The woman on the other side of the table asked a few more questions, including why he was here, did he have any accomplices, was he a communist, and so on. Zhang Heng answered her questions one by one. For the past few days, he hadn't been wandering aimlessly in the forest. He had thought about how to deal with a situation like this.
That was why the woman couldn't find anything wrong with Zhang Heng's answer. During the conversation, Zhang Heng managed to glean some useful information, such as the woman's name. Her name was Maji, and she was a surgeon. In this era, women's rights movement had improved the status of women. However, female surgeons were still a rarity. Maji had to leave her country after completing her studies. She lived in Sweden for a long time before moving to a hospital in Finland to work.
When the war broke out, she didn't choose to leave. Instead, she stayed and became a volunteer. She was also the only medical member of the guerrillas. As for the mustached Aji, he was a second lieutenant, in charge of commanding the guerrillas.
"I know what you want, but I can't make the decision. Let's go to where you were earlier and wait. I'll tell Ah Ji everything I heard." Maji looked at Zhang Heng from the corner of her eye after she finished asking those questions. "I know what you want, but I can't make the decision.
Zhang Heng didn't leave immediately. Instead, he asked, "How is she?"
"That child … she was sent back in time. The surgery went smoothly. I gave her some blood transfusion, and a batch of anti-inflammatory drugs from Sweden arrived the day before yesterday. She should be fine. She should wake up tomorrow morning." Maji didn't look up.
Zhang Heng could tell that she was distracted, but he didn't know if it was about the guerrillas or herself. So, he nodded and returned to the woodshed.
This time, he waited longer than the first time. When the sun rose, the guerrillas brought him breakfast. It included a bowl of steaming venison soup, half a loaf of bread, and blueberry jam.
The food was much better than what the Soviet soldiers were given. This was the advantage of fighting on their own. Although the guerrillas were hiding in the mountains, they could get a steady stream of supplies from the nearby villages. The villagers would also come to inform them of the Soviet army's movements.
It had been a long time since he had had a good meal. He had done everything he could, and there was no point in worrying about it now. So, he swept up all the food that was delivered to him, and it was only at noon that Maji appeared in front of him again.
"Unfortunately, we can't send you to the rear of the battle line. The situation is tense now, and we don't have enough people to do this."
"You just need to tell me the direction and give me some supplies. I can go there by myself."
Maggie smiled.
Zhang Heng suddenly understood what the real reason was.
This time, the female doctor did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point. "Your identity and background are very suspicious. Although we can't find any loopholes in it, we can't verify most of it. More importantly, you know where the guerrillas' stronghold is. We can't let you go just like that."
Heng was silent.
"Ah Ji is a person who hates trouble. Although it might be unfair to you, we can't rule out the possibility that you are a Soviet spy. So, killing you is the easiest option. People die everywhere in war. We can just find a random place to dump your body, and no one will know who did it." Maji paused, hoping to see fear on Zhang Heng's face. However, the latter's reaction disappointed her.
Zhang Heng knew that if he was facing the worst-case scenario, the person who would appear at the door would be the guerrillas, not the doctor-translator.
"The good news is that the child has been speaking up for you," Maji continued. "Since the day I met her, I've never seen her speak so much. With her backing, Ah Ji is willing to give you a chance to prove with your actions whether you are a friend or an enemy of the Finnish people."
"What do you mean?"
"Congratulations. You are now a member of the guerrillas. The child needs a partner. When she recovers, you can work together," the female doctor said.
Zhang Heng knew that this was the best offer he could get right now. It was a far cry from what he had hoped for, but he had no right to refuse. The threat in Maji's words was obvious. If he did not agree to it, he would have no choice but to choose the first option.
Zhang Heng did not know if his situation had gotten better or worse. The good news was that he now had a safe stronghold that could provide logistical support and a strong partner. Zhang Heng had seen the female sniper's marksmanship before, and he never doubted her ability. The bad news was that he was now completely involved in this war. From a bystander, he was forced to participate in it. Considering the situation that he would have to face next, the danger level would undoubtedly skyrocket.
Before this, he had never received any military training. The bearded officer could tell that. Yet, he still made such a request. There must be some ulterior motive behind it.
Zhang Heng did not say anything else. Instead, he asked Maji, "I have never fired a gun before. Can I practice it first?"
"Of course, this is a reasonable request. Before the child recovers, you can do whatever you want as long as you don't leave the camp." The female doctor was a little surprised by Zhang Heng's calmness. She realized that she could not see through the young man in front of her. He seemed to have a maturity that did not match his age. In the face of such a difficult situation, he could still maintain his rationality and quickly recognize the reality. This piqued Maji's interest.
"What weapon do you want to practice with? M28 rifle? Suomi M31 submachine gun? There is no M26 in the camp, but there is a DP28 light machine gun that we seized from the Soviets … "
"If it's possible, I will try the rifle and pistol first." Zhang Heng was still thinking of self-preservation. Machine guns and submachine guns were powerful, but they would cause a lot of commotion. In a battlefield, they would be prioritized by the enemy. He did not want to be the first one to stand out. The number of enemies he killed meant nothing to him. Besides, the outcome of this war was already decided.
"Other than shooting, you better practice skiing. The snow in the mountains is thick during this season. You can't run as fast as skis if you walk. It might save your life at a critical moment," Maji added as she lit up another cigarette.
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