Chapter 38

"Since it's already given away, it's given away. If the hospital doesn't have any food, just let it be, don't make a fuss," said Zhang Team Leader after listening to Er Lengzi.

"Alright, brother, have some millet porridge first," Hu Hao said, bringing the millet porridge over and handing it to Zhang Team Leader.

"Have you eaten yet?" Zhang Team Leader asked.

"Oh! I don't seem to have eaten," Hu Hao said, scratching his head. "Commander, where is your dining hall? I'll go eat."

"Nonsense, this is a hospital, where would you find a place to eat? Go back to the unit and eat," Zhang Team Leader said.

"Xiao Zhang, where is the military knife that Er Lengzi captured?" the Division Commander asked.

"What for?" Hu Hao asked cautiously.

"Nothing! Captured items need to be credited, especially important items from the Japanese!" the Division Commander said.

"Don't even try, what I captured is mine," Hu Hao said.

"You!" The Division Commander didn't know how to respond; it wasn't worth getting angry over this.

"Er Lengzi, where is the military knife?" Zhang Team Leader asked after taking a sip of millet porridge.

"It's in the car, I brought it for you," Hu Hao said.

"In the car? What car?" Zhang Team Leader asked.

"The jeep outside, did you drive it here?" the Division Commander also asked.

"Ah! I drove it here. What's wrong? I specifically drove it here for my brother to use later," Hu Hao said.

"Are you kidding? Just you and my brother driving around in a jeep, do you want your brother to die faster?" Zhang Team Leader scolded.

"How would driving a jeep make him die faster?" Hu Hao muttered.

"Enough, stop muttering. Go get the military knife and the other captured items, I want to see and choose from them," Zhang Team Leader said.

"Oh!" Hu Hao immediately went to get the items.

After Hu Hao left, Division Commander Chen and Zhang Team Leader both smiled speechlessly. Division Commander Chen said, "You guys did a great job in this battle, you scared the other Japanese reinforcements so much that their attacks aren't as fierce now. This time, the Japanese attack on our Eighth Route Army base has caused us heavy losses!"

"The Japanese are really strong. If we didn't have Er Lengzi, we would have been broken through by the Japanese today," Zhang Team Leader said.

"How is Er Lengzi now? He still seems a bit off," the Division Commander said.

"He's better, but not completely. He's not as foolish as before, but he can't remember anything from the past and is more likely to cause trouble," Zhang Team Leader said.

"Brother, I've brought the things," Hu Hao said, carrying a pile of items and placing them near Zhang Team Leader's bed.

"That one is the Japanese lieutenant general's military knife, bring it over for me to see," Zhang Team Leader pointed to the knife.

"Oh," Hu Hao picked up the knife and handed it to Zhang Team Leader. Zhang Team Leader drew it out and saw that it was good. He then sheathed it and handed it to the Division Commander.

"Brother, that's for you!" Hu Hao said.

"Yes, I know. You gave it to me, right? Can I hand it over to the unit now?" Zhang Team Leader said.

"Um, um," Hu Hao didn't know what to say.

"Are there any other items? Bring them all over for me to see," Zhang Team Leader said.

"There's nothing else. There are a few officers' knives and some cigarettes, those are mine," Hu Hao said.

"Is that all? How did I teach you? When you loot the Japanese, you must loot thoroughly. You only brought back these few things, and you only care about cigarettes. Will you die without cigarettes?" Zhang Team Leader scolded.

"Brother, you said you would die without cigarettes," Hu Hao said softly.

"You!" Zhang Team Leader pointed at Hu Hao, not knowing what to say. "Share the cigarettes, keep half for yourself, and hand over the rest to the division headquarters!" Zhang Team Leader said.

"What? Hand over to the division headquarters? No way!" Hu Hao was hesitant, as there were still some good things in there.

"Hmm!? No way? Try saying that again. Share the cigarettes, go back to the unit and get something to eat. I don't need you here, and I have things to handle," Zhang Team Leader said.

"Oh," Hu Hao picked up the bag of cigarettes, which contained many Japanese cigarettes. He picked out all the Japanese cigarettes and threw them on the ground, keeping only the Chinese cigarettes in his bag. Hu Hao then grabbed the bag and walked out.

"Wait, what about the car?" Zhang Team Leader asked as Hu Hao was about to leave.

"It's outside. Do you want me to drive it in? It can't fit here anyway," Hu Hao said.

"Oh, then walk back. Leave the car here," Zhang Team Leader said.

"Got it. Hey, girl, take good care of my brother. I'm going back to the unit," Hu Hao said.

"You!" Xiao Xin was furious but didn't dare to show it with so many people around.

Hu Hao, carrying a backpack, a gun slung over his shoulder, and a bag in his hand, walked back to the unit's base. The snow was still falling, and Hu Hao was only wearing a shirt. "Good thing I've trained, or I would have frozen to death!"

After returning to the base, he found some clothes to wear and headed to the kitchen.

"Old Wang, Old Wang!" Hu Hao called out.

"You, Er Lengzi? Old Wang is gone," a soldier nearby said.

"What? Gone? What do you mean?" Hu Hao asked.

"The squad leader was killed yesterday afternoon," the soldier said, tears streaming down his face.

"Oh," Hu Hao felt very sad. In the unit, besides the team leader, he was closest to Old Wang in the kitchen. Old Wang was genuinely good to Hu Hao, always saving some food for him and not eating it himself.

"Where is he buried?" Hu Hao asked.

"On the back mountain. The soldiers are still working on it. I came back to cook for the soldiers," the soldier said.

"You're the only one left. Why did you go to the front line? You're a cook, not a fighter," Hu Hao said, feeling a bit angry.

"Yes, I'm the only one left. One is seriously injured and in the hospital. Er Lengzi, are you hungry? Here are some freshly steamed buns. Eat them first. I need to cook for the soldiers," the soldier opened a steamer and took out a few buns, handing them to Hu Hao.

Hu Hao took the buns and started eating, watching the soldier tend to the stove and stir the pot.

"Alright, you cook. I'll tend the fire. I was in the kitchen too," Hu Hao said, squatting down to start the fire while eating.

"After we finish cooking, I'll go up the mountain to get some food for my brother. I'll bring it back, and you can cook it for me to take to the hospital," Hu Hao said.

"Sure, but try to get more. Our unit has over 300 seriously injured soldiers, and they need more nutrition. I'm worried about how to cook for them," the soldier said.

"Is there no meat at all here?" Hu Hao asked.

"Our unit has over 2000 people. We've eaten all the meat we had. We've been eating all the meat we saved up over the past few days," the soldier said.

"Alright, I'll go check. Let's see how lucky I am," Hu Hao said.