Original: Fan Yongxing
Comrades (Part 2)
四
It has been the third year since Xiao Hujun and Xiao Humin joined the army. The two-year military service obligation has been completed, and now they are serving overdue service. According to convention, after serving two years of military service, you can be demobilized and go home. However, depending on the needs of the army, many soldiers will serve for two, three, or even four or five years beyond the term. At this time, the army begins to select outstanding soldiers from the soldiers who have overstayed their service, and those soldiers who have overstayed their service will also upgrade their desire to join the army. In the past, it was about military service, but now it is about fighting for promotion, especially for soldiers who join the army in rural areas.
The army is a hard place. It is not only hard to train, but also hard to live in. National defense construction is hard, and fighting will be even harder. Therefore, to join the army and become a soldier, you must first be mentally prepared not to be afraid of hardship, to strive for hardship, and to be able to endure hardship. Almost every company meeting room has a quotation from Chairman Mao: "I agree with this slogan, which is called 'First, not afraid of hardship, second, not afraid of death.'" This spirit has become the standard for soldiers, because only those who are not afraid of death in peacetime Only through suffering can you have the fear of death in war. With these two spirits, this army will be invincible and will not be overwhelmed by any enemy. It will continue to fight bravely and win one victory after another.
Because of this, the first thing to be tested when selecting a soldier is the spirit of enduring hardship. Soldiers all understand that this kind of spirit depends not only on education, but also on daily cultivation. It is not an accidental eruption of passion, a one-time performance on the spot, or an expression of determination after an ideological mobilization meeting, but every day. Every training, every task, every job, and even every detail of daily life can always be consistent and consistent without caring about hardship, without attaching reputation, and without deliberately showing natural behavior. The army not only needs such soldiers, but also such officers. Only such officers, whether in peacetime or wartime, can lead by example, take the lead, endure hardships, charge forward, lead the troops, and complete various tasks.
This is a special era. Although this era is peaceful, the shadow of war always exists. Although this era is not as good as the war years, life is still difficult and difficult, so the importance of the spirit of hardship is emphasized, and soldiers who can endure hardship are needed for national defense. Dedicate yourself.
Xiao Humin is such a warrior. Although he came from a rural area and his family was poor, when he joined the army, he never thought about joining the army to change his fate of poverty. He knew that his military service was only for two years, and he would have to be demobilized and go home after two years. He also knew that the life in the army was harder than expected. Maybe after two years, when he was demobilized and returned home, he would be left with a body that would be regrettable for the rest of his life. Although he was ill, he still ignored all of this, was at ease in every position, devoted all his strength, and tried his best to do every job well.
In fact, in the second half of his second year in the army, Xiao Humin was listed as a cadre candidate and became a key candidate for training in the company. At first, he did not know all this. When he learned the news from the chats of his comrades, he secretly rejoiced. Not only did he just want to imitate Li Xiangyang in carrying a box gun when he was young, but now there was the possibility of turning his desire to carry a box gun into wearing a cadre uniform, and he couldn't be unhappy. From this, he thought about a poor family and his future life, but what he thought more about was how to work better, repay the troops for their training, and be a man worthy of his parents, worthy of the chief, and useful to the country. Revolutionary soldier.
This year, Xiao Humin's company withdrew from the national defense construction site and carried out coal mining tasks to ensure the life of the troops. At the beginning of the mission change, it caused great commotion among the soldiers of the whole company.First of all, the veterans complained one after another, because the Fifth Company has always been responsible for the tough tasks in national defense construction, and was at the forefront of the entire regiment in various tasks. Many soldiers have been awarded awards by the battalion and regiment, and there are still more to come. Although the construction of artillery positions is more challenging, the soldiers have gained a lot of construction experience and are looking forward to striving for greater honors in the next tasks. If they can bring home a third-class merit , that will live up to the dedication of the conscripts over the past two years, and will be an honor worth cherishing for a lifetime.
However, the task was changed, the opportunity for greater honor disappeared, and the veteran's disappointment was palpable. There is another problem facing the company, that is, the recruits who have just joined the army have a strong response to the coal mining task. The number of recruits joining the army this year is relatively large. If they do not do their job well, it will seriously affect the execution of the entire company. New tasks.
As the squad leader, Xiao Humin must not only do ideological work for veteran soldiers, but also do a good job in ideological education for new soldiers. Gu Zhenjiang, a veteran who joined the army from Sichuan, is the backbone of the class. He has been in the army for three years and is facing demobilization at the end of the year. He has been wielding a sledgehammer during tunnel excavation and has contributed to the completion of the task for the class. He had the hope of being honored. Third-class merit was awarded, but the company gave the merit to squad leader Gu Yongping, who was disabled due to injuries. Gu Zhenjiang and Gu Yongping were soldiers of the same age and came from the same town. He was injured and disabled. His contribution was beyond reproach. Gu Zhenjiang admired him and had no complaints. It was just a pity that he missed a rare opportunity. Gu Zhenjiang also has a little secret, that is, a relative told him that as long as he can get a third-class meritorious service after demobilization from the army, he can be assigned a job. However, the previous opportunity was missed and the subsequent tasks changed again, making him anxious.
Xiao Humin recalled with him the days and nights of fighting with the old squad leader, and told him the importance of the next coal mining task. He hoped that he would not forget his fellow villagers and the old squad leader, and play his role as a Communist Party member in the next task. pioneer role model. Gu Zhenjiang figured it out. His fellow villager and old squad leader was injured and disabled, and he was still struggling with the issue of meritorious service? not worth it. No matter what, I still have to be a soldier for one year, and I must stand on the last duty. I can't embarrass my old squad leader or my fellow villagers!
"The task of mining coal is also very difficult. I hope you can realize your wish in the coal mine!" Xiao Humin told Gu Zhenjiang.
The most emotional among the new soldiers was Hou Mingjiang, who enlisted in the army from Shandong. Before joining the army, a new coal mine opened in the county. One of his cousins worked in the county and gave him an opportunity to work as a worker in the coal mine. However, this boy did not want to be a miner and thought that miners were "coal black men". Wearing a military uniform and being mighty, he said nothing about becoming a miner.
My cousin said: "How many people have competed for this spot, but I won it for you, but you don't like it. You will regret it!"
Hou Mingjiang waved his hand and said disdainfully: "Don't be a soldier. I regret it!”
When he came to the army, everything was new and exciting. He imagined that after the recruit training was over, he would immediately go to the construction position. What he wanted to see most there was that the future anti-aggression war position would have its own contribution. You can be proud all your life. He is proud that he has built reinforced concrete fortifications and contributed to the defense of the motherland.
Unexpectedly, the troops marched into the mountains to dig coal. Hou Mingjiang shouted almost at the top of his lungs: "I can't figure it out! I can't figure it out?"
"What can't you figure out?" Xiao Humin asked.
“My family arranged for me to be a coal miner, but I didn’t want to work, so I wanted to be a soldier.I didn't expect that when I came to the army and wore a yellow military uniform, I would still do "coal black man" things! "
Xiao Humin studied "Serving the People" with Hou Mingjiang and told him the story of Zhang Side, just as the instructor had taught him. Hou Mingjiang finally understood that the army is the same as in society. There are all kinds of jobs and someone needs to do everything. , National defense construction is to prepare for war and defend the motherland, while coal mining is to ensure the normal life of the troops and do a good job in national defense construction.
Soon, the new and old soldiers in the whole company unified their thoughts, and the company immediately invested in it. During the new coal mining task, before the National Day, Xiao Humin also had a physical examination and filled out the promotion form.
Xiao Hujun had a different idea from his brother Xiao Humin, although he had joined the company six months ago. He joined the party but had not yet been selected as a cadre in the company. He heard that he could be promoted after serving for overtime. He suddenly had this idea, but he did not dare to admit it confidently, let alone express it publicly. He was unofficially designated as a cadre child and was undergoing tissue training, but he couldn't hide his feelings. His initial idea of becoming a soldier was to worship heroes, to pick up a gun and defend the motherland majestically.
Now. As he grew up and trained in the army, although he had completed his military service, he completely fell in love with the army. He was not satisfied with being just a "little guy", nor was he satisfied with just being a scout. He also wanted to be a cadre. In addition to the prestige of being a cadre and being able to work in the army for a long time, the income of being a cadre is also an important condition that attracts him. The allowance for the first year of joining the army is 6 yuan, the second year is 7 yuan, and the third year is only 9 yuan. However, being a platoon leader earns more than 60 yuan a month, which is a huge difference. More importantly, you can create a good future for yourself and change the fate of your family.
However, Xiao Hujun left Tiqian. The conditions are still far behind. Tigan must be an outstanding soldier in the company. If he is the squad leader, the conditions will be better. But no matter what, he is only the deputy squad leader now. Although Xiao Humin is now an outstanding soldier in the company and has been rated as a training model for many times. He has won awards from two regiments, but has not yet been named a "Five Good Soldiers", nor has he achieved third-class merit. If he wants to be promoted, Xiao Hujun will have to work harder to be like his brother. Both brothers wear four pockets, carry guns in the army, contribute to the country, and bring glory to their parents.
Recently, the company has been conducting cross-country training, which requires both long-distance running and field survival training; The long-distance attack has both time requirements and mission requirements; during the training, they have to travel through mountains and rivers, and spend the night in the Gobi Desert. In the past few months, they have completed five-kilometer, ten-kilometer, and twenty-kilometer training courses. , the next step is to carry out the training target of forty kilometers.
The company commander said at the mobilization meeting: To be a scout, you must not only have excellent military skills, but also have strong leg skills. Everyone should be a 'magic Taibao'! He glanced around the energetic team, raised his voice and continued, "Training for long-distance cross-country training is to train leg skills." This is a real marathon, and it has a much higher standard than a marathon in the general sense. It is a marathon in the sense of war, a marathon to compete with the enemy, and a marathon to determine the outcome of the war! "
Xiao Hujun wrote a letter of challenge to the company, requesting that the most difficult task be entrusted to him, and he would fulfill his oath with practical actions.
The company has made all preparations before departure, and the reconnaissance squad serves as the entire company In the sharp knife squad, Xiao Hujun, as the deputy squad leader, led the third reconnaissance group to perform the tasks of the first reconnaissance group, and the squad leader performed the tasks of the third reconnaissance group in exchange.
Just when the company was about to set off, an unexpected incident occurred. Disrupted the entire company's deployment.
Seventh Company soldier Cheng Xiaotian's father died of illness and he asked for leave to go home. Because the company's national defense construction tasks were intense, he got into a mood and stopped working without being granted leave. He was criticized by the company commander and ran away with a gun while standing guard. After the incident occurred, the company reported it step by step, and the division headquarters deployed personnel to conduct inspections at various stations and outgoing points far away from the camp, but no trace of Cheng Xiaotian was found. According to the situation analysis, the troops were stationed deep in the mountains, and there were no human settlements within dozens of kilometers nearby. Since Cheng Xiaotian did not run out of the search circle, he most likely went to Tayunling deep in the mountains, where the mountains are high and the forests are dense, making it easy to hide. It is a natural battlefield for guerrilla warfare.
The head of the training section of the headquarters personally went to the special agent company to announce that a reconnaissance team would be established to cooperate with the deputy company commander of the seventh company in carrying out the search mission. The company handed over this task to Xiao Hujun, who immediately led the third reconnaissance team to report to the headquarters.
The deputy company commander announced the mission:
First, Xiao Hujun led the reconnaissance team to perform the reconnaissance mission, ranking in the first echelon; second, the third platoon leader led the seventh squad to perform the mission. The two teams maintained a distance of one kilometer and were in contact at any time. Do not Keep a distance; third, Xiao Hujun and the third platoon leader should keep in touch with the deputy company commander at all times, and the communications staff should ensure smooth communication; fourth, all personnel must maintain a high degree of vigilance and report the situation to the deputy company commander in a timely manner. You must obey orders and cannot act without permission. Pay special attention to safety and avoid any accidents.
The search team set off. The reconnaissance team took a shortcut to Tayunling in the direction indicated by the map. Under the leadership of the platoon leader, Squadron 7 visited the homes of the residents along the road to learn about the situation. The deputy company commander followed closely behind Squadron 7.
When we arrived at the foot of Tayun Ridge, it started to rain lightly, which is rarely seen in other places in Helan Mountain. Xiao Hujun promptly contacted the deputy company commander, reported his location, and requested the next step of the mission.
The deputy company commander instructed: According to the latest situation, Cheng Xiaotian stole 60 rounds of equipment ammunition from two soldiers before going to the sentry, indicating that his departure from the sentry this time was not an emotional issue, but a premeditated defection. The nature of the problem has changed, and it should be changed from a general search to a search and arrest. The deputy company commander told Xiao Hujun that the seventh squadron carrying out the mission had already advanced to a hidden area at the foot of the mountain. He hoped that the reconnaissance team would conduct a covert search, pay attention to safety, and report immediately if they discovered the situation.
After receiving the instructions, Xiao Hujun led the reconnaissance team into the mountains and selected a hiding spot that could both shelter from the rain and facilitate observation. He arranged for two soldiers to conduct concealed observation, and then he went into the forest alone and hid for a while. Observe behind the tree, then dig into the grass to search for traces, and then put your ears between the branches to listen for sounds. In the evening, he found grass that someone had walked and trampled on behind a cliff covered by dense pine trees. The traces were obviously brand new. There was also paper thrown away after eating nearby. Judging from the newness of the paper, it was obvious that He just threw it away, and he immediately reported the situation to the deputy company commander.
In view of the fact that it was already dark and it was inconvenient to carry out the arrest operation, the deputy company commander instructed: observe in a hidden spot, do not alert the snake, do not expose the target, and wait until dawn before carrying out the arrest.
When Xiao Hujun withdrew to his hiding spot, he was already soaked by the rain. Two soldiers took off their clothes to let him ward off the cold. Xiao Hujun ordered the soldiers to put on clothes, and he took off his clothes to dry in the small area. On the tree. Afterwards, the three people divided the work, with one person on duty and the other two taking a break, taking turns every hour. During the break, another soldier squeezed Xiao Hujun against the rock while shielding himself from the outside. He said that this would help the deputy squad leader warm up.
Xiao Hujun was so tired that he slept for two hours. In his sleep, he felt cold all over, and a jolt woke him up: he had a cold! He quickly got up and touched his clothes. They were almost dry, so he simply put them on and started to watch. Fortunately, with constant walking and exercise, the cold passed quickly.After daybreak, Xiao Hujun arranged for two soldiers to keep an eye on the direction ahead, and then he went into the forest alone and searched again along yesterday's route.
"No target was found, just like yesterday."
"There was no movement on the mountain."
"Yesterday's piece of paper is still in the same place."
Xiao Hujun reported to the deputy company commander every once in a while.
It was already noon. Although the dense trees blocked the sun, under the heat of the sun, the moisture in the forest became heavier and heavier. The entire forest was like a steamer, suffocating, making it difficult to breathe, and the clothes were also wet. It sticks to the body, and the sweat not only soaks through the clothes, but also slides along the skin on the body. What is particularly annoying is the mosquitoes in the forest. They are incredibly large and numerous. They fly around overhead in swarms and pounce on people. Xiao Hujun simply took off his clothes, covered his head, hid in the bushes and dared not move, secretly observing the outside through the seam of his clothes.
A gust of wind blew through the woods and drove away the mosquitoes. Xiao Hujun changed places and hid himself next to a sinkhole. He crawled on the edge of the sinkhole and observed carefully. There was still no sign, so he moved a few meters to the side. When I turned around, I discovered a rock sheltering from the wind and rain behind a few dense trees. Just under the rock, there were traces of human activity, and there were actually several pieces of stone placed under the rock next to a small tree. Xiao Hujun looked carefully at the peach cake, it was the kind of packaging from the regimental military service club. No problem, Cheng Xiaotian is active nearby, and there is actually food left here. Maybe he will come back soon. Xiao Hujun immediately evacuated the place and reported to the deputy company commander. After a while, the deputy company commander led the seventh squad of soldiers to the reconnaissance team's hiding spot.
In order to ensure that the capture mission was fast and smooth, the reconnaissance team moved forward to another hidden point not too far from the capture point. The three people observed the movements in the forest in three directions. The sun was about to set, and the light in the forest dimmed quickly. Xiao Hujun asked the two soldiers to pay special attention. According to his judgment, Cheng Xiaotian would definitely come back to eat in the evening, and maybe rest under the rock at night.
Suddenly, at the place where Xiao Hujun had just been in the afternoon, there were several calls of birds, and then the sound of birds flapping their wings came again, and branches were shaking. The three people's eyes immediately focused in that direction. They saw a figure sticking his head out from behind the dense tree and moving towards the place where the peaches were placed. Although no one knew Cheng Xiaotian, the military uniform confirmed everyone's identification. Judgment, this is the person to be arrested.
Cheng Xiaotian disappeared from everyone's sight, quickly stood up again, and suddenly raised the gun in his hand, pointing the muzzle in the hidden direction of the reconnaissance team. Xiao Hujun judged that Cheng Xiaotian must have found traces of someone coming. He seemed frightened and pulled the bolt of the gun while holding it. The members of the reconnaissance team remained motionless, always paying attention to the front, but Cheng Xiaotian also kept holding his gun and hiding behind a tree to observe. Xiao Hujun wanted to connect to the walkie-talkie with the deputy company commander, but he was afraid of exposing his target. Never dared to turn it on.
Xiao Hujun thought that it was not an option to remain frozen like this. Unexpected negligence or accidents might occur while freezing. If so, the reconnaissance team would be in a passive position. Even if a gunfight occurred, since the opponent was on high ground, the reconnaissance team would In a low place, and with the obstruction of trees, it is not only difficult to complete the arrest mission quickly and smoothly, but it may also cause casualties to the reconnaissance team. He quickly figured out a way to have two soldiers load their guns and keep an eye on Cheng Xiaotian. He then walked around behind Cheng Xiaotian. After about ten minutes, he used his military hat to harass and attract the other party. If he heard him shouting, he would Rush to arrest immediately.
Both soldiers thought this was too dangerous and did not agree to take such action, but Xiao Hujun had made up his mind and the order was carried out as planned.
At this time, the walkie-talkie suddenly vibrated. Xiao Hujun guessed that it must be the deputy company commander's call, but due to the enemy's situation, the call could not be made. Xiao Hujun was afraid of exposing his target, so he muted his walkie-talkie and walked behind Cheng Xiaotian alone.
About ten minutes later, it was estimated that the deputy squad leader had circled behind Cheng Xiaotian and occupied a favorable terrain. One of the soldiers used a branch to pick up his military cap and shook it twice. Soon, there was another pull of the gun bolt from the opposite side. the sound of. According to the arrangement of the deputy squad leader, a soldier kept raising his military cap and quickly putting it down again, in order to cause the other party's psychological tension and loss of emotional control, creating opportunities for arrest. Sure enough, after shaking the military cap four or five times, when the soldier raised it again, the opponent couldn't help but fired a row of shots, and several holes were punched in the hat.
When Cheng Xiaotian was confronting the reconnaissance team, Xiao Hujun successfully moved behind him. He chose a favorable terrain and waited for a favorable opportunity to capture the opponent. Just as Cheng Xiaotian was shooting with his gun, Xiao Hujun The Tiger Army came down the mountain like a tiger and rushed towards Cheng Xiaotian with a shout. Before Cheng Xiaotian could react, Xiao Hujun was already on top of him and the rifle was thrown aside. Cheng Xiaotian tried his best to grab the gun. The Tiger Army made another move, grabbing Cheng Xiaotian's arm and lifting him up from the ground. Cheng Xiaotian still resisted, but two reconnaissance soldiers had already rushed up. At this time, the deputy company commander who heard the gunshots and the soldiers of the seventh squad also surrounded him...
Xiao Hujun was awarded third-class merit for his excellent completion of this arrest mission.
五
During the National Day, the company had a day off. Xiao Hujun asked for leave to visit his brother, and also to tell him the good news. Xiao Hujun got on the small train and came to the dustpan ditch, where the fifth company was digging coal.
Compared with the Gobi Desert, Dustpan Gou is like a paradise on earth. The mountains here are high and the trees are dense, and there is no yellow sand or sandstorms. Dense trees and flowers covered the entire mountains, and there were birds flying in the woods. Suddenly a blue pheasant ran through the trees, making Xiao Hujun shocked. What kind of chicken is this? Never seen that. After a while, another big-headed sheep appeared on the rock. This was obviously not a herdsman's sheep. Seeing that it was climbing rocks as if it were walking on flat ground, Xiao Hujun guessed that it must be the Helan Mountain blue sheep. He had only heard about this kind of sheep but had never seen it before. He wanted to take a closer look, and the blue sheep disappeared behind the rocks. There are also butterflies here, the kind of black butterflies with big flowers printed on them. Sometimes one is alone, and sometimes there are several playing together among the flowers.
Xiao Hujun was almost fascinated by the journey from the train station to the company. He did not believe that in addition to Tayun Mountain , there was such a magical place in the Helan Mountains. Under the vegetation, there is actually high-quality anthracite . This is a coveted treasure place. He felt that it was a gift from God for the Fifth Company to come here from the Gobi Desert where there was no grass on the ground, no birds in the sky, and wind-blown rocks everywhere to perform tasks. His brother would definitely be very relaxed and happy digging coal here!
When Xiao Hujun came to the company, the soldiers had just had lunch, rested for a while, and had to go to the construction site again. He met his brother in front of the dormitory.
"Today is National Day, why do you still go to work?" Xiao Hujun asked his brother.
"We are not resting. The company is carrying out activities to celebrate National Day and strive to complete the coal mining tasks for the whole year by the end of October."
The company commander knew that Xiao Hujun came to see his brother, so he ordered Xiao Humin to take a rest in the afternoon and arrange for the deputy squad leader Lead the class to work.
It was a rare opportunity for the two brothers to get together, so Xiao Humin took his younger brother to the mountain stream outside the company. He knew that his younger brother had come up from the Gobi Desert, where the eyes were full of yellow sand and stones, and it was rare to see the greenery and flowers here. They sat under the shade of a big pine tree and shared with each other their work and experiences over the past year.
My brother spoke first: "I heard that you were very brave and resourceful when you arrested the fugitive, and you also achieved third-class merit. I congratulate you!"
Xiao Hujun became humble now and was busy. Waving his hands, he said: "I'm still far from my brother's performance. I want to learn from you and strive to be promoted in the army."
"It's good that you have such an idea, and my brother is also happy. You have excellent military skills." "You have a flexible mind and are suitable for going to the battlefield and leading troops in battles. The army needs a leader like you."
"I heard that you have checked your body and filled out the promotion form. After the National Day, the regiment will announce the order. My brother congratulates you in advance for becoming a cadre." Xiao Hujun said happily.
Xiao Humin smiled: "I don't know when the order will be announced. However, my mind is not on that right now. Our company proposed a one-month assault, striving to complete the coal mining tasks for the whole year before the end of October, and create troops to enter the mountains. The annual record for coal mining has reached the highest level since then, and our class is responsible for the task of drilling holes and blasting guns for the whole company. I am on tenterhooks every day, walking on thin ice. I am not only afraid of accidents if I do not work carefully, but also worried that excessive attention to safety will affect the progress of the work and affect the progress of the whole company's tasks. Done."
The two brothers fell into a brief silence. Xiao Hujun understood his brother's ambivalence and couldn't help but think of Gu Yongping, the squad leader of the Fifth Company, who was injured and disabled during the national defense construction. Squad leader Gu was responsible for drilling holes and blasting, and squad leader Gu was injured while drilling holes and blasting. What is even more unforgettable is that squad leader Gu was injured and disabled when he refused to allow his brother to enter the hole to check the blasting situation, and it was when his brother was injured that he became disabled. After he became disabled, the class that succeeded him became the squad leader. Now, my brother is also responsible for the highly dangerous task of drilling holes and firing artillery fire. My brother's concern for the safety of the soldiers and his hesitation to complete the task are a kind of double mental pressure, which is inevitable.
At this moment, Xiao Humin was worried about the safety situation in the tunnel. There were eight blastholes to be charged and detonated this afternoon, and he had always been responsible for this work. Because his younger brother came, the company commander temporarily arranged for the deputy squad leader to take charge, but he was still worried. , talking to my brother, my thoughts kept wandering.
"I have to go to the construction site, otherwise, I will be very worried!" Xiao Humin said anxiously.
"What's there to worry about? Couldn't the deputy squad leader be responsible for setting off the cannons?" Xiao Hujun said.
"It's not that problem. Because I have always been in charge, I am more familiar with the situation than him. At this critical moment, we must not let anything slip."
Xiao Hujun thought about it. The explosive blasting work of his brother's class affects the entire company. Whether the assault mission can be completed is very critical; my brother has already filled out the promotion form and is waiting for the order to be announced, which is also very critical. No matter which key my brother mentioned, ensuring the safety of charging and firing is indeed critical at present.
"Then I'll go with you." Xiao Hujun said to his brother.
"Okay!"
The two brothers came to the tunnel entrance together. The tunnel had just been blasted, and overall it was a success. However, eight blast holes were installed, and only seven blasts were fired. The soldiers were waiting for the eighth blast at the entrance of the cave.
Seeing the squad leader coming, the deputy squad leader came up to him and explained the situation to the squad leader. The squad leader judged that ten minutes had passed since the last cannon was fired. According to the routine, the remaining cannon was probably a dumb cannon and would not explode. Just to be on the safe side, he said wait another five minutes. Everyone was waiting at the entrance of the tunnel. The deputy squad leader never took his eyes off the clock. Five minutes later, he said: "Squad leader, the time has passed. I guess there is no problem. Let me go in and check."
"No, you can't Go in. I'll go in!" Xiao Humin said.
"No, you have a rest in the afternoon. I am the one who leads the class. I should go in." The deputy monitor emphasized.
"It's better for me to go in. I'm familiar with the situation. I've dealt with this problem many times." Xiao Humin said.
Then, Xiao Humin told the deputy squad leader: "After I enter, no one can come in without an order, and discipline must be enforced."
"Yes!" the deputy squad leader replied.
Xiao Humin saw that the smoke in the tunnel had almost been removed and the visibility had reached more than 5 meters, so he picked up a shovel and walked into the tunnel. About three minutes later, a huge explosion suddenly came from the tunnel, and the soldiers rushed in desperately.
The deputy squad leader called the exhaust man to start the exhaust fan to speed up the exhaust of smoke. The soldiers searched for the squad leader in the blasted coal pile. A soldier found an arm of the squad leader in a pile of coal. The deputy squad leader ran over, and Xiao Hujun also ran over. Everyone used their hands to dig out the coal, and soon the squad leader was dug out.
When the deputy squad leader and Xiao Hujun carried Xiao Humin to the tunnel entrance, the company commander and the mine doctor were rushing over. They placed Xiao Humin on a flat ground at the tunnel entrance, and the doctor quickly performed a preliminary examination on him. Xiao Humin slowly opened his eyes and searched Xiao Hujun with his eyes. Xiao Hujun held his brother's hand tightly.
Xiao Humin's eyes closed, and after a pause, he said intermittently: "You...you have to...take...take care of...Dad..."
Xiao Humin stopped before he could say the word "Mom". breathe.
html At the end of 2020, Xiao Hujun was demobilized without commission as a cadre. He did not expect that the reason for his demobilization was that during the arrest mission, although he completed the mission beautifully, there were two completely different views among the leadership: one view was that he was brave and resourceful; He is flexible and resourceful, showing excellent military qualities, and can be promoted; another opinion accuses him of not paying attention to coordinated operations, lacking a sense of discipline, and being too individualistic, and cannot be promoted. In the end, the second opinion accounts for the majority.
Actually, Xiao Hujun didn’t think much about it. He hopes to be promoted, but he feels that whether he can be promoted is a matter for the leader. If he is not promoted, it means that he is not qualified enough. In this way, he took his brother's instructions and returned to the west bank of the Yellow River in the Loess Plateau, where he was his hometown. Returning with him were two third-class merit certificates: one for Xiao Hujun and one for Xiao Humin. Xiao Hujun posted it upright on the wall of his home.
From then on, a pair of brothers and two good comrades-in-arms waited side by side, never to be separated again.
(full text)
This journal’s exclusive original plagiarism will not be punished
Author Fan Yongxing Heyang, Shaanxi Province, born in December 1952, 1970 Enlisted in the army in February and served in the 59th Infantry Regiment of the Army's 20th Division. , and later served in the teacher's teaching team. After streamlining and reorganizing, the 47th Army Tank Brigade was transferred. He changed his career in July 1993 and worked at the Agricultural Bank of Xi'an City. He has retired.
Original editor: Cao Yimin
Editor of this article: Xu Jianming
