Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Starting with the Korean War, returning home to take charge

Lin Zijing was so quiet you could hear her heartbeat.

He Yuzhu leaned against the cold stone, his cotton coat stained and stiff with blood. The stench of blood mixed with gunpowder and sweat filled his nostrils. He kept his eyes closed, not asleep, but trying to relax his muscles as much as possible. His ears were perked up, keeping the reconnaissance map within a minimum range of fifty meters, like an invisible spider web, capturing any slightest movement.

The commotion among the American troops in the distance had subsided. The faint sounds of engines starting and commands to assemble could be heard—were they showing signs of a retreat? He wasn't sure. But at least for now, no search party was approaching.

His strength returned somewhat, and his frozen hands and feet gradually warmed up. He pulled a frozen potato from his pocket, gnawed off the icy shell, and slowly chewed the cold, hard starch inside. With something in his stomach, the feeling of weakness caused by hypothermia subsided a little.

I can't stay any longer. I have to go back.

He determined his direction, recalling the terrain he had come from and the approximate location of the company's main position. He slung his Garand rifle over his shoulder, secured his submachine gun, checked his ammunition, and then, like a cautious fox, slipped out of a crevice and disappeared into the coniferous forest.

He walked the return route with even greater caution than on the way there. He deliberately chose to traverse ridges or dense forests, avoiding all open areas. Every so often, he would lie down and listen, repeatedly checking his surroundings with his ears and the map. Several times, when he spotted American patrols or convoys in the distance, he would hide and wait until they were out of sight before continuing.

He walked and stopped, and as darkness fell again, he finally caught sight of the familiar outline of the trenches and the barely perceptible smoke rising from the battlefield.

They're one of our own.

He didn't rush forward, but instead hid behind the bushes to observe carefully. There was movement on the position, the cotton-padded clothes were of the Volunteer Army style, and the sentry post was correct. He slowly exhaled, emerged from his hiding place, raised Garand high above his head, and clearly shouted towards the position:

"Halt! Who goes there?" The sentry turned his gun, his voice tense.

"One of us! He Weiguo, second platoon!"

A commotion broke out on the position. Several men poked their heads out of the trenches. Soon, a familiar figure crawled out—Platoon Leader Chen squinted, an incredulous look on his face: "He Weiguo? Is that really you? You...you're back alive?"

He Yuzhu lowered his gun and approached. Only then did Platoon Leader Chen and the surrounding soldiers see his appearance clearly: he was wearing a blood-stained American jacket, his face and neck were covered with dried blood scabs and mud, he was carrying a Garand and a submachine gun, and he looked like he had been pulled out of a pool of blood, except for his eyes, which were piercingly bright.

"Platoon leader, I'm back." His voice was hoarse.

"Good to be back!" Platoon Leader Chen patted his shoulder forcefully, the cold, stiff fabric of his jacket hitting his skin. "You encountered the enemy on the way? This gun..."

"There's something important," He Yuzhu interrupted, glancing at the gathered crowd. "We need to report to the company commander immediately."

The company headquarters was set up in a sheltered spot in the mountain valley, in a low and dimly lit shed made of tarpaulins and tree branches. Company Commander Zhao and several men were squatting on the ground, arguing in hushed tones about an open map, their faces grave. Dark-faced Li leaned against a tree trunk with his arms crossed, his expression even more somber than usual.

"Report!" Platoon Leader Chen led He Yuzhu in.

Company Commander Zhao looked up and was clearly taken aback when he saw He Yuzhu's appearance: "He Weiguo? You...you're not dead?" He had obviously heard about the reconnaissance team being attacked and He Yuzhu staying behind to hold off the enemy.

"Reporting, Company Commander, I'm back." He Yuzhu stood at attention, his speech quickening. "We went out to scout ahead and discovered an enemy platoon flanking the left flank into the mountain pass in the direction of the pine forest. I ordered Wang Cheng and Li Dashuan to retreat and report back, while I stayed behind to monitor the situation. The enemy spotted us, and a firefight ensued. I killed the leading officer and repelled several of their attacks before retreating into the mountains. On the way, we encountered an enemy reconnaissance squad, and a close-quarters battle ensued. This is the captured weapon." He unloaded his Garand and submachine gun and gently placed them on the ground. Then, from his pocket (actually his system space), he took out a blood-stained metal collar insignia with brain marks. "This belongs to that officer."

Company Commander Zhao took the insignia and examined it closely under the lantern. The clear insignia and rank badges made his pupils shrink: "Captain...it really is a captain." He looked up at He Yuzhu, his eyes surging with astonishment, "You single-handedly...held off an entire platoon? And even took down a captain? This..."

"Not only that." He Yuzhu's tone was as calm as if he were recounting someone else's story. "During the retreat, I used the terrain to set up an ambush, causing them considerable additional casualties. Furthermore, I observed in the mountains and forests that the enemy's main force seemed to be retreating, with the sound of vehicle engines moving south."

"Great! Excellent!" Company Commander Zhao slapped his thigh, his face beaming with joy. "The ambush was a success, and we even got information on their movements! He Weiguo, you've done a tremendous job! This intelligence was incredibly timely!"

At this moment, a middle-aged cadre standing nearby, wearing glasses and with a refined appearance but sharp eyes, spoke up. He was the company political instructor, surnamed Fang. He adjusted his glasses, sized He Yuzhu up and down, and spoke in a gentle yet barbed tone:

"Comrade He Weiguo, you said you single-handedly held off an entire enemy platoon, killed a captain, escaped the search party, set up an ambush that caused even more casualties... and finally escaped unscathed, bringing back crucial intelligence?"

He paused, his gaze falling on the glaring American military jacket: "Can you explain in detail how you did it? As far as I know, you've been in the army for less than two months; you're a new recruit. And you were facing well-equipped, highly trained American soldiers."

The atmosphere inside the shed became tense. Platoon Leader Chen frowned. Dark-faced Li lowered his arms and gave Instructor Fang a cold look. Company Commander Zhao's joy also faded somewhat.

He Yuzhu's expression remained unchanged. He rolled up his left sleeve, revealing several fresh scabs and bruises on his arm—marks left from close combat. He then pointed to the abrasions on his cheek and neck.

"Instructor, the specific process was to use the terrain, hit and run." His voice remained steady. "They outnumbered us and were well-equipped, but they weren't familiar with the terrain, and... they were a bit overconfident. That captain was standing too far forward and too conspicuous. I took him down with my first shot, and they were thrown into disarray for a while. I had the initiative and knew the forest well, which allowed me to maneuver. Close combat relies on surprise and ruthlessness." He tugged at his jacket. "I took it from a fallen enemy soldier. My cotton-padded coat was torn; I wouldn't have made it back without this."

He looked directly into Instructor Fang's eyes behind his glasses: "Every word is true. If you don't believe me, you can send someone to check the pine forest and the steep slope; the bodies should still be there. You can also ask Wang Cheng and Li Dashuan, who returned to the unit later; they know the initial enemy situation."

He paused briefly, then added a sentence. His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness:

"If the next battle requires someone to lead the charge, scout, or carry out a dangerous mission to hold off the enemy, I'm ready. Let the results speak for themselves."

Instructor Fang was speechless at this answer, which was neither humble nor arrogant, but clear and sharp. His eyes flickered behind his glasses, as if he wanted to ask something else.

"Enough," Li, the dark-faced man, suddenly spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable weight. He walked up to He Yuzhu, examining the scars on his arms and face, then looked at Garland and his insignia on the ground.

"I know the men I'm in charge of." Dark-faced Li turned to look at Political Instructor Fang and Company Commander Zhao. "He Weiguo excelled in all training in the recruit camp, especially in reconnaissance and individual combat. He's quick-witted, ruthless, and mentally strong. In this selection of reconnaissance soldiers, he was the first to retrieve 'intelligence' unscathed."

He pointed at He Yuzhu: "I believe soldiers like this can create miracles on the battlefield. It's true that the American troops are well-equipped, but they aren't superhuman; they're just as afraid of death and just as prone to making mistakes. He Weiguo seized upon their mistakes, survived, and even brought back supplies—that's real skill! Talking about empty rhetoric only demoralizes the soldiers and hinders progress!"

Company Commander Zhao glanced at the stern-faced Li, then at the calm-faced He Yuzhu, and finally at the grim-looking Political Instructor Fang. He made his decision. He needed soldiers who could fight, and he needed reliable intelligence, and He Weiguo had brought both. As for whether the process was unbelievable… Li's guarantee carried weight. Wasn't the battlefield itself the place where miracles and unexpected events were most frequent?

"Staff Officer Li is right." Company Commander Zhao changed his form of address, clearly indicating that the stern-faced Li was no ordinary person. "Comrade He Weiguo successfully completed his reconnaissance mission, obtained important intelligence, and bravely resisted the enemy, achieving remarkable results! That's a fact!"

His eyes were fixed intently on He Yuzhu: "He Weiguo!"

"arrive!"

"The intelligence you brought back is extremely important! I saw your performance!" Company Commander Zhao's voice boomed. "You are now officially appointed as the acting squad leader of the company's reconnaissance platoon! The original squad leader is wounded, so the position is vacant! You need to lead the reconnaissance platoon well. From now on, the company's eyes and ears will depend on you! Do you have the confidence?"

Acting squad leader of the reconnaissance platoon? He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat. This promotion came faster than he had expected. But his face only tightened slightly, and he straightened his back:

"Yes! Mission accomplished!"

"Alright!" Company Commander Zhao nodded. "Go down and rest, treat your wounds, and change your clothes. I'll have Platoon Leader Chen assemble the reconnaissance squad as soon as possible. Focus on recovering; we'll have a new mission soon!"

"yes!"

He Yuzhu saluted, turned and walked out of the company headquarters shed. He could vaguely hear the low voice of Political Instructor Fang and the conversation between Company Commander Zhao and Black-faced Li behind him, but he didn't listen carefully.

A gust of cold wind blew outside, and he shivered. He looked down at his jacket, stained with the blood of both friend and foe, and frowned. It was time to change it.

He walked towards his platoon's encampment. Along the way, his comrades cast surprised, curious, and even awe-inspiring glances his way. Wang Dazhuang squeezed through the crowd, his eyes red-rimmed, and grabbed him: "Weiguo! You're finally back! I thought..."

"It's alright." He Yuzhu patted him, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You're tough."

As he walked to the makeshift foxhole temporarily assigned to him and sat down, a system notification sounded in his mind:

[Completed a series of combat operations including independent reconnaissance, enemy interception, intelligence gathering, and safe return to the unit.]

[Received approval from superiors and was promoted to acting squad leader of the reconnaissance squad.]

[Unlock new permissions: View and perform basic management of team member information (personnel must be present).]

[Battlefield Overall Assessment: Excellent. Reward: 500 points.]

[Note: The new role will bring more combat opportunities and command responsibilities, as well as more complex battlefield management and interpersonal relationships.]

He Yuzhu leaned against the damp pit wall and closed his eyes.

Squad leader?

It's an agent.

That's fine. At least, I can have some control over my own destiny now.

He touched the remaining frozen potatoes in his arms.

The road ahead is long. But the first step has been taken firmly.