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

The afternoons in Ningzhou are always filled with a lazy, sultry heat.

In the office of the Municipal Youth League Committee, the air conditioner hummed, and several young staff members were slacking off behind their screens, chatting about which takeout was the best. Liu Ming sat behind the large desk, flipping through a document about the selection of "Youth Civilization Units," but her mind was already far away.

After having that meal with Lu Chen, he waited.

Waiting for the wind, waiting for the rain, waiting for the venomous snake lurking at the bottom of the water to finally poke its head out.

"Knock knock knock".

The knocking was heavy, unlike the cautious, tentative knocking typical of government offices; it sounded more like a forceful announcement.

"Enter."

The door was pushed open, and the person who walked in was neither the clerk carrying documents nor Chen Jianguo holding a thermos.

He was a middle-aged man wearing a black stand-up collar Zhongshan suit, with a buzz cut, prominent temples, and a sinister look in his eyes. He walked silently, like a feline ready to pounce at any moment.

The air in the office seemed to freeze instantly.

The young men who were slacking off instinctively shrank back, sensing that the newcomers were up to no good.

The man walked straight to Liu Ming's table without bowing or exchanging pleasantries. He took out a jet-black invitation card with gold trim from his pocket and gently placed it on the table.

"Secretary Liu, it's a pleasure to meet you."

The man's voice was hoarse, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together. "I'm from the Black Dragon Group. People in the underworld call me 'Ah Biao.' Our boss would like to invite you for a cup of tea."

Black Dragon.

As soon as those two words were uttered, Wang Jie, the office director who had been secretly glancing at the pen, dropped it to the ground with a "clatter".

In Ningzhou, you might not know who the mayor is, but you absolutely cannot not know who Heilong is. He's the real underground emperor, a ruthless figure who can stop a child from crying and strike fear into the hearts of even the wealthiest merchants.

Liu Ming did not pick up the invitation.

He simply leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlaced, and looked at the man named A Biao with great interest, a playful smile curving his lips.

"Want some tea?"

Liu Ming smiled and pointed to her enamel mug, which she had used for several years.

"I'm a picky drinker; I only drink jasmine tea that costs two yuan a packet. The tea at your boss's place is too expensive; I'm afraid it will burn my mouth."

A Biao's eye twitched slightly. He hadn't expected that this young deputy secretary of the Youth League Committee would remain so calm after hearing the name "Black Dragon," and even dare to make a sarcastic remark.

"Secretary Liu is joking."

Ah Biao gave a forced smile, a hint of threat in his eyes, "The boss said this tea is not only free, but it also quenches thirst and cools you down. It's especially beneficial for young, energetic people like Secretary Liu who are prone to getting overheated."

"Eight o'clock tonight, Longhu Club. The boss has prepared the finest Da Hong Pao tea and awaits your arrival."

After saying that, he turned and left without waiting for Liu Ming's reply.

As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Liu Ming, and added meaningfully, "Secretary Liu is a smart man; she should know that it's not easy to refuse tea offered by certain people."

As Ah Biao's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, the oppressive atmosphere in the office suddenly exploded.

"My God! It's the Black Dragon! That ruthless Black Dragon who kills without blinking an eye?"

"Oh no, oh no, how did Secretary Liu get involved with this wicked star?"

Chen Jianguo rushed over from the next office, grabbed the black and gold invitation card on the table with a look of terror on his face, his hands trembling like a leaf.

"Little Liu! You...you absolutely can't go there!"

The old man's face turned pale with anxiety. He lowered his voice and said, "Longhu Clubhouse, that's a den of dragons and tigers that devours people without spitting out the bones! I heard that a disobedient real estate tycoon was invited there for tea before. He went in perfectly fine, but came out... with both legs broken! It's a trap!"

"A trap?"

Liu Ming picked up the heavy invitation card, gently stroking the gold-embossed character for "dragon" with her fingers, her smile growing wider.

"Secretary Chen, have you read 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'?"

"Huh?" Chen Jianguo was taken aback.

"The Feast at Hongmen is called the Feast at Hongmen because Liu Bang didn't bring Xiang Yu's head with him." Liu Ming stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the concrete jungle outside. "If Liu Bang had a knife in his hand at that time, and was even more ruthless than Xiang Yu, then this wouldn't be the Feast at Hongmen, but... a funeral banquet."

"But..." Chen Jianguo wanted to persuade him again.

"Don't worry, Uncle Chen." Liu Ming patted the old man's shoulder, his tone as relaxed as if they were discussing what to have for dinner. "I'm just going to have a cup of tea and teach that Black Dragon boss what it means to obey the law."

……

As night falls, the lights are on.

Longhu Club is located beside a private lake on the outskirts of Ningzhou City, nestled against the mountains and beside the water, boasting stunning scenery. It is not open to the public and only receives "distinguished guests" from Heilongjiang.

A high-voltage electric fence stretched across the towering wall, and two rows of burly men in black suits and headsets stood at the entrance, their waists bulging, clearly carrying weapons.

This is no club; it's clearly a heavily guarded private fortress.

7:50.

A taxi swayed and came to a stop in front of the clubhouse's imposing bronze gate.

"Master...Master, is this it? Are you sure you want to get off here?" The taxi driver glanced at the scene outside and shrank back in fear. "This place doesn't look like a place for respectable people. Should I take you to the police station?"

"No need, this is fine, thank you."

Liu Ming paid the fare and got out of the car.

He had deliberately changed into a more casual outfit today—sweatpants, a hoodie, and even a pair of Nike running shoes. He didn't look like someone attending a banquet; he looked more like a college student who had gotten lost while jogging at night.

As soon as I got out of the car, the two rows of bodyguards at the door all turned to look at me with scrutiny and hostility.

"What are you doing? This is private property, get out of here!"

The head bodyguard stepped forward and reached out to push Liu Ming.

Liu Ming dodged the push by sidestepping, and casually took out the black and gold invitation from his pocket, waving it in his hand.

"Your boss invited me. Is this how Black Dragon treats his guests?"

The bodyguard captain paused for a moment, took the invitation, glanced at it, and his expression changed several times in an instant.

"So it's Secretary Liu."

He dropped the fierceness from his face, replacing it with feigned respect, and gestured for them to enter. "The boss has been waiting inside for quite some time. However..."

His gaze swept over Liu Ming, then he looked behind him and frowned slightly.

"Secretary Liu, are you alone?"

"What? Do I need a cheerleading squad just to have some tea?" Liu Ming said nonchalantly, hands in her pockets. "Or is the tea here too hot for me to carry by myself?"

A hint of disdain flashed in the bodyguard captain's eyes.

A person?

Not even a driver or secretary?

Is this kid genuinely stupid or just pretending? Does he really think this is some kind of proper dinner party?

Once you step through this door, you're completely helpless. They might just throw you into the lake; who knows if you'll drown or die of fright?

"Since Secretary Liu is so bold, then please proceed."

The Porsche captain sneered and whispered into his headset, "He's here, alone, and without any weapons."

The heavy bronze door slowly opened, revealing a deep and winding corridor inside.

Liu Ming stepped inside.

He could sense countless eyes watching him from the depths of that dark garden. Hidden in the grass, behind the artificial hills, and even under those seemingly harmless landscape lights, were chillingly dangerous intentions.

murderous look.

The murderous aura was so intense it almost solidified into a tangible substance.

This place is indeed a den of dragons and tigers.

"Ring ring ring".

My phone suddenly rang in my pocket. It was Xing Lie calling.

"Brother Liu! Are you crazy? I heard from my informant that you went to the Longhu Club alone?" On the other end of the phone, Xing Lie's voice was frantic, like the roof beams were on fire. "Don't go in! It's full of Black Dragon's assassins! I'm taking the SWAT team over there right now and surrounding that lousy place!"

"Old Xing, calm down."

As Liu Ming walked, admiring the Taihu stones along the roadside, she said calmly, "I'm here to drink tea, not to fight a war. What if you bring so many people and scare the flowers and plants?"

"Drink my ass! That's 'decapitation tea'!" Xing Lie roared. "That bastard Black Dragon has real weapons! No matter how good your kung fu is, can you stop a bullet?"

"rest assured."

Liu Ming stopped and glanced at the brightly lit pavilion in the middle of the lake not far away. There, a figure dressed in a Tang suit was facing away from him, seemingly feeding the fish.

"I can't stop the bullets, but he doesn't dare to fire."

Why?

"Because..." Liu Ming's lips curled into a confident yet cold smile, "He's a businessman. Businessmen are most afraid of making deals that lose money."

"Alright, don't come any closer. Make me a good cup of tea at the station and wait for me to come back."

After hanging up the phone, Liu Ming casually put her phone into her pocket.

He adjusted the hood of his sweatshirt, and with light steps, stepped onto the winding bridge leading to the pavilion in the middle of the lake.

The night was dark and the wind was high.

Alone.

He went to the meeting alone.