The field hospital adjacent to the front-line command center was divided into three zones: the general ward, the critical care ward, and special wards.
The special wards were akin to VIP rooms in the secular world, reserved only for important generals.
Upon arriving at the field hospital, Li Lianyi was initially assigned to the special wards, primarily caring for severely injured high-ranking officers. However, she voluntarily took on additional responsibilities in the critical care ward.
Compared to the special wards, the workload in the critical care ward was significantly heavier.
Firstly, there were more critically injured personnel.
Secondly, the treatment of critically injured patients was more challenging.
In light of this, Li Lianyi dedicated most of her energy and time to the critical care ward.
As for the special wards, she conducted routine checks in the morning and evening, attending to any urgent cases as they arose.
Much like the previous two days, after finishing her work in the critical care ward, Li Lianyi felt exhausted. Nevertheless, she proceeded to the special wards to check on the treatment progress of the patients.
"Buzz… buzz…"
As Li Lianyi exited one of the rooms, her phone vibrated in her pocket.
Since arriving at the field hospital, she had set her phone to vibrate mode.
Li Lianyi took out her phone and saw it was a call from her grandfather, Li Guyi. She answered immediately, "Grandpa."
"Lianyi, I have some great news for you," Li Guyi said excitedly.
"He… he's not dead?!"
Upon hearing this, Li Lianyi's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly sought confirmation.
She, who was usually composed and calm, was uncharacteristically overwhelmed with emotion at that moment, her voice even trembling slightly.
"Yes. Just now, he contacted the front-line command center. He and the entire Zhan Long team are safe and sound, and they will be returning to the front-line command center tonight," Li Guyi said joyfully.
By now, he had come to fully accept Jiang Wuming as his granddaughter's husband and naturally did not wish for any harm to befall him.
"Hoo… hoo…"
Hearing Li Guyi's words, Li Lianyi's breathing became rapid.
Even though her first thought before speaking had been that Jiang Wuming was fine, receiving confirmation from Li Guyi made her incredibly excited.
"Lianyi, you can see him tonight when you reach the front-line command center," Li Guyi reminded her.
"Understood, Grandpa. I'll head over after I finish my current tasks."
Li Lianyi spoke, her emotions having calmed down. She regained her composure, ended the call with Li Guyi, put away her phone, and continued her work.
A few minutes later, Li Lianyi arrived at Gu Tianlong's ward.
According to the regulations of the front-line command center, only casualties of General rank or higher were eligible for admission to the special wards.
Gu Tianlong, despite being only a Colonel, was still a step away from General. However, due to his special status in both the secular world and the martial arts circles, he was admitted to the special ward.
Inside the ward, Gu Tianlong had not yet learned that Jiang Wuming was alive. He was lying on the bed, sketching out his future blueprints. With Jiang Wuming dead, there were very few young members left to compete with him for the future position of Marshal of the Martial Department; only Wang Tuo posed a threat to him!
"Knock, knock—"
A sudden knock on the door jolted Gu Tianlong from his pleasant 'prospects.' He said, "Please come in."
Li Lianyi pushed the door open and entered.
"Lianyi, you're here."
Gu Tianlong immediately got out of bed and greeted her with a smile.
"Captain Gu, we are not well acquainted. Please be mindful of your address. How are you feeling?" Li Lianyi first corrected Gu Tianlong's form of address before asking.
"I'm feeling much better. I should be discharged in a day or two and be able to return to battle," Gu Tianlong replied with a smile, unfazed.
In addition to sketching out a bright future, he had also formulated a short-term plan: he would charge into battle in the upcoming war, strive to earn more merits, and lay a solid foundation for his future.
"Alright." Li Lianyi nodded slightly and prepared to turn to leave.
"Lianyi, you seem to be in good spirits today?"
Gu Tianlong glanced at Li Lianyi strangely. He had not changed his form of address as she had suggested.
The reason he asked this was that he could sense the joy radiating from her.
This left him utterly bewildered!
After all, based on the information he had, Li Lianyi was deeply in love with Jiang Wuming, and with Jiang Wuming having just perished, there was no way Li Lianyi would be in good spirits.
"All members of the Zhan Long team will be returning collectively tonight."
Li Lianyi did not dwell on the issue of address. Uncharacteristically, she showed a faint smile to Gu Tianlong.
"Wh-what?!"
Gu Tianlong's expression changed drastically, and he was so shocked that he almost jumped up.
"Captain Gu's reaction is rather intense."
Gu Tianlong's abnormality caught Li Lianyi's attention, and she said meaningfully:
"I almost forgot, Captain Gu had previously assured me with great certainty of the news that Jiang Wuming and the entire Zhan Long team had perished in battle. Now, hearing that the entire Zhan Long team is returning safe and sound, you are so shocked. Could there be some hidden circumstances behind this?"
"I am indeed a bit shocked. Because the front-line command center issued a notice announcing the deaths of the entire Zhan Long team."
Gu Tianlong realized he had lost his composure and quickly composed himself, offering a wry smile. "Of course, this is exciting news, and it's very uplifting. I believe all the soldiers on the front line will be thrilled by this news!"
"Is that so?"
Li Lianyi stared unblinkingly at Gu Tianlong, her gaze seemingly capable of piercing through him.
"Yes, Jiang Wuming and the Zhan Long team have become the banner of the Martial Department," Gu Tianlong said insincerely.
Upon hearing this, Li Lianyi said no more. She withdrew her gaze and left the ward.
How could he still be alive?
And the entire Zhan Long team had returned unharmed?!
After Li Lianyi left the ward, Gu Tianlong's expression instantly reverted to one of shock.
No one understood better than he did how terrifying the extraterrestrial enemies in that canyon were.
Eight Four-Star War Gods, with three of them at the tenth stage of Four-Star War God, and dozens of One-Star to Three-Star War Gods.
Such a force was certain death for anyone who was not a Five-Star War God!
And Jiang Wuming was only at the ninth stage of Three-Star War God, and he was carrying four burdens. There was no reason for him to survive!
After the shock, Gu Tianlong immediately used his intelligence network to verify the news that Jiang Wuming and the entire Zhan Long team were alive.
The results confirmed everything Li Lianyi had said!
This sent Gu Tianlong into a panic!
On that day, when he had sought help from the front-line command center, the other members of the Dragon God team had already fallen.
Moreover, the location was not the canyon.
This was all a setup.
A setup to eliminate Jiang Wuming – using the extraterrestrial enemies as pawns!
Initially, he had believed that Jiang Wuming was bound to die in this trap.
But now, Jiang Wuming and the entire Zhan Long team were alive!
How could this not make him panic?
"What should I do? Should I leave here first?"
For a moment, Gu Tianlong was like an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth in the ward, repeatedly asking himself.
A moment later.
Gu Tianlong stopped pacing, and the shock and panic on his face gradually disappeared.
"Although I don't know how that bastard Jiang Wuming managed to survive, this setup was flawless. Even if he sensed something was amiss, he has no evidence to prove that I framed him – why should I be afraid?
I cannot leave at this moment, or it will make me seem guilty!"
Gu Tianlong told himself, and then he completely calmed down.
…
At the same time.
The temporary military camp of the Eastern Region Army in the southeastern area of Mount Everest.
After finishing his call with Li Rui, Jiang Wuming did not immediately return to the front-line command center. Instead, he asked Xing Tian and Huangfu Weixia to remain at the camp. With Dongfang Xiaoyao piloting a helicopter from the camp, they, along with Qin Xiaozhi and a Two-Star War God from the Eastern Region Army, headed towards a battlefield.
That battlefield was where the extraterrestrial enemies who broke through from the southeastern region clashed head-on with the Eastern Region Army.
Zhou Hetu, Qin Yuanzheng, and his son Qin Linhai had all died in that battle, their bodies completely annihilated.
After the battle, the soldiers of the Eastern Region Army dug four graves on the battlefield and erected four tombstones.
Among them, Zhou Hetu, Qin Yuanzheng, and Qin Linhai each had a grave and a tombstone, while all other fallen soldiers shared one grave and one tombstone.
Dongfang Xiaoyao, following the coordinates provided by the Eastern Region Two-Star War God, piloted the helicopter to the burial site of Zhou Hetu, Qin Yuanzheng, and Qin Linhai.
The continuous heavy snowfall over the past few days had covered the four graves.
After Jiang Wuming confirmed the coordinates were correct, he channeled his internal energy, melting the snow at the designated location.
A moment later, the four simple graves and tombstones appeared.
Jiang Wuming and the other three paid their respects to Zhou Hetu, Qin Yuanzheng, Qin Linhai, and the fallen soldiers of the Eastern Region Army.
"Brother Zhi, you stay and chat with Grandpa Qin and Uncle Qin for a while longer. Don't be in a hurry to leave. We'll wait for you in the helicopter."
After paying their respects, Jiang Wuming patted Qin Xiaozhi on the shoulder.
"Okay."
Qin Xiaozhi nodded.
Jiang Wuming, Dongfang Xiaoyao, and the Eastern Region Army's Two-Star War God turned and walked towards the helicopter.
"Grandpa, Dad, the war has entered its final phase. Currently, we hold an absolute advantage. As long as no more extraterrestrial enemies descend, we will achieve victory in the Mount Everest War. You can rest in peace in the underworld."
Qin Xiaozhi lit three cigarettes, placed two of them before the graves of Qin Yuanzheng and Qin Linhai, then sat before the two graves, took a deep drag, and slowly began to speak.
"Grandpa, Dad, before the war began, I swore at the family's New Year's Eve dinner that I would do my utmost to succeed and strive to become a staff officer in the Martial Department one day, standing behind Wuming and assisting him in winning this war against extraterrestrial forces – this is my life goal from now on!"
Qin Xiaozhi paused here, took several deep puffs of his cigarette, and then continued, his tone becoming somewhat somber.
"However, the plan might change from here on.
Perhaps, I will never have the chance to serve as a staff officer in the Martial Department.
In fact, I might not be able to visit you for a very long time.
Because I will follow Wuming forever and stand behind him!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
As he finished speaking, the young man extinguished his cigarette and kowtowed three times.
After doing so, he stood up and strode towards the helicopter with firm steps.
Brother in spirit, brother for life.
Loyalty for eternity.
He knew.
What it meant for the young man waiting in the helicopter to choose to bring him here to visit his grandfather and father before returning to the front-line command center.
The young man had made his decision and prepared for the worst!
…