On Bear Island, which is dark and cold, two reindeer sleighs are slowly moving forward on the thick snow. From time to time, they have to stop to distinguish the surrounding terrain before continuing.
Speaking of it, this island is actually not that big. The maximum distance between the north and south shores is only 20 kilometers, and the maximum distance between the east and west is even less than 20 kilometers. For those strong reindeer, even running a full circle around the island would not take much time.
But this is without considering the topography. This heart-shaped Bear Island has towering terrain on the east and south shores and steep shores. Although the rest of the location is flat and has no undulations, it hides a lot of There are cracks in the ice and snow nests that are enough to bury people.
Often, in order to reach the location pointed by Jonas, Leo, as a guide, has to take them around a distance far beyond their imagination.
Calling to the reindeer, they followed the sled driven by Leo in front of them and ran for several hours. Wei Ran also gradually relaxed his tense nerves and began to think about the requirements of this return mission.
Not to mention the shooting work of the 200 photos, the simple four-word requirement of "survive to the end" brought him countless guesses.
Since he needs to survive to the end, there must be someone who does not survive. So who didn’t survive? Those three people on the sled in front? How did they die? Did the fishing boat waiting at the simple pier harm them, or will a second group of people land on the island soon?
The only weapons Metal Book provided for him this time were Mauser bayonets and his own sidearm. Even including the 1911 pistol obtained on the fishing boat, this firepower is definitely not powerful. In addition, the harsh environment on the island also threatens everyone's safety.
After figuring out the cause and effect, Wei Ran also shouted at the two reindeer to slow down again, cautiously moving forward slowly along the traces left by the sleigh in front, while listening attentively to the surroundings.
The two sleighs stopped and went until the high-pressure gas lamps that provided lighting were about to go out. Leo, who was in the lead, took them to the back of a rock the size of a truck and stopped.
"My cousin said that we can't continue running and we have to take a rest."
Eric waited for Wei Ran to come up and helped translate, "Those reindeer don't need it though." They consume fuel, but they have reached their limit."
"Let's take a rest." Jonas looked at the aurora rolling above his head and nodded helplessly in agreement with Leo's arrangement.
After Wei Ran also nodded, Leo immediately untied the reindeer of the four reindeer. These four sturdy guys were extremely docile, neither running nor barking, but fighting. It snorts, kicks away the thick snow with its thick hooves, and quietly gnaws on the moss and lichen buried under the snow.
Using a brush to carefully brush the frozen snow off the reindeer's body, Leo said something while unloading a dirty deerskin square blanket from Weihan's sleigh.Spread it on the ground, and then sprinkle some salt bricks and beans mixture on top.
When the reindeer saw this, they immediately ran over and stretched out their big wet tongues to lick the things on the blanket. Two of them even lay down directly on it.
Eric smiled and translated, "Leo just said that he has raised these reindeer since they were young, so there is no need to worry about them running around. Now let's put up the tent quickly."< /p>
After Eric finished translating, Leo immediately called to him and Wei Ran for help, unloading two heavy canvas bundles and two wooden sticks as tall as a person and as thick as a wrist from the fully loaded sleigh.
Insert one of the wooden sticks into a hole reserved in the front of the sleigh. Leo, with the help of Wei Ran and his cousin Eric, used one of the bundles of canvas to wrap around the A pyramid-shaped tent was easily set up with a wooden stick that had been raised to more than two meters by the sleigh.
After understanding how to set up, Wei Ran and Eric followed suit and put up another tent. Leo also tightened the wind ropes of the first tent and worked hard. He wielded a snow shovel to bury the edge of the tent tightly, and also smoothed the snow in the tent.
Although Professor Jonas couldn't help with the manual work of setting up the tent, the old man was not idle either. He took the initiative to light up the gasoline pie stove he and Eric had brought, and used the matching The stainless steel kettle boiled the clean snow.
The four of them worked together to set up two tents, and Leo gave each of them two thick reindeer skin blankets. As for himself, he walked into another tent holding his precious polar bear skin.
Although the tent Leo prepared for them was only a thick waterproof canvas on the outside, it also had a thin deerskin lining on the inside. These two layers easily isolated the cold outside. The temperature and the biting cold wind, coupled with the whirring gasoline pressure furnace and the thick and fluffy reindeer skin blanket under their buttocks, made everyone take off their thick cold-proof cotton clothes in less than ten minutes.
I have to admit that although this tent is a bit primitive, it is definitely easy to use. Moreover, the supplies Leo prepared were abundant enough. After moving so many things, the sleigh operated by Weiyan still contained four large 20-liter barrels of gasoline and a wooden box of vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and onions.
In addition, the sleigh also contained a box of condensed milk and cream coffee and the like, a skinned goat, and a large box of cooked and frozen Arctic shrimp stuffed in every possible opportunity. There are small boxes of bread, sausages, and even wine in every corner.
Such a rich reserve of ingredients naturally made Wei Ran and others in the tent extremely happy. When Eric saw his cousin giving him such honor, a trace of pride could not help but appear on his young face. color.
When the snow in the stainless steel kettle completely melted and boiled, Eric made coffee and poured a cup for everyone. He asked curiously, "Professor, you never said where you got the knowledge."news from that weather station. We are all at Bear Island, can you tell us a little bit about it? After all..."
"After all, you provided financial support for this expedition, right? ”
Jonas glanced at Leo who was wiping his weapon under the light of a kerosene lamp. After hesitating for a moment, he put down the wooden cup with instant coffee and explained, “My father, in I used to work here during World War II. Not long ago, I found the work notes he left and found out that there was an abandoned weather station here. "
"Professor, are there many such weather stations? Weiran asked, "Since there is Equator Weather Station No. 2, there should be at least Station No. 1." "
"That's true"
Jonas nodded approvingly towards Weiran, "According to the work notes left by my father, there are such weather stations on various Arctic islands. There are about a dozen, but most are unmanned.
Unfortunately, he only recorded the specific location of Station 2 and the reason for its abandonment in his notes. Otherwise, we might be able to collect more meteorological data, which is comparable to those provided by the school. Much more accurate and precious. "
Eric sighed regretfully, "In recent years, international disputes over Arctic territory have become more and more serious, and the value of these meteorological data has also become higher and higher. If we can find other weather stations, we can set up a separate research team."
"Even if we only find Station No. 2, it will be enough for you and Victor to set up a research team to apply for some funds. "
Jonas said expectantly, "When you graduate, you can even continue to study this topic. No matter who is the master of the Arctic in the future, this is a highly valuable research direction. "
"Professor"
Weiran asked tentatively, "Compared with these, I am a little curious why the Equator 2 weather station we are looking for was abandoned. "
"This matter begins at the end of World War II."
Jonas leaned on the huge wooden box he brought and explained, "According to the work diary left by my father. , when the German troops withdrew from Norway, they were prepared to take away the staff here. However, due to the Allied sea and air blockade, retreating at that time was obviously not a wise choice.
So the navy responsible for picking up the soldiers left them a civilian fishing boat that was enough for them to sail to Norway, and left a small team in Norway, ready to pick them up when the situation was better. Before they leave, he and his colleagues must continue to ensure the operation of Station 2, and must also receive meteorological data from other weather stations and send them back to Norway uniformly by radio. "
"Then what? "Eric asked.
"Then World War II ended."
Jonas spread his hands and replied matter-of-factly, "My father was with me after World War II." His colleagues secretly escaped back in a fishing boat. But the person who responded to them is gone., so after the situation got better, they returned to West Germany using the false identities they had prepared in advance, and the meteorological data they had not brought back with them remained on the island. "
"I once heard from my cousin that when the Germans occupied Norway, they took away a lot of good things from his hometown of Finnmark. "
As Eric said, he turned to look at his cousin Leo and asked something in Norwegian. The latter immediately danced and gave a long list that only Eric could understand.
Eric spread his hands, "He said that Finnmark County was almost turned into ruins by the Germans at that time, and even the icons and crosses in the church were robbed. This is a story that almost everyone in the area knows. "
"Those things can't be sent to Bear Island," Wei Ran couldn't help but say.
Jonas added a cup of coffee to Wei Ran with great interest. Asked, “Why is it impossible? ”
“A very simple mathematical question”
Wei Ran took a sip of coffee and explained, “For Germany at that time, the value of safe and reliable meteorological information far exceeded that of the past. The property taken in Finnmark. Unless the person responsible for robbing local property at that time was a Pole, he would never and would not dare to risk exposing this weather station by transporting the looted things here. ”
“Victor is right”
Jonas refilled a cup of coffee for Eric and his cousin Leo, and then continued, “This is the value and role of meteorology, a perfectly prepared weather forecast can easily change a lot of things. "
"Victor's joke is not bad," Eric agreed with a grin, "but it would be great if we could really find the things that Germany took from Norway in World War II on this island. , so that not only do we have enough research data, but we can also make a fortune. ”
Jonas shook his head dumbfounded, “Although it is the polar night, it is still far from the time when you can dream while you are awake. ”