Wang Yan and the others did not take the southern slope, instead veering toward the northern side. This was not a matter of choice. No one knew how many Vietnamese troops were hidden in the mountains beyond the southern slope, ready at any moment to launch a sneak attack and hit their forces hard.
The morning sun rose in the east. More than a hundred men stretched out in a line over a hundred meters long as they marched across the hillside at a jog, their Liberation shoes scraping against rocks and wild grass with a swishing sound.
Second Company's defensive line had also been stretched out over a long distance. Having repelled the Vietnamese monkeys' attack, they were now resting, transporting the wounded, and handling other matters. Xiaocao's battle had ended, and the soldiers had begun reinforcing positions everywhere while pushing the front line forward, seizing key ground and consolidating their gains. Only then would the soldiers get a longer break to eat and sleep.
"Wang Yan?"
The Second Company commander was quite surprised to see Wang Yan. "Why did you come to the front line?"
The political instructor was an interesting fellow too. He laughed heartily. "Let me introduce him. This is Captain Wang from our Third Company. Those shots just now were all fired by Captain Wang, and Captain Wang was the one who called in the artillery too."
Holding a camera, Wang Yan smiled and nodded as he looked at the wide-eyed Second Company commander.
The Second Company commander then asked, "Where's Old Yang?"
"He took a bullet in the thigh. It got lodged in the bone, so he should be getting sent to the rear. That made me acting company commander."
Wang Yan patted him on the shoulder. "Don't be reluctant to call in artillery.