Sweet Nostalgia of the 80s

Chapter 1511: Chapter 1511: Absolutely Must Not Accept

”Move! What are we waiting for?” The company commander was impatient, and upon hearing that Qin Jian was going back to rescue, he waved his hand and started to leave.

”Hey! How can you alone carry two people?” Lin Sheng commented from the side, ”Big Brother Qin, your ribs are broken, and your leg is fractured, and it’s still in a cast. Brother Tian Niu’s situation isn’t much better either, with both arms broken. He was even coughing up blood when he was carried back earlier... There’s more...”

”Alright, alright! Stop talking! Of course, I know the regimental commander and battalion commander are seriously injured!” Thinking of them falling into a crevice and then somehow clawing their way out, it was natural they’d sustain injuries to escape from death.

But no matter what, he had to take the regimental commander and the battalion commander with him.

After all, the military hospital was much better than this broken-down mountain village.

And the Commander had given strict orders; no matter what, they had to bring back the regimental commander and the battalion commander.

The Commander missed his son, the regimental commander’s wife missed her husband, the brothers missed their leader, any of these reasons was enough for him to take the regimental commander away.

The recon company commander put his fingers to his lips and gave a powerful whistle, a piercing sound that cut through the sky.

In the blink of an eye, several figures scampered down from rooftops and treetops, forming a line in the courtyard and saluting Qin Jian and Tian Niu in unison: ”Salute to the officers!”

They weren’t wearing uniforms, but their movements were in lockstep, their presence overwhelming, their voices loud.

Their upright postures were like proud pines standing tall in the snow, stirring Lin Sheng’s heart.

The military dream that had always been buried deep in his heart began to sprout again, burning with renewed passion.

”Comrades, take the regimental commander and battalion commander home!” The recon company commander ordered, and the warriors sprang into action.

The door front was the mountain, and on the mountain were small trees; the warriors used what was at hand, wielding machetes to quickly chop down a small tree.

Then, with deft movements, they fashioned two stretchers and placed Qin Jian and Tian Niu on them, lifting and walking away.

”Wait.” Before leaving, Qin Jian spoke up, ”Mu Mian and Lin Sheng have saved our lives! We’ve been a burden these past days. We’ve eaten a lot of food and used a lot of medicine. We appreciate the kindness, but we cannot take things from the people’s homes without compensation.”

”Regimental commander, I understand.” The recon company commander took fifty yuan out of his clothes pocket and turned to ask the other warriors, ”Who else has money? Let’s chip in and give it to them.”

”Xiaozhao, add a share for me too. I’ll pay you back later,” Tian Niu said.

”Okay.”

The warriors began collecting money to give to Mu Mian, but Mu Mian refused to accept it no matter what: ”No! I don’t want it! Being able to rescue the PLA is our honor! I don’t need the money.”

”That won’t do! You must take it; you see this is an order from our leader! We must carry it out!” The company commander said, stuffing the money into Mu Mian’s hand.

”No! I really can’t take it!” Mu Mian stuffed the money back into Qin Jian’s hand and bowed deeply to him, ”Please accept it, consider it my chance for redemption.”

”Redemption?” Qin Jian was puzzled and asked casually.

But Mu Mian didn’t respond.

”Mu Mian, we know you have been good to us, but the army has regulations; we can’t take even a needle or a thread from the civilians,” Tian Niu said, ”Don’t make it difficult for us.”

”No! Absolutely not! I won’t take it!” Mu Mian was stubborn to a terrifying extent on this matter.

Tian Niu looked at Qin Jian and silently inquired his thoughts with a glance.