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

The warm winter sun shines on the blue bricks of the courtyard house, and the soft sizzling sound of frying eggs comes from the kitchen.

Accompanying these sounds, so full of the warmth of everyday life, were the occasional bursts of clear laughter from two women.

"Hey, Wanqing, your technique for frying eggs is terrible, the heat is too high."

"Come on, watch me. Let me tell you, Liu Ming is a very picky eater. He only likes the kind with crispy edges and a soft, sweet center."

"Really? I thought he was a soldier and could eat anything. Yao Yao, could you cut me a few more slices of that ham? I remember he loved eating ham sandwiches when he was working overtime in Ningzhou."

Liu Ming stood under the old locust tree in the courtyard, holding a bowl of extremely sour and tangy soy milk in her hand, looking like a weathered statue.

He looked at the two stunningly beautiful women in the kitchen, wearing aprons and chatting and laughing like best friends who had known each other for over a decade. He listened to them skillfully discussing his various hobbies and even occasionally interjecting a few sarcastic remarks about him.

Liu Ming felt as if her brain was in a state of extreme shutdown.

This is fucking surreal!

Ten minutes ago, these two women were like two fighting lionesses, ready to fight to the death in the yard. Ten minutes later, they were already working together in the kitchen to make him a "love breakfast"?

Moreover, those "Sister Wanqing" and "Yaoyao" sounds so natural to her!

Liu Ming rubbed her slightly stiff cheeks.

He wasn't afraid when he was surrounded and chased by hundreds of drug traffickers in the Golden Triangle; he wasn't afraid when a group of cunning old foxes set a trap for him at the Development and Reform Commission in the provincial capital.

But faced with the incredibly irrational and unpredictable change of moods that women possess, he was genuinely afraid.

He felt that dealing with this so-called "harem" was even more mentally taxing than winning a high-tech local war.

"What are you daydreaming about? Chief Director, come and get the plates!"

Nangong Yao peeked halfway out of the kitchen doorway, holding a spatula in her hand, and shouted at Liu Ming with the same confidence she would show to her own employee.

"Hey! They're here!"

Liu Ming responded reflexively, quickly placed the soy milk on the stone table, and scurried into the kitchen to become a waiter serving tea and water.

Outside, he was a "living Yama" who struck fear into the hearts of officials throughout the capital. At home, he was now just a "little brother" at the very bottom of the food chain.

Breakfast was plentiful. It was a mix of Chinese and Western dishes, filling an entire stone table.

The three sat around the stone table. The tense atmosphere from before had vanished, and the scene was surprisingly harmonious.

Xi Wanqing took a sip of milk, glanced at Liu Ming who was wolfing down her food, and then at Nangong Yao who was laughing and talking beside her. A complicated look flashed in her eyes, but it quickly turned into composure.

"Liu Ming." Xi Wanqing put down her cup, her tone becoming serious. "Yao Yao and I already talked about it in the kitchen. We'll be staying here during our stay in the capital."

"Pfft—cough cough cough!"

Liu Ming almost choked on her sandwich, her face turning red from holding it in.

"Stay...stay here?" He stared wide-eyed at Xi Wanqing, then at Nangong Yao. "You two...together?"

"What? Not welcome?" Nangong Yao rolled her eyes at him and stomped on the back of his foot that was under the table, making Liu Ming gasp in pain.

"This courtyard house is so big, there are plenty of rooms. Besides, Sister Wanqing has just been transferred to the Social Development Department, she's unfamiliar with the place and the people."

Although the headquarters of my Nangong Group is large, it feels more homely and lively to live in an old house.

"What, are you afraid we'll get up in the middle of the night and conspire to murder you?"

"No, no, you're absolutely welcome!" Liu Ming quickly raised her hands in surrender, but inwardly she was groaning. With these two troublemakers living together, her future days would likely be a mix of pain and pleasure.

"Alright, stop joking around. Let's get down to business."

Xi Wanqing tapped the table, her expression returning to that of a deputy director-general.

"Liu Ming, I was transferred to the Department of Social Development this time mainly to be responsible for the macro-control of education, science, culture and health. But after reviewing the data from recent years, especially regarding the allocation and use of research funds for universities, I found significant problems."

She looked at Liu Ming with sharp eyes.

"A lot of funding has not actually been used, but has been embezzled by some academic cliques and so-called 'experts' under various pretexts. This is closely related to the 'high-tech industries' that you are in charge of."

Without the support of talent and funding for basic research, your "ten-year revitalization plan" will ultimately remain nothing but a castle in the air.

Nangong Yao then chimed in.

"That's right. I've heard a lot of rumors in the business world. Ever since your plan was approved, those comprador capitalists in the capital who used to do foreign trade and OEM manufacturing have been getting anxious."

They've now joined forces, not only launching an attack on our Nangong Group in the stock market, but also secretly hindering financing for promising domestic tech startups.

"They're trying to nip our nation's independently developed technologies in the bud!"

Listening to the two women's analysis, Liu Ming's playful expression vanished, and her eyes gradually became deep and cold.

This is why they formed an alliance. One filled gaps and loopholes within the system, while the other provided protection and support in the business world.

"They're courting death."

Liu Ming sneered. "Since they don't want us to focus on research and development, then I'll make sure they can't even hold onto their begging bowls!"

He stood up, just as he was about to deploy the next step of the "counterattack plan".

"Buzz—buzz—buzz—!"

Suddenly, the red, top-secret encrypted phone in Liu Ming's pocket, known to only a very few people, started vibrating urgently, like a death knell!

He rarely carries this phone with him unless he encounters a high-level, extremely urgent emergency!

Liu Ming's expression changed, and she immediately took out her phone.

The caller ID showed no number, only a glaring red five-pointed star representing authorization!

Xi Wanqing and Nangong Yao realized the seriousness of the situation and immediately stopped talking and held their breath.

Liu Ming walked to a corner of the yard and pressed the answer button.

"I am Liu Ming."

On the other end of the phone, there were no pleasantries, no formalities, only a deep, authoritative voice that exuded a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Xiao Liu, come to the central command immediately."

Something's happened.

"Death Valley on the southwestern border...is in big trouble."