Special forces soldier demobilization: Starting from the county government compound, a meteoric rise

Ningzhou Municipal Party Committee, top floor of Building A.

This is the pinnacle of power in Ningzhou City, so quiet it seems isolated from the world. The heavy mahogany doors shut out all the noise from the outside, with only the extremely faint hum of the central air conditioning vents emanating from them.

The municipal party secretary, Feng Jiang, is standing in front of a huge floor-to-ceiling window.

He held an unlit cigarette between his fingers, his gaze piercing through the pale blue glass curtain wall as he looked down at the rapidly expanding city below. In his fifties, his temples were slightly gray, but his eyes were like the calm, deep waters of an autumn lake, concealing an unfathomable depth of understanding.

Behind him, Shen Congwen, the secretary-general of the municipal party committee, was quietly tidying up the documents on the table. His movements were skilled and careful, as if he were afraid of making any unnecessary noise that might disturb the thoughts of this high-ranking official.

"From the perspective of literature."

Feng Jiang suddenly spoke, his voice deep and mellow, without turning around.

"Was it quite lively at the Municipal Youth League Committee yesterday?"

Shen Congwen paused slightly in his movements, then quickly resumed his normal routine. As the head steward who had served Feng Jiang for five years, he knew all too well what his boss was concerned about.

In this compound, nothing can escape the eyes of these people.

"It's quite lively, Secretary."

Shen Congwen walked forward with a smile, gently placed a freshly brewed cup of Da Hong Pao tea on the coffee table, and spoke in a perfectly measured tone.

"The new deputy secretary, Liu Ming, has only been here for two days, but she has already stirred up the stagnant waters of the Municipal Youth League Committee."

"Oh?" Feng Jiang turned around, walked to the sofa, sat down, picked up his teacup, and blew on the foam. "Tell me, how is it muddy?"

Shen Congwen pulled out a prepared briefing from the folder, but instead of reading it aloud, he reported to his superior in a casual tone:

"First, there was yesterday's Youth League Congress. As is customary, these kinds of meetings are just formalities, and the speeches are all pre-polished, formulaic texts. But this Deputy Secretary Liu did something else; he went up on stage and threw his speech away."

"Throw it away?" Feng Jiang raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued.

"Not only did he throw it away, but he also gave a ten-minute impromptu speech. He talked about everything from industrial structure to talent drain, from financial support to the transformation of research and development into practical applications. His words were sharp, and his data was detailed. He thoroughly criticized the current environment for youth entrepreneurship in our city. I heard that Deputy Secretary Zhao, who was sitting on the stage at the time, was stunned and eventually led the applause."

"That's interesting."

Feng Jiang took a sip of tea, a faint smile playing on his lips. "To dare to throw out a manuscript in that kind of setting shows you have substance, and also... you're quite bold. Anything else?"

"And then there was last night."

Shen Congwen's expression became quite interesting, as if he was trying to suppress a laugh.

"That kid went to the charity gala hosted by the Nangong Group last night. Not only did he go, but he also gave the eldest son of the Ouyang family a good beating. It's said that at Yundinghui, he single-handedly drank seven or eight rich kids under the table, all with strong liquor mixed with Red Bull, and then walked away as if nothing had happened. Now it's all over the industry, and people are calling him 'Number One Ruthless Man in Ningzhou'."

Feng Jiang put down his teacup and tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound.

"Ouyang Zhen's son?"

"Yes, it's Ouyang Feng."

"Hmph." Feng Jiang snorted lightly, a hint of disdain in his tone. "That kid's been spoiled rotten; it's time someone stepped in to teach him a lesson. But..."

His tone shifted, and his eyes sharpened.

"Who exactly is this Liu Ming? I remember he was transferred from Qingyun County, right? How could a low-level cadre be involved with the eldest daughter of the Nangong family?"

"Secretary, this is his detailed resume."

Shen Congwen was prepared and handed over a thin file with both hands.

Feng Jiang took the file and turned to the first page.

The young man in the photo has clear features and a resolute gaze, exuding a unique temperament that blends scholarly and military bearing.

"Imperial College London...Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management...Double PhDs?"

Feng Jiang's gaze lingered on the education section for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"With that level of education, you'd be qualified to be a section chief in the provincial development and reform commission. How did you end up in the youth league?"

"This was suggested by Zhang Wei, the director of the Organization Department," Shen Congwen said in a low voice. "He said that since he has just come from the grassroots level, he needs to settle down and be protected."

"Settling? Protection?"

Feng Jiang closed the file and casually tossed it onto the table with a soft "thud".

Who is he?

Having navigated the treacherous waters of officialdom for decades, this old fox could see right through such a "promotion in name only" trick.

"It seems some people are afraid that this knife is too sharp and will hurt them."

Feng Jiang stood up, walked back to the window, and looked at the layers of buildings outside.

Although Ningzhou's economy has developed rapidly in recent years, its internal power struggles have become increasingly complex. Local factions, outsiders, business forces... all these forces are deeply intertwined, and a single move can have far-reaching consequences.

Although he, as the municipal party secretary, held great power, sometimes he felt like he was stuck in a quagmire, unable to exert his strength.

Too many officials have learned to protect themselves and to maintain a "you get along, I get along, everyone gets along" mentality.

What's lacking is a "troublemaker" like Liu Ming, who dares to think, dares to act, and dares to overturn the table.

"Southeast Military Region Special Forces... Three First-Class Merits..."

Feng Jiang muttered to himself, the details of the resume he had just seen flashing through his mind.

A top student with exceptional intelligence, and also a top soldier with exceptional combat skills.

This is practically a born sword.

Placing it in a place like the Youth League Committee, which is supposed to be a retirement home, is truly a waste of its potential.

"From the perspective of literature."

"Secretary, what are your instructions?"

"Keep an eye on this young man."

Feng Jiang turned around, his gaze sharp as a torch.

"This pool is too still; it's prone to maggots. Since a dragon has come from afar, let him stir things up. I want to see if he's just a brute with no ability, or if he truly possesses extraordinary talent."

"If he really is a piece of gold..."

Feng Jiang paused, a hint of appreciation for talent flashing in his eyes.

"Then don't let him bury himself in the sand. The work of the Youth League Committee is too leisurely; young people will become useless if they are idle for too long. You should talk to the relevant departments and give him some more responsibility, find a more challenging problem, and test his abilities."

"Yes." Shen Congwen understood immediately; he knew that Liu Ming had caught the secretary's eye.

"Then...what about the Ouyang family?" Shen Congwen asked tentatively.

After all, Ouyang Zhen is the vice chairman of the CPPCC and a veteran of Ningzhou, so he has to save face.

"Don't worry about it."

Feng Jiang waved his hand dismissively.

"Why should adults interfere in children's fights? If he can't even handle a spoiled brat, then Liu Ming isn't worth my attention."

After saying that, he sat back down at his desk and picked up the red and blue pencil.

He pondered for a moment on the cover of Liu Ming's file.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, he wrote a line of words that penetrated the paper.

The brushstrokes are vigorous and powerful, like knives and swords.

**"Pay attention, and use when appropriate."**