Lu Wei walked to the desk and placed the encrypted tablet he was carrying on it.
“Chief, please take a look at this.”
He opened an encrypted email he had just received; the sender was Lu Mingyu.
The email content was simple, containing only a link and a few lines of text.
“This is intelligence my grandson Mingyu just sent over.”
“On the dark web, fourteen bounty missions related to the test flight of the newly developed fighter jet suddenly appeared.”
“The mission contents are diverse, ranging from stealing data to destroying equipment, and even directly assassinating test pilots.”
“And among them, the most noteworthy one has the highest bounty and the cruelest demands.”
“We have reason to suspect it was released by ‘Viper’.”
Zhou Pingcang’s gaze instantly froze.
When he heard the name “Viper,” an invisible pressure enveloped the entire office.
“‘Viper’…”
Of course, he knew this organization.
He also knew that the previous generation of leaders of this organization, the father and son, were currently imprisoned in the Military Region’s jail.
The reason for the delay in their trial was the fear that the “little snake” hiding abroad would take some crazy retaliatory actions without any scruples.
Unexpectedly, the most worrying thing still happened.
Lu Wei’s voice was somewhat urgent.
“Chief, I suggest immediately changing the test flight location or postponing the test flight date!”
“Since ‘Viper’ dares to release such a mission, it means they are already prepared; we cannot take the risk.”
Zhou Pingcang leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk, lost in thought.
After a long while, he slowly spoke.
“I do not have the authority to change the location or postpone it.”
“The test flight of the new aircraft involves the hearts of countless experts and the higher-ups.”
“The timeline was set long ago and cannot be easily changed.”
He raised his head, his gaze once again firm and sharp.
“Since the enemy has bared its fangs, what we can do is break each of its fangs one by one!”
Zhou Pingcang looked at Lu Wei, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
“Notify everyone that in addition to the original Wolf Fang Special Forces, we will also dispatch the Meng Hu and Black Bear Special Forces from the Military Region’s direct units to jointly carry out this security mission.”
“Raise the security level to the highest; not even a fly can get in!”
He paused, looking at Lu Wei as if asking for his opinion.
“How about three ace special forces units jointly defending?”
Lu Wei nodded heavily.
“I agree. Given the threat level ‘Viper’ is currently demonstrating, such an arrangement is necessary.”
With Lu Wei’s agreement, the tense atmosphere in the office caused by “Viper” eased slightly.
The serious expression on Zhou Pingcang’s face also softened.
He picked up his teacup and took a sip, then looked at his old comrade, changing the subject with a hint of a smile.
“Old Lu, now that business is done, let’s chat about family matters.”
“How is your future granddaughter-in-law?”
There was a hint of teasing in Zhou Pingcang’s eyes.
“I’ve watched a few episodes of the show. Outsiders don’t know the inside story, but I’ve heard some rumors.”
“I think that girl is good; she’s a match for your rascal Mingyu.”
At the mention of this, a rare smile appeared on Lu Wei’s normally stern face.
“Naturally, how could my grandson’s taste be bad?”
He leaned back on the sofa, clearly in a much better mood.
“Next month, I’ll have Mingyu bring her home.”
“That kid has already agreed with the girl that they’ll get their marriage certificate as soon as the show recording ends.”
Zhou Pingcang burst out laughing, pointing at Lu Wei.
“You old man, you’ve finally waited for this.”
“Speaking of which, Mingyu’s performance on the show really brought honor to our army.”
“Not only was the public’s response enthusiastic, but even several leaders above noticed it.”
Zhou Pingcang put down his teacup, his expression becoming serious again.
“The higher-ups already have the intention to promote his military rank.”
Hearing this, the smile on Lu Wei’s face faded, and he snorted heavily.
“It should have been promoted long ago!”
His voice carried a long-suppressed sense of frustration.
“If it weren’t for avoiding suspicion, fearing others would say I, as his grandfather, was engaging in nepotism, that kid’s epaulets should have been changed ages ago.”
Zhou Pingcang nodded, indicating understanding.
Lu Mingyu’s promotion issue had indeed always been a relatively sensitive topic within the Military Region.
The reasons for this were complex and could not be explained in a few words.
Zhou Pingcang looked at his old friend and slowly explained.
“What you said about avoiding suspicion is only one aspect; more importantly, it’s Mingyu’s current position.”
“He is the soul and absolute core of the Megakaryocyte Special Operations Group; he is the stabilizing force of that unit.”
“According to our army’s rules, promotion in military rank is often accompanied by a change in position.”
“To promote him to colonel, we would have to arrange a position that matches a colonel’s rank for him.”
“But once he leaves Macrophages and transfers to another post, the loss to that unit’s combat power would be immeasurable.”
Zhou Pingcang’s tone was full of regret.
“How important are the missions this unit undertakes?”
“You and I both know clearly; we cannot take this risk.”
Lu Wei fell silent; of course, he understood this principle.
The Megakaryocyte Special Operations Group is the sharpest blade in China, specializing in handling the most difficult and dangerous overseas affairs.
As the captain, Lu Mingyu is not only the strongest in combat but also the tactical brain and spiritual pillar of the entire team.
Any decision could affect the life or death of the entire team.
Zhou Pingcang continued:
“Coupled with his special family background, promoting his military rank too quickly would inevitably attract some criticism and gossip, which would instead bring unnecessary pressure on him.”
“Therefore, for so many years, the military has only been able to compensate him in a compromise way.”
“These past few years, although Mingyu only holds the rank of lieutenant colonel, his salary and various welfare benefits are all issued at the highest level for a colonel.”
“In terms of equipment allocation, he is the highest priority in the entire army.”
Zhou Pingcang held up three fingers.
“Just last year, when the Megakaryocyte Special Operations Group underwent a complete equipment upgrade, the higher-ups directly approved over 30 million in funding.”
“This amount of money is enough for regular troops to replace equipment several times over.”
“But spending it on them is worth it!”
“Because the national interests and security they gain from each mission are immeasurable by money.”
Lu Wei sighed deeply, the knot in his heart finally loosening a bit.
He knew that the organization had not forgotten his grandson’s contributions.
Zhou Pingcang looked at him, his tone shifting again, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
“But now, the situation is different.”
“This program, ‘if i were a female special forces soldier,’ has caused a huge sensation nationwide.”
“The effect was better than anyone expected.”
“Countless young people have been ignited with the passion to join the army and serve the country because of this program.”
“It has greatly enhanced the public’s patriotism and their identification with our soldiers.”
“This is a tangible achievement, the best reason.”
Zhou Pingcang stood up and paced a few steps in the office, his voice also becoming louder.
“Therefore, after careful consideration by the higher-ups, two decisions have been made.”