After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

"You want me to go to the special operations regiment?" Zhao Tiancheng stood blankly in the center of the medical department office, clutching the transfer order.

On the fluttering pages of paper were three glaring red stamps: the General Hospital, the Military Region Health Department, and the 761st Special Operations Regiment. The unit that had assigned him was the Beicheng Military Region General Hospital, and the person assigned was none other than him, a general surgeon. His mission was to participate in joint battlefield first aid exercises, serve as a medical observer, and participate in the entire first aid exercise and record data.

Director Sun, holding his teacup, slowly flipped through the meeting minutes on the table. "The transfer order is in effect. Report at 2 PM."

Zhao Tiancheng slammed the paper on the table. "I'm a general surgeon, not a soldier!"

"That's why I made you a medical observer, not a member of the commando team."

"With so many surgeons in the hospital, why did they single me out?"

Director Sun raised his hand and tapped the notebook, his tone businesslike. "You received three patient complaints last month, which put you at the bottom of the department's performance evaluation. You wrote it yourself during our conversation, expressing your desire for more practical experience. Battlefield trauma is also surgical practice, which is a perfect fit."

Zhao Tiancheng felt a tightness in his throat and a throbbing vein on his forehead. He had just filed a formal complaint against Ye Zhen, and then received a transfer order from the 761st Special Operations Regiment. Who would believe that this was unrelated?

"Who called the roll?"

"The 761st Special Operations Regiment issued a letter, which was discussed and approved by the hospital's Party Committee and filed with the military region's health department." Director Sun pushed the attachment to the transfer order over. "If you want to appeal, you can submit written materials, and I will submit them according to procedure."

"How long will it take to get a reply?"

"Fifteen working days."

Zhao Tiancheng clenched the transfer order tightly into a ball, then slowly unfolded it dejectedly. Not going would mean unauthorized absence; going would certainly not bring him any good fortune.

"I want to see Dean Zhou."

"Dean Zhou is accompanying the investigation team to file the records."

"Then I'll see someone from the military region's health department."

"The formalities have been completed, and the person has already left."

Unable to contain his anger any longer, Zhao Tiancheng gritted his teeth and said, "This is settling a personal score!"

Director Sun put down his teacup, his face turning cold. "Dr. Zhao, the whistleblower's identity is protected. I don't know who wrote the whistleblower letter, nor will I investigate. But if you want to accuse the Special Operations Regiment and the General Hospital of violations, provide evidence. Without evidence, don't just arbitrarily label people in the Medical Affairs Department."

Just as they were at an impasse, there were two knocks on the door, and Xiao Wang poked half his body in. "Dr. Zhao, the car is downstairs."

Zhao Tiancheng suddenly turned his head and stared at him. "Did Gu Zheng send you?"

"The regiment sent a car to pick up the medical observers," Xiao Wang said with a sincere smile. "Commander Gu specifically instructed that the professionals from the main hospital must be taken good care of."

Less than an hour later, the bumpy military truck left the flat urban area and plunged into an abandoned quarry in the northern suburbs.

A deafening explosion echoed down the hillside ahead, sending debris and smoke obscuring half of the potholed dirt road. Several military vehicles roared through puddles, splashing mud that landed directly on the roadside warning signs.

Zhao Tiancheng jumped out of the car, his expensive leather shoes sinking deep into the mud the moment they touched the ground. He pulled hard, making a sticky sound, and almost left the shoe behind with the muddy water. "You guys are training in this godforsaken place?"

Xiao Wang strode forward, carrying his medical kit, without looking back. "Battlefields are generally not paved with tiles."

Not far away in the mud, two soldiers were carrying a stretcher and rushing across the obstacle course. The simulated wounded soldier on the stretcher was covered in blood, and half a steel pipe was inserted into his abdomen. Zhao Tiancheng glanced at it a few more times, and just as he realized that the steel pipe was a prop and breathed a sigh of relief, a smoke grenade suddenly exploded beside him, making his shoulders tremble in fright.

Xiao Wang turned around and grinned. "Dr. Zhao, afraid of explosions?"

"Not prepared."

"You'll get used to it after listening to it a few more times."

Outside the temporary command tent, Political Commissar Zhang was calling people from a roster. Upon seeing Zhao Tiancheng arrive looking disheveled, he immediately greeted him warmly. "The main surgical team from the main hospital has arrived. Welcome, welcome!"

Zhao Tiancheng straightened his wind-blown collar with a look of disdain, then put on a stern face and adopted an air of superiority. "Political Commissar Zhang, let me make this clear first: I am a medical observer, mainly responsible for process assessments, and am absolutely not suitable to participate in the physical training of ordinary soldiers."

"Completely understand."

"I need to organize documents at night, so it would be best to arrange a single room that is quiet, has a table and chairs, and can boil water."

"These are all as it should be." Political Commissar Zhang cheerfully took his luggage and led him straight to the rear of the camp.

The further they went, the fewer people they saw, and the air gradually filled with a pungent, rancid stench. Zhao Tiancheng abruptly stopped, covering his nose. "Where am I?"

"A pigsty for non-staple foods," Political Commissar Zhang pointed to a row of pigpens in front of him. A dozen plump pigs were lying by their troughs, grunting, and raised their heads in unison at the sound of footsteps. Beside the pigpens, a small green tent stood forlornly.

Political Commissar Zhang stepped forward, lifted the curtain, and warmly introduced, "Single room."

Zhao Tiancheng stood frozen in place, his face ashen. "You want me to live next to a pigsty?"

"This place is far from the camp, so no one will bother us."

"How can anyone live here with this smell!"

Political Commissar Zhang looked troubled and pointed inside the tent. "The conditions are limited. But look, there's a table, chairs, a kettle, and a lamp—everything's there. In the entire training area, besides the regimental commander's tent, your tent is the only one with a separate lamp."

"I absolutely refuse to stay."

"That works too." Political Commissar Zhang readily flipped through the roster. "There's also a sixteen-person dormitory tent in the regular camp area, but it's very close to the demolition site, and the diesel generator will be roaring all night. We'll have to get up at 4:30 in the morning sharp. Does that seem suitable?"

Zhao Tiancheng stood there frozen for a long time when a few cheerful grunts came from the pigsty next to him, as if mocking his predicament.

Political Commissar Zhang, suppressing a laugh, patted his arm. "How about you get to know your neighbors first?"

"Meeting!" Zhao Tiancheng snatched the luggage and slammed it into the tent, gritting his teeth as he said, "I need to see the training outline first."

After all the commotion, the trainees lined up in the open space. Zhao Tiancheng was forced to change into a camouflage uniform that was a size too big. His trousers were piled up in layers at the top of his boots, and his belt had to be wrapped around twice to barely fasten it. He looked like a comical scarecrow.

Gu Zheng stood ramrod straight, holding a folder, at the front of the group, his voice cold and firm. "The joint training exercise consists of five subjects. First, casualty search and evacuation. Second, hemostasis and bandaging in complex terrain. Third, rapid triage of blast injuries. Fourth, mass casualty treatment at night. Fifth, heavy-duty medical personnel maneuver."

Zhao Tiancheng immediately raised his hand in protest. "I object!"

"speak."

"Medical personnel are responsible for saving lives; heavy lifting and moving should be left to specialized stretcher teams."

Gu Zheng coldly flipped through the attachment. "When vehicles cannot enter the injury area, doctors must bring their own instruments in."