Autumn's Raid (3)

  Many years later, whenever the brothers had a chance to gather together for a drink, regardless of whether I was present or not, the story of how I was chased all over the mountains by the 81-style automatic rifle loaded with 30 blank rounds from a certain battalion's mechanized infantry regiment would be brought up again as a joke. This incident was considered one of the shameful things that happened to our "dog head" unit at the time, and it was exaggerated more and more as it was passed around, eventually becoming a story about how an old soldier from our unit was beaten by four new recruits from the mechanized infantry regiment wielding clubs. People always add oil to the fire when they think something is fun, and that's how rumors are born.

  What is the fact?

  The truth is that I made a mistake, violating the principle of low-key operations behind enemy lines. I actually dared to steal those three 81-style automatic rifles stacked together, and not just one! Because I knew that Madada also wanted them, and some brothers in our unit also wanted them. Although I knew it was wrong to steal guns from brother units and play with them, and we would definitely be severely punished if caught, I just wanted to have fun. After all, aren't we all part of the People's Liberation Army? We're all one family, why make a big deal out of it? Playing with them wouldn't hurt anyone, and I'd return them afterwards. Your unit always wants to play with our Type 95 automatic rifles too! What's the big deal? It's not like I stole your main battle tank or infantry fighting vehicle (although I did steal one later). Why be so tense about it?

  I carefully observed the only brother officer of the squad who hadn't fallen asleep, it seemed that the young woman had met an acquaintance there, and was talking to someone, he still had to watch for a while. I quietly got down from the ground with the military bag full of apples and silently approached the three black 81-type automatic rifles.

  I approached and still didn't hear anything, so I took a step forward and stretched out my hand!

  A loud rumble! The three guns are now in hand, but my left foot has fallen into a trap!

  I just realized that it's also a trap, and the brothers in this unit have been trained to do so, it seems like every year there are some soldiers who sneak out to play with their 81 guns. I don't dare say they're certain I'm going to steal a gun now, but I'd say they're being cautious by doing this while sleeping. To this day, I still think it's unlikely they know we've arrived nearby, because if they did, there's no reason they wouldn't report to their superiors and get a search party with big dogs to catch us? It seems like it's really become a habit of mutual distrust.

  Then the three sleeping superior soldiers all jumped up, and the awake officer didn't look at the local young woman anymore, picked up his own 81 and pulled the bolt, then it was an extremely standard sentence:

  "Hands up! The PLA treats prisoners of war with kindness!"

  I don't care about your preferential treatment or not, if you were real prisoners of war, you would be treated with preference, but you're just a bunch of dog-headed soldiers, what's there to treat with preference?! Even after surrendering, we'd still have to tie you up and take you down the mountain for display, lose face in front of our Dog Head Battalion, and then hand you over to the containment team to deal with. The severity of the consequences wouldn't be as simple as a demonstration in combat class, who knows what kind of trick that birdbrain would come up with to deal with me?! I'd definitely have nowhere to appeal!

  How can I raise my hand? Raising hands is for surrendering! Can a proud soldier of the special forces like me, Xiao Zhuang, raise his hands and surrender?!

  My left hand was still holding a bag full of apples, but my right hand had already drawn the 92-style pistol from the leg holster at an extremely fast speed, with my thumb opening the hammer, and then came a string of rapid shots! - The training of special forces is to make you fast! Accurate! Ruthless!

  The distance between us was about two meters, at this distance if it were live ammunition, not to mention the four of them, even six I would have knocked down in a very short time. But the problem is that blank cartridges are just blank cartridges, and they just got stunned for a moment. At this moment, I slung the apple bag over my shoulder, grabbed an 81 rifle, turned around and ran!

  According to the exercise rules, they have already been shot down by me. But you can also think about it, what's the point of exercise rules in this situation?!

  4 machine gunners, one with a stick and 3 with 81s, started chasing me! The 3 81s fired continuously, spewing out flames, of course I didn't have time to react. Who's stupid now?! I just kept running as fast as I could, but of course I couldn't run back, that would expose my squad's position! Basic special forces knowledge told me not to do that, and besides, going back would mean both Dog Head High School team and He Da-dui would be after me! So I just kept running in the other direction.

  The motor of course did not have a machine gun to cover me, first it was useless, and instead attracted all the wolves, secondly he didn't dare and was afraid of being caught by the Dog Head High School team.

  Now you know what special forces are?

  It's just " Elite Troops"! I still hold this view many years later, and it was formed after stealing the 81 guns from the brother unit and being chased around the mountain.

  I ran for my life! The ones behind me chased after me for their lives! Then I heard the sound of gunfire rat-a-tat-tat!

  Then I heard the distant barking of dogs! Oh my god! The search party is here! These damn things are all elites from various troops' reconnaissance battalions, although they didn't participate in the martial arts competition but it's not like they're much worse, and they always have a psychological need to capture us, or else they won't feel at ease. And now with their troop's big wolf dog, I'm really surrounded!

  For an 81 rifle and a Huang Yushuai apple.

  I know the Dog Head High School team has been up for a long time, and the gunfire is their alarm clock. This one won't run away, but whether he'll continue to lurk or make a quick escape, I have no idea. All I know is that I mustn't rush over there, draw the enemy's attention, and give them time - this is the basic principle of special forces combat, what else can you do?! If I'm lucky enough to escape, I'll just wander around in the mountains until all subjects of the comprehensive exercise are completed, then I can show up. Although I'll still get punished, it will be lighter. But if I get captured, that's a big problem - in Dog Head's squad, it's hard to hold your head high afterwards. No way out, every country in the East dislikes those who have been captured by the enemy, even the Mountain Eagle says: "Third Grandpa, I hate being captured by the Communist Army the most!" What about us, aren't we the Communist Army?!

  So I absolutely cannot be captured! How can a good man like me from Xiao Zhuang become a prisoner?!

  At that time, although I was running fast, my mind had already thought it through. If I were to be captured, I would escape and take out an enemy command post or something to become a lone hero! We've practiced this kind of thing hundreds of times, all sorts of variations, I don't believe their guards are stricter than the simulated POW camp set up by our own Dog Head Brigade's Communication Regiment - those guys are old pros at this sort of thing, they're from a field army unit with real courses to teach, it's not like they'd specially assign people just for this!

  Route one, the right idea is to have a firm foothold! But first, I need to shake off these four mechanized infantry battalions that are chasing me! How do I shake them off? Shooting won't work, they won't just fall down and play dead like in the movies. Flying dagger, dare you throw it?! Those are our brother soldiers from another unit, would you try throwing one at them?! Running on mountain roads, I'm definitely faster than them, but I'm not as familiar with the terrain as they are... They're also trying to cross the wilderness, so for a while, you can't shake them off. Listen to those dogs barking, getting closer and closer... Once the search party arrives, that's when things will get really troublesome! Not to mention, I still have two rifles and a bag of Huang Yuan Shuai apples on me...

  An apple?! I've got an idea! While running, I'll put the 81 rifle on my shoulder and grab the bag. Then, I'll take out an apple, turn around, and throw it with a flick of my wrist like a flying knife!

  That apple just hit a soldier's leg, he shouted and stopped for a moment before quickly lying down. I don't know what kind of new secret weapon the Dog Head Brigade developed to deal with them, then looked at the smashed yellow commander apple on the ground like a rotten eggplant. Suddenly understood, got up and chased after shouting.

  This time I had the time to aim, one by one! All smashed towards these machine gunner brothers' faces! An apple smashing into you at high speed is quite a taste. Then I saw those four brothers crying out in pain, covering their faces and rolling on the ground. Not enough to cause serious damage or start trouble, but enough to hurt them for half a day, I reckon some of them even had nosebleeds.

  But I couldn't care less, so I turned around and ran. The barking of the dogs behind me was getting closer and closer. I could already hear the chaotic footsteps, shouts, and dog barks, as well as the intermittent gunfire filling the air - everyone knew it wasn't very effective, but when you're a soldier, you've got to do what you've got to do. As for how this training exercise is going to be resolved, I have no idea. In many cases, you can't say who's at fault because nobody wants to take responsibility. The rifles we used during the exercise, I think they were even less useful than the apple I threw away. I was panting heavily, carrying two guns on my back, and running swiftly up the mountain.

  I know that once I climbed the mountain, my advantage became more obvious. Generally, reconnaissance troops are not good at navigating in this kind of primitive forest, but we are like wolves in the woods.

  My goal is just one, through this vast apple orchard - into the mountains.