Chapter 9: The Extended Family
Zhen Ye sat alone on the rooftop of the base, quietly smoking a cigarette. Compared to Zhang Liang, who was “lively and energetic,” his true nature was somewhat more reserved. It was only after being recalled to [Penglai], and especially after that other guy joined the team, that his character began to change significantly.
It wasn’t that he was introverted, but rather, his family circumstances had shaped him this way…
Unlike Zhang Liang, he had grown up in a single-parent household, raised by his mother and grandmother, experiencing all the harshness and warmth that life had to offer.
Who would have thought that after just a year without contact, he’d receive such devastating news on a day like this…
He hadn't seen his grandmother one last time, nor could he return in time to fulfill his filial duty, and even this iron-blooded man could not help but feel a pang of sorrow.
Snap—
The sound of a lighter came from beside him. Zhang Liang, carrying a few bottles of beer, sat down next to him.
“Want a drink?”
“Aren’t you afraid the boss will skin you alive?”
Zhen Ye shot him a glance, but his hands were quick to open a bottle and drink from it.
“Relax, Granny Tong is asleep.”
Zhang Liang smiled but didn’t offer any words of comfort—he simply sat beside the somber man and drank with him.
“You know, for a moment there, I thought about retiring,” Zhen Ye murmured, staring up at the stars. He was a little afraid…
Afraid that the next phone call would bring more bad news, or worse…
That there would be no one left at home to answer…
His grandfather had passed away years ago in an accident, and his father had died during the great flood of ‘98. He wasn’t close to his other relatives, so now his mother was the only one left…
“If you really retire, we’d all understand,” Zhang Liang nodded. Everyone knew about Zhen Ye’s situation. They were human, not machines; it was only natural to worry about family, and nothing to be ashamed of.
“Damn, aren’t you even going to try to keep me?”
“What’s the point? If the team wasn’t so short-handed, and if I didn’t feel attached to Granny Tong and the others, I’d have bolted long ago,” Zhang Liang shrugged. Those weren’t all the reasons, but it was the truth. The seven of them had known each other for varying lengths of time, but now they were like a family, having gone through so much together…
“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere,” Zhen Ye clapped him on the shoulder and clinked his bottle against Zhang Liang’s.
---
“Why not?”
“Because my mom won’t let me. She said that when grandma was on her deathbed, she remarked how handsome her grandson looked in uniform.”
“Cut the crap, when have we ever worn a uniform…” Zhang Liang rolled his eyes. The only time he’d worn his national security police uniform was when he first reported to the capital—after that, never again…
Partly because there was never an opportunity, but also because they couldn’t leave any trace of their connection to the state…
Especially for the Special Response Team and the Overseas Task Force—just like them, they had no immunity. In other words, they couldn’t allow themselves to be captured, because the state would never acknowledge their existence…
Everyone on the team had multiple passports, all fake, though in a way, they were also real—including the one from China.
In short, all three Special Response Teams were essentially stateless individuals. Only when they retired could they openly return to China, to their motherland, to their families…
But most of the time, it was only under the red flag that they made their final journey home…
…
Zhen Ye was speechless. Zhang’s father really wasted such a good name on him…
Inside the rooftop’s emergency exit, Tong Wanxin couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth. The same thought flashed through his mind and those watching through the camera—Rong Aiyu and the others:
“This guy’s probably never going to find a girlfriend in this lifetime…”
In fact, as team leader, Tong Wanxin had received news of Zhen Ye’s grandmother’s passing a few days earlier. After all, the local national security bureau had a duty to look after their families…
It was just that the two of them were on a mission at the time, so he hadn't told Zhen Ye immediately. Later, things in Yemen kept him busy, and with the Spring Festival approaching, he figured it would be better for the family to break the news rather than him…
Granny Tong took one last look at the two men in the distance, then quietly turned and left.
The two bachelors poured their hearts out to each other on the rooftop late into the night, smoking until they ran out of cigarettes, before finally heading back to the dormitory.
Zhen Ye adjusted his mood quickly. As a covert operative constantly walking the edge between life and death, no matter how heartbroken he might be, he would never fall apart like an ordinary person…
Besides, there was no point in feeling down—he couldn’t just drop everything and rush home…
On the evening of the first day of the new year, the seven of them enjoyed another sumptuous dinner together, marking the end of the holiday.
Back in work mode, the [Penglai] team kept a close watch on any suspicious activity, maintaining tight communication with several overseas divisions.
At this time, Rong Aiyu, Wan Xiaoling, and Cong Xuefei were the busiest of all. While the “muscleheads” only needed to keep in shape or hit the underground range to stay sharp, the three of them were working non-stop…
Bang, bang, bang—
“How’d it go?”
As Zhang Liang put down his weapon, Zhen Ye, who was cleaning his gun nearby, asked casually.
---
“The trigger’s a bit loose—add a pound to it.”
“Do it yourself, I’m busy.”
“Okay.”
Unbothered, Zhang Liang sat to one side and took apart his SCAR assault rifle. After a quick maintenance, he adjusted the trigger pull.
This L-type SCAR was their standard weapon. Whenever they had downtime, the two of them would disassemble and tinker with them, caring for the guns meticulously.
Developed by FN Herstal in Belgium as a modular special operations assault rifle, the SCAR’s performance was beyond reproach. Though its sales never matched the traditional M4, nothing could dampen the two men’s enthusiasm for it.
Chambered in 5.56mm and weighing 3.28 kilograms unloaded, the 30-round steel magazine was stronger and more stable than traditional plastic ones, and its effective range of 400 meters sufficed for most scenarios.
But what satisfied them most was that, as a third-generation AR series rifle, the SCAR not only solved all the problems of earlier models, but its modular design was their true delight.
They could switch between 5.56mm and 7.62mm calibers as needed, easily convert from “close-quarters mode” to “sniper mode” with a bit of modification, and even add an enhanced grenade launcher. Who wouldn’t love such a reliable and versatile partner?
Of course, this “little darling” wasn’t without its flaws. The SCAR was heavier than most assault rifles, more expensive, and ate up accessories. Its recoil was a bit rough on the optics, too…
But none of that could shake their devotion—they were steadfast in their love!
Beep, beep, beep—
Suddenly, an alert sounded in the underground shooting range. The two men exchanged a glance, hurriedly set down their weapons, and rushed upstairs.
“Do we have a mission?”
By the time they reached the briefing room, everyone else had already arrived.
“Yes. We just received a request for assistance from the European division. We’re moving out immediately,” Tong Wanxin nodded. Anything urgent enough to reach them was always serious, so he didn’t waste any time and ordered everyone to start packing.
“Where to?” Liaison officer Rong Aiyu pressed for details—she needed to know the destination to coordinate.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Tong Wanxin said in a low voice, sweeping his gaze over everyone.
That country, shrouded in war for so many years…