activa-t Chapter 299: Thrilling Return
Chapter 299: Thrilling Return
On the evening of May 1942, 5, the hustle and bustle of the day was gradually replaced by tranquility, and the whole world seemed to be gently manipulated by an invisible hand, entering a moment of tranquility and the unknown.
The sky gradually darkened unnoticed. The formerly colorful sky looked like a painting being stained by rain, and the colors gradually became blurred and dim.
The last gorgeous sunset in the sky is like a peerless beauty making her final farewell. It emits a soft yet sad afterglow, slowly sinking below the horizon, as if bidding farewell to this world reluctantly but helplessly.
As the sunset faded, darkness spread silently from all directions like a tide, slowly engulfing the entire world.
First, the mountains in the distance were blurred by the darkness, then the paths in the fields were hidden in the night, and even the occasional flickering lights seemed incomparably small and fragile in the face of this inky darkness.
Just as dusk completely enveloped the earth, the Chief of General Staff finally returned safely to the Anti-Japanese Headquarters.
The gate of the headquarters looked particularly solemn in the darkness, and the guards at the door stood tall with alert eyes.
When the familiar figure of the Chief of General Staff appeared in their sight, a barely perceptible flash of surprise and relief appeared in the guards' eyes.
Looking back on this journey, it can be said to be full of unknowns, thrills, and constant twists and turns.
Two days ago, just before the Chief of General Staff was about to board the plane for his return trip, a piece of gossip in the liberated area exploded without warning, like a powerful thunderclap.
It was rumored that in the area under Jiang Wufa's jurisdiction, someone with evil intentions attempted to tamper with the plane that the Chief of General Staff was going to take.
This news instantly broke the original tranquility, like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, causing a thousand waves.
When the leaders of the Anti-Japanese Headquarters heard this, their faces suddenly changed.
Fear and worry were intertwined on their faces, as if a terrible disaster was about to happen.
Fine beads of sweat instantly oozed out of his forehead, and under the dim light, they flickered with uneasy light, like broken pearls.
At this time, everyone was extremely anxious, and their inner worries were as surging as a flood that broke through a dam.
They were eager to contact the Chief of General Staff immediately and remind him to be careful.
However, the reality is extremely cruel, like an insurmountable gap standing in front of everyone.
How to contact the Chief of General Staff became a big and thorny problem.
Although relatively advanced communication tools such as mobile phones had begun to appear in the liberated areas, the area under Jiang Wufa's jurisdiction was like a communications "desert" with no signal stations.
Even if the chief of staff is equipped with a mobile phone, it is just a useless "brick" there and cannot play any role at all.
“Send a telegram to Jiang Wu immediately, asking him to make sure the plane lands safely.
At the same time, immediately contact our underground organization and ask them to do their best to get in touch with the Chief of General Staff!"
The chief host looked solemn, and his usually steady and powerful voice now had a barely perceptible tremor.
He stared at the communications officer, his eyes full of expectation and anxiety, as if he hoped to get a little comfort from the other party, a little hope that the Chief of General Staff would return safely.
Upon hearing this, the communications personnel did not dare to delay for even a moment.
He was fully aware of the seriousness of the matter, as if he had received a military order that depended on his life and death.
He immediately took the order and left, his hurried footsteps causing a gust of panic in the silent headquarters. The hurried footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, adding a bit of tension to the atmosphere.
"Next, it all depends on whether Jiang Wufa has a true sense of the overall situation..."
The chief host muttered to himself, his voice low and hoarse, as if every word was loaded with heavy worry.
He lowered his head slightly, his brows tightly locked together like two tangled mountains.
Their hands unconsciously clenched, their knuckles turning white from the force, and they prayed silently in their hearts that the Chief of the General Staff would be able to return safely. That silent prayer was like the last ray of light in the darkness, illuminating everyone's uneasy hearts.
However, in reality, the hosts' concerns were somewhat unnecessary.
On the other hand, Dai Suoyi (whose courtesy name was Zelin), an adviser under Jiang Wufa, did suggest to him to tamper with the plane.
At that time, the two were in an elegantly decorated study, with light softly shining on the bookshelves, tables and chairs.
"Zelin,"
Jiang Wufa sat behind the desk, his eyes firm and his tone steady as he looked at Dai Suoyi and said, his eyes revealing unquestionable majesty,
“We do have a feud with that side, that’s undeniable.
However, we must first understand that we are all Chinese people."
He stood up slightly, walked to the window, and looked out at the gradually darkening sky.
“Our conflicts can be resolved slowly in the future.
But right now, the most urgent matter is to develop mushroom bombs first and have the ability to launch them at Omanrek.
This concerns the fate of the entire Chinese nation, and we cannot be careless at all."
He turned around and looked at Dai Suoyi with sharp eyes.
“You and I must both focus on the overall situation and not lose sight of the big picture because of small matters.
Otherwise, you and I will be nailed to the pillar of shame in Chinese history and cursed by all the people! "
Dai Suoyi stood aside, listening to Jiang Wufa's words, and couldn't help feeling admiration in his heart.
He bowed his head slightly with a respectful look, knowing that Jiang Wufa's words were not only a profound insight into the overall situation, but also a deep concern for the fate of the Chinese nation.
He quickly replied respectfully: "Your Excellency is right. I will keep it in mind and put the overall situation first."
Jiang Wufa nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction appeared on his face, and continued:
“Moreover, not only must you not harm the Chief of the General Staff, you must also protect him and not let him come to any harm.
Both the Japanese pirates and the Russians may interfere, kill the Chief of General Staff and then put the blame on us.
Therefore, you must personally arrange for the protection of the Chief of General Staff and ensure his safety."
Dai Suoyi's expression became more solemn when he heard this. He knew very well that this was a difficult and important task, which concerned the interests of many parties and the direction of the situation.
He raised his head, his eyes firm and resolute, and answered respectfully:
"Don't worry, my lord. I will do my best to protect the Chief of the General Staff in case of any accidents."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wufa nodded with satisfaction.
He sat back at his desk, his eyes deep, as if he was thinking about something longer term.
As dusk fell, the Chief of the General Staff, looking exhausted, hurriedly crossed the threshold of the Anti-Japanese Headquarters.
He seemed to have just stepped directly from a battlefield filled with smoke and roaring gunfire into this quiet and sacred realm, with the fatigue and hardships of the journey still lingering on his body.
Although his pace was fast, it was difficult to hide the deep fatigue that emanated from his bones.
Every step he took seemed to carry a heavy burden, and the sound of his soles touching the ground seemed to silently tell of the responsibilities and missions he had shouldered along the way.
That is the mark of hard work for the future of the country and the nation, and every step is full of hardship and dedication.
The corridor behind the door is deep and long, like a time tunnel.
The portraits of generals from past dynasties hanging on both sides appear particularly solemn and dignified under the dim light.
The ancestors in those portraits have firm eyes, as if they are silently watching the returning hero, witnessing the inheritance and continuation of history.
The Chief of General Staff walked into the office, which was a large and bright room.
The large military map on the wall, with its crisscrossing lines and markings, records the changing situation of the war;
The table is piled high with documents and telegrams, which are a collection of information from all parties, symbolizing the weight of responsibility and decision-making.
The afterglow of the setting sun shines through the half-open curtains, sprinkling on the floor like a golden veil, interweaving with the dim lights in the room, creating a complex and subtle atmosphere, with a hint of tension and anticipation in the quiet.
He had just sat down on the chair and hadn't had time to catch his breath when the phone on the table rang sharply at an inopportune time.
The shrill bell sounded in the quiet air, breaking the tranquility, like a horn blown urgently on the battlefield, heralding that a new battle was about to begin.
The chief host quickly stretched out his slightly trembling hand and grabbed the receiver.
Immediately from the other end of the line came the excited voice of the chief commander of the mushroom bomb project, which almost broke through the microphone. That voice was filled with an irrepressible excitement and pride. Every word was like a ignited flame, containing endless enthusiasm and expectations, which crossed the long distance and reached people's hearts.
"Chief host! I am the person in charge of the mushroom bomb project, and I have good news to report to you!"
The voice trembled slightly with excitement.
"After countless failures and attempts, our mushroom bomb has finally been successfully developed today, condensing the efforts and wisdom of countless scientific researchers!
Moreover, we produced two sample bombs in one go!
This is a milestone in the history of science and a symbol of our country's strength!
It represents our courage and determination, and our infinite vision for the future!"
The host listened to the exciting news, and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously. That smile was like a ray of sunshine in spring, penetrating the cold of winter, warm and full of hope.
He nodded gently to the invisible other, and with unconcealable joy and pride in his voice, he said:
"You are all great! I have some exciting news too.
Just a few days ago, we reached a consensus with Jiang Wufa and agreed to withdraw all troops except those in Qi and Lu into the Qi and Lu regions in an orderly manner.
And they promised to open a secret passage to the northwest for us.
It is vast and sparsely populated, making it an ideal location for our mushroom bomb experiments.
This is our shared victory and our shared commitment to the future.”
On the other end of the phone, the project commander's voice trembled with excitement, as if every word was jumping and cheering:
"Really? This is a God-given opportunity!
I'm worried about finding a safe and hidden location to conduct the first test explosion."
Through a thin telephone line, two people who carried the hopes and dreams of the country were immersed in this exciting joy together.
The atmosphere in the conference room had been slightly relaxed due to the initial consensus reached, but at this moment, with the change in the tone of the chief host, the air became tense again.
The chief host knows very well that every decision is like walking on thin ice. It concerns the future and destiny of the country and cannot afford any mistakes.
He straightened his body slightly, and his eyes became deep and firm, like two beams of strong light that could penetrate all the fog and reach the dawn of the future.
His serious expression made his face look particularly resolute, and he spoke slowly:
“However, Jiang Wufa has put forward a condition that the number of people participating in this operation must be strictly controlled within 10,000 people.
This is undoubtedly a difficult decision, and we need to ensure that the operation is foolproof with limited personnel."
Having said this, he glanced at everyone, letting everyone feel the weight of this responsibility.