After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

General Headquarters.

The atmosphere was as oppressive as a pressure cooker about to explode.

The indicator lights on several military radios were flashing wildly, and the calls from radio operators were constant, but to the officers, it was all just noise.

"Snapped!"

Commander Wang of the military region slammed his enamel mug heavily on the table, splashing tea all over it. His battle-hardened face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"What did you say? Someone really broke in?" Commander Wang stared intently at the red secure phone in his hand, his voice trembling with shock.

"Gu Zheng, you brat, explain yourself clearly!"

On the other end of the phone, the static was mixed with Gu Zheng's heavy breathing, the sound of his lungs being strained like bellows after strenuous exercise: "Reporting to the commander, the Red Army forward command post in Wild Wolf Valley has been attacked. Two mercenaries, highly skilled, equipped with MP5 submachine guns, tactical grenades, and carrying live ammunition. Repeat, live ammunition."

live ammunition.

These two words were like two nails, piercing deep into the nerves of everyone present.

The once noisy command center fell silent instantly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Only the few radios continued their tireless static.

The operations staff officer in charge of taking notes trembled, and the pen nib drew a glaring crack on the paper.

"According to the confessions," Gu Zheng's voice was as cold as if it had been pulled from an ice cellar, "there was another group whose target was the Blue Army command post. They wanted to carry out a decapitation strike, the real kind."

Commander Wang felt a chill run down his spine, and a cold sensation shot straight to the top of his head.

The Blue Army commander was Commander Li from the Hebei Military Region, a notorious "old fox" in the entire army and a national treasure. If their base were to be raided during the exercise, especially by real mercenaries, it wouldn't just be a humiliation; it would be a major disaster!

"Get the Blue Army! Get Li Yunlong right now (forgive the author, coming up with a name was a headache)!" Commander Wang roared. "Tell that old bastard to stop hiding! This isn't a drill! It's a real boy crying wolf!"

"Report!" The communications officer was sweating profusely, his headset askew. "We can't get in touch! The Blue Army has implemented full-band radio silence for concealment! And... and Commander Li has cut off all wired communications to prevent Red Army reconnaissance; even we can't find his exact location!"

"What?!" Commander Wang was so angry that his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

We usually praise this old guy for being good at hiding; that's because he has high tactical skills.

This is practically digging their own grave!

"Find them! Dig three feet into the ground, find the Blue Army command post!" Commander Wang slammed his fist on the map, his eyes bloodshot. "Tell Gu Zheng to go to any lengths to penetrate deep into the Blue Army's territory! We must get there before the enemy makes a move..."

Before he could finish speaking, Commander Wang felt a bitter taste in his throat.

Wild Wolf Valley is at least 30 kilometers away from the heart of the Blue Army's territory, along a mountain road.

Even if Gu Zheng were made of iron, he couldn't fly over even if he had wings.

Hopefully, that old fox Li Yunlong is well hidden and no one can find him.

……

at this time.

Thirty-five kilometers away from the Red Army headquarters, there is Laoniubei.

This place only has a name on the map; it's really just a rocky outcrop. The strange rocks resemble the fangs of wild beasts, jaggedly pointing towards the sky. The north wind swirls here, howling and howling like ghosts.

Behind a huge weathered rock, a clump of "withered grass" lay.

That's a stone.

He got separated from the main group. Or rather, he deliberately "lost" himself.

Before the exercise began, the company commander ordered everyone to break up into smaller groups and lie in wait. The other soldiers found a leeward slope, dug a foxhole, and squatted down obediently.

The stones are different.

He was born a stray dog. When begging on the streets, if you wanted to avoid being beaten and to snatch a hot bun, you had to learn to smell for food.

Where there is danger, there is meat.

At this moment, the half-grown wolf cub was squinting its clear black and white eyes, staring intently at an inconspicuous, dilapidated sheepfold in the mountain valley.

It was an abandoned sheep pen, drafty on all sides, with half of the roof collapsed, and nothing but dry, hard sheep droppings.

But Stone just felt something was off.

It's too quiet.

Not even a crow perched on the few withered trees around the sheepfold. Moreover, a very faint scent drifted in the cold wind.

It doesn't smell like lamb.

It smells like diesel fuel. And... the smell of canned luncheon meat!

"Gurgle."

Stone's stomach growled involuntarily. He swallowed hard and reached into his pocket to pull out half of a frozen, hard, dark-colored steamed bun.

He took a bite of the steamed bun, his cheeks bulging as he worked, but his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Where would you find canned luncheon meat in this desolate wilderness?

Unless someone is hiding inside. And it must be a high-ranking official, because ordinary soldiers only have compressed biscuits in their pockets.

This place is probably the Blue Army's command post.

Shi Tou's heart pounded wildly, and his palms started to sweat.

If we can take down the Blues' stronghold, that would be a huge achievement!

When he gets back, Gu Zheng, that King Yama, will definitely praise him.

Stone's mind conjured up Gu Zheng's fierce face and Ye Zhen's clear, cold yet warm eyes.

The noodle soup that night was so delicious.

And this military uniform, although it's old and has stitches sewn by Sister Ye Zhen herself on the collar, is warm and reassuring to wear.

When he was a homeless child, winter was the hardest time. He scavenged for food in garbage dumps, fought with stray dogs for territory, and his body was covered in sores from the cold, but no one cared. Back then, he was just a worthless, unwanted rock.

It's different now.

He was a soldier trained by Gu Zheng, and the younger brother adopted by Sister Ye Zhen.

"I can't bring shame to my family."

Shi Tou gritted his teeth. If he could "behead" the Blue Army commander in this exercise, wouldn't that make him a true member of the Gu family? At that time, Gu Zheng's devilish face would have to give him a smile, right?

He was about to pry it down like a gecko when suddenly, the tips of his ears twitched.

someone!

Stone instinctively held his breath, shrinking into the shadows of the rock crevices, even slowing his heartbeat by half a beat. This was a survival skill he had honed while hiding from stray dogs in the garbage dump.

From the direction of seven o'clock, a very faint rustling sound came from the withered grass.

The sound was very soft; if it weren't for the wind, it would be completely inaudible.

Immediately afterwards, two figures dressed in camouflage training uniforms emerged from the bushes like ghosts.

Stone narrowed his eyes.

Those were two soldiers wearing "Red Army" training uniforms. Judging from their armbands, they were from a reconnaissance company of a brother unit.

Just as Stone was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he lifted his buttocks slightly, preparing to emerge from behind the rock to say hello. After all, they were all Red Army soldiers, and they were working towards the same goal; teaming up would be a good way to look out for each other.

However, just as he was about to open his mouth, his gaze swept over the feet of the two people, and he froze as if struck by lightning.

The buttocks that had just been halfway up were abruptly pulled back down, even shrinking deeper into the crevice of the rock.