Eagle Sauce: The 055 destroyer was launched into the sea just after the founding of the country?

at the same time.

Inside the Longguo border outpost, the dim kerosene lamp flickered with warm light, bringing a touch of warmth to this cold night.

Major Li Ming of Longguo sat on a wooden chair by the window, his eyes looking through the foggy glass window at the twinkling lights of the Russian military camp in the distance.

The lights seemed particularly bright in the night, as if stars had fallen on the dark earth.

His expression was complicated, his brows were slightly furrowed, and his eyes were a mixture of confusion and worry.

"Is this battle...really necessary, Captain Zhou?"

Major Li Ming turned to look at the middle-aged officer standing next to him, his voice low and hesitant.

Lieutenant Colonel Zhou Changhe stood upright, holding a telegram that had just arrived from the imperial capital.

There was not much expression on his face. He just nodded silently, his eyes also looking out the window.

Although this action was simple, it was like a thousand-pound stone falling into Li Ming's heart, leaving him speechless.

Major Li Ming sighed slightly, turned around, and slowly sat back in his seat.

There was a cup of cold tea on the table. His fingers gently ran across the rim of the cup, and his eyes became confused and distant.

The soldiers on duty around them habitually kept their distance, giving the two officers space to talk privately.

Zhou Changhe carefully folded the telegram and put it in his pocket, then pulled over a chair and sat down opposite Li Ming.

His eyes looked even deeper under the light, and his wrinkles were full of traces of time.

"I know what you're thinking, Xiao Li," Zhou Changhe said, his voice a little tired but still gentle. "I feel bad too."

He took out a box of cigarettes and pulled out one, but did not light it immediately. He just gently rotated it between his fingers, as if the small cigarette could help him organize his complex thoughts.

"The Russian bear may be aggressive towards us now, but after all, they were our big brother not long ago."

Zhou Changhe finally lit his cigarette and took a deep drag, the smoke forming a hazy barrier around him. "I remember five years ago, the experts they sent over taught us how to build steel mills, hydroelectric power stations, and machinery factories..."

Major Li Ming nodded silently.

He had not been in the army for long, but he had witnessed with his own eyes how the Russian experts enthusiastically provided technical guidance in factories and passed on their experience in military camps.

"Lyudanov," Zhou Changhe said suddenly, a flicker of nostalgia in his eyes, "Remember him? The old engineer who always wore a wrinkled military uniform?"

Li Ming smiled and said, "Of course I remember. He always wore that shabby hat, regardless of winter or summer."

"More than a decade ago, I was in charge of safety at Harbin First Heavy Machinery Plant. At that time, he brought his team to guide us in assembling our first large-scale turbine."

Zhou Changhe's gaze became distant, as if he had traveled through time and space and returned to that hopeful era.

"At that time, our relationship with the Russians was very good, and Big Brother Gang really helped us with all their heart."

"Once, a fire broke out in the factory at night. Without a word, he rushed to the front to help us rescue the blueprints and equipment. That night, half of his beard was singed."

Zhou Changhe flicked the ash from his cigarette and continued, "After the fire was under control, we sat together in the factory backyard and shared a bottle of vodka."

"He patted me on the shoulder and said, 'Xiao Zhou, I will definitely come again when your industrial system is established. Then we won't talk about work, but just drink and celebrate the friendship between our two countries.'"

Li Ming could feel the emotional weight in Zhou Changhe's words.

This is not only a memory of technical cooperation, but also a testimony of the sincere friendship between people.

"What happened next?" Li Ming asked softly.

“Later…” Zhou Changhe gave a wry laugh. “Then the political winds changed. Lyudanov and other experts were urgently recalled to Moscow. We didn’t even have time to say goodbye before leaving.”

He shook his head,

"I thought we'd have a chance to fulfill that promise and have a good drink together. But now it seems..."

The wind outside the window suddenly became louder, making the window rattle.

In the distance, the searchlights of the Russian military camp swept across the border. The dazzling beams of light seemed like an invisible barrier, severing the friendship that once existed.

"You know what?" Zhou Changhe said, stubbing out his cigarette, his voice growing deeper. "Last month, I received a letter from Lyudanov, sent via a third country."

"The letter didn't say much, just that he was very sorry. Things had developed to this point, and it was beyond the control of ordinary people."

"He also said that no matter how the situation changes, the years we spent together will always be worth cherishing."

Li Ming blinked, trying hard to suppress the moisture in his eyes.

He suddenly remembered his time at the military academy, when he had been taught air defense radar technology by the Russian instructor, Grezov. He was strict but patient, always encouraging his students in broken Chinese: "Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Only by learning from your mistakes can you become a true soldier."

"Instructor Grezov and I have made an appointment to go fishing together at Lake Baikal after we both retire."

Li Ming said softly,

"He said the water in Lake Baikal is so clear that you can see the bottom dozens of meters below, and the fish are so plump that they can be used to make a Russian feast..."

Zhou Changhe reached out and patted Li Ming's shoulder, a glint of understanding flashing in his eyes: "So you're asking if this war must be fought?"

Li Ming nodded, with struggle and confusion in his eyes.

"Xiao Li, as soldiers, we sometimes have to face such cruel realities,"

Zhou Changhe's voice regained the firmness that was unique to a soldier.

"Politics and national interests take precedence over personal feelings."

"The leadership of the Bear Country has decided to view us as a threat. They have assembled 20 divisions of troops in the Far East, with countless tanks and artillery."

He stood up and walked to the map hanging on the wall, pointing to the Sino-Soviet border.

"If they do attack, we must fight to defend not only our territory but everything we have fought so hard to build over the years."

Li Ming was silent for a moment, then finally stood up and straightened his shoulders.

"I understand, Captain Zhou."

"Personal friendship is always worth cherishing, but the security of the country and the people is more important."

"Remember," Zhou Changhe's eyes became deep and firm, "we are not enemies of ordinary Russians, nor are we enemies of the experts who once helped us. We are only facing the political decisions and military actions of a country."

Outside the window, patrol lights on the border line crisscross each other, like a microcosm of the complex relationship between the two major countries.

Major Li Ming adjusted his uniform and saluted Zhou Changhe with a standard military salute.

On this cold night, he found his inner balance - respecting past friendships and being grateful, while firmly fulfilling his duty to defend his country.

The memories of working with the Russian bear experts will always be treasured in their hearts, but now, they are standing on opposite sides of the border, shouldering completely different missions.

This is the tragedy of the times and the reality that every soldier must face.