Chapter 37

Hu Hao was waiting for Colonel Zhang to wake up in the hospital. Now that Commissar Liu and the hospital director had left, only Hu Hao and another soldier were left. The soldier was standing guard outside the door, while Hu Hao was meditating inside.

"Cough, cough." Hu Hao heard Colonel Zhang's coughing and immediately woke up from his meditation.

"Brother, brother, you're awake, brother!" Hu Hao called out, leaning over the bed.

"Uh!" Colonel Zhang was not yet fully awake from the anesthesia.

Hu Hao quickly went to get some water for Colonel Zhang.

"Brother, have some water." Hu Hao tested the water to make sure it wasn't too hot, then helped Colonel Zhang sit up and brought the cup to his lips.

After drinking a little, Colonel Zhang closed his eyes for a moment. Hu Hao hurried out to tell the soldier outside to call the doctor.

"Lengzi, I'm in the hospital now. How's the battle going?" Colonel Zhang asked in a hoarse voice.

"Brother, all the devils are dead. We took care of them all. Don't worry. You're in the hospital now. The doctor said you'll be fine after some rest," Hu Hao said, standing by the bed.

"Did you cause any trouble during this time?" Colonel Zhang asked.

"No, I've been good," Hu Hao said.

"Hmph, good, huh? Now you're lying here, and I can't do anything to you. Wait until I get better, and we'll settle this!" Colonel Zhang said.

At this moment, the hospital director and the doctor came in, followed by Xiao Xin.

After examining Colonel Zhang for a while, the doctor said, "Colonel Zhang, you're fine now. You just need to rest for a while."

"Thank you," Colonel Zhang said.

"Colonel Zhang, Commissar Liu from the division headquarters came this morning. He went back to the division headquarters to handle some matters and will come back later. You won a great victory, taking out over 18,000 devils. The entire army has been commended, and the commendation telegram has been sent to the entire army," the hospital director said.

"Ha ha, what about the 20th Division? Did we take them out?" Colonel Zhang asked the hospital director.

"Ha ha, the 20th Division is doomed now. The other two divisions of the devils are too afraid to advance, fearing they'll be taken out. The 20th Division is already in our bowl, and we'll finish them off tonight," a group of people came in, led by the division commander, followed by the political commissar and the chief of staff, carrying several boxes.

"Ah, Commander Chen!" Colonel Zhang tried to sit up.

"Ah ah, don't get up. It's not good for your wound," Commander Chen quickly supported Colonel Zhang.

"Commander, I won't get up," Colonel Zhang said, leaning back on the bed.

"Xiao Zhang, you did well. You silently took out the main force of the 14th Division, and the spoils are abundant. The weapons and ammunition are enough to equip 20,000 men," Commander Chen said.

"How are the casualties in my regiment?" Colonel Zhang asked.

"Colonel, we have less than 500 men who can still fight. 300 are severely wounded, and the rest..." the chief of staff hesitated.

"Ah!" Colonel Zhang tightly closed his eyes.

"Xiao Zhang, don't worry. The battle was 12 to 1 against the devils. The division headquarters will compensate you for the 1,300 men lost. We've also left you 3,000 rifles to rebuild the 3rd Regiment," Commander Chen said.

"Thank you, Commander. Commissar, have the soldiers been taken care of?" Colonel Zhang asked.

"They've been taken care of, and the location has been chosen," the commissar said.

"That's good!" Colonel Zhang said.

"Alright, Xiao Zhang, these are some of the spoils we picked out for you to supplement your nutrition. Look, we have beef cans, beef jerky, and compressed biscuits from the devils," Commander Chen took some items out of the box and showed them to Colonel Zhang.

Hu Hao pursed his lips and said, "Brother, those things have no nutrition and don't taste good."

"Huh?" Everyone looked at Hu Hao.

"Lengzi, what are you saying?" Colonel Zhang glared at Hu Hao.

"Brother, really, they don't taste good. Didn't you find any milk or anything when you looted the devils?" Hu Hao asked.

"No, we didn't. I remember seeing you somewhere. Let me think," Commander Chen rubbed his head, thinking.

"Commander, he's Lengzi, Hu Hao," Colonel Zhang said.

"Right, right, Hu Hao, are you better now?" Commander Chen asked.

"Commander, I'm not better yet. I'm not as foolish, but I cause more trouble," Colonel Zhang said.

"Lengzi, Lengzi, are you the one the soldiers talked about who caused the devils to panic last night?" Commander Chen asked.

"What panic? I made the devils kill each other. My brother said he wouldn't come to the hospital if the devils didn't retreat, so I went to cause trouble," Hu Hao said.

"How did you do it? Tell us," Commander Chen asked curiously.

"Why should I tell you? What's in it for me?" Hu Hao said irritably.

"Lengzi, how can you talk to the Commander like that? The Commander used to take care of you and is our old leader," Colonel Zhang said.

"Oh, I didn't know," Hu Hao said.

"Then tell the Commander quickly," the colonel said.

"It's nothing much. I just wore the devils' clothes, installed hand grenades at the entrances of their tents, and then fired shots, shouting in Japanese that the Eighth Route Army was attacking. The devils all came out and triggered the hand grenades. Many devils died in the explosion. Then I fired at the devils in all directions," Hu Hao said.

"Is that all?" the Commander asked.

"Yes, that's all," Hu Hao confirmed.

"Good kid, you have guts. I like that," the Commander patted Hu Hao's shoulder and said, "No wonder so many devils died at the entrances of their tents. It was you."

Hu Hao didn't say anything, but when he saw Xiao Xin holding a lunch box, he went over, "What did you bring for my brother to eat? Let me see."

Xiao Xin opened the lunch box, "Millet porridge."

"What? I traded a gun and a military coat for your millet porridge. Is this nutritious? Where's the chicken soup or pork rib soup? Didn't the doctor say my brother needs to replenish his nutrition?" Hu Hao shouted loudly.

"What are you yelling about? The hospital only has millet porridge. Where can I get chicken soup or pork rib soup for you?" Xiao Xin shouted back.

"Lengzi, what are you talking about? What gun and military coat?" Colonel Zhang asked, seeing Hu Hao and Xiao Xin arguing.

"Brother, she tricked me. She said if I gave her a gun and a military coat, she would take good care of you. The doctor said you lost a lot of blood and need to replenish your nutrition, but she just gave me millet porridge," Hu Hao pointed at Xiao Xin and said.

"Who tricked you? The hospital only has these things. Don't believe me? Ask the director," Xiao Xin said.

"That's right, the hospital only has these things," the director said.

"Wait, what about your gun and military coat?" Colonel Zhang asked.

"I looted them from the devils. It's a Browning, and the coat is from a devil's staff officer. The one you're using is from a major general, and I looted it," Hu Hao said proudly.