Chapter 148: Being Left In Shanghai
Rigen's perspective
I guessed nearly 3 hours had passed since we moved out of the building, I was now moving with more than 100 troops in included the Marines and the Navy soldiers. According to what I knew at this time, the amphibious assault on Shanghai was a pathetic failure assault, our United States had lost and all of us were now trying to retreat.
The Chinese troops were now going around the streets so we had to move into the alleys or into the empty areas to retreat. We must get to the airport to join the Army and the Air Force, all of us must retreat or would be left here forever.
I was now walking beside Cawess and Sulivan while holding my M16A4, behind me were dozens of Marines and Navy soldiers, we were all carefully on our moves. Shanghai city seemed to be destroyed heavily, it was good for us to go through the empty areas, Chinese troops were all around the streets and we were so lucky to be alive.
In nearly 3 hours of sneaking to the airport, we had encountered many firefights on the streets, which came from our side but we didn't do anything to save them. Chinese troops were very large, they overwhelmed us so our units had to stay silent and kept going, ignoring the others' fates.
Until this time, we managed to not encounter any Chinese soldiers, the streets in Shanghai city were full of infantry soldiers who were patrolling around with Tanks or Armored Vehicles. Now our units were walking through another alley, I walked forward the alley while looking at the windows above to make sure there would be no enemies to attack us.
Most of us were quite silent in this situation, if we make too many noises then we would die for sure, I kept looking around and then pointed my look at a window of the building before me. There was a hand of a dead soldier exposed out of the window, could not recognize if he was on our side or the enemy's side, we didn't have time to figure out but to move.
We walked outside of the alley and then saw a bunch of US Navy soldiers' corpses dead beside each other, they were shot to death by the Chinese troops. Lieutenant Haris and the other Commanders later made their hand signals to tell some Marines and some Navy soldiers to form their defensive formation before heading to check the corpses.
"Sergeant Rigen and Sergeant Pambo, go check the corpses to see what you two can find..." - Lieutenant Haris ordered me and Pambo to check the corpses
I later walked out of my formation alongside Pambo, both of us slowly stepped to the corpses while looking around to make sure that no corpses have traps. After looking and making sure that the corpses had no traps, we slowly touched the corpses to make sure that there would be truly no traps inside their clothes.
After touching the clothes for a few seconds, I and Pambo had finally made sure that no Navy soldiers' corpses have traps. We slowly touched the belongings of the corpses, I pulled out an M4 Carbine from a corpse and also took some magazines from the corpse's pouches.
Pambo grabbed the belongings of other corpses, we later handed the weapons and the ammo we found to other men to let them take those things if they were lacking ammo or weapons. After grabbing weapons from the corpses, we stood up and then Lieutenant Haris and the other Commanders ordered men to stop forming the defensive formation.
The Marines and the other Navy soldiers silently returned to their groups and then the Commanders looked around to consider which route they should go. We were now trying to get to the airfield as fast as possible, shorting the routes we were going would not be a bad idea.
I was standing beside Cawess and this guy kept looking behind the alley as if he was concerned to have someone stalking us. My throat felt to be thirsty but maybe I should not pay too much attention to that problem, Cawess kept looking behind and then made a long sigh for some reason.
"What's wrong, man?" - I asked Cawess
"Those ching chongs can come out anywhere, we must be cautious..." - Cawess stopped looking behind and then joined the formation to walk with the group
We later stepped forward as always, after a few minutes of walking, we saw a group - maybe sized a Squad of Chinese soldiers patrolling around the streets. Those Chinese soldiers walked around the streets and then looked inside the alley we were staying in, which made Lieutenant Haris and the other Commanders stayed cautious.
A scout boy who was taking the lead raised his palm behind to tell us to find somewhere to hide, Lieutenant Haris used his hand signals to order us to do the same. Looked like the other Marines and Navy soldiers didn't see any places in this alley for us to hide, we are fucked up.
"Sir, no exist..." - I said to Lieutenant Haris while checking my M4's chamber, we would have to fight here, I guess
"Everyone take cover, form our formation...we would fight against the enemies here." - Lieutenant Haris ordered us
The Marines and the Navy soldiers later sneaked behind the corners of the alley, pointing their guns out from each side to make the defensive line. I sneaked behind a wall that was connected to the alley route our Marines and our Navy soldiers were about to go through but now was being scouted by Chinese soldiers.
Beside me was Pambo, he pointed his M249 out of the wall to target the enemies, because Pambo was a machine gunner so he would be the pioneer in my group. The M249 was a Light Machine Gun, it would be very effective to use for suppressing fire, Pambo was aiming forward cautiously.
Cawess and Sulivan were now holding M4 Carbines in their hands, they were not staying beside me or Pambo but were behind us, they would scout from behind. I peeked out of the wall to look at the Chinese soldiers who were looking at the alley we were staying in, I hope we wouldn't have to fight against them.
Because the distance between the alley and the Chinese troops out there was not so far. If we got in the fight against them, those Chinese soldiers would call reinforcement and we would have no chance to escape.
"Hey, I didn't know Chinese but at the way those ching chongs are saying, maybe they are thinking about going inside here, homie." - Pambo said to me while aiming his M249 outside
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!" - Suddenly, a few gunshots came out of somewhere, the Chinese soldiers who were intending to get into the alley earlier had run in the direction of the gunshots
"Maybe those gunshots came from our side, man..."
"Yeah, poor those guys..."
We kept silent to listen to the gunshots, seemed like those shots came from other units, they must have been detected by Chinese soldiers so they fought back. During hearing the gunshots, I also looked around and noticed that a Tank and a dozen Chinese soldiers were running on the road to head in the direction of the gunshots.
"Boom! Massive gunshots!" - A very loud sound seemed to be a Tank's cannon sound appeared and many gunshots came out, maybe the Chinese soldiers were eliminating our guys
"Marines, let's go...Sergeant Rigen, you take the lead." - During the firefight, Lieutenant Haris ordered me to ignore to save our soldiers but continue to get to the airfield
I was mad about this but I didn't blame Lieutenant Haris, Chinese troops outnumbered us in this destroyed city, saving some of our soldiers would make no difference. I later took the lead and then walked through the alley, when I was about to get out of the alley, I sneaked behind a corner while raising my hand to tell the others to wait.
The enemies must be still around here, I peeked out of the corner to see the streets and noticed that the areas around were empty, I also looked behind and saw no one. After making sure that no Chinese soldiers would be coming around here, I made a hand signal to call the others to follow me.
I later walked outside of the alley and walked with my soldiers in the street, we must find another alley or some building to hide before the Chinese soldiers came here. The gunshots earlier had stopped a few seconds earlier, the firefight had been over and I hadn't seen any alley around here.
"Get inside the building, Marines..." - Lieutenant Haris suddenly told me to get inside a shabby building
We later headed inside the building while looking around to make sure that no enemies inside building. The sounds of the Tank and Chinese soldiers later returned to the street we were walking on it earlier.
If we got inside this building a bit late, we would have all died, the Marines and the Navy soldiers were now walking around the building or just simply watching its scenery. Cawess walked away from me and then grabbed a small piece of wood from a table, the building was dirty and full of dust sticking on the floor, the tables and the chairs.
"What should we do now, Sir?" - Sulivan asked Lieutenant Haris when he had gone to some rooms of the house
"We must find a place to hide away from the enemies, Sergeant Sulivan...we must stay silent to get to the airfield or all of us will die."
"Sir, I want to make a report..." - I saw a Navy soldier who seemed to be a scout boy walk downstairs and headed to a Commander of the other unit
"Talk..." - The man who was talking to the Navy soldier must be his Commander
"Yes, Sir! I have just gone upstairs and saw the streets don't have too many enemies."
"How many of them did you see?"
"Less than a Squad patrolling around the streets, Sir."
"Alright, you tell your guys to go prepare, Lieutenant Haris! We will move out soon." - The Navy Commander ordered Lieutenant Haris
"Roger that, Sir." - Lieutenant Haris nodded and then looked at us
"Get ready, Marines! We will move out soon."
All of us later returned to our formation and then waited for the scout boy to open the door to go outside. The scout boy slowly got to the door and then opened it, he looked around from both sides of the streets and then slowly called us to go with him.
Our Marines and the Navy soldiers walked outside slowly, we got out of the streets and followed the scout boy. The areas around the streets were empty, I could see a Chinese soldier who was patrolling behind us but he didn't look in our direction so he didn't know we were here.
Sulivan and Cawess were always the ones who guarding behind, they were moving backward while doing guard. Pambo was walking beside me but he kept looking around the building for some reason, he raised his head above many times to look at the window as if he was nervous if there was an enemy sniper up there.
"What's wrong, Pambo?" - I asked Pambo
"It's strange, homie...snipers or ambushes would regularly appear inside these buildings but I didn't see them anywhere."
"Maybe the Chinese Military has underestimated us so they didn't set too much security in the streets, don't you think like that?"
"Don't know, but the way you said may be true at some points, homie." - Pambo kept looking at the windows for a few seconds and then kept his eyes on the road and kept walking
"Maybe those ching chongs thought all of us would not survive on the beach so they didn't place too many guys on the streets." - Cawess said to me while going backward
"But forget about the snipers, guys! I didn't see any Drones, the enemies must have used them to search for us, right?" - I asked my buddies
"Drones are used in the early years of the war, now have been reduced...what do you expect to see those things regularly in a fucking world war which is occurring for 11 years?" - Maybe Cawess was right
I kept walking with my buddies while looking around, the streets were now quite silent, many firefights had occurred in the previous 3 hours. Maybe our missing units in this area had been annihilated by the Chinese troops, only us alone here to get to the airfield.
"I'm wondering what will happen next when we have retreated completely...those fucking Chinese are well fought than we expected." - Cawess had stopped moving backward but kept turning his head behind to guard
"You are right, Cawess! China would surely make an assault on us after this." - I talked to Cawess
"When we were deployed to Europe to fight against the Indian troops to save our allies NATO. It was easy like eating cheese but those NATOs have finally refused to rejoin the war, those fucking traitors." - Now Cawess was scolding NATO
"Those Japs and those Koreans also untrustworthy, we are their good ally but they also left us, fuck those yellow animals." - Maybe Cawess was blaming those countries to make excuses for our failure in this amphibious assault
"They have their own problems in their lands to take care of, homie..." - Pambo while walking beside me, he talked to Cawess
"Our USA never got attacked by B29 gas while most Europe countries have been struck by it, you must understand them, homie."
"About Japan and Korea, Korea never wanted to join the war, South Korea's and North Korea's relationship has improved well before the war."
"Both sides never wanted to fight until Kim Jong Un's death mysteriously and his successor declared war on South Korea. But after occupying North Korea, both the south and the north have been unified."
"From that time, Korea's government didn't want to keep joining the world war anymore. We all care only for our homeland's benefits, they did nothing wrong so don't blame them, homie."
"About Japan, our US Military said we would protect Japan at all costs but finally we left them alone to fight China, I'm not surprised to know if the Japanese hate us."
"Anyway, the Japanese constitution was formed by General Mac Arthur, it limits the Japanese military so I also didn't surprise when the Japanese modified their constitute when we left them."
"But...at least they fought by our side and left but never switched sides, homie...you should thank them instead of blaming them." - Pambo kept walking after explaining to us
"Why you didn't say anything, Sulivan?" - Cawess asked Sulivan because that guy kept silent while going backward
"Nothing, I must concentrate to do the guard, you guys please keep silent...talk much is not good..."
"Have you guys any rounds since the time you got on the beach? I didn't fire a shot." - Pambo suddenly asked us
"No, I didn't time to shoot a bullet." - I said to Pambo
"At least 7 bullets, I think...my shitty M4 got jammed so I threw it away and grabbed another one from a dead beside me." - Cawess later turned around to call Sulivan
"How's about you, man?"
"Keep...silent..."
"But you are talking, Sulivan! Just let loose and chat with us a bit."
"..." - After hearing Cawess say those words, Sulivan didn't open his mouth anymore
I didn't know what to say, we avoided encountering the enemies as much as possible, the area we were staying in seemed to be only us remained. The other units in this area either had been killed or were still surviving but kept hiding out of the enemy's eyes.
I think more than 20 minutes had passed when left the previous area and now we were walking in the other place. This place was worsening than the previous one, I could see some B28 gas bombs which had struck on the road with some of the corpses beside them.
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"Marines, wear Alrotz gas masks..." - Lieutenant Haris ordered us to wear the gas mask and he later grabbed the gas mask that was hung in his belt and wore it
I also pulled my Alrotz gas mask out of my neck and then wore it, the Marines and the other Navy soldiers also did the same. After wearing the gas masks, the boy scout nodded to us and then walked forward the road which had many B28 bombs to scout for the enemies before returning.
The scout boy slowly walked down the road while looking around to scout for the enemies while we were all staying behind. Though the road forward was clear because the gas inside the bombs had vanished for a long time but we were still wearing the gas masks just in case.
I could hear some Marines and Navy soldiers talking behind us, this area seemed to have no Chinese troops so they had let loose to open their mouths a bit. Cawess and Pambo were now sitting to rest after a long time of marching, I also sat with them and then saw Sulivan was stepping toward Lieutenant Haris for some reason, maybe to ask him something.
"Hey...sigh!" - Cawess made a sigh when he called me
"Have something for us to smoke, man?" - Maybe this guy was stressed and was needing something to release his tension
"No..."
"Go smoke some B28, homie...I hope you guys can laugh after that joke..." - Pambo after done talking to us, he stood up with his M249 and headed toward Lieutenant Haris
"Hey...Cawess."
"What?"
"Why don't we get to Lieutenant Haris to ask him how long until we can get to the airfield?"
"Go ask to ask him by yourself...sigh!"
"Sir, I have searched the area, no enemies are here, Sir!" - The scout boy had finally come back and announced his results
"Get back into your formation and then go, soldiers." - The Navy Commander ordered the Navy soldiers to return to the formation
"Get up, Marines!" - Lieutenant Haris ordered us
I later got up alongside Cawess, I would go to ask Lieutenant Haris right away to know how long until we could get to the airfield. I walked toward Lieutenant Haris and later faced Sulivan, that guy tapped me so I stopped to look at him while Lieutenant Haris was discussing with other Commanders.
"Where are you going, Rigen?"
"Go ask Lieutenant Haris to know how long until we can get to Jiangwan airport, Sulivan."
"I asked him that question, the road is still long, please patience."
"How long?"
"If we meet many advantageous on our path then the way to reach Jiangwan airport would be 3 more hours, that's all I can say to you."
"Sergeant Rigen and Sergeant Sulivan, get the fuck here...we will move out fast." - Lieutenant Haris ordered us to return to our formation fast
We later returned to our formation and started marching on the road which was full of B28 gas bombs. We walked on the road while wearing our Alrotz gas masks, I walked across a B28 bomb and saw some corpses beside it, maybe these corpses were from Chinese troops, I think.
Those corpses were quite disgusting, rotten flesh with blood drained out from the veins, this chemical weapon was terrible, only inhaling the gas for a second would be enough to kill you. But I was wondering why Chinese troops' corpses were here, I walked out of the bomb and got across another one, this time the corpses I found around it seemed to be our Marines' corpses.
Maybe this area was full of our US soldiers so the Chinese had dropped these gas bombs into this area to kill them all. But during dropping the bombs, they may have intentionally did not report to their soldiers about their plans so these Chinese soldiers' corpses were here.
We walked past the road a few minutes later, the place we were marching had no bombs so we slowly pulled off our Alrotz gas masks. I noticed that the Marines and the Navy soldiers behind me seemed to be tired, he haven't had a rest after 3 hours of marching, resting a few minutes would not be a big problem.
I slowly walked toward the Marines who were walking before me, I must ask Lieutenant Haris to let those guys rest. A Marine who was before me was walking beside the other guys, I tapped his back so that guy turned around to see me.
"Hey, please let me pass...I want to ask Lieutenant Haris something."
"Okay, man...guys, let's let him pass." - Those Marines later away from me to let me pass
I walked past the Marines and then walked to Lieutenant Haris, he was discussing with the other Commanders while walking. I got to Lieutenant Haris and tapped his shoulder to let him know that I called him, Haris later turned around to see me.
"What's wrong, Sergeant Rigen?"
"I think our guys should rest for a few minutes, Sir! Our Marines have walked for 3 hours without rest."
"I also think the same, Lieutenant! Let our soldiers rest for a few minutes would not be a problem, the way to the airfield is still far." - A Navy Commander suggested to Lieutenant Haris
"Anyway, we cannot make any radio contact anymore, our radio has been broken...why don't you let your troops rest a bit and we will keep going to the airfield, Lieutenant Haris?"
"Alright, but we must discuss this decision some more...Sergeant Rigen, why don't you return to your formation first?"
"Roger that, Sir." - I slowly returned to my formation
I returned to my formation and then walked with my buddies as usual, I saw Pambo pull out his water can and then drank a bit of water. About Sulivan and Cawess, Sulivan was still guarding behind very seriously while Cawess was...holding his pistol's barrel by using his mouth, this guy was crazy or something?
"Cawess, what the fuck are you going?"
"Trying to find something to make me feel happy instead of smoking...don't worry, I have already taken off the magazine, no bullets..."
Cawess kept holding the gun's barrel by using his mouth and behaved like he didn't care if I considered him crazy or not. I didn't know what to say, our route suddenly headed to a shabby building, it seemed to be destroyed a bit heavy, very dark inside.
"Okay, Marines...let's head inside this place and rest, we will rest in 10 minutes and then keep moving." - Lieutenant Haris said to us
Our Marines and the Navy soldiers later walked inside of the dark and shabby building, we have to check this area to make sure it has no one there except us before resting. I pointed my M16A4 forward while stepping inside each room beside the other Marines to check for enemies.
We were moving away from each other a few meters to avoid being shot and affected the one who was walking too close to us. There was no one on the ground floor so we moved to the first floor, the first floor had some corpses on the floor, maybe these corpses were civilians...
I later got upstairs to get to the second floor - the last floor with other Marines to check the building before starting to rest. I walked into a hallway that had the right side and the left side, it seemed dark to me, maybe I would check these routes with Cawess.
"See you guys later, we will go this way..." - Sulivan said to us and then walked with Pambo to the right side of the hallway
"Let's go, John..." - Cawess pointed his M4 to the left side of the building and then walked before me
We walked inside each room on the right side of the hallway, didn't see anyone, maybe this place only had our units here. I walked beside Cawess while looking behind a few times to check for the mark of the enemies to make sure that they would not come out to kill us if they were too good at hiding and we didn't spot them.
We slowly walked toward the last room of this floor, the other Marines must have done checking the other rooms, we must finish it fast. We sneaked behind the wall and then looked at each other, we would breach into the place after discussing with each other.
"Ready?" - I asked Cawess
"Nod!"
I grabbed my hand to the door handle and then opened it fastly, Cawess pointed his M4 and breached inside the room completely. After opening the door, I also moved fast inside while pointing my M4 toward the room.
Cawess breached inside the room while pointing his rifle to the right while I pointed my rifle to the left, after looking around the room, we saw no one except us.
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
"We have done checking the room, Cawess! Let's head back to our group..." - I turned around but kept pointing my head toward Cawess, he suddenly crouched down for some reason
"Well, wait for me a bit, John...I want to pick up something...maybe I can play with these broken cans in my rest time." - Cawess was looking at 4 broken cans which were placed on the windows of the room
"Okay, but grab these things quickly..." - I turned my head to the door and then waited for Cawess...wait...who was that?
I saw a woman figure who was blocking the door, she stood at the door and looked straight at me with her eye closed. That was a blonde long-haired woman, she wore a green dress and went barefoot, the woman suddenly appeared, she was looking at me with both of her eyes closed.
The blonde woman exposed a very strange aura when I looked at her, she made me chills...who the hell was this woman?
I was so scared so I pointed my M16A4 toward the blonde woman...Cawess was now rubbing the broken cans as if he didn't know anything was happening behind him. The blonde woman looked at me while making a smile, her strange appearance made me nervous, I must stay cautious with her.
"Well, looks like we have met again...John Rigen." - The blonde woman talked to me, I felt as if I was the only one who could hear her talking, Cawess was beside me but he didn't hear anything, shit!
"Remember to tell your leader to stay in this area for a week, the US Military would send the rescue teams here soon." - What did this blonde woman mean?
Wait...I wanted to warn Cawess but why I could not? I was trying to pull the trigger but why did my body not move? What the hell was happening to me?
"How did you dare to target your Creator? How did you dare to point that weapon into your God?" - What did this woman mean?
"Anyway, John! I come here to tell you about this...hear it and remember it carefully..."
"Find your daughter...when you return..." - What did she mean?
The blonde woman suddenly glowed into yellow, many yellow things that looked like nuts covered her body and then she disappeared in front of me. At the time the blonde woman vanished, I had finally could move my body, my face was still scared of what I had seen earlier.
I slowly lowered my rifle and put it on my shoulder, Cawess was still playing with the broken cans...I tapped this guy and he looked at me and then stood up.
"What's wrong, man? Your face looks scared...see some shit outside?"
"No, nothing...I was just a bit...tense..." - Maybe Cawess would not believe it if I tell him the story
Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming to us, those were Sulivan and Pambo, both of them walked inside the room...maybe to find us, I think so.
"What took you two so long?" - Sulivan asked us
"Stop behaving like a kid, homie...we are all grown up, stop playing with those cans." - Cawess was still playing with the broken cans and ignored what Pambo said to him
"Let's go back to our units, Cawess! Lieutenant Haris is waiting for us." - I tapped Cawess to tell him to go
Strangely that I heard some sounds from outside, exactly that the sounds came from above as if those sounds were from the planes, those sounds later louder and louder as if something was coming here. All of us were very curious and confused about the sounds so all of us walked to the windows and then looked above the sky to see what the hell was happening.
At the time we looked outside of the windows, I looked above the sky and then saw a bunch of our US planes flying across us. "What the hell was happening" was the first thing that came to my thought, why did these planes leave us?
"What the fuck are they doing! Leave us here forever or what!" - Cawess seemed very angry and confused about what was happening
"Did the airfield get attacked so they leave us in a hurry?" - Pambo was quite confused too, all of us would be left here?
"Not good...I must return to Lieutenant Haris, someone must fix the radio to contact the Air Force." - Sulivan ran away to get back to Lieutenant Haris
"Boom!" - A thing that looked like a rocket hit one of many planes flying in the sky, the explosion come out and a plane exploded
We kept looking at the other planes, some more planes got shot down during the retreat. A few seconds later, some planes have finally left the sky, our Marines and the Navy troops have been left here, our units have been left here.