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

In a suite at a state guesthouse in the western suburbs of Beijing, where security is at an extremely high level.

Zeng Long casually tossed the enormous tactical backpack onto the expensive carpet with a dull thud.

He walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the myriad lights of the capital city. His sunglasses had already been removed, revealing a pair of eyes that were still as sharp as a hawk's in the darkness.

The city lights reflected in his pupils, but could not penetrate the icy vigilance deep within.

Li Weiguo stood at the door, his face still bearing the lingering fear and the pain of a major financial blow from the incident at the hotel restaurant.

He opened his mouth, but in the end, he couldn't hold back and asked with a last glimmer of hope:

"Xiao Zeng, about the school matter... Jingqing or Jingbei, you should at least give me a definite answer."

"Uncle... Uncle, it would be good to make arrangements sooner rather than later, wouldn't it?"

He felt that he had almost used up all his patience and frustration in this lifetime on this kid.

Zeng Long didn't turn around, he just waved his hand casually, his voice devoid of any emotion:

"No rush. Thanks for your hard work today, buddy. As for the school... let me think about it some more. This capital city is too big; I need to check the feng shui first."

Li Weiguo felt a lump in his throat and almost couldn't catch his breath.

You want to check the feng shui?! Are you here to study or to rob graves?!

He suppressed his urge to complain and waved his hand weakly.

"Okay...okay, then you get some rest. If you need anything...just call me."

He practically fled the room; if he stayed any longer, he was afraid he might lose control and challenge this "monster among men" to his strength.

Only when he heard the door close softly did Zeng Long's lips curl into a very faint, almost imperceptible smile.

In the eastern suburbs, the Zeng family courtyard.

The courtyard house under the cover of night was quiet and majestic, like a lurking beast. Inside the study, the lights were on.

Li Weiguo walked in almost as if he were going to his execution.

His face burned, especially when he saw General Zeng sitting upright in the mahogany armchair, and Zeng Sheng and He Jing sitting on either side of him. His shame of "failing to do his job well and disgracing his superiors" reached its peak.

"Commander... Brother Zeng, sister-in-law..." Li Weiguo's voice was dry, like sandpaper being rubbed.

General Zeng raised his hand, gesturing for him to sit down, his eyes calm yet imposing: "Speak, the details."

Li Weiguo took a deep breath, reflecting on the moment he picked up Zeng Long and the earth-shattering "Bro" he heard at the airport.

Then, on the car, all the security arrangements were precisely exposed.

Finally, he recounted in detail the exorbitantly priced dinner at "Dragon Pavilion" that gave him a heart attack, as well as his conflict with Wang Tianhao.

When he talked about how his ID and wallet were stolen without his knowledge, his face turned as red as a monkey's bottom, his voice became so low it was almost inaudible, and his scalp tingled.

The criticism or even reprimand he had anticipated did not come.

After a brief silence—

"Pfft..." He Jing was the first to burst out laughing.

She first covered her mouth, but her shoulders began to tremble violently, and tears welled up in her eyes as she laughed. Those tears were mixed with an indescribable bitterness and a strange sense of pride that "this is indeed my son."

"This child...how can this child be so naughty!"

"Minister Li, I'm so... so sorry to have caused you so much trouble..."

She apologized while laughing, her feelings extremely complicated.

Immediately afterwards, even the usually serious Zeng Sheng couldn't help himself, his lips curling up wildly, eventually turning into a deep and hearty laugh.

He shook his head: "Good lad! He's using all those 'skills' he learned outside on his own family! Old Li, you deserve to suffer this setback! Hahahaha!"

Finally, even General Zeng, seated at the head of the table, clapped his hands and laughed heartily, his laughter filled with emotion and a hint of barely perceptible regret:

"Hahaha! Good! What a troublemaker! This kid's really given us all a taste of his own medicine!"

Li Weiguo was completely dumbfounded when he saw the three people laughing so hard they were doubled over. He was so embarrassed that he could dig a three-bedroom apartment out of his toes.

His face flushed red, and he stammered:

"Commander... please... please don't make fun of me... um, about that Wang family kid... how are we going to handle this?"

"I'm truly at my wit's end!"

"That kid's murderous aura was truly terrifying. If I had stopped him any slower, we'd be heading to the Wang family to offer our condolences right now!"

"But this is just a verbal argument, and I... how am I supposed to explain this to both sides?"

General Zeng stopped laughing, picked up the purple clay teapot on the table, took a sip of tea, and his eyes deepened. He slowly said:

"Deal with it? No need to deal with it. Explain it? No need to explain it either."

"what?"

Li Weiguo was stunned. Zeng Sheng and He Jing also stopped smiling and looked over, their faces full of confusion.

"Little Wei Zi,"

The old general looked at Li Weiguo with a wise tone that suggested he had seen through the game.

"From the moment you picked him up today, you've been led by the nose by him the whole time."

"Every word he says to you and every action he takes is not without purpose; there is a profound meaning behind it."

"As his grandfather, I feel both heartache and... pride."

Zeng Sheng frowned slightly: "Dad, what do you mean?"

"Let me put it this way,"

The old general leaned forward slightly, his gaze sweeping over the three men.

Why did he suddenly put his arm around your shoulder at the airport?

"That's because he instantly noticed the surveillance camera focusing on you and the unusual people around you, and immediately pulled you closer, using you, the head of security, as a temporary 'shield' and 'hostage'."

"Being ready to deal with sudden dangers at any time. That's his combat instinct."

Li Weiguo's eyes widened suddenly as he recalled that moment, and a thin layer of sweat instantly broke out on his back! He hadn't even noticed!

Later I called you "bro."

The old general continued.

"It's because he could almost instantly tell that the surrounding surveillance was not malicious, but rather a means of protecting him or simply surveillance."

"So he immediately switched gears, using that joking and teasing style to make you lower your guard."

"It's also a seemingly absurd way of getting closer to the 'official representative' in his eyes, testing your bottom line and attitude."

"In the car, he pointed out all the surveillance and guards; he was demonstrating against you and clearly telling you."

"Don't try anything funny with him; those methods won't work on him."

"What he wanted was simply a quiet environment, free from excessive surveillance."

"This is drawing a line, meant to make you back down."

"As for the hotel..."

The old general paused, a very complex light flashing in his eyes.

"He insisted on having the best private room; it was intentional."

"Showing your ID and wallet is a silent but powerful warning and demonstration."

"If he can take your most personal belongings without you even noticing, it means he also has the ability to make you disappear without a trace."

"He was telling the Dragon Kingdom, and everyone who might be secretly watching him:"

"I'm here. I don't want trouble, but I'm not afraid of trouble either. Don't mess with me, or you won't be able to bear the consequences."

The old general's voice wasn't loud, but it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

Li Weiguo was stunned, his mouth agape, and he was drenched in cold sweat.

"What makes this old man feel both heartache and pride is..."

The old general's voice was slightly hoarse.

His gaze drifted to the night outside the window, as if he could pierce through time and space to see the child who had struggled and grown up in purgatory.

"He probably already expected that you would report this to your superiors tonight."

"Then as long as you report it, the higher-ups will definitely understand his true intentions."

"That's what makes his ability to see ten steps ahead in one step truly terrifying."

"Also, the original owner will definitely come to negotiate since the 'Heavenly Dragon Hall' has been occupied."

"Because China is a society based on personal connections, people of lower status will come into private rooms to greet you and do you a favor."

"Those of higher status will definitely go into the private room to negotiate with you about the room being taken away."

"And no matter who comes or what their status is, he will deliberately provoke them and cause a conflict."

"Why?" He Jing asked subconsciously, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.

"As a test!"

The old general was resolute.

"First, to test you, Weiguo: as the Minister of Security, how would you handle a sudden conflict caused by him?"

"Is it impartiality or favoritism? How capable are they?"

"Second, to test your representative's attitude: are you on his side, or on the side of the so-called 'powerful elite'?"

"Third, and most importantly, it's a test to see where your—or rather, the official Chinese government behind you—truly stands—with its 'tolerance limit' and 'level of support' for him."

"Is it limited utilization, or unconditional protection?"

"His entire behavior today was a meticulously designed 'stress test'!"

"To test our sincerity, to test our bottom line, to test how much 'freedom' and 'security' he can actually have on this land in the future!"

The old general sighed deeply, his eyes filled with complex emotions that were hard to describe.

"Fortunately...fortunately, what he detected was our goodwill. That's why he was able to truly trust you later and treat you as a reliable elder and friend. Otherwise..."

What would happen otherwise? The old general didn't say, but everyone present felt a chill run down their spines.

A deathly silence fell over the study.

Li Weiguo, Zeng Sheng, and He Jing were all filled with shock and disbelief, as if they were realizing for the first time just how deep and terrifying the seemingly cynical young man's mind truly was.

Such intricate schemes, such meticulous planning at every step.

Such manipulative tactics, manipulating people's hearts and the situation at will...

How can he look like an eighteen-year-old boy?

This is clearly a top predator who has crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and who is well-versed in human nature and power struggles.

He Jing felt as if her heart was being gripped tightly by an icy hand, the pain so intense she could hardly breathe.

She suddenly covered her mouth with her hand, and tears silently streamed down her face, not because it was funny, but because of boundless pain and guilt.

Her son... In what kind of desperate and cruel abyss did he go through these eighteen years to be forcibly molded into such a... monster?

A monster that made her so proud it broke her heart, and so heartbroken it suffocated her.

Zeng Sheng held his wife's trembling shoulders tightly. The eyes of this iron-blooded general were also red, his teeth were clenched, and his jawline was as taut as steel.

The turmoil in his heart was no less than that in Li Weiguo's; it was a monstrous wave mixed with pride, heartache, anger, and an immense sense of responsibility.

Li Weiguo was completely petrified on the spot, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly, but he couldn't make a sound.

He now realized that he hadn't gone to pick someone up at all, but had been playing a bewildered "clown" in a script that had been set up for him the whole time!

After the immense shock and sense of defeat, what surged into my heart was an uncontrollable, almost frenzied excitement.

"Commander... Commander!"

Li Weiguo suddenly raised his head, his eyes shining brightly. His previous embarrassment vanished, replaced by the excitement of discovering a priceless treasure.

"This child...this child is a genius!"

"No! He's a genius!"

"I must get him into the security department! I must!"

"Just think about it, if we sent him to carry out those most difficult overseas missions, those foreign spy chiefs..."

"Wouldn't you be completely fooled by him and still end up counting his money for him?"

General Zeng looked at the excited Li Weiguo, then at his son and daughter-in-law who were immersed in grief and shock, and slowly and heavily shook his head.

"This matter cannot be rushed."

The old general's voice regained its composure, yet carried an undeniable resolve.

"His heart is still a frozen wasteland."

"What we need to do now is not to rush to 'use' him."

"Instead, we should first use the warmth of 'home' to slowly melt that layer of ice."

"You need to think about this. I mean, if we hadn't confirmed beforehand that he was my grandson, what would have been the outcome of today's test?"

"That would be an outcome we cannot afford."

Everyone in the room felt a chill run down their spines and broke out in a cold sweat.

"So!" the old man said. "If you use too much force, you'll only push him further away, or even... turn him into a real enemy."

"Now, everyone go back and rest."

The old general waved his hand, looking somewhat tired.

"There's no need to mention the Wang family's affairs anymore. That brat never expected any 'explanation.' He's already achieved all his goals."

Li Weiguo saluted and took his leave in a daze, his mind a complete mess.

Zeng Sheng helped He Jing, who was almost unsteady on her feet, slowly walk out of the study.

He Jing leaned against her husband's chest, and her suppressed, heartbroken sobs finally began to echo softly in the quiet corridor.

Zeng Sheng held his wife tightly, looking up at the cold night sky above the courtyard, a single thought roaring wildly in his mind:

My son...is home. But this war without gunfire has only just begun...