Dare to shirk responsibility? This adorable little one will tear down your military district!

When Gu Changfeng carried Meng Yaya out of the office building, he felt as if he was holding not his daughter, but a powder keg with its fuse lit.

The little girl had a special pass tied with a red velvet rope around her neck, and she tightly gripped a finely carved wooden gun in her hand. She stood tall and proud, looking even more imposing than her superior.

The sentries downstairs stood ramrod straight.

Upon seeing Gu Changfeng emerge, the sentry snapped to attention and saluted: "Greetings, Commander!"

Just as Gu Changfeng was about to return the greeting, Meng Yaya, in his arms, raised the wooden gun engraved with the words "Zhentian" and called out in her childish voice, "Hello, comrade!"

The sentry paused for a moment, his gaze falling on the small red booklet, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

He'd been stationed at headquarters for three years, and he could count the number of times he'd seen that red booklet on one hand. It was a special pass reserved for top leaders and top-secret personnel.

Why is this three-year-old wearing one around his neck?

"What are you looking at?" Meng Yaya held the red booklet closer to the sentry's eyes, her big eyes blinking. "My godfather gave it to me. He said I can go anywhere except where he doesn't want me to see it."

The sentry instinctively saluted again, this time standing even straighter, his voice so loud it silenced the cicadas in the trees: "Greetings, sir!"

Meng Yaya nodded her little head in satisfaction, took out a White Rabbit milk candy from her little yellow backpack, and patted it into the sentry's hand like a leader comforting a subordinate: "You've worked hard, have some candy."

Gu Changfeng's lips twitched; this girl got into character way too quickly.

"Alright, stop showing off." Gu Changfeng pressed her wooden gun down a little. "Go home for dinner, your mother must be getting impatient."

Along the way, Meng Yaya got 100% of the attention she received.

Many soldiers who had just come off the training field were fascinated when they saw Commander Gu holding a beautifully shaped baby, who was also carrying a wooden gun.

"Is this the little hero who caught the spy?"

"I heard that the agent was so exhausted from carrying that box of bricks that he vomited blood. That was a brilliant move."

A few bolder company commanders came over and teased her, "Ya Ya, why don't you let your uncle play with your gun?"

Meng Yaya shielded the wooden gun in her arms, her little face hardening: "This is an imperial sword, you can only look at it, not touch it. Want it? Go ask Commander Lei for it."

Upon hearing the name of Commander Lei, the company commanders immediately shrank back, laughed, and dispersed.

Gu Changfeng finally understood: this girl would be like a crab walking sideways in the military compound from now on. If anyone dared to mess with her, she could bring out Lei Zhentian, this great Buddha, to crush them.

Back in Courtyard No. 6, the aroma of food wafted through the air as soon as I entered the house.

Lin Wanrou was just putting the last stir-fried vegetable dish on the table when she saw the father and son return. She smiled and wiped her hands on her apron, saying, "Wash your hands and eat. We have braised pork today."

"Mom! We've struck it rich!"

Meng Yaya jumped down from Gu Changfeng's arms, without even taking off her shoes, and rushed into the inner room, climbing onto the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove).

She dumped the thick envelope onto the kang table.

With a "whoosh".

Thirty brand-new ten-yuan bills, spread out like green fallen leaves, exuded an enticing scent of ink under the dim light.

The chopsticks in Lin Wanrou's hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".

She had never seen so much money in her life.

Back in Mengjia Village, Wang Guifen cherished money more than her own life; she would even beg for a single penny for vinegar. This pile of money was like a dream to her.

"This... Changfeng, where did this come from?" Lin Wanrou's voice trembled, her face pale. "You...you didn't do anything against the rules, did you?"

In her simple mind, a soldier's monthly allowance was only so much; this amount of money was frighteningly large and must have come from an illegitimate source.

Gu Changfeng picked up his chopsticks, went to the outer room to wash his face, and his voice came through in a muffled tone: "It's a bonus from the commander. Clean money for catching spies."

"Three hundred yuan?!" Lin Wanrou clutched her chest.

"That's right!" Meng Yaya sat cross-legged in the pile of money, like a little landlord guarding his wealth. "Grandpa said this is our family's hard-earned money. Mom, you should put it away quickly. From now on, our family will eat and drink well and never have to worry about making ends meet again."

Lin Wanrou's eyes immediately reddened.

She walked over, her hand trembling as she touched the brand-new bill, then withdrew it.

"This is too much..." She looked at Gu Changfeng, "Changfeng, we can't spend this money recklessly, we have to save it. It'll be useful for Yaya's schooling and for you to take care of your health..."

"Mom, you manage the money." Meng Yaya stuffed all the money into Lin Wanrou's hand. "Dad can't have any money. Grandpa said that men with money go bad."

Gu Changfeng slipped as soon as he entered the house and almost tripped on the threshold.

He looked at his wife and helplessly spread his hands: "Take it. This really was earned by Ya Ya. If it weren't for her box of bricks, the spy would have escaped long ago. This is the confidence your daughter gives you."

Lin Wanrou clutched the wad of money tightly, tears streaming down her face—tears of joy.

With this money, she finally felt truly confident. In this unfamiliar military region, she no longer had to worry about her and her child starving on the streets if something unexpected happened.

In the following days, Meng Yaya completely let loose.

She hung the little red book around her neck, and with Black Wind by her side, she patrolled all over the military region.

If she sees any naughty kids bullying others, she'll go up and give them a good beating. After she's done, she'll flash her little red book, leaving those brats' parents speechless.

If she saw that the mess hall's vegetables weren't washed properly, she would take her little wooden gun and knock on the window, and the quartermaster would have to come out with a smile and redo it.

Throughout the entire military compound, from the division commander and political commissar down to the greenhorn, everyone would give this little devil a wide berth.

As everyone knows, this little dumpling's biological father is not only the King of Hell, but his godfather is Lei Zhentian. Who can afford to offend him?

Even the previously arrogant and domineering Li Aihong now has to sneak along the wall when she sees Meng Yaya, for fear that this girl will catch her doing something wrong again.

Life was chaotic yet incredibly fulfilling.

Until that night.

Gu Changfeng returned later than usual, carrying the smell of gunpowder and dirt. As soon as he entered the door, he began packing his belongings, placing his training uniform, water bottle, and his well-maintained Type 54 pistol on the table.

Lin Wanrou stopped sewing, the needle almost pricking her finger.

"Are you going on a mission?" she asked softly, her voice filled with unconcealed worry.

"Hmm." Gu Changfeng didn't even look up as he loaded bullets into the magazine. "The annual military exercise of the entire region, a combat competition. I am the commander of the Red Team's assault regiment, and I will lead my team deep into the Greater Khingan Mountains."

Exercises are real combat.

In this era, military exercises are never child's play; they are real battles with real weapons and guns. Injuries and injuries are common, and there are even annual targets for casualties.

Deep in the Greater Khingan Mountains, old forests are dense, the terrain is complex, and wild animals roam.

Meng Yaya sat on a small stool, holding Black Wind's dog head in her arms, her brows slightly furrowed.

Her sixth sense, honed in the apocalypse, suddenly jolted.

That feeling was very uncomfortable, like a needle gently pricking my back.

"How many days will you be gone?" Meng Yaya asked.

"At least three days, at most a week." Gu Changfeng loaded the last bullet, clicked it into the magazine, and looked up at the mother and daughter.

"Don't worry, it's just a routine drill. I'll bring you pheasant stew with mushrooms when I get back."

He spoke casually, but Meng Yaya clearly saw the seriousness between his brows.

This exercise is unprecedented in scale, and it is said that people from higher up will come to inspect it. As the commander of the elite regiment, Gu Changfeng is under immense pressure.

"Be careful." Lin Wanrou put down her needlework, went over to straighten his collar, and lingered for a moment on his rough neck with her fingers. "Ya Ya and I are waiting for you at home."

Gu Changfeng grasped her hand and squeezed it hard; his palm was burning hot. "Don't worry, with Ya Ya at home as my protector, I have no worries."

The next morning, before dawn.

The bugle call was loud and piercing, breaking the tranquility of the military compound.

The engines of jeeps roared as trucks loaded with soldiers drove out of the gate, kicking up clouds of dust.

Meng Yaya leaned on the windowsill, watching Gu Changfeng jump into the military green jeep.

He was wearing camouflage training uniform, his face painted with face paint, making him appear even more cold and stern. Before the car started, he glanced back in the direction of Compound No. 6 and waved.

The car quickly disappeared into the morning mist.

Meng Yaya touched the small wooden gun in her arms. The unease in her heart did not dissipate as the car drove away; instead, it grew stronger.

"What's wrong, Ya Ya?" Lin Wanrou walked over, wearing a coat, and hugged her. "Can't bear to part with Daddy?"

"Mom," Meng Yaya buried her head in Lin Wanrou's neck, her voice muffled, "I think... that big, dumb guy named Zhao Tiezhu is going to the exercise too, right?"

"Yes, he was one of the top recruits in basic training, he'll definitely go."

Meng Yaya sighed.

That Zhao Tiezhu is indeed strong, but he's single-minded and has an unstable lower body. If he were to go to a complex mountain terrain, who knows what kind of trouble he might cause.

Hopefully, my cheapskate father won't get himself into trouble trying to be a hero.

However, Murphy's Law holds true in any era. What you fear most often comes to pass.