Li Bingbing, on the other end of the phone, seemed surprised, falling silent for a few seconds.
"A soldier? Are you sure?"
"Mostly sure. He was caught on surveillance freely entering and exiting Haining City's military district."
"Furthermore, his personal information file has been encrypted with the military's highest-level clearance."
Duan Wen reported the situation concisely.
Li Bingbing's voice sounded somewhat incredulous.
"How could Naza, that silly girl, be dating a soldier?"
Her tone was filled with confusion.
"Bing Jie, the situation is quite complex now. This person has a very deep background, and it might be difficult to handle him."
Duan Wen reminded her.
"Keep investigating."
Li Bingbing's tone was undeniable.
"I don't care who he is; I must know his background."
"His unit number, military rank, and position—not a single detail can be missed."
"This concerns Naza's future career; there can be no carelessness."
Duan Wen looked a bit troubled.
"Bing Jie, the other party is from the military. Normal investigation methods might not be effective."
"I also have a very old photo of him, wearing a military uniform, from many years ago."
"But it's very blurry, and I can't make out any useful information from it."
This was some fragmented information he had obtained through other channels previously.
"A photo? Send it to me to see," Li Bingbing said immediately.
Duan Wen acknowledged, hung up the phone, and sent the old photo file to Li Bingbing's phone.
A few seconds later, his phone rang again.
"I've seen the photo."
Li Bingbing's voice sounded a bit softer.
"Although it's a bit blurry."
"But this young man does look good, with clear features. No wonder that girl Naza was captivated."
Her tone was somewhat understanding.
As someone who had navigated the entertainment industry for many years, she encountered all sorts of people daily.
She knew very well what kind of appearance was most attractive to girls.
Lu Mingyu in the photo was wearing an old-style military uniform.
Although he looked green, his eyes were sharp, and his demeanor was outstanding.
"Looking good doesn't put food on the table."
Li Bingbing's tone quickly returned to calm and professional.
"Duan Wen, you know very well that Naza is currently in the ascendant phase of her career; her momentum is very strong."
"If a romance were to be exposed at this time, it would be a devastating blow to her."
"How many fans would unfollow because of it? How many resources would be lost?"
Duan Wen listened quietly; he understood all of this.
Li Bingbing continued, as if analyzing, and also as if talking to herself.
"Originally, I thought if he was just an ordinary person, things would be easy to handle."
"But now, the situation is completely different."
"Forcing them to break up is not very realistic."
"I know Naza's temper; the more you push her, the more she'll go against you."
"Moreover, the other party is a soldier."
Li Bingbing's tone was a bit anxious.
"We can't handle this like we handled past issues, using money or resources to solve the problem."
"Playing hardball with a soldier with a mysterious background is asking for trouble."
She paused, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
Finally, she made up her mind.
"Therefore, we must first gather all the information before we can decide on the next step."
"Your primary task now is to find out exactly which unit he belongs to and what his specific military rank is."
Duan Wen immediately replied.
"I understand, Bing Jie. As soon as I have any news, I'll notify you immediately."
The thin morning mist had not yet dispersed, and the sound of uniform footsteps already echoed from the training ground.
Lu Mingyu led Li Xiaoniu and Zhou Chenguang, walking unhurriedly towards the training ground.
His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, sweeping across the front.
On the training ground, the soldiers, referred to as "Rookies," were already fully equipped and neatly dressed.
They stood in several straight formations.
Each of their faces still looked somewhat youthful.
But in their eyes, an unyielding flame burned, quietly awaiting today's challenge.
Seeing this scene, a barely perceptible upward curve appeared at the corner of Lu Mingyu's usually stern face.
This was a sign of satisfaction.
He walked to the front of the formation, his cold voice piercing the morning air, clearly reaching every soldier's ears.
"Starting today, the training intensity will be increased."
The soldiers' postures remained motionless, but their gazes became even more focused.
Lu Mingyu continued, "News from Hunter Academy states that the start date remains unchanged."
"However, all selected personnel are required to report three days in advance."
"This means that the time for our original selection and training plan has been compressed."
There was no superfluous emotion in his words; he was merely stating a fact.
"You don't have much time left."
Not a single person raised an objection, nor did anyone show a look of fear.
Their answer was a roar that burst from their chests.
"Guaranteed to complete the mission!"
The voices converged into a torrent, making one's eardrums tingle.
Lu Mingyu nodded, not surprised by this outcome.
He turned his head and gave an order to Li Xiaoniu beside him.
"Li Xiaoniu."
"Here!"
"Take them for a fifty-kilometer armed cross-country run."
"Yes!"
"Remember, anyone who fails to complete the entire course within the specified time will not be allowed to eat dinner tonight."
Lu Mingyu's tone was icy.
"Yes, Captain!" Li Xiaoniu replied loudly, then turned to face the group of soldiers.
"All units, assemble! Objective: fifty-kilometer armed cross-country run! Move out!"
With a command, the soldiers took heavy strides.
Like a steel torrent, they quickly disappeared at the end of the training ground.
No one complained, no one hesitated.
There were only uniform footsteps and heavy breathing.
Lu Mingyu stood in place, watching the team disappear into the distance, his eyes deep, wondering what he was thinking.
Zhou Chenguang walked over, lowering his voice to report.
"Captain, among this batch of Rookies, I found a promising prospect."
Lu Mingyu's gaze was still fixed on the distance, and he softly hummed, signaling him to continue.
"It's the soldier named Qiu Xiang; his sniping talent is exceptionally high."
Zhou Chenguang's tone was somewhat excited.
"Just now, when they were about thirty kilometers into their armed cross-country run, I temporarily added a drill."
"I required him, with his heart rate exceeding one hundred sixty, to assemble a disassembled sniper rifle in one minute on the spot."
"Then, he had to shoot at a target five hundred meters away."
Lu Mingyu finally withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhou Chenguang, clearly interested in this drill.
Zhou Chenguang continued, "That kid completed the assembly in only fifty-five seconds."
"With three shots, he achieved a score of forty-eight rings."
This was a quite astonishing result.
To maintain such stability and precision after extreme physical exertion.
It was enough to prove Qiu Xiang's talent in sniping.
Lu Mingyu's expression also softened a bit.
"He is indeed a good prospect."
But he changed the subject, his tone becoming serious again.
"However, having only shooting skills is not enough."
"We are strategic special forces, carrying out the most complex missions."
"We face the most dangerous enemies."
"Any weakness can be fatal on the battlefield."
He looked at Zhou Chenguang, emphasizing each word.
"If a sniper's physical fitness cannot keep up with the team's pace."
"Then he will not only fail to complete the mission but will also drag down the entire team, becoming a burden to everyone."