Chapter 99 Go home and have a look
One afternoon, Huo Qingshan led a team to inspect the completeness of the defense facilities at the border post.

From afar, a dark-skinned middle-aged man could be seen supporting an elderly man with mobility issues as they walked towards the outpost, their destination clear.

As expected, the two were stopped by the soldiers on guard duty when they approached.

Huo Qingshan saw the old man opening and closing his mouth as if he were saying something, speaking with great force, while the middle-aged man next to him was gesturing in the air with his hands.

However, the two young soldiers standing opposite them both looked completely bewildered, clearly indicating a communication breakdown.

Huo Qingshan picked up the walkie-talkie from his waist and walked towards the group of people.

……

The office phone rang suddenly, waking Meng Youyou, who was taking a nap at her desk.

After receiving the call, Meng Youyou didn't linger. She went straight to the driver, Li Hu, explained her purpose, and the two drove towards the outpost.

As soon as Meng Youyou got off the bus, she saw an old man gripping Huo Qingshan's hands tightly and speaking with difficulty.

His expression held an indescribable earnest expectation.
As she approached, she heard that the sounds coming from the old man's mouth were all monosyllables that were difficult to understand.

Meng Youyou's mind went blank for a moment. This... should be considered sign language, right? They're not going to call her over to translate for him, are they?
Is this how translators are used?
Huo Qingshan promptly explained to her, "The one on the left should be a local from Myanmar, and the one on the right..." The man paused when introducing the elderly man on the right, as if unsure of the words, before continuing, "He has a Republic of China ID card and passport, and it is preliminarily determined that he has a certain degree of language impairment, which is likely due to an external injury."

"Now you need to talk to the middle-aged man on the left and find out why they came to our outpost."

Meng Youyou nodded, smiled at the man, and asked in fluent Burmese, "Hello, I am a translator from the Chinese border defense forces. May I ask what brings you two to our border post today?"

The middle-aged man suddenly bowed to Meng Youyou, "Please help my master, he is a hero of your country's resistance against Japan..."

After a conversation, Meng Youyou clearly saw the life of one of the expeditionary soldiers through the scroll of history.

From 1942 to 1945, Japan attempted to cut off the Burma Road—a vital transportation route for China to obtain international aid. In order to protect the Burma Road and support Allied operations in Southeast Asia, China formed the Chinese Expeditionary Force.

During its time in Burma, the Chinese Expeditionary Force experienced several battles, including the Battle of Toungoo, the Battle of Yenangyaung, the retreat from the Hukawng Valley, and the counter-offensive in western Yunnan, suffering heavy casualties.

The first batch of Chinese Expeditionary Forces that entered Burma consisted of more than 10 people. Due to the defeat in battle and various difficulties and obstacles during the retreat, only about 4 people were able to safely return to China.

The Chinese Expeditionary Force deployed 30 troops throughout the Burma campaign, suffering approximately 15 casualties.

The above information is what Meng Youyou could learn from history textbooks.

What followed were one untold story after another.

The situation during the war was complex. The chaotic battle situation, injuries and illnesses, inconvenient transportation, and harsh natural environment caused a certain number of people to be separated from the main force and unable to re-establish contact, and they were eventually stranded in the local area.

The veteran in front of us is one of them. His name is Yang Jianze, and he is 68 years old this year. After being seriously wounded in the war, he was ordered by his superiors to stay in place to guard the remains of the fallen soldiers and wait for the evacuation order. However, half a century has passed, and he has not received the order from his superiors.

During the decades he remained in Myanmar, he preferred to pay taxes every year and live as an undocumented person rather than obtain Myanmar citizenship.

Now, the middle-aged man tells Meng Youyou that his master's only wish before his death was to be able to go home and visit his family.


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