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

Three of China's newest Y-XX strategic transport aircraft, like three silent steel behemoths, roared and pierced the clouds.

It sped through the stratosphere toward the war-torn Middle East.

The massive machine reflected a cold, hard glow in the moonlight, displaying an awe-inspiring aesthetic of industrial power.

The atmosphere inside the cabin of one of the planes was solemn and heavy.

In addition to the mountains of weapons and equipment crates and logistical supplies,

There is also a support team of about twenty people, all of whom are special forces soldiers selected from the major military regions of the Dragon Kingdom (responsible for the later stationing and guarding of the oil field after its recapture).

They were also fully armed and had resolute expressions, but their eyes kept glancing at the young figure sitting by the window—Lieutenant Colonel Zeng Long.

Zeng Long closed his eyes, seemingly conserving his energy.

His breathing was steady, and his face appeared angular in the dim light of the cabin, exuding a composure and aloofness beyond his years.

The members of the support team looked at him with undisguised awe and a hint of fanaticism.

They have received the highest-level orders:

In this operation, all command authority rested with this young lieutenant colonel.

They didn't know Zeng Long's true identity or past, but the fact that these elite soldiers obeyed him so unconditionally spoke volumes.

They could sense the terrifying energy hidden beneath the young commander's calm exterior.

Zeng Long's thoughts had already been connected with those of the team members who had arrived in the Middle East earlier through an invisible network.

Little Sparrow was sharing real-time intelligence about the target area, as well as security signals from Cold Thorn and others... everything was under his control.

A formation of transport aircraft quietly flew into the designated airspace at the border between Middle Eastern countries C and D.

The land below was pitch black, with only scattered lights and the occasional tracer bullet trails streaking across the night sky, reminding people that this place was in the midst of war.

"Verdict: Altitude approximately 3000 meters, have reached the designated drop point. External airflow is stable, meeting the conditions for High Altitude Open (HAHO). JPADS system calibration complete."

The pilot's calm voice came through the headset.

Zeng Long (the judge) suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze devoid of any dazedness from just waking up, only sharp and focused like ice crystals.

He had already changed into a black high-altitude parachute suit, with a specially modified low-altitude opening parachute pack on his back (in fact, to coordinate with the airdrop of heavy equipment, he chose a medium-altitude parachute jump), and an oxygen mask on his face.

"Received. Prepare for airdrop." His reply was concise and cold.

He stood up and walked to the massive stern hatch. The support team members assisted him with a final check, their eyes filled with the solemnity of sending a warrior off to war.

"Delivery initiation! Good luck, Lieutenant Colonel!" the squad leader growled.

Zeng Long nodded.

Whoosh—! The massive tail hatch slowly opened downwards, and a violent, low-temperature airflow rushed in instantly, producing a deafening roar, as if a giant beast had opened its gaping maw to devour everything!

The first items pushed out of the cabin by hydraulic pushers were several enormous special equipment containers.

These containers are equipped with advanced Joint Precision Airdrop Systems (JPADS).

As soon as they left the cabin, their drag chute deployed to stabilize their attitude, followed by the main parachute opening.

With its built-in GPS and navigation system, it automatically drifted toward the designated rendezvous point more than ten kilometers away.

These boxes contain:

Exclusively for "Beasts" —

"Taishan" Type II Heavy Exoskeleton Powered Armor:

Full-body composite armor, hydraulic drive system provides incredible load-bearing and explosive power, integrated micro life support system.

The main weapon hardpoints can carry a 12.7mm six-barreled Vulcan rotary cannon (with 3000 rounds of ammunition) or a Dragon's Breath man-portable rocket launcher.

It's practically a human tank.

Tank Exclusive -

"Fortress" Heavy Weapon Platform:

A semi-automatic wheeled support platform capable of quickly mounting and switching to a 40mm automatic grenade launcher.

The "Red Arrow-12" anti-tank missile launcher or 82mm recoilless rifle.

Controlled by Guo Wei, it provides devastating area-of-effect damage and precision strike capabilities.

"Storm" Special -

"Thunderstorm" Area Suppression System: A modular rapid-fire mortar system capable of providing high-density artillery coverage over large areas in a short time.

Several "Sand Scorpion" folding all-terrain assault vehicles:

Lightweight and highly mobile, with desert camouflage and a silent driving mode, equipped with a light machine gun or automatic grenade launcher mount, responsible for rapid maneuver and reconnaissance.

"Falcon" Miniature Reconnaissance/Attack UAV Swarm Storage Box: Provides "Eagle" Fang Rong and the rear "Divine Sparrow" with more battlefield vision and miniature strike means.

Following that, more standard weapon crates, ammunition crates, medical supplies, communication relay equipment... were precisely deployed into the vast night like seeds being sown.

After all the heavy equipment had been delivered, Zeng Long did a final check on his parachute and gear.

He gave a thumbs-up to the support team members inside the cabin, and without any hesitation, took a step forward and leaped into that cold, dark, and unknown void!

Free fall! A strong sense of weightlessness enveloped my entire body, and all I could hear was the violent wind howling from my high-speed descent.

The earth below, like a huge, blurry black blanket, was rushing towards us at an alarming speed.

Zeng Long calmly adjusted his posture in the air, using his limbs to control his direction, just like the best skydiver, his eyes sharply searching the ground.

Soon, several extremely faint points of light, flashing at a specific frequency, appeared in his field of vision—

That was a guidance signal sent by the team members who arrived earlier using infrared signal lights!

At an altitude of about 1500 meters above the ground, he suddenly pulled up his parachute.

Bang! The main parachute opened successfully, and the downward momentum suddenly slowed down.

He maneuvered the parachute lines, precisely drifting towards the assembly point indicated by the signal source.

The designated assembly point is a dry river valley located in a desert area on the border between the two countries. The terrain is complex and easy to conceal.

Zeng Long landed steadily on both feet, skillfully and quickly detached the parachute, and then folded up and buried the canopy.

He pulled out a tactical flashlight and sent a signal to his surroundings to confirm that it was safe.

Almost the instant the signal was sent, dark figures emerged from the ground, silently and rapidly approaching from the shadows and behind the rocks in the valley.

The first to arrive was "Death" Ye Feng (Cold Thorn).

He still had that unchanging icy expression, but he nodded slightly to Zeng Long. In the exchange of glances, nothing more needed to be said.

Next up was "Beast" Shi Tiezhu.

He came running with heavy, thumping steps; even without his exoskeleton, his size was incredibly imposing.

Upon seeing Zeng Long, he grinned, revealing a pure and excited smile.

"Tank" Guo Wei,

"Lightning" Jiang Tianhua

"Storm" Wu Lei,

Liu Feng, "Blade"

"Military Saber" Tang Long

"Eagle" Fang Rong,

"Tomahawk" Li Wuguo,

"Tianlang" Zhang Zheng

The "Phantoms" all lit up...

All team members approached Zeng Long from different directions at top speed.

There were no cheers, no extra words.

In the darkness, all that could be seen in each other's eyes was the excitement of a long-awaited reunion, the light of absolute trust, and the burning fighting spirit of about to engage in battle!

Fists collide, shoulders touch—all emotions and tacit understanding are conveyed in these subtle movements.

"Ten minutes! Check equipment and complete the change!" Zeng Long's voice came through the mask, clear and calm.

The team members immediately sprang into action, working like highly efficient machines, quickly locating the special equipment crates that had already been airdropped and placed in a centralized location.

The lids of the boxes were opened one after another.

Inside were complete sets of brand-new, state-of-the-art desert digital camouflage special operations uniforms from China, exuding the distinctive scent of the paint.

It uses the latest adaptive temperature-regulating materials and lightly bulletproof fiber weave, which can withstand the extreme temperature difference between day and night in the desert and provide basic fragmentation protection.

The modular tactical vest features a quick-release design and inserts compatible with NIJ Level IV ballistic protection standards.

Furthermore, it has abundant attachment points, allowing for quick configuration of magazine pouches, medical kits, communication modules, tool pliers, and more according to mission requirements.

High-performance ballistic helmets are not of a traditional design; they are more a combination of advanced combat helmets (ACH) and modular integrated communication systems.

It integrates noise-canceling headphones, binocular night vision/thermal imager (switchable), tactical flashlight, laser pointer, and a miniature display screen that connects to the individual soldier's combat system.

The combat boots are specially designed desert combat boots that are lightweight, breathable, and puncture-resistant, with sole patterns specially optimized for sandy terrain.

And, neatly arranged, gleaming with a cold metallic luster—the standard individual weapon system of the Dragon Kingdom!

The team members quickly shed their civilian clothes or old combat uniforms and donned this brand-new equipment that represented the nation's power.

Zeng Long is the same.

When he put on that perfectly tailored desert camouflage combat uniform that accentuated his tall, muscular physique,

When he put on the heavy tactical vest, donned the helmet that integrated all the high technology, and pulled down the bulletproof visor,

His entire demeanor underwent a dramatic change!

That occasional glimpse of youthful energy was completely erased.

Instead, it is replaced by an extreme, cold, efficient, and precise approach born for war!

The eyes beneath the mask were as sharp as two polished black diamonds.

The other team members also changed their outfits, instantly elevating the team's aura to a new level, exuding the chilling presence of professional killing machines.

With the help of his teammates, "Beast" Shi Tiezhu crawled into the massive "Taishan" II heavy exoskeleton power armor.

As the system activated, the hydraulic system emitted a soft hum, and his massive body rose once more, truly transforming into a formidable humanoid fortress.

He stretched his arm, and the menacing "Vulcan" rotary cannon began to spin.

Guo Wei, nicknamed "Tank," stood behind the "Fortress" heavy weapon platform, skillfully inspecting the ammunition supply system of the 40mm automatic grenade launcher.

Meanwhile, Ye Feng, nicknamed "Death God," meticulously cleaned and maintained his high-precision sniper rifle.

A new "Ghost" Type 10 large-caliber sniper rifle (.50 BMG) from China, and his secondary weapon, a silenced "Shadow" 9mm pistol.

"Lightning" Jiang Tianhua and "Storm" Wu Lei chose the latest "Swift Wind" Type 19 assault rifle (5.8mm), equipped with a holographic sight, tactical flashlight and laser designator.

Wu Lei also added a Remington M870 shotgun to his back.

Liu Feng, nicknamed "Blade," and Tang Long, nicknamed "Military Knife," both prefer the "Sharp Soldier" Type 16 carbine (5.8mm).

Equipped with silencers, magnifying glasses, and vertical foregrips, their tactical vests were filled with melee knives and fighting knives.

Behind Fang Rong, nicknamed "Eagle," is a multi-functional tactical backpack containing his observation equipment, drone control console, and communication repeater.

He was holding a reinforced Observer Type 16 carbine.

"Warhawk" Li Wuguo and "Sky Wolf" Zhang Zheng are standard assault troop configurations, using the "Swift Wind" Type 19 assault rifle with an underbarrel grenade launcher, making them formidable in firepower.

"Phantom's" equipment was even more distinctive; his combat suit appeared to be a darker color, and his weapon was a shorter, silenced submachine gun.

His body was covered with various types of booby traps, explosives, and special tools, making his presence almost indistinct.

At the same time, several team members quickly unfolded the folded "Sand Scorpion" all-terrain assault vehicle.

These vehicles feature rugged lines, are covered in the same desert camouflage pattern, and have virtually silent electric engines.

However, it can unleash powerful performance when needed, and the roof-mounted weapon rack can be fitted with a light machine gun or an automatic grenade launcher.

Finally, Lin Xiaoya's voice, tinged with excitement, rang out in everyone's helmet headsets:

All battlefield monitoring nodes have been deployed!

The swarm of drones is airborne and ready to go!

The 'Sprite' ground unit has infiltrated to the outer perimeter of the target area! Electronic suppression module preheating complete!

Guys, the battlefield is completely transparent to you! Happy hunting!

Zeng Long's gaze swept over the newly transformed, heavily armed, and deadly steel squad before him—the Dragon Return Squad—which had already taken shape!

He took a deep breath of air thick with the smell of sand and equipment lubricant, pulled down his visor, and spoke through the helmet's built-in communication system, his voice cold and undeniably powerful:

"Everyone board the bus!"

Target—Eastern D Country

"Pearl No. 1 and Hope No. 2 oilfield areas!"

"Let's go tell those scum who've taken up space they shouldn't be in..."

"...What exactly is meant by 'polite greetings' in the Dragon Kingdom!"

The engine roared with a deep, powerful sound, and the wheels kicked up clouds of dust.

This squad represents the most elite individual combat strength in the Dragon Kingdom.

Like several long-awaited, deadly arrows, they suddenly tore through the silent night.

They launched a fearless charge towards the distant land occupied by the enemy and engulfed in flames of war!