Australian Storm 1876

  Chapter 316 Expedition

  At the same time, somewhere about 1600 kilometers away from Tianshu Town.

  A team of more than 30 people cautiously drove 8 big green mules forward in the mountains. Most of this team were fully armed soldiers, with only two geological prospecting experts dressed in civilian clothes.

  One is a 50-year-old French-American white geologist Professor Payette, and the other is a young expert Zheng Yuan in his 30s. They wear a wide-brimmed cowboy hat with Australian characteristics to block the strong sunlight in the mountains.

  The average altitude of this mountainous area has reached more than 3000 meters, the temperature is about a few degrees above zero, and the climate is quite cold.

  Expedition leader Li Shuanzhu came to the side of the rock with a big breath and stopped to watch. He saw that there were endless mountains stacked in the distance, which were taller and steeper than this mountainous area at the foot, and the top of the mountain was covered with white snow that never faded all the time.

  There is a steep mountain with a height of more than 4000 meters. Seeing that it makes the scalp numb, Li Shuanzhu loudly encouraged;

   "Brothers, there is a branch of the Central Mountain Range ahead, called the Fubilan Mountain Range. Please work harder, and we will almost be there in two days."

  Wangshan is running dead, not to mention that there is no road at all.

The soldier brothers behind him emerged from the sparse fir forest one by one, standing on the hillside and panting heavily. Duan Qirui, who was walking behind, also caught up, sitting on the stone so tired and said; Captain, rest your feet."

"That's OK, everyone rest for a while, eat some dry food and drink some saliva." Li Shuanzhu waved to disband the team, sat down next to Duan Qirui, took out the water bottle on his body, took a few sips, and handed it to Duan Qirui. .

Duan Qirui took a few big sips from the kettle, and said with a wet chin with his hand; "Brother Shuan Zhu, we have been traveling in this mountain for more than ten days. I see Bergkamp is also a little dizzy. Maybe this **** led us around, do you think it's possible?"

Li Shuanzhu frowned and thought for a while, and said, "The human heart is separated from the belly. It is reasonable to say that there is no point in lying to us. If the mine really exists, the Dutch ghost will never have the chance to get it. This is detrimental to others. Yeah, I think Bergkamp’s desire to survive is so strong that he won’t make fun of his life.”

   "This makes sense, but why take us around in the mountains?"

"Be more patient, the eyes are full of mountains, let alone only once, even people who live here all the year round may get lost. Bergkamp said that there is a crescent-shaped mountain lake near the mine. It's just looking for this Crescent Lake, otherwise it is difficult to locate where you are?"

  "Brother Shuan Zhu, it won’t work if we continue like this. The supplies we carry with us will not last for 10 days. You see, these big green mules have lost a lot of fat, and we have to think of a way."

   "Brother Qi Rui, do you have any ideas?"

"I figured out a way, do you think it will work?" Duan Qirui tore off the wide-brimmed cowboy hat on his head. The hair on his head was wet with a lot of sweat, and the steam was faintly steaming. He slapped the cool breeze vigorously. "These big green mules are too cumbersome to carry. Let’s find a place in the valley where there is a stream and set up a temporary woodland. Put the big green mules and logistics equipment in the camp. The brothers will be divided into several groups. , Carry a week’s supply with you on the road. There are no other ruthless characters in this mountain except wolves. I don’t even need to bring a rifle. Just bring a revolver with you for defense. Search forward for three days, whether you find Crescent or not. The lake will return as soon as three days arrive, do you think this will work?"

"It makes sense, this can be regarded as a solution to the predicament." Li Shuanzhu obviously listened to it and pondered over and over and said; "A platoon leader Chen Yong leads a team, you lead a team, I will lead another team, we can ask Searching in three directions, Bergkamp follows my team, two experts one with one team, so that you can look for Crescent Lake and mine. The efficiency is much higher than that of bundled together. Okay, then do it. "

  After half a day

The expedition team came to camp in a valley, where the altitude is low, and there are a large number of subtropical trees and shrubs. There is also a clear mountain stream that winds by. Next to the stream is a large exposed pebble beach. The imprint of flash floods over the years.

The camping place was under a steep mountain wall. Eight tents formed a semicircle. The soldiers built a simple stove out of rocks. They picked up a large number of litter and set up a campfire. The pot was boiled in the mountains. Picked mushroom soup.

A dozen soldiers pierced the fish with bayonet knives by the stream. After a while, they caught more than a dozen fish. They happily scraped the scales of the fish with bayonet knives by the stream, cleared the internal organs, chopped off the fish heads, and then cleaned the white fish. Chop it into pieces and put it in a large pot to boil, and then sprinkle with a little salt, it is delicious and delicious fish and mushroom soup.

  Then take out the pasta and put it on the bonfire to bake it to fragrant. With the delicious fish and mushroom soup, you can have a delicious meal.

   "Professor Payette, this is for you." Li Shuanzhu took two pots of fish soup, handed one of them to Professor Payette, and then sat down on the big rock beside him.

   "Thank you, this looks very delicious." Professor Payette took the fish soup, put it under his nose and smelled it, with a look of intoxication on his face.

"On this condition in the mountains, I can only continue climbing when I have enough food and drink. To be honest, the two weeks I have climbed almost all my life in the mountains. Now I see these mountains and I feel a little vomiting. ."

  Li Shuanzhu looked up at the rolling mountains and sighed helplessly, then lowered his head and started to deal with the delicious fish soup, which was extremely sweet.

  Professor Payette was already hungry, so he started to bake hot noodles, sipped the fish soup, and warmed up after the hot food. After a hard day's trek, he was thrown out of the sky.

  Not much effort

  The two even drank the last soup base, patted their full belly with their hands and smiled at each other.

  There is no hard work that can’t be solved by a bowl of fish soup. If there is... then two bowls of fish soup.

  Li Shuanzhu asked a little curiously; “Professor Patje, I took the liberty to ask, how did you think of leaving the beautiful France and coming to Australia? I know that in the eyes of Westerners, Europe is their eternal sacred place.”

   "Holy Land... Maybe!"

  Professor Patje chewed on these two words with a complex expression, raised his head and looked at the sky above the valley. The golden halo in the evening was coated with a layer of gold on the clouds. Against the backdrop of the blue sky, it looked extraordinarily magnificent and charming.

   "Tell my story;

  After the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, the proud France was defeated, and the anger of the people was burning like a prairie fire.

  The Third French Empire ruled by Napoleon III collapsed in an instant, countless nobles were executed by angry and revolutionary, the revolutionaries occupied Paris, and His Majesty Napoleon III went into exile to London.

At that time, from Paris to Lorraine, from Ovigne to Provence, emotional anarchists occupied the cities and villages, indiscriminately sending many nobles to the guillotine, and many officers who had fought for France. The blood stained the earth red, this is a sad moment.

  At this time, the German occupying forces were like sitting on a volcanic crater. They released more than 700,000 French prisoners of war for their own benefit and armed them with guns and artillery.

  This army returned to Paris and counterattacked the former revolutionaries. The corpses were killed in cities and villages, and countless blood was shed.

  In that year, I took my wife and children to escape from France and boarded a cruise to Australia. Because many people made a lot of money by scouring their money, I also wanted to try my luck. "

  Speaking of which

  Professor Patje shook his head mockingly, and continued; “Dream and reality are separated by an insurmountable gulf. I didn’t understand until I arrived at the Victoria Gold Mine;

  I am not a respected professor of geology here. Knowledge is useless here. I am just an ordinary gold prospector.

  Without a strong physique, it is impossible to occupy a good position for gold mining, or even to keep the fruits of my labor. I personally watched two companions being shot and killed in front of my eyes, because they were unwilling to hand over the nuggets they picked up.

  The gold mine is not a place where people like me can stay. It is likely to die silently by a certain bush. So after several years, I didn’t settle down until I was hired to teach at Red River Valley University.

  The once glorious France has faded in my memory. The Red River Valley is my home. I own a beautiful French villa here, a respected professor, and a stable and happy family.

  I have gone through too many turmoil and killings for most of my life, and I have no nostalgia for the so-called holy places. Those who raise butcher knives are just as cruel to kill regardless of their status. All these disputes make people weary.

  I just want to live a peaceful life by guarding my wife and children. The Red River Valley is such a beautiful and tolerant city. I like it. There is an elegant and peaceful life that I want, which is enough. "

  Professor Patje stared into the distance, immersed in the memory of the past.

The wind in the valley blew his gray hair. Perhaps there are more stories in his heart. This is an old man who just wants to live a peaceful life, but this simple wish has become a luxury in the fierce and turbulent social change, and it is inspiring. Sigh.

  Although Li Shuanzhu is not very old, he can fully understand Professor Patje’s mood at this moment. In his 19-year-old life, he has experienced unimaginable ups and downs.

  He was born in a remote village in the northwest of Shandong Province. He was from a poor family in childhood, but with the care of his parents and relatives, his life was easy.

  I remember that at the end of the summer when I was 11 years old, the overwhelming locusts flew over, gnawing away the crops that were about to mature in the ground, and there was no grass in the place.

   There was a severe locust plague in my hometown. The villagers went out in droves to beg. They stayed in the village and could only starve to death. 11-year-old Li Shuanzhu followed his parents and younger siblings on the wandering road.

The father provokes the family with his not very tall body, a shoulder pole, a basket with pots and pans, and a basket with a 6-year-old sister and a 4-year-old brother, and a suona and a kettle on the shoulder. That's how the heavy pole hits the road.

  From summer to autumn, from autumn to winter...

I have seen countless people on the way. My 4-year-old brother also died of typhoid fever. As he walked all the way to Jinan City, there were black and oppressed refugees everywhere. The fierce soldiers prevented the refugees from entering the city. They could only In the cold wind outside the city, fate is like a mustache.

I remember that it was a snowy day. My father finally fell. He gave most of the food he begged to his wife and children. Long-term malnutrition and overwork crushed the man’s spine. Suona begging for food, can no longer bear heavy burdens, can no longer protect children and wives...

  Not long after

   Seeing that a family of three was starving to death in the midst of hunger and cold, her mother was forced to sell herself, so she only sold a piece of dough.

Li Shuanzhu still remembers that he and his sister were crying and chasing in the cold wind, but they were kicked to the ground by the fierce family, dropped a piece of dough mixed with mud, and forced their mother into a carriage and took away. NS.

  From then on

  11-year-old Li Shuanzhu and his 6-year-old sister Li Qiaoer depended on each other for their lives, and luckily got into Jinan City, relying on the charity of kind people to survive the cold winter.

  But who would have thought that he lost his sister Li Qiaoer...

  On that day, the two brothers and sisters were begging separately in the lively market. Li Shuanzhu only heard the cry of his sister. When he ran over, there was no one to see.

At that moment, Li Shuanzhu's heart was broken.

  He wept bitterly and ran around the streets looking for it. It was until the dead of night when Li Shuanzhu, who was only 12 years old, knew clearly that he had lost his sister and would never be able to find it again...

  Since then, Li Shuanzhu has suffered from a problem, that is, he can walk for a whole day when he encounters a lively market, carefully identifying every little girl passing by, and expecting a miracle in his heart to allow her to reunite with his sister Li Qiao'er.

  He is always unable to forgive himself in his heart. He dare not imagine what would happen to his sister. In that cannibalistic society, he would really be cannibal...

  Fate changed after entering the Young Eagle School, where Li Shuanzhu met many brothers and sisters, received a comprehensive education, was able to eat and dress warmly, and even traveled across oceans to Australia...

  For all these changes in destiny, we must thank the benevolent Earl, Li Shuanzhu’s guiding light in his life, accepting the lonely young man with a broad mind like a father, this kindness will not end for a lifetime.

Unconsciously

  Silent tears have covered his cheeks, and the mountain breeze is icy, Li Shuanzhu suddenly wakes up from his memories, silently wiped the tears on his face and left...

  Night came soon, and the scream of wild wolves came from the valley, echoing from a distance.

Out of fear of the wild wolves, the eight big green mules in the center of the camp snorted uneasyly, and irritably smashed the ground with their hoofs, making a "clap" noise, which made people uneasy. .

   "A long line."

"arrive."

  "Take the brothers to ambush, and listen to my orders for a while. After the wolves appear, they will take aim and hit. It's up to you to sleep well tonight."

   "Don't worry, camp seat, I, Chen Yong, discipline him and the wild wolves come back and forth."

   "You guys will make the bonfire brighter for me, put the jerky we brought into the pot to cook, and boil all the fragrance. I don't believe this group of hungry wolves will not take the bait."

   "No problem, captain, look forward to it!"

  　 Weakly ask for a recommendation ticket and a monthly pass. Thank you for your continued support. Thank you again.

  (End of this chapter)