The hail of gunfire finally ceased, and the clamor on the battlefield gradually subsided. Leitao and his fellow guerrillas returned to their makeshift camp, weary and wounded. The atmosphere in the camp was tense; everyone was busy dressing wounds and organizing equipment, the pervasive noise underscoring the heaviness of the aftermath.
As soon as Leitao entered the camp, he began treating the wounded. He worked with intense focus, sweat rolling down his forehead and carving paths through the dust on his face. His hands remained steady and agile as he expertly tended to injuries and labored to extract embedded bullets, each movement reflecting how deeply he cherished the lives of his comrades.
When the camp slowly regained its vitality, Leitao fell into deep thought. Watching his busy comrades, he felt conflicted. He was accustomed to acting alone; though collective life was warm, he found the sense of constraint difficult to bear.
Chapter 74