War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1821 Act

On the night when the grain-collecting team met with the accident, before Captain Yan got drunk, he filled two free food boxes with the scarce medicines that he had withheld when he took the grain-collecting team out of the city in the past two months before the New Year, and secretly delivered the medicines to the back door under the pretext of going to urinate.

The drivers who were drinking and chatting in the living room naturally pretended not to notice what he did. The only difference was that when they raised their glasses and clinked them together, the smiles on their faces became much more intense.

That night, Captain Yan drank so much that he didn't even know how he got back to his room.

He didn't know, and didn't want to know at all, that the moment he closed the back door, the two food boxes were picked up and loaded onto a bicycle that came from a distance, and quickly disappeared into the dim alley.

The next morning, when Wei Ran arrived at the photo studio on time, he found that not only Ichiro Hoshino was already open for business, but Daito Hirano was also there.

However, the two men seemed to be getting ready to go out. Ichiro Hoshino even said "We will be back in the afternoon" and got into the passenger seat of the car, while Daito Hirano got into the driver's seat.

Wei Ran bowed respectfully and watched the two people leave. Just as he was about to enter the photo studio, he found Zhang Taichuan hurriedly arriving at the door of the photo studio in a rickshaw.

"Why are you here?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice.

"Did the old ghost say when he would be back?" Zhang Taichuan asked. His face looked bad, with murderous intent that could not be concealed.

"He said he would be back in the afternoon." Wei Ran replied in a low voice, "The beasts also left with them."

"I know," Zhang Taichuan said, and he took out a few rolls of film from his pocket and handed them over, "Develop them and take them back tonight."

"What is this?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice after taking the film.

"I accidentally found a photo album when I was helping that bastard clean up his office and dormitory this morning."

Zhang Taichuan rubbed his face vigorously, "I took this photo with my camera, you can print it out and take it back."

"it is good"

Wei Ran had just responded when Zhang Taichuan turned and left, but soon he stopped, turned around again and said, "Don't look at those photos too closely."

Wei Ran was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said "OK".

After watching the other party leave in a rickshaw, Wei Ran turned and went into the darkroom and began to develop the film that the other party had sent him.

However, when the negatives were developed, fixed, and finally printed onto photographic paper, a strong murderous intent also appeared on Wei Ran's face.

These photos were copied from an album, and each photo represents a page in that album.

Wei Ran can print the photos large enough, and because of this, he can clearly see the contents of the photos in the album.

It was killing, it was massacre, it was Hirano Daisho who was holding a samurai sword and killing civilians wantonly!

In this photo album, there are four such photos on each page, but there are 39 photos copied by Zhang Taichuan!

It was in these 39 photos that Wei Ran saw a row of corpses hanging in the barn, the photo of Zhao Jingrong's father with his limbs chopped off, the photo of Aunt Wu's abdomen cut open, and the photo of Hirano Daisho sitting in the backyard of Zhao Jingrong's house, next to the millstone with a ventilation hole hidden in it, with a samurai sword in both hands.

He didn't even know who helped Hirano Daisho take those photos and when.

But he could see clearly that Daisho Hirano was smiling happily in those photos.

After taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down, Wei Ran waited patiently for the photos to dry, and then put them together with the negatives into a large envelope.

However, before he could do anything, a strong white light came towards him, stopping his almost unsuppressible urge to kill.

When the white light faded, he once again returned to the farm in Edelweiss Clara's dream, and once again saw Clara still busy with something in the room.

Turning back, the metal feather pen began to write new content on the pale yellow paper.

Act Four

Character identity: Wei Ran, acting president of Musashino Photo Agency, whose Japanese name is Musashi Ryunosuke.

Returning mission:

Assisted Zhang Taichuan to rescue Zhang Zhengqi and evade arrest

Assisted Lin Liuzi in stealing Hirano Daxiang's suitcase

Take at least two group photos

Is something going to happen to Zhang Zhengqi?

Wei Ran's heart sank involuntarily. The information revealed in this return mission was even more attractive to him than the role of "acting president" this time.

Just at this moment, the white light swept in again, and he also saw the props that could be used this time in the white light.

A Rollei camera, an anti-Japanese sword, and a box gun, that's all. But for Wei Ran, it is enough.

Before the white light completely dissipated, he also felt the slightly sultry temperature, the bumps beneath his body, and of course, the steering wheel in his hand.

Fuck your uncle, your dad!

Wei Ran greeted his old friend warmly in his heart while blinking his eyes vigorously.

"Boom!"

Accompanied by a loud thunder, when Wei Ran could see everything around him clearly, a thunder also sounded in the dark cloudy sky outside the car window. Fortunately, it was not raining outside the car window.

As expected, he was sitting in the driver's seat of the photo agency's car at this moment. Directly in front of the car was the Shencheng dock, and sitting in the passenger seat was Zhang Taichuan.

Before he turned around to see who was in the car, Ichiro Hoshino's voice came into his ears from behind, "Okay, Ryunosuke, stop here."

"Okay, Musashi-sensei."

As Wei Ran spoke, he gently stepped on the brakes, bringing the car to a steady stop. He also turned around and looked behind him.

The only person sitting in the back seat of the car was Ichiro Hoshino, who had a camera hanging around his neck. There was a suitcase on the seat next to him.

"Ryunosuke, I'll leave the photo agency to you during the months I'm in Jakarta."

Hoshino Ichiro said, "Kawaguchi, just work with Mr. Hirano with peace of mind. No matter who of you encounters trouble, he will help solve it. I have already told him about it."

"Please rest assured, Mr. Musashi." Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan responded in Japanese in unison.

Hoshino Ichiro nodded with satisfaction, "During the period before I come back, all the payment from each transaction should be given to Miss Hirano for safekeeping.

Also, Ryunosuke, give this letter to Miss Hirano tomorrow, and remember to avoid Mr. Hirano."

"Good teacher"

Wei Ran took the envelope respectfully and asked, "Teacher, when will you be back?"

"I don't know either"

Ichiro Hoshino looked at the sky outside the window and said, "The big stupid locust has occupied the ink pad. Although this is great news, my daughter and son-in-law have lost contact. I am going to Jakarta to find them. If they are all okay, I will probably be back before winter comes."

“They will be fine.”

Zhang Taichuan comforted him, "Teacher Musashi, we are all looking forward to your early return, and we also look forward to you bringing your daughter and son-in-law to live in Shencheng.

Or, let us follow you to the inkstone, you will certainly need attendants and servants to take care of your daily life."

“I know your good intentions”

Hoshino Ichiro said, "But you don't have to follow me. There won't be any danger in Jakarta. Compared to taking care of my daily life, your more important task is to help me keep my business, and by the way, you also have to help me protect Miss Hirano."

"Please rest assured, teacher," Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan said in unison.

"Well, Mr. Hirano and Ms. Hirano are here."

Ichiro Hoshino opened the car door and said, "Please help me take out the luggage." Upon hearing that, Wei Ran and Zhang Taichuan hurriedly opened the car door, one opened the trunk, and the other opened the door of the rear compartment, and took out several heavy suitcases that were filled with unknown things.

While they were busy moving their luggage, Ichiro Hoshino had already started chatting with the Hirano siblings who came to see him off, as well as Mr. Aoi who ran the izakaya.

Almost at the same time, Mr. Ji, Zhao Jingrong, and Boss Mu who brought Zhang Zhengqi over also rushed over, and even Captain Yan came.

"Ryunosuke, please take a photo for us." Ichiro Hoshino said as he took off the camera from his neck and handed it over.

"It's my pleasure"

Wei Ran respectfully took the camera and then directed everyone to take their positions.

Naturally, neither Captain Yan nor Zhang Zhengqi were qualified to take part in this kind of photo, so the two of them just walked to the sidelines and watched.

Under Wei Ran's intentional or unintentional guidance, the people standing in the middle of the team became Ichiro Hoshino and Aoi Hirano, who he deliberately stood next to, while Zhang Taichuan took the initiative to stand next to Daisho Hirano.

Everything was ready. Wei Ran used the excuse of taking a test photo. He first circled Hoshino Ichiro and Hirano Aoi with the viewfinder and pressed the shutter. Then he included everyone in the viewfinder and pressed the shutter for the second and third time.

We had just finished taking pictures when we heard another rumbling sound of thunder from the dark clouds that had already floated overhead.

"Teacher, your camera."

Wei Ran returned the camera to Ichiro Hoshino and whispered in his ear, "I took a photo of you and Miss Hirano."

"I feel at ease giving you photo social networking"

Ichiro Hoshino patted Wei Ran's shoulder with satisfaction and hung the camera around his neck again.

Because of the weather, everyone did not delay Ichiro Hoshino too much. They helped him carry his luggage and sent him to the ticket gate.

“It’s going to rain soon.”

Zhang Taichuan said, "Ryunosuke, I will drive Mr. Aoi, Mr. Hirano, Ms. Hirano, and Mr. Ji back first. I will send the car back to you later."

"Alright"

Wei Ran nodded immediately, and considerately opened the passenger door, letting Hirano Aoi sit in.

After Mr. Ji, Daisho Hirano and Mr. Aoi squeezed into the back seat of the car, Zhang Taichuan got into the driver's seat, started the car and drove them away from the dock.

"It would be best if this old guy died in the ink."

While mumbling in Japanese, Zhao Jingrong gave a cigarette to Wei Ran, Lin Qiaoan, Zhang Zhengqi and Captain Yan.

"He can't die yet," Lin Qiaoan said in Japanese.

“I’d rather kill the other one.”

Zhao Jingrong switched back to his native language after mumbling, puffing out smoke and saying, "Old Yan, there is another batch of goods to be shipped out of the city tomorrow morning, so you should go then."

"Yes! Please rest assured, Captain Jin!"

Old Yan straightened his chest, tightened his abdomen, raised his hand and saluted, then he took his leave on the pretext of training the firewood-collecting team.

"Zhengqi, you should go back first too."

Lin Qiaoan said, "Keep an eye on the theater. When the old ghost is away, it is inevitable that some devils who are jealous of our business will cause trouble."

"Are you talking about Mr. Aoi?" Wei Ran asked with a smile.

"Can't"

Lin Qiaoan taunted, "That Miss Hirano is like a piece of hot shit that has just been excreted. The old ghost wants to eat it, and Mr. Aoi also wants to eat it."

“These Osaka people are very smart”

Zhao Jingrong sneered, "Mr. Aoi is not short of girls. He is probably attracted by the antiques in the clinic. Of course, he also wants our business."

"That beast is getting bolder and bolder."

Lin Qiaoan said with a smile, "Let alone other things, the fuel he has is in short supply. It would be strange if that old man Aoi is not tempted."

"If he gets in the way, just kill him."

Zhao Jingrong said casually, then lowered his voice, "Also, I heard that the big foreign horse..."

"That's right"

Lin Qiaoan nodded and also lowered her voice and said, "She is indeed pregnant."

"She's really pregnant?" Zhao Jingrong took a puff of his cigarette. "What? Give birth to the baby?"

"I heard from Taichuan that the beast was extremely happy and it looked like it was going to give birth to the baby."

Lin Qiaoan said, "This is a good thing. With such a bastard tied to him, he will have to work even harder to save up for his family."

"What's going on with his sister now?" Zhao Jingrong asked, "I heard from Taichuan that the girl has taken a fancy to Zhengqi?"

"Yes, I have confessed my feelings more than once."

Lin Qiaoan said with a smile, "That girl always runs backstage and asks Zhengqi to teach her how to sing. Her clinic hasn't been open for several days."

"I don't know whether this guy is unlucky or lucky," Zhao Jingrong shook his head and sighed. There was really no smile in his tone.

"I think it would be more painful than killing him."

Wei Ran, who had been listening, said that the sister of the murderer of his father fell in love with him, and she was a Japanese. Wei Ran didn't dare to think about how Zhang Zhengqi could endure it.

“No matter how uncomfortable it is, you have to endure it”

Lin Qiaoan sighed and whispered, "Now it's not just the guerrillas outside the city who are in trouble, it's also difficult inside the city. Even if we have a huge grievance, we have to prioritize this route."

"Rumble"

Before Lin Qiaoan could finish his words, there was another muffled thunder and raindrops began to fall from the sky.

"Okay, let's stop talking so much and go back."

Lin Qiaoan waved his hand listlessly and walked towards a rickshaw not far away.

"Let's have a drink tonight." Zhao Jingrong patted Wei Ran on the shoulder and followed him to a rickshaw.

"Can't we kill some devils together tonight to vent our anger?"

Wei Ran muttered to himself and also walked towards a rickshaw.

He knew that it was already August 1942 from what Ichiro Hoshino said in the car: locusts had taken over the ink pad.

Putting aside the current situation in Yinni, life inside and outside the Shanghai Concession is probably becoming increasingly difficult.

For example, Huang Youze, who was in the same time and space and city, had died in the battle of Qingpu Guanyin Temple a month ago. After all, he did not have the time and opportunity to see him again - even though they were rarely in the same time and space, in the same city in the same time and space, facing the same enemy.

(End of this chapter)