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

Back in the rented room, it was empty.

Liu Ming didn't have much stuff to begin with; she came with a military backpack and left with just a suitcase.

That was something Xi Wanqing insisted on giving him, filled with what she thought he could use in the city—several well-tailored suits, two pairs of handmade leather shoes, and even a few ties.

She said that once she gets to the city, she needs to be mindful of her image and can no longer be as "wild" as she was in the county.

Liu Ming looked at the exquisite leather suitcase and smiled helplessly.

This woman really thought he was going to the provincial capital for a blind date.

He looked around at the small room, less than 30 square meters, where he had lived for two months. Although it was simple, with some peeling paint on the walls, he felt a strange mix of emotions as he prepared to leave.

It's not about being nostalgic.

Rather, it signifies the resolute determination of a soldier about to leave the barracks and head to the next trench.

He walked to the bedside, squatted down, and pulled out the black waterproof tactical case that had been with him for many years from a hidden compartment under the bed.

"Click".

The latch popped open.

There were no gold or silver treasures inside, only two things.

An old, yellowed photograph.

And a military dagger that was entirely black, with a blade that gleamed with a cold, eerie blue light.

Liu Ming picked up the photo and gently wiped away the dust.

The photo shows a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit standing at the entrance of the provincial party committee building. He has a gentle smile, but his eyes reveal a scholarly air and an upright character.

That was his father.

Ten years ago, my father suddenly committed suicide due to depression after being removed from his high position in the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, leaving behind a bunch of unsolved mysteries and an orphan and widow.

Everyone said it was an accident, or that it was due to work pressure.

But Liu Ming didn't believe it.

While sorting through his father's belongings, he found a notebook with only a few pages, on which some inexplicable numbers and names were recorded intermittently.

And all those clues pointed to the same place.

——**Ningzhou.**

"dad."

Liu Ming looked at the person in the photo, her fingers gently stroking the cold photographic paper, her voice low as if she were talking to herself.

"I've finished my homework in Qingyun County."

"Li Yuankui is inside, and I've crushed those harmful insects. The people here will be able to live a good life from now on."

"Next, it's your turn."

"Those who drove you to your death, those ghosts hiding behind the scenes who thought time could wash away all evil."

"I won't let any of them go."

He carefully placed the photo in his inner pocket, close to his heart.

Then, his hand grasped the dagger.

—**Dragon Fang** battle blade.

This was a "King of Soldiers" token personally awarded to him by his chief instructor when he served in the special forces.

The blade is made of meteorite iron, capable of slicing through iron like mud and cutting hair in the blink of an eye.

This knife had accompanied him as he drank the blood of drug lords in the rainforest and slit the throats of mercenaries on the border.

It is a weapon of mass destruction.

He is also his most trustworthy partner in this world full of lies and scheming.

"Old buddy, have you had enough rest?"

Liu Ming lightly flicked the blade with her fingers, producing a clear dragon's roar.

"You've rested enough, come with me."

"The road ahead is filled with more thorns and more wolves."

"Let's go and have a good time."

He skillfully inserted the dagger into the quick-draw scabbard on his side and then covered it with his trouser leg.

Outwardly, he still appears to be that refined and harmless young cadre.

But only he himself knows.

Hidden within this body is a ferocious tiger, ready to devour its prey at any moment.

……

After packing, Liu Ming carried her suitcase downstairs.

As soon as I stepped out of the building, a deep and pleasant engine roar came over.

"Boom—Boom—"

A bright red Porsche Panamera, like a burning flame, arrogantly parked in front of a dilapidated residential building.

The streamlined car body gleamed in the sunlight, creating a striking visual contrast with the surrounding gray walls.

The elderly people passing by stared in amazement, pointing and whispering, wondering which important person had arrived.

The car window slowly rolled down.

It revealed Nangong Yao's exquisitely beautiful face, which was adorned with large sunglasses.

Today she wore a black leather jacket over a white, tight-fitting T-shirt that accentuated her stunning curves. Her red lips were slightly upturned, exuding both cool and beautiful aura—a true urban queen.

"Oh, Deputy Secretary Liu."

She took off her sunglasses, her captivating eyes sweeping over Liu Ming before finally settling on the slightly bulky suitcase in his hand, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

"You're moving pretty fast. I thought you and your 'confidante' were going to put on another 'eighteen-mile farewell' scene."

Liu Ming rolled her eyes, walked over, opened the car door, and threw her suitcase into the back seat.

"Stop being sarcastic. There were too many people seeing me off, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to leave, so I deliberately slipped away early."

"Tsk tsk tsk, a whole crowd seeing you off, huh?" Nangong Yao teased as she started the car. "I bet you're worried about Xi Wanqing crying, aren't you? What, feeling sorry for her?"

"drive."

Liu Ming fastened her seatbelt and glared at her irritably. "Why all the nonsense? I'm going to the city to report for duty, not to go on a pilgrimage to the West. Is it really necessary?"

"Tch, stubborn as a mule."

Nangong Yao pursed her lips and stepped on the gas.

"Buzz—!"

The Porsche roared and shot off like a red lightning bolt, leaving behind only a trail of exhaust fumes and a group of onlookers who were still in shock.

The car drove out of the crowded county town and onto the expressway leading to Ningzhou.

The view suddenly opened up.

The fields on both sides rushed past, and the distant mountains stretched endlessly.

"Feed".

Nangong Yao gripped the steering wheel with one hand, glanced at Liu Ming, and dropped her joking expression, her tone becoming more serious.

"I've already had someone investigate the situation in Ningzhou."

"That municipal committee of the Communist Youth League isn't exactly a deep-rooted organization, but... it's very murky."

"Oh?" Liu Ming raised an eyebrow, pulled a mint from her pocket, and popped it into her mouth. "How do you mean it?"

"The secretary of the Municipal Youth League Committee is Chen Jianguo, a well-known good-natured man who is about to retire and basically doesn't handle anything anymore. The person who really calls the shots in the Youth League Committee now is a deputy secretary named Ouyang Feng."

"Ouyang Feng?" Liu Ming pondered the name, finding it somewhat familiar. "This name... sounds quite martial arts-like."

"Don't underestimate him." Nangong Yao sneered. "He's the eldest son of the Ouyang family, a local powerful family in Ningzhou, a genuine second-generation official and rich kid. He's been running the Youth League Committee for several years, turning it into his private domain."

"Your arrival has stolen his thunder and taken over a powerful deputy secretary position. He definitely won't give you a good look."

"and……"

Nangong Yao paused, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

"I heard he has very close ties with certain people in the province. Although Li Yuankui's downfall may not seem to concern you on the surface, everyone in the circle knows the truth. They can't touch the people behind you, but they have plenty of ways to trip you up or make things difficult for you at work."

"Your trip is ostensibly to assume a new post, but in reality... it's to test your skills."

Liu Ming listened, but her face remained completely expressionless.

He chewed the mint in his mouth, feeling the coolness spread across his tongue.

"The Ouyang family..."

He muttered something casually, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

"A wealthy family? A second-generation heir?"

"Haven't I had enough of this kind of trash in Qingyun County?"

He turned his head, looking at the scenery rushing past the window, a cold smile curving his lips.

"Yaoyao, do you know what I like to do most?"

"What?"

"What I like best is dry work, which is perfect for dealing with all kinds of dissent."

"It doesn't matter if he's a local bully or a newcomer. It doesn't matter if he's the son of an official or the son of a rich man."

"Anyone who dares to block my way..."

Liu Ming stretched out her hand and made a "cut" gesture in the air.

"I'll show them what... a dimensional reduction attack really means."

Nangong Yao stared at his confident yet arrogant demeanor for a moment, then shook her head helplessly, her eyes full of amusement.

"Okay, okay, you're amazing, you're awesome."

"Anyway, I've delivered the message. If you get bullied, don't come crying to me."

"Don't worry," Liu Ming smiled. "I'm the one who bullies others."

The car sped along the highway.

An hour later.

Ahead, on the horizon, a cluster of towering buildings gradually revealed its menacing yet magnificent outline.

Skyscrapers stand side by side, their glass curtain walls reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight.

The wide roads are bustling with traffic, and the huge overpasses twist and turn like steel dragons.

It was a megacity filled with desire, power, money, and opportunity...

——Ningzhou City.

As Liu Ming watched the city draw ever closer, her gaze sharpened, like a blade about to be drawn from its sheath.

There, he found the truth he was looking for.

He has a grudge to settle.

There are also new battlefields he needs to conquer.

"arrive."

Nangong Yao stepped on the brakes, and the car slowly drove into the toll station.

Liu Ming took a deep breath, adjusted her posture, and kicked the tactical case containing her father's photo and military knife to her feet.

Ningzhou.

He silently repeated those two words in his mind.

"I am coming."

"I hope you are ready to face this...storm."