Rebirth in 1972: Redemption in Changbai Mountain

As soon as the thug finished speaking, a murmur arose from the back of the truck.

Although some people have different guesses, most people agree with this statement.

Especially those experienced hunters who hunt in the mountains, because they understand the habits of animals, felt that what the old man said was very accurate.

"Then...should we still fight?" a young man asked timidly.

"Are you stupid? The order from above is to eliminate the wolf pack and protect the farm. Tell me, are we going to fight or not?"

"But, in the end, we're the ones who took over their territory, so... I always feel a little uneasy about it."

"Alright, stop talking nonsense." Gu Dayong suddenly stepped forward.

"Since ancient times, humans and wolves have been adversaries; there is no such thing as occupying territory."

"The army's reclamation of the Great Northern Wilderness is a national policy, aimed at feeding the hundreds of millions of soldiers and civilians across the country. It cannot be changed because of a few wild wolves."

"If the wolves want to stop us, then pick up your guns and destroy them like you would destroy imperialism."

Gu Dayong, as expected of a soldier, said something like a spark thrown into a pile of dry wood.

The young man, who had been looking dejected just moments before, suddenly brightened up. Someone shouted, "Protect the farm! Hunt the wolves!" and soon the whole car was filled with the same noise.

"Clear the wolf pack, protect the crops!"

"Hold the line, don't retreat!"

Down with American imperialism!

The chants were not very synchronized, and some even included other phrases, but no one cared; the momentum was overwhelming.

Zhou Rui leaned against the sideboard of the carriage and nodded to himself. No wonder everyone in the team respected Gu Dayong. He was indeed a veteran from the northern battlefield.

Those few soft, persuasive words were transformed by the veteran into a fighting spirit of risking one's life in just a few words. His ability to lead troops is truly unmatched by ordinary people.

Several hours later, the truck rolled over the last stretch of potholed dirt road and plunged into the territory of Daxing Farm.

The smell in the wind has changed first.

To the left are rice paddies stretching to the horizon, the green and yellow rice ears so heavy that they bend the stalks, and when the wind blows, they ripple in layers of golden waves.

The wheat field on the right had just been half-harvested, and freshly threshed wheat was spread out on the threshing floor. The warm aroma of wheat mixed with the sweet scent of straw filled the air.

Zhou Rui leaned against the cold car bed and looked into the distance. His gaze swept over the endless fields, and he felt a slight clench in his heart, a feeling he couldn't quite describe as bitter or sweet.

A warm feeling welled up from his bones; he had never seen such a wide expanse of land in his entire life.

The corps members, armed with hoes and shovels, transformed meadows that had been barren for centuries into fertile fields capable of growing crops. Their spirit of changing the world was so inspiring that it would warm the hearts of anyone who witnessed it.

But another heavy feeling also welled up inside him, and he thought of Jiaolong Gorge in the mountain valley.

The village is sandwiched between two mountains, and generations of villagers have struggled to make ends meet, digging soil in the cracks of the rocks and building fields on the slopes.

Generation after generation, they managed to cultivate just over 1,400 mu of barren land. The entire village relied on this small plot of land and had to depend on the whims of the heavens for their livelihood every year.

But right now, if you look along the ridges of the fields to the horizon, the vast expanse of farmland in Daxing Farm is probably more than 10,000 mu.

The furrows were as straight as if they had been drawn with ink lines, the fields were so flat that horses could run across them, and even the sound of the wind blowing by was much clearer than in the mountain valleys.

Gu Dayong, who was next to him, smacked his lips twice, followed his gaze to look into the distance, as if he could see through his thoughts, and slowly spoke.

"See that? That's why we're willing to risk our lives to defend this place. The land is fertile, and the people are hardworking. Once we get rid of the wolves, in three to five years, the grain piles here will be higher than mountains, providing the army with an incredible amount of food."

Zhou Rui didn't speak, but his fingertips quietly tightened around the gun barrel in his hand.

The indescribable, complex feeling from just now slowly subsided, eventually transforming into a real, tangible force.

Such fertile land and such precious grain represent the hope for the nation's rise; we absolutely cannot let wild wolves ruin it.

Within minutes, Zhou Rui heard a roar as three rusty Starling-80 tractors towed a combine harvester forward.

The gleaming harvester, like a giant scythe, plunged into the waist-deep wheat fields, instantly swallowing the heavy ears of wheat.

The crisp sound of wheat stalks being chopped mingled with the muffled roar of the machine as it rolled across the field. The threshing machine spat out clean wheat grains from behind, which tumbled down the metal chute into the burlap sacks hanging on the side.

Several rubber-wheeled carts followed slowly behind the harvester, the drivers holding whips but not needing to raise them, just waiting for the sacks to be filled with wheat grains until they were round and plump.

Several educated youths in blue work clothes shouted slogans as they lifted sacks onto the truck. The ropes left deep marks on their hands, but their faces were full of undisguised smiles.

Several female workers with aluminum water bottles were standing by the edge of the field. They would glance at the machine every now and then. If they saw wheat stalks stuck in the rollers, they would immediately grab iron hooks and run forward, their sleeves rolled up high to reveal their sun-darkened wrists.

The golden waves collapsed and instantly transformed into overflowing grain sacks. Even the loose wheat grains that had fallen into the mud were picked up one by one by the young educated youths who squatted on the ground and put them into their baskets.

"Didn't they say the farm was attacked by wolves? How come these educated youths are still working? Aren't they afraid the wolves will hurt them?"

"I don't know. Maybe we came to the wrong place. Has nothing happened at Daxing Farm?"

"Why don't we go down and ask someone, so we don't make this trip for nothing?"

The truck bed was filled with a cacophony of voices, the smell of diesel fuel mingling with the aroma of wheat wafting in from the fields, making everyone's head spin.

"Quiet down, we're almost there. We can just get out and ask." Gu Dayong's shout calmed the commotion in the car. They were practically at their doorstep; why was there any point in worrying about things in the car?

Two trucks quickly drove into the accommodation area in the center of the farm, where everyone soon saw a row of red brick houses and a row of old mud-brick houses behind them.

Several large characters were written on the red brick house: "Go all out and strive for a bumper harvest!"

After the truck stopped, everyone jumped out, and the communications officer in the driver's cab immediately ran into the house.

He had heard everything that was said in the back of the car, and he wanted to know what had happened and whether the information was wrong.

After a while, the correspondent, Xiao Li, came out with a middle-aged man. The man had bandages wrapped around his hands and a stubble beard on his face.

The middle-aged man had just stepped out the door when his gaze swept over the large group of people carrying hunting rifles and rifles, filling half of the threshing ground.

He paused for a couple of seconds, then became excited: "These are the wolf-hunting teams sent by Yunshui County?"

Xiao Li nodded: "Apart from the militia, there are hunters, all of whom are capable personnel. Director Wang, you should explain the situation to everyone, otherwise everyone will have doubts and think they have come to the wrong place."

Farm manager Wang Houtian put away his smile and said loudly, "I am farm manager Wang Houtian. I've been waiting for you all!"

The information was correct; I made the call myself, and I reported the results.

Moreover, the wolf pack came last night, killing twelve sheep and carrying away two lambs.

"To be honest, the brothers were just wondering in the car, saying that the farm had been attacked by wolves, so why were the educated youth still cutting wheat like crazy?"

Gu Dayong glanced at the hunters and militiamen behind him, who were clutching their shotguns and looking puzzled, and decided to lay it all out.

"We're not just guessing. The brothers rushed over overnight. We need to get a clear picture of the situation before we can plan the wolf hunt."

"Why do we keep going despite the danger?" Wang Houtian sighed, shaking off the wheat chaff clinging to his stubble.

"If we delay even one day at this critical juncture, a pound of wheat in the field will be lost to the mud."

"We've spent years carving out these fields from the tough meadows; we can't let the wolves ruin our crops before they even come down."