```
Li Yifei went straight back to the hotel, where his four rascally buddies immediately swarmed him with questions. It took Li Yifei quite a while to fend them off before he could finally climb into bed to rest.
Although all five men were now together in a large suite, none of them felt sleepy. The bonds between these comrades were forged in the crucible of life and death. Back then, even a hint of selfishness could have landed them all in dire straits. They trusted each other implicitly, to the point of being willing to expose their backs to their comrades, confident that even if their friends could not eliminate the danger from behind, they would shield them with their own bodies from incoming bullets.
This type of bond is a matter of life and death, a trust so profound you would put your life in the other person's hands. It is a far cry from mere fair-weather friends.
