eurekapd Chapter 887 Dog! Your dad's here!
Chapter 887 Dog! Your dad's here!
Before the 418 boat was fully in place, Lao Wang had already rushed down the iron ladder from the lighthouse and was running towards the dock.
The closer he got, the stronger the smell of diesel fuel, rust, and a faint, burnt odor became in the sea breeze. When he stepped onto the concrete pier and saw the scene before him, even this well-traveled man was taken aback.
You can see the general shape from a distance, but only when you get close can you feel the decisiveness of the 418 boat!
As the 418 boat drew closer, Lao Wang could clearly see that its old hull was covered with shocking dents, like sheet metal repeatedly hammered by a heavy hammer. The bow was twisted beyond recognition, with a large chunk of its original rounded shape being forcibly gnawed away, the exposed steel plates curled up, and the edges were still covered with gray paint chips from the Hayashio. In some places, even the internal pipes could be seen...
A group of soldiers who stayed behind emerged from the boat, helping each other as they filed down. Their uniforms were stained with oil and seawater, and some bandages were stained with light red blood. But each of them stood up straight, their tired faces showing no sign of dejection, and their eyes shone like tempered steel.
The officers and soldiers on duty at the dock spontaneously stood in two rows. There was no applause, but with solemn gazes and slightly straightened chests, they paid the most respect to these triumphant warriors.
Old Wang looked around but didn't see Zhao Gang. Just as he was about to turn around and ask the sailor next to him, he heard a "clang".
Suddenly, the inspection hatch on the side of the submarine was pushed open, and an oil-stained hand gripped a rusty handrail and reached out.
Immediately afterwards, Zhao Gang's head appeared.
His military cap was long gone, his hair was a mess like a bird's nest, his face was covered in soot, a cut on his left cheek was still bleeding, his uniform had a large hole in the front, revealing a bandaged shoulder underneath, and his trousers were worn and ripped, covered in seawater and mud.
Zhao Gang shook his dizzy head, his gaze sweeping across the dock, and when he saw Old Wang's figure, his eyes lit up.
"Dog! Your dad's here!"
This shout caused Old Wang, who was walking briskly towards them, to stumble, and several black lines instantly appeared on his forehead.
But before he could even open his mouth to curse back, Zhao Gang had already made his move!
Zhao Gang grabbed the handrail next to the inspection port with one hand, exerted his strength with his waist and abdomen, and clumsily but swiftly flipped half of his body out of the inspection port. Then, he pushed off the hull with both legs and jumped directly off the hull, which was still more than half a meter above the dock!
"Boom!"
Upon landing, he had clearly overestimated his physical condition. He staggered a couple of steps before barely managing to stand, which aggravated his injuries and caused his lips to twitch in pain. However, he paid no attention to it, his eyes fixed on Old Wang, and with an excited smile on his face, he opened his arms and charged straight toward Old Wang!
When Lao Wang saw his long-lost brother, he felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He took a few steps forward with his outstretched arms, ready to give this hothead a firm hug.
however……
Instead of the expected bear hug, two swift, wind-like figures passed each other!
Just as the two were about to collide, as if by telepathy or as muscle memory developed over many years, their arms, which were originally about to embrace, suddenly changed their stance!
Big Wang swiftly reached out with his right hand, precisely grabbing Zhao Gang's left elbow joint, while almost at the same time, Zhao Gang's left hand seized Big Wang's right wrist like an iron clamp!
The two moved with lightning speed, and the tender reunion scene just moments before instantly turned into a duel of grappling techniques!
"Hey! You dare to sneak up on me, kid!" Old Wang shouted, straining his waist and abdomen, trying to throw Zhao Gang to the side!
Zhao Gang was not to be outdone. He hooked his toes around Lao Wang's ankle and used his other hand to climb up his arm, trying to counter the chokehold.
The two men lunged forward, one twisting to the side, gripping each other's arms and straining fiercely, their faces turning red, the concrete beneath their feet creaking under their feet. The warmth of their reunion instantly turned into a contest of "neither willing to give in."
The sailors around were stunned. Just as they were about to step forward to break up the fight, they heard someone in the crowd mutter, "Tsk... This guy is obviously from the landing reserve. He can't stand not to give them a good shove!"
Upon hearing this, the sailors laughed and dispersed in twos and threes, their footsteps fading into the distance, leaving only the wind on the dock and the two men huddled together on the concrete ground.
"Bang!!!"
The two finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell to the ground. The dust they kicked up was slowly dispersed by the sea breeze.
But instead of being angry, they lay down on the cold cement floor and burst into laughter, as if a huge weight had been lifted off their shoulders…
Zhao Gang laughed so hard that he aggravated the wound on his shoulder, grimacing and slapping the ground; while Lao Wang, with his chest exposed, laughed roughly like sandpaper, but his eyes were secretly reddening.
There was no sense of winning or losing in that laughter, only the joy of a long-awaited reunion, like rain that had been held back all night finally falling, and an unspoken understanding.
"Not bad! You didn't throw away your best skills!" Old Wang turned to the side, took out a long, thin thing wrapped in oil paper from his inner pocket, peeled off the oil paper to reveal a dark brown cigar, the tobacco still warm from his body.
He shoved it to Zhao Gang's lips, saying, "Try it. I've been thinking about you, you good-for-nothing son, but I haven't been able to bring myself to touch it!"
"Nonsense! I might lose my life, but I won't lose my skills!" Zhao Gang gasped for breath, and was about to turn his head away when he smelled the faint fruity aroma of the cigar and stopped.
"...I gave up that stuff a long time ago. I wouldn't dare touch it during an underwater mission."
“Today is different.” Old Wang took back his beak, lit a match, and the flame flickered in the sea breeze. “This is called ‘the afterglow of victory,’ which must be enjoyed in conjunction with a victory.”
"That sounds nice!" Zhao Gang grinned, snatching the cigarette back from Old Wang's mouth. Smoke slowly escaped from the corner of his mouth, mixed with the salty smell of the sea breeze, which surprisingly brought a sense of peace.
The two of them simply lay side by side, their heads resting on their arms, watching the sunset gradually sinking into the sky.
The orange-red light shone on the twisted bow of the 418 boat, softening the horrific ramming marks. The distant sea rippled with gold, and the occasional cry of a seagull could be heard. Even the wind seemed gentler than before.
The cigars were passed between the two men's fingers, one taking a puff and the other a puff, the faint fruity aroma enveloping the two exhausted men.
Old Wang took a drag of his cigarette and nudged Zhao Gang's bandage with his elbow: "How badly is it injured? Did it break open when you fell?"
"Nothing's wrong!" Zhao Gang waved his hand dismissively, but secretly pulled his injured shoulder back a little. "I was completely unharmed when I hit the boat, but I didn't expect to get grazed by a collapsed pillar on the way back!"
"I won't die... but you, when did you get here?"
"It's been a while. I won't say if you ask too many questions!"
"cut!"
Remembering where his friend had gone, Zhao Gang didn't say anything more, but just nodded heavily, took a puff of his cigar, and the smoke slowly dissipated, obscuring the light in his eyes.
Just then, the sound of a "putt-putt-putt" motor broke the peace.
The transport boat carrying prisoners was slowly pulling into the berth against the sea breeze. The two men sat up simultaneously, brushed the dust off their clothes, and their previous laziness vanished instantly, replaced by the sharpness of soldiers in their eyes.
"We've captured him." Old Wang stubbed out his cigar on the cement floor, rubbed it down, and packed away the remaining tail.
"Go to the infirmary, I'll take care of things here."
“I’m not going.” Zhao Gang stood up. “I have to watch these notebooks get taken away, otherwise I won’t be able to sleep.”
Old Wang didn't try to persuade him any further. He waved to the person behind him, and the cooks immediately carried over two large, steaming iron pots. The aroma of ginger soup instantly filled the air.
"Hey, you bastard! You actually gave them this to drink!"
"You know nothing!"