Holding the original shares, they fought all the way to the Korean War!

"Li Yunlong!"

Brigade Commander Chen's voice came from behind.

Why are you running?

Li Yunlong stopped in his tracks.

He stood frozen in place, stunned for several seconds.

She slowly turned around, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Commander... I... I didn't run away..."

"I just... went to the wrong place..."

Commander Chen put down his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and calmly looked at him.

"When did you, Li Yunlong, go astray?"

"You brought such a large group of people to the Second Regiment, are you just here for a visit?"

Li Yunlong's expression changed slightly. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but after seeing Brigade Commander Chen's expression, he swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

He lingered as he walked to the stone table and sat down on the stone bench opposite Commander Chen.

He placed his hands on his knees, like a primary school student.

Wang Xiuying put down the documents in her hand, glanced at him, then at Brigade Commander Chen, her lips twitched slightly, but she didn't say anything.

Brigade Commander Chen picked up his teacup, took another sip of water, and then put it down, his gaze still fixed on Li Yunlong.

"Tell me, what happened?"

Li Yunlong's Adam's apple bobbed up and down. He remained silent for a moment before speaking, his voice lower than usual.

"Brigadier, I discussed a deal with Zhou Xiaogui before."

"I traded the new recruits for the equipment he had."

"Last time we changed the batch, this time I recruited another five hundred new soldiers, intending to exchange them for four hundred rifles and thirty thousand rounds of ammunition..."

After he finished speaking, as if afraid that the brigade commander would misunderstand something, he quickly added another sentence.

"Brigadier, it was Zhou the rascal who brought this up first!"

"He said the Second New Regiment was short of people, and I said I could recruit soldiers, so we discussed and switched places."

"It wasn't my idea; he brought it up first!"

After listening, Brigade Commander Chen's expression remained unchanged.

But his gaze clearly conveyed a knowing look that said, "You two kids were definitely up to something behind the scenes."

He was silent for a few seconds, then slowly began to speak.

"Did Tianyang trade equipment for you?"

"Yes! It's about changing the player!"

Li Yunlong's tone was urgent.

"He traded me an M1 Garand and an MP40 submachine gun for a recruit!"

"The first time I gave him 140 men, he gave me 130 rifles and 30 submachine guns!"

"It's settled this time: 500 new recruits for 400 rifles and 30,000 rounds of ammunition!"

After he finished speaking, he immediately shut his mouth and waited for the brigade commander to decide what to do.

Commander Chen leaned back in his chair, his gaze lingering on Li Yunlong's face for a moment before he slowly spoke.

"Tianyang isn't here; he's out on a mission."

"You new recruits, stay behind for now."

"When he gets back, have him send the equipment to you."

Upon hearing this, Li Yunlong suddenly stood up.

"Brigadier! That won't do!"

"I brought him five hundred new recruits, and he just stood me up like that?"

"You're telling me to just go back like this?"

Brigade Commander Chen looked at him, his gaze remaining calm.

"What's your hurry?"

"I didn't say he wouldn't give you any equipment. When he comes back, he'll give you everything he's entitled to."

"I'll take these five hundred new recruits into Tianyang's ranks and incorporate them into the Second New Regiment."

"As for the equipment, we'll have Tianyang personally deliver it to you when he gets back. Is that alright?"

Li Yunlong was so anxious that he kept rubbing his hands together.

"Brigadier, you make that sound so easy!"

"I can't wait!"

"Our new regiment urgently needs this equipment!"

"You have no idea, I've been running around like crazy trying to recruit these 500 new soldiers, I'm exhausted..."

"Li Yunlong".

Brigade Commander Chen interrupted him, his voice still not loud, but carrying an undeniable force.

"Tianyang is indeed not here, that's a fact."

"Even if you make a scene here until dark, I can't conjure up those four hundred guns."

"Leave him here and go back to wait. As soon as he returns, I'll have him send you the equipment immediately."

"This is the best arrangement we can make for you."

"If you're still not satisfied, then take your five hundred new recruits and go back the way you came, and make another trip when Tianyang returns."

Li Yunlong's face turned pale and then red.

He stood there, his lips trembling several times, wanting to refute, but found that every word the brigade commander said blocked his way out.

He sat back down on the stone bench, head bowed, and remained silent for a long while.

Then he raised his head, his voice tinged with resentment.

"Brigade Commander, do you keep your word?"

"Did you have Zhou Xiaogui send me the equipment as soon as he got back?"

Brigade Commander Chen nodded.

"You keep your word."

Li Yunlong let out a long breath, as if releasing the pent-up frustration in his chest.

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

"Five hundred new recruits will stay behind; I'll take the rest of the men back."

"But Commander, let me tell you something: if Zhou Xiaogui comes back and you don't let him deliver equipment to me, I'll come looking for you again!"

Brigade Commander Chen waved his hand.

"Alright, now get out of here."

Li Yunlong turned around and took two steps, then turned back to look at Brigade Commander Chen, his expression showing a hint of probing.

"Brigade Commander, how long have you been in the Second New Regiment?"

"It's been half a month."

"What mission did that little devil of a week undertake?"

"Why haven't you come back yet?"

Brigade Commander Chen's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, then he replied in a flat tone.

"When it's your turn to know, you will naturally find out."

Li Yunlong understood the meaning behind those words, but didn't press the matter further. He turned and strode out of the courtyard.

His figure disappeared at the courtyard gate.

Wang Xiuying put down the documents in her hand, glanced at Brigade Commander Chen, and spoke with a hint of a smile.

"Old Chen, aren't you bullying an honest person?"

Brigade Commander Chen picked up his teacup, took a sip of water, and smiled slightly.

"If Li Yunlong were an honest man, there would be no dishonest person in the world."

Wang Xiuying smiled and didn't say anything more.

After Li Yunlong walked out of the courtyard, he stood on the dirt road at the entrance of the village and let out a long sigh.

Wang Desheng, who was standing beside him, noticed that he didn't look well and cautiously asked him a question.

"Commander, are the new recruits staying here?"

"Um."

Li Yunlong agreed verbally, but his mind was still on Zhou Tianyang.

Where did that kid go?

The brigade commander was personally overseeing the Second Regiment, but he himself was not present; this was not a normal arrangement.

But since the brigade commander wouldn't say, he couldn't ask.

He walked along the mountain path, his pace much slower than when he came.

After walking for a while, he suddenly stopped.

Looking at the distant, rolling mountains, he muttered something to himself.

"Zhou Xiaogui, you'd better come back quickly."

"Otherwise, I'll never feel at ease."

Afterwards, Li Yunlong led his few accompanying soldiers.

We walked along the mountain road towards Shinian Village.

……

Commander Chen sat down at the stone table, held the bowl of water, and slowly took a sip.

Then he put it down, his gaze still fixed on the direction of the courtyard gate, as if he were thinking about something.