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

The special plane flew smoothly at an altitude of 10,000 meters.

The atmosphere inside the cabin gradually shifted from the tension of battle to a subtle calm.

Professor Lin and his wife were seated in relatively comfortable seats!

The members of Squad Zero were scattered around!

Maintain professional vigilance.

Professor Lin finally broke the silence:

"Thank you again for saving my life."

"However, if I may be so bold, you all look far too young to possess such astonishing abilities..."

"Can you tell us who you are?"

Zero was inspecting his equipment when he heard this and looked up.

He exchanged a glance with Cold Thorn, who nodded slightly, indicating that the surroundings were safe.

"We are just professionals carrying out the mission, professors."

Zero's answer was watertight.

Mrs. Lin carefully observed the four young people, especially the female team member (Little Sparrow) who seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally avoiding her and her husband.

For some reason, this young girl gave her a strange sense of familiarity and warmth.

Are you all from China?

Mrs. Lin asked softly, "The accent doesn't seem quite right..."

Tie Dun couldn't help but interject:

"I'm a genuine Northeasterner! Oh no, I mean, a Northeasterner!"

He deliberately emphasized his accent, which made Mrs. Lin smile slightly.

Leng Ci replied calmly, "I grew up overseas, but my parents are both from China."

All eyes were on the little sparrow, who was pretending to be focused on operating the computer, but her palms were actually sweaty.

"And what about this young lady?"

Professor Lin asked gently, "Are you also from China? Your accent sounds like you're from the Jiangnan region?"

The little sparrow's body visibly stiffened for a moment.

How she longed to turn around and hug her parents—

Tell them, "I am Xiaoya, the daughter who was abducted by human traffickers when you were young!"

But reason told her she couldn't do that.

Zero responded promptly:

"She is indeed from China, but specific details are classified."

His tone was calm yet firm, suggesting that the issue should not be explored further.

But Professor Lin and his wife's curiosity had been completely piqued.

They looked at the four young men and found it increasingly unbelievable.

"Please forgive my curiosity," Professor Lin said, adjusting his glasses.

"But you are so young, yet you possess abilities that surpass those of any special forces unit..."

"This is truly unbelievable."

"Can you tell us how you were trained?"

Zero smiled slightly:

"The training process is confidential, Professor. I can only say that the training and equipment we received were top-notch."

Just then, the little sparrow's computer beeped.

She glanced at it, her voice slightly tense:

"Everything is normal. We are expected to arrive at our destination in two hours."

She consistently avoided direct eye contact with her parents, but this detail only drew Mrs. Lin's attention even more.

"Young lady, how old are you?"

Mrs. Lin suddenly asked:

"Judging from your appearance, you should be around the same age as our daughter..."

The little sparrow's hand visibly trembled, and he almost spilled the glass of water.

Zero quickly reached out to steady the cup, and at the same time naturally continued the conversation:

"She was 16, madam. Like us, she started this job at a very young age."

Professor Lin noticed that Zero said "started this job" instead of "started training"!

This suggests that their careers started exceptionally early.

"Sixteen years old..." Madam Lin murmured to herself, a hint of sadness in her eyes:

"If our Xiaoya hadn't been abducted and was still alive, she would be 16 years old this year..."

Mrs. Lin seemed to age considerably all at once, and tears welled up in her eyes.

A brief silence fell over the cabin.

The little sparrow's shoulders trembled slightly, but she suppressed her emotions and continued to stare at the screen.

Zero's gaze softened for a moment, but quickly returned to calm:

I'm sorry to have brought up painful memories for you.

Professor Lin took a deep breath and changed the subject:

"Then, can you tell us why you chose to save us?"

"As far as I know, Hellfire and Squad Zero never do missions without pay."

This time, it was Cold Thorn who answered:

"Some tasks are invaluable, Professor."

"But you have taken a huge risk for this," Professor Lin persisted in asking.

"Not only are they at odds with terrorist organizations, but they may also face scrutiny from the international community. There must be some special reason behind this."

Zero chuckled wickedly and said:

"All I can say is that you and your team are too important to China, and as Chinese people, we cannot stand idly by."

"As for the deeper reasons..."

He paused for a moment, then added, "It's classified."

Tie Dun interjected at the opportune moment to ease the tension:

"Uncle, please consider this as us doing good deeds anonymously, just like Lei Feng!"

"Although our fees are usually quite high, we occasionally do some charity work too!"

One sentence made everyone laugh, even the little sparrow, who had been tense, couldn't help but smile.

However, Mrs. Lin's gaze never left the little sparrow's back.

That familiar posture, the shape of her facial features, even the shape of her ears... all reminded her of her "lost" daughter.

"Young lady," Madam Lin suddenly asked, "where in China are you from?"

The little sparrow's body stiffened again.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Zero comes to the rescue once again:

"She comes from the Jiangnan region, madam. Specific details are still confidential."

Although his tone was polite, it already carried a firm tone that left no room for further questioning.

Professor Lin sensed something and gently touched the lady's hand, signaling her not to ask any more questions.

But his own curiosity was also completely aroused—

The more these young people avoid the topic, the more unusual their stories seem.

As he looked at the little sparrow that bore a resemblance to his wife, his heart grew increasingly uneasy.

"Could you tell us your ages?" Professor Lin changed the subject.

"Of course, if that's not considered confidential."

Zero thought about it and felt that this problem was relatively safe:

"I'm 18, and Lengci and Tiedun are both 17." He didn't mention Xiao Maque's age because he had already said it.

"So young..." Professor Lin exclaimed in amazement.

"When I was your age, I was just starting my graduate studies."

"And you have already... you have already been able to carry out this mission that changes the international situation."

Leng Ci said calmly, "Different environments create different life trajectories, Professor."

"Can you tell us how you joined this organization?" Mrs. Lin couldn't help but ask again.

"Where are your families? Do they know you're doing such dangerous work?"

The moment the question was raised, the atmosphere in the cabin instantly became tense.

The little sparrow's breathing became noticeably rapid, and her fingers unconsciously tapped on the keyboard.

For the first time, Zero's expression showed a subtle change!

A barely perceptible shadow swept across his eyes:

"I have no family, madam." His voice was eerily calm.

"I am an orphan. I was abandoned in a trash can on the street right after I was born. The leader found me and gave me a name and a reason to live."

He paused, then continued:

"The stories of Cold Thorn and Iron Pier are similar."

"People like us don't have many choices."

"Either disappear silently on the street."

"Either seize the only opportunity and become strong enough to control your own destiny."

These words were spoken calmly, yet they contained astonishing weight.

Professor Lin and his wife were speechless for a moment; they hadn't expected to bring up such a heavy topic.

Zero seemed to sense her emotions and subtly changed the subject:

"Professor, Madam, knowing too much about some things is not good for you."

"All you need to know is that we are absolutely friends, not enemies, and this operation is entirely out of respect for you and your team."

His tone carried an unquestionable authority, causing Professor Lin to nod involuntarily.

"I understand," Professor Lin said softly.

"Thank you again. No matter who you are or where you come from, you saved our lives today, and we will never forget this kindness."

Madam Lin nodded in agreement, but her gaze still occasionally drifted towards the little sparrow, her eyes filled with indescribable complex emotions.

Silence fell over the cabin; everyone was lost in their own thoughts.

The little sparrow was particularly torn.

She was only a few steps away from her parents, yet they could not recognize each other.

She listened to her parents asking about the backgrounds of the other team members, but she couldn't tell them, "Your daughter is right here, living a good life."

Zero seemed to sense her pain and quietly handed her a bottle of water, saying in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Hang in there, you'll be there soon."

The little sparrow took the water, nodded gently, and gave Zero a grateful look.

Mrs. Lin noticed this subtle interaction, which deepened her doubts.

The young girl and the captain clearly shared a level of understanding and care that went beyond that of ordinary teammates.

"Captain," Mrs. Lin suddenly asked.

"Can you tell me your name? Even just a code name would be helpful. We can't keep calling you 'Captain'."

Zero hesitated for a moment, then answered:

"You may call me Zero, madam. This is my code name."

"Number Zero..." Mrs. Lin repeated the name, then looked at the other team members, "So they are..."

"Cold Thorn, Iron Pile, Sparrow," Zero succinctly explained.

"Sparrow..." Mrs. Lin mused, "What an adorable nickname."

The little sparrow's body stiffened slightly again, but it didn't turn around.

Just then, the pilot's voice came through the communicator: "Landing is expected in fifteen minutes. Please prepare accordingly."

Zero immediately stood up: "Professor, Madam, please fasten your seatbelts. After landing, someone will meet you and arrange for your rest and return home."

As landing time approached, the conversation inside the cabin came to an end.

But Professor Lin and his wife had more and more questions, especially about the young woman codenamed "Sparrow"—

Her silhouette, her silence, the incredible similarities between her and her daughter...

As the plane began its descent, the turbulence as it passed through the clouds caused Mrs. Lin to instinctively grab her husband's hand.

Her gaze, however, never left the back of the young woman in the front row, a hope she dared not admit welling up within her...

Perhaps, just perhaps, fate granted them a miracle.

And this miracle was sitting just a few steps away from them, concealing its identity, but unable to completely hide the blood ties that bound them together.

As the plane tires screeched to a halt upon touching the ground, Mrs. Lin silently made a wish:

Whoever these young people are, whatever their past may be, may God bless them with peace.

Especially that girl named "Sparrow"... May she find her way home, no matter how winding that path may be.

"Professor Lin, knowing too much about some things is not good for you."

"All you need to know is that we are indeed Chinese, and this operation is not malicious at all."

"Everything will become clear in the right time."