Deep in the desert, except for the two wounded men, Pierre and Trento, who were still lying in the bed of the truck, everyone else, including the British prisoner Harry, were beside the truck, surrounding them. Sitting in a circle around the bonfire that was constantly beating in the center of the sand pit, while a bottle of red wine was being passed around in everyone's hands, you and I talked about Wei Ran asking for information from Harry.
“We can’t wait any longer”
After Carlo waited for Wei Ran to finish reciting the questions and answers he and Harry had about water, he took the wine bottle from the former’s hand and raised his neck. He took a sip and said first, "These red wines can't keep so many of us going for too long. We must find fresh water as soon as possible."
"We really need to find fresh water as soon as possible." Panetong took the wine. Bottle and topic, he took a sip and said, "You can only eat those pasta if you find fresh water."
"I have no objection"
German reporter Pell ignored the Italians around him The foodie also took a sip from the wine bottle, then ignored Harry, the prisoner sitting on the other side of him, handed the wine bottle that acted like a microphone to Wei Ran and said, "We can only use fresh water to get that car Let the truck run, otherwise it would be impossible to take so many people out of this hellish place with just your three-wheeled motorcycle."
Wei Ran handed the bottle with only the last two sips left. Harry, however, had no intention of saying anything. Excluding the two wounded who were basically incapacitated, their circle included Germans, Italians, British people, and themselves, the outsider.
To put it more bluntly, everyone is in a different camp and faces different situations, so it is impossible to maintain a high degree of unity in their views on this war. Correspondingly, if there is no way to break down the barriers between everyone, even when faced with the imminent matter of finding water, it is difficult to ensure that everyone will not be petty.
Especially the British prisoner Harry, did he know where the water was and put it aside first? But even if he knew, how could he ensure that he wouldn't kill everyone by trying to find water?
Compared with the thoughtful Wei Ran, Panetong, who was sitting opposite him, could not wait to say, "In this case, we need to count the supplies first, and also select people to find water. ."
"Wait a minute" Carlo waved his hand and looked at the German reporter Pell seriously, "Before we start, we must first reach a consensus."
" What consensus?" German reporter Pell raised his head and asked.
Carlo was silent for a moment and then said, "At least until we are rescued, there are no prisoners here, and there is no distinction between Germans, Italians or British. We must ensure that we are equal enough, and we must take good care of them. All the injured people."
Reporter Pell was obviously not a fool, and he quickly understood Carlo's thoughts. After hesitating for a short while, he took the initiative to reach out to Harry, the British prisoner who looked confused.
The latter looked at Wei Ran subconsciously and saw a smile on his face.He nodded and then hesitantly shook Per's hand.
"We!" Wei Ran pointed to a circle of people around him, and then "friend" came out of his mouth
"Friend! friend!" Harry immediately said Everyone shook hands.
"Victor, tell Harry that I will go find water with him." Carlo said while shaking hands with Harry, "Tell him that after we get out of the desert, we will send him to Go to the UK."
"I can't tell you," Wei Ran said helplessly, "This is too difficult for me."
"Uh..." Carlo pinched. Holding a chicken paw, I didn’t know what to say for a while.
"I'll go with you," Wei Ran said. "Although I only know a few English words, I can barely communicate, and if there is an accident, three people are better than two. "More."
"But Pierre and Trento also need you," Panetong said, "Carlo, I will go with you."
"They." You only need to change the dressing regularly. You can do this. I will teach you again later."
Wei Ran pointed at the captive Harry again, "But communicate with him. , it’s not something I can teach.”
“Let Victor go with me”
Carlo made the decision, “Panetong, and. Pell, you need to take care of the people in the car and make sure they are alive before we come back with water. This is equally important."
Panetong and Pell looked at each other and nodded. It can be regarded as agreeing with Carlo's decision.
Carlo did not give them a chance to regret, stood up and said, "Now let's count the supplies!"
Hearing this, Panetong stood up first, and Weiran and German reporter Pell looked at each other, until the latter nodded imperceptibly, the former stood up and quietly handed over the task of monitoring Harry to the other party.
Under the leadership of Carlo, Weiyan and Panetong counted the supplies they currently have. First of all, after filling up the three-wheeled motorcycle and the truck, they still had four barrels of gasoline totaling 80 liters, enough cans for everyone to eat for at least half a month, and several boxes for a short period of time. Red wine that can be drunk as water.
In addition, they also have five empty oil barrels, a 20-liter empty water barrel, two medical kits, and two medical kits that are exactly the same as the oil barrels. A tin bucket to fill the truck with water and a piece of canvas to use as a tent.
In terms of weapons, in addition to the 20 mm caliber Breda 35 anti-aircraft gun and supporting ammunition, there are only three submachine guns, 9 spare magazines, five grenades, and one belonging to the reporter. Pell's P38 pistol, and a Webley revolver that originally belonged to British prisoner Harry.
Although in the discussion just now Carlo proposed that everyone get along as equals, even ifCarlo himself didn't have the brainpower to allocate a weapon to Harry. After all, they were just looking for water, not death.
After some discussion, Weiran and Carlo loaded the three-wheeled motorcycle with a barrel of fuel, a box of red wine for drinking water, all the empty barrels and a tin bucket, and finally the piece that could Canvas to pitch a tent, a submachine gun and two spare magazines, and a box of cans to keep you hungry.
Before setting off, Weiran instructed reporter Per to change the medicines of Trento and Pierre in the truck compartment, as well as the prisoner Harry who was going to be retrieved together, and finally personally gave them The three of them each received an injection of penicillin, and then they carried a medical kit and climbed onto the cargo bed of the tricycle with Harry.
“Every morning at two o’clock and four o’clock in the morning, you use that anti-aircraft gun at the maximum elevation angle to fire a tracer bomb, an incendiary bomb and a high-explosive bomb in the direction we left to guide us back. " Carlo said while checking the time on their watches with reporter Pelle before getting in the car.
"What if the British are attracted?" Pell asked worriedly.
"If we attract the British, we will have fresh water to drink." Panetong answered the question with a smile.
"Try not to engage in firefights with them."
Carlo pointed to Harry on the tricycle next to him and said, "When the time comes, you can surrender first and then take the British to find us. , we will exchange you for Harry. This is the most rational choice for both of us to survive this war, right?"
German reporter Pell exhaled heavily. In one breath, he took out an expensive Robert camera from the bag he had been carrying with him and suggested, "It is indeed the most rational choice, Carlo, before you set off, let's take a group photo."
Hearing this, Carlo replied half-jokingly and half-seriously, "As long as you don't publish this photo in the newspaper that is enough to send us to the concentration camp."
Reporter Pell He said with a smile, "Of course, haven't we already put aside our identities for the time being?"
Carlo laughed, "Then just wait until Victor comes back, I even doubt that guy. She is a woman, but she still avoids us when she poops."
"At least it won't smoke us, right?" Panetong came up and said, "Those canned tuna is disgusting enough. I don’t want to accidentally step on shit while waiting for you.”
While these people were teasing Wei Ran, the parties involved hid behind a sand dune not far away and removed the anti-tank from the metal. He took it out from the book and quickly emptied the magazine full of training bombs. When Trento was undergoing surgery, he secretly hid the high-speed tungsten core armor-piercing bullets.
Finally, an armor-piercing bullet was placed in the chamber and the matching muzzle brake was replaced. Weiran kicked a hole in the sand with his feet and buried the training bombs in it. Compared with pistols and rifles, the ammunition replenishment of this anti-tank gun is huge.Question, now that he has the opportunity, he can naturally add a little bit.
Put away the anti-tank guns and supporting artillery trucks, and when the guards walked back, the rest of the people, including the two wounded, were already sitting on the ammunition boxes leaning against the truck. Waiting to take pictures.
“It’s a common problem for war reporters to like taking pictures.” Wei Ran muttered to himself, and honestly chose a corner seat and sat down.
Reporter Pell first pointed the camera at everyone, adjusted the angle and aperture, pulled down the selfie lever, and then trotted and sat between Wei Ran and Carlo.
After the crisp sound of the shutter, it was time for Wei Ran and others to set off. Saying goodbye to everyone who stayed behind and waiting, Carlo started his tricycle and left their temporary camp under Harry's guidance.
Until the truck behind him was completely invisible in the night, Wei Ran touched Harry sitting next to him with his arm and asked in a low voice in Italian, "Actually, you know Italian, right?" "
In the night, Harry's eyes changed. After being silent for a long time, he put his mouth to Wei Ran's ear and asked in Italian that was worse than Pere's, "How do you know? ?" Confirming his suspicion, Wei Ran replied in a low voice, "Even if a British scout doesn't know Italian, he will at least learn a few basic words in order to obtain information. The important thing is that you listened very carefully when we were discussing just now, and you were obviously relieved when Carlo proposed to treat each other as equals."
"I just don't want to be ignored. "Kill the German." Harry sighed and said in a low voice, "I don't want to be tortured by him for information. Compared with you Italians, the Germans are simply crazy."