1978: A Literary Giant Who Began His Military Service

Chapter 50 Enemy Attack
"Yes, I will bring them all to your uncle and aunt. I will also write a report about you so that the army will remember you! Everyone will remember you."

Looking at Zhou Youcai's face, Zhou Xu felt an indescribable sadness.

Every soldier sacrificed their life on the front lines to protect their country.

Zhou Youcai was no exception.

Zhou Xu pretended to be calm while trying to take out his notebook to jot something down, but his eyes couldn't take the judgment of everyone.

He touched his pockets again, but unfortunately, he hadn't brought anything with him today.

Not knowing what to do, he sat there covering his mouth, trying to laugh helplessly, but in the end, his lips trembled.

"Am I...a hero too?"

"Yes, you are a hero!" Zhou Xu's eyes finally stung, and he trembled slightly. He looked at the ceiling, and the corners of his mouth drooped down.

The weakened Zhou Youcai lowered his hand, his eyes fixed on the ceiling...

The doctor came over and said to Song Zhipeng, "I'm sorry, it's a miracle that he's held on this long... There's nothing we can do about Zhou Youcai's sacrifice."

Zhou Xu said, "I know...it's okay."

Song Zhipeng lowered his head, knowing that such severe injuries were most likely fatal. He said, "You can continue with your work... Thank you for your help."

The doctor nodded and led the nurse to other beds.

Zhou Xu stood up abruptly, his legs went weak, he wiped away his tears, and choked out, "I...I'll go back and write the report. I...I should have written it today."

After Zhou Xu stood up, he prepared to walk outside.

Li Xiaopan patted him on the shoulder.

"I am fine."

Zhou Xu stood up and went straight back to his tent.

He sat inside the tent, writing furiously with his pen. People always need to find something to do to avoid falling into loneliness.

Zhou Xu could only stop thinking about crying by writing and writing.

After a while, it was time for dinner.

He then came out.

"Zhou Xu!?"

"Company Commander Song."

Song Zhipeng said, "Your arrival is just in time. Li Jin, the instructor, and I will tell you about Youcai's deeds later."

"Hmm, the class monitor is awake?" Zhou Xu wiped away his tears and turned to follow Song Zhipeng.

"He just woke up and is resting outside." Song Zhipeng thought he needed to compose himself and wait until he was fully recovered before returning to the battlefield.

He came to Li Jin's side.

Li Jin's injuries were not too bad; he had multiple gunshot wounds, but none of them were fatal.

"Squad Leader Li!"

Li Jin looked at Zhou Xu, avoiding his gaze somewhat.

Song Zhipeng said, "He knows everything. Cai was leading the team at the time. You and Comrade Zhou Xu can talk about his deeds."

Li Jin nodded at this point and said, "The order for our entire division is to assault Hill 650. I'm leading a platoon, which means I'm going with Youcai."

On our way forward, we encountered an enemy company blocking our path. They had also laid many landmines in the canyon. I led the whole platoon in a charge, with Youcai at the forefront. He killed many enemies, but in the end, he triggered one of the enemy's landmines.

Zhou Xu was taking notes at lightning speed.

"Hmm... Youcai is a brave person."

"Zhou Xu..." the squad leader called out, looking at Zhou Xu.

"I'm fine, please continue."

"..."

Write down Zhou Youcai's story.

Zhou Xu asked, "Brother Youcai, what happened to his body?"

Zhou Xu hesitated for a long time before asking the question.

Song Zhipeng, embarrassed to look Zhou Xu in the eye, finally said, "We took him to the nearby martyrs' cemetery..."

"Ah."

It's not customary to bring people back to their hometown now. It's better to let Zhou Youcai stay in the martyrs' cemetery and be paid for in peace...

"After the war ends, I'll take you to offer incense to him." "Thank you, Company Commander Song."

Song Zhipeng nodded and went back to his bed.

I went back to my dorm that night.

Zhou Xu looked up at the sky.

War is cruel and brutal; the bloody slaughterhouse doesn't care who you are.

But looking back over the past ten years, it seems that this war was inevitable, and so it spread to the south.

Zhou Xu felt that on the battlefield, the only thing one could do was to direct all attacks at the enemy... Whether it was good or bad was not for anyone to decide.

He continued writing.

The instructor over there handed him a pack of cigarettes: "Zhou Xu? Here, take this pack."

"...Just give me two, and share the rest with the brothers! You still have to keep watch!"

Zhou Xu picked out two sticks and sucked on them one by one.

Political Instructor Liu Menghai lit a cigarette and slowly puffed on it: "I'm really worried about the company commander and the others! My company commander's two older brothers both died in battle, yet he's still so eager to go to the front lines!"

"They were on stretchers, so they should be fine as long as nothing unexpected happens."

"How long do you think this war will last?"

"We are in a good situation, it won't be long."

The two were chatting.

Zhou Xu looked out the window.

A bright red light appeared on the horizon, and at first glance he thought it was a shooting star!
It took me a second to realize that those were sparks!

They saw sparks flying towards them.

It wasn't Zhou Xu's face that was the problem, but the hospital next door.

Boom!

The night was instantly illuminated.

An explosion followed!

The two were so startled that Zhou Xu and Liu Menghai, who were still chatting, stood up and looked outside, bewildered...

Of course, Liu Menghai and Zhou Xu were also suspicious at first!
Could it have gone off accidentally?

After all, they're not in the monkey's territory, but on the border! The probability of encountering an enemy attack is not high, right?
In that very instant.

Another spark flew over.

Boom! After another explosion, the old factory-turned-hospital began to shake slightly.

If the first shot was an accidental discharge, how could the second shot possibly be an accidental discharge again?

The two looked at each other.

The whistle blew immediately after the explosion.

"Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack!!!"

A shout rang out from outside.

Instantly, the soldiers stationed here grabbed their guns and quickly put on their clothes...

Zhou Xu also put down his pen.

He put on his hat, cocked his pistol, and took his twenty rounds of ammunition...

After tidying up, Liu Menghai hurriedly ran out.

Zhou Xu ran out after him.

The sound of gunfire outside continues!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Zhou Xu saw clearly that rocket launchers, grenade launchers, and grenades were being thrown at their hospital and camp. Judging from the amount of enemy firepower, it seemed to be a small company of no less than fifty people.

Zhou Xu followed Liu Menghai, hunched over, into the field hospital amidst the artillery fire.

Chen Hui, the deputy company commander, also arrived at the field hospital.

In addition to the instructor, there is also Song Zhipeng, the hospital's political commissar and company commander, in the hospital.

Song Zhipeng spat: "Damn it, this must be a Vietnamese special forces team! These bastards, they waited for our main force to leave, and then came to our rear to steal our hospital! They're real beasts!"

(End of this chapter)