Wolf, a comrade from Country D

The convoy sped along the highway, averaging 60 km/h. It moved faster when the road conditions were good and slower when there were more zombies. I don't know how long or how far we drove. When we set off again from Maple City, I didn't look out the window even once.

My parents chatted casually with Han Bo and Liu Meili, while I was lost in thought the whole time. Sometimes I would suddenly pick my ear or slap myself across the face.

My fellow passengers were startled by my bewildering behavior. When I slapped myself again, my mother grabbed my hand: "Dafeng, what are you doing? Why are you hitting yourself for no reason?"

I paused for a moment and then asked sincerely, "Mom, when does the term 'old man' usually come up?"

My mom hesitated: "When selling scrap metal?"

"Don't relatives address each other as 'uncle'?"

"No...no, the old man is calling outsiders."

I instantly shut up, shrinking into my seat and mechanically rubbing my legs, ignoring everyone who spoke to me, until my mom grabbed my collar: "What's wrong with you? You're like you're possessed!"

I held my ear out to her and asked, "Mom, do you think I have a lot of earwax? Do you want me to clean it?"

My withdrawn and neurotic behavior continued until we parked and set up camp in the evening. I didn't want to get out of the car or move. All four of them could tell I had something on my mind, but I didn't want to talk about it, and they couldn't get any answers from me.

The campsite was a small village. As usual, the field team first inspected the village, killed the remaining zombies, collected useful items from the villagers' homes, and then chopped firewood to cook. Wisps of smoke rose from the rooftops of several neighboring houses, making it seem as if people were still living there.

Clean water remains our biggest shortage. Even if Fu Hua confiscated all the purified water he had stockpiled, it would only be enough for a team of nearly two hundred people to moisten their throats with three to five sips a day. Adults could tolerate it, but it was heartbreaking to see the minors' eyes light up and them swallowing their saliva like crazy at the sight of a mineral water bottle on the ground.

But there was nothing we could do. The heavy rains of a long time ago couldn't alleviate the drought at its root. The ponds dried up, the pools dried up, and even the homemade glutinous rice wine in the villages was covered in mold. Fortunately, we could sometimes find quite a bit of alcohol in those rural shops—it seems the surviving villagers were too busy grabbing food and water before they fled, and no one was buying baijiu or beer.

So when they're thirsty, they drink beer. Apart from eight-year-old Xiao Meng and my vegetative uncle who have access to clean water, the other minors are now practically men who drink alcohol like water.

People were coming and going in front of the car, drinking beer and waiting to eat rice, while I sat dejectedly in the car. Han Bo grabbed two bottles of beer, opened the door, tossed one to me, and said smugly, "I told Gao Chen you were in a bad mood, so I asked him to come and comfort you. How's your brother? Isn't he good to you? Can't he read your mind?"

I quickly covered my head and cried out, "Ahhh, I don't want to know! I didn't hear anything! Don't let him come!"

Han Bo straightened up and glanced at him: "It's too late, the person is here. Don't back down, Da Feng! If you like her, go for it! Be brave and confess! First, finish a bottle to bolster your courage!"

While I was yelling at Han Bo, Gao Chen had already arrived and knocked on my car window: "Ai Feng."

Han Bo made a couple of jokes and then disappeared in a flash. I glanced at the figure outside the window, feeling as if a thousand hands were scratching at my heart. A mix of intense curiosity and mild panic made me feel suffocated, with a feeling that I had to get it off my chest and ask questions.

There were two more knocks on the car window. I took a deep breath and pressed the button.

"What's wrong? Han Bo said you're in a bad mood?"

As dusk settled, a hint of worry seemed to linger between his brows. At first glance, one might assume it was concern for my well-being, but upon closer inspection, I realized this expression had been on his face for at least several days.

Through the car door and the partially open window, I lowered my eyes and said, "Gao Chen, I want to ask you something."

"you say."

"Did something come to mind?"

He remained silent for a long while, and countless melodramatic scenarios flashed through my mind: perhaps he remembered that he was a married man, and his wife was still waiting for news of him back home, so he planned to say goodbye to me and go home to save her; perhaps he didn't remember that he was a married man, but his wife's letter was irrefutable proof, and he was hesitating whether to say goodbye and go to his wife to rebuild his memory; or perhaps after falling in love with me, he remembered that he was a married man, and he was unwilling to accept this fact, his heart torn by a great internal struggle, wondering whether to keep his promise or cherish the person in front of him. That is the question.

In short, my ears aren't broken; I heard the word "wife" clearly, so he's definitely married. Therefore, even if I like him a lot, and he likes me a lot, I can't be a mistress and ruin a military marriage!

The mistress is one of the species I hate most in my life. Military marriage is such a beautiful, sacred and solemn marriage. How could I, for my own selfish desires, pollute this man's fine qualities and make him the kind of person I despise most—one who abandons his wife and perhaps even his children?

Before he could answer, I had already mentally rehearsed a heart-wrenching drama. And, suppressing my pain and reluctance, I decided to put an end to this relationship that neither of us had explicitly stated. He is still the excellent man, and I am still the carefree me; let's part ways amicably and each find our own happiness.

“I vaguely remember some things,” he said slowly, as if choosing his words carefully, “about my family.”

Hearing the word "family," I was almost certain my guess was true, and I was immediately filled with despair and my thoughts went blank. There's nothing more to say. It was just a letter from my wife before the end of the world, expressing concern for her husband who was in the army, reporting on the situation at home, saying that the elders were in good health, the children were growing strong, and that she would take care of everything, so he could focus on serving the country in the army, and so on. That was all.

Thinking of this, I forced a smile: "No wonder you haven't been looking too energetic these past few days. You must be worried about your family. Tell us what you're planning to do, and we'll support you."

Gao Chen said with a hint of helplessness, "That's the problem. I can't remember where my home is. The letters I found in the army were buried before I could read them carefully, so I have no way of knowing the address."

"Didn't you bring an envelope with you? The envelope should have an address on it."

"It was sent from abroad."

I was a little surprised: "So your wife lives abroad?"

Gao Chen was stunned for a moment: "My wife?"

I said dryly, "I heard Xiao Zhang shout that it was a letter your wife wrote to you."

He pulled a letter out of his pocket. "Oh, this is it. I just grabbed it because it was on top of the list of letters, intending to read it on the way. I didn't expect that this would be the only one I kept."

He held the envelope up to me. "It's a letter from a comrade from Country D. We should have studied and trained together. His name is Wolf, but Xiao Zhang pronounced it as 'wife.' We've been joking about it like that for the past two days."

What?! Such a dramatic turn of events, a complete reversal of fortune? My extinguished hope reignited faster than I could have imagined. It started sparking the moment Wolf appeared, then burst into flames, instantly transforming into a blazing inferno of joy and happiness. All the guesses, daydreams, and self-pity from a minute ago were banished to the winds. I couldn't help but chuckle foolishly: "Heh, Zhang is such a terrible student, so... you don't have a wife?"

Gao Chen smiled when he saw me smile: "I just remembered something about my parents. As for whether I have a wife, I haven't thought about it yet."

"No!" I said firmly. "It's impossible. You're no more than thirty years old. You're incredibly busy in the army, leading troops, participating in major competitions, and engaging in learning exchanges with foreigners. How could you possibly have time to get married?"

Gao Chen nodded with a serious smile: "Your analysis makes sense."

Realizing what I had said, I shrank back shyly, a rare occurrence for me. Was he suspicious of my eagerness to prove he didn't have a wife? Han Bo encouraged me to confess, but I hadn't even had a drink before revealing my intentions.

He patted the window frame: "Feeling better now? Get out and have some food."

The aroma of rice cooked over a wood-fired stove wafted to my nose on the breeze. My mother's loud voice was calling out something. Several girls were walking back and forth between two houses with bowls and basins in their hands. Xiao Meng was squatting on the ground not far away, digging in the dirt with a small shovel. The man I admired was standing outside the car door, waiting for me.

I could tell from his voice that he didn't show any rejection or aversion towards me. He kept looking at me gently with his bright eyes, and I was completely satisfied.

Over the next few days of the trip, Gao Chen and I became very close. With a "go for it" attitude, I consciously started to show him kindness. Just like my mother would save food for me, I would also save things for him, sometimes a small bag of biscuits, sometimes a piece of fruit candy. Although he knew that supplies were limited and never accepted them, the sentiment was there. Secondly, I was always friendly and cheerful. If I saw his clothes were dirty, I would pat them off. When leaving the group, I would remind him to be careful, and when returning, I would ask if he was tired.

I acted confidently and naturally, showing disdain for anyone secretly watching my every move and whispering among themselves. Can't I date if I'm unmarried? Besides, I'm not just being presumptuous, okay? Although Gao Chen never said anything, the focused and gentle look he gave me when we looked at each other was undeniable. Several times I even caught him secretly looking at me, which clearly meant he had feelings for me.

Every day, my chest is brimming with joy, my smiles are more frequent and radiant, and I treat everyone with kindness and gentleness. Even when facing the unpleasant fellows at the auto repair shop, my warning of "not being nice" has vanished without a trace. They even think that their recent efforts in gathering information have earned my favor, and they become increasingly eager to step forward and do everything.

Liu Meili once told me, "I think it's time to have your aunt arrange another blind date for you and Gao Chen. Just be upfront about it. All that flirting is making me anxious."

I answered frankly, "I'll do this after I've taken a shower, combed my hair, changed into clean clothes, and put on some light makeup."

As we approached Baicheng, a group of people caught up with us from behind. It was actually just one car and four people: two standing and two lying down. The two standing and lying down were acquaintances.

Overjoyed, Zhang Yanhuang rushed forward and hugged the boy whose face was covered in soot and who looked like a little devil: "Xiao Liu, Xiao Liu, you're not dead!"

Liu Sicheng cried uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face, leaving streaks of gray: "Xiao Zhang, Company Commander Gao, we finally caught up with you! The base is gone, everyone was blown up. It's been so hard, so incredibly hard!"

Those who escaped from Fengcheng had it truly difficult. The two who could still walk upright had clearly suffered immense psychological trauma; during their conversation, they looked up at the sky almost every two seconds, easily startled by the sound of a car door closing loudly, their fear palpable. The two lying down were in even more appalling condition. The one they recognized, Captain Lin, was barely clothed, his face covered in blood, his right arm and leg mangled and seemingly severed. The other, whom they didn't recognize, was unconscious, bleeding from the corner of his mouth, his face unrecognizable—barely clinging to life.

“He heard you shouting,” Liu Sicheng pointed to a thin young boy. “He went back to get us, and then carried Captain Lin and the base commander on his back. By the time we came out, we couldn’t catch up with you. We couldn’t find a car with gas, so we took off the tires and pieced together a flatbed cart to take the two of them along the way. It took us three days to find a car that we could drive.”

“You’re really stubborn,” I said to the skinny boy. “If you had answered when we heard you called, we could have waited for you. Why did you go back to report first?”

The boy lowered his head: "I...I'm scared."

"What are you afraid of? Afraid we're bandits? Do you have water? Food? Or guns?"

"No, they were all blown up."

"What are you afraid of if you're single?"

Liu Sicheng probably couldn't bear to see me making things difficult for him, so he quickly said to Gao Chen, "Company Commander Gao, we haven't eaten for several days, and Captain Lin's wound is also a bit infected."

What does this have to do with us? They want to share the food without offering a pledge of loyalty? That doesn't fit the rules I set. But when I saw Zhang Yanhuang and Gao Chen busily feeding them their own rations, I wavered. Liu Sicheng was so determined he wouldn't abandon his wounded comrade even in tears; he's a good person. Besides, he's a soldier, and soldiers always come first in my eyes.

Unfortunately, he has three dependents. The skinny little boy with all his limbs intact is one thing, and Captain Lin being the son-in-law of a man from Huaicheng is barely acceptable. But what kind of nonsense is this "base commander"? His subordinates are all dead; is it believable that the leader is still alive?

I pulled Gao Chen aside: "Those two look like they're about to die. We're penniless and might not be able to save them. What do you think?"

He understood my unspoken message: "We couldn't rescue them; they caught up with us on their own. They're incredibly resilient. Wouldn't it be wrong to abandon the wounded?"

"It's really bad to bring burdens along."

Yu Zhongjian suddenly appeared out of nowhere and startled me with his voice. He often startles me. "You're really like a ghost. You're going to give me a heart attack sooner or later."

Yu Zhongjian ignored me and only said to Gao Chen, "I've examined the injuries of these two people. One has limb injuries, probably from being hit by a collapsing building. His right leg is in relatively good condition, but his right hand has suffered severe damage to nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and bones, and it's definitely beyond saving. We don't have the resources for amputation, and without it, ischemic necrosis will eventually kill him. The other person has internal organ injuries and is constantly vomiting blood; he won't live long. The two healthy people can be taken along. We'll set off after resting for another ten minutes."

Gao Chen said in a suppressed tone, "Captain Yu, don't leave behind anyone who is still alive."

Yu Zhongjian said casually, "Sure, just throw them onto the truck, and throw them off after they die."

Gao Chen couldn't say anything more to refute him, so he nodded and said, "Okay, Xiao Liu, Xiao Zhang, and I will take care of them."

“No.” Yu Zhongjian said coldly, “We’re almost at Baicheng. You and Xiao Zhang are the ones who go out to scout ahead. Don’t waste time on dead people. That’s not your job.”

I gave him a disapproving look. Gao Chen treated him with great respect, carried out orders swiftly and decisively, and never let him down. He was just trying to rescue two survivors who were still breathing, out of humanitarian spirit. Did Yu Zhongjian have to be so harsh?

I said to Gao Chen, "Could you help settle them in the convoy first? I'll have Dr. Tang take a look and try to save them if possible."

After he left, I spoke frankly to Yu Zhong: "We're all on the same team, so watch your words. Your decision is correct, and of course we'll listen to you. Company Commander Gao doesn't owe you anything, so why be so rude to him?"

Yu Zhongjian's eyelids drooped slightly: "How can he not owe me anything? He owes me his life."

I scoffed, "You have the nerve to say that? You attacked the auto repair shop to save him? You were there to steal his things!"

"Was it true that he was saved?"

"It wasn't just you who saved him. According to your logic, he owes a lot of favors. Even if he does owe you, how have people treated you normally? I offered him the position of team leader, but he absolutely refused, insisting on working under you. He said you're amazing, with high technical and tactical skills, and considers you a close friend. He was so worried when you had your attack. He reluctantly led the third team for a few days, but as soon as you came back, he stepped down on his own. He's no less capable than you; he just respects and admires you. Don't be so bossy and arrogant; it's disheartening."

"Consider me a confidant? Heh, there are indeed similarities." Yu Zhongjian muttered to himself, then suddenly smiled: "Gao Chen is almost flawless. No matter what aspect he is given, he does everything perfectly. But I am allergic to perfection. Whenever I encounter someone who seems close to perfection, I want to find fault with him and test his bottom line."

I couldn't believe it: "You're a monster!"

“Yeah.” He squinted at me, a wicked smirk playing on his lips. “You’re not someone I haven’t known for a day.”

Someone come quick! Yu Zhongjian has had another episode!

I limped over to Han Bo with my makeshift cane and quickly recounted what had just happened, pointing my index finger in the air as if it were about to fly: "You keep a close eye on him. I think that bastard Yu Yu seems to be showing signs of making a comeback."

"Didn't Xiao Yu say they've all been integrated?"

"Who gave him the diagnosis? He just said whatever came to mind. You know he was acting very strangely just now."

Yu Zhongjian was talking to several drivers not far away, his expression calm and composed, showing no sign of abnormality. Han Bo secretly observed for a while and said, "I can't see anything unusual. You're too sensitive."

I retorted angrily, "I bet you're going to get your head smashed sooner or later. How come you can't teach me to be wary of others? You pig!"

Han Bo frowned and rolled his eyes. After a long while, he said, "He's attacking Gao Chen, and you're defending Gao Chen. He's a pervert. Putting all that together, besides his mental breakdown, don't you sense anything different?"

"What's different?"

"It's obvious he's jealous!"