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

At the temporary command post next to the mourning hall, Teng Ao and Fang Rong solemnly invited the old village chief of Shijia Gou Village and Tie Zhu's third grandfather to come closer. The four of them sat around a simple wooden table, on which a rough map of the village's terrain was spread out.

Teng Ao pointed to the sketch and said in a steady voice, "Village Chief, Third Grandfather, according to Brother Long's wishes, Uncle Shi's funeral should be grand and solemn, but also in accordance with the village's customs. As for the burial site, you two are elders and know the most about feng shui and human relationships, so please be sure to choose the most stable and bright place."

With his calloused fingers, the third grandfather pointed to a sunny hillside on the sketch, tears streaming down his face: "This place... Qinglie used to herd cattle here when he was a child. It's bright and you can see the whole village... Let's go with this place."

The old village chief nodded emphatically, wiping his eyes: "We'll do as Uncle says. As for the other details, we'll follow the oldest traditions. We'll provide the manpower and resources; we won't let Qinglie leave in a lonely manner!"

Once the details were agreed upon, another groundbreaking initiative was launched.

Teng Ao summoned the battalion commander and whispered a few instructions. The battalion commander's eyes sharpened, and he immediately turned around and gave a brief order into the communicator.

Soon, two squads of soldiers jogged toward the convoy of luxury cars. They opened the trunks of each SUV and took out one tightly sealed silver metal box after another.

The boxes were neatly stacked on a cleared area to the left front of the mourning hall.

"Click, click..."

The crisp sound of the latches opening rang out one after another.

The soldiers opened the crate lid—

In an instant, it seemed as if golden light burst forth!

No, it wasn't golden light, but bundles and bundles of neatly stacked, brand-new, crisp hundred-yuan bills! In the sunlight, the red bills converged into a breathtaking sea of ​​red!

The boxes kept stacking up, and the cash piled higher and higher, eventually forming a "money mountain" that was half a person tall and exuded the aura of ink and wealth!

An eerie silence fell over the scene, broken only by the sound of the mountain wind. All the villagers and onlookers stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, as if witnessing a scene from a myth.

The soldiers stood at attention with their guns, guarding this "mountain of money," their expressions solemn, as if protecting the most important military supplies.

Teng Ao gestured for the old village chief and his third grandfather to step forward. He handed them two lists and two pens, his voice clear and firm:

"Village Chief, Third Grandfather, this is a small token of our appreciation from Brother Long and Tiezhu."

"According to the household registration list of Shijia Gou Village, each household will receive 100,000 yuan. We thank the villagers for their past care and help this time. We also ask everyone to work together to send Uncle Shi off on his final journey."

"The villagers from other neighboring villages and towns who came to help are incredibly kind; I'm giving each household 10,000 yuan as a token of my gratitude."

"Please, both of you, preside over the ceremony and distribute the gifts on the spot."

The old village chief's hands trembled so much he could barely hold the pen, and the third grandfather was also in tears. The two looked at each other and saw the shock and emotion in each other's eyes.

The distribution has begun.

The villagers whose names were called stepped forward nervously and excitedly, and under the watchful eyes of countless people, received the heavy bundles of banknotes from the village chief or the third grandfather.

There was no looting, no commotion.

Only a profound and utterly simple shock and bewilderment.

Many villagers had never seen so much money in their lives! Their rough, muddy hands carefully held the huge sum of money, as if it were a fragile treasure or a hot potato.

Tears silently streamed down these weathered faces.

Without prior arrangement, they took the money and, instead of leaving immediately, headed towards Shi Qinglie's mourning hall.

bow.

Bow deeply and for a long time.

One, two, ten, a hundred...

Countless simple villagers expressed their gratitude, grief, and complex emotions toward Shi Qinglie having such a son in this most direct and ancient way—envy, relief, and a deep sense of empathy and pity.

"Qinglie...he's raised a fine son..." The old village chief, holding his third grandfather's hand, looked at the scene before him, his voice choked with emotion, "Our village...is so proud of him...our Shijiagou...has hope..."

The emotional impact of the cash handout had not yet subsided when Teng Ao, accompanied by his battalion commander, walked to the front of the soldiers standing in formation.

He stopped, his gaze sweeping over the young and resolute faces, their expressions still bearing the seriousness of carrying out a mission, their uniforms covered in dust.

Teng Ao cleared his throat, and his voice, amplified by the makeshift loudspeaker, resonated clearly throughout the venue:

"Fellow soldiers!"

All the soldiers' eyes were fixed on him.

"Thank you for your hard work, everyone! I am Teng Ao, the president of Longyu Group. Perhaps you are not familiar with this name in the military. But that doesn't matter."

He paused, then his voice grew even louder, carrying the boldness of an entrepreneur and the swagger of a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person of the martial arts world):

"I stand here today only to express my deepest gratitude and respect to you and your unit, on behalf of my brother Long and ourselves!"

"Therefore, our Longyu Group has decided—"

"A donation of one billion yuan will be made to your unit, free of charge!"

"Whoosh—!!!"

Even the most disciplined army was instantly thrown into a slight, uncontrollable commotion! The soldiers tried their best to maintain their posture, but the shock and excitement that suddenly shone in their eyes could not be concealed! One billion! This was an astronomical figure they could hardly imagine!

Teng Ao's voice continued, resolute and firm:

"This money will be specifically used for infrastructure development, upgrading training facilities, and... improving everyone's living allowances!"

"This is one of them."

He stepped forward, his gaze sharp and intense, sweeping over every young face:

"Secondly! Every soldier, non-commissioned officer, and officer present during this mission—"

"After your glorious retirement, you will all receive a direct employment quota to my Longyu Group!"

"Annual salary guaranteed, starting from at least 200,000! Five social insurances and one housing fund, paid to the highest standard!"

"If you yourselves have a better future, this quota can be transferred to your immediate family members—your father, mother, brothers, and sisters!"

"This is my and Brother Long's highest respect and gratitude to the soldiers who defend our country!"

Quiet.

Immediately following was the battalion commander's sudden straightening of his body, and his roar, slightly distorted with excitement:

"salute--!!!"

"Whoosh—!!!"

Without any hesitation, all the soldiers simultaneously gave a perfect rifle salute to Teng Ao and to Zeng Long, who was standing quietly not far away!

The gun was pressed tightly against his chest, his right hand with the five fingers together pressed against his eyebrows, his posture upright like a pine tree!

Their faces no longer bore the cold indifference of simply following orders, but rather a mixture of excitement, pride, and warmth from being respected, recognized, and treated well! They are soldiers, whose duty is to obey orders, but they are also flesh and blood, with families and futures. This promise weighs as heavily as Mount Tai!

Countless gazes were fixed intently on Zeng Long. They knew that the root of all this lay with that silent, unyielding man.