War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1848 Fireworks
After Wei Ran helped Hirano Daxiang to apply beauty-enhancing and Buddha-blessed incense ash all over the part of his other arm above the wrist, Hirano Daxiang finally gave a new answer.

“I don’t know what’s being built there.”

Hirano Daisho gasped and replied, "But many soldiers and prisoners of war who built there were killed. I escaped."

"What's inside?" Wei Ran asked casually.

"I don't know, I really don't know."

Hirano Daisho, whose face had turned pale from the pain, quickly replied, "I went there after the war, but the suspension bridge was destroyed and the entrance to the cave was filled up. I found nothing."

"Why didn't the child's mother come back with you?" Wei Ran, who was busy swinging his sword again, kept asking two irrelevant questions.

"I I killed her"

Hirano Daisho finally told the truth, "I escaped when the fortifications were completed and the killing of witnesses began. In order to avoid being discovered, I found a Japanese wife, who was from Hiroshima and whose family was gone.

We started a new life in Manila, but then she discovered my secret.”

"The secret in the photo album?" Wei Ran asked.

"Yes, the secret in the album."

Hirano Daisho replied with great regret, "She did the same thing as Mieko just now, and she also planned to take my Gentaro away from me. I...I can only kill her."

"Where is that secret fortification?" Wei Ran asked a new question.

Seeing that Hirano Daisho fell into silence, Wei Ran simply reached out and picked up the rag.

"I said, I said, in um! Uh--!"

Amid the screams that were blocked again, Wei Ran began to work on Hirano Daisho's chest with the old-fashioned razor in his hand.

Amid the flying cigarette ashes, Hirano Daisho, who was already incontinent from the pain, had crocodile tears streaming from the corners of his eyes.

However, after pulling out the rag again, Hirano Daisho quickly said, "Luzon Island! On Luzon Island! On the northern foot of Mount Pulog!"

"Who else knows about this?"

Wei Ran continued to ask casually. He had already noticed that Hirano Daisho's psychological defenses had begun to collapse as the secret was spoken out.

"My ex-wife's younger brother"

Hirano Daisho said, "I took him with me many times when I went to look for that cave."

"Where are the others?" Wei Ran continued to ask while swinging his knife.

"I shot him in the thigh, but he jumped into the river and disappeared."

Hirano Daisho said, "I hid and waited for two years but he never showed up, but I didn't find his body either."

"What do you think is hidden in that cave?" Wei Ran continued to ask.

"I do not know"

Hirano Daisho answered more and more quickly, "When the fortifications in that cave were completed, the war was almost over, but I guess there must be a lot of things sealed in it, otherwise they wouldn't have killed them."

"No, you must know something else."

Wei Ran said confidently, and he swung his sword a little more vigorously, almost hitting the back of Hirano Daisho's head a few times, causing him to shiver uncontrollably.

"Scavenged loot"

Hirano Daisho, with tears streaming down his face, replied, "There must be loot hidden in there. I can't tell you how much, but it's definitely a lot, more than you can imagine. I've told you everything I know. Let me go, let me go, Ryunosuke, no no no, Mr. Wei, please let me go."

"Don't worry, we still have a lot to talk about."

Wei Ran smiled and said, "New question, why didn't you go to Yinni to find your sister?"

"Because Zhaohe and Yinni haven't established diplomatic relations yet, and I'm a Zhaohe person, I'm definitely not welcome in Yinni."

Hirano Daisho immediately replied, "So Mieko and I went to the United States first, and from there we took a ship to Indigo. I had no way to enter the country, so I could only ask Mieko to go up and help me find my sister."

"I see"

Wei Ran nodded, "Let's talk about this izakaya. Didn't you invest in the business of US military supplies orders? Why are you still doing this kind of business?"

"then."

Hirano Daisho sighed, “Mieko told me that her father was a liquor merchant, so she always wanted to open a bar.

I promised Mieko that when the war is over, I will take her home and run a izakaya together. Mr. Long Wei, my Gentaro, is he still alive? "

"I'll give you the answer later."

Wei Ran put the razor on the other person's ear and asked, "Tell me about your military supplies business. What is it?"

"Blankets and Blankets"

Hirano Daisho replied, "I funded my niece to open a bedding factory in Osaka."

"Your niece?" Wei Ran raised his eyebrows. "Didn't your family members all get burned to death?"

"She was studying in Kyoto at the time."

Hirano Daxiang said, "Please let me go, Mr. Wei. I can give you my niece and her clothing factory as compensation. My niece is very beautiful, and she hasn't..."

"laugh"

Wei Ran didn't wait for the scum to finish speaking, he dragged the razor to cut off his ears, blocked his mouth with a rag before he could scream, and then covered the wound on his ear with incense ash.

"You're funding gangs to murder JCP members just for such a small business?"

As Wei Ran spoke, he began to peel the skin and sprinkle incense ash on the other person's shoulder, massaging the shoulder to clear the blood circulation.

"How can you so easily say that you will give me your niece as a gift?" Wei Ran slowly tore off a small piece of skin and put it on the table next to him.

In response to his questions, Hirano Daito shook his head again and again in vain.

“Now comes the last question.”

Wei Ran switched shoulders and continued to ask, "Were you planning to kill the new Mieko just now? That beautiful American sweetheart?"

Hearing this, Hirano Daisho began to shake his head again, and Wei Ran shaved off a long strip of skin again.

When Hirano Daxiang stopped humming, Wei Ran pulled the rag out of his mouth again and asked again, "You hired someone to murder those JCP members just for a clothing factory like this?"

"I need to."

Hirano Daxiang, who was shaking all over, gasped and answered, "They...they often organize workers in the clothing factory to go on strike.

And I need to be friends with the Americans. I know I was wrong and I won’t do it again.”

"late"

Wei Ran said, “On the night of the winter solstice in Kyoto in 1950, a JCP member was shot to death under the cover of fireworks.”

After a pause, Wei Ran said, "Her name is Hirano Aoi."

"What did you say? What did you say?"

Hirano Daxiang looked at Wei Ran in disbelief, "No, no, that's not right! You are lying to me, you are lying to me!"

"Your Gentaro was right beside her at the time. He was only seven or eight years old. He tried to cover his mother's wound with his hands, but failed.

The wound was caused by a slug fired from a 12-gauge shotgun, which shattered her spine, kidney and intestines, causing a penetrating wound that could not be treated."

"Why is she in Kyoto? How did she..."

"She returned to Osaka in 1945, and everything here was burned down. You didn't come back then either."

Wei Ran continued to rub salt into the other person's wounds, "She came back once at the end of 1945, but she thought you were all dead, so she never came back again.

She returned to the Musashi family as Mr. Musashi's adopted daughter, and your Gentaro, at the request of Mr. Musashi's mother, changed his last name to Hoshino Gentaro. "

“No, that’s not true, you’re lying to me, you’re lying to me.”

Hirano Daito murmured in panic, and more tears flowed from the corners of his eyes.

It turns out that he also knows pain.

It turns out he has feelings too.

original
Under a certain definition, he can barely be called a "human".

"Do you remember the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month in 1937?"

After a short pause, Wei Ran corrected himself, "In fact, according to the Gregorian calendar, it was already the beginning of January 1938, but for the Chinese people, it was still some time before the Chinese New Year.

At that time, you were in Fengtian, responsible for hunting down members of the Mingxiang Opera Troupe. For this purpose, you led your team into the Zhao family. Have you forgotten or have you been distracted?"

As Wei Ran spoke, he swung the razor to cut off the other ear of the other person, and once again covered his mouth with a rag.

When the screams stopped, Wei Ran grabbed a handful of incense ash and covered the wound at the base of his ear. Then he bent down and picked up both ears, holding the one with the bullet wound in front of Hirano Daxiang, "Do you remember this wound?"

"In Shanghai"

"yes."

Wei Ran carefully placed his two ears on the table and blocked Hirano Daxiang's mouth again, "Back then, you were sitting by the millstone in the backyard of the Zhao family in Fengtian and killed 32 members of the Zhao family.

Manager Qi, whom your sister Aoi Hirano loves, and Xiaowu, who later became the captain of the firewood recruiting team.

Of course, there was also Liu Zi, who worked as a waiter in the theater with him earlier, and me. We hid in the cellar under the millstone behind you."

After a short pause, Wei Ran lit a cigarette and added, "Back in Shencheng, the person who shot you in the ear was Liuzi, a waiter at the theater. It seems you have never seen him.

Manager Qi’s surname is not Qi, his real name is Zhang Zhengqi. And the translator Qin, Mr. Kawaguchi, his real name is Zhang Taichuan.

The Mingxiang Opera Troupe that you hung in the barn of the cart shop at the intersection of Fengtian Road was owned by Zhang Taichuan's father, and the current owner was Zhang Zhengqi's father.

And Captain Jin, his real name is Zhao Jingrong. The head of the Zhao family of 32 people you killed was his father, and the one whose abdomen you stabbed open with a knife was his mother. The girl who almost killed you with a grenade was his biological sister Zhao Jingxian.

"You. You are."

"19 people from the Mingxiang Opera Troupe died, including 32 members of the Zhao family."

Wei Ran slapped the other person's face with a razor, "The total is 51. There is also Manager Qi, whom your sister admires, and Zhang Zhengqi.

When he was going to kill Aoi, he was killed by the people you arranged. Your sister Hirano Aoi blamed herself for a long time for not being able to save him. This account will be put on your head."

Wei Ran cleared his throat and said again, "52 lives, this is just the debt you owe to the rest of us.

For one life, I will only cut a piece of your flesh. Before that, I will peel off your skin and expose your true form, so that I can take revenge with peace of mind. "

After sorting out the debts between the two of them one by one, Wei Ran looked around, brought the kerosene heater from the room and lit it to the maximum heat. Then he took out a bunch of kitchen knives from the kitchen and placed them on the heating stove to slowly heat them.

"You can scream as hard as you want, but don't die. I won't let you die so soon."

As he spoke, Wei Ran picked up the razor again, and amid the other party's suppressed screams, he cleared the remaining debts and interests piece by piece. In the end, there was an extra layer of carefully placed leather table mats on the table, and Hirano Daxiang's whole body was also covered with a layer of incense ash with excellent hemostatic effect.

Putting the empty incense burner back to its original place, Wei Ran walked to a place where Hirano Daxiang couldn't see him, took out the medical box, took out two injections of penicillin, and then carefully mixed the plasma powder and injected it into the blood vessel through the small piece of skin the size of a fist that was specially left on the arm.

While delivering the blood transfusion and penicillin, Wei Ran picked up the razor again, and then picked up a red-hot kitchen knife.

Under Hirano Daisho's horrified and desperate gaze and futile struggle, Wei Ran expressionlessly cut off a finger-sized piece of meat, and then immediately used a red-hot kitchen knife to burn the bleeding wound.

As the smell of burning gradually spread, and as he was busy cutting and replacing the red-hot kitchen knife to serve as a soldering iron, all 52 debts were placed on the table.

“We’ve barely cleared our debts.”

Wei Ran wrapped his scarf around the man's eyes and said, "Next I'll take you to meet your family. My nickname is the arsonist, and you'll know it later. I promise that you and your family will enjoy the same treatment."

As he spoke, Wei Ran tied his scarf tightly, and then carefully put the blood transfusion bottle, kitchen knife and other items back to their original places one by one.

Everything was ready, and he squeezed open Hirano Daisho's knees, elbows, shoulders and hips.

Finally, he brought a recliner and placed it next to the table. Wei Ran carried Hirano Daxiang to lie on the recliner, and covered him with a blanket he found in the bedroom, so that he could see the debt on the table and the low mountains outside the window at a glance.

Finally, he placed the kerosene heater next to him and placed a half-empty bottle of sake and wine glasses on the table.

Pulling the light cord to turn on the light, Wei Ran stood by the window and raised his camera to take a picture of him, then took out the E46 cluster incendiary bomb.

With a "bang", the incendiary bomb lay on the table covered with debts.

Pulling off the safety pin with the ribbon hanging on it, he covered the cluster incendiary bomb with a blanket, leaving only the fuse at the tail facing the window.

Gently pulling open the curtains and looking at the sky outside the window, Wei Ran untied the scarf from Hirano Daxiang's face, allowing him to see clearly what was on the table.

"That's the E46 cluster incendiary bomb, the same thing that killed your family."

Wei Ran finished speaking into Hirano Daisho's ear, lit a handful of incense sticks, pulled the rag out of Hirano Daisho's mouth, pinched his jawbone, and pushed the lit incense stick into his mouth, burning his throat as he struggled and also pinching his jaw joint.

He pulled out the incense stick and relit it, then found a cup, filled it with rice and placed it next to the tail fuse of the incendiary bomb.

"To all the senior masters of the Mingxiang Opera Troupe, to all the uncles and aunts of the Zhao family, to all the elders and fellow countrymen who have suffered in the land of China, Wei Ran, the martial arts apprentice of the Mingxiang Opera Troupe, will first collect a debt on behalf of everyone."

Holding incense in both hands, Wei Ran bowed respectfully in the direction of Hua Xia, then inserted the incense stick into the cup filled with rice. He then opened the curtains, pulled up the translucent gauze curtains, and deliberately left a gap less than half a meter wide.

"When the fireworks rise in the distance outside the window, you will be able to go see your family. Before that, repent sincerely if you regret it. Of course, repentance is useless."

Wei Ran said this as he put the razor back into the drawer where he found it. Then he turned and went downstairs, took out a suitcase on the first floor of the izakaya, changed himself into a new set of clothes, and packed his old clothes in.

Finally, he left the izakaya and locked the door from the outside. He walked towards the hill in the distance as if he knew the way, and finally found Wang Fu and Wang Gui sitting in a Mazda 3-wheeler at the foot of the mountain.

"Where did this car come from?"

Wei Ran asked curiously. On the cargo bed of this three-wheeled motorcycle were boxes of fireworks and several launching tubes.

"I asked the boss who sells fireworks to rent it," said Wang Fu.

"Today is New Year's Eve," Wang Gui also said.

"Today is New Year's Eve? New Year's Eve?" Wei Ran asked in surprise.

"Yes," the brothers Wang Fu and Wang Gui answered in unison.

“What a great day”

Wei Ran smiled and said, "Wang Fu, Wang Gui, go to the other side of this mountain, at the foot of the mountain, and find a place to set off the fireworks."

"Fireworks?"

Wang Fu asked in astonishment, "Aren't we going to use these to blow up that beast Hirano Daisho?"

"Yes, of course."

Wei Ran said with a smile, "Listen to me, just go ahead and play it, and make it more lively."

"Row"

Wang Fu and Wang Gui trusted Wei Ran enough. They got into the Mazda 3-wheeler, started the car and drove to the other side of the hill.

Wei Ran did not delay and climbed up the mountain as quickly as possible. He found the place where he had set up the tent before, took out the jeep again, put it in gear to serve as a handbrake, and then adjusted the aerial camera to aim at the gauze-covered window on the second floor of the izakaya at the foot of the mountain.

After slightly adjusting the focus to cover the entire shop, he connected the shutter motor of the aerial camera to the battery of the jeep, and then pressed the electric remote shutter to take a test shot.

Nodding with satisfaction, Wei Ran took out the anti-tank gun, pressed the auxiliary hoe of the large base frame into the ground, then took out the suitcase and sat down on it, slowly moving the muzzle of the anti-tank gun and using the crosshairs to cover the faintly visible scarlet incense head of the incense stick on the inside of the screen.

"should be no problem"

Wei Ran muttered to himself for a while, then replaced the anti-tank gun with incendiary bombs and a matching muzzle brake.

Without rushing to load the anti-tank gun, Wei Ran immediately took out the anti-aircraft telescope and quietly observed the izakaya and its surroundings.

As he waited patiently, the sky grew darker and darker, and the lights in the second-floor windows of the izakaya became increasingly visible.

"boom!"

In the night sky behind Wei Ran, a firework rose from the other side of the hill. The firework exploded in the night sky, turning into a brilliant ball of light.

"Bang! Bang!"

Before this firework faded, two more fireworks rose into the sky. Wei Ran put away the anti-aircraft telescope, sat back behind the anti-tank gun, and turned the handle to push a incendiary bomb into the barrel.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three more fireworks rose into the sky and exploded. Wei Ran slowly moved his anti-tank gun and aimed at the scarlet incense sticks in the window of the pub.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

As more and more fireworks rose into the air and exploded, Wei Ran slowly pulled the heavy trigger and at the same time pressed the remote shutter switch with his other hand.

"boom!"

Amid the sounds of gunfire amidst the fireworks and the rapidly flashing shutters, a 20mm caliber incendiary bomb flew across the distance of less than one kilometer between the two, silently passed through the window with gauze curtains, and overturned the incense stick that was less than one-third burned with its own airflow.

In the end, the incendiary bomb fired from the barreled weapon hit the tail fuse of the E46 cluster incendiary bomb on the table that was supposed to be airdropped.

The huge impact force and the high temperature flame attached to the bullet itself easily ignited the E46 cluster incendiary bomb.

In just a moment, the second floor of Hirano Izakaya was filled with flames and thick smoke.

While putting away the anti-tank gun, Wei Ran also released the remote control switch. He also moved closer to the viewfinder and, at ten-second intervals, patiently and carefully photographed the izakaya that was gradually being engulfed by flames against the backdrop of the fireworks that kept lighting up in the background.

Finally, when the izakaya had completely turned into a bonfire for sacrifice, the fire truck arrived, and an old man led the little boy, who was also called Gentaro, over.

After waiting for a while, the American woman on the motorcycle and even the nuclear recruitment woman on a bicycle came over one after another - Wei Ran, who had already packed his things, also drove over in a jeep.

He parked the car on the side of the road not far away and sat in the driver's seat. While warming himself by the fire, he expressionlessly took pictures of the bonfire in the distance, the frightened child, the stunned American woman, and the dazed young girl recruiting nuclear weapons.

"Ms. Mieko, what's going on?"

Not far from Wei Ran, the young nuclear recruiting woman asked helplessly.

"Maybe he committed suicide. Also, I don't like the stupid name Mieko. My name is Betty."

Then, the American woman named Betty threw her briefcase to the young nuclear recruiting girl, "This is the good thing your devilish uncle did in the war.

There is also the memoir I asked him to write on our way back from Yindi, but I think it is all lies. I have had enough of this hypocritical liar. He died at the right time! "

After saying that, Betty spat on the ground, turned around and got on the motorcycle.

God knows whether it was because of the infatuated Japanese soldier in the flames who tried to keep her or because the flames caused the oxygen in the air to become thin, but she couldn't pedal her motorcycle.

"Hi! Beautiful lady, do you need me to take you anywhere?"

Wei Ran waved enthusiastically and asked in American English, "It's as hot as the night in 1945."

"I like your hot joke"

This American sweetheart named Betty obviously understood what Wei Ran meant. She stepped off the motorcycle and kicked it down, then switched back to Japanese and said to the girl, "I almost forgot that this broken motorcycle was also given to me by your disgusting uncle. I'm returning it to you."

After saying that, she casually threw the key to the frightened little boy Gentaro, stepped into the passenger seat of Wei Ran's jeep with her long legs, and took the initiative and gave him an American-style hug with not very large breasts.

"Is this considered the fare?" Wei Ran asked with a smile on his face while hugging the other person.

“It can also be the start of a romantic evening.”

Betty whispered in his ear, "There's no hint of nuclear bomb in your English, so are you an American soldier?"

"Yes, I am from the Seabees, Colored Company."

Wei Ran let go of Betty, and finally raised his camera towards the recruiting girl who was holding the photo album and hiding behind a substitute for Gentaro. He took a photo of the fire in the distance, then stepped on the accelerator and drove out in a random direction.

“I like your yellow skin”

Betty enthusiastically placed her hand on Wei Ran's thigh, "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere," Wei Ran said.

"Me too"

Although Betty's tone sounded indifferent, Wei Ran could still hear the uneasiness and panic that she had not concealed.

"What happened just now?" Wei Ran slowed down the car slightly.

"A timely fire killed a demon"

Betty muttered, "Yes, it's a demon."

"I passed by here this afternoon and saw you arguing with the owner of that pub."

Wei Ran said casually, "You are very beautiful, so I am very impressed by you."

"Thank you. I appreciate the compliment"

Betty sighed, "Sir, can you take me to the dock? I can't wait to get away from this damn place that needs to be burned again."

"certainly"

Wei Ran nodded. "You are an American? Why are you here?"

"yes."

Betty sighed again, and murmured with great regret, "Why did I believe the devil's lies and come here?"

"Fortunately, it's not too late," Wei Ran comforted.

"It's not too late. This fire happened at the right time."

As Betty sighed with great relief, white light gradually enveloped Wei Ran and everything in his eyes.

It shouldn't be over yet. I haven't done Lin Qiaozhi's makeup yet.
Wei Ran sighed silently and looked forward to it. He had already taken revenge, and now he just hoped that they could all survive.