OBS Chapter 384 Return!
Chapter 384 Return!
Upon hearing this, Zhong Yuemin's lips curled into a cold, disdainful smile, a slight flicker of emotion deep within his eyes.
If you say he doesn't care, he really doesn't care about his reputation. What does reputation matter? Can it be eaten or drunk?
But such slander tarnishes the blood of those fallen comrades and the reputation of the entire participating force.
"And that's not all!"
Commander Li turned around and said in a deep voice:
"It would be one thing if they just kept making noise, but they have the Russians backing them up and pulling strings. They've already taken this to the United Nations."
Seizing on this point, the international community has launched a massive campaign of slander and fabrication against our entire participating force, attempting to smear the legitimacy of our self-defense counterattack and exert enormous political and diplomatic pressure on us.
As she spoke, she walked to Zhong Yuemin's bedside and lowered her voice.
"The higher-ups... are facing considerable pressure right now. Some countries and international organizations that are unaware of the truth have indeed been misled by this propaganda. Even within their own military, there are significant disagreements at the top."
Although we know the truth and how critical the situation was, the battle in the media is sometimes more complex than a real battlefield.
Zhong Yuemin was silent for a few seconds, then looked up at Commander Li, his voice calm, and stated the facts.
"Commander, I, Zhong Yuemin, have a clear conscience. Under those circumstances, if I hadn't fired, I and many more of my comrades might have died."
Those dressed in civilian clothes but carrying weapons are my enemies. As for those Vietnamese, Russians, and foreign devils... let them say what they want, I don't care. But..."
He paused,
"This was indeed caused by me, and I accept any punishment!"
Don't overthink it!
Commander Li patted him on the shoulder.
"In this counterattack, your 'Mountain Eagle' reconnaissance squad made numerous contributions. It's no exaggeration to say that they played a decisive role in the final victory of the western front forces in local battles. All members of your squad are qualified to receive the First-Class Merit Medal."
Most of the officers and soldiers who knew the truth understood and supported it.
But this matter has far-reaching implications; it's no longer a simple question of right or wrong battlefield conduct. The higher-ups will try to clarify and address the situation, so you... should be prepared that you might suffer some injustice for the time being.
Wronged?
Zhong Yuemin twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a defiant smile, and said quite calmly:
"Commander, compared to my brothers who will never come back, this is nothing. If the higher-ups really can't decide, why not just fire me and then issue a notice to the whole army, and do whatever you want? Really, I won't feel wronged at all."
Seeing Zhong Yuemin's calm, even teasing tone, Commander Li had no doubt that the young man was just being polite and feigning composure.
It was a genuine thought, because this kid had been thinking about leaving the army while he was serving. If it weren't for his strong interference and clear refusal, he really would have gotten away with it.
In a bad mood,
"Don't you dare try anything funny. Just stay in the army and don't even think about leaving. As long as I'm still the army commander, don't even think about leaving. Just focus on recovering. I'm leaving."
As Liu Yonghua turned and left the ward, he didn't forget to give a final word of advice.
"Take good care of your injuries!"
Follow the leader out closely.
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The Sino-Vietnamese War, which began on February 17, 1979, lasted less than a month, until the main force of the Chinese army withdrew to China on March 16.
Although sporadic clashes and skirmishes continued along the border between the two countries, large-scale warfare had ended.
Apart from maintaining necessary defensive forces along the eastern and western borders, the remaining troops drawn from various inland military regions began to return to their original posts.
The reconnaissance team that Zhong Yuemin and Zhang Haiyang belonged to was also among them.
Before leaving the front lines, Zhong Yuemin, Ning Wei, and Zhang Haiyang made a special trip to the hospital to say goodbye to Yuan Jun, who was still confined to his hospital bed in bandages and a cast.
"Commander Yuan, please rest here. We'll withdraw first."
Zhang Haiyang, with his arm still in a sling, said with a grin.
Yuan Jun glared at them irritably, but couldn't move, so he could only mutter curses.
"Get lost, you two ungrateful bastards! I'll deal with you when I get back to Beijing!"
Zhong Yuemin smiled, stepped forward and patted Yuan Jun's uninjured shoulder, then said seriously,
"Alright, stop pushing yourself. Let's get better first. See you in Beijing."
See you in the capital!
Yuan Jun stopped joking and nodded solemnly.
A few days later, the troops returned to their original post, which they had been away from for several months.
The barracks were familiar, the training grounds were familiar, but the atmosphere was completely different from when I left.
When they set off, the ranks were full of energetic young faces, brimming with speculation about the upcoming battle and a mix of nervous excitement.
Now that they have returned, the ranks are noticeably sparser, and each person's face bears the marks of the cruelty of war and a sense of calm, but even more so, the quiet acceptance of surviving a catastrophe.
The troupe held a memorial service; black and white elegiac couplets were displayed, and somber funeral music played.
Comrades who once trained alongside each other, sweating it out on the training field, competing fiercely in exercises, and covering each other on the battlefield—now their voices and smiles are frozen in cold, gray portraits.
Those empty beds, those once vibrant smiles in the portraits—it felt like a huge boulder was pressing down on everyone's heart, heavy and suffocating.
The price of victory, however, was so heavy.
The final decision regarding the execution of "civilians" by Zhong Yuemin and the "Mountain Eagle" squad in the old town was finally issued after nearly a month of repeated investigations, research, and discussions by higher authorities.
Merits and demerits cancel each other out; neither commendation nor punishment will be given.
It's somewhat dramatic!
Upon hearing the result, Zhong Yuemin sat on the steps in front of the barracks, gazing at the afterglow of the setting sun in the distance. His face showed no joy, but rather a hint of indescribable disappointment.
This disappointment stemmed from two reasons. First, he was unable to take this opportunity to be "discharged" from the military and realize the little bit of escaping that he might still have in his subconscious mind. He still had to be "held back" in the army by Commander Li.
The second thing, and what he felt most guilty about, was that he felt he had dragged Ning Wei and Zhang Haiyang into this mess.
Although he made the decision and fired the shot, Ning Wei and Zhang Haiyang, as members of the team, could not have remained uninvolved under those circumstances.
The two men, who had made outstanding contributions in battle, should have returned as heroes adorned with red ribbons and receiving commendations. However, because of this incident, their honors were erased. Although they were not punished, a stain was left behind.
This left him feeling quite uneasy.
"Damn, this result is so freaking boring."
Zhang Haiyang appeared beside him at some point and spat.
Ning Wei also walked over silently and stood to the side without saying a word.
Zhong Yuemin glanced at them and said with a wry smile,
"Sorry, guys, I've dragged you guys into this. You guys were originally..."
"Fuck off!"
Zhang Haiyang interrupted him directly and punched him in the shoulder.
"Don't give me that crap. In that situation, who wouldn't have done it? If I hadn't been knocked unconscious by the blast wave, I would have been faster than you with my gun!"
"If merits and demerits cancel each other out, then so be it. I don't care about those small achievements; as long as the brothers understand, that's enough."
Ning Wei also spoke, but very briefly.
"I don't care!"
Looking at his two brothers who had shared life and death, Zhong Yuemin felt a great deal of guilt and disappointment fade in that moment.
He took a deep breath, patted Zhang Haiyang on the shoulder forcefully, and nodded to Ning Wei.
His merits and demerits, right and wrong, will be judged by future generations.
But some choices, at that moment, are not about right or wrong, but simply about following one's heart.
They survived, and they protected the lives of many more comrades around them. That's enough.
The setting sun cast long shadows of the three men, which blended into the silent barracks behind them.