The casualty rate was a depressing topic; it also represented a heavy number.
Ye Jian noticed tears were welling in his eyes; the corners of her eyes also tightened and reddened. She spoke quietly: “Death is inevitable, they wore soldiers’ uniforms as they sacrificed their lives to protect their country. Although they aren’t here anymore, their spirits live on forever, forever carved within the hearts of those who are still living, their souls are immortal, their ambition is immortal as they live on in another form.”
Their souls are immortal; their ambition is immortal, they influenced generation after generation of soldiers with their dauntless spirit of sacrifice, passing it on generation after generation, indestructible and immortal!
“You’re right. Even though they have died, their spirits shall forever live on in our platoon. Little Zhi said he wanted to lay beside the comrades in Squad Four; he also said he hoped he hadn’t caused you trouble. After everything is over, I’ll bring him some Kaoliang and tell him you’re safe and sound.”
Hearing that, Ye Jian’s tears flowed down, and rainwater hit her face. Actually, it was hard to distinguish tears from rainwater; only the one shedding tears knew which was which, and how fiercely the tears were flowing down her cheeks.
Little Zhi, he was the scout who had brought her to Captain Liu, the young scout who revealed a stern expression of the generation’s soldier whenever he raised his gun. During this operation, at 3:34 p.m., he had died while giving cover fire for his two comrades…
Hero Zhang Chengzhi was a Scout of a Border Patrol Squad, a Party member. He enlisted in February 1994, and K.I.A. on February 5th, 1999, he accomplished his mission and was awarded the first-class merit!
He enlisted at 19 years old and died at 24. He had dedicated the best years in his life to the motherland he loved, who he had pledged loyalty to and with his own blood, written his own Heroic War Hymn!
Ye Jian walked to his side, she half-kneeled as she gently grasped Hero Zhang Chengzhi’s right hand who will never open his eyes again. She whispered: “I’m Ye Jian, you can rest assured, I’m well; everything is going very very well.”
“If there’s a next life, I would like us to fight side by side together again.”
Rest in peace, hero! Your brave soul will never leave; your ambition lives on forever!
This was Ye Jian’s first time seeing a comrade die in battle. At around 11 a.m., he was still quite shy because she was a female soldier; after separating for a couple of hours, they are forever separated by life and death after seeing him once more.
Also, his last regret was still about her; he was still concerned about her safety.
Standing up, Ye Jian picked up her sniper rifle, aiming it at the sky as she fired her last bullet as her parting gift to her comrade, to the hero who will forever be free from the flames of war, as she bid him farewell!
She saluted, taking off her military cap, until the stretcher that carried the hero disappeared before her eyes, only then did Ye Jian pull back her arm.
“Take care! There are still some brothers patrolling the mountains; if you need any help, you can go to these places…” Captain Liu took out the mountain road map they usually use for patrols. He circled several commonly used communication spots, “If you leave a signal in these places, our brothers will definitely be able to find you.”
Ye Jian memorized several spots along her path. She encountered drug dealers this time around, who knows whether or not she’ll encounter them the next time, it won’t hurt to memorize them.
At 4;30 p.m., Captain Liu and his squad of policemen watched Ye Jian as she set off on her path once more.
She looked back; she could still see several towering figures saluting her under the rain. Ye Jian turned around and returned the salute of the armed police once more; her gaze glanced past their faces. Her lips pursed tightly, and stopped looking back as she darted into the vast rainforest.
Sorrow concealed itself in the depths of their eyes; their eyes were red as they seemed to fill with blood as though they would start shedding tears of blood the moment they closed their eyes. The way they endured their sorrows made her leaving footsteps to feel extremely heavy.
