Chapter 202: Life and Death
"Da da da..." The dense gunfire rang out again. After relocking the sight, the enemies in the fortress launched a more violent incantation.

They poured out ammunition recklessly, as if they wanted to use this violent firepower to temporarily scare away the People's Liberation Army and buy time to escape.

Liu Zhiye took a few deep breaths, trying to suppress the heart that seemed to be about to jump out of his chest.

He felt the breath flowing through his body, and gradually, his heartbeat began to return to a steady rhythm. His eyes revealed a hint of determination, and he was ready to face the more dangerous battle that was to come.

He threw another grenade, his movements were swift and decisive. After advancing several dozen meters, he briefly observed the fortress in front of him and quickly estimated the distance in his mind. Then, he pulled out the ring of the grenade, counted "1, 2, 3" secretly, and then threw the grenade out fiercely.

The grenade seemed to have grown wings, drawing a graceful arc in the air and accurately flying into the firing port. All this was done in an instant, his movements were clean and neat, without any drag.

"Boom!" With a deafening roar, the enemy's machine guns in the fortress fell into silence and completely stopped firing. This sudden change made the atmosphere of the entire battlefield suffocate.

Old Ge witnessed the scene, and his heart was filled with ecstasy. He shouted in a loud voice like a bell: "Liu Zhiye, you are really great! Comrades, follow me!"

"Charge!" This passionate shout instantly echoed across the battlefield, and the comrades followed closely and launched another charge.

……

"What happened next? How did it turn out?" Gan Ning listened with fascination. The stories told by Liu Zhiye and Lao Ge seemed to bring her back to that era, just like she was watching a thrilling war movie.

"Later," Lao Ge and Liu Zhiye smiled at each other, a trace of nostalgia flashed in their eyes, and then they continued talking with relish.

later……

Old Ge rushed to Liu Zhiye like the wind, his eyes full of worry. He looked him up and down carefully, fearing that something might happen to him.

"Zhiye!" Lao Ge's voice revealed deep concern, "Are you okay?" His eyes were fixed on Liu Zhiye, as if looking for any possible injuries.

Liu Zhiye scratched his head awkwardly, forced a smile, and said, "Squad leader, I'm fine, it's just that my legs are a little weak..."

After hearing this, Lao Ge burst into a hearty laugh. He patted Liu Zhiye on the shoulder and laughed, "Hahaha! Boy, I really thought you were so bold! Not bad..."

Although the two were filled with joy, the battle was not over yet. As the troops advanced rapidly, they encountered obstacles carefully laid by the enemy from time to time.

After the fierce battle just now, Liu Zhiye’s confidence increased and he showed his skills in the next battle.

Once again, they encountered a machine gun fortress, which was already the last line of defense on the enemy's position. Liu Zhiye stared at this slightly low fortress with sharp eyes. It cleverly used the terrain to conceal itself, making it difficult for field artillery shells to hit it accurately.

With no other choice, they did as they were told; approaching the fort, they threw grenades into the firing holes and destroyed the sturdy fortress from within.

Ge Shuping clenched his fist, gently pounded his chest, and warned him: "You kid! Be sure to pay attention to safety, we will wait for you to come back to celebrate!"

Liu Zhiye was agile and used his unique skill of dodging and moving again to quickly reach the blind spot of the bunker.

He held the grenade tightly, aimed at the firing hole that was constantly pouring out ammunition, and threw it decisively. The grenade drew a beautiful arc in the air and landed accurately in the firing hole, followed by a deafening explosion and splashes of fire.

"Hey! It's done!" Liu Zhiye jumped up in joy. Then, he planned to run towards the fortress.

However, after a brief silence, the bunker launched another fierce attack. Bullets poured out like a storm, mercilessly attacking Liu Zhiye.

Liu Zhiye's heart tensed instantly, although he reacted quickly and nimbly avoided the fatal blow.

However, a bullet still mercilessly hit his abdomen. The sudden severe pain made him groan, and his body trembled. Then he fell into a bullet crater.

Ge Shuping, who was far away, witnessed this scene, his eyes instantly turned red, and he was so angry that they almost burst. He couldn't help but roar, his voice full of grief and despair: "Zhi Ye!" Speaking of this, Ge Shuping's tone slowed down a little: "At that time, we all thought he had died. After eliminating the last enemy, we found him. The medical staff found that he was still alive. So we immediately rushed him to the field hospital."

Then, he spoke again in a low voice: "This is not the first time I have sent him to the hospital for emergency treatment, and it will not be the last time." His words revealed unspeakable heaviness and helplessness.

When Gan Ning heard this, a look of panic immediately appeared on her face. She asked anxiously: "Zhiye, are you okay now? Where were you injured?" Her tone was full of concern and worry, as if she could personally feel Zhiye's pain at that time.

Liu Zhiye gently held Gan Ning's hand and caressed it tenderly, conveying the power of comfort. He raised a comforting smile and said in a soft but firm voice: "Don't worry, look, I'm fine, aren't I?"

"Look, this scar of mine was left at that time..." Liu Zhiye lifted up his clothes and pointed it to Gan Ning.

Gan Ning's eyes were blurred with tears. She gently stroked the scars on Liu Zhiye's body, her voice choked with sobs: "How painful must this be!" Although she already knew that Liu Zhiye's body was covered with scars, every time she asked, he always glossed over it.

It was not until today that she heard the stories behind these scars for the first time. It turned out that each scar carried his extraordinary experience.

"Thank you, Lao Ge! Otherwise he wouldn't be where he is today." Gan Ning sincerely thanked Lao Ge.

Lao Ge waved his hands hastily and said firmly, "Sister-in-law, you are too kind! We are comrades-in-arms and brothers who depend on each other for life and death. This is what we should do. Moreover, Zhiye has saved me from danger many times. There is no question of who owes whom between us."

When Liu Zhiye heard this, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a meaningful smile. Indeed, the relationship between them had long surpassed the boundaries between ordinary comrades.

They are brothers who have fought side by side and experienced life and death together. This friendship is heavier than the mountains and deeper than the sea, and is the most precious wealth in their lives.

The number of times Lao Ge and he saved each other's lives is incalculable. He was pulled back from the brink of death by Lao Ge several times, and he also risked his own life to save Lao Ge's life.

One of the most unforgettable experiences was when their reconnaissance team crossed the river to investigate the strategic deployment of the South Korean 1st Division.

At the critical moment of the mission, they unexpectedly encountered a patrol of the South Korean First Division. The two sides instantly fell into a fierce exchange of fire, and bullets and flames intertwined into a thrilling battlefield picture.

Despite facing tremendous pressure and danger, they remained steadfast in guarding the vital intelligence.

They had only one belief in their hearts: at all costs, they must ensure that intelligence could be delivered to the front-line command in a timely and safe manner and contribute their own strength to victory in the war.

Liu Zhiye chose to stay with his men to block the endless stream of enemy troops and cover the smooth evacuation of other comrades.

They fought and retreated, and retreated all the way to the riverside with difficulty. Unfortunately, when they retreated to the riverside, Lao Ge was hit in the abdomen by a ruthless stray bullet. He fell to the ground instantly and completely lost the ability to move.

"Captain! Retreat quickly! I can't hold on here anymore, but I can still buy you some time." Blood was flowing from the corners of Lao Ge's mouth, but he forced a resolute smile and said resolutely.

Liu Zhiye's eyes were red, and he said in a resolute tone: "Why are you wasting your time talking to me? If we want to go, we go together. If we want to die, we die together."

Lao Ge urged anxiously: "Zhiye, don't be impulsive. Listen to me. We can't all stay here. Someone has to go back alive and continue fighting for our comrades."

Liu Zhiye didn't waste any time and directly picked up Lao Ge on his back and tied him tightly with the backpack strap.

Old Ge was a grown man, but he cried like an old woman when he saw this. "Wuwu... Zhiye, put me down quickly and go by yourself. I will be a burden to you."

Liu Zhiye came to the riverside. In order to get rid of the enemy, they did not dare to take the floating bridge to return to the troops. They could only jump into the icy river water in the temperature of minus ten degrees Celsius and swim back to the other side of the river with Lao Ge on their back.

Old Ge could hardly hold on any longer. He had lost too much blood and the river water was too cold. He climbed on Liu Zhiye's back and mumbled his last words: "Zhiye, I'm dying. My second child has just been born and can't live without a father... in the future..." Liu Zhiye's eyes instantly became moist when he heard Old Ge's last words.

Liu Zhiye shouted anxiously with red eyes: "From now on, what, Old Ge, you must not sleep. If you fall asleep, you can't wake up. I tell you, you have to raise your own child by yourself... Do you hear me..."

(End of this chapter)