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

Inside the private jet cabin, the atmosphere was as still as a deep pool.

Outside the window, the outline of the capital city slowly unfolds below, like an inverted galaxy, dazzling yet exuding a breathtaking depth and complexity.

Zeng Long (or rather, the one who was about to become Zeng Linglong) leaned back in the spacious airline seat, his face turned towards the window. The soft cabin lights illuminated his angular profile, half in light and half in shadow.

His gaze pierced through the glass, yet seemed unfocused.

In that gaze, there was a faint longing, perhaps even imperceptible to himself, like a traveler finally catching a glimpse of the smoke rising from the chimneys of his hometown. But more than that, there was a bottomless darkness and an icy calm.

Family.

The word rolled silently on his tongue, bringing a strange, almost stinging sensation.

Countless times, on the brink of life and death, in the cold nights of the base, he envisioned what it would look like—

It should be warm, safe, filled with the aroma of food and the sound of nagging... but when it's right next to you, something heavier presses down on you.

It's anxiety.

More than that... a lingering, instinctive sense of deep unease.

That worry did not stem from the journey home ahead, but was rooted in the past that was brutally severed eighteen years ago.

Who?

Why?

With the Zeng family's capabilities, why is it that after so many years of investigation, the mystery remains so thick?

Switching babies, just to cause pain to one family? What ulterior motive lies behind it? Is it hatred? Revenge? Or...?

Countless questions, like undercurrents hidden beneath a layer of dark ice, surged and collided wildly in his mind.

Each question mark is like a key, attempting to open a door to a larger, more dangerous truth.

This was also the main reason why he preferred to remain hidden in the darkness rather than easily step into the light and reunite with his family.

His initial plan was to become a hidden blade, to investigate everything in the shadows, eliminate hidden dangers, and then recognize each other in a grand and carefree manner.

but……

He closed his eyes slightly, and the image of He Jing's face, sometimes overjoyed, sometimes cautious, always filled with humble and ingratiating care, appeared in his mind, as did Zeng Sheng's hands, which were trying to remain calm but could not hide their trembling.

Their gazes, every expectation and guilt they held, were like the finest threads, binding his hardest defenses and creating cracks inch by inch.

Plans can never keep up with changes.

Even more pressing is the almost constant barrage of open and covert attacks and interconnected conspiracies that have been ongoing since he set foot on the land of the Dragon Kingdom.

The enemy was like a venomous snake in the dark, and even his most core and secret identity as "Zero" seemed to have been touched.

And then there's Wu Jun, who's been watching him like a ghost from a higher level... The sense of oppression and the difficulty he faces as a person far surpasses any concrete enemy he's faced before.

The situation forced him to stop waiting any longer.

He had to step out from behind the scenes and into the spotlight.

We must actively stir up this deep water.

Therefore, returning to one's ancestral home is no longer merely an emotional compromise.

It was also the first strategic move he made.

Title: Testing the Waters!

He wanted to see what would happen when the mysterious and powerful military identity of "Major Shi Tiezhu" was fully exposed, and when the bombshell news of "Zeng Linglong, a descendant of the Zeng family" crashed into the unfathomable depths of Beijing...

Just how many large, sharp-toothed fish hidden deep in the mud can be blasted out!

Just how many taut nerves, connecting the interests of all parties, will this affect?

This is both a return and the prelude to a proactive battle, in which the perpetrator uses himself as bait!

"laugh--!"

The sharp sound of the plane's tires screeching against the runway, accompanied by a distinct abrupt stop, abruptly pulled Zeng Long from his deep thoughts.

The cabin lights came on steadily.

Xiaoya rose from her seat and walked briskly yet steadily to Zeng Long's side. She bowed slightly, her voice low but crystal clear:

"Boss, we've arrived."

Her gaze swept across Zeng Long's face, keenly capturing the myriad emotions he had suppressed in that instant, leaving only his usual coldness and hardness.

As Xiaoya spoke, the other team members in the cabin—Ye Feng, Fang Rong, Tang Long, Tie Zhu, as well as Danny, Nader, and Lawrence—almost simultaneously turned their gazes to Zeng Long.

Without a word, their eyes were filled with unspoken understanding, support, and a solemn sense of anticipation for an important historical moment. They all knew that every step they took from here on out would be of paramount importance to their leader.

Zeng Long slowly opened his eyes, the last trace of emotion in them returning to a deep, still calm.

He took a deep breath, a long and profound one, as if inhaling the air of the capital, the smoke of future battles, and the weight of his family into his lungs, transforming it into an even more resolute strength.

He stood up, his posture as straight as a spear.

His gaze first fell on Xiaoya, with a questioning look in his eyes.

Xiaoya immediately understood and reported the latest situation in a steady voice:

"Just received a secret message from 'Lightning' (Jiang Tianhua). The seven of them have arrived in Beijing as planned and are currently in the General Staff Headquarters, in General Liu's office. General Liu is personally arranging... an internal conferment ceremony is underway."

Zeng Long nodded almost imperceptibly upon hearing this. "Okay. After their ceremony, follow the second plan and immediately enter a state of 'silence,' disperse and lie in hiding. Do not use any non-emergency communication signals."

"Understood." Xiaoya's eyes were sharp; she had already memorized it.

Then, Zeng Long's gaze slowly swept over each of his brothers-in-arms in the cabin.

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried the resolute clarity and force of a commander issuing a final order on the battlefield:

"The instructions are as follows—"

"Xiaoya, Tiezhu." He looked at the two of them. "You two will follow me on the front lines. Xiaoya will be in charge of the information hub and on-site support. Tiezhu," he looked at his brother, who had regained his spirits, "you will hold the rear mobile position. Your primary task is to protect Xiaoshiliu."

Tie Zhu nodded heavily, his fist clenching silently.

"Ye Feng, Fang Rong, Tang Long." Zeng Long's gaze turned to the three team members. "The three of you will form the first stealth team. After disembarking, use all means to immediately disappear from regular sight and remain hidden. Monitor all unusual movements leading to the Zeng family's old residence in the eastern suburbs and the area around the airport. Await my instructions."

Ye Feng's eyes remained calm and still as he nodded slightly. Fang Rong and Tang Long's expressions were stern, but a glint of shrewdness flashed in their eyes.

"Danny, Nader, Lawrence." Zeng Long looked at the three foreign tycoons:

Your identities are special, and it is not advisable for you to be exposed to too much scrutiny too early.

As the second, undisclosed group, they went to the accommodation arranged by Teng Ao of the Longyu Group under the guise of "business inspection".

Maintain communication silence, but combat readiness must not be disengaged. Your mission is to deal with... any unexpected "accidents" that may occur and fall outside the bounds of normal expectations.

The three underworld bosses simultaneously revealed knowing, bloodthirsty smiles, each indicating their understanding in their own way.

"Everyone," Zeng Long said, glancing around one last time, his tone as firm as steel, "no one may act without my direct order, and no one may reveal their true intentions."

"We're back this time—"

He paused, gazing at the clearly visible night view of Beijing outside the cabin door, a cold and sharp smile curving his lips:

"It's both going home and... entering the game."

"Now, everyone to your positions."

"Wait for my next instruction."

After he finished speaking, there was no more noise in the cabin.

Only the lingering echo of the engine shutting off, and a tense, almost imperceptible silence before a battle.

The hatch is about to open.

Outside the door, there are expectant family members, undercurrents in the capital, and countless eyes, some open and some hidden, some joyful and some sorrowful.

Inside the door were a group of ghosts who had already switched to a state of war, and their king, who was about to officially step into the eye of the storm under the name "Zeng Linglong".