Joining the Army is Also a Path (3)

The intermittent cries for help from a distance were drowned out by the increasingly heavy rain. The sound of the valley's floodwaters, like a galloping wild horse roaring and panting, grew louder, masking the desperate pleas for life. The floodwaters surged, carrying sand and rocks, and in the blink of an eye, they submerged the paths on both sides of the valley, with a clear upward trend.

Tong Haojing decisively gave the order, "Move out!" He led his three-person squad upstream, determined to find the trapped individuals before other rescue forces arrived.

The surging water, possessing immense power, made humans seem minuscule. Danger could descend upon Tong Haojing at any moment. He adjusted his gear and, without hesitation, began climbing along the edge of the valley floor towards the direction of the cries for help. After about half an hour, halfway up the valley, they discovered a cave about ten meters above the valley floor, with a small path leading to its entrance. Tong Haojing shouted several times, "Is anyone there? Is anyone there!"

From the direction of the cave entrance, faint cries for help could be heard. Tong Haojing was overjoyed, certain that the people were there. The four of them quickened their pace, reaching the cave entrance and finding two women collapsed on the ground, barely alive, completely soaked. The clear outline of the women's waists brought a touch of shy embarrassment to the special forces members. At this critical moment, Tong Haojing couldn't afford to hesitate. He cradled one of the women's heads and called out to her forcefully. The woman woke up, trembling, her face filled with fear, and stammered, "There's still someone inside, a snake!" before passing out again. Hearing this, Tong Haojing instinctively took a few steps back, and the other three members dared not advance rashly.

Outside the cave, lightning flashed and thunder roared. Inside, it was pitch black, eerie, and terrifying, with only occasional glimmers of light.

Tong Haojing realized that the person inside might have been bitten by a snake and was unable to move. He resolutely issued a bold command, "Go in and rescue them!"

Tong Haojing assigned one person to guard the two young women at the cave entrance and to contact the captain for local support. He turned on his flashlight, drew his dagger, and proceeded forward step by step. Fortunately, the cave entrance was wide and not deep; it ended about ten meters in. A man sat on the ground, moaning softly. Not far away, a rustling sound sent shivers down everyone's spines.

"Snake! A big one!" one of the team members following behind screamed sharply. Tong Haojing looked up and saw a venomous snake, over two meters long, coiled on a rock at the cave entrance, wagging its tail, flicking its tongue, and seemingly challenging them!

Tong Haojing instinctively yelled for everyone to retreat and shouted loudly, "Everyone be careful, quickly get the person out!"

As if startled, the snake raised its head and struck at Tong Haojing with lightning speed.

"Come on if you dare!" Tong Haojing waved the Type 95 assault rifle in his hand to distract the snake, while holding his dagger in the other. Seizing the opportunity, he brought his knife down, severing the snake's head. The bloody sight sent goosebumps all over.

Blood splattered into a teammate's eyes. His vision blurred, and he accidentally fell onto a rock, losing consciousness. Seeing their comrade fall, the other soldiers rushed forward frantically, pinching his tiger's mouth and philtrum, and performing CPR.

"What's that smell? Get away!" The soldier, as if holding his breath for a long time, suddenly came to his senses. Feeling someone blowing into his mouth and smelling a fishy odor, he instinctively pushed away Tong Haojing, who was performing artificial respiration.

"He's alive! He's alive!" everyone cheered.

"It's nothing, just faint from blood!"

"Why didn't you say so earlier? You made me work for nothing!" Tong Haojing grumbled, making a joke at such a time.

The team members cautiously scanned the area around the cave entrance, confirming there was no further threat. Only then did they all let out a deep sigh of relief. Due to the man's earlier panic and accidental fall, he had been bitten on the foot by the snake. Blood was flowing freely, and his leg was broken, rendering him immobile. The man sitting on the ground was pale, clearly showing signs of poisoning.

After performing basic first aid, Tong Haojing quickly carried the man out of the cave and learned the situation. It turned out that the three were fourth-year students from the Journalism Department at Hexi University. The taller girl was Zhao Mindan, the shorter one was Feng Ling, and the other male was Ruo Fei. They had come to the canyon for a trip on Sunday. Unexpectedly, it started raining heavily, and the mountain torrents erupted instantly. Their survival instincts told them to head for higher ground, which led them to this cave. They had also sent a distress signal to the university via mobile phone, and rescue forces were expected to arrive soon.

However, the problem now was that the external rescue forces couldn't get in, and those inside couldn't get out. The trapped students were on the verge of death and urgently needed medical attention. In a desperate situation, Tong Haojing consulted his military map and found a dirt road on the other side of the mountain. If they could cross this mountain, they could arrange for local rescue teams and ambulances to wait there, saving valuable time. Tong Haojing immediately reported to his captain, requesting contact with local authorities. He and his three special forces teammates then used ropes to climb and drag the three trapped students to the mountaintop, clearing a small path. This allowed the rescue team to take over and successfully transport the three to a 120 ambulance.

Thanks to the timely rescue, the lives of the three were saved, though Ruo Fei was left in a vegetative state. Tong Haojing and the other three returned the way they came but failed to complete their mission on time. Later, due to insubordination and disobeying orders, their company was to be disciplined. The matter was reported to the regiment headquarters for approval. Unexpectedly, the headquarters not only refrained from disciplinary action but instead ordered a commendation and called for the entire regiment to learn from his example.

Zhao Mindan slept in a daze on the hospital bed for three days before finally waking up. She moved her hand and slowly opened her eyes.

"Where is this?"

"Dandan, you're awake! This is the hospital." Feng Ling, who had already woken up and was lying in another hospital bed, heard Mindan's faint voice and cried tears of joy.

Zhao Mindan looked around with difficulty. The blurry vision in front of her gradually cleared. Her best friend Feng Ling was also in the hospital. A sudden realization struck her: "This is a rebirth after the ordeal on Yunding Mountain. Thanks to the timely appearance of the People's Liberation Army, otherwise, I would have lost my life."

"Where are the People's Liberation Army soldiers?"

"I don't know which unit it was. I guess it must have been one of our neighbors..." Feng Ling's mental state had recovered, and she spoke with lingering fear about the harrowing experience, her words revealing immense admiration for the People's Liberation Army.

Mindan was moved, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Feng Ling, we must find the People's Liberation Army soldiers who saved us. They are like our parents who gave us a second life!" Zhao Mindan propped herself up with her elbows, trying hard to sit up.

Feng Ling could already walk around the room. She quickly helped Mindan, and the two sisters clasped their hands tightly.

"Yes! Sister Mindan, we definitely will!"

Three days later, Zhao Mindan and Feng Ling had fully recovered their strength. The two eagerly wrote a letter of thanks, intending to express their gratitude in person. However, for some unknown reason, the troops had all been redeployed and had vanished without a trace. Standing at the main gate of the military camp, they looked disappointed at the empty barracks. In unspoken agreement, they shouted loudly, "Uncle Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army, no matter where you go, we will find you!"

Three months later, Zhao Mindan graduated from university and returned to Tangdu City. She passed the exam for a news position at the Radio and Television Bureau, becoming a news reporter with both beauty and talent.

As it turned out, Tong Haojing had been admitted to a military academy that year. Three years later, he graduated and was appointed deputy company commander of a certain unit. Tong Haojing worked diligently and led his troops with a unique style. Unexpectedly, due to military reforms, Tong Haojing's unit was disbanded, and all officers were reassigned to local positions, including Tong Haojing.

Fortunately, his superior officers took special care of Tong Haojing. He introduced Tong Haojing's outstanding deeds to the local government, which agreed to let Tong Haojing choose any position he wished from departments such as industry and commerce, taxation, or public security. Tong Haojing reluctantly left the army. Although there was some regret, he felt he was getting closer to his dream.