July 30, 2505 AD
After Long Feng and the others returned to the base, there were no new missions. Every day was filled with monotonous training: fleet simulation battles, diplomatic negotiation drills, cyber attack exercises, and other training programs.
The extremely high-intensity **training every day was starting to take its toll on them. After each session, Long Feng would hastily rinse off and then collapse onto his bed to rest. The intense mental training also made Long Yu and a few others complain, as they could no longer concentrate and even the simplest psychokinetic movements became impossible to complete…
Long Feng lay on his bedroom bed, quietly gazing at the two purple moons in the sky outside his window. Long Ao hadn't revealed everything he knew. One of Long Feng's courses was to assess the reliability of others' statements based on their body language, eye movements, tone, and other cues. And judging by Long Ao's demeanor at the time, he hadn't been entirely truthful.
However, Long Feng deeply suspected Long Ao's motive for withholding certain information. Based on the archival materials he had accessed, members of their Special A1 unit possessed clearance to all information except that restricted to marshals and above. He didn't believe that Long Ao, who held no formal military rank, could have access to more classified information than himself.
August 1, 2505 AD
An ancient festival unexpectedly granted Long Feng and his team three consecutive days of leave. Marshal Long left them with one instruction: "Do whatever you like, just return to duty in three days."
The other members pursued their personal interests—some went mountain climbing, some hunted beasts on asteroids, some immersed themselves in reading, while others launched cyber attacks against military systems of other nations. Long Feng, who had just slept half a day in his dorm, was forcibly dragged by Ling Xue to watch a movie.
The nearest city to the base was Coastal City, thirty kilometers away, a bustling metropolis with four million residents. Long Feng objected to Ling Xue's proposal by saying: "The base has its own cinema too."
Ling Xue pursed her lips: "The base cinema has terrible sound quality. Besides, I got these tickets as vouchers from my dad—best seats, free drinks and snacks, plus it's a centuries-old classic that's rarely screened. Are you coming or not? If you don't, just wait and see how I deal with you later."
Long Feng nodded indifferently and got into the four-wheel-drive jeep driven by Ling Xue. Ling Xue cheered, the four tires leaving long black marks on the ground as a trail of blue smoke rose. They swiftly sped out of the base gate.
Marshal Long stood in his distant office, watching the entire process of Ling Xue coercing Long Feng through a pair of binoculars. A faint smile appeared on his face as he said to General Ling beside him, "So, how did you manage to give away those two tickets?"
General Ling smiled faintly, "No need to give them away. I left them on my desk, and Xiaoxue took them herself when she saw them."
Marshal Long grunted in acknowledgment, "Is the timing arrangement foolproof?"
General Ling nodded, "No problem. Nuwa has already simulated Ling Xue's entire reaction process. After the movie ends, the two of them will linger in the cinema for three to five minutes. To exit, they'll need to pass through a 50-meter corridor, a 200-meter hall, and a 20-meter staircase. Their vehicle will be parked in the opposite parking lot. By the time they cross the road and reach the parking lot, the incident will occur right on schedule, forcing them to take a detour. The fuel indicator in their vehicle has been tampered with—it will show just enough fuel to get them there, but the remaining amount will only allow them to drive less than 50 meters. They'll have to walk 300 meters to take a bus back to the base. The external energy supply stations don't carry special fuel, so they won't be able to refill."
Marshal Long raised a question: "What about taxis?"
General Ling flipped through the folder in his hand, glanced at it, and said, "Nuwa adjusted the programs of four taxi companies. During that time period, no taxis will pass by. They'll have no choice but to go to the bus station."
Marshal Long nodded and asked, "What about the others?"
General Ling smiled and replied, "The procedures for the others have all been arranged. Each person has two backup plans. I hope they won't end up like me." Marshal Long turned to look at him and said, "You're doing well now—you're the base commander." General Ling shook his head and said, "But I'm restricted from using any abilities. All those years of hard work, wasted…" Marshal Long fell silent.
Ling Xue drove wildly all the way, shouting and whooping, with the music in the jeep blaring deafeningly. Long Feng couldn't stand the strange looks from the drivers Ling Xue overtook, so he turned off the sound system and said coldly, "Comrade Ling Xue, please remember—we are soldiers. Soldiers should…"
Ling Xue impatiently cut him off: "Call me Big Sister. Ugh, you're as nagging as my dad. Little brother, don't forget you're only 15. Stop acting so old and serious. All that stuff about military demeanor and regulations—Big Sister can't be bothered with it."
Long Feng retorted unwillingly, "You're only 18 and just graduated from intermediate military academy."
Ling Xue suddenly turned her head and yelled, "What, not convinced? Big sis here may have just graduated from intermediate military academy, but I'm just…"
Long Feng abruptly grabbed the steering wheel and forcefully twisted it to the side. The jeep let out a strange screech, swerving in a large S-shape and narrowly missing the rear of a luxury car by 20 centimeters. After wobbling on the road for a stretch, it finally returned to the right lane. Several oncoming cars honked in displeasure as they sped past.
Ling Xue broke out in a cold sweat, letting out an awkward chuckle before focusing on driving, not daring to look at Long Feng anymore.
They parked the jeep in the parking lot across the street, crossed the road, climbed the twenty-meter staircase, walked through the two-hundred-meter lobby, collected complimentary drinks and popcorn, passed through the fifty-meter corridor, entered the screening hall, and took their seats right in the center.
The cinema was sparsely populated with just a few scattered people. Ling Xue complained discontentedly, "What kind of complimentary tickets did Dad get? There's no atmosphere at all, no wonder he just left them on his desk and couldn't be bothered."
The film was very old, a 20th-century movie about maternal love. Long Feng remained relatively unaffected, but Ling Xue was already in tears, crying messily along with the theme song "Only Mama Is Good in the World." Long Feng took a sip of his drink, and his calm, placid heart stirred slightly. The drink tasted excellent, and he unconsciously finished it all.
Of the fifty or so audience members in the cinema, everyone except Long Feng was crying uncontrollably. Long Feng's eyes also reddened slightly, but his extraordinary mental strength kept the impulse in check.
The movie finally ended. Ling Xue was sobbing and leaning on Long Feng's shoulder. It wasn't until four minutes after the screening ended that Long Feng firmly helped her up, and the two slowly walked out.
They passed through the fifty-meter corridor, the two-hundred-meter hall, and descended the twenty-meter staircase. Just as they were crossing the road, a car suddenly crashed into a roadside curb about ten meters to their right. Curious, Ling Xue took a few steps toward the scene, but Long Feng pulled her back and dragged her to the Jeep. Several police cars had already swiftly arrived at the accident site, cordoning off the twenty-meter-wide street.
Ling Xue snorted: "So annoying, we have to take a detour. It's just a collision, why block off an entire street? Dad is so annoying too—the complimentary tickets turned out to be for this kind of movie. Good heavens, with a rare three-day break, half a day is already wasted." While complaining, she started the jeep, but it stalled as soon as it left the parking lot.
Ling Xue sat dumbfounded in the driver's seat, pounding the steering wheel twice in frustration. Long Feng had already begun inspecting the vehicle. He got out, opened the side bulletproof armor, fiddled with the indicator light near the fuel tank, and shook his head with a bitter smile: "No use, we're out of fuel."
Flustered, Ling Xue glanced at the indicator lights on the dashboard, widened her eyes, and swore fiercely: "When I get back, if I don't teach those bastards in the maintenance company a lesson, I… I… I'm not Ling Xue. Little brother, what do we do now? Push the car back to the base or call for a pickup from the base?"
Long Feng shook his head and said, "The base is completely off-duty today; no vehicles can be dispatched. Only those at the rank of general or above can mobilize emergency backup vehicles." Ling Xue perked up, "But you have special privileges, don't you?" Long Feng shook his head again, "We'll take the bus back. It's a holiday today—no need to trouble the others." Ling Xue grumbled a few complaints, hopped out of the Jeep, pulled out the keys, and listlessly clung to Long Feng's arm as they walked forward, muttering under her breath, "So annoying, today is just so annoying. I'll have to file a report to get someone to retrieve the vehicle later, and it'll definitely be towed, meaning another trip to the Public Security Bureau to claim it. At least it's a military vehicle, so no fine… Ugh, if I ever find out who's deliberately messing with me, I'll make them pay…"
After walking two hundred meters, they turned twenty meters into a roadside area where a flower bed stood at the entrance of a kindergarten. It was just the time when parents were picking up their children to head home.
Ling Xue stopped with great interest, constantly pointing at the little kids and exclaiming, "They're absolutely adorable! Look, look at that one—rosy-cheeked and everything. Oh, if only I could sneak one home to play with for a few days…"
A young woman carrying a plump, chubby little boy about two years old walked over. The little boy suddenly reached out and grabbed Long Feng's collar, saying cheerfully, "Hello, Uncle PLA." The young woman quickly said, "Good baby, don't grab Uncle's clothes. Hmm, you've messed up Uncle's clothes, Uncle will feel hurt…"
Ling Xue had already moved closer, gently pinching the little boy's cheek and saying, "It's alright, it's alright, he's not afraid of pain. Good boy, how old are you?"
The little boy suddenly shyly buried his head in the young woman's arms and said clearly, "Two and a half. I'll be three soon. Mommy says by then Mingming will be a big kid. Mingming is the best."
The mental stimulant mixed in the free drink began to take full effect. A spring breeze-like smile appeared on Long Feng's face as he also leaned in to play with the child.
The children who had been picked up from the kindergarten all gathered around, playing with a PLA uncle and a PLA aunt under their parents' embrace. Around the small flower bed, laughter and cheerful voices filled the air, along with the sweet, doting words of parents for their little ones. Long Feng had completely lost his usual icy expression and was happily playing with a few children.
Amid the clear, childish voices saying "goodbye," Long Feng and Ling Xue walked cheerfully toward the bus stop.
Ling Xue was also in high spirits, practically skipping along the way. She said with a laugh, "Little brother, this is the first time I've seen you smile so much today. Haha, well, thinking back to the earlier movie, these little babies are so adorable. Hmm, having someone to love them from a young age is so blissful." She narrowed her eyes, looking utterly enchanted. Long Feng's expression darkened slightly, and his eyes suddenly reddened.
On the bus, Ling Xue practically poured an endless stream of chatter into Long Feng's ears: "Little brother, did you actually pay attention to the movie today?" "Little brother, those kids were so much fun." "Little brother, that little girl Ying's mom is so pretty—she's definitely going to grow up to be a beauty too." …
Five hundred meters from the base was the bus terminal, where the two got off.
Ling Xue happened to spot two colleagues from the communications center driving by and quickly flagged them down, sparing them what she called "the miserable fate of walking 500 meters back to the base." According to Ling Xue, Long Feng owed her a generous treat of ice cream as thanks.
A sharply dressed lieutenant colonel stood sternly at the base entrance. As soon as Long Feng's car reached the gate, he barked, "Major Long Feng, report to Marshal Long's office—on the double, now!"
Long Feng smiled and nodded, leaped out of the car, and vaulted ten meters into the air with a whistle before vanishing from sight. Ling Xue muttered behind him, "Did he take the wrong medicine today? Why so excited?"
One hundred eighty floors underground, in Marshal Long's office for handling confidential matters. The moment Long Feng entered, Marshal Long rose and said quietly, "Come with me. I have something to show you." An involuntary smile touched Long Feng's lips as he strode forward to follow.
At the opposite corridor thirteen, Marshal Long led Long Feng into an office marked "Archives Room," nodded to two female officers inside, passed through a scan, and walked straight into a small room where a concealed door on the wall slowly opened, revealing a small elevator.
Motioning for Long Feng to follow, Marshal Long closed the elevator door, swiped a pale purple crystal card through the reader, and softly input 210.
Long Feng couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "The underground structure of the base only has two hundred levels, right? Where does level two hundred and ten come from?"
Marshal Long pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled, turned his head, and said, "The lower ten levels are classified. Only this elevator can access them." Long Feng nodded.
Marshal Long strode out of the elevator. Ten meters ahead was a metal passageway at least three hundred meters long, identical in specifications to all security check channels, just much longer.
The two walked slowly forward as multicolored lights flashed rapidly across the passage, meticulously scanning all their physical characteristics. Over fifty enhanced Annihilator-11 combat robots slowly emerged from the floor, their pitch-black particle gun barrels aimed at the two.
At the end of the passage, they surrendered all weapons and metal objects. Only then did the three-meter-thick silver alloy door slowly open, and the two walked inside.
Long Feng couldn't control his curiosity and asked: "What exactly is this place?"
Marshal Long revealed a mysterious expression and said with a smile: "A place to show you something."
In a room over twenty meters long and wide, with a massive screen, Marshal Long lightly tapped a few keys. A beautiful young woman and a handsome young man exuding an intangible pressure appeared on it.
Marshal Long introduced: "Feng Qingyang, forty-five years old this year, founder of the Feng Group and its current chairman, with assets exceeding thirty trillion standard currency. That woman, Zhao Yayi, his wife, forty-three years old this year, holds seven advanced degrees. Both possess excellent natural genes and are now standard models of social success. This is their photo from when they were young."
The screen flickered, displaying an image of a dignified yet still immensely imposing middle-aged man and an incomparably elegant noblewoman. Marshal Long glanced at Long Feng and said: "This is what they look like now. They have a daughter, Feng Ling, thirteen years old this year. She studies at the National High School on Orion's Fourth Planet and is exceptionally outstanding. Their family is very happy, except for one thing. Fifteen years ago, Zhao Yayi's first child suddenly passed away shortly after birth in the hospital."
Long Feng frowned and asked, "What does this have to do with us?"
Marshal Long hummed in acknowledgment, then began playing footage of the Feng family's daily life captured from a distance. Slowly, word by word, he said, "Two hundred and thirty years ago, to counter the United States of America's bio-engineered soldiers and the Neo-Japanese Empire's human-beast hybrid super soldiers, China launched the Dragon Army Project. This involved conducting physical examinations of all newborn infants. For children who met the criteria… their parents were falsely informed that the infants had died shortly after birth. In reality, they were adopted by the military and received special training."
Long Feng swallowed hard and asked slowly, "Then, I…"
Marshal Long responded swiftly, "Your father: Feng Qingyang. Your mother: Zhao Yayi. Your sister: Feng Ling. You are the child they believed died fifteen years ago. Special A1 isn't the only such unit—these troops are numbered up to Special A329, totaling six thousand seven hundred and fifty youths. In the future, you will all become formal members of the Dragon Army."
Long Feng trembled all over and asked in a shaky voice, "Why are you telling me this now?"
General Long suddenly said coldly: "After joining the Dragon Army, you may undertake extremely dangerous missions. You've experienced the strength of that Onioka Hideo—a single punch from him delivers over four thousand kilograms of pure muscular force. I don't want you to die without knowing your true origins. I believe you have the right to know the identity of your biological parents. I just want to tell you that you are not an orphan. Everything I told you before was a lie."
Long Feng's mind, muddled by the mental stimulant, combined with the exhaustion from recent high-intensity training that drained his energy and the mental strain from cognitive exercises, left him completely unable to control his actions. He threw a fierce punch that struck General Long squarely on the left cheek, but a sharp pain shot through his own fist upon impact.
Long Feng screamed hoarsely: "Why tell me all this? You secretly brought me to a military base, subjected me to fifteen years of brutal training—you might as well have let me live out my life as a qualified soldier. Why reveal this now? To prove your benevolence? Is this your sudden pang of conscience, making me grateful to you?"
The punch just now didn't even harm a single hair on Marshal Long. Marshal Long said coldly, "You can make a decision now. Join the Dragon Army, or… return to be the heir of the Feng family. Feng Qingyang is an extremely capable man. His background before the age of twenty is unknown, but he suddenly emerged in the business world at twenty, multiplying his personal assets a thousandfold in just ten years. If you go back, you will be highly valued. In the military, you will bleed, sweat, and may die at any moment. You've felt the strength of Onizuka Hideo. The modified warriors of the American Republic are even more terrifying. Can you defeat them?"
Long Feng knelt on the ground, trembling all over. His mind was in chaos like a revolving lantern, and he howled like a wounded beast.
Marshal Long said coldly, "You still have a chance. As long as you swear not to disclose any information related to Special A1, and never mention anything you know to outsiders, you can go back and become a great young master."
Long Feng raised his head, tears streaming down like a fountain: "Fifteen years… we never felt a trace of warmth or affection… Fifteen years, we spent every day in overloaded training… Fifteen years, I always saw you as a father figure… Fifteen years, the motivation that kept me going was…"
General Long said with extreme iciness: "No need to say these things, what is your decision. You can hate me, hate the base, hate our army, even hate our entire nation. What is your decision, tell me."
Long Feng slowly stood up, gradually wiped away his tears, slowly assumed a standard attention stance, raised his head, and very solemnly, word by word, said: "For fifteen years, the motivation that kept me going was because I am Chinese. That text we studied when we were five years old, I still remember: We are sons of the Chinese nation, we are willing to sacrifice everything for its interests, for its glory. My answer is: I am a son of the Chinese nation, I am willing to sacrifice everything for its interests, for its glory. My life, my soul, belongs to my motherland. In this world, nothing can replace the position of the motherland and the nation in my heart."
General Long said coldly: "Don't you hate it? Deprived of your mother's love, father's love, family bonds and affection. Fifteen years, don't forget, what kind of days you all lived through."
Long Feng's eyes emitted a resolute gleam: "If it were me, I would make the exact same decision as the founder of the Dragon Army project. For the benefit of everyone, individual interests must be sacrificed. Emotionally, I cannot accept it, but rationally I agree with this approach. Since countless people can sacrifice everything for their motherland, why can't I?"
Nüwa's voice suddenly came through: "Thought fluctuation 97%, stability value 99.752, reliability 99.973%. Test passed." Marshal Long slowly walked over, tightly embraced Long Feng, and for the first time so emotionally kissed Long Feng's forehead, whispering: "Thirty years ago, I passed the same test. My current name is Long Yan, but my father's surname is Shangguan."
Marshal Long smiled, with a look of longing on his face: "He is now a university professor, with disciples all over the world. He must never have imagined that the son he thought was dead has been living less than five hundred kilometers away from him all along."
Long Feng gazed into Marshal Long's eyes and softly asked: "Why not go see him? Is it against the rules?"
General Long said softly: "I'm afraid he couldn't bear it. Every year, I take time to go to that city and secretly catch a few glimpses of him. It's enough—at least I know I'm silently doing what I should for his happiness, for the happiness of my own family. However, if you have the time and opportunity, you can go back to see your family. The military will issue you the necessary documents. Just make sure they don't leak any information; that's all that matters."
Long Feng nodded deeply.
General Long suddenly took a large step back and said solemnly: "Major Long Feng, you are now officially assigned to the reserve force of the Dragon Corps of the People's Republic of China, with your rank promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. You have fifteen days of rest. After that, you will begin real training and access true power."
Long Feng snapped to attention and said loudly: "Yes, sir."