1978: A Literary Giant Who Began His Military Service

Chapter 49 The Severely Wounded Company

The company commander said, "My company encountered an enemy attack at the front line, and we are short-handed! The regimental commander wants you to take two platoons and come with us to the front line to carry stretchers! We'll return to the hospital once reinforcements arrive."

Xu Feihu nodded: "Instructor!!"

After a while, Liu Menghai came over. Xu Feihu continued giving instructions: "I'll lead the first and second platoons to join the stretcher company. You all guard the field hospital..."

"Company commander, it's usually my and the deputy company commander's responsibility to lead the stretcher-bearing platoon..."

"I've made up my mind. You and Chen Hui will protect the hospital! Notify the first and second platoons to assemble!"

"Yes!" The instructor nodded and hurried away.

Their company has a total of three combat platoons and one logistics platoon. Now that half of them have been transferred away, the patrol and sentry duties will have to be increased.

The instructor quickly ran to the vicinity of the tents and shouted, "Assemble!"

One by one, the soldiers came out of the tents and ran to assemble in front of the instructor.

"First and second rows! Step forward!"

Xu Feihu led the first and second platoons out of the queue and walked to the car.

Hearing the sound of the team assembling outside, the hospital's political commissar was somewhat surprised and immediately came out, asking Xu Feihu and the stretcher team's company commander, "What's this?"

"The regimental headquarters has ordered me to urgently dispatch personnel from the hospital company to the front lines to carry soldiers! The regimental commander will contact you shortly," the new company commander instructed.

Sure enough, after a while, the hospital's political commissar immediately went back to his office to answer the phone.

All of this came as a surprise to everyone present.

Of course, there are indeed many unexpected events on the battlefield.

Zhou Xu shook his head. He couldn't help with these things, so he decided to lend a hand to the doctors and nurses instead!
The door of the vehicle transporting the wounded opened, and he helped carry the stretcher. He immediately saw a familiar face. Of course, on the battlefield, Zhou Xu didn't want to run into acquaintances.

They carried the stretcher down.

Zhou Xu saw it and exclaimed, "Squad leader? Squad leader!"

He hurriedly carried the stretcher inside, after all, all he saw was squad leader Li Jin covered in blood.

His face used to be quite gentle, giving people the impression of an honest person, but now his face is covered in dust and bloodstains, and there is not a trace of color in the corner of his mouth.

The blurry black craters on his body appeared to be from bullet holes.

The only thing Zhou Xu was certain of was that the slight rise and fall of his chest meant he was alive, while Li Jin had long since fallen into a coma.

Upon seeing squad leader Li Jin, Zhou Xu roughly guessed that the old company had also been ambushed.

He carried the squad leader forward. Zhou Xu had many questions he wanted to ask the squad leader!

After all, he was still quite worried about the old company.

Moreover, seeing his acquaintances seriously injured always made him feel an indescribable anxiety!
He carried the stretcher to the outside of the operating room.

A nurse rushed over: "Carry the wounded to operating room number five! It's already full, hurry up."

Zhou Xu immediately turned around and continued walking inside with the people carrying the stretcher.

Once inside the medical ward, he saw people carrying wounded soldiers over one after another.

"Where's the doctor?"

"I'm here! Put him on the bed, I'll take care of it!" The doctor, dressed in blood-stained clothes, came over and instructed several people to put Li Jin down.

They immediately urged them to leave quickly.

Zhou Xu returned to the doorway, ready to continue helping, but after glancing at him, he froze for a moment...

Most of the people in this group were from the old company, and many of them were acquaintances. He shook his head, knowing that now was not the time for sentimentality...

He continued to help the comrades who got off the vehicle carry the stretchers.

Soon, Zhou Xu was stunned again, even more surprised than Li Jin had been.

He saw Zhou Youcai lying on a stretcher. His entire body was charred black, and apart from his face, which was still recognizable, the rest of his body was mutilated beyond recognition.

Regardless of whether I am a transmigrated soul or not.

Zhou Youcai occupied the vast majority of his memories! The two grew up together, a relationship that surpassed that of many friends.

Of course, looking at Zhou Youcai in front of him now, he felt a dense pain spreading from his heart to his limbs and bones, as if countless fine needles were pricking him, and even breathing was accompanied by a trembling, dull pain.

"Talented Brother? Talented Brother?"

Zhou Xu shouted something, but it was rather bitter.

"Emergency! Doctor! This soldier just came down from the front lines and urgently needs treatment!" Song Zhipeng got out of the vehicle behind him. One of his hands was bandaged, seemingly due to a fracture.

This voice brought Zhou Xu back from his dazed state.

He immediately said, "Here, follow me! There's a doctor in operating room number five!"

Zhou Xu led the way, and the two comrades behind him carried the stretcher very quickly.

They followed Zhou Xu and hurried forward.

Zhou Xu arrived outside the operating room.

Song Zhipeng shouted:
"Doctor! Quick! Emergency! This comrade stepped on a landmine while scouting the way for us! He's dying!"

Upon hearing this, Li Xiaopan came out and glanced at the group, saying, "Hurry up and bring them in!"

Several people carried the stretcher into the house.

Zhou Xu was not allowed to go inside, so he sat outside.

Zhou Xu was perfectly aware of the extent of the injury; even with 21st-century medical technology, let alone in this frontline hospital!
Zhou Youcai had left the commune with him, and now that he was gone, Zhou Xu felt he had let down his fellow villagers...

Zhou Xu sat on the stone slab outside.

Li Xiaopan walked over.
She said, "You two went to the front lines?"

Zhou Xu said, "You Cai's performance in recruit training was outstanding, so he was assigned to a combat company and should go to the front line with the company."

Li Xiaopan nodded. She was currently on her off-duty shift and was already extremely tired; going in would only be a burden. Besides, she had no energy to treat her friend's injuries.

"...Do you think his chances of getting better are high?!" Zhou Xu didn't know what to say, and finally asked in a gloomy tone.

Li Xiaopan sighed and didn't hide anything from Zhou Xu: "There's a chance of saving him, but it's not high... I can't be sure."

Zhou Xu was still talking to Li Xiaopan.

Suddenly, someone inside called out, "Zhou Xu? Is Zhou Xu there?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xu immediately stood up and ran inside.

"Company Commander Song?"

Song Zhipeng looked distressed, as if he had swallowed a fly. Holding back tears, he said with a distorted expression, "Go in and see him! He just saw you and wants to say something to you."

Zhou Xu immediately ran into the operating room.

“Brother Youcai?” Zhou Xu came to the bedside.

Only then did he realize that one of Zhou Youcai's legs was completely shattered, and the rest of his body was almost completely broken.

Upon hearing the sound, Zhou Youcai slowly raised his hand:

"Zhou Xu? Has Zhou Xu arrived?"

Zhou Xu grasped his still relatively healthy hand: "Brother Youcai!"

“Zhou Xu…it’s…it’s you. Remember to help me transfer the pension to my parents…and send the photo of me back to my parents! I can’t be the company commander anymore, and I can’t take your picture anymore.”

(End of this chapter)