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

Zeng Long was driving his car, carrying three companions who had just returned from the "other world" towards the city.

He was planning to find a reliable but not too scary restaurant to welcome them.

The atmosphere inside the car was fairly harmonious, if one ignored Shi Tiezhu's comment about the tall buildings outside the window that "these buildings aren't as bomb-resistant as our base," and Ye Feng's habitual practice of recording the locations of surveillance cameras along the way.

Just then, Zeng Long's phone rang.

But before he could even reach out, Lin Xiaoya, sitting in the passenger seat, swiftly pressed her ear against his, her eyes darting around, her face clearly saying, "I want to see what's going on."

Zeng Long reluctantly answered the phone and put it on speakerphone. Zhu Yiqun's familiar loud voice immediately filled the entire carriage:

"Brother Long! Where are you? I haven't seen you all morning, and your dorm is empty!"

"It's Yiqun," Zeng Long said, trying to make his voice sound normal. "I just picked up some friends from the airport and I was planning to take them out for lunch."

"Why bother looking for another place? Let's just come to Yue Ting Garden!" Zhu Yiqun said enthusiastically.

"I sent you the location! We're having dinner here tonight! Come over and see if there's anything else we need to prepare. Xiaoyu and Tengfei are here too! Tengfei said we'll eat here for lunch as a warm-up, and you can finalize the details this afternoon. We'll wait for the main group at 5 pm! How about it?"

Zeng Long was about to politely decline: "Well... how about I settle a few friends in a hotel first..."

Before the word "shop" could even be uttered, the phone was instantly taken over! Lin Xiaoya snatched the phone, her voice so sweet it could kill:

"Hi! Hello classmate! I'm your brother Long's distant cousin, my name is Xiaoya! That place you just mentioned, are there lots of good food and fun things to do?" she said, while giving Zeng Long a warning look not to take it back.

Zhu Yiqun on the other end of the phone visibly hesitated for two seconds before stammering out his reply:

"Huh? Cousin... Cousin? You... Hello! Of course! Yue Ting Yuan is one of the top venues in the capital, they have everything!"

"Great!" Lin Xiaoya cheered. "Let's head over there now! Hurry up and order all the good food! Wait for us!"

After saying that, she didn't give Zeng Long any chance to refute her. She slammed down the phone, then stuffed the phone into her pocket like a trophy, looking at Zeng Long triumphantly.

Zeng Long was about to say "I'm not going," but seeing Xiao Ya's "If you dare refuse, I'll hack your account" look, he swallowed his words back. He rubbed his temples in pain.

"Boss!" Lin Xiaoya launched her emotional offensive, her lips pouting and her eyes watering. "The three of us traveled thousands of miles, across the ocean, to come to you for help, and you actually want to go and enjoy the good life while leaving us to eat instant noodles in a hotel? Doesn't your conscience hurt?"

Upon hearing "eating and drinking well," Shi Tiezhu, sitting in the back seat, immediately voiced his support:

"Yes! Yes! Boss, you can't abandon us! We should share the good times!" It was as if Zeng Long was about to abandon three chicks who were crying for food.

Even the usually cold Ye Feng, unusually, stared at the back of Zeng Long's head with a look similar to that of an abandoned large dog.

After all, they are all young people, and they are always curious about excitement and new things, especially those in the boss's social circle.

Zeng Long felt like there were ten thousand bees buzzing in his head.

He shook his head violently, glanced through the rearview mirror at the three faces filled with "desire" and "if you don't take us, we'll cause trouble ourselves," and let out a long, desperate sigh.

"I also want to show you what normal life is like..." he said weakly, "but you...you have to agree to a few conditions!"

"Boss, you say it!" the three said in unison, their attitudes as sincere as if they were about to take an oath to join the group.

"First!" Zeng Long held up one finger, his expression serious. "Lock all those thoughts in your heads about missions, combat, assaults, sniping, rearguard action, demolitions... and the like down! Suppress them to the deepest part of your hearts!"

"Everyone I met tonight was my classmate, just ordinary students! Especially you, you frozen goods!" He glared at Ye Feng:

"Stop spouting things like 'Sentry at 3 o'clock, suspicious person at 9 o'clock, I'll take out the sniper first'! I'm a student, not a terrorist leader! Do you hear me?"

"We heard you! We promise we won't talk nonsense!" The three nodded like chickens pecking at rice, their movements so fast they were almost blurry.

Looking at them, Zeng Long felt that the guarantee was a bit too readily agreed upon, and it had a sense of unreality to it.

But what could he do? Should he really leave these three "experts" alone in the hotel? He was afraid tomorrow's headline would be "A high-end hotel was invaded by a mysterious force, its security system was paralyzed, and its food reserves were emptied."

In contrast, while carrying it around may cause anxiety, at least it allows for real-time monitoring, making disasters more controllable.

He resignedly rubbed his temples.

"Second! Now, immediately, right now, go to the mall! Buy you all some decent outfits! If you go there dressed like this, people will think I'm bringing a bodybuilding champion, a funeral director, and a rock star to cause trouble! Change! You absolutely must change!"

"Change it! Change it right away!" the three of them shouted in unison again, cooperating actively.

"Let's go..." Zeng Long listlessly turned on the turn signal and drove towards the nearest large shopping mall. A triumphant cheer erupted inside the car: "Yay! Boss is awesome! Let's go for a big meal!"

One hour in the mall is comparable to a small-scale special operations operation.

Zeng Long, like an exhausted stylist, shuttled between various brand stores.

• Shi Tiezhu: The biggest problem. Almost all normal-sized clothes look like children's clothes on him.

Finally, I found a store that specializes in casual wear for plus-size men and bought several of the largest size hoodies and sweatpants.

He finally changed out of that suit that was about to burst open. Although it still couldn't hide his burly build, at least he looked like a... particularly strong sports student.

Ye Feng: Zeng Long gave up on letting him go for a sunny look and directly chose dark-colored casual wear, striving for a low-key and simple style.

The effect is good; the cold and aloof demeanor remains, but the sharp edge of a professional assassin is missing, making him more like a cool guy who doesn't like to talk.

Lin Xiaoya: The most difficult to deal with! She has an obsession with all kinds of outlandish costumes.

Zeng Long coaxed and threatened her, eventually forcing her into a vibrant Nike tracksuit that completely covered her slender waist, by threatening her that she wouldn't be allowed to eat unless she changed her clothes.

As for the rainbow ponytail… Zeng Long compromised; at least it looked better than before. Xiao Ya pouted, but looking at her fresh and lively self in the mirror, she reluctantly accepted it.

After the renovation, the three "nuclear bombs" were completely renewed (relatively speaking). Zeng Long drove towards Yueting Garden with a tragic feeling of "what is meant to be will be".

Upon arriving at the entrance of Yueting Garden, the extreme luxury and elegant style caused the three people, except for Zeng Long, to raise their eyebrows slightly.

The place was brightly lit and grand. An elegant hostess greeted us with a smile: "Welcome! Please show your membership card."

Zeng Long frankly stated, "We don't have membership cards; we're here to visit our friend Tengfei."

The hostess's smile grew even sweeter: "Are you Mr. Zeng Long? Young Master Teng has already given instructions. Please follow me."

Guided by the hostess, we passed through the brightly lit lobby and the elegant corridor, and arrived at the door of a private room.

As soon as the door opened, a warm atmosphere and luxurious decor greeted the eye. The private room was enormous, a perfect blend of modern understated luxury and traditional Chinese elegance.

There were already quite a few people sitting inside:

Zeng Lingyu, Teng Fei, Zhu Yiqun, Du Ziteng, and Hao Shuai were all present, along with three unfamiliar young people—one man and two women.

Upon seeing Zeng Long, Tengfei immediately rushed over and gave him a warm hug:

"Brother Long! We've been waiting for you!" Zeng Long was a little stunned by the enthusiasm. He didn't know that he had been upgraded to "idol + brother" in Teng Fei's heart.

"Come on, Brother Long, quickly take your friends to sit down!" Tengfei called out. "Are you hungry? I'll have someone bring the food right away! I know this place well, I'll arrange lunch, Brother Long, is that alright?"

Zeng Long suppressed his surprise and nodded calmly, "Thank you for your trouble, Brother Teng."

After everyone was seated, a silent exchange of glances began in the private room.

· Shi Tiezhu: Even in casual clothes, his mountain-like physique and the temperament forged in blood and fire still give people a strong sense of pressure and... security.

Also, he was carrying a large leather suitcase, which seemed strange and unusual.

There was no other way; it was Xiaoya's arrangement. She said it contained all the latest research findings, and it was safest to keep it with me.

Ye Feng: He sat quietly, seemingly calm, but his occasional glances were still sharp, only no longer so cold and piercing, like a cool guy with a story.

Lin Xiaoya: Her sportswear makes her look lively and cheerful, with a slight smile and dimples, like a girl next door. Only those who know her well can see the mischievousness that she can't hide in her bright eyes.

Zeng Long introduced everyone. When it was the turn of the three strangers, he looked at Zeng Lingyu and Teng Fei.

Zeng Lingyu then stood up with a smile, her tone light and cheerful:

"Zeng Long, this is my cousin, Gao Lin. These two are my cousins, Zeng Yuan and Zeng Ke."

As soon as she finished her introduction, Zeng Yuan and Zeng Ke immediately stood up and greeted Zeng Long sweetly, with a hint of barely perceptible excitement, "Hello, Brother Long!"

That cry of "Brother Long" was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirring up violent ripples in Zeng Long's heart.

Looking at the undisguised kindness and curiosity in the two girls' eyes, the inner turmoil and conflict about his origins were once again violently stirred within him. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm, and smiled as he replied, "Hello, both of you little sisters."

Then, he naturally turned to Xiaoya and said to Zeng Lingyu, "Xiaoya, this is my classmate Zeng Lingyu. You've just returned to China, so you can get to know and communicate with Sister Xiaoyu more."

Lin Xiaoya, being incredibly quick-witted, immediately picked up on Zeng Long's hint. She flashed a bright smile and said warmly to Zeng Lingyu:

"Hello, Sister Xiaoyu! My name is Lin Xiaoya, and I'm Zeng Long's cousin! I'll be following you from now on, so be sure to take me with you whenever you have fun or delicious food!"

When Zeng Lingyu heard the word "cousin," her eyes and expression paused for a very subtle moment with a hint of inquiry. Although she quickly returned to normal, she did not escape the eyes of Zeng Long and Xiao Ya.

After exchanging pleasantries, Lin Xiaoya excused herself to go to the restroom and left the private room. Zeng Long chatted casually with Tengfei and his roommates, seemingly relaxed, but his mind was actually a little unsettled.

About ten minutes later, his phone vibrated; he had received an encrypted message from Xiaoya:

[It has been confirmed. Zeng Yuan and Zeng Ke are the daughters of Zeng Qiang, Zeng Sheng's younger brother. Gao Lin is the son of Zeng Ting, Zeng Sheng's older sister. The source is reliable.]

Zeng Long's pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly replied: [Received. Come back for dinner first.]

He put down his phone, his expression still calm, and continued the chat, but his heart was in turmoil. The descendants of the Zeng family were so clearly laid out before him that he could not avoid them.

Soon, Lin Xiaoya returned to the private room, and a sumptuous feast began to be served. Tengfei had suggested having some wine to liven things up, but Zeng Long firmly rejected the idea, saying that "there's more important business tonight." In the end, everyone opted for fruit juice instead of alcohol.

Xiaoya deliberately sat next to Zeng Lingyu, and the two girls quickly started chatting enthusiastically.

She chatted well with Xiaoyu, probably because she felt it was related to his boss's background.

Xiaoyu felt that Xiaoya must have a very good relationship with her brother if she said she was his cousin. She also wanted to get closer to Xiaoya. In addition, the two girls got along well, and the scene was very harmonious.

Our "beast" Mr. Shi Tiezhu has completely turned on his gluttonous mode.

The plate in front of him was piled up with a small mountain of bones and seafood shells at a visible speed.

Enjoying his meal, he let out a loud burp and gave Tengfei a憨厚 (honest and simple) smile:

"Young Master Teng! This lobster tastes really good! It's just that there's not enough meat. Could you please bring five more servings? No! Ten servings, I feel like I could eat a little more!"

Everyone: "..." Looking at Shi Tiezhu's terrifying appetite and sincere eyes, a burst of good-natured laughter erupted in the private room.

Zeng Long covered his face, feeling both amused and helpless. This welcoming banquet was destined to continue in this "nuclear bomb" style.