The Rise of a Special Forces Soldier Abandoned by a Wealthy Family

Beautiful Country, safe house.

Time seemed to stand still.

Ling Ye stood silently in front of the floor-to-ceiling window like a sculpture for a full four hours.

outside the window.

It was a dazzling yet cold galaxy of the city, with flashing neon lights and a constant flow of traffic, outlining a prosperous silhouette, but unable to illuminate the slightest warmth in his eyes.

He didn't know exactly what he was thinking.

He felt an emptiness somewhere in his chest, and an indescribable sense of bewilderment and exhaustion swept over him.

This city was the first place he stayed in as a "non-mission" individual after leaving that cold and cruel base.

There is no relentless training, no ever-changing battlefield, no mandatory killing orders...

But a more complex emotion was swirling around him.

"Home"? Did he ever have one?

That place called the base was perhaps a stronghold that provided shelter and weapons.

But it's definitely not home. And this place is even less so.

His thoughts drifted uncontrollably to the blonde, blue-eyed girl with a warm smile—Anna Roth.

Two years ago, he brought her back to the human world from a hellish prison; two years later, she tried to use her most sincere feelings to pull him into another world called "love," a world he hesitated to enter.

She was a rare ray of light in his dark life, bright and warm, yet one he dared not touch.

Who is he?

He is Zero, a nemesis who crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, carrying countless blood debts and unseen enemies on his back. His path ahead is destined to be filled with more conspiracies, wars, and thorns.

She was the apple of the Luo family's eye and deserved the brightest and most stable life.

How could he tarnish her beauty with his own bloodstained body and uncertain future?

Therefore, he had no choice but to flee.

In the most resolute way, he buried that budding yet overwhelmingly heavy emotion deep in the coldest corner of his heart.

He closed his eyes wearily, and when he opened them again, his gaze was fixed on the endless night outside the window, trying to see through the distance to the figure he longed to see but dared not.

Perhaps she is there, perhaps she isn't; maybe it's just a phantom conjured up by his deep longing.

A barely audible sigh dissipated into the silent air.

Under the same night sky, in a VIP ward at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

A slender, graceful figure stood alone by the window, her desolate silhouette seemingly blending into the night outside.

She seemed even more frail and forlorn. She had been standing like this for far too long, until her legs were numb, but that was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

She gazed at the dazzling yet unfamiliar city lights outside the window, her eyes unfocused, as if searching for something, yet knowing full well that she could find nothing.

He must be somewhere far away, he must be in the colors of the night, but why can't I find him? Maybe it's because I have too many memories of him in my heart.

Crystalline tears silently slid down her pale cheeks, one drop after another, continuously hitting the clean floor and spreading out a small, dark, damp patch.

The air was filled with the smell of disinfectant, but strangely, it couldn't wash away the bitterness and sorrow contained in the tears.

Those were tears of love, pure and intense.

Even time seemed reluctant to evaporate too quickly, letting it linger on the floor, telling of endless longing and heartbreak.

She understands him.

He understood that he had no choice in the matter.

He understands the tenderness and struggle hidden beneath his cold exterior.

They understand even more the heavy responsibility and untold pain behind his decision to leave.

It was precisely because of this understanding that she felt even more heartbroken, as if her heart was being torn apart.

I want to stay, but I can't.

I want to love, but I can't.

The greatest distance in the world is this.

How heartbreaking and lonely it is!

He left, so decisively, without leaving a trace.

But it also took away all her joy and vibrancy.

What remains is boundless loneliness and heartbreaking pain that leaves one breathless.

Inside the safe house, the figure by the window finally moved.

Ling Ye slowly turned around, his gaze falling on Lin Que, who had been quietly curled up in the corner of the sofa.

The little girl was unusually quiet today; she didn't fiddle with her computer or eat any snacks.

She simply hugged her knees, her big eyes fixed on his tall but lonely back, silently keeping him company.

"It's time to go."

Ling Ye's voice was a little hoarse, breaking the long silence, "The people that old killer arranged to pick you up should be here soon."

Lin Que raised her head, her eyes a little red. She nodded vigorously but didn't say anything.

Ling Ye walked up to her and squatted down.

He brought his gaze level with hers, his tone unusually gentle and admonishing: "Once we get to the base, be obedient and don't wander off."

Countless eyes outside are watching the base's every move.

Disguise yourself well and don't let anyone find out you've returned to base.

I will establish a foothold in the Dragon Kingdom as quickly as possible, and once I am certain it is safe, I will summon you immediately.

He paused, then added:

"I'll go see your parents on your behalf. Is there anything you'd like me to tell them?"

Lin Que sniffed, trying hard to hold back her tears.

His voice had a strong nasal tone.

"Um... I'll text you later. Right now... my mind is a mess, I don't know what to say."

"Okay." Ling Ye patted her shoulder gently. "Also, if possible, I'll go visit Tie Dun and Leng Ci's homes."

Upon hearing this, Lin Que's eyes dimmed slightly:

"Sigh, I wonder if those two big oafs even remember their exact house number... What's the use of just knowing the general city name..."

A barely perceptible hint of melancholy flashed in Ling Ye's eyes.

These people seem to have lost the clear concept of "home" from a very early age.

Silence descended once more.

after awhile.

Lin Que finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked in a low, tearful voice:

"Boss... are you really... leaving like this?"

"Sister Anna... what should we do? She must be so heartbroken..."

Upon hearing that name, Ling Ye's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

He closed his eyes, his brows furrowed in pain, and let out a very soft, suppressed groan from deep in his throat, like a wounded beast.

After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes held a bottomless depth of pain and desolation. He murmured softly, as if answering Lin Que, or perhaps admonishing himself:

"A single attachment leads to endless suffering. A single act of letting go brings boundless freedom."

"Without tasting the wine of the world, one cannot know its intoxication. Without being caught up in worldly emotions, one cannot know its burden. Without experiencing the bitterness of life, one cannot know its true flavor."

He paused.

His voice became even lower and hoarseer.

It was filled with endless helplessness and sorrow of parting:

Only those who have loved know the depth of feeling.

Only after getting drunk do you realize how strong the wine is.

"Why is she so deeply in love...? Why am I so heartbroken?"

These words were like a key, instantly unlocking the tightly locked gates of his emotions, only to be swiftly suppressed by him.

He could no longer allow himself to wallow in it.

He stood up, regaining his usual cold demeanor, as if that moment of vulnerability had never happened.

"Let's go. It's time."

He pulled Lin Que up, took one last look at the safe house where they had briefly stayed, then turned around without hesitation, walked to the door, and disappeared into the night outside.

What remains is a room full of silence, and two hearts that are both suffering the pain of parting, but are forced to go in different directions.