The border is the two boundary pillars. They stood facing each other, silently looking at each other, and in a way this symbolized two worlds, at least here, in the Far East, and these two pillars symbolized the "Eastern World" and the "Western World", although on the other side of the monument, which once belonged to the East and belonged to China, but which was now the territory of the Russian Empire, although the Chinese Empire never recognized it.

But it is like a tacit fact, and sometimes, many things, in this acquiescence, become a fact, and the legal reason of the de facto rule is far greater than the theoretical possession.

The boundary monument is very simple, whether it is a Chinese boundary monument or a Russian boundary monument, it is made of stone, and it may even be the same kind of stone, which is a stone selected nearby, and the stone of the boundary monument is polished extremely smooth when manufactured, and the boundary monument of the two countries fully reflects the cultural differences between the two countries.

The Russian boundary monument is marked in large Russian language that it belongs to the Russian Empire, and a bronze Imperial Russian double-headed eagle is firmly nailed to the top of the monument. In fact, in the anticipation of the Russian Empire, the eagle's head was oriented in both directions, and the double-headed eagle with its wings spread out fully demonstrates the ambition of the Russian Empire, and the double-headed eagle on the bronze coat of arms seems to stretch out its greedy hooked beak, one of which glared maliciously at the East, but it is known that since twelve years ago, when Russia was defeated by Japan, the expansion of the Russian Empire in the East came to an end.

Six steps away from this boundary monument is another boundary monument, the same gray stone monument, buried deep in the ground, on which the words "Chinese Empire" are written in Chinese. And the top of the stele is the royal coat of arms, which is also the national emblem of China - the majestic gaze of the dragon coat of arms, the dragon that is not angry and self-righteous looks at everything around him vigilantly, and no one will suspect that once it is violated. The army behind Beaulieu will react as soon as possible.

Although they are only two immovable stone tablets, a dragon and an eagle that cannot be transformed into living beings, in fact, this is the border between two empires - the longest border in the world.

On this long border, which is more than 11,000 kilometers long, these silent sentinels are made up of boundary pillars. Arranged in a standing straggler line, stretching for thousands of kilometers from the Pamir Plateau, to the uninhabited plateau in the northwest, to the mountains and grasslands in Mobei, to the grasslands in the northeast, and then to the long Heilongjiang. It stretches all the way to the Tumen River and all the way to the North Sea.

The longest border in the world is both the longest in the world and the most difficult to defend in the world. Both the Chinese General Staff and the Russian General Staff are extremely clear, even, compared to Russia, corresponding. China is more likely to attack.

On this long border, on the north-western border, both countries have populations of alienated Muslims. But compared to Russia, China's millions of migrants in Xinjiang have become a guarantee of national security, and in the Mobei Plateau, where millions of Mongols live, it has been a guarantee of national security for the past decade. More than three million Chinese emigrated to the Sino-Russian border region, which corresponds to the vast expanse of Siberia. However, there are only two or three million Russians who can be relied upon, and as for the local minorities, whether they are Chinese or Russian, they are skeptical of their loyalty, and in the northeast, the situation is even more unfavorable for Russia, in the northeast of China, which has long since changed from an agricultural "Manchuria" to a "heavy industrial eastern province" in the past ten years, and the 80 million inhabitants are equivalent to 15 times the population of the Russian Far East.

It can be said that in the Russian General Staff, even the most optimistic staff officers will not doubt that once the war between China and Russia breaks out, Russia must be prepared to defend Russia in the European region. …,

"Millions of squadrons poured into Central Siberia from the Mongolian Plateau (Mobei Plateau), thus forming an encirclement of the Russian army in the Far East, and heavy artillery on the other side of the Amur River (Heilongjiang) bombarded the Amur Railway day and night, and the green waves of millions of troops like waves engulfed the Far East in an instant...... In order to stop the squadron, it was necessary for Russia to build a giant fortress in the Ural Mountains, taking advantage of the local treacherous terrain......"

In the end, after a not so long decade, although the Russian army built fortresses against China along the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Sino-Russian war that could not make people sleep peacefully did not break out, and even, this former "potential enemy country" unexpectedly became "Russia's most reliable ally", although in the eyes of many generals, this ally is only temporary, but at least now, at this time, this ally, it is impossible to pose a threat to Russia, And Russia also needs this ally to send reinforcements to support their war.

And here, behind this boundary monument, is the "Manchuria" in the official mouth of Russia when the Dongqing Railway was built, but now it is called "Xubin", not far from the place there is a river called Xuqu, so the nearby area is also called Xubin, this border city, naturally called "Xubin", here as the Middle East Railway, because of the relationship between the "Sino-Russian Railway Treaty", the Middle East Railway still maintains the Russian-made broad gauge, every day, dozens of trains from here to Russia, A large amount of goods and military supplies are being sent to Russia, but the pace seems to have slowed down a lot in recent times.

However, this boundary monument is still some distance away from Yubin County, and not far from the boundary monument, there is a small town, which is still ten kilometers away from the national border.

In March, although the snow and ice in the south have long since melted, the weather here is still very cold, the snow that began to melt yesterday under the sun's rays, and after a night it has frozen again, the snow and ice creak under the trampling of leather boots, and on the side of the border line, a man wearing a sheepskin fur hat began to patrol the Beaulong's boundary monument as usual, patrolling the area he was responsible for. The Chinese soldier wore a dark green woolen military coat with a shearling collar on the coat, sheep's wool boots on his feet, and the suede cap's ear protectors were also hanging down, looking very warm. And he wears sheepskin gloves on his hands. Even in the coldest winters, it will not be frozen.

In China, no one doubts that soldiers are treated best, not just because they are "royal soldiers" or because the emperor has the title of "emperor of soldiers." One of the more important reasons is that this empire was built by the sacrifices of the soldiers, so they deserve the most generous material treatment, both in wartime and in peacetime. It is a national obligation to those who are loyal to their country.

At this time, the Guards soldier carried a rifle on his shoulder and walked on the patrol line, and if there was no war, then the patrol on the border was very easy, and this patrol was only "symbolic", as if it were a demonstration of existence. After all, a few hundred meters away, there is also the existence of a well-equipped company-level fortress, so he is on patrol. Smoking the cigarettes rationed by the army with relish.

Cigarettes are mid-range Huangshan cigarettes, according to the army's rhetoric, cigarettes help soldiers stabilize their emotions in wartime, therefore, cigarettes as early as more than ten years ago during the Liberation Campaign, is the standard configuration of the Liberation Army. And even more so now, and now, in accordance with the supply regulations established by the Joint Logistics Service of the General Staff. Each soldier can get a small pack, that is, ten cigarettes per day, which may not be enough for smokers, but for many soldiers, it is more than enough. …,

"If you run into Andrei. You can exchange these cigarettes for a nesting doll and send them to my little sister. ”

Fang Weiguo thought so in his heart, a small pack of cigarettes was enough for him to smoke for two or three days. Therefore, every month he can save at least fifteen boxes of cigarettes, and most of these cigarettes are used by him to exchange some Russian specialties with his friends opposite, for this kind of border "smuggling", the governors have never bothered, after all, this does not touch the bottom line.

In fact, as a border patrol soldier, this is even one of the "benefits" they normally enjoy, but after walking a few hundred meters, Fang Weiguo was surprised to find one thing - no one!

If it were usual, the Russian sentry would be walking along his own patrol line and facing him, which was an intentional act of mistrust between the two countries, and the border barracks on both sides were built by mistake, and the patrol routes were also staggered, in order to avoid contact between the soldiers on both sides.

However, compared to the Guards, the Russian soldiers are wearing low-quality high-quality military boots and tweed uniforms, and the rations of the Russian army have always been very inferior, which is almost a well-known soldier, so that in winter, in order to make themselves warmer, some Russian soldiers will use Russian handicrafts to exchange Chinese soldiers for clothes such as velvet jackets and autumn coats that they have replaced after receiving new rations, of course, only hate underwear.

But today, unexpectedly, Fang Weiguo did not see the Russian patrol, let alone his friend, Sergeant Andrei, the guy whose home is in Vladivostok, that guy has a pair of skillful hands, once, while patrolling, there was a snowstorm, he only took ten minutes to set up a snow house, as a result, the two stayed in the snow room and drank wine, and finally Fang Weiguo was locked up for three days, although so, but Fang Weiguo felt that everything was worth it, because he was with friends, but today, Not only did I not see the "old guy" who I had known for two years, but even the other Russian soldiers did not see it,

What's going on?

Just as he was muttering in his heart, when he walked about a hundred meters away from the Russian border outpost, Fang Weiguo saw a group of people walking not far away with more than a dozen people.

Caught the smuggler?

As his heart rang, he picked up the binoculars and looked in the direction of Russia, and then he saw a scene that surprised him greatly, only to see a group of Russians in military uniforms, even civilian clothes, with rifles in their hands and rifles on their shoulders, escorting a dozen people towards the river not far away.

What's going on?

Among the people who were escorted, Fang Weiguo saw the Lieutenant Nicholas, as well as the "damned Polish" Second Lieutenant Conens, and even Andre, all of whom were escorted by the officers, only a few sergeants, and the others in the outpost were pushed forward by the gunmen, with a blank look on their faces.

Finally, the dozen officers and sergeants were taken to the river, and then, Fang Weiguo saw through the binoculars a Russian in a black tweed coat with a red cloth strip around his neck, said something to the soldiers, and then issued them a rifle each, while Andrei stood by the river like the others, and Lieutenant Nicholas seemed to be arguing with them about something.

This is......

Just when I was puzzled. Shots rang out.

The officers and sergeants were executed by their former subordinates, and the sound of gunfire coming down the wind only startled Fang Weiguo, at this time, it seemed that someone noticed his presence, and several people walked towards him. Fang Weiguo instinctively took out the pistol, first opened the safety for the pistol to load, then picked up the rifle, and after loading the rifle with a bayonet, it was quickly loaded.

"This is the territory of the Chinese Empire!"

Like in training. He pointed at the approaching men with his rifle and spoke in stiff Russian. …,

"Hey, my comrade, don't be so nervous, we won't invade you!"

Surprisingly, the Russian in the black coat spat out a mouth of Chinese that was still quite fluent.

Homosexuals?

What does comrade mean?

"Comrade,"

Then the Russian said in a very soft voice.

"Don't worry. Chinese comrades! I have no grudge against you. I'm not going to shoot. ”

As he spoke, he motioned to the people around him to put away their rifles, and Fang Weiguo noticed that the other party seemed to be looking at him.

"Comrade, I noticed that your hands are rough!"

When the Russians said this, Fang Weiguo used the hands that had been full of silkworms from years of labor in the fields to hold the rifle tighter for him. But this Russia spread out his hands, and the palms that were full of brown calluses came into view.

"I'm a worker,"

When the Russian spoke, perhaps because of the cold wind, he seemed to be shivering with cold.

"Why should I kill you? You're a worker, too, no. You should be a farmer! ”

At this time, the Russian gently pointed in the direction of China with his right hand.

"In China, there are many farmers ......"

And Fang Weiguo obviously didn't understand what he meant. His body was still crumbling, and he clenched his rifle nervously, but he was intently trying to guess the meaning of the words he didn't understand. And just like that, another second or two passed; His gaze met the Russian, and a cheerful smile flashed in the Russian's gaze.

"I worked in China more than 10 years ago. At that time, the Eastern Railway was still the Tsar's railway. I know a lot of Chinese, you are very hardworking, very hard-working, but what is the use of you being able to endure hardship? Your family's land is rented to the landlord, and when you are burdened with heavy rent, you have to pay all kinds of heavy taxes......"

"Are you talking about the Manchus? …… Oh, perhaps! ”

However, Fang Weiguo, who was only twenty years old, was not impressed by the Manchus, but he had seen everything this Russian said, in the words of his parents, and in the textbooks when he was in school.

"Now, we have our own land, I am a royal soldier, and our family does not need to pay taxes......"

When he spoke, Fang Weiguo's face had a hint of pride, as if he was showing off, military families do not need to pay mu tax, which is a clause in the Chinese Royal Military Preferential Treatment Law, not only that, if there are two soldiers in each family, then their family will never need to pay mu tax, if he dies in the line of duty or on the battlefield, his family will also be exempt from mu tax forever.

"No, that's just a change of tax, in the past, your emperor and capitalist rulers were looting money, but now, it's asking you to pay taxes with your lives, do you know why I call you comrade?"

“……”

"Because, like me, you are a member of the proletariat, and since you are a member of the proletariat, why should I hurt you?"

"What about them?"

Looking at the corpses of Andre and the others in the distance, Fang Weiguo's heart suddenly surged with anger.

"Why did you kill them, Andrei was also a worker in the past!"

"That's right, he used to be a worker!"

The Russian's expression became serious.

"But now, he has become the Tsar's lackey, just like those officers!"

"Now, my comrade, Russia is changing, a revolution is unfolding, a revolution of the proletariat against the capitalists and the autocratic emperor and the aristocracy, and in the class battle in the future we will stand in a trench. Homosexuals! ”

While this Russian was talking, in the eyes of Fang Weiguo, he was walking there like a gray beast.

"I am not a comrade with you, I am a royal soldier of the Chinese Empire, and I am a soldier of His Majesty the Emperor......"

As if taking an oath, Fang Weiguo said with great certainty.

At this time, there was already a sound of some rapid running in the distance, and walking in front was a group of comrades with submachine guns, led by the platoon commander, they were running very fast, and the leading officer looked also very nervous.

"Who are you......

Far away, when there were still more than ten meters away, the officer saw the Russians standing opposite his subordinates, immediately pointed his gun at them, and shouted loudly at the same time.

"Well, my comrade, what to say, I've already finished it, they ......"

The Russian pointed to the corpse in the distance, and then to the approaching officer.

"They're all the same, but they're all lackeys of the noble lord!"

As the words fell, the officer who had led the troops came running, and the Russian also turned away, and the officer looked at the Russian, and then at his subordinate and asked.

"What's going on? Where did it start? ”