In 1959, what's wrong with me pedaling a tricycle?

After getting acquainted, Wang Yongqin and Wang Xingguo began to work on loading the truck.

He whispered to Wang Xingguo, "These spare parts and shells are the most important right now. The anti-aircraft firepower over there is insufficient, and a lot of infrastructure has been destroyed. We have to do a good job of logistics for the supporting soldiers. This is the most important task. Other supplies should be put on hold. We should keep this to ourselves and not tell anyone."

Wang Xingguo nodded, understanding Wang Yongqin's meaning. He asked with some curiosity, "Comrade Wang, did you name them according to generational naming conventions?"

Wang Yongqin paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No, we don't name children according to generational names. Are you asking because my name is strange?"

Wang Xingguo smiled and explained the family naming conventions to him.

Wang Yongqin suddenly realized and said, "No, our Wang family migrated from Shandong during the Song Dynasty, not from Jiangxi. Our ancestor was a subordinate of General Di Qing. After following General Di Qing to quell Nong Zhigao, he stayed here and the family has been passed down to this day."

Wang Xingguo nodded, thinking they were from similar origins, since his name seemed to belong to the Yong generation. If they migrated from the Song Dynasty, then it was indeed not from the same source.

The soldiers carried boxes of supplies onto the train. Wang Xingguo thought they would depart immediately, but he didn't expect to have to wait until evening.

Because daytime is unsafe and vulnerable to bombing by American planes, evening is the best time to depart.

It seems really dangerous!

But there's nothing we can do about the danger; we still have to keep going.

There was something Wang Xingguo couldn't understand, so he asked, "Comrade Wang, with comrades like you here, why do we still need to be transferred here to help?"

Wang Xingguo's words only made things worse; once he brought it up, Wang Yongqin got all worked up.

"You have no idea how miserable I've been! There aren't enough people here, there aren't enough people there, there's a shortage of people everywhere. I'm being dragged around doing things here and there. At the busiest time, I didn't sleep for three days and two nights straight. I couldn't keep up even if I had many lives..."

Wang Xingguo was a little surprised. So that's how it is. No wonder they needed to be transferred to provide support. It seems that there really wasn't enough manpower.

It's not that we lack manpower here, but rather that we're all soldiers. They're capable of fighting, but they might not be able to handle these logistical tasks.

After lunch, Wang Xingguo took a nap and woke up around 4 p.m. He quickly ate dinner, found Wang Yongqin, changed into the civilian clothes provided, and then boarded the car to wait for departure.

In fact, they don't usually need to do the work. Their main responsibility is the handover process and communication with the train crew. The North Vietnamese personnel will check the condition of the tracks to ensure the safe passage of the train.

If the railway was bombed and needed repair, they would be notified to stop and wait for the repairs to be completed before continuing.

Wang Xingguo felt he was quite unlucky. He had just arrived in Dong Dang, North Vietnam, and the people there had just boarded the vehicle for inspection when the air raid siren went off!

Wang Yongqin's expression changed drastically, and he shouted, "Get out of the car! Get out of the car quickly! Get out and take shelter from the air raid!"

Without any hesitation, Wang Xingguo followed everyone and ran outside. Even the people on the North Vietnamese side did the same, all trying to get away from the train to avoid the air raid!

Wang Xingguo and his group took shelter in the air-raid shelter at the station. He looked up at the twilight sky and could vaguely see several airplanes flying overhead.

Suddenly an explosion was heard, and the ground shook slightly.

Wang Yongqin breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank goodness, they didn't bomb this side. I guess they bombed the bridge and the highway."

Wang Xingguo couldn't help but ask, "Comrade Wang, is this place bombed every day?"

Wang Yongqin explained, "There are air raids almost every day. Those American devils are so hateful. Because our air defense is weak, they bomb our infrastructure and destroy our transportation lines with impunity, making our transportation work extremely difficult."

The air raid siren has ended, and everyone can go back to work.

The staff here seemed used to it, as if they were already used to it.

This batch of supplies is to be transported to Lang Son, because our anti-aircraft artillery unit is located in Lang Son. So, as they continue their journey, we need to deliver the anti-aircraft artillery parts and shells to them intact.

Because if they only escort them here, it will be difficult to get all of these things into the hands of the anti-aircraft artillery units.

Those are our own people, so we definitely need to ensure that supplies are delivered to them first. If even spare parts and ammunition aren't in place, how can we fight?

Our anti-aircraft artillery units have just entered the combat zone and are waiting for all the necessary parts to arrive before they can assemble the anti-aircraft guns for air defense operations!

The train moved slowly forward and arrived smoothly at its destination, Lang Son Station.

Wang Xingguo and his team completed the handover of supplies with the 603rd Regiment on this side, and then handed over the other supplies to the people on the North Vietnamese side.

Wang Xingguo and his team breathed a sigh of relief; they had finally completed their mission.

The entire transportation process was not smooth, because the section of railway from Dong Dang to Lang Son was destroyed by bombing, which delayed a lot of time while waiting for repairs.

It was already past 8 a.m. when Wang Xingguo met the chief of staff. After shaking hands, the chief of staff instructed, "Our 609th Regiment, with more than 2,000 men, is mainly positioned in the mountains surrounding Lang Son. Our key task is to protect Lang Son Station and the railway bridge. One battalion is stationed near Song Hoa Bridge, ready to provide mobile reinforcements to other directions at any time."

This railway is a vital artery for our logistical transport. American planes are relentlessly bombing the bridges and stations day and night. Team Leader Wang, although you are departing at night, as soon as you hear a warning signal, immediately stop and take cover. Do not continue forward under any circumstances. All personnel must disembark and take cover; your safety is paramount.

Wang Xingguo nodded and said, "Understood. If you need any supplies, please let me know. I will report it to my superiors and try my best to meet your needs."

The chief of staff replied, "We have enough supplies of daily necessities, but not enough ammunition. We need to be dispersed across various hilltops, and some places are difficult to access due to poor transportation. We need to stockpile enough ammunition in advance."

Wang Xingguo took notes and then asked, "How are our soldiers' morale? Have there been any complaints?"

The chief of staff shook his head and said, "Our soldiers are all in stable spirits, and there has been no discontent. Moreover, they all understand why they are fighting, so their morale is very high. Please rest assured, the 609th Regiment will certainly not let the organization down!"

Wang Xingguo nodded, then saluted the chief of staff, thus ending the conversation.

These are just incidental tasks. The specific ideological work will be done by a dedicated political commissar. Wang Xingguo's main task was to inquire about the morale of the troops, as instructed by his former superior before departure.

Actually, there's no need to ask. Our soldiers are all excellent. Once they understand their objective, their morale is naturally high and their fighting spirit is strong.