Chapter 47: The Outbreak of Conflict

Hou Manling did not answer immediately. Her eyes remained fixed on Zhong Xiao, a slow-burning anger rising in those seemingly calm pupils.

Zhong Xiao’s smile was radiant and beautiful—dazzling, just like the sunrise seen every day on Taizhou Island. It made Hou Manling feel like an ugly duckling standing before her, shamefaced and awkward.

Her gaze grew increasingly chilly, and soon, Zhong Xiao sensed something amiss—the hostility directed at her was unmistakable.

Hou Manling watched Zhong Xiao for a moment longer, then, without a word, picked up the ceramic basin and left.

As Zhong Xiao watched her retreating figure, she turned to the others in the dormitory and asked, “Who is she?”

Someone replied, “She’s the head nurse at the Emergency Surgical Center. Her name is Hou Manling. Sister Manling is usually very kind—no idea what’s gotten into her today…”

“Maybe she’s just in a bad mood?” someone else suggested.

Zhong Xiao didn’t take it to heart. She was about to return to her room to wash up when Hou Manling, who had already left, suddenly stormed back in, bursting into Zhong Xiao’s dormitory, kicking open the door, and glaring at her.

“Was it your idea to send the rescue team to Yuehu Island?!”

Hou Manling had gone out to fetch water for a foot bath and overheard some people saying that today’s rescue operation had been suggested by the new girl. They said she claimed there was a high probability the missing people were on Yuehu Island, and that she’d read many military treatises.

Meeting Hou Manling’s furious gaze, Zhong Xiao replied calmly, “Yes, it was my idea. Is there a problem?”

“Are you trying to get Ting Shen killed?!” Hou Manling demanded, her voice trembling with anger. “Have you ever led troops? Fought in a war? Do you think reading a few books qualifies you to issue orders from the safety of your desk? Do you have any idea how tense things are on the front lines? Do you know how many soldiers might die if a single decision goes wrong? Can you bear that responsibility?”

Now Zhong Xiao understood the source of Hou Manling’s inexplicable hostility—she liked Song Tingshen. Her first concern was for him, and only then for the other soldiers at the front.

Zhong Xiao drew a deep breath. If it weren’t for her ability to hear that fish’s thoughts, she would never have said a word about the situation on the front lines. But now, as the only person privy to this information, she could not ignore it.

Stepping forward, Zhong Xiao said, “I’ve never been to the battlefield, but I’m not just theorizing. I’ve already discussed the details with Commissar Liu today. In a rescue, every second counts. Since no one has concrete information about their whereabouts, shouldn’t the most convincing hypothesis take precedence?”

But Hou Manling refused to back down.

“And what makes your guess so convincing? I already thought it was absurd for the rescue team to go to Yuehu Island. Have you ever even been to Taizhou Island? Do you know anything about Yuehu Island? The commander and the others are trapped, likely wounded; sending people to a place like Yuehu Island is a death sentence! Do you think the commander would allow his men to die for nothing?”

Zhong Xiao countered, “Is it the island’s environment that kills, or the enemy relentlessly pursuing them? If we don’t take the risk, do you want all of them captured?!”

Hou Manling was stunned by Zhong Xiao’s forceful presence. Just moments ago, Zhong Xiao had seemed bright and gentle, smiling like a sheltered young lady untouched by the world’s hardships, oblivious to the cruelty of war and the harshness of reality.

But within minutes, she transformed—assertive, unyielding, her gentle aura replaced by something sharp and fierce, as if ready for battle at any moment.

Seeing she couldn’t win the argument, Hou Manling turned to leave. “I’m going to speak to Director Zuo about this!”

But Zhong Xiao stepped forward and grabbed her arm. “Director Zuo is in surgery right now. Are you going to storm into the operating room to argue? You say lives are at stake—well, Director Zuo is saving lives at this very moment! If you want to question me, now is not the time!”