The White Olive Tree

Chapter 16

"What did you say?" Luo Zhan stood on the steps of the hospital's back door, astonished by Li Zan's recent statement.

Li Zan closed the hospital's back door and looked at him, "I said I want to join the Special Joint Forces."

The Special Joint Forces were a special combat unit established by the Peacekeeping Command with the authorization of the Dongguo government in response to the war situation. They had the same front line combat rights as the Dongguo's native forces.

Luo Zhan emphasized, "That's real combat."

Li Zan smiled, "I'm not planning to play around."

Luo Zhan's gaze became serious, staring at him and said, "You need the approval of your Instructor for this! You're a key-trained bomb disposal soldier of the Jiangcheng Military Region. If something happens to you, they'll come looking for me, and I'll have to find someone else to replace you."

Li Zan stopped smiling and said, "Aren't they training me for real combat? What's the use of hiding behind all the time?"

Luo Zhan furrowed his brow, took out a cigarette, pondered for a moment and said, "My words don't count for this matter. Wait until the discussion within the unit, and I'll inform you of the result."

"Okay." Li Zan turned and left.

"Li Zan." Luo Zhan called him back, "Chen Feng means for you to come here to enrich your experience, achieve something, and go back for a promotion."

"If one can remain indifferent in the face of slaughter, they can't become a soldier, let alone talk about being a good soldier."

When Song Ran returned to the explosion site, the cordon had been removed, and the street had been minimally cleaned. However, the large bloodstains and the black traces of the explosion were still visible.

After shooting a few clips, preparing to leave, she noticed a dirty little boy sitting by the roadside, hugging himself with a pout. He was stubbornly staring at the explosion site and wiping tears away.

Song Ran took out the apple she had been reluctant to eat and handed it to him. His shiny black eyes looked at her, then at the apple. He took it, said nothing, tightly clutching the apple in his small hands.

Song Ran had intended to pat him, but she didn't. She turned around and walked away.

That night, while organizing the photos in the hotel, one picture had a profound impact on her – a soldier lifting a dead child from the debris and bodies. She didn't edit the photo and directly posted it on social media with the caption "CARRY."

Just after sending out the photos, a message came in from a journalist at the British XX News, asking if they could reprint the photos. Song Ran replied with approval, and more requests for reprints kept pouring in. She decided to publicly grant authorization.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door, and it was Saxin.

Song Ran hadn't seen him all day and was worried, "Are you okay today?"

"At least still alive." Saxin shrugged, his smile helpless and bitter.

"I'm sorry about the explosion."

"No need. This country has endured enough of such disasters. I just thought that at least Garo would be safe, but it seems not."

Song Ran didn't know how to comfort him.

"Song, I've come to say goodbye."

Surprised, Song Ran asked, "Where are you going?"

"To a place closer to the war." This young man, who had just turned twenty said, "I don't want to stay behind. I'm going to Hapo."