With three superpowers at his fingertips, he could dominate the 1970s.

Kyoto, Nishiyama Sanatorium.

On the old leader's desk lay a thick file.

The kraft paper cover had no title, only a red security classification mark in the upper right corner—a level of security so high that no more than ten people in the entire country were qualified to see it.

After putting down the documents, Secretary Li got up and left, gently closing the door behind her.

The old leader was the only one left in the room. He stubbed out his half-finished cigarette.

I picked up the document and turned to the first page.

---

There were a few old photos tucked inside.

The first picture is of a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes. His features haven't fully developed yet, but you can vaguely tell he's a pretty little one. The date and name are written on the back of the photo—it's what Jiang Zhiyu looked like right after birth.

The second photo shows a little girl with braids standing under a big tree, smiling innocently at the camera. The background is an old-fashioned brick house with several rose bushes in the yard. Both photos are slightly yellowed, and the outlines are not very clear.

The third picture is a family photo. A young father, a gentle mother, and a smiling girl in the middle—that's what Jiang Zhiyu looked like before she turned seventeen.

The old leader stared at the family photo for a long time.

The girl in the photo is smiling without any guard up, her eyes are full of light.

She's completely different from the indifferent, shrewd young girl she is now.

He turned to the next page, his brow furrowing.

---

At seventeen, a sudden change occurred in my family.

Jiang Zhenbang, the father, was sent to the countryside for labor reform, and his mother, Su Wanqing, went with him. The family property was confiscated, and relatives and friends turned away. The once bustling Jiang family home became deserted overnight.

The old leader's finger paused on the words "family sudden change".

This child's fate took a turn starting from that year.

But—he continued reading and discovered that things weren't quite that simple.

According to the records, Jiang Zhiyu's real change did not begin with the sudden change in her family, but after she returned from the port city.

Before going to Hong Kong, although she had experienced her family's decline, she only displayed the despondency and silence of an ordinary young girl. But after returning from Hong Kong—she seemed like a completely different person.

Their abilities, insights, and methods all seemed to appear out of thin air.

The old leader stopped here, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

Thinking deeper... perhaps that trip to Hong Kong was itself a calamity for this child. Or perhaps it was her opportunity. As for what lay behind that opportunity, he didn't know, nor did he intend to ask.

Some things, knowing them only adds to your distress.

It's better not to know.

---

He continued reading.

In Hong Kong, Jiang Zhiyu helped Song Yanzhou recover the stolen confidential documents—only then did he realize that the little girl's actions in Hong Kong could not be summarized by the word "assistance".

More importantly, after it was done, she left no message and did not seek any reward from us.

It was like doing something that came easily; once it was done, I left.

She then returned to the inland to search for her parents. Commander Li from Shanghai helped her find her parents' whereabouts. During this process, Commander Li recognized her abilities and offered her a position.

She refused.

He declined Commander Li's offer to recruit him and voluntarily went to the countryside to take care of his parents who had been sent there.

Upon seeing this, the former leader gave a soft "hmm".

From this perspective, this child is a kind and loyal person.

In Kaoshantun, her behavior was also intriguing—low-key, but not weak. She got along well with the villagers, never showing off, but she wasn't someone anyone could easily manipulate.

A person with such extraordinary abilities was content to stay in that small village, taking care of his parents, working from sunrise to sunset—

This child's character is, first and foremost, that of a filial son.

Then they discovered the weapons left behind by the remnants of the enemy forces. An entire cave armory—anyone else would have either reported it to claim credit or kept it for themselves. But she simply dumped it on Song Yanzhou; at that time, they hadn't even officially started dating. If Su Qiming hadn't overstepped his bounds and pushed her too far, this girl might never have come to the capital.

The old leader couldn't help but laugh when he saw this.

She seems like a girl who goes with the flow, but she's also the kind of girl who says, "Don't mess with me."

If you don't provoke her, she'll live her life quietly; but if you do provoke her—you're just asking for trouble.

Immediately afterwards, they went to rescue Old Song's grandson.

They made such a big fuss abroad.

He still laughs when he thinks about those international news stories—universities being infiltrated, military bases having supplies stolen, classified lab data being leaked… Major institutions in the US were in chaos, searching the world for “spies,” but they didn’t catch a single one.

To be able to steal those things so secretly—

He shook his head with amusement.

How can you call it stealing? It should be taken out.

The ability to leave the other party without a single clue is truly remarkable.

What moved him the most was what happened next.

They brought back so much—top-notch scientific research equipment, more than five million catties of grain—without asking for anything in return.

Not a penny, not a single condition.

Just like that day in the conference room, when she walked up to him and whispered, "There's still a large amount of grain, the kind that's specially supplied," her tone was casual, as if she were saying, "I have two extra cabbages at home."

The old leader put down the documents, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh.

He was truly amazed—even God was helping this poor and backward country.

---

There was a light knock on the door twice.

Secretary Li walked in carrying a cup of tea.

"Old boss, are you still watching?"

"Um."

The old leader took the teacup, but didn't drink it; he just twirled it in his palm.

"Have you seen this document?"

Secretary Li nodded: "I've seen it."

"What do you think of this girl?"

Secretary Li remained silent for a few seconds, then her expression became very serious.

He thought for a long time, and finally only said one sentence:

"A peerless heroine... even that doesn't quite do her justice."

The old leader nodded knowingly.

"really."

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly said:

"They possess this skill, yet remain pure of heart and ask for nothing in return. There are actually many people like this in our country."

He looked out the window, his gaze distant.

"Look at those scientists rescued from abroad. They gave up comfortable conditions, returned to their impoverished homeland, lived in thatched huts, ate dry rations, and developed China's nuclear weapons and satellites. Look at those veteran researchers conducting experiments in the desert, living in anonymity for decades, their families not even knowing what they were doing."

"We are very gratified. With the selfless dedication of these people, how can our country not prosper and flourish?"

His voice deepened:

"We've suffered enough losses—it's time for us to rise up."

But then his tone turned serious:

"However, we should keep this matter low-key."

He put down his teacup and tapped his fingers lightly on the table:

"Bringing ourselves into the international spotlight too early will attract the greed of hungry wolves and lead to attacks and encirclements. Those people can't stand to see us do well. If you develop slowly, they'll laugh at you; if you develop quickly, they'll suppress you. So—"

"Go and give the order: keep a low profile. We'll hide, develop slowly, and not reveal our true colors too early."

"Until the time is right, let them think we're still lying low."

Secretary Li nodded earnestly, taking every word to heart.

The old leader added, "By the way, our personnel in Country M also contributed a lot this time. Despite the tight budget, they worked together to buy so many machine tools and important equipment for the country."

"Go and give them this money back, and make sure they pay back every penny they advanced. Increase their funding as well, and don't forget the recognition they deserve."

His tone became more forceful:

"We cannot let down those who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes."

Secretary Li stood up, bowed, and said, "Yes!"

Then he turned around and went out to run errands.

Little did they know how incredibly moved and overwhelmed the people in Country M were by the honor.