Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2540 Fireworks on New Year's Eve (Third Update, Please Subscribe)
Two Black Hawk helicopters roared overhead. Although it was New Year's Eve, soldiers always had to carry out missions.

"...All of this shows that terrorists have no morality and no compassion when they kill innocent people."

The speech delivered by the Legislative Council President to headquarters was being broadcast on the airborne radio. The soldiers listening to the speech came from the 3rd Army Brigade, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and the 13th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

Others could listen via military radio. Although most people wouldn't listen, Zhang Mengran still tuned the radio in the car to the appropriate channel and listened to the speech while piloting the helicopter.

"Terrorists bring pain to people, yet they find pleasure in it. They live to kill others, and we cannot compromise with them in the slightest. ... Those countries that hope to achieve peace by yielding to terrorist forces will never have peace; on the contrary, only through national unity in the fight against terrorism can people enjoy a peaceful life. ... Every SEA citizen who has given their life in the fight against terrorism has brought honor to our country. We pray for their families, and we will remember their names forever."

After the speech, as Zhang Mengran was piloting the helicopter, the co-pilot asked:

"Captain, have you met the president?"

The reason why co-pilot Wang Hao asked this question was because everyone knew that Zhang Mengran was the son of Chief of the General Staff Zhang Kun. However, this was not special, as there were dozens of generals' sons in the military.

Defense Minister Qian Degong's youngest son is still a private—an ordinary first-class soldier—and is somewhere eating dirt with other privates.

Even the son of a general in SEA has to serve in the military and risk his life on the front lines.

This is not because everyone in the SEA has to serve, but because it involves personal and family honor.

As the son of Army General Zhang Kun, Zhang Mengran grew up in a military dependents' village. Like all military children, he was elegant, charming, loved playing tennis, and had high standards for life. Of course, being from a military family, this typical "rich young master" persona ultimately led him to choose the path he was destined for: becoming a soldier.

After graduating from university, he joined the Army Aviation Corps as a reserve officer, becoming a helicopter pilot. He actually hoped to become an attack helicopter pilot, but when it came time for job assignments after graduating from training school, he couldn't compete with others. So, he could only regretfully become a utility helicopter pilot.

This does not mean his mission is without risk. Just like now, flying through the mountains, portable anti-aircraft missiles, RPGs, and anti-aircraft machine guns pose a deadly threat to the Black Hawk. Moreover, high-value helicopters are easier targets than individual soldiers.

However, Zhang Mengran didn't think this kind of danger was a big deal.

This is precisely why he chose a military career.

I saw it once when I was a child.

Zhang Mengran nodded and said:

“At that time, the outside world had just learned his identity, so when the troops returned to base, some friends from the military dependents’ village and I went there specifically to see him in the crowd. At that time, I felt that he was a hero.”

Then, Zhang Mengran said:
"In fact, it is these kinds of heroes who created history, because without heroism there would be no human civilization, no modern army, and no discovery of the Americas..."

Looking at his superiors, Wang Hao recalled a quote from a history book about nobles: "True nobles take pride in dying on the battlefield and are ashamed of being cowardly and afraid of death."

The officer beside him was not only the general's son, but also a nobleman, after all, his father was a nobleman of the Sarawak Kingdom.

He must have been a true nobleman.

The helicopters continued their roar towards the base, the ground shrouded in silence. But even in that silence, the war had not ceased.

Just a few dozen kilometers away, on a mountain ridge, a dozen soldiers lay prone, watching the unremarkable village nestled in the valley. The observer adjusted the focus of his high-powered binoculars, the crosshairs slowly sweeping across the village of a dozen or so stone houses in the valley below.

While drones can play a significant role, they are not a panacea. As is the case now, these soldiers still need to visually identify targets.

"The King of Hearts has arrived at the scene."

After confirming the target using a high-powered telescope, team leader Fang Zhongzhi immediately reported the target. Their task was to observe and report the gathered targets one by one.

This was a secret meeting of the command of a faction that had been on a blacklist. After obtaining intelligence about the meeting through informants, the command made the decision to decapitate the members.

Because a large number of people were involved, and it was necessary to confirm whether all the targets had arrived, the on-site reconnaissance team was dispatched.

Confirming whether the target has arrived at the site through on-site observation is crucial, as the use of drones is still somewhat limited due to issues with camera resolution.

"Boss, what is our mission? Is it just to wait like this?"

Qian Lei, running behind the rocks, asked in a low voice:
“They don’t have many men. I think we can take them all down with just one charge.”

Although there were seventy or eighty armed men down the mountain, Qian Lei showed no fear when he looked at them; in fact, he felt an urge to try, even though there were only nine of them.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a comrade beside him said:
"Are you crazy? Why should we provoke this hornet's nest? Once we confirm that all the targets have arrived, we just need to call in the drones, which is just a matter of two Hellhound missiles."

"This yard is quite large, so using a hellhound won't work. A battle axe is the safest option."

Just then, Sun Feiyun, who was lying on the side a little further away and on guard duty, finished speaking.

The sniper, peering through his scope at the buildings, muttered under his breath: "A 'Tomahawk'... God, one of those things must cost hundreds of thousands, right? I bet even if we bought this whole town, people and houses, and took the hill next door, it wouldn't cost that much."

Qian Lei, who was lying to the side, adjusted his helmet, revealing a set of white teeth:
“A tomahawk costs 500,000, but if you give me half the money, no, 100,000 will do. I can raze this village to the ground with C4 myself.”

Listening to his subordinates' chatter, Fang Zhongzhi simply smiled, and then he received the observer's report.

"Everyone's here, let's give the signal."

"Coordinates confirmed, laser is now aimed at the target."

The guide aimed a laser pointer at the house where a meeting was taking place—their mission was to guide the command structure that was attacking the sectarian militia, who were now meeting there.

"Guidance channel established, requesting fire support."

"Request received. The package is en route and is expected to arrive in five minutes." The clear response came from the command center.

Time crawled slowly through the heat and silence. The town below remained oblivious; wisps of smoke still rose from a few rooftops, and several indistinct figures moved through the alleyways. Occasionally, someone would enter or leave the marked courtyard.

Five minutes felt like an eternity at that moment.

Finally, they heard the voices of the fighter pilots in the air.

"Target locked."

"Laser lock maintained."

Without any warning, a faint yet sharp screech, like tearing fabric, came from the very high sky and rapidly approached.

The next second, hell descended.

That hissing sound became the sole ruler of heaven and earth—not a Tomahawk cruise missile.

Instead, it was a 1000-kilogram laser-guided bomb that was dropped from 5 kilometers away, hitting the center of the stone house with precision at near-sonic speed.

boom----! ! !
The loud noise didn't come from the ground, but rather came from the ground beneath his feet, slamming into his chest.

The intense flash of light can cause temporary blindness, even under the blazing sun.

A massive cloud of smoke, mixed with flames, thick smoke, and debris, instantly expanded, engulfing the courtyard and several surrounding houses.

The shockwave spread in a ring, stirring up clouds of dust, and surged outwards like a yellow tsunami, leveling distant houses.

Even from thousands of meters away, the team members on the ridge could feel the suffocating smell of gunpowder and the blast of gravel and dust.

As the smoke and dust dissipated, only a shocking, charred crater remained where the courtyard had once stood, with twisted metal and unrecognizable car wreckage scattered around its edges.

A precise strike, leaving no room for error.

"Target confirmed and cleared."

After reporting the situation on the ground, Zhang Zhongzhi turned his gaze to the devastated scene below the mountain and remained silent for a moment.

"Mission complete,"

He turned to his teammates, pulled down his goggles, and said:
"Retreat. Alright, stop thinking about using C4. It won't cost 10, it's just a laser-guided bomb. Besides, most importantly, it won't leave any of our brothers without losing a finger. Let's go, retreat."

The team quickly and silently packed up their equipment and, like ghosts, retreated into the shadows on the other side of the ridge. Soon, the evacuation helicopter arrived at the evacuation point, and the team members boarded the helicopter and quickly evacuated the area.

All that remained behind them was a devastated ruin.

Several tens of minutes later, the commandos returned to the base, which was filled with laughter and joy.

Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, and the base is filled with a joyous atmosphere.

Nothing is more important than this holiday. These soldiers, who had just returned from the battlefield, quickly washed up and came to the mess hall. Inside, Li Yixuan, his wife, and their children stood serving the soldiers food to express their gratitude for their contributions to the country.

On New Year's Eve, Li Yixuan, along with his wife and children, celebrated the holiday with the officers and soldiers at the base.

(End of this chapter)