LOVE PROMISES

The following days at Yizheng Medical Station were consumed by frantic preparations for the looming storm.

A place once seen as a sanctuary of hope and refuge now buzzed with relentless activity. Doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to gather medical supplies, volunteers drilled evacuation protocols, and Fen stood at the helm, exuding remarkable composure even as her mind raced through the possibilities of what lay ahead.

Chen, however, looked uneasy. One late night, while they reviewed evacuation plans, he let out a deep sigh.

“This feels too big for us,” he murmured. “What if they launch a full-scale attack? What if we can’t hold this place?”

Fen placed a firm hand on his shoulder, her voice steady.

“We’ve faced chaos before, and we survived. We will again. If we falter now, how can we give hope to the people counting on us? I know it’s going to be incredibly hard, but I need you to hold on just a little longer, Chen. You are the one I can depend on.”

Chen nodded, though the worry lingered in his eyes. “We’ll fight,” he said with quiet determination.

At dawn, bad news arrived. The distant sound of artillery fire rumbled from the south, drawing closer with every passing moment. Scouts reported enemy forces advancing through the valleys in overwhelming numbers. As the sun crept over the horizon, it became evident, Yizheng Medical Station was no longer merely a haven for the displaced—it was now the primary target of a battle for power.

Fen called an emergency meeting with her team. She outlined a daring, high-risk plan: the station would hold its ground for as long as possible to buy time for civilians to escape northward. Volunteers would guide the evacuees, while the medical team focused on stabilizing the severely injured for transport.

“We are not soldiers,” a trembling nurse whispered. “How can we defend this place with empty hands? We’ve never even held a weapon.”

Fen’s voice was calm but resolute. “We don’t need to fight like soldiers. We only need to hold the line long enough. Every minute we hold them off is another life saved. That’s our mission.”

The first assault came at sunrise. Mortar shells rained down on the outer defenses, shaking the ground and rattling nerves. It was a calculated attack meant to instill fear among the refugees. Fen and Chen directed their teams from the central hall, transforming the station courtyard into an emergency triage zone. The once-quiet corridors echoed with the cries of the wounded and the hurried footsteps of medical staff racing to deliver supplies.

Amid the chaos, Fen spotted Xiaoming, a young boy she had cared for, huddled in a corner clutching a small bundle of his belongings. His wide eyes darted around, reflecting a blend of fear and courage. Fen crouched beside him.

“Xiaoming,” she said gently, “you’ve been so brave. Now I need you to be even stronger. See that group over there?” She pointed to the volunteers assembling the remaining evacuees. “Go with them. They’ll take you to safety.”

Xiaoming hesitated, then nodded. Before leaving, he pulled out a small, worn notebook from his bundle.

“For you,” he said softly. “It’s from my father. He used to write about good people. I think you’re one of them.”

Fen’s throat tightened as she accepted the notebook. “Thank you, Xiaoming. Now go. Stay safe. I promise we’ll meet again to share stories.”

Xiaoming nodded and ran to join the others.

By midday, the situation had deteriorated further. The enemy had breached the outer defenses and was closing in on the main building. Chen returned from the front lines, his face smeared with dust and sweat, his eyes heavy with the weight of the battle.

“They’re pushing hard,” he reported. “We’ve held them off so far, but it won’t last much longer. They’re likely to break through soon.”

Fen studied the map spread across the table. “Then we fall back to the second position. Focus on evacuating whoever’s left. Don’t leave anyone behind. Save whoever we can.”

As Chen relayed the orders, Fen took a moment to steady herself. Her hands trembled as they traced the lines of the map. This wasn’t just a fight for survival—it was a fight for hope, for the belief that even in the darkest times, humanity could endure.

Night fell, bringing with it the final, full-force assault. The enemy surged into the station with overwhelming numbers, far outmatching Fen’s team. They retreated to their last line of defense—a makeshift barricade in the inner courtyard. It was their only chance to secure the evacuation.

In the midst of the turmoil, Fen found herself face-to-face with a wounded enemy soldier, a boy not much older than Xiaoming. He lay on the ground clutching a bloody wound in his side, his uniform soaked with crimson. For a moment, their eyes met. The boy’s gaze wavered, silently pleading for help but hesitant to speak.

Fen hesitated. Her instincts as a doctor urged her to act, but the grim reality of war weighed heavily on her. Finally, she knelt beside him, pulling bandages from her kit.

“You’re lucky I’m not a soldier,” she muttered as she worked. The boy’s expression shifted from confusion to gratitude. Though neither could understand the other’s language, the emotion between them needed no words

At dawn, reinforcements from the main base arrived, driving back the enemy and securing the station. But the victory came at a steep cost. The station lay in ruins, its walls riddled with bullet holes, its grounds littered with debris.

Fen stood amid the wreckage, exhaustion etched into her face. In her hand, she clutched Xiaoming’s notebook, its pages now a poignant reminder of the lives they had fought to save.

Chen approached, his arm in a sling. “We did it” he said simply.

Fen nodded, her gaze fixed on the horizon. “For now. But the fight isn’t over.”

In the days that followed, the station became a symbol of resilience. Survivors returned, rebuilding what had been destroyed. Though the shadow of Unit 731 still loomed, Fen knew that as long as they stood together, there was always hope for a better future.

With renewed determination, she prepared for the battles yet to come, vowing to fight not just for survival but for a future free from the horrors of the past.

Meanwhile, the morning had arrived. The sunlight shone brightly, and the atmosphere in the medical refugee tents was in chaos. The camp had been destroyed by the aftermath of the battle the previous night.

A tense scene unfolded in a special medical room where a doctor, along with two nurses wearing green uniforms, was assisting in treating the severe wounds of a Chinese soldier. Equipped with full surgical tools, they began their work as a medical team.

"Doctor, the bleeding from his stomach wound won't stop," one of the nurses said, her voice filled with panic and fear as she watched the blood pour out uncontrollably, despite the thick bandages and one entire package of gauze already used, which seemed insufficient to cover the deep wound tearing through his abdomen.

"Check his pulse, is it still normal?" Doctor Yu asked as he continued treating the wounds covering the soldier's entire body.

The sight of the soldier was heartbreaking, but Doctor Yu and the nurses soon began to notice something unusual about the soldier. It seemed as though something was off about him.