Chapter 103: Found the Military CampThe wind and heavy snow meant the snowmobile couldn’t go too fast; otherwise, there was a risk of overturning. Zhang Yi and Uncle You maintained a speed of about fifty kilometers per hour. After more than two hours, they reached the northwest wilderness.
They left the city's buildings behind and lost most landmarks. The snow was more than ten meters thick, covering almost everything on the ground.
In front of them lay a vast expanse of white. Uncle You stopped the snowmobile by the roadside and observed multiple times to confirm their direction. He pointed to a protruding white hill in the distance. "Fortunately, we still have that to guide us! It's not far, about five kilometers away."
Zhang Yi nodded, his heart filled with anticipation.
Soon, they arrived at the base of the hill. Scattered protruding structures were still visible on the ground. Uncle You said, "We’re close. As for the exact location of the military camp... I need to confirm it again."
"Alright, let’s search carefully," Zhang Yi replied.
They parked the snowmobile by the roadside and began to search for the camp. Military camps rarely had tall buildings; the dormitories were typically two or three stories high for easy assembly in emergencies. The camp's large area added to the difficulty of the search. Without Uncle You, who knew the way, Zhang Yi might have taken ten days to half a month to find it.
After searching for a while, Uncle You's eyes lit up as he spotted a building not far away. "Found it!"
"Found the military camp?" Zhang Yi asked eagerly.
Uncle You shook his head, pointing at the building's golden signboard. "Found a bathhouse!"
Zhang Yi's expression turned speechless as he glanced sideways at Uncle You.
Uncle You chuckled. "Don't worry! Finding this means I can confirm the camp's location."
He explained that the bathhouse was owned by a comrade. Uncle You visited annually to catch up and spend money.
"Bathhouse...? Curious, he asked, "A bathhouse outside the military camp? Does it get business?"
Uncle You laughed. "You don't get it, do you? Business is great here! Life in the military is dull, and most soldiers don’t have girlfriends. Young men with high energy need an outlet. They don’t have anywhere to spend their monthly allowance inside the camp, so they come here. Soldiers are strong and disciplined, so they’re welcomed by the bathhouse."
Uncle You spoke passionately about his past in the military, his eyes shining with memories.
Zhang Yi smiled. "And the camp leaders don’t care?"
Uncle You shrugged. "Of course, it’s against regulations, but leaders understand the soldiers' needs and turn a blind eye."
Pointing at the bathhouse, he said, "Seeing this confirms the camp's general location."
Uncle You turned to the north, carefully observing for a while before pointing to a distant spot. "There! Do you see the watchtower?"
Zhang Yi squinted, spotting a black dot in the snow. "Yes, I see it."
Uncle You said, "The camp is there."
Zhang Yi asked, "But the camp is large. How will we find the armory?"
Uncle You replied, "Years ago, I visited my comrade and entered the camp. I remember the armory's approximate location."
"Let’s go check it out!" Zhang Yi urged.
Knowing the general location, he could use an excavator next time to dig it out.
They hopped on the snowmobile and sped toward the spot. Soon, Uncle You pointed out the area.
"It's around here. It’s a shame we came too late. Everything’s buried under the snow!"
Uncle You looked guilty. "Sorry, Zhang Yi. This trip might have been in vain."
He had hoped the place wouldn’t be completely buried, but reality proved him wrong.
Zhang Yi studied the snowy ground, memorizing prominent landmarks like the watchtower and the officer's office building, which weren’t fully covered.
"Don’t worry. You meant well! Maybe when the snow melts, we can come back," he reassured Uncle You.
Uncle You smiled sheepishly and nodded. Zhang Yi patted his shoulder. "Let’s head back!"
It was getting late, and the return trip would take another two to three hours. They couldn’t delay further.
Uncle You quickly started the snowmobile.
...
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"Retreat, quickly!" Li Chengbin led a large group of neighbors, hastily retreating from the Wolf Gang’s territory in Building 21.
Their assault had failed miserably, resulting in heavy losses with over ten people killed.
Fighting away from home put them at a disadvantage. Despite their numbers, the Wolf Gang was well-prepared, with traps set up, making the fight one-sided. However, they did manage to kill five or six enemies.
Exhausted and gasping in the freezing cold, they decided further attacks were unwise and retreated.
On the way back, Li Chengbin calculated potential rewards from Zhang Yi, feeling pleased.
But not everyone shared his enthusiasm. Some were deeply unhappy, their faces showing displeasure.
"What was the point of this attack? We lost over ten people for nothing!"
"The last assault on the Tianhe Gang was the same. We lost more people than we killed. If this continues, we’ll all die!"
"Are we just fighting for Zhang Yi's sake? I nearly lost my head out there!"
"Zhang Yi orders us to attack while he and Uncle You stay back. They’re the best fighters but avoid the battle."
These complaints came from a few middle-aged men in the group. Cunning and experienced, they contributed the least but complained the most. Facing the fierce Wolf Gang, some were injured or narrowly escaped death, fueling their resentment towards Zhang Yi.
Hearing this, Li Chengbin frowned and shouted, "Watch your mouths! Don’t talk nonsense!"
"If Zhang Yi hadn’t brought us food, many in our building would have starved to death. How dare you complain now?"