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

The air in the top-secret conference room did not relax after Zeng Long said, "We're discussing oil field matters."

Instead, their expressions became more serious and filled with anticipation. All eyes were on him, awaiting his next groundbreaking plan.

Zeng Long's "zero" coldness melted slightly, but his eyes remained as sharp as a hawk's.

He glanced around, then slowly spoke, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable weight:

"Before we discuss specific plans, Your Excellency, distinguished leaders, I need to discuss a business deal with you, I need an identity, and... I need to make a request."

Oh?

Upon hearing this, the leaders raised their eyebrows slightly.

Having just witnessed the artful global rescue operation, they knew that this young man would not act without a purpose.

The "business," "identity," and "request" he mentioned must be related to something astonishing.

The head of state showed the most interest; he leaned forward slightly, a gentle yet penetrating smile on his face, and even naturally changed his form of address:

"Xiao Long, feel free to speak your mind! You've given us so many surprises today."

This single word, "Little Dragon," uttered by the head of state, carries immense weight in its praise, affection, and expectation!

Everyone present realized that this was the highest level of recognition for Zeng Long's astonishing abilities.

Zeng Long smiled too, a smile that revealed absolute confidence and composure:

"First, there's this deal. It's an $8 million arms procurement agreement, and the buyer is the current government of Country C in the Middle East."

"What?!"

Before he could finish speaking, the hot-tempered General Liu practically jumped up from his chair, his eyes wide open, his face filled with disbelief!

Other leaders, including the usually composed Navy Elder Zhang and Air Force Elder Wang, also gasped in surprise, their faces instantly filled with astonishment!

$8 million arms purchase! Middle Eastern country C!

What shocked them was not just the numbers themselves, but the profound political implications they represented!

The buying and selling of weapons and equipment is never a simple commodity transaction!

That means a deep integration and cooperation of logistics systems, training systems, ammunition supply, communication and command systems, and even future defense strategies.

The choice of which country to use another country's weapons often reflects a shift in political stance and strategic alliances.

Especially in the Middle Eastern country C, which is currently embroiled in civil war, the fact that its government forces chose weapons from China is tantamount to sending a message to the anti-government forces supported by the West and the forces behind them:

The Dragon Kingdom will be my strong support.

The political significance of this far exceeds the value of the $8 million.

However, what truly shocked and puzzled all the leaders was:

Zeng Long, a young man not even twenty years old, even if he is the "Zero" who is famous in the underworld, how could he lead a sovereign country's arms purchase agreement?

This has exceeded the limits of an individual's or a small team's influence.

Zeng Long looked at the expressions on the faces of the leaders, which were a mixture of surprise, doubt, and even a hint of absurdity, and calmly began to speak, as if he were talking about a trivial matter:

"My lords, there's no need for speculation. This matter is quite simple. The money to purchase these weapons came from my and Little Sparrow's personal funds, initially provided to the C Country government forces as a loan."

"As for the reason..."

Zeng Long paused for a moment, then uttered the crucial name:

"Because the actual frontline commander and deputy commander-in-chief of the C country government forces, the one who has recently driven the anti-government forces into a series of defeats, is my team member, codenamed Iron Mound."

"Ironclad?! Ironclad from your squad?!"

This time, it was Navy Elder Zhang who was so excited he almost jumped up. He placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, his eyes wide like copper bells, and his voice was distorted with extreme shock.

"That...that 'Eastern Beast' who's all the rage on the battlefield in Country C, is that him?!"

"Yes, sir, it's him."

Zeng Long confirmed, his tone carrying a hint of pride for his comrade.

"So, he was in charge of this purchase, and the funds were provided by me and Little Sparrow."

"Therefore, I have the right to represent him and present this procurement agreement to the motherland."

"This is not just a business deal, but also the most direct and effective support for our brother units."

"Good! Good! Good!" The leader said three times, his face beaming with excitement, and slammed his hand on the table.

"What a brilliant little dragon! What a superb Zero Team! Truly a national treasure, capable of anything! We accept this great gift."

"General Liu, you are in overall charge of this matter. The General Armaments Department and the defense industry sector should provide full cooperation. We must complete this agreement with the fastest speed and the best quality."

"This is not just a business deal, but also a golden opportunity for us to break through the strategic encirclement of certain countries and drive a foothold in the Middle East."

"Yes! I guarantee I will complete the mission!" General Liu was so excited that his face turned red and his voice boomed, as if he had become twenty years younger.

Zeng Long continued:

"Your Excellency, distinguished leaders, the significance of this agreement goes beyond this!"

"I request permission to take advantage of this opportunity to transport weapons to Country C!"

"All the heavy equipment and ammunition supplies we need for our subsequent oil field rescue mission in Country D in the Middle East will be mixed in with the cargo hold and delivered to the designated location in Country C, adjacent to Country D!"

"In this way, we can deploy a strategic-level armed force to the edge of the battlefield without anyone noticing and without arousing any suspicion."

At this point, Zeng Long's gaze sharpened again, and his voice rose a few decibels:

"And this leads to my 'request'!"

The entire conference room was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop. Everyone sensed that something truly earth-shattering was about to happen.

"I beg!" Zeng Long's voice was firm and powerful, like a warhammer striking the hearts of everyone present.

"This mission is to recapture an oil field and rescue hostages in Country D in the Middle East!"

"Our entire Zero Squad, comprised entirely of members from the Dragon Kingdom, will fight under official Dragon Kingdom military credentials!"

"But we will disguise ourselves well. We are just soldiers of the Chinese military, and we will not reveal a single trace of Squad Zero."

Zeng Long didn't pause; his eyes burned with a fierce flame.

"We want the whole world to see how this force, which strikes fear into their hearts in the underworld, has transformed!"

"They secretly became soldiers of the Dragon Kingdom, and this Dragon Kingdom military unit, formed by Squad Zero, was codenamed—Dragon Return Squad!"

"We want to make all our enemies tremble and fear this mysterious Eastern power."

He suddenly swung his arm with tremendous force:

"Therefore, for this mission, I don't have a specific, step-by-step operational plan!"

My only plan is:

"Using our intelligence advantage, we will first target the two largest armed forces, the Sai and the Imperial Armed Forces."

"Using the pretext of seizing the oil fields, they will massively concentrate their forces in the target area to confuse the enemy, while simultaneously creating a final window of opportunity for us to thoroughly investigate the enemy's situation and the hostage-holding locations!"

"And then!" Zeng Long's voice boomed like thunder:

"I will personally lead all members of Squad Zero who are of Dragon nationality to annihilate them all with overwhelming force, in the strongest, most violent, and most devastating way! Without leaving any room for retreat!"

His gaze swept over each of the trembling, excited old generals, and over the head of state with his burning eyes; his tone was heavy yet resolute:

"This is not a secret operation! This is a declaration! A declaration of authority!"

"We will use the most direct violence to tell all countries and forces that dare to provoke China and harm its citizens:"

"The dignity of the Dragon Kingdom is inviolable! The interests of the Dragon Kingdom are not to be coveted! The citizens of the Dragon Kingdom are not to be humiliated!"

"We want them to remember one sentence forever—"

Zeng Long took a deep breath, and with all his might, he spoke each word slowly and deliberately, as if branding the path of history with a red-hot iron:

"Those who offend our Dragon Kingdom, though far away, will be punished!"

boom!

The atmosphere in the entire conference room was completely ignited! Like a long-suppressed volcano erupting violently.

All the veteran generals in their uniforms, regardless of age or rank, were filled with fervor and tears welled in their eyes at this moment.

They seemed to have returned to their youthful days, when they swore an oath to defend their country amidst the clash of swords and the thunder of horses.

"Those who offend our Dragon Kingdom, though far away, shall be punished!"

General Liu was the first to stand up abruptly, and with all his might, he slammed his fist on the conference table, making a loud bang, and roared angrily!

"No matter how far away they are, we will surely punish them!" General Zhang was the second to stand up, tears streaming down his face, but his voice was like a cannonball fired from a gun!

"No matter how far away, they will be punished!!"

"No matter how far away, they will be punished!!!"

All the military leaders stood up, like soldiers hearing the bugle call to charge, and with trembling yet incredibly firm voices, repeated again and again this oath that, though spanning a thousand years, still burns brightly.

The roar was deafening, almost lifting the roof off! Everyone's face was filled with excitement, pride, and relief.

The leader slowly stood up, without making a sound.

But his eyes shone with an incredibly bright light!

It was a sense of relief, a sense of determination, and even more so, the unwavering confidence of a leader of a great power when he sees his own sharpest fangs finally revealed!

He looked at Zeng Long and nodded heavily.

At this moment, there are no more doubts, no more worries.

There is only a shared will to fight a common enemy and a determination to sweep away all demons and monsters!

Zero will no longer be a guardian in the shadows. He will become the Thunder that proclaims the power of the Dragon Kingdom and sweeps across the universe!

A note from the editor: The later chapters are getting increasingly difficult to write, so it's another all-nighter for extra chapters! I hope all my brothers and sisters can give me more likes and positive reviews. I'll continue with more all-nighters tomorrow. Thank you for your support!