102

As the end of the year approached, the mountain air grew bitterly cold, and the sky hung dark and heavy, like a pot of water about to boil. The election for provincial council representatives was in full swing. Campaign vehicles from other areas occasionally blared their loudspeakers outside the village, bringing an unusual stir to this normally quiet mountain community. Yet for certain people, these noisy distractions provided the perfect cover for carrying out their plans.

On a dark and windy night, a shadow slipped silently over a low wall and darted into the village chiefs backyard like a cat. Outside the woodshed behind the house, two village guards on night watch were dozing. Suddenly, a small stone struck the corner of the wall with a sharp click, startling one of them awake.

“Hey? Mustve been the wind...” one of them muttered, rubbing his eyes.

Just as the two men got up to investigate the sound, another shadow emerged from the darkness beside the woodshed. With swift, practiced movements, he struck each man hard once, knocking them unconscious.

A short while later, the wooden door of the woodshed opened, followed by a low groan.

“Ugh... my leg...” Dong Zhiqian was helped to his feet in a wretched state. He swayed unsteadily, unable to put any weight on his right leg, which felt as heavy as lead.

“Come on. Ill get you out of here,” the man said quietly.

“You... youre Liao Qingwen?” Dong Zhiqian looked at him with uncertainty. In the darkness, all he could make out were the mans determined eyes.

The two men crept along a narrow, winding path leading into the mountains. The mountain wind, carrying a fine drizzle, lashed their faces, while wet leaves rustled beneath their feet in the forest. Dong Zhiqian limped forward, every step sending a stabbing pain through his leg.

“Why are you helping me?” he asked between gasps.

“Orders from our superiors.” Liao Qingwen continued leading the way without looking back.

“Our superiors?” Dong Zhiqian narrowed his eyes, a cold glint in them. “Be more specific.”

“Colonel Gu Zhengwen of the Intelligence and Security Group. He ordered me to find a way to get you out because you possess important intelligence about the base.”

Dong Zhiqian panted. “You... youve known who I really am all along?”

Liao Qingwen stopped and turned to look at him. “Thats right. Ive known for about six months. But our superiors didnt issue the order for a long time. Besides...” He hesitated slightly. “My brother-in-law, Chen Qiwang, kept you under such tight guard that there was nothing I could do but wait for an opportunity. This time, the election made the village relax its guard a little, so I finally got my chance.”

“Your brother-in-law... is Chen Qiwang?” Dong Zhiqians eyes widened. A surge of anger welled up inside him, almost making him forget his pain.

“I understand why you resent him,” Liao Qingwen said calmly.

“Resent him?” Dong Zhiqian gritted his teeth and gave a bitter laugh. “He crippled one of my legs and turned me into a useless man. I hate him so much Id tear him limb from limb! Ill remember this score for the rest of my life!”

“Stay alive first. You can think about revenge later.” Liao Qingwen took two folded slips of paper from inside his clothes and handed them to him. “This one is the blacklist of villagers who have taken part in the bases activities. This one is for you to give to Colonel Gu. Take them.”

Dong Zhiqian accepted the slips, his fingers trembling. “The bases list... its all in my head.” He gritted his teeth. “Ive been waiting for this day for a long time.”

“Lets go. If we wait any longer, we wont get out.” Liao Qingwen helped support him, and the two continued deeper into the mountains, disappearing into the dense fog and the damp, freezing darkness.

103

The setting sun gradually sank behind the mountain peaks. Its afterglow, red as blood, stained the forest a dark crimson. The cold wind swept up fallen leaves, passing through the crude wooden shacks and fields, bringing waves of damp chill. A horn sounded inside the base, accompanied by the dull clang of a bell from the kitchen. It seemed to announce that the days labor and political theory classes were over and that everyone should prepare to collect their dinner.

Outside the kitchen, rows of base members stood in line. Their clothes were ragged, and their faces looked bleak and exhausted. Some still had hoes hanging from their shoulders, while others clutched battered rice bowls. Cooking smoke rose in the distance, but there was not the slightest aroma of food. Only the faint, bitter smell of boiled sweet potatoes and taro drifted through the cold, damp air.

When the older member distributing the food tossed two sweet potatoes and one taro into each bowl, the sweet potatoes still gave off a little steam, but they were already shriveled and dry.

“Damn it! Sweet potatoes and taro again...” Member A complained through clenched teeth, his eyelids drooping. “We work ourselves to death in the fields every day under the blazing sun—turning the soil, planting vegetables, hauling water, and carrying fertilizer. How is this little bit of food supposed to fill our stomachs? Do they think were livestock?”

As he spoke, he angrily shook his rice bowl, making the sweet potatoes roll around with a dull thud.

Member B steadied him and said quietly, “Dont speak so loudly. Todays actually not too bad. We got two sweet potatoes. In the past, we didnt even get taro.”

Member C squatted by the wall, peeling the coarse skin off a piece of taro. In a low, muffled voice, he said, “We eat just enough not to starve to death, but never enough to feel full. Then we still have to read those theory books and listen to all that revolutionary talk. I really dont know what I came up into these mountains for...”

“Exactly,” Member A agreed, dropping heavily onto the ground. “If Id known, I never wouldve believed any of that nonsense. Its too late to turn back now. If only I could leave this place... That would be real freedom!”

Member B shook his head and lowered his voice. “Leave? Do you think you can just walk out of here whenever you want? The base is surrounded by patrol posts, and theres a system of secret informants. If they catch you, youll either be locked up or forced to undergo self-criticism. Then theyll drag you off to a struggle session.”

Member A gritted his teeth. “Hmph... If I ever get the chance, Ill find a way out. Even if I die, thats better than starving to death here!”

Member B looked around and warned him in a whisper, “Stop talking. These walls have ears. If the higher-ups find out you have thoughts of escaping... you know what will happen.”

Member C licked his cracked lips and slowly swallowed another small bite of taro. “Escape? Who hasnt thought about it? But think about it. If we go down the mountain and get caught by the Kuomintang, wont we die anyway? Maybe things will be even worse...”

Member A lowered his head and clenched his fists. “But if we hide in these mountains, were still slowly dying. If a person cant even fill his stomach, what sense is there in talking about revolution?”

Member B sighed and said nothing more. He lowered his head and picked at his cold, dry sweet potato, chewing it like a lump of tasteless mud.

Not far away, a man sat silently in a corner by the wall. His name was Zhou Shengfa. He was in his early thirties, and his face was mottled with the marks left by years of mountain wind and sun exposure. His eyes glinted beneath the shadows, like an animal lying in wait in the forest, silently observing everything.

Listening to their conversation, he felt powerful emotions surging inside him. He gripped the taro in his hand so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He thought to himself:

“So... Im not the only one who wants to leave. This place isnt some ideal paradise. Its a prison, a graveyard. I have to escape... I have to...”

As night deepened, cold, damp mist gradually swallowed the mountains. Each mouthful of sweet potato and taro tasted like swallowing another mouthful of ash and silence.

It was late at night, and the entire base lay in darkness and silence. Leaves rustled in the woods as though whispering softly. Thick clouds covered the moon, leaving only faint starlight to fall upon the rugged mountain paths, too dim to reveal what lay beneath ones feet.

Zhou Shengfa crouched behind a work shed, breathing in short, shallow gasps. His eyes remained fixed on the movements of the distant patrol posts. He wore a patched gray cloth jacket, and old straw sandals were tied to his feet. Cold sweat kept forming on his forehead, running down his cheekbones and disappearing into his collar. He carefully pulled his jacket tighter and held his breath, as though even the sound of the wind might give him away.

He knew that if he failed this time, he might never get another chance.

The footsteps of guards and the barking of dogs came from the distance. He held his breath and quietly crawled along a narrow path beside the vegetable garden, moving cautiously with every step. A light flickered in the distance. A flashlight beam pierced the darkness, sweeping back and forth through the woods.

Suddenly, a dark figure flashed past. It was him!

“Whos there?” Guard A shouted. The flashlight beam immediately swung toward him.

“Who are you? Why arent you asleep in the middle of the night? What are you sneaking around for?”

Zhou Shengfas expression changed. Before he could think, he sprang to his feet and ran, stumbling into the woods. His feet kicked up fallen leaves, making them rustle loudly.

“Still trying to run? Dogs! After him!” Guard B shouted angrily. He loosened the leads, and two fierce local dogs let out low growls before lunging toward the fleeing shadow.

“Woof! Woof, woof!”

A commotion of running and pursuit erupted in the night forest. Branches snapped aside, and undergrowth was trampled beneath their feet. Zhou Shengfa ran with all his might, gasping for breath as he prayed silently, “Faster... faster... I mustnt get caught...”

But before he had run even fifty paces, a sudden, tearing pain struck him from behind. One dog clamped its jaws around his calf, while the other leaped onto his back. Zhou Shengfa screamed and fell to the ground, his body covered in dust.

He rolled over and tried to pry open the dogs jaws with his hands. Dog saliva and blood smeared his palms. He struggled frantically and cried out, “Dont bite me! Ah!”

“Weve got him!” Guards A and B came running with their batons. One kicked the dogs away while the other shone his flashlight on Zhou Shengfa and struck him across the back with a baton.

“Ugh!” Zhou Shengfa writhed in pain, then turned over and knelt, begging them. “Im begging you, please let me go! I really cant take it anymore... Im not an enemy agent, and Im not a traitor. I just... I just want to stay alive...”

Guard As face was cold and grim. He raised his hand and slapped him. “What right do you have to talk about staying alive? Everyone is hungry. What makes you think you can run away on your own?”

Guard B sneered. “He talks as if the rest of us are living any better. Come on, tie him up and take him back.”

“Please, no! I beg you! I wont do it again... Ill do anything you ask. Just dont turn me over to the higher-ups...”

“Shut up!” Guard A grabbed him roughly by the back of his collar, hauled him up, then shoved him face down onto the ground and tied his hands behind his back with a rope.

The dogs continued growling nearby. One of the guards kicked a dog on the rump. “Stop barking. Weve caught him.”

At last, the moon emerged from behind the clouds, illuminating the despair and grime on Zhou Shengfas face. His face was buried in the damp soil, and the rope had left bluish marks around his wrists. A trace of blood remained at the corner of his mouth. He no longer struggled. He merely muttered to himself, “So... this really is a prison...”

Beneath the night sky, the patrol lights gradually disappeared into the distance. The base fell silent once more. Only the leaves continued to tremble, as though softly weeping over some cruel fate.

105

In the open area in front of the bases assembly hall, a red banner with black lettering had been erected. It read: “Peoples Court—Trial of Escapee Zhou Shengfa.” Several kerosene lamps flickered dimly, illuminating a makeshift tribunal. Three “judges”—the political instructor and two senior members—sat behind a wooden table. In front of them, Zhou Shengfa knelt with his hands tied behind his back. His body was thin and frail, and his expression was blank. Bloodstains from the dog bites and beating the previous day still marked the corners of his mouth.

His head hung low, and his bangs covered half his face. Dozens of base members stood around him, all wearing stern expressions. Some whispered among themselves, while others remained expressionless. The air seemed frozen. Only the occasional chirping of insects broke the silence.

“Zhou Shengfa, for attempting to abandon your post and escape from the base, you have committed a serious political offense. After deliberation, this Peoples Court has decided to sentence you to two years of hard labor!” Political Instructor Liu Xuekun declared in a deep, forceful voice. When he finished, several members began to applaud. The applause was sparse and awkward, as though they were merely going through the motions.

Two guards stepped forward and hauled Zhou Shengfa to his feet. His legs were so weak that he nearly collapsed. One of the guards yanked him roughly, forcing him to regain his balance. He stared blankly at the crowd, his lips moving slightly, but no words came out.

By the time the trial ended, it was already late at night. In a small cooking shed near the edge of the base, several members gathered around a brazier, roasting leftover sweet potato skins from dinner and quietly discussing what had happened.

Member A picked up a stick and poked at the fire, lowering his voice. “What a pity about Zhou Shengfa. Why did he have to do something so foolish? Now hes been sentenced to two years of hard labor. The days ahead will be even harder for him.”

Member B leaned against an earthen wall, tossing a few pebbles in his hand. He said gloomily, “I think he was brave. At least he did something the rest of us dont dare to do. If it were me... I wouldve reached my limit long ago.”

Member C sat on a rock with his arms wrapped around his knees. His tone was indifferent. “Brave? Maybe he was just impulsive. Look at him now. Doesnt he look like a fish being dragged off to be boiled? Anyway, theres nothing more to say. He was just unlucky.”

Member B frowned and glared at him. “Thats a pretty heartless way to put it, isnt it? Are we really supposed to waste the rest of our lives in these mountains? We cant get enough to eat or sleep properly, and all day long were made to recite theories and talk about revolution. Is this what you call living?”

Member A reached out and patted Member B on the shoulder. “Keep your voice down. If the higher-ups hear you, theyll say your thinking is politically incorrect again.”

Just then, a deep voice came from behind them. “Comrades...”

The three men jumped and turned around. Political Instructor Liu Xuekun approached with his hands clasped behind his back. His expression was composed but authoritative. His footsteps struck the dirt ground like iron hooves crossing the silent night.

“What time is it?” Liu Xuekun looked around at the three men, his gaze passing over the fire and the sweet potato skins. “Why are you still sitting here chatting? Return to your assigned posts immediately. You havent written your reflections on the political theory lessons yet, have you?”

The three men immediately stood up and brushed the dust off their clothes.

“Im sorry, Political Instructor. Well go back right away.” Member A gave an awkward bow.

Member B glanced at Liu and muttered under his breath, “Its not even daytime. Do we still have to work?”

Liu Xuekuns tone changed, his voice sharp as a blade. “What did you say? Would you like to stay and discuss it in detail?”

Member B was startled and quickly shook his head. “No, no... I only meant that wed go back right away.”

The corner of Liu Xuekuns mouth lifted in a faint, ambiguous smile. He nodded. “Very good. I can see that you are comrades with a proper sense of political awareness.”

He turned and walked away, leaving behind an invisible weight of pressure. The three men exchanged glances and did not dare say another word. Each went his own way, leaving only the faintly glowing fire and the wind sweeping past with an oppressive feeling that was difficult to describe.

106

The night was as dark as ink. Heavy clouds hung over the base, and the wind blew from deep within the woods, carrying the pungent smell of damp earth and grass. Around the buildings, the patrol dogs occasionally let out low growls, but the atmosphere remained eerily silent.

In the midst of this stillness, two guards carrying flashlights walked through the corridor of the dormitory buildings and pushed open the door to inspect the rooms.

“Hey, why is this bed empty?” Guard A crouched and felt the warmth remaining on the straw mat. His brows furrowed. “Its the middle of the night, and Zhou Shengfa isnt in his room...”

Guard B leaned forward to look at the windowless corner behind the building. His expression suddenly changed. “Dont tell me hes escaped again! Wasnt he just sentenced to hard labor a while ago?”

“Damn it! Hes been on the surveillance list for a long time. This escape must have been planned in advance.” Guard A cursed, then immediately stood up, turned, and ran out the door.

Guard B followed close behind. As he ran, he pulled out his whistle and blew it, the shrill sound tearing through the night sky. He then rushed to the communications shed and quickly slapped the alarm switch mounted on the wall.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The alarm bells in the guard department suddenly rang out, pounding like war drums and echoing throughout the valley.

Within five minutes, dozens of guards had gathered in the square. Some had not even finished dressing and carried long batons. Others still had headscarves tied around their heads and held short knives that gleamed coldly in their hands. Even the dogs were growling, circling restlessly.

In front of the command shed, where the lights flickered on and off, Director Xu Xikuan stood wearing a military-green jacket, his hands on his hips and his brows tightly furrowed. His voice was low but firm and forceful.

“Comrades, the night guards have just reported that the labor offender Zhou Shengfa has escaped again!”

The crowd immediately grew restless. Someone whispered, “He actually dares to escape again?”

“Shut up and listen to the director!” another man whispered sharply.

Xu Xikuan raised his right hand to signal for silence, then continued. “Ive already notified the guards at every checkpoint to block all the routes. Our unit will now divide into five search teams. Each team will be assigned a local dog with a keen sense of smell. The team leaders will take charge and immediately begin searching the surrounding area. There is only one objective—bring him back before daybreak, no matter what!”

“Yes, sir!” everyone answered in unison. The atmosphere turned grim and murderous.

Xu Xikuan waved his hand, and his assistant immediately began distributing flashlights and whistles.

“Team One, search the southern ravine! Team Two, go to the old slope behind the woodshed! Team Three, seal off the rear entrance to the base and the mountain trail! Teams Four and Five, surround the outer perimeter. Dont let so much as a leaf stir without our knowing!”

As the orders were issued, the teams quickly assembled and set out under their leaders. The guards took hold of the local dogs attached to iron chains. The dogs tongues hung low as their noses swept rapidly over the ground, searching for a scent.

One team member rested his long baton against his shoulder and said quietly to the man beside him, “If we let him get away again this time, a few of us might be the ones getting reassigned.”

His companion snorted. “He might get away for a little while, but he cant run forever. If we dont beat him half to death this time, all the trouble weve gone through staying up all night will have been for nothing.”

Moonlight slipped through a gap in the clouds, illuminating the muddy ground at the edge of the square. The dogs were already pulling the guards into the woods. All that remained were the distant sounds of footsteps, whistles, and barking, as though a hunt had begun.

The night wind howled along the mountain path, and branches and leaves swayed in the darkness like ghosts whispering. The remote trail disappeared among the low woods. A few dim lights flickered at the distant guard posts, like silent warnings.

Zhou Shengfa was soaked with sweat, his chest heaving violently. He leaned against a slender tree and gasped for breath, silently congratulating himself. “That was close! No one spotted me along the way...”

He looked up at the night sky. The moon was emerging from behind the clouds, its cold light falling over the mountain path and making the surroundings seem even more desolate and dangerous.

He slowed his steps and moved cautiously, getting closer and closer to the guard post. Just as he slipped into a patch of low bushes to observe the terrain, he suddenly heard the distant barking of dogs behind him, like an alarm tearing through the night.

His body stiffened. He immediately crouched low and squeezed into the weeds. Branches and leaves scratched his face, but he did not dare make a sound. He could only hold his breath and tremble slightly, his heart pounding against his chest.

Before long, a small patrol team appeared on the opposite side of the mountain path. Their footsteps were steady, and the beams of their flashlights swept through the shadows of the woods like blades. The guard at the front of the team spoke in a low voice to the soldier at the checkpoint. The wind carried their conversation toward Zhou Shengfa, but by the time it reached his ears, the words were indistinct. Their tense tone, however, was unmistakable.

Zhou Shengfa gritted his teeth and whispered, “Its over. They must have spotted me...” He gripped a dead branch in the bushes and slowly shifted backward, not daring to move too forcefully for fear of alerting the dogs.

He surveyed the terrain ahead. On one side of the guard post was a deep ravine that dropped straight down, its bottom invisible in the darkness. On the other side stood a towering cliff. Zhou Shengfa cursed under his breath. “Damn it... This isnt a guard post. Its a dead end...”

He remained crouched, his knees aching and numb, keeping his eyes fixed on the activity at the checkpoint as the guards changed shifts. “If that fellow nods off, I can...” Before he could finish the thought, hunger and cold began to cloud his mind. Leaning against the bushes, he gradually slumped over and, without realizing it, fell asleep.

107

“Hey, wake up...”

A rough palm lightly patted his cheek. The force was not strong, but it carried an unmistakable air of authority. Zhou Shengfas eyelids fluttered open. In a daze, he saw a pair of sharp, icy eyes staring straight at him.

“Ah!” He cried out and instinctively sprang up, only to realize that his feet had already been bound with coarse hemp rope. Before he could even complete the movement, a large hand forcefully shoved him back down to the ground.

“Dont move!” someone barked. Two guards beside him immediately pinned him down.

A sudden chill ran through Zhou Shengfa. He wanted to shout and struggle, but his shoulders were held down so firmly that he could not move at all. He turned his head and saw the man standing in front of him. It was Xu Xikuan, director of the guard department.

Xu Xikuan crouched halfway down. His gaze was as calm as the night, but his tone carried a hint of mockery and cold amusement. “A-Fa, where do you think youre going?”

Zhou Shengfas throat tightened, and he could not speak. He could only gasp for breath. His eyes flickered with fear and resentment, while Xu Xikuan looked at him as though he were a wild animal that had just escaped its cage, seeing straight through the last glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Did you really think you could get out of these mountains?”

In the distance, dogs barked again, their cries rising and falling in echoes throughout the valley. The night swallowed the failed escapee once more.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the gray sky and fell through the crude windows of the bases meeting room. The air was filled with the mixed smell of tobacco and old wood. Slogans were pasted on the surrounding walls: “Revolution Is No Crime; Rebellion Is Justified.” The red paper had begun to fade.

At the conference table, Chairman Chen Benjiang sat with his hands clasped, his brows deeply furrowed. Beside him, Chen Chunqing was speaking to him in a low voice. Wang Wenbo and Zhang Haiqing sat opposite them. The atmosphere was heavy, as though a thick blanket had been laid over the room.

Wang Wenbo looked grave as he spoke first. “Chairman Chen, most of the comrades here originally came to the base because they were persecuted by the Kuomintang authorities and had nowhere else to turn. Although Zhou Shengfa has tried to escape several times, his crime... doesnt deserve death.”

His voice was steady, but his hands trembled slightly. The knuckles of the hands gripping his knees had turned white. He turned to Zhang Haiqing, signaling for him to continue.

Zhang Haiqing immediately agreed. “Chairman Chen, I also think this sentence is too harsh. Now hes been tied to a tree trunk and given neither food nor water, left to starve to death... This kind of punishment is even more cruel than shooting him outright!” His words came quickly, and his voice sounded especially harsh in the quiet room.

Chen Benjiang raised his eyes. His gaze was calm as still water, yet a trace of coldness showed through. “I understand how you feel. But have either of you considered what might happen if we set this precedent? The consequences could be endless.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Chunqing immediately added in a firm tone, “I agree with the chairman. Zhou Shengfa didnt merely make a mistake. He betrayed us! His repeated attempts to escape are a rejection of our revolutionary path. If we dont make an example of him, who will follow discipline in the future?”

Wang Wenbo frowned and leaned forward slightly. His tone carried a hint of pleading. “Chairman Chen... Could we punish him in some other way? Imprisonment or hard labor, for example. Do we really have to kill him?”

The meeting room fell silent for a moment. The only sound was the wind outside shaking the branches. Chen Benjiang sighed softly, his voice steady and low. “Director Wang, I am deeply distressed that something like this has happened at the base. But think about it. If we show leniency toward a comrade like Zhou Shengfa, who has repeatedly tried to escape, how are we supposed to explain that to everyone else?”

He slowly stood up and walked to the window, looking toward a large tree in the camp in the distance. Under the slanting sunlight, a figure was bound to its trunk with thick rope. Even from afar, the person looked emaciated and gaunt.

“That is not merely a tree. It is a mirror. What it reflects is the discipline and determination of our base.”

Wang Wenbo lowered his head in silence, his lips pressed tightly together. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. He wanted to argue further, but he could find no words.

Zhang Haiqing could no longer contain himself. He stood up, his voice trembling slightly. “But... is this really worth it? If someone looks back on this part of history someday, wont they say that we were... too heartless?”

“Comrade Zhang!” Chen Benjiang suddenly raised his voice, his tone stern. “For the sake of the revolutionary cause, we cannot let a moment of misplaced compassion destroy the sacrifices and perseverance of all our comrades!”

Zhang Haiqings face turned pale. At a loss for words, he could only bite his lower lip.

Chen Chunqing stood up, as though delivering the chairmans concluding remarks. “The chairman is right. Shouldnt we end the discussion here?”

Wang Wenbo let out a long sigh and stood up. He walked over to Zhang Haiqing and gently patted him on the shoulder. “Dont say anything more... Weve done all we can.”

The two men quietly left their seats and walked out through the door. It closed with a soft sound, and the meeting room fell silent once more. Only the slogans on the walls remained, staring coldly at this silent trial.