Chapter 274: Cruelty

The young soldier held back a retort, “I’m not even married yet, how can I be compared to you guys?”

After checking the supplies that were brought up this time, Zhang Weiguo ordered his soldiers to rest promptly. He inspected the items his sister had sent, and when he saw the honey and ginseng, his eyes widened momentarily. These were precious goods. Storing them carefully, he distributed the fried noodles from the half bag to everyone. Eating compressed biscuits and drinking water on the frontline, the fried noodles were undoubtedly a treat. No one wanted to eat them now; they saved them to savor later.

A new round of battle began. Zhang Weiguo’s platoon engaged with the enemy for over a week. However, their supply lines were cut off, making resupply efforts perilous. The road used to transport supplies had been sealed off by the enemy. Any attempt to bring supplies led to gunfire. Despite Wu Changyong sending the fifth batch of personnel to deliver supplies, casualties occurred before the supplies reached their destination.

As they remained trapped, hope dwindled. Wu, feeling anxious, gave orders, “Find a solution, ensure we can assist Zhang Weiguo’s platoon with minimal casualties. We must rescue our comrades.”

Desperate to help but unwilling to sacrifice lives to rescue the besieged soldiers, he hoped Zhang Weiguo and his team could hold on long enough to devise a plan.

“Captain, we’ve run out of water, and we can’t evacuate the wounded. What should we do?” the young soldier asked.

Glancing at the soldier, Zhang Weiguo looked up at the clear, sunny sky. Without rainfall, searching for water was risky. If they ran out of water, it would be even harder to wait for the main forces’ rescue.

Quickly arranging for men to search for water nearby, an enemy attack caught them off guard. Zhang Weiguo led the remaining soldiers into battle.

Amidst the smoke and artillery fire, Zhang Weiguo’s platoon temporarily repelled the advancing enemy. “Captain, you’ve been shot in the buttocks,” one soldier pointed out.

Another soldier behind them exclaimed in shock as the enemy regrouped for another assault. Zhang Weiguo was aware he had been hit but had no time to address it. Despite the pain, he urgently instructed the soldier behind him, “Quick, help me remove the bullet. Hurry, there’s no time.”

The soldier hesitated, prompting Zhang Weiguo to shout, “Hurry up and get that damn bullet out. The enemy is about to attack!”

Bullets rained down on their position, and comrades fell around them. Focused on avenging their fallen comrades, the soldiers disregarded their own safety.

With a thunderous roar, artillery fire from the rear came to their aid. Exhausted soldiers sought refuge in the bunker, watching as the enemy below wailed and howled in anguish.

Upon their return with water, the men were injured to varying degrees. The metal bucket used to fetch water had been punctured, causing some water to leak. However, they were grateful for the remaining water. Having depleted their supply of compressed biscuits, they turned to the fried noodles sent by Zhang Lan, eating them slowly with the water. Zhang Weiguo shared the honey with the remaining soldiers to help supplement their nutrition in the absence of vegetables. The supplies sent by Zhang Lan had become a lifesaving provision in that moment of need.

“The wounded soldiers need urgent medical attention, Captain.”

Aware of being surrounded, the soldiers understood that venturing out meant risking their lives, while staying put meant facing a slow demise.

Zhang Weiguo acknowledged the dire situation, “Comrades, our main force will find a way to support us. As long as we hold off the enemy, our comrades at the other position will have a chance to counterattack. We must persevere, and our comrades behind us will come up with a solution.”

Retrieving a ginseng root from his pocket, Zhang Weiguo handed it to the medic, urging him to administer it to the wounded promptly to ensure they could hold on until the main forces arrived.

The medic hesitated as he received the large ginseng root, recognizing its potent lifesaving properties. This generous gesture from the Captain, a gift from his sister, was truly remarkable.

After briefly tending to his own wounds and lamenting the state of their weaponry, Zhang Weiguo sighed. He hoped for more advanced weapons, even the enemy seemed better equipped. He made a mental note to mention this in his next letter to his nephew.

Meanwhile, Wu Changyong anxiously awaited updates in the tent. With supplies running low, he suspected that Zhang Weiguo’s ammunition was nearly depleted.

“Reporting, Commander, we’ve breached through. Please issue your orders,” a soldier announced.

Excitedly pointing at the map, Wu Changyong directed, “Send a battalion over to give those bastards a hard beating. Bring heavy weaponry and aim to wipe them out. Send a team to provide support and evacuate the wounded. Move swiftly; they’re likely reaching their limits.”

After replenishing their strength, Zhang Weiguo and his soldiers faced a fierce enemy counterattack. Gunfire and smoke filled the air as their ammunition ran dangerously low. Just as Zhang Weiguo was about to order a bayonet charge as a last resort, chaos erupted in the enemy’s rear, accompanied by the sound of a charge signal. The sound injected a renewed sense of hope into the desperate soldiers.

With joy and relief on their faces, the soldiers rejoiced at the arrival of reinforcements. They rallied together, ready to push back with the support of their comrades.

As the troops finally met, the soldiers embraced their rescuers with tears of gratitude. A commanding officer approached Zhang Weiguo, “Comrade Weiguo, I’ve been sent to relieve your unit. You’ve all done a great job.”

The simple acknowledgment of their efforts filled Zhang Weiguo with warmth. Leading a platoon alone in the face of death’s constant presence, he truly grasped the essence of a revolutionary soldier—protecting the country with unwavering courage, living up to his name.

As Zhang Weiguo finally relaxed, he felt a sharp pain in his buttocks. The medic hurried over to examine him, discovering a festering wound. “Captain, your wound has become infected. We need to clean it immediately, or you might lose functionality in that area.”

The soldiers quickly carried the wounded down on stretchers as the medic attended to Zhang Weiguo’s wound. He and the remaining soldiers retreated to the rear for much-needed rest and recovery.

“Comrade Zhang Weiguo, I’ve changed your dressing.”

A young and pretty nurse entered the room, carrying a tray of medical supplies. Over the past few days, Zhang Weiguo and this young lady had engaged in numerous arguments about the dressing changes. He was quite reluctant to let a female comrade, let alone a nurse, see his buttocks. He hadn’t even found a wife yet, and here he was, having a nurse attend to him. Every time they had to change the dressing, they would end up in a playful argument, with Zhang Weiguo always ending up on the losing side.

The nurse, with a mask on her face, had a mischievous smile, indicating her current good mood.

“Come on, Zhang, can’t you just be a bit more cooperative? You act as if it’s such a big deal. It’s just a butt; everyone has one. Why are you so shy? How did you manage when someone had to remove the bullet from there? Weren’t you shy then?” teased the nurse.

Responding to the nurse’s banter, Zhang Weiguo laid on the bed and muttered, “It’s not the same. We’re all comrades here, but you’re a female comrade. My butt is reserved for my future wife to see. Now, you’ve seen it all. What do you suggest? You owe me a future wife now. I promise to cooperate with the treatment properly.”

The young nurse playfully gave Zhang Weiguo’s buttocks a light smack.

“Bai Jia Ning, you’re trying to kill me. I’m my mother’s only son, and I haven’t even found a wife yet. You’ll have to answer to my mother for this,” Zhang Weiguo exclaimed in jest.

Zhang Weiguo had certainly become shameless, not even caring about his buttocks anymore. At this point, expecting him to be bashful was out of the question, especially with Bai Jia Ning’s pleasant appearance making the situation light-hearted and fun.

“Alright, put your pants back on. Your butt is not a pretty sight. It’s not like there’s a flower blooming there. I don’t want to see it either. Oh, by the way, I received another package from your family today. I’ll bring it to you later,” Bai Jia Ning remarked after finishing the dressing change.

After finishing the dressing, Bai Jia Ning handed him a bulging package containing clothes made by Zhang Lan and honey sent by Wang Qian. The soldiers returning from the frontline reportedly sustained themselves for a long time with these items in the absence of supplies. The honey was said to have an exceptional taste.

Intentionally, Zhang Weiguo opened a bottle of honey in front of Bai Jia Ning, releasing its tempting fragrance. Seeing Bai Jia Ning’s reaction, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for his niece’s timely assistance.

Smiling, he took a whiff, “This smells amazing. Comrade Bai Jia Ning, as a token of appreciation for your care, here’s a bottle for you. Oh, my niece mentioned that girls who drink honey can maintain their youthfulness. You should try it.”

In response to Zhang Weiguo’s gesture, Bai Jia Ning graciously accepted the honey, planning to repay the kindness later with a special treat. She replied, “Zhang, I won’t hold back then. As a thank you, I’ll cook up something special for you in return.”

Zhang Weiguo shook his head as he watched the nurse happily run off with the honey, remarking, “That girl is like a whirlwind, always in and out in a flash.”

Later that evening, Bai Jia Ning brought a pot of fragrant chicken soup to Zhang Weiguo. The aroma alone was appetizing, making their fellow soldier in the same ward salivate, “Nurse Bai, you have some serious cooking skills. It’s been ages since I smelled such delicious chicken soup. I can’t wait to try it.”

Bai Jia Ning smiled and teased him, “Comrade He Zhiwu, your wife has just made your favorite dish. I think she’ll be here soon. Will you save space in your stomach for her cooking or enjoy the chicken soup first?”

He Zhiwu quickly waved his hands, “Haha, I prefer my wife’s cooking. I’ll have the chicken soup after I’m done with her dish. There’s a whole pot here, and even Zhang Weiguo can’t finish it all. Let’s not waste it.”

Prepared for a hearty meal, Zhang Weiguo savored every drop of the chicken soup, astonishing even He Zhiwu with his capacity.

Bai Jia Ning bid farewell to He Zhiwu’s wife with a smile before leaving the room.

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