War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1890 Buried Alive
Inside Hengyang City, Wei Ran and many wounded soldiers followed Cheng Guanyin, going against the flow of people, and amidst the rumbling of artillery fire, headed towards the south of the city, which had been breached by the Japanese.

Along the way, he would occasionally raise his Robert camera and take pictures of the wounded soldiers facing death and everything he saw around him.

Gradually, the sounds of gunfire grew closer, and they could even see the shadowy figures of Japanese soldiers in the distance, guns in hand, slaughtering indiscriminately.

They also saw the defenders resisting here, who were taking turns shooting at the invaders, whether they were using the remaining walls, barricades, or even fire water tanks for cover.

Without any orders, and without any need for orders, the numerous wounded soldiers dispersed, some taking refuge in the ruins to prepare themselves, while others automatically joined the ranks, picking up the weapons from the hands of the fallen soldiers.

"I have no hope left."

After hiding, Cheng Guanyin said to Wei Ran, who was hiding nearby, "I saw my wife and children, and I know they are still alive. I have no more hope."

"Have"

As Wei Ran spoke, he picked up the Type 5 rifle from a fallen soldier, touched the still-warm body, and found only five bullets. "If we buy a little more time, my sister-in-law and nephew can run further."

"Yes, that's right!"

As Cheng Guanyin spoke, he loaded bullets into his Mauser pistol, then crawled into the collapsed house and crept towards the Japanese soldiers.

Wei Ran knew that the other side probably didn't want to waste any bullets, which was why they decided to risk getting closer.

"How many bullets do you have left?" Wei Ran asked.

"These are all that's left."

Cheng Guanyin, holding a gun in one hand and a broadsword in the other, responded.

Upon hearing this, Wei Ran didn't ask any more questions. He simply loaded the rifle in his hand with bullets and tucked the two extra bullets between the fingers of his right hand.

After passing through a series of dilapidated houses, the distance between them and the Japanese soldiers had closed to the point where a hand-to-hand combat could break out at any moment, and they could even hear the Japanese soldiers talking amidst the sounds of gunfire.

This is also the bloodiest tug-of-war zone in urban warfare—a struggle for dilapidated ruins at the cost of bullets and lives.

"boom!"

Wei Ran fired first. He didn't even raise the gun; he simply held it at his waist before firing.

Even so, at this close range, where they were almost face to face, the shot still hit the Japanese soldier's chest precisely.

Objectively speaking, by this year of the war, the quality of the Japanese soldiers had clearly declined.

At the very least, the one Wei Ran just hit was probably only a few years older than Chen Shun.

After that shot, Wei Ran decisively released the rifle in his hand and the bullet from his fingertips, letting it fall with the recoil. He then reached out and grabbed the Type 38 rifle in the hand of the Japanese soldier who had just emerged, pulling him and the gun together.

At the same time, Cheng Guanyin had already raised his gun and pulled the trigger at the other two Japanese soldiers.

"Click"

After Wei Ran snapped the neck of the Japanese soldier he had dragged over, he first took two grenades from its body, pulled down the pins, and handed one of them to Cheng Guanyin.

Almost simultaneously, the two men slammed the backs of their grenades against the wall, throwing them one after the other, one at a distance and the other at a distance.

Before the two grenades could explode, Wei Ran, under Cheng Guanyin's cover, took advantage of the enemy's panicked dodge and grabbed another corpse, pulling him by the hand and using the momentum to lean against the broken wall.

"boom!"

When the two grenades exploded, he had already found the only grenade on the corpse.

He took out a grenade, pulled the pin, slammed it against the wall, and then threw it again.

At the same time, Cheng Guanyin had also discarded the Mauser C96 pistol that was empty of bullets.

"boom!"

As the grenade exploded again, Wei Ran had already grabbed a Type 38 rifle, cocked it, and loaded a bullet.

Almost simultaneously, two more wounded soldiers caught up from behind. One picked up the Type 24 rifle that Wei Ran had previously abandoned, and the other picked up the Type 38 rifle that Wei Ran had killed first.

"boom!"

Wei Ran fired the first shot at the Japanese soldiers who were close by on the other side of the broken wall, and the two wounded soldiers covered in blood blisters followed suit and fired to suppress them.

As quickly as possible, Wei Ran deflected a bullet, bent down to pick up a piece of broken brick, and threw it over, thoughtfully reminding the other person in Japanese, "Grenade."

Judging from their reaction alone, Wei Ran already knew that these Japanese soldiers were truly at their wits' end; they hurriedly retreated from the dilapidated house in a chaotic rush.

Just then, a large number of bricks and stones were suddenly pushed off the heads of these Japanese soldiers. Under the impact of these bricks and stones, the Japanese soldiers who had just been frightened out immediately fell to the ground with cries of pain.

Taking this opportunity, Wei Ran and the others immediately cooperated with the guards who had just pushed down the bricks and stones on the roof to advance forward.

The next thing we saw was a dilapidated building that was already filled with the stench of corpses.

Beneath the crumbling roof, a rotting corpse hung from a nearly broken beam.

Not far from the corpse, a pitch-black coffin was placed in the middle of the main room.

The eternal lamp placed in front of the coffin had long since burned out, and the offerings, even if still there, had all gone moldy. Even the coffin, which was supported by wooden poles, was leaking foul-smelling bodily fluids.

Not only that, but even the coffin itself has been marked with numerous bullet holes.

It was in this mournful hall filled with sorrow that Wei Ran and his companions encountered the Japanese soldiers once again, when neither side was prepared.

After a chaotic barrage of gunfire, a wounded soldier who had just arrived was shot in the chest, and Wei Ran was grazed in the shoulder by a bullet.

However, he and Cheng Guanyin each hit one of them, and in the ensuing thrust, the former pierced the chest of a Japanese soldier with his bayonet, while the latter slashed the neck of another Japanese soldier with his broadsword.

Before the two could sheathe their swords, the conflict began. More Japanese soldiers poured in from outside, and on the rooftops, even more defenders launched a counterattack using bricks and rafters.

In this chaotic street fighting at extremely close range, the anti-Japanese broadsword and the dismantled bayonet were far more agile than the rifle, which would crash into the wall if it made any big movements.

After releasing the Type 38 rifle that had gotten stuck again after hitting the corner of the wall, Wei Ran grabbed the rifle that the other side was thrusting at him and couldn't pull back either, then kicked the Japanese soldier in the stomach with a jabbing kick.

After that kick, dark red blood spilled from the corner of the Japanese soldier's mouth. Wei Ran used this opportunity to push forward forcefully, and then stabbed the bayonet he had just removed from the enemy's gun muzzle through the neck of a Japanese soldier next to him.

The breach was thus created, and Cheng Guanyin, who rushed forward, wielded his broadsword and killed one of them, successfully widening the breach even further.

With the help of the guards holding bricks overhead, the remaining Japanese soldiers were killed one after another, but they also paid a heavy price.

At this moment, blood was gushing from the wound on Wei Ran's shoulder, and his face and armpits were also slashed by bayonets.

Cheng Guanyin was in better condition, but the wounded soldiers who followed them had all fallen in the battle.

Are you wounded soldiers?

Two guards who came down from the roof asked, both of them bearing wounds of various sizes.

"I"

"No"

At this moment, Cheng Guanyin rubbed his chipped broadsword against the broken wall and said, "We are laborers who came to provide support."

"Knows how to use a gun"

"Watch out! The Japanese are coming again!"

The remaining defenders on the roof shouted a warning and opened fire, killing one of the charging Japanese soldiers.

But this time the Japanese soldiers who rushed over were clearly prepared. Apart from the Japanese soldiers who were killed, the remaining few unusually threw in two or three grenades!

"Get away!"

The soldier who had just jumped down shouted and forcefully pushed Wei Ran and Cheng Guanyin to the other side of the black coffin.

The other person who jumped down hurriedly picked up the two grenades that had been thrown behind him and tried to throw them away.

But at this moment, the grenades thrown in weren't just inside the house, but also on the roof!
"boom!"

Just as Wei Ran and Cheng Guanyin, who were being pushed over, tripped over the same wooden bar placed under the coffin, the grenade that the garrison soldier had just thrown exploded—severing his hand and hitting his head.

"Boom!" Immediately following, the grenade that the guard who had just pushed Wei Ran and Cheng Guanyin had hurriedly picked up also exploded—blowing open his chest, but providing protection for Wei Ran and Cheng Guanyin.

"boom!"

Just then, the grenade thrown onto the roof exploded, and half of the already crumbling roof collapsed!

"careful!"

Wei Ran instinctively grabbed Cheng Guanyin and pressed him against the coffin.

"Boom!"

With a dull thud, the already weakened roof beams crashed heavily onto the stinking coffin.

"what!"

At the same time, Cheng Guanyin also let out a scream.

The other end of the roof beam pressed down on the broken wall, but at the same time it pressed down on the blade of the anti-Japanese broadsword that Cheng Guanyin was holding, squeezing him between the hilt and the roof beam.

Before they could take a closer look, the mud and tiles on the roof came crashing down, burying the two alive in the narrow gap between the coffin and the corner of the wall.

"boom!"

Just then, another explosion rang out, accompanied by choking smoke and dust. They could even hear footsteps outside on the rubble above their heads.

"How's the situation?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice, leaning against the wall.

In this completely buried space, the only light they could see was a faint glimmer of light seeping through the cracks beneath the coffin.

"My hand got caught," Cheng Guanyin replied, drawing in a sharp breath.

"do not move"

As Wei Ran spoke, he took out a flashlight and shone a dim beam of light.

Where did you come from?

"There's a Japanese soldier's corpse here, we found it."

Wei Ran casually remarked that there was indeed a Japanese soldier's corpse that had been pinned down behind him.

"Take it"

Before the other person could say anything, Wei Ran handed him the flashlight and gestured for him to point the beam at the large knife he was holding in his other hand.

Using the beam of the flashlight, Wei Ran could only sigh at the cruel twist of fate.

The knife was trapped between the collapsed roof beam and the crumbling wall, less than 20 centimeters high, that supported one end of the beam.

Because the handle of the knife was pressed down so firmly, his hand inevitably got caught in the collapsed roof beam.

"do not move"

As Wei Ran spoke, he rummaged through the Japanese soldier behind him who was mostly buried, then took out a small knife and carefully cut open the gauze binding Cheng Guanyin's hands and the knife handle.

After trying to pry open the knife handle but failing to get Cheng Guanyin to pull out his hand, which seemed to have broken bones, Wei Ran reached under the coffin and pretended to rummage around, pulling out a pair of wire cutters.

"How could this be here?"

Who cares where it came from?

Wei Ran didn't give Cheng Guanyin a chance to doubt before wedging the wire cutters into the gap between the handle and the beam, and then slowly prying them open using leverage.

As the blade bent, Cheng Guanyin managed to pull his severed hand out with difficulty.

"Shh-"

As Wei Ran spoke, he turned off his flashlight. At that moment, the sounds of gunfire and shouts in Japanese could be heard outside.

"We need to get out of here," Cheng Guanyin said in a low voice.

"You can get out?"

Wei Ran's low question also silenced Cheng Guanyin.

Not to mention the massive beam that weighs at least several hundred pounds, the roof tiles and mud on it could easily bury them alive if they weren't careful.

"Survival comes first."

As Wei Ran spoke, he began to gently move the surrounding bricks and placed the cleared bricks under the collapsed beam as support.

This not only frees up more space, but the bricks also provide some support to prevent that critical beam from shifting erratically.

While he was reinforcing the roof beam that could kill them both if it rolled over, Cheng Guanyin had already started digging with his uninjured hand. He wanted to get out, to get out and kill the Japanese devils.

"Wow!"

During Cheng Guanyin's somewhat reckless digging, some soil and broken tiles fell down, and the billowing dust blinded them both.

"boom!"

Just then, another explosion came from outside, followed by a series of crashing sounds.

Even though they couldn't see outside, they knew that a wall was lying on the ruins that were pinning them down.

The best evidence at this moment was that the only spot under the coffin where light could pass through was mostly blocked by the fallen bricks and tiles.

"Don't move!"

Wei Ran stopped Cheng Guanyin, who was about to continue digging, and turned on the flashlight again. He searched through the choking smoke and the stench of corpses, then picked up a piece of wood that had slipped off the handle of Cheng Guanyin's anti-Japanese broadsword and handed it to him.

"Bite down, I'll set the bone for you first." Wei Ran said, already taking the other person's broken hand.

Cheng Guanyin tried to push the coffin without success, and finally bit down on a piece of wood.

"There are Japanese devils outside, you'd better keep quiet."

As Wei Ran spoke, he began to help the other person realign the broken bones.

"crunch"

Cheng Guanyin also chewed up the piece of wood in his mouth from the very beginning.

Even so, he didn't cry out. He just gripped the coffin beside him, which reeked of a foul stench.

After a brief but intense period of pain, Wei Ran helped the other person realign the broken metacarpal bone, and then took two bullets from the Japanese soldier's corpse to use as splints to bind the other person's hand, which had already been blistered.

"Going out at this time is tantamount to suicide; there's no point in dying like this."

Wei Ran said, having already turned off his flashlight, "Let's take a break."

"Now is not the time to rest."

After failing to pull out his stuck broadsword, Cheng Guanyin groped around and found a tile. He then dug into the blue bricks on the ground beneath him, bricks that reeked of the stench of corpses.

Shaking his head weakly, Wei Ran pressed down on the other person's shoulder and whispered, "I'll do it. You listen for any noises outside."

"Together."

"It's too narrow here, let me do it."

Wei Ran insisted on switching places with the other party. Then, in the darkness, amidst the constant sounds of gunfire outside, he took out an entrenching tool and gently pried up the first brick that was soaked with corpse fluid, then the second, the third, and the fourth.

As he dug, the sounds of battle outside grew fainter and fainter, but his digging progress was not fast. There were many rubble stones under the floor tiles, and the foundation had been compacted. Moreover, he had to be careful not to cause the coffin to collapse and bury him underneath.

Compared to all that, the foul-smelling bodily fluids that dripped onto his head or back from time to time were nothing.

Finally, as he dug, the hole that let in light grew a little bigger, allowing him to see the sky outside, which had become dark.

However, just as he was about to continue digging, he heard a faint, rustling sound of bricks being turned over outside.