Starting from 1950

After passing through the last checkpoint, which was also the most strictly guarded, Master Li mysteriously pointed to a low mountain not far away and said to Su Yang:

"That's Zhenjiang Mountain, which is said to be the location of the command headquarters."

It was already getting dark. Su Yang glanced at Zhenjiang Mountain a few times, but it was pitch black and didn't look like anyone lived there.

The truck traveled eastward for about three or four miles until it reached a brightly lit camp.

"Quick! New arrivals, park your cars over there and line up!"

"Hurry up! We should set off as soon as the road is paved!"

As soon as Su Yang's truck arrived at the camp entrance, it was blocked by vehicles in front of it. There was a commotion ahead, and no one knew what had happened.

"Master Li, I'll go down and take a look."

Su Yang opened the car door and jumped out.

"What are you doing?!" Two soldiers carrying submachine guns walked towards Su Yang.

Just as Su Yang was at a loss, a familiar voice rang out.

"Comrade, he works in the same unit as me; we came together."

It was Yu Feng. He quickly walked over and explained a few words to the two soldiers. The two soldiers nodded, said nothing more, and continued their patrol.

Su Yang also took the opportunity to glance at the situation in the camp.

The campsite was built along the river, but it was simply enclosed by wood.

Dozens of trucks were crammed into the camp, and they looked to be the same truck Su Yang was in, also there to deliver supplies.

Yu Feng laughed and said, "You guys are pretty fast. You left an hour and a half later than me, right? I arrived just 10 minutes ago and you were already here."

"What's going on here?" Su Yang asked Yu Feng, looking at the soldiers constantly moving around the camp.

Yu Feng sighed, "I just found out too."

He pointed to the other side of the camp and said, "We are only a few dozen meters away from the river on the border. The foreign devils blew up the bridge a few days ago, but fortunately it is winter now and the river is frozen. The engineering team will lay sleepers and sandbags on the ice overnight so that trucks can cross."

"Paving the road at night? Can't we pave it during the day?"

Su Yang realized immediately after asking the question that he had asked a pointless question.

The engineers laid the road at night because they would be bombed by enemy planes during the day.

"There's another piece of bad news," Yu Feng said. "Many of the transport trucks on the other side of the river have been destroyed by bombs in the past few days, so half of the trucks we brought to deliver goods will be requisitioned."

After saying that, he pointed to the two lines of trucks not far away.

The entire team opened the carriages, and the soldiers were busily unloading the cargo.

The other convoy of trucks was neatly lined up, with no supplies on board, clearly indicating that this convoy had been requisitioned.

These are all vehicles delivering supplies from various units in Shenzhou.

Su Yang seemed indifferent to the fact that his truck had been requisitioned.

These vehicles all belong to the government. All we need to do here is issue certificates so everyone can go back and report, and then leave a few vehicles behind to send us all back to Shenzhou.

"Oh, right! Deputy Director Yue was just asking you about it."

Yu Feng suddenly slapped his thigh, "Come with me!"

Su Yang followed him through the bustling crowd for a while until they arrived at a large tent.

The two were stopped by two sentries standing outside.

"Xiao Yue, you did a good job this time, you deserve praise." A strong voice reached the ears of the two people outside the tent.

"Sir, I dare not take credit for it; it was all thanks to the cooperation of comrades from various units in Shenzhou."

Su Yang could tell that the voice belonged to Yue Jinlong.

"Sigh! I hope this batch of supplies can be delivered smoothly. The telegrams requesting food from the front lines are piling up on my desk. In this freezing weather, I don't know how long the soldiers at the front can hold out."

"Sir, we should go now. We have two meetings at headquarters tonight." It was another unfamiliar voice.

"Oh, I almost forgot the important thing. Xiao Yue, I thought the new version of fried noodles you gave me with eggshells, pine needles, and dried carrots was pretty good! I came here to meet the comrade who improved the recipe, but it looks like I won't be getting to see him!"

Hearing this, Su Yang outside the tent remained silent, but Yu Feng couldn't help but speak.

"Report!"

There was a moment of silence inside the tent.

"Enter!"

The leader inside gave the order, and the guards at the door gestured for Su Yang and his companion to enter.

Su Yang took a deep breath and walked in one after the other with Yu Feng.

There were three people inside the tent: Yue Jinlong, an officer in his 30s, and a middle-aged man in a plain military uniform.

On the only table in the tent was a lunchbox containing powder that Yue Jinlong had brought from the Limin Noodle Factory as an improved version of fried noodles.

When Yue Jinlong saw Su Yang, his face lit up with joy, and he quickly said to the middle-aged man, "Commander, this is the comrade Su Yang I told you about, the one who improved the fried noodle recipe."

He then introduced Su Yang: "Su Yang, this is Chief Lan."

"Hello, Chief Blue!"

Su Yang and Yu Feng stood at attention and saluted.

Chief Lan looked at Su Yang with great interest, his face showing surprise.

"Kid, how old are you?"

"Reporting to the commander, I'm 12 years old this year!"

"12!" Chief Lan exclaimed, "Truly, a hero emerges from among the young! I just tasted your new fried noodles, and they're quite delicious!"

After saying that, he changed the subject, "But I have a question, could you answer it for me? I saw something written on the piece of paper Xiao Yue gave me..."

He asked a few questions, but Su Yang was prepared. He took out a medical book from his bag and answered Chief Lan's questions one by one.

He even produced a table showing the approximate daily egg consumption of various food factories, restaurants, and pastry shops in Shenzhou, which he had researched in advance, to prove that eggshells could be fully supplied according to the new recipe.

Chief Lan nodded frequently as he listened, occasionally asking questions, which Su Yang always answered immediately.

It wasn't until the officer next to Chief Lan urged again, "Chief, if we don't leave now, we'll be late for the meeting."

Commander Lan then stopped talking, patted Su Yang on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "I'll bring your improved formula to the meeting tonight for discussion and for the scientists to study. Also, those several hundred kilograms of samples you brought will be sent to the front lines tomorrow morning. After all, this is for the soldiers, and we need to hear their opinions!"

"But you can rest assured, as long as your improved formula proves to be effective, I will personally recommend you for credit after we win this battle."

After saying that, he patted Su Yang on the shoulder again and strode out of the tent.

After Chief Lan left, Yue Jinlong said to Su Yang with some envy, "To make the chief remember you, you have a bright future ahead of you."

After a moment of reflection, he smiled and said, "You can rest here tonight, and then go back by car early tomorrow morning."

Su Yang and Yu Feng nodded together.

Feeling bored, Yue Jinlong chatted with the two for a while, and Su Yang also learned some information about the situation on the other side of the river.

The phase now known to posterity as the "first battle" has been completed.

The enemy suffered heavy losses due to their misjudgment of our troop strength.

That's why they got angry and started frequently sending planes to bomb our supply lines.

……

The next day.

Just as dawn was breaking, Su Yang was awakened by the roar of a car engine.

He was disturbed by noises in the camp until late last night and only slept for two or three hours.

It wasn't just the noise in the campsite, but also the snoring from inside the tents.

He glanced at Yu Feng, who was still asleep, and several other drivers from other units, then carefully opened the tent door. A blast of cold air hit him, instantly invigorating him.