A year ago, in the sweltering heat of June.
The Razor Legion.
Zhang Jialong, clad in a camouflage combat uniform and fully armed, emerged from the Razor Legion, embarking on a patrol mission with his teammates.
After an hour of walking, Zhang Jialong spoke up, "Brothers, wait for me for a moment. I need to relieve myself."
"Damn it, you lazy bum, always needing to go! Hurry up, we'll patrol ahead. We can't let the mission progress be delayed."
The other team members playfully cursed Zhang Jialong, shouldered their weapons, and continued their patrol with focused expressions.
Zhang Jialong found a spot at the foot of a mountain, dropped his pants to relieve himself, lit a cigarette, and took a couple of puffs. Suddenly, he caught a scent, "This smells like... blood?"
Zhang Jialong quickly plucked two leaves to wipe himself, pulled up his pants, gun in hand, and cautiously moved towards the source of the bloody smell with a grave expression.
"Damn it, who could be dead in this desolate wilderness? Could it be a spy sneaking around?"
Upon reaching the source of the bloody smell, Zhang Jialong stared in disbelief at the mangled 'corpse' before him. The body was a mess of bones and flesh, its clothes tattered. He squatted down, felt around the 'corpse', and found a student ID:
"Fengcheng Medical College, Clinical Medicine, Class of XX, Chen Jiuyang."
Zhang Jialong mused, "Why would a university student from Fengcheng come all the way out here in the middle of summer? Holy hell! It's still moving!"
Zhang Jialong was startled. Chen Jiuyang's body was a bloody mess, but his heart was still beating slowly, as if clinging to life.
"Holy cow, he's alive!" Zhang Jialong exclaimed. "My god, this kid's tough to be alive after this." m..oΓg
He quickly grabbed his walkie-talkie, "Catshit, Catshit, this is Cloud Bean. I've found a severely injured civilian."
"Severely injured civilian? Are you sure it's not a spy?"
"He has identification, looks like a university student. I'll give you the number, check with the legion, xxxxxxxxxxxxx."
"Received, checking now."
"Cloud Bean, the identification is verified. He is indeed a civilian of our Dragon Country."
"What do we do?"
"What else can we do? Call 120 immediately and get him to the nearest county hospital for treatment. We can't expose the legion's location, can we?"
"Damn it!" Zhang Jialong swore, "This university student is barely hanging on. The nearest hospital is fifty to sixty kilometers away. By the time we get him there, he'll be dead!"
"Cloud Bean, I'm warning you, your thoughts are dangerous and violate legion discipline. You need to consider the consequences."
"Consider what? He's a civilian of our Dragon Country, we can't just leave him to die. Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda!"
"Aren't we soldiers to protect our country? This kid is so young. If he dies here, his parents won't even know. They'll worry so much."
Saying this, Zhang Jialong took off his camouflage jacket, wrapped Chen Jiuyang's body in it, and then picked up Chen Jiuyang, sprinting towards the Razor Legion's encampment.
...
"Company Commander, please save this kid's life. We soldiers are here to protect our country!"
"Please, let me into the barracks!"
...
"Zhang Jialong, I have good news and bad news. The good news is, the kid you saved survived, though he might be disabled. The bad news is, you and your company commander will receive a hundred lashes and three months in solitary confinement for observation."
"Damn it, I'll take responsibility for my actions. I'll take those two hundred lashes!"
...
On the drill ground.
"Crack, crack, crack!"
Whips made from tanned cowhide lashed Zhang Jialong's back, one after another, in front of tens of thousands of Razor Legion soldiers.
Li Weiguo, in his military uniform, stood on a high platform with a stern expression and said coldly, "We Dragon Country soldiers must strictly adhere to military discipline to protect our nation. Captain Zhang Jialong's case is special, hence the punishment of two hundred lashes and three months in solitary confinement. He will be sent to the solitary confinement cell for treatment, and confined with the rescued young man."
"Zhang Jialong, you are responsible for the recovery of the person you saved. Do you have any objections?"
"...No..."
...
In the dungeon-like solitary confinement cell, devoid of any electronic devices and sunlight.
Chen Jiuyang, heavily bandaged, lay on the bed, unconscious. Zhang Jialong, also injured, his upper body covered in blood-stained bandages, gritted his teeth and gasped in pain as he looked at Chen Jiuyang.
"Damn it, kid, even my own child hasn't received this kind of treatment. Did I owe you in a past life?"
"I'm injured, and I still have to take care of you. You better wake up, damn it."
"Damn it, did I really owe you? To run into you while taking a crap."
Zhang Jialong cursed as he picked up the basin of water, gently wiped Chen Jiuyang's body, and then changed his bandages and dressed his wounds.
...
"Jiuyang, you can get out of bed now. Come on, let's see who can pee farther! Whoever loses has to clean up."
"Alright," Chen Jiuyang grinned.
"Damn it, you're more injured than me, how can you pee farther than me? It's not scientific."
"Cough, cough, Brother Jialong, people are different. This is my innate talent. You need to face reality."
"Damn it, get lost!"
...
"Jiuyang, my time in solitary confinement is ending early. I have to go on a mission. We're being deployed to the Middle East."
"Brother Jialong, take care. Remember to come back alive."
"What kind of nonsense is that? I've been a soldier for so many years, when have I not returned safely? Don't worry about me. Our Razor Legion primarily uses firearms for guerrilla warfare, unlike those martial artists in the Apocalypse Legion who undertake very dangerous missions."
"What are martial artists?"
"Heh heh, I'll tell you later."
...
Chen Jiuyang was cultivating the Eight-Nine Profound Art and the Withered Wood Rejuvenation Art to recover his body. Seeing an injured soldier with bandages delivering food and drinks, his expression changed, "Where's Brother Jialong?"
"Zhang Jialong is severely injured and is undergoing emergency treatment. The outcome is uncertain..."
"Kid, you might have to go hungry for a few days. The legion just fought a major battle, and there are many wounded with insufficient manpower."
"Brother, I'm a medical student. I can be useful, I can save people. Can you report to your leader? The Razor Legion saved my life, and I want to contribute."
"...Alright, I'll go report to the leader."
Half an hour later, Chen Jiuyang finally emerged from the sunless solitary confinement cell. The drill ground reeked with a nearly nauseating smell of blood. Many were injured. Chen Jiuyang saved the first person, then the second, then the third.
After saving dozens of soldiers and impressing the medical officers in the Razor Legion with his medical skills, Chen Jiuyang's actions finally drew the attention of Li Weiguo.
Subsequently, Chen Jiuyang continued to treat the wounded, becoming utterly exhausted, lacking the strength to even eat. This time, not a single soldier from the Razor Legion perished; all survived. Chen Jiuyang was no longer suspected of being a spy and was accepted by the Razor Legion, becoming an undocumented medic within their ranks.
...
On the arena.
Chen Jiuyang was engaged in close-quarters combat training with a soldier-king.
"Jiuyang, can you go a little easier this time? Last time you hit me with a palm, I couldn't get out of bed for several hours. The martial arts you know are truly bizarre."
"Alright, I'll go easy on you."
"Jiuyang, stop training and come down. Brother has something to tell you..." Zhang Jialong called out to Chen Jiuyang, dressed in his uniform.
"What is it, Brother Jialong?" Chen Jiuyang jumped off the arena.
A flicker of reluctance crossed Zhang Jialong's eyes as he conspiratorially told Chen Jiuyang, "Brother has been recognized by the leadership and is being promoted to carry out a mission. I might not see you again."
"You'll do well in the legion. Our legion commander thinks highly of you. You should surpass me in the future."
...
"Sizzle."
Zhang Jialong, with a worried expression, took a couple of puffs of his cigarette. His hand trembled as he wrote his will, muttering, "Damn it, I owe you. Saved your life, but I'm dying before you."
"But..."
"I have no regrets..."
"Who told us we're brothers."
After finishing, Zhang Jialong extinguished the cigarette butt, glanced at his sleeping wife and daughter, quietly left the bedroom, left home, and calmly walked to his death.
...
Deep night.
Chen family, Qingzhu Village.
Chen Jiuyang slowly woke up from his dream.