Courtyard House: Home Alone

Upon hearing this, Lin Yifan's expression turned serious, and he said to the commander, "Commander, you need to arrange for someone to take me to see the situation on-site, or the delivery location you have chosen, as soon as possible. That way, I can plan the subsequent route."

The first batch of goods can be delivered to your designated location as early as tomorrow night.

In addition, we have also sent a group of Japanese prisoners of war, including pilots, bombardiers, and technicians. These will be handed over to you. These prisoners are the instructors that "Ghost" promised to give to you.

However, you will need to do the specific ideological work yourselves.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "As for the backup, you don't need to make any further arrangements; I've already taken care of that."

We have deployed liaison personnel at key points along the route, who will be responsible for guiding and protecting the safety of the supplies.

Also, the transport team that came this time are all "ghosts" who don't want to contact anyone. So, whether you choose a location or send them directly to the airport, you need to allow a window period for them to unload the goods.

That's all. Oh! No, wait, I also need to bring back the calligraphy that "Ghost" needs from all the seniors. Otherwise, I won't be able to explain myself..."

The leader listened carefully to Lin Yifan's report, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, his brows furrowed as if he were thinking about something.

After listening to Lin Yifan's report, the commander pondered for a moment, then laughed loudly, "Comrade Yifan, your 'Ghost' organization is indeed very meticulous and cautious in its operations!"

He stood up, walked to the map on the wall, and his gaze swept over the folds of the Taihang Mountains. "But this is for the best. In guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines, caution is always wise. Now that you've made the arrangements, I'll fully cooperate."

He turned around, his expression turning serious: "How long exactly does this 'gap period' you mentioned need to last?"

Mobilizing over five thousand people is no easy feat. I need to get them evacuated to a safe distance beforehand, so as not to alert your transport team or arouse suspicion among the nearby residents.

Lin Yifan pondered for a moment and replied, "From unloading to evacuation, it will take about two hours. However, sir, I suggest we proceed in batches. The first batch consists of aircraft and accompanying ammunition, which are large and easily visible targets."

The second batch consists of prisoners, spare parts, and weapons and ammunition for 100,000 people; that can be delivered a little later. However, my transport teams arrive at night, which will both mitigate the risk and facilitate your manpower allocation.

"In batches?" The commander's eyes lit up, and he stroked his short beard. "Good! That's much safer. I'll have someone take you to the temporary airport right away to see for yourself. If there's anything unsuitable, we can make adjustments tonight."

"Oh, by the way, sir, this time there might be 72 more planes. I wonder if your temporary airport can accommodate them?"

Upon hearing this, the commander paused, turned around, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "Seventy-two? Comrade Yifan, are you sure it's seventy-two, and not twenty-seven?"

Lin Yifan nodded affirmatively: "It's definitely seventy-two, sir. These were just captured by 'Ghost.' They include thirty-six fighters and thirty-six bombers."

"Good heavens!" The commander couldn't help but gasp, then burst into laughter. "Seventy-two aircraft! That's the size of two air squadrons! My temporary airfield was originally designed for three hundred aircraft; now it'll be quite cramped."

He strode to the map and slammed his finger heavily on a marker: "But it's okay, if it's too crowded, we'll expand! Comrade Yifan, come and take a look—"

He beckoned Lin Yifan closer, "This airport is located in a basin deep in the Taihang Mountains, surrounded by high mountains and dense forests, making it difficult for the Japanese reconnaissance planes to spot. Originally, we planned to build three runways, but now it seems we'll have to add a short backup runway overnight, and the apron will need to be doubled in size."

Lin Yifan carefully examined the markings on the map and nodded, saying, "The commander's considerations are thorough. However, I suggest that the expansion project need not be rushed; it can be carried out gradually after the first batch of aircraft arrives."

"That's right, you can't rush things."

The commander gave him an approving look. "Then let's receive the first batch according to the original plan, and adjust the rest gradually. Come on, I'll take you to the site now. If there's anything you don't like, just let me know."

As he spoke, he called out towards the door, "Xiao Zhang!"

"Present!" A young and capable guard entered, his posture upright like a pine tree.

"Prepare the horses! Head to the temporary airport!"

The commander gave the order, then turned to Lin Yifan and said, "Comrade Yifan, let's ride there on horseback, faster. Wei Heshang—"

He looked at Wei Dayong, who had been guarding the door, and said, "You go with him too, and make sure Comrade Xiao Lin is safe."

"Yes!" Wei Dayong answered loudly, his back ramrod straight.

The four men left the courtyard, where soldiers had already brought four warhorses. The commander mounted his horse with swift movements, showing no signs of being over fifty years old.

Lin Yifan and Wei Dayong followed closely behind, while Xiao Zhang brought up the rear. The four of them sped away along the mountain path.

The mountain path was rugged, but the warhorses were well-trained and traversed it as if it were flat ground. About an hour later, they arrived at a secluded valley. There were sentries guarding the entrance to the valley, and upon seeing that it was their commander in person, they quickly saluted and let them pass.

Upon entering the valley, the sight before him made Lin Yifan hold his breath. The once barren basin had been transformed into a rudimentary airport, with soldiers making final preparations on the three dirt and stone runways.

The leveling and compaction work.

On both sides of the runway, dozens of simple hangars built of wood and tarpaulin stood in neat rows. Although rudimentary, they provided adequate shelter from the wind and rain. Further down the mountainside, rows of warehouses were under construction overnight, with torches and gas lamps illuminating the valley as if it were daytime.

"Commander, this..." Lin Yifan reined in his horse, his eyes filled with shock, "How long has it been, and it's already built like this?"

"Twenty-three days."

The commander dismounted, handed the reins to the approaching soldiers, and said with a hint of pride, "Five thousand three hundred men, working in shifts day and night, the tools never stopping. The rocks in the mountains are hard, so the soldiers use explosives to break them open; there's no cement, so they use lime and mortar instead. Look over there—"

He pointed to a section of mountain wall deep in the valley that had been blasted open: "That used to be a huge rock, but the soldiers painstakingly gnawed it away bit by bit with homemade explosives. Now it serves as a natural hangar, capable of housing more than a dozen aircraft."

Lin Yifan followed the leader into the valley. Although the dirt road under his feet was still a bit soft, it had been repeatedly compacted, so walking was not difficult.

He noticed that the location of the entire airport was extremely carefully chosen—surrounded by mountains on three sides, with the only exit being narrow and winding, making it difficult for Japanese planes to discover its secrets even when flying overhead.