The heroes who returned to Yangon airport were warmly welcomed by the air force and the Allied forces, and even held an award ceremony for them.

The award ceremony was held at Shwedagon Pagoda, the most famous pagoda in Yangon. Standing in this ancient and magnificent hall, Zhang Yun suddenly thought of this high tower where three Buddha treasures and eight hairs of the Buddha are buried, and I don't know how many Burmese kings have been worshiped for thousands of years.

And here he stands now.

He was surrounded by his close comrades-in-arms, and in the wide arena were thousands of British soldiers, as well as some Chinese, who stood in a line on the ancient stone floor. The soldiers wore crisp uniforms and lined up in arrays, like a guard of honor under review.

Three men walked up to the stage, led by a British general who looked radiant, the badge on the brim of his hat glittering in the light.

Zhang Yun recognized him, Archibald Percival Wavell, a general of the British Army and governor of India. He was also the supreme commander of the Anglo-Burmese Army.

He was followed by Chennault, the Colonel's face with a proud smile; He was also accompanied by a general - Du Yuming, deputy commander of the First Route Army of the Chinese Expeditionary Force and commander of the Fifth Army.

Admiral Wavell put a heavy, golden medal on Zhang Yun's uniform, then pinned another one to George and Kip, and finally hung one on David's chest.

Colonel Chennault stepped forward and shook hands with them one by one. Du Yuming enthusiastically announced:

"Congratulations, warriors of freedom and peace! You are entitled to such an honor! Here, on behalf of the Chinese Expeditionary Force and all the officers and soldiers of the 338th Regiment, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you! ”

At the same time, all the people present at the award ceremony burst into warm applause. They all have the same thing burning in their eyes, and that thing is called hope.

※※※

In the days that followed, things did improve.

On 11 February, Admiral Wavell, commander-in-chief of the British forces in Burma, flew from the island of Java, 2,000 miles away, to Rangoon to personally oversee the battle.

On 15 February, the Anglo-Indian 17th Division fought for four days at the Billing River, 35 miles below the Bitan River, temporarily halting the Japanese advance.

On 16 February, the 7th Armoured Brigade, an armoured unit transferred from the Middle East to Singapore, also arrived from North Africa and landed in Rangoon. They were well-armed and had high morale. At that time, everyone believed that they would crush the arrogance of the Japanese army.

On 17 February, Colonel Chennault brought another piece of good news, as the planes reinforcing Rangoon had been ordered to assemble in India, which undoubtedly injected another shot of stimulant into the pilots. There was a sense of optimism at the airport, and everyone thought that Yangon was foolproof, and some pilots began to wander the streets while waiting for their planes to arrive.

Zhang Yun was worried, as a traverser, he naturally knew the outcome of the future, but unfortunately people spoke lightly, and even Colonel Chennault didn't believe it.

"We can't underestimate the Japanese!"

In the colonel's office, Zhang Yun reminded: "Most of them are veterans of the Chinese battlefield and have rich combat experience......

"No matter how rich the experience is, it can't compete with tanks and planes." Chennault said disapprovingly, and handed a cup of tea to the hero of Tianmeng Mountain.

"Don't worry, Lieutenant." He patted Zhang Yun and comforted, "Our plane will arrive soon, and the Japanese will be finished." ”

When he walked out of the colonel's office, Zhang Yun was worried......

There was no way, he could only put his last hope on the British.

But when he found General Wavell, he was desperate to find that Prime Minister Churchill praised him as "Britain's most talented general" was equally unimpressed.

"You're alarmist."

After listening to Zhang Yun's analysis, General Wavell commented.

"General!" Zhang Yun refused to give up and continued, "The Japanese don't fight according to military tutorials. They are accustomed to sneak attacks, slamming into several groups, popping out of what is usually considered the most unlikely. This kind of raid will make us unguardable. ”

"It can't be!" General Wavell waved his hand, "I've heard that the Japanese officers rode on the backs of oxen, and the infantry teams all rode bicycles - God knows where these dwarves got so many bicycles - they were in teams of dozens of people, sometimes in rows of three or five, talking and laughing...... This kind of army that treats war as if it were a light, and now you're going to tell me that they raided an armored division? ”

"General, you can't forget how they came out of the Thai-Burmese border."

"But we've already defeated them at the Billing."

"But they retreated into the jungle!" Zhang Yun argued, "We have lost their traces. ”

General Wavell laughed.

"Dear Jon, maybe you'll understand after a month in Burma that the jungle here is nothing like a romantic Hawaiian beach. It's full of mountains, tropical miasma, malaria, and all sorts of poisonous snakes and beasts you can't imagine, and you can't survive in it. ”

"Unfortunately, Japanese soldiers were particularly able to endure hardship, and the fanaticism of bushido made them not afraid of death......"

"Enough!" General Wavell stood up unhappily, "In short, the battle of Tianmeng Mountain, you and your team have worked hard, I will give you a day off, go and have a good rest." ”

When he walked out of General Wavell's office, Zhang Yun felt that this time he was dead.

He remembered that in his previous life, he had watched a blockbuster movie called "The Grim Reaper is Coming", and he felt that he was now similar to the protagonist in it - because of the accident of crossing over, he escaped death, so in order to correct the law of cause and effect in the world, this dedicated Grim Reaper changed his way to kill him.

If you don't die at Pearl Harbor, you will die in Yangon Harbor......

I just don't know how I'm going to die, caesarean section? In vivo experiments? Or is it a shot? It is said that the Japanese like to practice swordsmanship with American GIs, and after the surrender of the US troops stationed in the Philippines, they were forced by them to "march to death" in the hot jungle.

Standing at the door of Chennault's office, Zhang Yun began to imagine himself being tied up into rice dumplings, watching the Japanese soldiers carry bayonets in and out of their bodies, in and out......

"Hey~ Captain!"

Someone patted him on the shoulder, breaking up the picture in Zhang Yun's imagination.

"Isn't it a rare holiday, should we also go to celebrate?"

It was George who spoke, and he was not the only one who came, because the comrades of the Sun-Chasing Team had already surrounded Zhang Yun. Everyone had an excited look on their faces, and they were clearly still immersed in the excitement of receiving the medal.

Chennault is clearly not alone in his optimism......

Zhang Yun furrowed his brows, he was not in the mood, but he didn't have time to refuse.

"Let's not talk about this, today is a rare ban day, should we have a drink somewhere?"

"Then call Adjutant Smith, I know a good bar."

"That's a great idea!"

……

In this way, Zhang Yun was surrounded by his comrades-in-arms who were overexcited to receive the Flying Eagle Medal and rushed to the streets of Myanmar.

※※※

Even among the few bars in Yangon, the "Night Returnee" is unremarkable and ordinary, but that doesn't stop the Air Force officers at Minkaten Airport from favoring it. This is certainly not because of the "special services" it offers, nor because of its proximity to the airport, but in fact there is only one reason that makes it so special – it is one of the few establishments that is allowed to remain open after 9 p.m., supposedly because of the affair between its proprietress and the British military's upper echelons.

As for whether no one knows, it's a fait accompli anyway, so the airfield's air officers, whether Flying Tigers or British pilots, like to come here for a drink, making this plainly decorated chalet-style tavern a veritable "officers' club".

Surrounded by delicate wood carvings, lifelike Buddha hands, and charming veils harmoniously compatible with one room, graceful and fragrant. A band in the corner is playing Indian music with percussion instruments such as accordions and drums.

The members of the day-by-day squad sat together in the air enjoying their rare vacation, which somewhat made them look out of place in the elegant, casual atmosphere around them, and also attracted the disgruntled gaze of the other drinkers, but the pilots didn't care about that.

Each of them was surrounded by empty wine bottles, large and small, and melon seeds and snacks were thrown everywhere...... Except for Zhang Yun.

He threw himself in a cool wicker chair and watched blankly as the maid in a crop top dress gently shuttled between the crowd, but his mind had already drifted elsewhere.

In the future, after the fall of Yangon, I don't know what will become of this place......

He didn't know what else he could do - no one listened to him now.

The commotion brought Zhang Yun back to reality, and it was Kip showing off his medal to several army soldiers.

On the other side, George was surrounding a beautiful British female soldier, and he didn't know what to say, and the girl's smiling eyes narrowed into a slit.

"You look like you're in a bad mood?"

Suddenly, there was another voice beside him.

It's Dave.

"Should I be in a good mood?" Zhang Yun squinted at him, "How do you think this medal came from?" ”

"Of course I know," David sat down beside Zhang Yun, "our battle in Tianmeng Mountain is meaningless, at best it is just a small air support, but it just needs a victory to boost morale, which is why there is so much fanfare." ”

"Since you know you're still asking?"

"But I know better that you're not here for that."

Zhang Yun stopped talking. David easily poked him in the heart, making him unable to hold back any longer.

He was just about to speak, when George rushed to the bar with the English girl in his arms and interrupted him again.

"Suzanne said she must come and thank you in person, Jon."

"Thank me?"

"My husband is from the 338th regiment," said the girl named Susanna, "so I want to thank you for saving his life in Tianmeng Mountain." ”

Zhang Yun was a little confused: There are still Britons in the 338 regiment?

But what made him even more confused was what happened in the next few seconds......

The girl stood on tiptoe and landed a gentle kiss on Zhang Yun's lips.

"Thank you."

Her lips were warm......

Zhang Yun was stunned, not because of this courtesy kiss of thanks, but because the door of the bar was suddenly smashed open, and the Chinese soldier who suddenly rushed in......

"Ge Laozidi, seduce my wife!"