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

The echoes of the gunshots lingered slowly in the valley.

Before the smell of gunpowder had dissipated, Zeng Long had already accompanied his parents and sister to offer incense before Shi Qinglie's spirit tablet.

That belated reunion, eighteen years in the making, seemed all the more poignant and precious in the solemn and respectful ceremony.

However, outside the mourning hall, the scions of noble families who had followed Teng Ao broke into a complete uproar after the brief silence!

Countless gazes swept back and forth between Zeng Long, Zeng Sheng, and He Jing, filled with disbelief and astonishment.

"Wha...what's going on?!"

"Zeng Long... is the son of the Zeng family?!"

"The biological son Uncle Zeng has been searching for for eighteen years... is he?!"

"My God! No wonder! Last time at Yueting Garden, when Ling Yu was injured, he went berserk..."

"They hid it so well! This identity..."

Quiet gasps and whispers spread like ripples through the crowd.

Everyone felt their understanding had been drastically refreshed, and their brains almost stopped functioning.

Standing in the crowd, Teng Ao looked at Yan Ruge's face, which was filled with excitement, relief and tears, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him!

He suddenly grabbed Yan Rugo's arm, lowering his voice, but unable to hide his shock:

"Ru Ge! Did you... already know? Brother Long... is Uncle Zeng's long-lost son?"

"His real name...is it...Zeng Linglong?!"

Yan Ruge turned her head, looking at him with teary eyes. She didn't deny it, but nodded very slightly, yet with absolute certainty.

Teng Ao gasped, a bitter smile on his face, and shook his head: "You guys... you kept this from me for so long."

Yang Li, standing beside him, gave Yan Hai, who was still in a daze, a hard push, his voice trembling with excitement:

"Hai-ge! Wake up! Long-ge! That's your brother-in-law! Your own brother-in-law!"

Yan Hai was jolted awake by the push, blinking blankly as if waking from a dream.

He suddenly grabbed Yang Li by the collar, pulled him close, and stared at him with wide eyes:

"Holy crap! Li Zi! Pinch me! Am I dreaming? Brother Long... really is my brother-in-law?! My own brother?!"

"Absolutely true!" Yang Li nodded vigorously.

Before the group of young people could fully recover from their shock and excitement—

Fang Rong's loud voice rang out again, drowning out all the whispers:

"Guests have arrived!"

"Family members, please receive the gifts!"

The ceremony continued. Teng Ao composed himself, straightened his clothes, and took the lead, representing all his friends, solemnly walking towards the mourning hall.

When Fang Rong accepted the gift list and sang "President of Longyu Group - Teng Ao - President Teng," an even stronger commotion erupted among the onlookers!

"Look! It's CEO Teng from Longyu! The one on TV!"

"A conglomerate controlling trillions of dollars! My God!"

"What kind of good deeds did the Qing family accumulate?"

However, this is just the beginning.

Following Teng Ao, one name after another was sung out!

The wealth, power, or status represented by each name was like a heavy hammer blow, constantly pushing the limits of understanding for all the ordinary people present, and even many well-informed individuals.

Soon, the old village chief of Shijiagou Village, bombarded by these increasingly terrifying titles, had his heart racing and his limbs going weak, and had no choice but to "retire honorably."

Teng Ao and Fang Rong tacitly took over, jointly shouldering the important responsibility of presiding over the overall situation and handling the funeral arrangements.

The next day, early in the morning.

As the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, the scene at the entrance of Shijiagou Village was even more magnificent and crowded than yesterday.

The number of villagers who came to help and the crowds that rushed to the scene were several times greater than the day before. The crowds were like a sea, but the order was well maintained because the strict military cordon was even tighter than the day before.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A tremendous, complex roar, far exceeding that of a single helicopter, suddenly came from above the clouds!

The sound was deep and powerful, with a metallic vibration that tore through the air, instantly drowning out all the noise on the ground!

People looked up in astonishment.

Four massive armed helicopters, painted in different camouflage patterns, were on display!

Like four giant steel eagles flying side by side, they fiercely tore through the morning mist and clouds, and with an overwhelming momentum, they swooped down towards the open space at the entrance of the village!

The first helicopter landed first.

As the hatch opened, four sharp-eyed, agile guards with bulging temples jumped out first, quickly forming a perimeter.

Then, an elderly man dressed in a crisp general's uniform, with a general's star on his shoulder and a solemn, dignified expression, stepped out steadily.

It was General Liu! He stood still, looked around, and finally his gaze fell on the direction of the mourning hall. His solemn face was filled with heavy mourning and a determination to establish order.

A second helicopter followed closely behind.

Several soldiers dressed in high-ranking military uniforms from country C in the Middle East stepped down.

The leader was about fifty years old, with a burly build, a face as resolute as a rock, and eyes that held the sharpness of someone who had been through many battles, as well as a deep sense of compassion.

The insignia on his shoulder straps highlighted his distinguished status as the supreme military commander of Country C. Behind him were several equally imposing military aides.

The third helicopter door opened.

A noble yet slightly haggard figure appeared.

Anna Rothschild descended the gangway under the protection of several elite bodyguards.

She wore a solemn black trench coat, her blonde hair was tied up, and her azure eyes gazed in the direction of the mourning hall, filled with genuine sorrow.

Representatives of the Luo family expressed their stance and sentiments in the most direct way.

The landing of the fourth helicopter.

The atmosphere was completely different when the cabin door of this aircraft opened.

There were no guards leading the way; instead, an extremely concentrated, almost tangible, chilling aura of killing intent surged forth first!

Seven figures stepped out of the cabin almost simultaneously and landed neatly with a "thump"!

When they were fully exposed to the sunlight, almost everyone in the know at the scene had their pupils suddenly contract!

Desert digital camouflage combat uniforms clung tightly to the lean, leopard-like bodies of the soldiers.

The modular tactical vest is equipped with various cutting-edge equipment whose specific models are not discernible, yet which exude a dangerous aura.

On his feet were heavy desert combat boots with deep treads on the soles.

What's most chilling is their heads—full-coverage high-tech tactical helmets, with dark bulletproof masks completely obscuring their faces, leaving only a bottomless darkness with no reflection!

You can't see any face, you can't see any expression.

Instead, there is an extreme coldness, efficiency, and precision that abandons all human fluctuations and exists solely for war and destruction!

They were just standing there, yet they exuded a strong smell of gunpowder, blood, and a chilling killing intent that could freeze one's soul!

This equipment is exactly the attire of the secret Chinese military unit that performed that miraculous rescue mission in the Middle East, D country, some time ago!

Guo Wei – codenamed "Tank" – has a body as solid as an iron tower and as steady as a rock.

Jiang Tianhua – codenamed "Lightning" – stands like a javelin, poised to strike.

Wu Lei – codenamed "Storm", with a deep and powerful aura, hinting at thunder.

Liu Feng – codenamed "Blade" – stands straight and exudes a sharp, intimidating aura.

Li Wuguo – codenamed "Battle Axe" – possesses a calm demeanor and immense power.

Zhang Zheng—codename "Sirius"—has eyes (though covered) that seem to penetrate the heart.

Qi Liang – codenamed "Phantom" – has a presence that is sometimes clear and sometimes vague.

At this moment, the Dragon Return Squad is fully assembled!

After landing, the seven men made no unnecessary movements, but strode forward with neat, powerful steps, like seven sophisticated war machines, passing through the automatically parted crowd and heading straight for Shi Qinglie's mourning hall.

The mystery and overwhelming pressure they exuded caused everyone along the way to involuntarily hold their breath, their hearts pounding, and dare not make a sound!

It was as if they were facing not seven people, but seven moving, silent killing volcanoes.

Upon reaching the front of the mourning hall, all seven people stood at attention!

Then, under the gaze of countless shocked eyes, they all clenched their right fists and pounded them heavily and uniformly on their left chests, right in front of their hearts!

"Thump!" A dull and rhythmic impact sound.

Immediately afterwards, the seven heads, all covered by helmets, bowed deeply at the same time, paying their respects to Shi Qinglie's coffin.

There were no words, no kneeling.

But the clenched fist and chest salute, and the deep bow, conveyed the unspoken brotherhood between those who had shared life and death, the supreme respect for the deceased father, and the overwhelming grief suppressed beneath the cold equipment. These were more moving than any tearful farewell or elaborate ceremony!

They wore military uniforms, representing the nation and a special mission; they could not kneel, nor wear mourning clothes. But their hearts had already knelt in worship.

All the sharp blades of "Dragon" under Zeng Long's command have been sheathed and gathered here!

However, this is not the end.

Before everyone could recover from the oppressive feeling emanating from these seven "future warriors"—

"Squeak—crunch—!!!"

At the end of the dirt road at the village entrance, the screech of brakes rang out again! Not just one, but several black SUVs, coming to a stop in an almost violent manner!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Almost simultaneously, the six heavy car doors were kicked open from the inside!

Six figures, each with a distinct yet equally powerful aura, stepped off the vehicle.

They were all dressed in well-tailored black suits, wearing dark sunglasses that covered half of their faces, and their expressions were solemn to the point of being cold.

The three people on the left:

Baroque – tall as a bear, with bulging muscles beneath his suit, exuding a savage and terrifying power even through his sunglasses.

Silence—his expression was like a knife, he stood silently, yet the space around him seemed to be slightly distorted, radiating an extreme danger that kept strangers at bay.

Xue Yan – with a cold and sinister aura, and a faint, chilling smile that always seemed to hang at the corner of his mouth.

The Hellfire Mercenary Group, the world's strongest mercenary group, has arrived with its three core leaders!

The three people on the right:

The man on the left, tall as a bear, with a rugged face and sinister eyes, his muscles bulging beneath his black suit, exudes the elegance and ruthlessness of the Italian Mafia—Danny, the Mafia's number two.

The man in the middle, with eyes as cold and slippery as a viper, and a large gemstone ring on his finger gleaming with a dangerous light—Nader, one of the core leaders of the Mexican Cartel.

The man on the right, with his blond hair neatly combed, wearing an expensive custom-made suit, had a cynical yet extremely dangerous smile on his face. His eyes swept across the crowd as if he were sizing up prey—Lawrence, an important head of the Gambino family in America.

After the six people got off the bus, they did not exchange any words.

They walked with heavy, synchronized steps, their gazes behind their sunglasses seemingly piercing through the crowd and reaching the mourning hall.

Wherever it passed, even the air seemed to cool down by several degrees. It was a complex sense of oppression, a mixture of the murderous aura of a dark world tyrant and the killing intent of a top warrior, causing those nearby to involuntarily hold their breath and retreat.

They arrived at the mourning hall and stood at a distance from the "Dragon Return" team.

The six people simultaneously removed their sunglasses, revealing eyes that were either cold, sharp, or deep, and solemnly gazed at the mourning hall.

They didn't salute or make any other moves; they simply bowed deeply and for a long time three times to Shi Qinglie's coffin.

Every bow carries the heavy promise and bloody respect of the king of the underworld.

At this point...

All sixteen core members of "Zero," the most mysterious and darkest team under Zeng Long, which operates in the gray areas of the world, were also present!

At this point...

He was both a mentor and friend to the three core leaders of the Hellfire Mercenary Group, representing the world's top combat and power networks, and they all arrived!

On the left is the national will and military authority led by General Liu.

In the middle is a cold, steel torrent composed of seven members of the Dragon Return Squad, representing the most advanced military force.

On the right are three mercenary kings of the dark world, three gangster bosses, bringing with them the chilling shadows of the underworld.

The periphery is the wealth empire represented by Teng Ao, the network of connections brought together by prominent families, and the international power represented by the C country's leader and the Luo family.

At the heart of all this storm and power was the simple coffin in the mourning hall, and the imposing figure kneeling before it, burning paper money—Shi Tiezhu.

And then there was Zeng Long, standing behind Tie Zhu, like a peerless divine weapon that had finally been fully drawn, its brilliance concealed yet still stirred up storms from all directions.

Powers from all directions, heroes from all corners, dragons and tigers gather here!

For an ordinary middle-aged man who died unjustly.

For the sake of their shared brother, Shi Tiezhu—and the irreconcilable blood feud and grief.

Before the mourning hall, white banners hung silently, and incense smoke curled upwards.

Outside the mourning hall, steel structures stood tall, exuding a menacing aura.

A terrifying force, unspoken yet enough to chill any adversary, has silently gathered and proclaimed itself over this small mountain village.

The flames of revenge are burning fiercely amidst all the cold gazes and solemn silence, awaiting a final outlet.