Rebirth in the Dragon Kingdom: The Strongest Blade

Wharton War Room, Country M.

On a huge electronic screen, five events that occurred within five days were marked in detail on a map—Los Angeles, Wharton, New York, Chicago, and Old Hill, like five nails driven into the five most prosperous points of this superpower.

The conference room was filled with smoke, the atmosphere oppressive and stifling. The president sat at the head of the table, his face terribly grim. On either side sat the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI Director, the Secretary of Homeland Security… the most powerful group in the country, yet at this moment, they resembled a group of helpless students.

"Eighteen days." The president's voice was hoarse. "Eighteen days! Five major security incidents, involving the military, finance, intelligence, scientific research, politics... each one is headline-worthy, each one brings shame to the nation! And you—" His gaze swept over everyone present, "can't even find out who the enemy is, how they got in, or where they are now!"

No one dared to speak.

The Director of Intelligence wiped the sweat from his brow: "Mr. President, we've used every resource at our disposal—airport customs records, port surveillance, border patrol reports, communications tapping, satellite imagery…nothing is amiss. It's like…it's like they appeared out of thin air."

"Appeared out of thin air?" the Defense Minister sneered. "You mean aliens?"

"What I mean is..." the intelligence director said with difficulty, "their methods are beyond our comprehension. They may have used infiltration methods we don't know about, or... they may have an inside man."

"An inside man?" The FBI director shook his head. "Five locations, spanning the entire country, involving different sectors. If there was an inside man, how large would that organization be? How could there be no trace of him?"

Another silence followed.

The Secretary of Homeland Security began, "What's even more terrifying is that they vanished into thin air after they finished. We blocked all major transportation routes, checked every departing plane and every departing ship, and even used facial recognition and biometric databases... nothing, absolutely nothing. Those five people are like they evaporated."

The president leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He felt a sense of powerlessness he had never experienced before.

As the president of the world's leading superpower, he was accustomed to having the final say on the international stage, to using force to intimidate other countries, and to using intelligence agencies and special forces to carry out subversion in the shadows.

But now, the same thing is happening to me.

The enemy infiltrated our homeland, caused sabotage, and then vanished without a trace. Meanwhile, our superpower couldn't even catch a glimpse of the enemy.

This fear is more terrifying than open warfare. Because you don't know when the enemy will return, where it will happen next, or who the target will be.

"Mr. President," the Secretary of State said cautiously, "according to intelligence analysis from various sources, these events... are very likely related to the Dragon Kingdom. Especially that emblem, 'Hidden Dragon'..."

"I know!" The president suddenly opened his eyes, bloodshot. "But where's the evidence? Without evidence, how can we explain this to our people? How can we explain this to our allies? Are we to say that we were slapped in the face by a special forces unit from China in our own home, and we can't even find them?"

The meeting room fell silent once again.

After a long silence, the Defense Minister said in a low voice, "Perhaps... we need to reassess our relationship with the Dragon Nation. At least temporarily... we need to cease all provocative actions. We need time to figure out exactly what technology and capabilities they possess."

The president didn't speak, but he acquiesced.

Because he knew this was the only option at the moment. Before figuring out how easily the enemy could come and go, any further provocation could invite an even more terrible retaliation.

Next time, it might not be as simple as bombing research institutes or attacking think tanks.

Maybe... someone really will appear in your bedroom.

The president shuddered at the thought.

At the same time, at a naval base in China.

The morning sea breeze, carrying a salty scent, caressed the dock. A submarine, entirely black, lay quietly at its berth, like a giant whale returning to its nest.

The hatch opened, and Lin Zhe and his four companions stepped out of the submarine. They had changed into clean training uniforms, but their faces still bore the marks of fatigue from their long journey.

A helicopter was already waiting on the dock. The rotors turned slowly, and the engine emitted a deep roar.

"Colonel Lin!" Captain Wang Haiting ran over, stood at attention, and saluted. "Have a safe journey!"

Lin Zhe returned the greeting: "Thank you. The success of this mission would not have been possible without your support."

"It's our honor!" Wang Hai's eyes gleamed. "To have 'Qianlong' on our submarine is a source of pride for all of us on board!"

After a brief farewell, the five boarded the helicopter. The cabin door closed, the helicopter took off, and flew inland.

An hour later, the helicopter landed on the landing pad at the "Hidden Dragon" base.

The cabin door opened, and five people stepped off the plane. They were all taken aback when they saw the crowd waiting on the tarmac.

The Dragon King stood at the forefront, bearing the rank of lieutenant general, his face solemn. Beside him was Major General Dragon Head. What surprised the five even more was that behind the Dragon King stood three generals—the stars on their shoulders indicating that they were all high-ranking officials of the Central Military Commission.

"Attention!" Lin Zhe shouted in a low voice.

The five men instantly stood up straight and saluted their superiors.

The three military leaders returned the salute and then stepped forward. Leading them was General Li, the Deputy Chief of the General Staff, who walked up to Lin Zhe and carefully examined the young man.

"Comrade Lin Zhe," General Li said in a loud voice, "you have completed this mission exceptionally well!"

"Reporting to the commander, this is what we should do!" Lin Zhe replied.

"What should be done and what can be done are two different things." General Li patted Lin Zhe on the shoulder. "Five people, infiltrated the US mainland, and in five days, created five major incidents in five important cities, and then escaped unscathed... This is unprecedented in the history of special operations worldwide."

He turned to the other four: "Dragon Fang, Dragon Claw, Dragon Shadow, Dragon Thorn, you are all outstanding! You have proven to the world with your actions that the 'Hidden Dragons' of the Dragon Kingdom are the most elite special forces on this planet!"

The five men stood up straight, their eyes flashing with pride.

General Li turned and took five red boxes from the accompanying officer. Inside were five gold medals—each with a dragon design and the word "Guardian" in the center.

"After deliberation by the Dragon Kingdom Military Commission," General Li solemnly declared, "it has been decided to award Lin Zhe, Longya, Longzhao, Longying, and Longci the highest honor medal of 'Guardians of the Dragon Kingdom.' Furthermore, in recognition of their outstanding performance in this mission, each of them is awarded a First-Class Merit!"

He pinned the medals on the chests of the five men one by one. The medals were heavy and gleamed with a noble light in the sunlight.

"Furthermore," General Li paused, "Comrade Lin Zhe, in view of your outstanding contributions to the country over the years, especially your remarkable achievements in military technology, special operations, and troop building, the Central Military Commission has specially approved your promotion to the rank of Major General!"

After he finished speaking, there was a moment of silence, followed by enthusiastic applause.

A 26-year-old major general.

This is unprecedented in the military history of the Dragon Kingdom. But no one felt it was inappropriate, because everyone knew that Lin Zhe deserved this rank. His achievements and contributions had transcended the boundaries of age and seniority.

Lin Zhe stood at attention and saluted: "Thank you, Chief!"

General Li personally helped him put on a brand-new major general's epaulettes. A gold star shone brightly in the sunlight.

After the medal-awarding ceremony, the leaders left. The Dragon King and the Dragon Head led the five people to the conference room.

"Have a seat," the Dragon King gestured. "Tell me the details."

The five sat down and began to give a detailed report on the mission. Every detail, every action, every method... the Dragon King and the Dragon Head nodded repeatedly as they listened.

"Well done." After hearing the report, the Dragon King's eyes were full of satisfaction. "Not only did they complete the mission, but they also left no evidence. The United States is now like someone who has swallowed a mouthful of flies, unable to spit it out or swallow it down."

The dragon head also smiled: "More importantly, this operation sends a signal to the world—the Dragon Kingdom not only has the ability to defend itself, but also the ability to retaliate. Anyone who dares to provoke us should be prepared for retaliation."

"What's the international reaction right now?" Lin Zhe asked.

"It's very subtle," the Dragon King said. "Ordinary people don't know what's going on, but the leaders of various countries are well aware of it. Especially those countries that followed the US and cheered them on, they've all quieted down now."

He pulled up the intelligence on his computer: "Country C has contacted us, expressing its willingness to improve relations and promising not to participate in any actions against China. The other countries that were provoking us on the border have also all quieted down."

"What about the US?"

"They appear tough on the surface, but are actually backing down," Long Shou said. "They have suspended all provocative actions in the Asia-Pacific region and withdrawn some military deployments. Although they are still shouting 'freedom of navigation,' their actions have become much more subdued."

Lin Zhe nodded. This was the effect he wanted—to crush the enemy's arrogance with a single action and win development space for the country.

"But you must be careful," the Dragon King said seriously. "Country M suffered a great loss this time and will not let it go. They will definitely try to retaliate or find your weaknesses."

"clear."

"Furthermore," the Dragon King looked at Lin Zhe, "your current status is even more special—a twenty-six-year-old major general, which is too eye-catching. The Central Military Commission's intention is to give you a long leave to go home and spend time with your family."

Lin Zhe wanted to say something, but the Dragon King waved his hand: "This is an order. You've done enough for the country; it's time for you to rest. Besides... you've been married for so long, how much time have you actually spent with your family?"

Lin Zhe fell silent. Indeed, since their marriage, he had been either on missions or training troops, and the time he had actually spent with Zhang Xueying was very limited.

"Okay." He nodded. "I'll follow your instructions."

In the following days, the international situation underwent subtle changes.

Reports about China are increasing in media outlets around the world. These aren't negative reports, but rather objective and neutral analyses—reports on China's economic growth, technological development, and military modernization…

Some international affairs experts have begun to openly discuss whether the world is shifting from a unipolar to a multipolar system, and whether China has become a superpower capable of standing on equal footing with the United States.

At the United Nations, China's proposals have gained support from more countries. In some international disputes, China's stance has begun to be taken seriously by more nations.

The most obvious change is in the Asia-Pacific region. Some countries that previously followed the lead of the United States have begun to adjust their foreign policies and seek to improve relations with China. This is because they have realized one fact: the United States may not be able to protect them, but China can certainly harm them.

The legend of the "Hidden Dragon" has been quietly circulating among high-ranking officials in various countries. Although no one talks about it openly, everyone knows in their hearts that it is a ghost unit that can infiltrate any country, complete any mission, and then disappear without a trace.

This news is more deterrent than any nuclear weapon.

Because with nuclear weapons, you know where they are and how powerful they are. But with "Hidden Dragon"... you don't know where it is, how many people are on it, or where it will appear next.

The unknown is the most terrifying thing.

A week later, Lin Zhe returned to his home in Beijing.

When he walked into the house in his major general's uniform, the whole family was stunned.

Su Wan looked at the gold star on her son's shoulder, and tears welled up in her eyes. She wasn't happy, but heartbroken—she knew that behind that star lay countless life-or-death battles and unimaginable sacrifices.

Lin Guodong patted his son on the shoulder without saying anything, but the pride in his eyes was undeniable.

Zhang Xueying stood to the side, her eyes red. She walked up to Lin Zhe, gently touched the gold star, and then threw herself into his arms.

"It's good that you're back safe and sound..." she said, her voice choked with emotion.

Lin Zhe hugged his wife tightly, a long-lost warmth welling up in his heart.

This is what he wants to protect—his family's smiles, their peaceful lives, and the tranquility of this country.

He was willing to give everything for this.

At dinner, the family sat around the table. Zhang Dajiang also came, and looking at his son-in-law's major general rank on his shoulder, he couldn't stop smiling.

"A major general at twenty-six years old, unprecedented!" He poured Lin Zhe a glass of wine. "But kid, you must remember—the brighter the star on your shoulder, the heavier the responsibility."

"Dad, I understand." Lin Zhe raised his glass.

Outside the window, night has fallen, and countless lights are twinkling in the sky.

On this peaceful night, few people know that the world has just experienced a silent struggle.

Few people know that a 26-year-old youth changed the world's landscape with a single action.