On China's border, there is a place that is shrouded in a suffocating haze all year round.

The enemy here is not foreign soldiers with weapons, but a group of invisible and intangible yet omnipresent "invisible killers".

They travel in groups and are extremely ferocious. It is said that they can kill seven well-trained military dogs in just one summer.

Members of the border defense force must wear complete combat equipment every time they go out on a mission and be ready to deal with any situation that may arise.

What factors make this place be identified as "China's most risky border"? What are the true identities of these mysterious "invisible killers"?

●—≺ The Unsung Heroes of the Guardians≻—●

China is a vast country with a territory of more than 9.6 million square kilometers. It also shares long borders with many countries, making it a country with a long border line.

This border line, which stretches for more than 22,000 kilometers, surrounds the motherland like a giant dragon, with one end connected to the towering mountains and the other end winding along the vast ocean.

On this border, generation after generation of border guards have written the heroic hymns of the defenders with their youth and blood.

The border environments vary greatly, each with its own unique climate characteristics and geographical challenges. Some borders cross high-altitude, oxygen-deficient, frozen snowy areas, some meander through vast, uninhabited deserts, and others are hidden in primitive jungles frost-ridden by dangers.

However, no matter how harsh the environment or climate is, the border guards always stick to this line, using their loyalty and courage to build an iron wall.

Some of them are unknown and little known, but their importance cannot be overemphasized.

It is precisely because of their selfless dedication and steadfast protection that our country's territorial security can be maintained and the lives of the people can enjoy peace and prosperity.

However, on this border, there is a place known as "China's most dangerous border" because of its unique and extreme natural environment.

The Beiwan region is located on the northern border of Xinjiang, China, adjacent to Kazakhstan. This geographical location gives the region important strategic significance, so it is called the "Beiwan Border Defense Line."

What is significantly different from most border areas is that this place is not made up of towering mountains or vast deserts, but a little-known and terrifying "forbidden land of death" - a "kingdom" dominated by mosquitoes.

The North Bay area has a Eurasian continental climate, with hot and humid summers and cold and dry winters. The dense swamps and crisscrossing river networks here, coupled with heavy rainfall, provide very favorable conditions for the reproduction of mosquitoes.

According to data analysis provided by the health and epidemic prevention agency, the number of mosquitoes in air samples in the North Bay area during the summer when mosquitoes are highly active can exceed 5,200 per cubic meter.

Such a terrifying number is rarely seen even in other "mosquito gathering places" in the world.

Most of them are larger Culex mosquitoes and Anopheles mosquitoes, and the pain caused by their bites is extremely strong. What's more frightening is that most mosquitoes in the North Bay area carry various viruses and bacteria. Their bites will not only cause skin redness, swelling and ulcers, but in severe cases can also cause anaphylactic shock and even endanger life.

In such a sparsely populated "death zone", mosquitoes are the real "rulers". Relying on their advantages in numbers and toxicity, they have turned this land into a veritable "mosquito kingdom" and have become the biggest "enemy" of the locals and even border guards.

What factors caused this area to become a gathering place for mosquitoes? It turns out that the dense network of waterways and swamps here, coupled with the hot and humid climate, are simply an ideal place for mosquitoes to breed.

Mosquitoes need still water to lay eggs, and the large and small swamps and pools in the North Bay area just meet their needs for "settling down".

The warm and humid climate here greatly promotes the growth and reproduction of insects such as mosquitoes, creating a very suitable living environment for them.

The North Bay region is a densely wooded, sparsely populated ecological area due to the specific conditions of its natural environment. In such an environment, natural predators that usually control the number of mosquitoes, such as bats and frogs, are relatively scarce.

In an environment with almost no natural enemies, mosquitoes were able to reproduce unbridled, their numbers grew exponentially, and eventually evolved into a terrifying "mosquito empire."

When people see swarms of mosquitoes circling in the air and hear their buzzing sounds, in addition to horror, they feel more admiration for the border guards stationed on this land.

How do they hold on in such an environment where they may be "devoured" by mosquitoes at any time? How thrilling will it be when they fight wits and courage with the ferocious mosquitoes?

●—≺ Border guards fighting mosquitoes to the death≻—●

In this mosquito-infested environment, border guards are waging a silent battle. The main threat they face is not from armed foreign enemies, but from the large numbers of highly aggressive mosquitoes.

They launched wave after wave of attacks with their sharp "spears", bringing unimaginable pain to the warriors.

Don't think that the harm caused by mosquitoes is as simple as itching on the skin. Most mosquitoes in the North Bay carry various viruses, and their salivary glands contain a variety of "toxins".

When these "toxins" enter the human body through the bites of mosquitoes, they can cause skin redness, swelling and ulcers at the very least, or anaphylactic shock or even life-threatening conditions at the worst.

In the hot summer, when the temperature soars to over 30 degrees, they have to wrap themselves in thick mosquito-proof clothing, wear stuffy masks, and apply mosquito repellent on every inch of their skin.

Their clothes are soaked with sweat, mosquitoes are buzzing in their ears, and every step feels like walking on red-hot charcoal. But for the sake of the motherland's border, they still have to brave the scorching sun and trek through swarms of mosquitoes for hours to complete their patrol missions.

After returning to the camp, the soldiers still have to engage in a "positional war" with mosquitoes. In the barracks, mosquito coils, electric mosquito swatters, and mosquito-killing lamps are all available to build a "defense line" against mosquitoes.

However, how could these gadgets stop the hungry mosquitoes? They always found gaps in the layers of defense and launched a "sneak attack" when the soldiers were sleeping soundly.

The next morning, when the soldiers were wiping the mosquito bites off their bodies, basins of dead mosquitoes in the corner of the barracks were also "paying tribute" to them.

Sometimes a mosquito killer lamp can "kill" 6.5 kilograms of mosquitoes overnight. As the soldiers counted, they smiled knowingly on their tired faces. This is the best "result"!

However, not all soldiers can have the last laugh. In this war without the smoke of gunpowder, loyal souls fall quietly.

They are the seven military dogs stationed at the North Bay military camp. As the soldiers' closest comrades-in-arms, the military dogs guard the motherland's borders in their own way.

Mosquitoes always target their exposed noses and eyes. The surging swarms of mosquitoes often overwhelm the military dogs. Even if they are coated with mosquito repellent, it is only a drop in the bucket.

Driven by extreme discomfort, military dogs may take drastic measures to get rid of persistent mosquito bites, including jumping into water without hesitation, hoping that the water will relieve the stress of being bothered by insects.

The soldiers could not bear the pain of the military dogs, so they decided to develop a mosquito-proof suit specifically for military dogs. After countless tests and improvements, a lightweight, breathable and highly targeted "battle suit" for military dogs was finally born.

By wearing it, military dogs can stay at their posts surrounded by mosquitoes and fight side by side with the soldiers. However, before this "magic clothes" came out, 7 military dogs had fallen forever.

They either died of anaphylactic shock or from excessive blood loss, and never saw the coveted mosquito-proof suit again.

The soldiers bid farewell to the seven "comrades" who died in the line of duty with the highest etiquette, with funeral music playing and tears flowing.

Those hoarse "woof woof" are the military dogs from heaven saying goodbye to their comrades, and those heavy salutes are the soldiers' silent remembrance of the military dogs.

Years have passed, when the sun shines on the seven small tombstones in the North Bay Military Camp, and when the playful recruits pass by this peaceful lawn, do they know that seven loyal souls once left their lives forever on this fertile land?

In this isolated "mosquito kingdom", how many touching stories and tear-jerking elegy are silently staged? When we pass by the North Bay military camp again, how will we remember those fallen heroes?

●—≺ The significance of guarding the "death zone": guarding peace with life≻—●

In this "forbidden zone of death", in this "mosquito kingdom", the stationed soldiers use their lives to protect the peace of the country and watch over the happiness of the people.

Their efforts and sacrifices, their perseverance and loyalty have touched the hearts of countless people. Although the Beiwan border line is located in a remote area with a harsh environment, it touches the hearts of thousands of soldiers and civilians.

When the news came out, military and civilians from all over the country lent a helping hand and sent mosquito repellent supplies and comfort items to the officers and soldiers on the North Bay border defense line.

Some people donated the latest mosquito-killing lamps, some sent hand-sewn mosquito-proof clothing, and some even specially ordered mosquito-proof clothing for military dogs... Each item and each letter carries the love and support of the people across the country for the Beiwan border guards.

The officers and soldiers opened the love packages, looked at the thoughtful items, and read the sincere words, their hearts filled with warmth and emotion.

In the grassroots companies, the soldiers personally decorated a glory wall with the words "The Motherland and the People Thank You". The letters and photos from all over the world recorded every detail of the deep bond between the military and the people.

One soldier said: "Whenever I miss home, I read those letters, and it's like seeing the smiling faces of thousands of families, and my fatigue and homesickness disappear.

"The border is thousands of miles away, and the country is thousands of miles away. The people of the motherland are always concerned about the soldiers in Beiwan, and the soldiers are also always concerned about the safety of thousands of families.

As the years go by and time flies, batches of Beiwan border guards go out to guard the border and return with glory.

Some of them retired after achieving success, while others returned to Beiwan to continue their military dreams. However, no matter whether they are former veterans or active soldiers, they will always treasure those glorious years and that extraordinary journey of "fighting to the death" with mosquitoes in their hearts.

Let us pay the highest tribute to the defenders of the "Mosquito Kingdom"! Their courage to charge forward without fear of danger and their quality of not fearing sacrifice and being willing to contribute have forged the contemporary connotation of the "Beiwan Soul" and will surely inspire generations of soldiers to advance forward and pass on the torch.

With their youth and blood, they covered the vast frontiers of the motherland with a "never-fading uniform" and added the "brightest color" to the peaceful blue sky.

As the long river of history continues to flow and the road to the future continues to extend, will the officers and soldiers on the Beiwan border defense line proudly say to future generations: Look, this quiet border line embodies the hard work of your fathers; listen, that loud military song carries our undying faith.

That belief is called "defending the country with unwavering determination" and that belief is called "serving the country and the people, life first".

References:

China Military Network 2020-7-28 Soldiers guarding the motherland's border patrolling in the "mosquito kingdom" Beiwan officers and soldiers

Xinhuanet 2023-7-4 Altay, Xinjiang: Border patrol in the "mosquito kingdom"

CCTV News Client 2022-07-16 News Feature丨Passionate Youth in the "Mosquito Kingdom" in the Hot Summer