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

However, Tie Zhu did not hesitate at all. He pulled his sister and knelt down in front of Zeng Sheng and He Jing with a "thump" to greet them.

"Child! Get up quickly!"

He Jing's tears welled up instantly. She almost lunged forward and forcefully pulled Tie Zhu and Xiao Shi Liu up from the ground.

Tie Zhu looked at He Jing, who treated the three of them (himself, Ye Feng, and Xiao Ya) as her own children.

Recalling He Jing's tender care, this tough man finally couldn't hold back his tears, which flowed silently down his face.

He Jing's hands trembled as she touched Tie Zhu's tear-streaked face.

"Good boy...good boy...we won't cry..." Her own voice was choked with sobs as she gently wiped away the hot tears of the man from Tiezhu with her fingers.

Then, she turned to Xiao Shiliu, opened her arms, and gently embraced the thin, stubborn girl with a sad face.

It was an embrace filled with pure maternal radiance and boundless love.

"Good girl... Auntie's here..."

She gently patted Xiao Shiliu's thin and trembling back, her voice as gentle as the warmest spring breeze.

"Don't be afraid anymore... Don't be afraid anymore... Auntie will take you to the capital, to the best school, to take care of your mother, and we'll live a peaceful life where no one will bully us anymore..."

Little Pomegranate's stiff body softened little by little in this unfamiliar yet incredibly warm and safe embrace.

The coldness, fear, and despair following her father's tragic death seemed to be pried open by this warm current, creating a slight crack.

She buried her face in He Jing's shoulder, and finally, instead of screaming, she let out a suppressed, aggrieved sob, the kind of whimper that belongs to a fourteen-year-old girl:

"Auntie...Auntie..."

He Jing hugged her tightly, tears silently streaming down her face, soaking her clothes.

Fang Rong continued to guide Tie Zhu and his sister to kneel and thank Lin Shucheng and his wife, and Ye Zhenkang and his wife in turn.

According to ancient custom, children should not wear mourning clothes when they see their biological parents in front of the spirit of the deceased; they should remove their mourning clothes to show respect to the living.

Otherwise, it will be considered unfilial and disrespectful.

So, Ye Feng and Xiao Ya almost simultaneously took off their mourning clothes and quickly walked to their parents, Ye Zhenkang and his wife, and Lin Shucheng and his wife.

There were no many words exchanged, only a deep exchange of glances and tears of pity in each other's eyes.

However, Zeng Long was now in an awkward situation.

With his parents still alive, he absolutely cannot wear mourning clothes anymore.

Once he takes it off, the scions of prominent families present will immediately ascertain his relationship with the Zeng family.

This also signifies his complete acceptance of the Zeng family and his recognition of his ancestral roots.

His gaze met that of Zeng Sheng and He Jing, a few meters away, a complex mix of emotions: the bittersweet joy of regaining what they had lost, the tension of finding it again, and the fear of losing it once more.

Those few meters, under the sunlight, seemed to stretch across eighteen years of time, endless hardships, separations, and unforgettable longing.

On one side are her blood-related, deeply remorseful parents.

On one side is her son, burdened by a heavy past and with a high-walled heart.

Time seemed to have been paused by some immense force among the three of them.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

The air seemed to freeze, even the sound of the wind seemed to stop.

Ye Feng, Xiao Ya, Fang Rong, and Tie Zhu clenched their fists involuntarily, their nails digging deep into their palms. They were so nervous that they almost forgot to breathe, their eyes fixed on Zeng Long.

They knew their boss too well, and they understood all too well how deep the wound in his heart was.

Zeng Long's chest heaved violently.

He took a slow, deep breath. The breath seemed to penetrate his internal organs, cleansing the hardest layer of ice deep within his soul.

His gaze slowly swept over the group of brothers and comrades who had shared life and death with him, and he saw the undisguised concern and encouragement in their eyes.

Finally, his gaze fell once again on Zeng Sheng and He Jing—on those faces filled with expectation and humility.

Since what was bound to happen has happened, we'll recognize each other sooner or later.

Adding to the impact of Tie Zhu's father's passing, he was deeply moved, and the tightly closed doors of his heart suddenly opened.

"ha……"

A very soft laugh escaped from Zeng Long's throat.

Then, the laughter grew louder and louder—

"Hahaha...hahaha...!!!"

He threw his head back and laughed! The laughter echoed in front of the solemn mourning hall, carrying an indescribable sense of desolation, relief, and the exhilaration of breaking free from shackles!

As he laughed, hot tears streamed down his resolute face like a river bursting its banks!

Eighteen years of loneliness, suffering, and defensiveness poured out with tears at this moment!

He laughed and cried as he reached out and forcefully tore off the coarse hemp mourning clothes he was wearing!

When the mourning clothes were completely removed, Zeng Long felt an unprecedented sense of relief, as if an invisible mountain that had been pressing on his heart for eighteen years had suddenly collapsed! His soul felt lighter, as if it had undergone some kind of sublimation and purification.

He raised his hand and fiercely wiped away the tears on his face with his palm, the movement rough but firm.

When he looked up again, his face had regained its usual calmness, but his deep eyes held a clearer, more relaxed look, and a hint of warmth.

He looked at Zeng Sheng and He Jing, and slowly, with effort, a smile appeared on his lips.

Then, he started walking.

One step, two steps...

The steps were heavy, for each step spanned a long period of time.

His steps were firm, for he had made one of the most important decisions of his life.

He walked straight to the middle of Zeng Sheng and He Jing and stopped.

Zeng Sheng and He Jing were already in tears, but they bit their lips tightly, not daring to make a sound, for fear that the scene in front of them was just a dream and that it would shatter at the slightest sound.

Zeng Sheng looked at his son, who was so close to him, his lips trembling violently, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. In the end, all the turbulent emotions turned into a series of suppressed words that burst forth in a tearful voice:

"Okay...okay...okay!!!"

Every "good" felt like a heavy hammer blow to my heart, shattering eighteen years of suffering and opening the door to happiness and reunion!

Zeng Lingyu quickly stepped forward, tightly holding her brother's arm, tears streaming down her face.

The family of four was finally reunited in the solemn and sorrowful mourning hall, guarded and witnessed by hundreds of soldiers.

Ye Zhenkang and his family of three, followed by Lin Shucheng and his family of three, each with tears of relief in their eyes.

Fang Rong watched this scene, his heart surging with indescribable emotions. He abruptly turned to the battalion commander and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Battalion Commander! Send your men—"

"Put all the bullets out of the gun—"

"Light up the whole room—!!!"

Although the battalion commander did not understand the full meaning, his soldier's intuition made him carry it out without hesitation!

He turned to face the wall of steel and roared in a voice that seemed to tear at the heart:

"Everyone—has it—!!!"

"Fire!!!"

The moment the command was given—

"Da da ...

"Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang-!!!!!!"

All the soldiers pulled the triggers!

It wasn't a salvo, but a furious roar that unleashed all the bullets in the magazine into the sky in the shortest possible time!

In an instant, hundreds of gun barrels spewed out blazing flames!

The gunshots were no longer a rhythmic chorus, but rather merged into a deafening, continuous roar that seemed to tear the sky apart and shake the earth!

Hot shell casings rained down, landing at the soldiers' feet with a clattering sound.

The smell of gunpowder instantly became so strong it was choking, and the firelight illuminated every face, whether resolute or tearful.

This frenzied, unprecedented barrage of gunfire lasted for a full ten seconds!

It is no longer just a simple act of mourning.

It is sending Shi Qinglie's soul straight to heaven in the most powerful way, may he rest in peace!

It is using the most powerful sound to announce to the world the arrival of justice and the punishment of evil!

It is with this roar that it offers the most resounding and fervent blessing to this reunion of family members that is 18 years overdue!

May the departed rest in peace, may the living be reunited, and may there be no more such injustices and separations in this world!

The gunfire gradually subsided, but the echoes reverberated through the valley for a long time.

In front of the mourning hall, incense still burned, and white banners fluttered in the breeze.

The kneeling assailant collapsed like mud amidst the gunfire.

Families reunited embraced tightly amidst the smoke of battle.

The thousands of onlookers remained silent, overwhelmed with shock and emotion.

A new chapter has quietly begun amidst blood, tears, and gunfire.