Canteen System Assistance Notes

Even under such difficult and harsh conditions, even apart from the anti-Japanese fighters who retreated into the Soviet Union, they still maintained a small number of secret camp-style bases in some mountainous and rugged places, such as Jiushiwudingzi. Their existence represented the weak but inextinguishable flame of resistance of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. It was a pity that in the vast and arduous battles of the Anti-Japanese War, this spark was ultimately unable to burn and grow stronger.

"The primary goal of this operation is to reconnect with the First Army, which has been out of contact for several years. I must emphasize again that although the Central Committee has equipped us with excellent weapons, comrades, firing is always a last resort...

In the occupied areas, although the Japanese and puppet troops had an absolute advantage, except for large-scale suppression, it was actually difficult for the Japanese army to penetrate too far into the areas controlled by the Anti-Japanese United Army. The main reason was that under the colonial strategy of "collecting villages and merging settlements", a large number of mountains had become uninhabited primitive jungles, with no birds or people.

This certainly cut off a large part of the Anti-Japanese United Army's supply sources, but the dense cold temperate forest areas in the Northeast became a common natural obstacle for both sides: the water was slurry in the spring, muddy in the summer, and extremely cold in the winter. In other words, during the period when it was late autumn but not yet the beginning of winter and before the heavy snow, it was more convenient for large troops to move.

Therefore, in addition to facing the possible appearance of Japanese and puppet troops, the team also had to find a way to deal with the harsh natural environment. In this regard, Liu Helian was finally able to help.

With the help of the canteen and the continuous development accumulated over the past three years, the Eighth Route Army was now fully equipped for this special unit. Based on the combat scenario, the 12 soldiers carried five Japanese-made rifles: three captured Type 44 cavalry rifles, two Type 38 rifles that had been carefully modified and equipped with PE sights, and one "Guaibazi" light machine gun captured from the Jidong base area, which was in excellent condition and even retained its original telescopic sight.

The rest of the troops were equipped with the first batch of stabilized M/45 "Type 2" submachine guns, and each carried a B-HP "S54" combat pistol. Considering the need for direct fire in the jungle, the squad leader and deputy squad leader, who carried a lighter load, also carried two "disposable turtle fist" pistols with the tail nozzles removed.

In order to ensure survival in the primitive jungle, with the limit of each person's load not exceeding 30 kilograms, Liu Helian also prepared fallen leaf-colored jackets and fast-moving underwear for the team, brought supplies such as sulfa, energy bars and vitamin tablets, and arranged equipment such as multi-functional knives, water purification filters and high-intensity flashlights.

The central government was also extremely careful in its personnel selection: the 12-man team included two doctors, two signalmen trained in radio, two engineers, two guides, and one former ginseng digger. All were essentially former company or platoon leaders or instructors, many of whom had participated in the Long March and had extensive experience in reconnaissance and mountain marching. The two local guides were former members of the Anti-Japanese United Army.

To some extent, they are like the 18 brave men on the Dadu River and the 22 flying men on the Luding Bridge, shouldering a great mission, or perhaps a kind of hope.

But is this enough?

Liu Helian's future brain couldn't help but fall into thought.

The Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army hadn't established contact with the Central Committee for a long time. While the Third Army, which was still able to approach the border and cross the border, had been trapped in the encirclement, the First Army had been completely cut off from communication for a long time. What was happening to them? Would they still have a thousand men left, as they had in history?

Ever since this plan was proposed and approved by the central government, Liu Helian had repeatedly imagined the worst-case scenario. His arrival in this world had already made a significant impact on its history. As for the aerial infiltration, his Super Future eMule and his practiced flying skills gave him confidence that he could accomplish it effectively. However, he was unsure about the situation of the First Army.

What if a scenario like General Yang, "eating bark and cotton wool to fill his stomach, fighting the enemy until his death," had occurred the previous winter? What would I do? What if the highly nervous Anti-Japanese Allied Forces comrades and I couldn't build trust, and there was accidental fire? What if I was really unlucky and encountered a Japanese search team that didn't exist in history?

For many issues, Liu Helian was aware that as a man of the future, he had the natural justice of being able to judge after the event. He could stand in a position of being outside and make judgments easily. However, there was always one thing that made it difficult for him to make a decisive decision: that was the lives of many people, like an inverted pyramid placed in front of him. When they were in his hands, his breathing would become rapid, his thinking would tremble, and he would become at a loss, losing his decisiveness and objectivity.

Instinctively, Liu Helian felt that he did not have the ability to take responsibility for the lives of his predecessors.

"Comrade Xiao Liu? Comrade Xiao Liu? Comrade Liu Helian!"

"Ah...here I am!"

At some point, Comrade Ren Bulin had finished speaking and was calling out his name. The soldiers standing in a row looked like statues, looking at him in a daze with serious but kind smiles.

There were several familiar faces among them - in addition to Tiechui, who had served as his temporary guard, there were also several former Anti-Japanese Allied Forces fighters who served as guides. Liu Helian had tried his best to protect and rescue them when he was working at the Party School and the coal mine in Vladivostok.

As the leader of this team, Xu Rong also turned around and said to Commissioner Liu, "Ah! Look at you guys, what a big show you've made! You've scared everyone!"

Hahaha! Everyone laughed heartily, and the atmosphere relaxed considerably. The "old mother of the Party" seemed to see through Liu Helian's gaze. "Don't be distracted during the meeting, our best pilot comrade." Through his round glasses, a hint of tolerance for the younger generation flashed in his eyes.

"Comrade Xiao Liu, are you wondering what's happening to our comrades in the Anti-Japanese United Army? What if there's a mistake in the rescue?

"Let me put it this way. We have several comrades who have walked the Long March. Every step, every battle, was fraught with difficult and dangerous conditions, with the enemy pursuing and blocking us. Was it not the last battle, a matter of life and death?" But the heroic Communists made it through. Our troops traversed the desert, climbed snow-capped mountains, and crossed grasslands, overcoming natural dangers, maneuvering ingeniously, and forcing marches. Red 25 made it, Red 1 made it, and Red 4 made it too. That group of ragged soldiers, short of ammunition and ammunition, made it through, and they managed to gain a foothold and grow stronger!"

Letting the light catch in Brin's glasses, he continued fearlessly:

"And now, Comrade Xiao Liu, not only can we defeat the devils, we can also fly thousands of miles, infiltrate at night, and support our comrades in the Anti-Japanese United Army! This has never happened before in the Chinese revolution, or even in Chinese history! "Comrades, what I feel is a mission, a glory, and the romance of the revolutionary cause!"

"That's right! That's right!" the soldiers shouted. "What's there to be afraid of? We should all carry the burden together. There's no reason for anyone to do it alone!"

Oh... what was I thinking about?

Hearing this, Liu Helian felt a lump in his throat. Looking at the soldiers before him, he recalled how many of the evacuated soldiers from the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces were injured, sick, and malnourished. He also remembered the Soviet rations, specifically those for the non-combat troops in the second-line units: sufficient to feed the soldiers, but not enough to keep them full and gain weight.

He secretly spent almost all of his allowance, using his own "nutritional diet" derived from a Norwegian nutritionist, Karl, to feed several patients, which finally helped them recover in time. And now, a comrade whose speech sounded like dry grinding and sandpaper on a bearing was standing right in front of him!

These comrades, these soldiers, were willing to believe in themselves, in a plan that seemed like a fantasy, and to carry it out with an indomitable and fearless attitude. How could I hesitate and let these lovely people down?

"I have nothing to say. This mission is difficult and involves many risks. Before we set out, everyone, including me, wrote a suicide note." Liu He pounded his chest and said firmly,

"What I want to say is, let us come back without a single one left, and bring back our comrades from the Anti-Japanese United Army, and then burn all the suicide notes in front of everyone!"

Chapter 231 Black Civet Cat (3) Ghost Warrior

Operation code: (blackened)

Time: 1939 (blacked out) Japanese platoon leader and machine gunner Wang Tiechui

—Road Army Communication and Infiltration Special Team

Location: (blacked out) Border Region - (blacked out) Great Bay - above

"Everyone, please take note. We are about to fly over and turn to point A. We will cross the border in 15 minutes."

Commander Liu's voice boomed from the loudspeaker. Wang Tiechui clutched his machine gun tightly, leaning his body to match the plane's tilt. Commander Liu had described the plane's name as a rather Russian-sounding "Katarina"—but Comrade Tiechui felt that it was, in some ways, more like a boat.

Look, there's even a waterproof partition in the front!

He looked out from a glass window set into the floor beside him. There were tiny lights below him, moving with the plane's direction. This should be Shuangchengzi. The plane would make a ninety-degree turn here and head for the border entry point.

The tail of the plane is a little bumped... But never mind, I'll just take this time to rest. Tiechui thought, closed his eyes, and tried to make himself sleep in the noisy cabin.

In the cockpit, Liu Helian was concentrating on controlling the steering wheel.

Despite being at a low altitude, he still wore an oxygen mask, breathing in oxygen to improve his flying ability. His cell phone, plugged into the aircraft's power socket, was connected to a special system that provided him with nighttime navigation capabilities far superior to the current world standard: latitude, longitude, and elevation data accurate to the meter, updated constantly, and even providing AP charts of civilian airports around the world. Furthermore, the data was still from 139, clearly having been adjusted by the insane aliens.

The PBY he was flying was no ordinary Catalina, but a PBY-6A-J, a postwar modification that had undergone multiple rounds of modifications. It was a maritime search and rescue "bigboat" deployed by the Maritime Self-Defense Force in the 60s, equipped with inertial navigation and a radio altimeter. Before takeoff, he used eMule management software to remove the cabin's resting hammocks, radio console, and navigation charting table, replacing them with two rows of canvas seats before finally fitting the entire 12-person crew aboard.

But this cannot serve as an absolute insurance for his flight.

By this time, the Kwantung Army had centered its operations in the "Nomonhan" region west of the border, and its air force had been deployed west to engage the Soviet-made 1615. Theoretically, the only Japanese forces on the western border, those with fortified positions in Dongning, could have observed the Catalina infiltrating at night. This aircraft would be particularly noticeable against a sky-high backdrop, making it highly visible from the ground.

To this end, in a carefully chosen night that was almost completely dark because of the new moon, Liu Helian quickly flew over the last 60 kilometers over the Soviet Union and plunged into the primeval forests of Northeast China. Liu Helian pulled down the night vision goggles he had attached to the driver's seat and pressed the intercom button on his headset.

"Everyone, please note, we have entered the country and are descending!"

On a moonless night, the clear sky of the northeast region is filled with glittering stars. Unfortunately, the light from these stars, which travel thousands of light-years, is extremely weak and cannot provide sufficient illumination for the naked eye.

However, clever humans invented the image intensifier tube, which, through electronic technology, can amplify this faint light to a level that the human eye can perceive. In Liu Helian's field of vision, the starlight turned a deep green, illuminating the dense pine trees. At first glance, it looked like the rolling mountains and jungles of the Eastern Xing'an Mountains were rushing towards you, then, the moment they collided, nimbly leaping away from you.

It was undoubtedly a powerful shock, especially after Liu Helian lowered the plane to about 100 meters, hiding it within the hazy horizon and minimizing the possibility of sightings. The surging forest sea, like a surging wave, swept toward the low-flying Catalina. An inexperienced person would instinctively pull the lever to climb, or close their eyes and cover their face with their hands, trying to block the impact.

This is the real low-altitude penetration!

Hu Zikun, who had plenty of night flight experience, didn't take this situation lightly. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, adjusting to the green night vision screen, and reported the aircraft's altitude to Liu Helian, noting the terrain and turning points ahead. Fortunately, the infiltration team's flight distance in Japanese-occupied Northeast China wasn't very far. At the PBY's cruising speed of about 200 kilometers, it would take about two hours.

The solitary Katarina crossed the border south of Dongning and flew southwest, passing through endless forests and weaving through the mountainous terrain between Wangqing, Tumen, Antu, and Yanji. After crossing a hill, the jungle in sight gradually became sparse, and the terrain stretched out into the distance like a smoothed tablecloth.

"Commissioner Liu, we still have 30 kilometers to go to turn point D. 9 minutes left. Once we arrive, prepare to turn to 305 and enter the Anti-Japanese United Army's control zone." "Understood."

The surrounding environment was pitch black. Logically speaking, the towns that the plane flew over along the way should have been places with a prosperous and happy life after spending the "golden years" and "era of great development" under Japanese rule, and at least lights should have been visible at night - but in reality, not to mention Xiao Liu sitting in the cockpit, even Xu Rong sitting in the mechanic's seat could not see anything.

If it weren't for the flashing GPS map on his phone, Liu Helian would have had no idea that he had already penetrated more than 300 kilometers into the border.

But this was also related to the route planning to avoid residential areas... He turned the control wheel, allowing Catalina to make a turn without losing altitude, and began to head for the final destination - Artemisia Lake.

There, Liu Helian will maneuver the Catalina to glide and land on the river surface, then drop off the infiltration team to carry out the final leg of the liaison mission.

"All crew, please be advised, we are approaching our destination. Prepare to land. I repeat, we are approaching our destination, equipment is landing. Please check your gear, fasten your seatbelts, and prepare for impact."

Wang Tiechui in the tail cabin was drowsy. He was surprised that he could fall asleep in such a noisy environment and even had a dream.

In the dream, after the officer asked, "Do you want to go back to your hometown?", the scene around me started to shake like a kaleidoscope. Finally, I climbed onto the truck.

Following the rolling forward planes and tanks, the Japanese were driven away and the

Entering my familiar hometown.

Then, he met many people whose faces he couldn't see clearly. He walked up to them and shook hands with them. The strong and sturdy hands shook with the skinny hands. Then they said:

"Why did you come so late?"

what!

Wang Tiechui woke up with a start and hugged the crutch tightly in his arms. He reacted and instinctively checked his weapon: the gun was in good condition, the safety was also properly engaged, and the assistant gunner with a submachine gun on his back was sitting opposite him, looking at him strangely.

"Comrade Tiechui, what are you doing?"

"It's okay, we are about to land, are you ready?" "Ready!"

Chapter 232 Black Civet Cat (4) Hiking

Operation code: (blackened)

Time: 1939 (blacked out) late at night

Platoon Leader-Machine Gunner Wang Tiechui

First Army Communication and Infiltration Special Team (blacked out)

Location: (blackened) area - (blackened) – (blackened) lake

The PBY-6A-J, its plaster flag obliterated, found the iconic "S" turn at Artemisia Lake, circled once, and then entered the landing channel from north to south. Amidst a slight sense of weightlessness, the Catalina, operating at a constant rate of descent, descended to within a meter or two of the water. After a short period of level flight, the sturdy, boat-shaped aircraft finally touched the surface.

Wow!

The lake water at night looks like a dark black satin jacket that is slid open by a pair of sharp scissors, revealing the wood color of the table. Only at the edge where the blade passes can the white cross-section of the thin cotton in the interlayer be seen, which is fleeting.

As for the crew members, including Wang Tiechui, they didn't experience such a light and gentle feeling. They felt as if an invisible giant hand were gripping their internal organs, thrusting them violently in the direction of the plane's movement. They had to tighten their seatbelts to defy the fundamental law of inertia. Fortunately, when the swirling silk waves beneath the fuselage calmed down, Catalina finally came to a steady stop.

"Everyone, prepare to disembark and dock!"

With two bangs, two rubber boats strapped to the wings dropped down. This "PBY Luxury Flying Yacht" could carry two additional small boats under the Catalina's wide wings. The team leader and instructor each grabbed a small boat and rowed towards the west shore of Songzi Lake with several people.

Soon, they were drowned in the night.

—―-―――――

Liu Helian did not turn off the engine. Although the starting characteristics of the electric donkey were much better than those of a real PY, for the sake of caution, he had to prepare for the possibility that the squad would encounter the Japanese army as soon as they landed. If that happened, he and the few people who stayed in the cabin would have to use the machine gun mount to set up a second gun to provide fire cover for the squad, and then immediately recover the personnel and take off and run away depending on the situation.

However, historically speaking, this area is still under the control of the First Army of the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces, so there shouldn't be any enemy forces. The nearest Japanese stronghold is at the Jiapigouzi Gold Mine to the northeast, about 40 kilometers away through dense forest. Furthermore, the plane's route was deliberately veered away from that area, so there shouldn't be any problems.

The waiting process is boring and torturous after all. Fortunately, as long as he stays in the plane, Liu Helian can use the low-light night vision goggles that have appeared - under the bright green field of vision, the kayak crossed the river and approached the shore.

They quickly split into two teams of two and dispersed toward the surrounding jungle. The remaining few people surveyed the riverbank for a while. Soon, Liu Helian's radio received a few taps. Someone standing by the river flicked on two glow sticks, one green and one red. "All clear, docking."

it is good!

Liu Maolian immediately took control of the idling Catalina, following the instructions, and approached the western shore of Songzi Lake. A small creek merged into the north-south water, creating a small inlet that served as the perfect anchorage for the Catalina. Since this was essentially a miniature electric scooter modified with super-technical technology, he didn't care whether it was stranded or not. He parked the massive aircraft, opened the hatch, and lowered the ramp.

The two fluorescent sticks disappeared in the dark night, and then a face covered with oil paint came up.

"Commander Xu, Commissioner Liu, the area within a mile is safe, no problem."

Xu Rong nodded and glanced at his watch. "It's at least three hours before the sun rises. Let's unload our equipment first. Have everyone stay alert and wait until daybreak."

The conversation was brief. As the "VIPs" of the operation team, Xu Rong, Liu Helian, and Liu Zikun didn't say much, rolling up their sleeves and helping to move the gear. Besides everyone's extra gear, the large boats, with a maximum takeoff weight exceeding 16 tons, also carried a considerable amount of ammunition, supplies, food, and medicine, ready to provide some supplies for the First Army. Of course, Liu Helian also had to ask his team members to help cover the anchored PBYs with camouflage netting to avoid possible Japanese aerial observation.

Although this was likely a battle of wits and courage with the air, Xiao Liu still cautiously followed the plan. After everything was completed, everyone quietly waited for dawn at their respective posts. During this time, Liu Helian sent a short message to the central government to report that he was safe, and then stopped using the phone.

-------one

"The team will be divided into two groups. Commander Xu and the captain will lead one group. According to the plan, they will follow the mountain road to the secret camp and follow the guide to search for the traces of the first army. Commissioner Liu, Xu Zikun, and two others will remain at the landing field to protect the aircraft. If there is any situation, please contact us immediately. Do you understand?"

"clear."

Wang Tiechui strapped his machine gun on his back and followed Xu Rong around, leaving the bay where the longboat was moored and heading deeper into the dense forest. The squad had grown to nine people, with only eight combat personnel left, excluding Xu Rong, who had to accompany him. He felt like he was dreaming... He thought: just a few days ago, he was thousands of miles away in the Soviet Union, a month ago in the deserted border region, and now he was in this familiar yet unfamiliar forest.

How many years have passed since I escaped from Jiapigou, was captured and recruited into the Jilin Province Self-Defense Army, and then was dispersed by the Japanese and fled through the Great Wall?

Wang Tiechui shook his head, dismissing these thoughts. He focused on the present, observing the surroundings while chewing on his mooncake, fueling his body's need for breakfast. His hiking boots crunched through the dark, soft earth, like freshly fallen snow: no one had walked here in ages.

The team was now generally moving upstream along the edge of a stream. According to the guide's recollections and some strange information, there was a secret camp of the first army less than 5 kilometers away. However, the 5 kilometers on the map might be two or three times longer on the actual road. Moreover, they had to cross a watershed and reach the other side of the mountain.

The air around them was damp, with a hint of pine resin. A few comrades ahead were wielding machetes, hacking away at some of the brush that blocked their path. Further away, Brother Ouyang, with whom I'd been chatting earlier, and several other comrades formed a forward search fan, scanning the dense forest for any sign of human activity: a trail of footprints, a few shell casings, or perhaps a well-camouflaged man-made landmark.

However, he was worthy of being an Anti-Japanese United Army comrade who had survived the Japanese encirclement. Wang Tiechui had been walking for almost an hour. The sun had risen high in the sky, and the surrounding environment had changed from stream beds and river valleys to seemingly endless tree trunks and shrubs. He still could not find any particularly obvious clues that could indicate that there were people around.

As time passed, the sun gradually rose higher and became hotter.

They had arrived at the location marked on the map as "Ningsi Secret Camp." This small valley nestled in the ravines was indeed a good hiding place. However, the team hadn't found much besides some aged charcoal—but this also meant that there was indeed a presence of the Anti-Japanese United Army nearby.

This was good news. Carrying 30 kilograms of weight, chopping wood and clearing a path, everyone seemed to have recovered a lot of their energy. Considering this place was sheltered from the wind, had a clean, flowing water source, and was relatively open, it seemed like a good candidate for a campsite. Xu Rong glanced at the map and decided to rest here for a while while everyone had lunch.

The whispered instructions were transmitted via radio waves. Ouyang and the others who had been at the front responded with a "knock, knock, knock" sound, announcing their readiness. After a morning of tense nerves, everyone finally relaxed a bit. The veteran Northeasterners accompanying the team fetched water from the stream and dug out their water purifiers, preparing to purify the water. The others unpacked their rations and prepared to eat a simple snack.

Wang Tiechui sat down, his gun still at hand, and opened a pack of compressed biscuits, eating them with the drink from his kettle. The biscuits were salty, while the drink had a strange, sweet-sweet taste, leaving a rather unspeakable discomfort. A few years ago, he would have devoured a whole bowl of this sweet soup and salty flour bricks, but now he's actually a bit tired of it... Oh, have I become corrupt?

He chewed the biscuits silently, as if filling his stomach with fuel. But at this moment, there seemed to be a little rustling sound from the surrounding jungle.

If people are not careful, this little unexpected noise will be like the wind blowing

It slipped away quietly like the wind, returning the forest to tranquility, with only the sound of rustling leaves remaining.

Then, everyone's portable "mini-stations" began vibrating like crazy. Alert! Sentry alert! There's someone nearby!

This short and intense buzzing vibration was like a switch, instantly activating the entire team.

Even before he could think, Wang Tiechui immediately pulled the trigger, released the safety, and rushed to a nearby rock, setting up his machine gun and preparing for battle. The rest of the squad reacted almost simultaneously: the riflemen retreated inward, while the submachine gunners quickly occupied the surrounding makeshift bunkers, protecting Xu Rong in the center and forming a simple circular defense!