Chapter Seventy-One: Long Live Unity

  Lilith skillfully treated Lamir's wound and soon finished bandaging it. She also gave Lamir a box of anti-inflammatory medicine, telling him how to take it. After Lamir left, Lilith gazed at Muhammad with a solemn expression, her two arms placed on Muhammad's arm.

  "My dear, I can no longer be separated from you in my life. Since the last time we parted, your shadow has been in my mind every day." Lilith said to Muhammad: "I want to be with you forever."

  After finishing speaking, Lili's red lips kissed towards Muhammad's mouth.

  "Sorry." Muhammad tilted his head back, avoiding Lilith's lips and said: "Before driving out the Soviets, I haven't thought about my own affairs yet."

  Although Muhammad is already a Pakistani, he still has memories of his past life. The arrival of love should not have been so fast, he is a conservative man, and the passion and sensuality of Western girls make Muhammad somewhat unacceptable.

  "My dear, I'm waiting for you, and I also look forward to the day when we can drive out the Soviets." Laila rested her head on Mahmmad's chest, savoring the tranquility.

  "How did you get here?" Muhammad asked again, he didn't believe that Lilith had come all the way here just because she missed him.

  "I have brought you food," said Lilith. "After I went back, I contacted the International Red Cross and decided to support 8,000 kilograms of food here."

  80,000 kilograms of grain! This is like sending charcoal in the snow. With this grain, our guerrilla team can eat until next spring. Moreover, there will be surplus grain to support surrounding villages. Due to the war, the grain yield in surrounding villages has been severely reduced.

  "It's really great!" Muhammad exclaimed with joy, and then felt a wet sensation on his face, followed by a loud "Boom".

  Lily boldly kissed Muhammad, and at this time, Muhammad was unable to resist, successfully "attacking" Muhammad, Lily's face revealing a mischievous smile.

  "Mr. Muhammad, I have a request." Just then, a voice sounded in Muhammad's ear.

  Muhammad turned his head, and there was Ramadhan again.

  "Rahmatullah, you have joined our guerrilla force, that is our brother, our warrior. Whatever difficulties we face, we will face them together," said Mohammad.

  "Mr. Muhammad, our Tajik village is also out of food, this winter will be very difficult, I think, can we have some food for our village, just a little bit?" Ramayel said.

  Lamayle went back and forth, forgetting how Liriel told him to take the medicine, was it one tablet or two tablets at a time? As a result, he heard Liriel's words here and suddenly couldn't control his mouth, blurting out what he said.

  This request is somewhat excessive.

  Now, in the villages of Afghanistan, every village is short of food. The days are not easy for Pashtun villages either. This is a group of Pashtun guerrillas who can accept themselves and kill those Soviet people to avenge themselves. Is it possible that they will also divide their food and give some to the village where they are?

  However, upon hearing that there was grain, Lamai could no longer control himself. This winter was so cold, and even if they had just a little bit of grain, they would be able to get through it. If they didn't have any grain, he didn't know how many people would starve to death.

  He had no choice but to say it.

  "Commander, our village is also in dire need of food, especially the families of our guerrilla comrades. Many of them have run out of grain and when they join us, their households lose a strong labor force." Khwaja had somehow appeared beside Muhammad.

  Having accepted Ramay, Khwaja felt somewhat out of place. Now this Tajik, mixed into his Pashtun team, was already a breach of etiquette. And now, having just arrived here, without even fighting a battle, he's asking for food?

  In our own villages, food is also in short supply, where can we get grain to give him?

  Muhammad heard Khwaja's words and knew what he meant, also knowing that many people were dissatisfied with the entry of this outsider into their own guerrilla team.

  "This is a massive and protracted war." Muhammad's words were calm and full of solemnity: "The fall of Kabul represents the demise of our Afghanistan, this is not just a war for the Pashtun tribe, but a war for all over 300 ethnic groups on Afghan soil against foreign invasion. The Soviet Union is a vast empire, even the United States dare not engage in direct armed conflict with it. Our Afghan liberation cause has a road ahead that is full of thorns and extremely bumpy."

  In front of the cave, more and more people gathered around, they all pricked up their ears to listen to Muhammad's words, they knew that what Muhammad said was absolutely right.

  Although they had won several victorious battles, this loss was negligible for that vast empire.

  "This is already the third year, our guerrilla force has just begun to accumulate strength, but it's still a long way off before we can drive out the Soviets. It may take another three years, or perhaps thirty more years. Many of us will probably shed blood and make sacrifices." Muhammad's tone was drawn out: "But I believe that in the end, victory will certainly belong to our Afghanistan. The aggressors are bound to meet with defeat!"

  Yes, we will surely triumph! Recalling the hardships of these years of struggle, recalling fallen comrades, some guerrilla fighters were already choked with sobs.

  "We must unite all our Afghan people, Pashtuns are Afghans, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Nuristanis and Balochs etc. are also Afghans! As long as they take up arms to resist the Soviet Union, they are our compatriots, our comrades-in-arms. All our Afghan people must clench their fists together to drive out the Soviets!" Muhammad said: "Unity is strength, unity forever, great Afghanistan forever!"

  Long live unity! Long live Afghanistan! The guerrilla fighters around them raised their fists and followed Mohammad's loud shout.

  Rahmatullah's eyes were filled with tears, remembering his past animosity towards this Pashtun guerrilla group, he regretted it, Unity! All Afghans must unite!

  The cry continued, this sound echoing through the valley, breaking through the clouds, floating in the sky over all of Afghanistan.

  Only unity will bring a brand new Afghanistan!

  "When the food arrives, we will distribute 2,000 kilograms of food to our Tajik brothers," Muhammadi said.

  Two thousand kilograms! Lamai's heart was trembling with excitement. Originally, he had only hoped for a few hundred kilograms of grain to make porridge and barely get through the winter. With two thousand kilograms, his people would be able to safely get through the winter!

  "Mr. Mohammad, the Tajik youth in our village, whoever you choose will become the most steadfast warriors!" Ramayel said: "We Tajiks will shed every drop of blood in our bodies with the Pashtun brothers to drive out the Soviets!"

  Muhammad patted Lamile on the shoulder: "Send a message back to the village, we need to mobilize some livestock to transport grain."

  Heavy snow blocks the mountain, the road is difficult to walk, and the transportation of food is the most important.

  Lilith glanced at Muhammad, and her eyes were even more respectful. This time she came here to inform Muhammad that he had prepared food, just wanting him to think of a way to transport the food to the mountain. Now, Lilith hadn't spoken yet, but Muhammad had already solved this difficult problem.

  On the outside of the crowd, James' eyes had a fleeting glimmer when his gaze met Lirien's, and immediately looked away.

  Having settled down, Lamile and Muhammad came to the front of the transported weapons. When he saw those barrels, frames, and wheels, he quickly assembled them.

  Soon, a towed multiple rocket launcher appeared in front of them.

  Twelve tubes, fired simultaneously, are enough to destroy an enemy outpost. Moreover, they are not heavy and can be pulled by a strong horse in mountainous areas for guerrilla warfare.

  In Muhammad's mind, the Soviet outpost on the mountain was instantly remembered. The guerrilla team was trained, learned to aim and fire, and took the lead in opening the knife against the Soviet outpost!

  Assembled several 107 rocket launchers, Muhammad did not stop and started to operate on the captured bulletproof armor.

  There was only one small hacksaw, sawing through the armor was truly painful and time-consuming, breaking five or six saw blades in a row, Muhammad finally cut off a piece.

  The sharp edges also need to be ground off.

  Lilith crouched beside Muhammad, watching as he sawed down a gleaming piece of metal.

  "Dear, what is this thing?" Lirien asked curiously.

  "Lilith, I need a favor from you," Muhammad said, sewing is still better done by women.

  "It would be my honor to help you," Lilith said.

  "You use canvas and sew a vest for me, with pockets in the front and back." Muhammad said: "Just right to hold this thing."

  Muhammad drew a picture, and Lili understood quickly, saying: "Okay, no problem." Being able to make clothes for one's loved one is a very romantic thing, even if it's just a vest.

  But the sentence that followed made her feel like she was about to collapse: "Make twenty of these bulletproof vests. Also, make a front-chest pouch for bullets that can hold four magazines."

  Muhammad of course wasn't just thinking about himself, this piece of armor can make twenty bulletproof inserts, which can protect the lives of twenty guerrilla fighters.

  The Soviet bullet pouch is slanted sideways and placed next to the buttocks, which makes it very uncomfortable when running. The bullet pouches of Eastern countries are placed on the front chest, with a vertical seam, can hold six or seven if stuffed tightly, very convenient, and even more so for AK-74 magazines.

  Since Lili came here, let's use this free labor force.

  Muhammad finished speaking and started sawing the second piece, sweating profusely, before finally cutting it down.

  "Mr. Muhammad, are you making armor?" Just then, a voice came from beside him.

  Muhammad raised his head and saw James staring at what he had just sawed off.