noffsinger Chapter 340
Chapter 340
Sheng Qingyan was a legendary figure among the soldiers of his generation.When he was still a rookie, during a full-gear swimming-crossing exercise spanning thirty kilometers, he dragged a cramping teammate across the river, setting the fastest record in history—arriving fifteen minutes earlier than the previous record holder.
In a firefight at Base Four, he precisely located and eliminated two enemy S-class snipers, ensuring the safe evacuation of the chief engineer and the research team, earning him a first-class merit.
He participated in the destruction of a transnational drug trafficking group’s core stronghold, confiscated drugs, and rescued hostages, earning a second-class merit.
During a high-ranking official’s inspection, he uncovered an assassination plot and subdued three assassins disguised as journalists on the spot...
Without passing any assessment, he was recruited into the special operations force and became the youngest special operations team commander in the entire military.
When the general personally conferred his rank, he said only eight words:
“A blade of the nation—this is what it means.”
As one of the commanders of the special operations team, Sheng Qingyan’s latest mission was to provide twenty-four-hour protection for the chief designer of the Eagle Eye Project until its launch was successfully completed.
“Hey, Captain Sheng!” A squadron leader walking toward him grinned. “I heard you landed a sweet gig?”
Sheng Qingyan didn’t stop walking. “What sweet gig?”
The squadron leader winked. “Protecting the female chief designer of the Eagle Eye Project—twenty-four-hour close protection.”
The training ground was filled with special operations soldiers assigned to ensure this launch. A bunch of them gathered around, chiming in with laughter and teasing.
“Captain Sheng, I heard she’s a knockout!”
“Knockout? She’s the chief engineer of the Eagle Eye system!”
“Oh, hey, Captain—I heard you have a girlfriend. Will she get jealous?”
Sheng Qingyan stopped and swept his gaze across the group. His sharp look silenced them instantly.
His voice was calm. “A mission is a mission. It’s not about gender. The nation’s critical hardware is about to launch. If you’re all so bored, today you’ll add an extra twenty-kilometer loaded cross-country run.”
The group scattered like startled birds.
Though his voice was calm, the tightness of his lips gave him away.
If Ah Yu—his girlfriend—were about to spend twenty-four hours with another man, would he be jealous?
At 1:50 p.m., Sheng Qingyan was already at the base gate.
After three layers of strict security checks, the vehicle finally entered the core area of the base. Several people stood in front of the main building. Sheng Qingyan immediately recognized the chief engineer, Cui Xiao—a very famous missile expert.
“Commander Sheng!” Cui Xiao warmly approached and shook his hand. “Last time we met, you were still a new recruit. In just a few months, you’ve become the special ops commander. Truly, heroes born young!”
Sheng Qingyan shook hands with standard propriety. “Chief Engineer Cui, please give your orders.”
“We’ll need your full attention this time. The Eagle Eye project is in its most critical phase, and the safety of our chief designer must be guaranteed without a single flaw.” Cui Xiao turned to lead the way. “Come with me. I’ll introduce you to our genius designer. I take it you’ve heard—she’s a woman. Before you came to protect her, did you report to Engineer Rong?”
Sheng Qingyan replied, “It’s an organizational assignment, unrelated to personal matters. No special report is needed.”
Cui Xiao could read nothing from his expression.
Well, the young man sure could keep his cool—made Cui Xiao feel a bit childish for his teasing.
“Oh, really?” Cui Guo stirred the pot deliberately. “Let me give you a heads-up: when the Eagle Eye launches, Engineer Rong will be there too. Her boyfriend is going to be standing behind another woman twenty-four-seven. I doubt she’ll give you a very warm reception.”
“Chief Engineer Cui is joking,” Sheng Qingyan said evenly. “The mission is the mission. Rong Yu... she understands the nature of my work very well.”
After passing through three more armored security doors, Sheng Qingyan followed Cui Xiao into the core control area.
Cui Xiao stopped in front of a heavy blast door. While his identity was being verified, he couldn’t resist adding, “By the way, our chief designer has a bit of a... distinctive temperament. When she’s working, she acknowledges no one. You’ll need to be patient.”
Sheng Qingyan nodded indifferently, beginning to mentally plan how to get along with this special-tempered female chief designer.
The blast door slowly opened, revealing a spacious, bright main control room. Dozens of researchers in white lab coats were busy at various instruments, their work accompanied by the low hum of electronic equipment.
“Engineer Rong! The one guarding you is here!” Cui Xiao called out to the depths of the core area.
Hearing that form of address, Sheng Qingyan’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Engineer Rong?
That was what the base staff called Rong Yu, wasn’t it?
He only knew she played a very important role at the aerospace base—but he’d never known exactly what she did.
Just as Rong Yu never knew the specific details of his missions.
Then, a slender figure emerged from behind a pile of instruments. Under her white lab coat were a simple shirt and black combat pants, and her long hair was tied up in a neat ponytail. She lifted her head and broke into a smile.
The moment she saw Sheng Qingyan, her eyes lit up, and the corners of her mouth lifted involuntarily—but she quickly put on a professional expression. “Captain Sheng, pleasure to meet you. I’m Rong Yu, chief designer of the Eagle Eye Project.”
Sheng Qingyan froze.
He’d only been in the special operations unit for a little over two months, completing over a dozen missions of varying scale—most at the national level.
He’d always known his Ah Yu was outstanding.
But he’d never known she was this remarkable.
She had actually designed the Eagle Eye rocket, set to launch into space—a feat that would etch her name into aerospace history.
His Ah Yu was truly incredible.
A small part of him wondered—why, with someone so brilliant, would she ever fall for him...?
Seeing his dazed expression, Cui Xiao burst out laughing. “Well, Commander Sheng, didn’t I say you should’ve checked with Engineer Rong? You told me it wasn’t necessary.”
Sheng Qingyan’s ears turned bright red. His mouth opened, but he couldn’t find the words.
Rong Yu stifled a smile, walked over to him, and put on an official tone on purpose. “Captain Sheng, the final testing phase for Eagle Eye begins tomorrow. I’m entrusting my safety to you.”
Sheng Qingyan finally found his voice. He stood at attention, but his tone was much softer than usual. “That’s my duty, Engineer Rong.”
Cui Xiao clapped his hands. “Alright, alright, you two lovebirds, stop pretending in front of me. Engineer Rong, I deliberately didn’t tell Commander Sheng you were the one he’d be protecting, just to see his reaction—and it was pretty amusing.”
The other researchers in the control center laughed good-naturedly.
Rong Yu’s cheeks flushed faintly.
Sheng Qingyan cleared his throat, struggling to maintain his soldierly composure.
“Don’t be nervous, you two. The work pressure is high—Chief Engineer Cui was just cracking a small joke.” Lin Rang wheeled his wheelchair over. “Actually, the organization arranged for Captain Sheng to come partly because we genuinely need the best protection, and partly because of you two being together—it’ll help your junior alumna feel more at ease during the launch.”
Sheng Qingyan snapped back into military discipline, saluting crisply. “The organization can rest assured. I will ensure Engineer Rong’s safety around the clock!”