The White Olive Tree

Chapter 25

Instructor Chen Feng vividly remembered the day on September 26th.

As July's scorching heat gradually faded into autumn, Liangcheng was enjoying pleasant weather, with clear skies and fresh air.

Around three in the afternoon, he received a sudden call from the Peacekeeping Force Command Headquarters stationed in Dongguo. It was from Commissar Political Luo Zhan, who informed him that Li Zan had been involved in a major incident. He had been severely injured by a close-range human bomb explosion, and his life hung in the balance.

At that moment, Luo Zhan had no further information, only advising Chen Feng to prepare himself mentally and inform Li Zan's family.

Upon hearing the phrase inform his family, Instructor Chen Feng understood the severity of the situation.

That afternoon, Chen Feng was nearly frantic, searching everywhere for information and seeking assistance from others. It wasn't until late into the night that he pieced together the entire sequence of events.

Li Zan had been too close to the explosive device, rendering him unconscious on the spot. He was rushed to a nearby field hospital for treatment. His injuries included damage to his skull, fractured ribs, a pierced liver, a broken shinbone, not to mention multiple internal injuries and extensive external wounds. If it hadn't been for the protective gear, he would have lost his life long ago.

The orders from higher-ups were clear: do whatever it takes to save him.

Due to the limited capabilities of the field hospital, local military forces used helicopters to transport him to the capital of a neighboring country, where the best expert doctors were summoned to perform surgery, a process that took more than ten hours.

Li Zan remained in a serious condition, only waking from unconsciousness after a week. Subsequently, his condition fluctuated several times, with him repeatedly lapsing into critical condition. It wasn't until over half a month later that his condition gradually stabilized, and he was transferred back to his home country.

A month later, the injuries in other parts of his body showed improvement under the treatment of top doctors. However, the damage to his hearing was severe. The authorities arranged for the best specialists to treat him, but after numerous surgeries, while there were signs of slight improvement, the severe tinnitus and dizziness almost rendered him incapacitated.

The experts attempted numerous experiments, but each time they found themselves at a loss.

He was like a machine undergoing repairs time and time again, on the verge of breaking down.

Now, three months had passed in the blink of an eye. The United States was his last hope.

Just after Christmas, the biting cold wind swept through New York City.

Instructor Chen Feng stood in the slowly ascending sightseeing elevator of the hospital. Below was the bustling streets of New York, filled with a festive atmosphere. However, he had no interest in the scenery.

Li Zan stood beside him, expressionless, staring into the void. The outside view flowed past his eyes like water, leaving no trace.

Instructor Chen Feng suddenly recalled the time when Li Zan was just sent back to the country.

He lay on the hospital bed day after day, seemingly awake but with his eyes closed, unwilling to communicate with the outside world. For many days, he didn't utter a single word. It wasn't until one day, when a nurse was changing his clothes, that Instructor Chen Feng saw the dense web of scars on his back, like a spider's web.

It was shocking, and only then could he vaguely imagine what Li Zan had experienced at the moment of the explosion.

Chen Feng said, "A Zan, don't worry, it will get better. Jackson is the best military ear surgeon in the United States. The surgery he did for you before was effective, and you can hear some sounds now, right? Take it slow, it will improve."