked at the forefront of the main force, while Li Zhengwei also followed the three companies and walked in the front of the team. As they entered the Gobi Desert, what they saw was the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert.

  Endless dunes, known as the "Sea of Death" by locals, undulate like waves in a yellow sea. Easy to enter, hard to exit. On the second day into the Gobi Desert, Wu Bing and others felt the power of nature, with scorching sun beating down during the day, temperatures soaring, and the ground surface ...

  The gravel road was scorching hot, making people sweat profusely as if they were in a steamer. At night, the moonlight was clear and cold, with temperatures plummeting to minus 20 or 30 degrees, freezing people like they had fallen into an ice cellar. Within one day, the weather changed several times, suddenly clearing up to reveal a vast expanse of sky, only to be followed by swirling sandstorms.

  Wu Bing asked the guide as they walked: "Old man, this Gobi Desert is really not small! Can we get out of here tomorrow?" The guide was a local herdsman, wearing handmade leather boots. Although he was quite old, his body was still sturdy.

  The guide said in surprise: "Tomorrow? Out of the 'Jade' Gate Pass, through Star Gorge, to Di Hua City, this is called 'Poor Eight Stations, Rich Eight Stations, Not Poor or Rich Eighteen Stations'. At present, it is exactly 'Poor Eight Stations', not to mention two legs walking, even riding a horse will take at least six days to reach Star Gorge."

  Li Zhengwei said beside him, "We Red Army are all flying 'hairy' legs, we can walk for three days."

  They walked day and night for less than two days, a sandstorm blew over, and the old guide also lost his way. Fortunately, Li had a compass on him, he would take it out to look at it every now and then, and continue heading northwest. When they were tired from walking, they would lie down on the ground for a while, get up and walk again.

  After getting lost and looking at the vast Gobi Desert, someone suggested: withdraw from the Gobi Desert, follow the Gansu-Xinjiang Highway to Xingxing Gorge.

  Li Zhengwei thought it over repeatedly and disagreed with retreating. He said to the crowd: "It's not easy for us to get to this place, so we must be cautious! Rather than retreating and being pursued by the enemy, it's better to endure temporary hardships and walk out of this desert area. We brought

  There is still plenty of water and food, I believe that as long as we persevere to the northwest, we will definitely be able to get out of the Gobi Desert.

  The troops continued northwest and finally entered Xinjiang's Guanmenkou Xingxing Gorge on the morning of the fourth day.

  The old guide stuck out his thumb, curled up his mustache and smiled at Li Xianian, saying: "I'm convinced by you guys! The six-day road, you've only taken three days. I really admire that!"

  Wu Bing thought to himself: It's really not easy marching in the desert, it's indeed not a joke. From now on, unless absolutely necessary, I won't enter the Gobi Desert again.