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

The heavy black iron gate of the martyrs' cemetery slowly closed behind Liu Ming.

"Squeak—"

That was the sound that separated life from death. Inside the gate was eternal tranquility and solemnity, with green pines covering the mountains guarding the silent souls of heroes; outside the gate, however, came the rolling dust of the world, the vast land of Kyushu, full of life and vitality.

Standing atop the high stone steps, Liu Ming didn't rush down the mountain. He took a deep breath, the slightly chilly morning air filling his lungs, making his heart, which had been heavy with memories, feel light and strong again.

Looking into the distance.

The distant city of Ningzhou is no longer the gloomy city that once struggled to breathe amidst the smog of heavy industry.

Powered by a near-limitless and inexpensive fusion energy source, the city exudes an almost dreamlike vitality.

The translucent maglev track, like a silver ribbon, weaves through the staggered skyscrapers. The chimneys that once spewed black smoke have long since disappeared, replaced by clean energy conversion stations that resemble giant white eggs.

"Buzz—"

That was the rhythmic, low-frequency roar of factory machines.

To ordinary people, this might be noise. But to Liu Ming, it was the strongest pulse of this land. It meant the factory was operating, the assembly line was producing, and thousands of families had an income sufficient to support their dignity.

"Ring ring—"

At the foot of the mountain, the morning bell rang from some elementary school.

It is crisp, melodious, and has a strong penetrating power.

Liu Ming closed her eyes and seemed to see those children in neat school uniforms, carrying their schoolbags, their red scarves fluttering on their chests, skipping and hopping into the bright classroom. In their eyes, there was no longer any fear of poverty, only a thirst for knowledge and a yearning for the starry sky.

……

"Boss, the car is running."

At the bottom of the steps, Tank was leaning against the door of the black George Patton. He was wearing an oversized hoodie today, and although he looked like an ordinary bodyguard, his eyes, which were always alert to his surroundings, still revealed a chillingly sharp and capable air.

Liu Ming slowly walked down the stone steps, each step taken with extreme steadiness.

His gaze swept over the nameless wildflowers blooming by the roadside, and an unprecedented sense of peace welled up in his heart.

This land is full of life.

This is not a gift from God.

This is what Liu Ming, along with his brothers from Longya, painstakingly carved out of the corrupt officialdom, the battlefields of the border, and the bloody storms of the financial markets, bit by bit, from those parasites and foreign enemies.

He thought back to ten years ago.

Back then, Qingyun County was like a piece of moldy, rotten wood. The common people worked themselves to the bone all year, and the money left over wasn't even enough to buy a new pair of shoes for their children. Meanwhile, Luo Binwang, Li Yuankui, and their ilk sat in high positions, drinking human blood, yet they still complained that the blood wasn't pure enough.

He recalled his time at the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, and that "New Policies for Jiangnan"—how many people considered it the delusion of a madman? How many people were waiting to see him ruin his reputation?

And then there was the "chip war" in the city. When Western powers cut off all technological channels, attempting to force China back to the Stone Age, how desperate it must have been.

……

Is it worth it?

A question suddenly popped into Liu Ming's mind.

For the past ten years, he has hardly had a good night's sleep. He has suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder, broken three ribs, and has a very dangerous scar near his heart.

He turned down an invitation to become a tutor at Imperial College London, gave up the opportunity to become a partner in a multinational conglomerate, and even at the height of his power, he resolutely resigned from all public office in order to give the woman beside him a proper status.

does it worth?

Liu Ming looked towards the roadside and saw a little boy with a schoolbag passing by. When he saw him, the little boy stopped and, somewhat timidly but very seriously, gave him a Young Pioneers salute.

"Hello, Uncle!"

The little boy's smile was radiant, like a sunflower blooming in the sunlight.

Liu Ming was stunned for a moment, then he smiled.

He crouched down, gently patted the little boy's head, took out a piece of imported chocolate that Nangong Yao had specially prepared for him from his pocket, and handed it to him.

"Hello, little hero."

Watching the boy's cheerful departing figure, Liu Ming's last lingering doubt about whether it was "worth it" completely vanished.

My father died on that rainy night, trying to protect that stack of yellowed mineral data. My comrades died in the mud on the border, trying to protect that desolate boundary marker.

What they sought was nothing more than this most ordinary yet most touching smile.

Their blood was not shed in vain; those backbones buried in the earth have become the most resilient foundation of this land.

……

Tank pointed to the distant sky.

In the direction of the Ningzhou Space Base, a dazzling white fireball was rising slowly. Its massive tail flame was exceptionally striking even in daylight, like a sharp sword piercing the sky.

That was the twelfth test flight of the "Mysterious Bird" space carrier. It also marked China's official entry into deep space.

At that moment, the entire city of Ningzhou, and even the entire Jiangnan province, spontaneously stopped what they were doing. They looked up at the miracle that belonged to their nation, their eyes filled with pride and fervor.

Without internal friction and shackles, the engine that had been pent up for a century on the land of Kyushu, once started, unleashed a thrust that made the entire universe tremble.

As Liu Ming watched the wisp of white smoke disappear into the depths of the clouds, a wild yet confident smile curved her lips.

He knew that this was the best explanation he could give to his father, his comrades, and this land.

This prosperous age is full of vitality, and the future is full of brilliance.

"Boss, shall we go back to the city?"

The tank opened its door.

Liu Ming glanced back at the martyrs' cemetery hidden among the pines and cypresses, and looked at the comrades and relatives who were sleeping quietly but had never left.

He suppressed all his sadness, and his eyes regained their sharpness, becoming like the rising sun.

"No rush."

Liu Ming turned around, and without looking back, he strode forward into the golden sunlight streaming down from the sky.

His back was as straight as a pine tree, and his steps were steady and exuded an undeniable sense of power.

"Let's go get some noodles first."

Liu Ming's voice carried a cheerful tone.

"Then."

"Go and wipe out those remaining scum who dare to choke our power grid."

The setting sun, or rather the rising sun, cast a long shadow over him.

At the end of that shadow lies a great era that is taking off, an era that no force can stop.

Liu Ming strode towards the sunlight, stepping into the vibrant, colorful world he had created with his own hands.