When the ship carrying Zhou Shuren arrived off the coast of Rizhao, several warships could be seen slowly patrolling in the distance. Seeing Zhou Shuren's ship approaching, small naval vessels immediately sped over to intercept. Since it was a civilian ship, the medical team members standing on the deck and by the gunwales were startled by the aggressive approach of the warships.

Fortunately, the warships didn't open fire directly. After pulling alongside, they inquired about the purpose of Zhou Shuren and his group. A naval officer spoke relatively politely, "You must accept an inspection first. If there are no issues after the investigation, we will send you ashore."

Zhou Shuren and the other doctors remained silent, but the "volunteers" were unhappy. Someone immediately clamored, "We traveled thousands of miles to treat the wounded, how can you treat us like this?"

"Yeah! We aren't spies, can't you trust us?"

"The President called for doctors from all over to come to Rizhao, and this is the result we get? Does the President have the final say, or do you subordinates call the shots?"

The naval officer's brow furrowed as he listened, though luckily, only a minority were making noise. Seeing that things were going south, Zhou Shuren quickly stepped forward to express his willingness to obey the navy's arrangements. The officer glared viciously at the few ungrateful fellows for a moment before returning to his own ship.

The inspection wasn't actually that strict. A part of the long breakwater extending into the sea had been built, and the wharf had taken shape. The cargo yard near the wharf, however, had been leveled quite nicely. The Beiyang Army's camp was located on this flat ground. After a casual check at the wharf, the Beiyang officer ordered Zhou Shuren and the others to go to the wounded soldiers to begin treatment.

Unlike the scene of a camp full of wounded soldiers that Zhou Shuren and the others had imagined, there didn't seem to be that many wounded remaining in Rizhao. The wounded were mainly divided into two categories: those with light injuries and the heavily wounded who were almost unable to move. Inside the tents, the heavily wounded lay motionless. They breathed out more than they breathed in, and even their groans were faint, mere hums. The air was filled with the stench of rotting blood. These signs caused great panic among the military doctors; this wasn't a camp for the wounded, this was simply a living tomb filled with people about to die.

Because of the urgent departure, many sterilization equipment hadn't been brought along. Zhou Shuren wanted some lime to serve as a basic disinfectant. They finally found the Beiyang Army quartermaster, who had no desire to be in the wounded camp, only to be told there was none. Zhou Shuren asked for some large cauldrons to boil gauze; there were cauldrons, but not enough fuel. The quartermaster, perhaps out of respect for Zhou Shuren and the others being doctors, promised to send some soldiers to help chop some tree branches.

Since a large number of the wounded had actually lost a significant amount of blood, blood transfusions were needed. Upon hearing that blood had to be drawn from oneself to give to others, the quartermaster immediately rejected the idea. Many doctors and nurses at the Hangzhou Hospital had learned battlefield rescue, and blood transfusion was just one of the most basic subjects. Not to mention that the People's Party had already gone all out to popularize concepts like blood transfusion, even the comrades of the Restoration Society's Western Zhejiang Branch, having experienced bloody battles, could generally accept the concept of blood transfusion. Unexpectedly, it was completely out of the question here with the Beiyang Army.

Without blood transfusions, soldiers lacking blood at least needed emergency infusions of saline solution. But the Beiyang Army also had a massive shortage of salt. When a doctor asked if Beiyang had the kind of bagged refined salt the People's Party had, the Beiyang quartermaster's face immediately changed. He scolded, "Don't talk nonsense! How could we possibly have People's Party stuff here!"

Seeing no way to solve the problem, Zhou Shuren had to ask the officer to send more manpower to help. The officer asked with a sullen face, "Since you are here to help, you should listen to us. How can there be talk of us sending people to help you?"

These speechless-rendering words actually made a lot of sense. With Zhou Shuren's upbringing and intelligence, he knew the officer was correct in principle. But he had also seen the level of the Beiyang military doctors; even if it couldn't be called disregarding human life, it could definitely be evaluated as highly unprofessional. If the doctors and nurses of the Hangzhou Hospital were split up and used separately, people who could have been saved would likely breathe their last.

At this moment, Zhou Shuren could only say pleasant things to the officer to get him to leave as quickly as possible. If this officer decided to make a fuss, heaven knows what would happen. Regardless of what happened, it would definitely not be something Zhou Shuren would be happy with.

"Self-reliance and ample food and clothing!" This phrase, often heard in the People's Party base areas, popped into Zhou Shuren's mind. Whether they could have ample food and clothing was debatable, but given the current situation, if they couldn't be self-reliant, the medical team wouldn't even be able to continue their work. Without a supply of the most basic materials, many treatments simply couldn't proceed.

However, the medical team was currently weak and isolated, and Zhou Shuren understood very well that he had to cooperate with others. He first had the medical team start treatment regardless of whether future supplies were sufficient. The People's Party's method of mass work was simple: don't talk first, just start doing it. As long as others could see that the People's Party had the ability and the strength, there would be people from the masses trying to make friends with the People's Party. This was what Zhou Shuren had learned when listening to the People's Party's lectures on mass work. Of course, Zhou Shuren's family education and his own intelligence allowed him to understand these things as well.

Many hands make light work; everyone has things they can and cannot do. As long as everyone discusses and cooperates, there is no hurdle that cannot be crossed. This requires communication, and this requires exchange. Zhou Shuren still remembered a sentence a People's Party cadre had said, "There is nothing in this world more expensive than something free." Unilateral giving and receiving is either ill-intentioned or unsustainable. generally speaking, if clear and reasonable requests are made of the other party, based on a mutual intention to cooperate, it is rare that a consensus cannot be reached.

Sure enough, Zhou Shuren's command and arrangements worked. The medical team treated forty-something wounded soldiers completely according to normal procedures, and more wounded appeared outside the door. Upon talking with the wounded soldiers, the reason they had gathered became clear. The level of the Beiyang military doctors was indeed quite rotten, and their treatment methods were rather monotonous. Nothing more than extracting bullets, bandaging wounds, and the like. The rest was left to fate, to see if the wounded soldiers' luck was hard enough. Even with such treatment, the speed was very slow.

Zhou Shuren's medical team was not only fast in treatment but also had many methods; they looked better than the military doctors. At this point, for the sake of their own lives, the wounded soldiers would definitely choose the doctors who looked more reliable. That was why they gathered here. Zhou Shuren ordered people to arrange the treatment order for the wounded. During the process, he also asked some wounded soldiers if there were any medical supplies nearby that could be utilized without encroaching on military supplies.

Very quickly, a wounded soldier provided information that there were lime pools near the port. Hearing that lime was useful for treatment, wounded soldiers immediately volunteered to take the medical team to have a look. Zhou Shuren arranged for personnel to follow the wounded soldier to the vicinity of the lime pools, and sure enough, they brought back slaked lime. Before long, the smell of lime water entered the noses of the medical team again; smelling this familiar scent, the team members felt much more at ease.

With the initial communication and cooperation, the subsequent developments became much easier. The guards guarding the wounded camp were mainly lightly wounded soldiers who had participated in the search of Rizhao City. The most valuable things had been taken away when the citizens of Rizhao retreated. Anything slightly valuable had been taken by the Japanese, leaving only odds and ends. A lightly wounded soldier remembered seeing salt in a resident's home in the city. After a search, a hundred or so jin of loose salt was collected. It wasn't enough for other things, but it was enough to make saline solution. Including large cauldrons and fuel, these things were slowly gathered, delivered, and put into use. Even if the medical team couldn't exert its full strength, they could at least maintain some basic medical care. But the work, which had been going well, was interrupted by a sudden accident. A conflict broke out between the wounded soldiers and the "volunteers" in the medical team.

Even if they were wounded, soldiers were definitely not something these volunteers could confront. By the time Zhou Shuren rushed to the scene of the conflict upon hearing the news, the brawl had essentially ended. Seven or eight volunteers had been beaten until their heads were bloody, groaning as they lay on the ground unable to move. Seeing the murderous look on the faces of the wounded soldiers, the female nurses following in Zhou Shuren's group turned pale with fright. The wounded soldier leading the beating seemed to be a junior officer. Seeing Zhou Shuren and the others arrive, he said with a serious expression, "Dr. Zhou, we can distinguish good from bad. You and these young ladies are not in the same group as these bastards. We brothers are indebted to Dr. Zhou for doing his best to treat us, and we would absolutely not lay a hand on good people like Dr. Zhou."

After saying these words, the leading junior officer looked coldly at the "volunteers" groaning on the ground. "These bastards slacked off when working, and we didn't say anything about them. After all, they came with Dr. Zhou, and we have to give Dr. Zhou face. But these scoundrels not only slacked off but also talked nonsense everywhere. The brothers tolerated it, but it turns out some of them were stealing the belongings of the brothers who died of illness. We can't pretend not to see this. These brothers who died had bad luck, but that doesn't mean no one cares about them after they die. Dr. Zhou, for your sake, my brothers and I spared these kids' lives. If they do this again next time, Dr. Zhou, you shouldn't bother with them."

Zhou Shuren couldn't be entirely sure if what the officer said was true or false, but since the man spoke politely, Zhou Shuren couldn't press the issue. Moreover, regarding these volunteers being beaten, Zhou Shuren didn't feel any necessity in his heart to avenge them. The treatment was very arduous; the medical team of less than fifty people had been busy for two days, and there was still a long queue at the door.

While treatment was ongoing, someone was seen running into the main surgery tent in a panic. Zhou Shuren was performing a surgery. He was almost forcefully dragged away from the operating table by the newcomer.

After working almost day and night for two days, Zhou Shuren's reactions to anything outside of surgery had become very dull. It took him a moment to realize that this person was actually Wu Yutang.

"Mr. Wu, what is the matter?" Zhou Shuren asked.

"The Beiyang Army has started to retreat. They left the wounded behind and took the ships themselves!" Although it was already October and the weather wasn't hot, Wu Yutang was still sweating profusely from anxiety.

"Oh?" Zhou Shuren still didn't quite understand what Wu Yutang meant.

"The Beiyang Army requisitioned our ship too. They said the People's Party is about to attack." Wu Yutang finally spoke of the matter he cared about most.

Zhou Shuren almost smiled. If the People's Party really came, these wounded soldiers would truly be saved. The medical capabilities of the People's Party's regular field hospitals were simply not something Zhou Shuren's "medical team" could compare with. Seeing that a portion of the wounded were simply beyond his ability to treat, Zhou Shuren had originally thought he could only watch helplessly as they died. The arrival of the People's Party was fantastic news for the wounded Beiyang soldiers.

It was just that he was extremely exhausted from the heavy work of the past two days, so Zhou Shuren managed to suppress his smile. He asked seriously, wearing a somewhat panicked expression, "Mr. Wu, then what should we do?"

"The only plan now is to squeeze onto the Beiyang Army's fleet." Wu Yutang was extremely anxious.

Zhou Shuren quickly said, "Mr. Wu, since our ship was taken by Beiyang, you should hurry and get on a Beiyang ship. You were sent by Mr. Cai; as long as you can retreat with Beiyang, there will always be a chance. We will pack up here and retreat quickly as well. You don't need to worry about us for now. If we can't get the ship back, how will we return to Zhejiang!"

"Alright, alright!" Wu Yutang was also a bit flustered at this moment. The loss of personnel really wasn't a problem in Wu Yutang's eyes, but that ship had been borrowed by Cai Yuanpei from a trading firm. If the ship couldn't be reclaimed, Wu Yutang wouldn't be able to pay for it even if he sold himself.

Not long after Wu Yutang hurriedly left, a few shouts and commands to stop were heard from outside. A moment later, the wounded soldier seen last time led some men rushing into the operating room. He faced Zhou Shuren and said calmly, "Dr. Zhou, the People's Party is about to attack."

"Oh, I just heard." Zhou Shuren was a little worried in his heart, not knowing what these wounded soldiers wanted to do. But regardless of what these wounded soldiers were going to do, Zhou Shuren would try his best to save the lives of the medical team members first. Because he knew the People's Party's policies and execution capabilities well, Zhou Shuren was very clear that as long as they didn't resist and didn't attempt hostility, falling into the hands of the People's Party could be said to be the safest place in all of China. The death rate was probably even lower than that of ordinary people.

The junior officer leading the wounded soldiers said, "Mr. Zhou, to tell you the truth, I was captured by the People's Party before. I was wounded last time too. The People's Party has always treated captives well; people won't die if they fall into their hands."

These words greatly exceeded Zhou Shuren's expectations. Zhou Shuren had just been considering whether to publicize the People's Party's POW policy, but he hadn't expected that the Beiyang Army, as the enemy of the People's Party, would be quite familiar with this policy.

The wounded soldier didn't know what Zhou Shuren was thinking. Seeing Zhou Shuren's calm demeanor, the wounded soldier thought Zhou Shuren didn't believe him. He persuaded, "Mr. Zhou, you are a doctor. When the People's Party attacks, we will surrender. We will also definitely explain the identity of Dr. Zhou and your group to the People's Party. We just hope that Dr. Zhou can continue to treat our brothers. Before you came, these brothers were just waiting to die. After you came, many brothers were able to hold on until the People's Party attacks. I know being a captive isn't glorious, but no matter how inglorious it is, we have to keep our lives first."

Zhou Shuren breathed a slight sigh of relief. "I am a doctor, and a doctor's job is to cure the sick and save lives. You don't need to worry about this. I will manage my colleagues well."

Having received Zhou Shuren's guarantee, the wounded soldier looked much happier. He hadn't expected Zhou Shuren to be so "reasonable." However, even so, the wounded soldiers still surrounded Zhou Shuren's medical site in a very orderly manner.

After nearly three more hours had passed, and Zhou Shuren and his team had treated another sixty-plus people, the sound of an electric loudspeaker was heard from outside. "We are the glorious Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army. Brothers of the Beiyang Army ahead, lay down your weapons and surrender. We, the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army, treat captives leniently."

The effect of the persuasion to surrender was excellent. Zhou Shuren heard someone from the Beiyang Army immediately shout loudly, "Officers opposite! We are wounded soldiers injured while fighting the Japanese. We surrender. Can you send military doctors over quickly? Many of our brothers can't hold on much longer."

Soon, the sound of a large group of people running came from outside. Seeing the panicked expressions of his medical team colleagues, Zhou Shuren advised, "Everyone, don't be afraid, and don't act rashly."

As soon as he finished speaking, the door curtain of the tent was lifted, and several soldiers strode in. Accompanying them was that Beiyang junior officer. "Officers, this is the medical team from Zhejiang. They are not bad people."

Seeing the People's Party military uniforms, Zhou Shuren's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally truly settled back into his stomach.