Super Soldier in the City

Chapter 1635 - 1687: Minesweeper

Li Yifei had been on missions here several times and was quite familiar with the environment, knowing that the most dangerous things here might not be the serpents or insects, nor the unpredictable environment or venomous creatures, but the landmines hidden underground, various types of mines—plastic mines, anti-personnel mines, and so on.Especially plastic mines, which can remain effective for up to 120 years. It’s only been half that time since the war, leaving several decades of validity left. Along the entire border, countless villagers have suffered harm. Li Yifei recalls passing through a village during a mission, a village with a hundred people but less than a hundred legs. Many men and women had only one leg, others had both legs blown off, and even young children had their legs, arms, or eyes injured by explosions. During that time, a deminer was rescued from the mountains by Li Yifei and a few teammates.

The deminer had accidentally stepped on a mine during voluntary demining, resulting in one leg being blown off, one eye blinded by a fragment, and even ten or so shrapnel pieces embedded in his body, which remain there to this day.

These deminers were mostly villagers from nearby villages, many of whom volunteered. The land was their fundamental means of survival, but it was filled with danger. If they didn’t clear the mines, then their sons and daughters might be killed or injured. Rather than letting their children face the constant threat of danger, they preferred to face the threat themselves.

After completing the mission, Li Yifei spent a day helping the village clear mines, along with his teammates, removing over eight hundred mines from several mountains in one day.

Those small hills contained so many mines, and the vast boundary had countless hills and ridges, each with uncountable mines.he conventional one, but set off the triggered mine, resulting in her current state.

She was found by villagers days later, rescued, and cared for a whole year. She has little income, relying on help from relatives, neighbors, and the government’s meager monthly allowance, insufficient even for minimal living conditions.

Once healed, neighbors advised resting at home, yet the elderly woman grew more stubborn, claiming she’d crawl if needed, continuing demining to safeguard future village children from disability or lost lives.

Her demining range expanded, initially capable of walking on one leg around her village, leaving in the morning, returning at night. Later, reaching her destinations in half a day, she’d bring provisions, spending days in the mountains, requiring self-reliance in facing beasts, venomous snakes, insect bites, basically facing everything alone as a disabled individual!

Li Yifei also saw several deactivated mines in the woman’s bag, including plastic, triggered, conventional types, all with fuses removed by the elder.

She wasn’t military, not government personnel, not obligated to enter the deep mountains to clear mines, yet after enduring such injuries, she could have given up. Yet, she persisted. She has been in the mountains for four days now, and must exit tomorrow lest she’s run out of food, a dire situation in the mountains.

Without refusal, the elder ate the bread and drank half the bottle of water. Xu Shanshan, out of sympathy, offered compressed biscuits and canned beef from her bag.

The elder accepted with a shy smile, thanking them, saying, "You’re good people, so you shouldn’t continue deeper into the mountains. It’s really dangerous in there."

"Thank you, we understand. How about... we escort you out first!" Li Yifei proposed.

The elder shook her head, saying, "I’ve eaten well and gained strength, so I can leave by myself. If you’re determined to enter, make haste; the daylight forest is far safer than night. Avoid aimless strolling at night, for these mountain demons have harmed too many people."

Both nodded repeatedly; the elder tucked the food Xu Shanshan offered into her bag, arranged its contents, and tied it shut before crawling downward.

Li Yifei felt deep sympathy but couldn’t remain with the elder indefinitely, though ultimately he cut a stick for her to lean on during her journey.

Both watched until the elder’s figure faded; she wouldn’t continuously crawl, using her hands and feet only when fatigued.

"Let’s... be more cautious!" Xu Shanshan clutched Li Yifei’s hand, conflicted, finally realizing after hearing the elder’s stories and witnessing her condition, the mountain was truly no fun—a grave danger.

Li Yifei nodded, releasing Xu Shanshan’s hand and glanced at the sun, noting, "We can walk for about two more hours, striving for distance before resting."