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

In Beijing, there is a coffee shop hidden deep in a hutong, with its lights deliberately dimmed to a yellowish hue.

The air was filled with the aroma of roasted coffee beans and a sense of secluded tranquility.

Zeng Long sat alone in a corner booth, in the most inconspicuous corner.

He had taken off his combat uniform, stained with gunpowder and blood, and also concealed the fierce killing intent that could have chilled the enemy.

At this moment, he was dressed in a well-tailored, high-quality, simple casual outfit, and his demeanor exuded a refined elegance that belied his age.

However, the slightly upturned corners of his mouth held a wicked smile...

And the deep, unfathomable look in those eyes, a look forged through life and death, a look of world-weariness and aloofness.

This also makes his refined demeanor full of extreme contradictions and fatal attraction.

His slender fingers gently twirled the handle of the coffee cup as he sipped his latte, his movements as elegant as an English gentleman.

Gang Yi's handsome face, his roguish and unruly temperament, and his tall and sturdy physique...

This complex yet harmonious blend of charm is an almost irresistible poison for the opposite sex.

Inside the café, almost every young woman's gaze drifted toward him, a mixture of shyness and boldness.

Just then, a composed figure blocked the prying eyes.

Li Weiguo, dressed in an ordinary jacket and wearing a baseball cap, walked discreetly to the opposite side of Zeng Long and sat down very naturally.

He ordered an Americano from the waiter, then looked at Zeng Long and teased him with a hint of helplessness: "You really know how to pick a place."

Two grown men, coming to this coffee shop full of young girls to plot something—anyone who didn't know better would think we had some kind of weird fetish.

Tell me, have you taken a fancy to one of these beautiful ladies here? You've dragged me over to be your wingman, all in preparation for a romantic encounter?

Zeng Long raised his eyes and glanced at him indifferently, his gaze seemingly able to see through people's hearts.

He put down his coffee cup, his voice steady yet carrying a worldly-wise calmness:

A person who has been in a high-pressure environment and faced brutal killings for a long time,

You need to learn how to return to peace and integrate into the ordinary.

Like right now, a cup of coffee, a quiet afternoon, it feels great.

Otherwise, over time, even the most resilient nerves will snap.

Many professional soldiers eventually become war machines that only know how to kill.

I need to relax my mind and body as soon as possible and find my "Zeng Long" state again, instead of just being a "judge" forever.

Upon hearing this, the teasing expression on Li Weiguo's face gradually faded.

Although he did not come from a front-line combat unit, being on the national security front, he understood all too well the state of walking between light and darkness and the need for self-adjustment after extreme tension.

He sighed, his tone becoming solemn and low:

I'm sorry to have troubled you...

Fighting for their country, facing the most dangerous situations abroad, and achieving such brilliant results.

They return as nameless heroes, denied even a public commendation.

But believe me, the country and the people will never forget your contributions!

Personally, I have immense respect and gratitude for you all, especially for you.

He paused, his voice lowering, "And I must thank you even more for bringing my old buddy 'Pigeon' back safely."

"Uncle Li, you're being too polite."

A wicked smile reappeared on Zeng Long's lips.

When I returned to China, you were the first elder I considered family.

I remember your kindness in spending a year's salary to treat me to that "sky-high" meal when we had just met.

I can't keep letting you suffer losses, can I?

Li Weiguo paused for a moment, then chuckled, pointing at Zeng Long:

"You little rascal... your cunning is even more accurate than your marksmanship! Alright, Uncle Li will remember this favor, hehe!"

At this moment, Zeng Long's expression turned playful as he spoke.

"Alright, Uncle Li! Let's get back to the main topic. What's the situation outside? Those demons and monsters behind it all should have surfaced by now, right?"

"Hmm." Li Weiguo nodded, his eyes slightly cold.

It's pretty much as you expected.

There really is a mole in the ministry; it's Vice Minister Liu, the youngest son of Liu's family.

The Chen family was behind all of this.

The person sitting in my seat now is Mr. Chen's youngest son, Chen Jianjun.

This time, in order to bring me down and promote Chen Jianjun,

The Chen and Liu families spared no expense, giving up several key positions.

They barely managed to persuade the Wu family, the He family, and a few other families to remain neutral or provide limited support for the time being, and to join forces to suppress them.

"Heh..." Li Weiguo let out a cold laugh, his eyes flashing with a chilling light.

Just because I'm not showing my teeth doesn't mean I'm a pushover!

The space they vacated is easy to take in, but difficult to digest?

Hmph! This time, I'll make them cough it all up, with interest!

In the end, all your efforts will be in vain, and you'll even suffer serious injuries!

"Oh?" Zeng Long raised an eyebrow, showing interest.

Then I'll wait and see how my Minister Li unleashes his power.

However, I shouldn't take too long; I still need to go back to school to experience my 'ordinary' college life.

"Don't worry, it'll be quick." Li Weiguo smiled confidently. "Just settle into the hotel and you'll have the results soon."

The following morning, Li Weiguo seemed like a completely different person, shedding all pretense and his previous low profile.

He changed into a sharp suit, his eyes were sharp, and his steps were steady as he began his "visit".

His schedule was extremely tight and efficient:

Imperial Office

General Staff Operations Room

The Supreme Commission Against Corruption,

The core computer room of the Cyberspace Administration of China...

He even made a special trip to CCTV and found Zeng Ling (Zeng Linglong's aunt), the head of the news center.

No one knows exactly what he discussed in those places or what kind of materials he submitted.

But wherever he left, he left behind an extremely solemn atmosphere and the extremely serious, even slightly shocked, expressions of those in charge.

The materials he submitted were clearly not ordinary.

After doing all this, Li Weiguo returned to Zeng Long's hotel room with a relaxed expression, as if he had just completed an ordinary official visit. He even brought some cooked food and a little wine with him.

"Come on, kid, have a drink with Uncle Li. The calm before the storm is the most precious thing."

He smiled and said to Zeng Long, and the two of them ate, drank and chatted like old friends in the hotel room, as if all the turmoil outside had nothing to do with them.

While Li Weiguo was visiting various departments like a thunderous tour, another higher-level meeting was quietly taking place.

With the help of the guards, Grandpa Zeng and Grandpa Yan Fushan walked into a quiet room in the inner palace, their steps slightly unsteady but exceptionally firm.

This meeting lasted for a full three hours.

When the two elderly people came out again, Yan Fushan's face was filled with immense shock and disbelief.

He would occasionally look at his old friend, Mr. Zeng, with a fresh, inquisitive, and enlightened gaze.

Only after getting back into the car did Yan Fushan finally let out a long sigh of relief.

I couldn't help but pat Grandpa Zeng's shoulder hard, my tone incredibly complex:

You old Zeng! What a cunning old fox you've been hiding!

You...you kept this from me for so long! So you'd been doing this all along...sigh! I've been worrying about you for nothing!

Grandpa Zeng simply smiled slightly, his cloudy eyes gleaming with a profound light of wisdom, and gently patted his old friend's hand, everything understood without words.

At the same time that Grandpa Zeng and Yan Fushan went to the palace, at Jingqing University, downstairs in Zeng Long's dormitory building.

Zeng Lingyu was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan; her pretty face was filled with anxiety and impatience.

She was practically growling at Zeng Long's three roommates—Zhu Yiqun, Du Ziteng, and Hao Shuai:

Hey you three! Are you still Zeng Long's roommates and best friends?

They can't even come up with a decent solution! All they do is sit here sighing and looking worried! What's the point?

Today is the last day! I finally managed to persuade the school leaders to give us two more days, and look what happened!

All I see are you guys either making phone calls to those useless connections, or just sitting here worrying! It's all for nothing!

The three roommates looked at the school beauty, who came from a prominent family and was usually elegant and composed, but was now on the verge of exploding with anxiety.

Yan Rugo and Tengfei, who were standing beside her with equally solemn expressions, also felt aggrieved and helpless.

They simply couldn't understand why Zeng Lingyu was so concerned about Zeng Long's affairs.

They were even more eager than their three roommates who lived together day and night, and they were merciless when scolding them.

Hao Shuai looked miserable, scratching his hair in frustration.

Xiaoyu, I really tried my best!

I mobilized all the resources at home and pulled strings to reach out to people in many departments, but the negative public opinion online is like a tsunami that I can't suppress at all!

My second uncle personally ordered the retrieval of all surveillance footage from the area surrounding the incident site, but... but all they found was the footage of Zeng Long fighting with those thugs!

All the other angles and earlier recordings are gone!

It's like it was erased out of thin air!

My second uncle later specifically warned me that there seemed to be a reverse, powerful hand behind the scenes targeting Zeng Long.

The waters are too deep; I shouldn't get too involved... But... but he's my brother! How can I just ignore him? His voice was filled with resentment and anger.

Du Ziteng also sighed:

I had my dad contact the heads of major online platforms, and we even put a million yuan into one platform!

We wanted them to reduce the hype or delete those posts that were clearly spam, but it was no use!

The platform representative hesitated, saying there was pressure from higher levels.

We also want to find those online troll leaders and ask them what conditions they want before they'll stop.

But these people are like ground rats, so numerous and slippery, that you can't catch them all!

They've already set the tone, and many uninformed netizens have been incited; the situation is completely out of control!

Zhu Yiqun added, his tone dejected:

My situation is about the same.

I mobilized almost all the students in Class 1 to post explanations and generate positive comments online.

But our voices were like a pebble thrown into the ocean, instantly swallowed up by a torrent of malicious negative comments...

Not a single ripple could be made.

After saying that, the three boys squatted on the ground in pain, clutching their hair tightly with both hands, their faces full of helplessness and sorrow.

Tengfei sighed as well and advised Zeng Lingyu:

Xiaoyu, don't blame the three of them too much. This is really strange.

I also asked my brother for help. He used a lot of resources in the media and internet information sectors, and the feedback was the same:

There is a powerful force controlling things from behind, with extremely targeted and immense energy, making it impossible to break through using ordinary methods.

Hearing these almost hopeless reports, Zeng Lingyu's eyes welled up with tears again!

She stomped her foot abruptly, turned, and ran to a secluded corner.

Unable to hold back any longer, I took out my phone and dialed a number, my voice trembling with tears and resentment:

Mom! Why aren't you and Dad doing anything about what happened to my brother this time?

When I asked my grandfather, he just told me to mind my own business and that I didn't understand...

But... but the deadline set by the school is approaching! Can you really bear to watch my brother be expelled from school and ruined?

He's such a good son to you!

On the other end of the phone, He Jing's gentle yet unusually calm voice came through:

Xiaoyu, my dear daughter, don't cry. Mommy told me that your grandpa and daddy specifically asked me not to tell you too much.

The situation your brother encountered this time involves a very complex set of issues and relationships, far exceeding what a college student could understand and cope with.

Mom also hopes that you can always complete your studies happily and without worries.

Trust your mom, okay?

In this world, no one cares for or loves your brother more than your mother or our family.

At that moment, Zeng Sheng seemed to take the call; his voice was steady and powerful, carrying the decisiveness of a head of the family:

Xiaoyu, my dear daughter. Your father and mother are both happy and heartbroken to see you care so much for and protect your brother.

I just spoke with your Uncle Li Weiguo on the phone, and he told me that the matter should be resolved soon.

So, Xiaoyu, what you need to do now is to calm down and focus on your studies at school.

Remember what Dad said:

We may need to be more cautious abroad!

But in China, if anyone dares to lay a finger on my children, I, Zeng Sheng, will make sure they suffer the consequences!

His tone revealed an air of authority born of long-standing power and an unquestionable authority, coupled with a fierce protectiveness.

Inside the most luxurious private room on the top floor of the Jinglong Club.

Chen Yifeng was still immersed in the joy of the impending victory.

He swirled his wine glass, glancing at the still "thriving" negative online comments, a triumphant smile playing on his lips.

He was using his last remaining connections to add fuel to the fire and launch a final, fatal blow.

We must completely destroy Li Weiguo, ensuring he has no chance of ever recovering, and at the same time, make that eyesore Zeng Long disappear completely.

Meanwhile, in the office of the Minister of Security.

Chen Jianjun, who had just taken up the position of acting minister not long ago, felt inexplicably uneasy.

He picked up his teacup, but had no interest in drinking it. He said to Vice Minister Liu, who was sitting on the sofa:

"Vice Minister Liu, I don't know why, but I feel... a bit uneasy and uneasy."

Vice Minister Liu looked up, his expression questioning.

Chen Jianjun frowned and continued:

During the handover of his work, Li Weiguo repeatedly emphasized to me—

I must firmly hold onto this position and control the negative public opinion surrounding the Zeng Long incident!

He also said that this was the most crucial test and opportunity for me as the acting minister.

He even specifically reminded me to "take a good look" at the files on the computer on his desk!

Saying "the thing is right there on the desktop, in a very conspicuous place"...

However, I checked it carefully, inside and out, more than a dozen times, and I almost turned the hard drive upside down, but I didn't find anything special!

He wouldn't have said those things for no reason; he even sent me several hints afterward...

Old Liu, do you think he has some hidden tricks up his sleeve that we don't know about?

After he said that, Vice Minister Liu's expression gradually became serious. He thought about it carefully:

Now that you mention it... I also find it a bit strange.

When Vice Minister Choi of the Independent Commission Against Corruption came to question me, Li Weiguo asked me several times whether I had "thoroughly investigated" Zeng Long's background!

He even questioned why I had "privately published" Zeng Long's so-called resume without "reporting to him"...

But I checked it many times according to my access permissions, and Zeng Long's resume is clearly very ordinary and simple, with nothing special about it...

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a growing doubt and a vague unease in each other's eyes.

The previously triumphant atmosphere in the office was quietly shrouded in an indescribable shadow.

They seemed to see an invisible net tightening silently!

And they seem to have misjudged the identities of hunter and prey from the very beginning.