109 Oh no!-Global Hunt(White rice)

Every soldier is a cog in a machine!

A massive war machine requires thousands upon thousands of such cogs to start up and charge toward the enemy. However, a soldier who earns the title of "Ace" is far more than just a cog. They are both a cog and an independent machine, possessing autonomous combat capabilities. They may not be able to dictate the course of a war, but they can ensure its victory, and that is enough.

Deep within the Special Forces training base, the pale blue light made Li Changjiang’s eyes slightly uncomfortable. He walked with extreme slowness, letting the blue light scan over his body again and again. In truth, Li Changjiang was in a state of extreme tension. This corridor was only a few meters long, yet it concentrated some of the most advanced detection technology available domestically, or even globally.

This meant the secrets hidden within his body were highly likely to be exposed.

However, until he walked out of the transparent composite glass corridor and the blue light vanished, Li Changjiang did not notice anything unusual. Meanwhile, in the monitoring room, Xiang Guofang and several other military doctors in white uniforms stared at the data displayed on the electronic screens with nervous, incredulous expressions.

"That’s impossible, isn’t it? Could the equipment be malfunctioning?" one voice asked, sounding slightly shocked.

"Impossible. The machine hasn't shown any abnormalities. Have him repeat the test immediately!"

"General?"

After conferring for a moment, the group turned their eyes to Xiang Guofang.

"Will repeating the test have any effect on his body?"

After receiving an affirmative answer, Xiang Guofang nodded immediately.

"Please remain where you are for a second test!"

What?

Having just walked out of the glass corridor, Li Changjiang was in the middle of getting dressed when he heard that mechanical electronic voice again. With no choice, he had to take off the pants he had just put on, leaving himself in nothing but his underwear. He had no idea that on the other side of the glass, four or five grown men were staring intently at his body, watching it over and over again.

After another round, he finally didn't hear the command to repeat it. Following that, Li Changjiang underwent over a dozen categories of tests, including physical fitness, psychological evaluation, intelligence, and—most importantly—tracking and marksmanship. By the time he finished all the test modules, Li Changjiang was nearly paralyzed with exhaustion and fell asleep the moment his head hit a surface.

In a secret conference room located dozens of meters underground, more than a dozen military officers, all holding the rank of colonel or higher, sat around a conference table. Xiang Guofang and Hu Dayou were among them. The atmosphere was extremely heavy, bordering on grim.

"You have all finished reviewing the documents, haven't you?" Seeing everyone nod, Xiang Guofang continued. "You must keep the contents of this file strictly confidential. If anyone leaks this, be prepared to face the most severe military punishment. Now, let’s discuss the next course of action. Old Hu, please brief us on the situation."

Hu Dayou nodded, stood up, and gave a military salute to the group.

"I won't repeat the contents of the file. In Li Changjiang’s assessment report, he passed 22 out of 50 projects and failed 28. However, among the 8 core projects—marksmanship, psychological stability, physical fitness, speed, and endurance—he scored 'Excellent' in 5, exceeding the criteria for an 'Ace.' Therefore, our assessment is that he has the potential to become an Ace, though he has not yet reached that level. We recommend registering him with superiors for intensive training. Do you have any objections?"

"None!"

"When is his next assessment?"

"Two years from now."

"What if he doesn't meet the standards by then?"

Hu Dayou glanced at Xiang Guofang; this was a serious question he couldn't decide on his own.

"If he still fails to meet the criteria in the next assessment, his training eligibility will be revoked."

The group quickly reached a consensus. After the meeting, the base’s top commander, Xiang Guofang, met with Hu Dayou again.

"The results weren't unexpected. Li Changjiang took an unorthodox path and lacked formal military training. Achieving 'Excellent' in five categories is actually quite impressive. The most concerning part is that this kid's academic score was only 50 points."

"The file shows he failed to get into university after high school!"

Hu Dayou was left speechless.

"That's secondary; a high school level is enough! But look at his hand-to-hand combat ability—it’s less than 30 points. That's far worse than an average soldier."

Both Hu Dayou and Xiang Guofang frowned. The assessment for an Ace sniper wasn't just about shooting; it involved numerous comprehensive factors. This was the minimum standard to determine if a soldier could truly hold the title of "Ace."

"If we put him through systematic training, how long would it take?"

"At least a year. We don't have that much time. This is intelligence I received from the Ministry of State Security; take a look."

Hu Dayou quickly pulled a document from his briefcase and handed it over. Scanning it at a glance, Xiang Guofang’s brow furrowed immediately.

"A watch? This is going to be trouble!"

As it turned out, Wu Sisi and Wu Delong didn't actually know what the "intelligence" really was. They had merely purchased a batch of watches—or were forced to buy them—from an officer under the command of the previous Libyan rebel commander, Abler. Later, this batch of watches was distributed to workers sent abroad by the construction company. According to the Delong Construction Company's registry, the watch with the unique marking had been given to a Chinese man whose name and other information had since been burned away.

Whether it was Li Lin or not, neither Wu Delong nor Wu Sisi knew, because they only realized the gravity of the situation after being captured and interrogated by the Libyans. As for the rumor that the intelligence was collected by Wu Sisi, the journalist, that was merely a smokescreen. Given her status, it would have been impossible for her to gather such classified information.

However, now that Abler had been killed by Halide, it meant no one knew the contents of this intelligence or its specific whereabouts. The most likely person was Li Lin.

Xiang Guofang’s brow remained locked, and he exchanged a look with Hu Dayou, his face filled with worry.

"Without any concrete clues, the Americans surely won't find it either. If Li Lin still has that watch, things might be much simpler. Let's have that kid, Li Changjiang, contact Li Lin immediately to see where that watch is."

Soon, Li Changjiang was roused from his sleep. After understanding the deduction made by Xiang Guofang and Hu Dayou, he didn't hesitate and dialed the number for Nanjiang Province right in front of them.

Once the call connected, Li Changjiang chatted for a while, boasting about how well he was doing, to the weary amusement of the two officers.

"Alright, Mom, I know. The leaders in the military treat me quite well. I have both fish and meat..."

"Dad, let me ask you something. Last time you were in Libya, did Delong Construction give you a watch? Did you bring it back to the country?"

Beside him, Xiang Guofang and Hu Dayou pricked up their ears. Li Changjiang put the phone on speaker, but the voice on the other end suddenly went quiet. This made Li Changjiang’s heart race; the last thing he wanted was for his father, Li Lin, to be involved in this.

"Ah, there was something like that. But I gave that watch to someone else. At the border, they wouldn't let us take it out of the country, so an American doctor helped me hide it. But I forgot about it when we got back. Forget it, it’s just a watch anyway. Now that I’m back, what do I need that thing for..."

"Dad, do you remember the American's name?"

"How would I remember that? But the tour guide seemed to call her 'Amade' or some strange name. Oh, right, she was a doctor!"

Li Changjiang didn't catch the rest of what Li Lin said; he mumbled a few words and hung up.

This was a disaster! How did it get involved with the Americans again?