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

Zeng Long's solemn oath, like molten lava, poured into the hearts of every leader, leaving a burning mark.

The atmosphere in the meeting room shifted from the previous fervor and anger to a deep and solemn silence, filled with approval and determination.

The head of state broke the silence first. He walked up to Zeng Long, and without saying a word, simply reached out and patted Zeng Long's shoulder heavily.

This gesture carried boundless entrustment, trust, and an unspeakable weight of concern. His eyes, deep as the sea, were filled with admiration and expectation for the young lieutenant colonel.

"Excellent! A truly formidable 'Ghost Guardians'! A 'sharpest spear, a strongest shield'!" The leader's voice was steady and powerful. "The nation is proud of you!"

General Liu also strode forward, still excited, but his emotions had transformed into unwavering support:

"Little Dragon! Don't worry! From this moment on, the entire Dragon Kingdom stands behind you! Anyone who dares to extend a claw again, I'll be the first to lead my troops and chop them up!"

His words were rough but resounding, representing the common sentiment of all the military leaders.

General Zhang, on the other hand, was more meticulous. He asked with concern:

"Xiaolong, regarding the entry of team members' identity information and the creation of their files, do they need to come back in person? Or do you have a more secure method?" This is a very practical question, involving the highest level of confidentiality procedures.

Zeng Long shook his head, his expression returning to its usual calm:

"Thank you for your concern, sir. They don't need to come back."

"Little Sparrow can transmit the necessary identity information and basic data of herself and other team members back through an absolutely secure encrypted channel."

"The General Staff only needs to designate an absolutely reliable team to receive and build the files according to the 'background story' we agreed on."

"All processes will be completed in virtual space to minimize the risk of exposure."

His considerations remained thorough, always prioritizing the safety of his team members.

"Great! We'll do it your way!"

The head of state nodded and instructed his confidential secretary, Li, beside him:

"Immediately notify the General Staff Intelligence Department to select the most core and reliable comrades to form a special task force, which I will directly lead, to be responsible for verifying the identities of Comrade Zeng Long and his team members."

"All aspects must be kept strictly confidential, and the access level is set at 'Sky' level!"

The orders were quickly and silently recorded and relayed.

The most intricate and secretive gears of the national machine began to quietly operate, transforming the members of Squad Zero into special soldiers.

At this moment, Zeng Long's gaze fell on Li Weiguo again, a questioning look flashing in his eyes.

Li Weiguo nodded slightly, indicating that he was ready.

Zeng Long then spoke:

"Your Excellency, distinguished leaders, now that the issue of identity has been settled, Minister Li and I need to begin making arrangements immediately regarding the troubles on the domestic front. The longer we delay, the more thoroughly the other side can prepare, which will ultimately be disadvantageous for us."

A sharp glint flashed in the leader's eyes: "Do you need any direct support from here?"

"Not needed for now," Zeng Long replied quickly.

"The other side is still playing by the rules, so let's play along within the rules for now."

"What is needed is that when the other side can no longer restrain itself and tries to use some unconventional means or exert tremendous pressure, the leaders can stabilize the situation and give Minister Li full trust and time."

"This is the greatest support we can receive."

"Of course!" the leader said decisively. "Go ahead and do it. We'll wait and see, and we'll also wait... to close the net." He spoke the last two words with a profound meaning.

"Yes!" Zeng Long and Li Weiguo replied simultaneously.

Li Weiguo stepped forward and saluted the leaders:

"Please rest assured, leaders, I will cooperate fully with Lieutenant Colonel Zeng Long to win this battle and will never let the organization down!"

With the main agenda items settled, the leaders were filled with mixed emotions. They were both relieved by the official "return" of Team Zero and on edge about the two upcoming battles overseas.

Zeng Long and Li Weiguo did not linger. After saluting the head of state and other leaders to say goodbye, they left the top-secret conference room, which had been the site of a major decision, one after the other.

The heavy, soundproof door slowly closed behind them.

The corridor outside was dimly lit. Li Weiguo let out a long sigh of relief, feeling the weight on his shoulders lighten, yet an even heavier responsibility was placed upon him.

He looked at Zeng Long, who was far too young, with a complex expression in his eyes, a mixture of elder’s care and respect for his comrade.

"Xiaolong, what are you planning to do next?" Li Weiguo asked. He now regarded Zeng Long as an equal, and even a partner he needed to rely on.

Zeng Long's lips curled into a familiar, slightly wicked smile, but his eyes were as cold as a knife.

"Uncle Li, we have to play the part completely. I'm still that problem student who was 'suspected of serious violations' and was released on your bailing."

He took out his phone, dialed a number, and his tone instantly became somewhat lazy and unruly:

"Hey? Little Fatty (Zhu Yiqun), are you asleep yet?... If not, that's good. Call Du Ziteng and the other two, see you at the usual place, it's on me!... Of course, we just got pulled out, we need to calm down. Hurry up, we're waiting for you!"

The call ended. Zeng Long's lazy expression vanished instantly, and he said to Li Weiguo:

"Uncle Li, I'll go be my 'problem student.' You go back to the ministry, hold meetings as usual, get angry as usual, and act like nothing happened."

"But secretly, we must keep a close eye on those few people we've prepared."

"Once the bait is cast, we'll see when the fish can't resist taking the bait."

"Little Sparrow will monitor the communications and fund flows of all relevant personnel throughout the process. We will know immediately if there are any abnormalities."

After saying that, he smiled at Li Weiguo, a smile that appeared somewhat unfathomable under the corridor lights:

"Uncle Li, see you tomorrow. Maybe I'll become famous tomorrow, and you might get some 'enthusiastic crowd' giving you a surprise."

Then, he straightened his collar, looking like an ordinary young man preparing to play games all night, whistling as he strode out of the base.

His silhouette still looked young, but in Li Weiguo's eyes, it seemed to carry an impending storm.

Li Weiguo watched his figure disappear, took a deep breath of the cold air, and his eyes became incredibly determined.

He turned and walked in another direction, his steps steady, once again transforming into the minister who held the reins of national security and exuded an imposing aura.

Tonight, for many, sleep is inevitable.

Meanwhile, far overseas, the members of Squad Zero received a top-priority encrypted message from "Zero" almost simultaneously. The message contained only eight brief words:

"My identity is set; my journey home begins."

At the end of the message is attached a top-secret internal link.

Cold Thorn on its way to the San Francisco warehouse, Iron Mound at the temporary truce of the Middle East war, Sparrow at the base...

The moment everyone saw these eight words, regardless of where they were or what they were doing, their movements froze for a split second.

The cold, sharp eyes flickered for a moment before returning to their deathly stillness, but the fingers tightened slightly.

Looking at the simple eight words on the screen, Tie Dun, a man as majestic as a mountain, suddenly felt a surge of emotion. He abruptly raised his head, looked up at the dark night sky in the east, and breathed in the gunpowder-smelling air, trying hard not to let a certain liquid slip down his face.

The little sparrow sat blankly in front of the computer screen for a few seconds, then suddenly slumped onto the keyboard, its shoulders twitching slightly, letting out a very soft whimper, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from its shoulders.

The journey home. Such a distant yet warm word.

The next moment, all team members clicked on the link as quickly and discreetly as possible.

Inside was a brief explanation of the new identity, the decision of the highest levels of government in the country, and... a preliminary request for opinions on launching the Iron Pit and Cold Thorn "family search plan".

Hope, like the first ray of dawn breaking through the long, cold night, though faint, truly shone into the hearts of these warriors who had walked in darkness for years.

What they didn't know was that their commander, while lighting the way home for them, turned around and stepped back into the fog-shrouded battlefield back home, single-handedly clearing the obstacles for them to return.

The ghosts are gathering. The sword is about to be drawn.