AWB Chapter 920 The Rainstorm Arrives
Chapter 920 The Rainstorm Arrives
The base has now become a no-go zone for bandits, and many of them have fled to other places.
At the same time, they will absolutely not appear in areas where we border the enemy, because we might reclaim that area one day, and then there will be a regular large-scale bandit suppression campaign, and the bandits will no longer be able to live.
This also made the base areas extremely safe, and the people could travel with complete peace of mind. This was the foundation for economic activity; otherwise, no one would dare to travel far from home easily.
After everyone finished eating, Section Chief Ma had a large wooden barrel brought over and addressed the group:
"Gentlemen, this is soy milk powder made from soybeans. If needed, you can fill it into your military water bottle. It will be good to drink some when traveling long distances."
Seeing such a good thing, the soldiers in the guard platoon all took out their military water bottles and filled them with soy milk.
The Jin-Sui Army also had this kind of soy milk, but it was a rare commodity. They were lucky to get it once or twice a week. Here, they could get a large jug for free, which was a huge bargain.
Lieutenant Sun also took the initiative to fill his and Chu Yunfei's water bottles with soy milk, as it was his duty as an adjutant.
After they fought back, he happily said:
"Commander, the soy milk here tastes really good, it seems like they've added a little sugar, it's so sweet!"
Chu Yunfei took the kettle, took a sip, and nodded in satisfaction. It was indeed delicious, especially much better than the boiled water with its strange taste.
This is a very nutritious and good thing; a sip during a march can greatly replenish the soldiers' energy.
But they're on a bus now, and it seems a bit wasteful to be drinking such good stuff in such a comfortable environment.
However, since this kind of thing is beneficial to them, there is no need to worry about it; otherwise, it would seem a bit pretentious.
This also shows the strength of the Eighth Route Army's logistical support. The fact that they could use such valuable resources for people's livelihood is truly awe-inspiring.
It was precisely because of this that Chu Yunfei understood his old commander's predicament. The headquarters must have received far more intelligence. This kind of overwhelming force was simply beyond the capabilities of the small-statured Jin-Sui Army.
Only now did he realize the weight of his responsibilities; this joint operation was a matter of life and death for the Jin-Sui Army.
Once everyone was ready, the convoy continued its journey towards its destination.
However, things took an unexpected turn. About half an hour later, dark clouds gathered and a heavy rain began to fall.
Upon witnessing this scene, Lieutenant Sun couldn't help but sigh:
"Luckily, we took this kind of bus. If we had been riding a horse, we would have suffered a lot."
The other passengers in the car nodded, still shaken, and looked at the torrential rain in front of them, feeling incredibly fortunate.
In this desolate place, with no village in sight and no shop in sight, being suddenly hit by a torrential downpour left one with no choice but to passively endure the rain with one's own body.
Although they brought raincoats before setting off, they were practically useless in this level of rain. As for setting up tents, don't be ridiculous.
Getting soaked to the bone was their only option, and it would also slow down their march.
After all, most of China's roads are dirt roads, and it's impossible to walk on them during heavy rain.
Chu Yunfei was also sitting in the car, watching the heavy rain pounding against the bright windowpane, and he felt a mix of emotions.
To put it bluntly, he's seen the world now; for them, this sudden downpour is just a pleasant embellishment to their leisure time.
If the occasion weren't so inappropriate, he really wanted to recite a poem to express his joyful mood.
But then he thought, no matter how good these things are, they belong to other people. He's just a passerby, so there's no use in being envious.
After driving for another twenty minutes, it got darker and darker, and the rain showed no signs of stopping.
Section Chief Ma walked to the center of the car and said loudly:
"Ladies and gentlemen, the rain is too heavy. We've decided to pull over and wait for it to subside before setting off again. You can take a nap and get some rest."
Upon hearing this, the soldiers of the guard platoon expressed their gratitude, as the treatment they received today had exceeded their expectations.
In the past, when faced with this situation, the only option was to tough it out in the wind and rain. Getting soaked to the bone and catching a cold or fever were common occurrences.
Moreover, even if you catch a cold or fever, there's no better way to deal with it in the wild. There's simply no way to take traditional Chinese medicine, and as for Western medicine, forget about it.
Western medicine in that era, regardless of the type, was extremely expensive, and ordinary people simply couldn't afford it.
The Jin-Sui Army could only equip some mid- to high-ranking officers with this, but it was simply impossible for ordinary soldiers; even the Central Army couldn't do that.
Of course, the current Eighth Route Army and New Fourth Army can still do it. After all, they control several major industrial areas and have no shortage of basic things like Western medicine, so they can make it widely available.
Lieutenant Sun glanced at the scene outside, then at the interior of the vehicle, and said in a serious tone:
"Commander, I really envy the Eighth Route Army for having this kind of treatment. To be honest, I have never been able to enjoy a downpour so peacefully in the wild."
“We’ve encountered this kind of scene many times during our long marches. We were basically soaked to the bone by torrential rain, especially in this cold weather, when we couldn’t even start a fire. Most of the soldiers were shivering in the cold wind.”
“Each time this happens, many soldiers fall ill, non-combat casualties are extremely high, and the strength and morale of the troops suffer a major blow.”
"But today, it's the first time I've felt this downpour in the wild. It has a special charm, especially the sound of raindrops hitting the car window. It feels like a piece of music."
When Chu Yunfei arrived, he didn't have the leisurely mood of Deputy Officer Sun. He simply said seriously:
"This kind of heavy rain is a huge obstacle for any army marching long distances, but if we had these buses, we wouldn't need many, just a hundred, to easily transport a 5,000-strong army hundreds of kilometers away."
"It used to be said that the Eighth Route Army was good at night fighting and close combat. Now we have to add another point: they were extremely good at fighting in the rain."
"Especially in heavy rain, when all the enemies think that it is impossible to march in such weather, a force of tens of thousands of people may be quietly lying in ambush right under their noses. That is the most terrifying thing."
"Furthermore, this type of road surface is basically paved with gravel and cement, so even the heaviest rainstorm cannot affect the normal driving of transport vehicles on it."
"What puzzles me is that these transport vehicles consume gasoline. China is an oil-poor country. Where did the Eighth Route Army get so much fuel?"