Special Forces: At the beginning, An Ran pulled him to get his certificate.

Chapter 1384 The Daughter-in-Law's Request

"Time flies so fast, I can't believe a week has already passed..." Soft light spilled into the cozy room, and Chen Jun sighed softly, gently embracing An Ran from behind. This woman, who was willing to spell any English alphabet for him and wholeheartedly support him, resolutely left the army for the sake of the family and is now a housewife who takes care of all the household chores.

From behind, Chen Jun hugged the woman who was willing to arrange any English alphabet for him. For him, An Ran even left the army and has been a housewife ever since.

"Let go of me first, let me pack your luggage. Aren't you leaving tomorrow morning?" An Ran smiled bitterly, trying to gently break free, but without success. Her voice carried a hint of helplessness, but even more so, a reluctance to part with the impending separation.

Chen Jun was deeply moved. He hugged her tighter and said slowly, "I'm leaving this time to create a brand new department. I don't know when I'll be able to come back, so... I just wanted to let you know. These past two years have been really tough on you. I'll make it up to you if I have the chance in the future..." His words were full of guilt. Over the years, he had neglected his family too much for the sake of the country.

“No compensation needed…” An Ran interrupted her husband. She slowly turned around, her gaze fixed on Chen Jun, as if trying to etch every expression of his into her heart. She reached out and gently stroked Chen Jun’s weathered face, a face far beyond his years. He was only in his early twenties, yet he bore immense pressure that no one his age should have to carry; a heavy burden had already settled between his brows. Every time, he rushed home and then rushed away again, like a tireless perpetual motion machine, tirelessly working for the country’s mission.

“Don’t say those things to me, honey. You’ve forgotten, I’m also a soldier. The pressure you bear is much greater than mine. All I can do is protect this family. Whenever you miss home, come back to relax, visit your wife and children, and I’ll be content.” An Ran’s eyes were gentle yet firm. She knew the responsibilities her husband carried and was willing to support him silently.

A warm feeling welled up in Chen Jun's heart. He felt that the luckiest thing in his life was marrying this spirited and capable woman. If it weren't for An Ran's silent support behind the scenes, he would never have been able to devote himself wholeheartedly to his scientific research. Behind every truly successful person is a woman with a broad vision, and as a soldier's wife, An Ran had endured too much hardship. She was both a soldier with her own ideals and pursuits, and a woman who needed her husband's companionship and protection, but Chen Jun could not provide her with enough of these.

The two embraced quietly for a moment. An Ran sensed that the little guy was getting restless, so she quickly said, "Wait, Chen Jun, I need to discuss something with you."

“You’re right, hurry up, I’m afraid the child will wake up. Last time, Da Bao complained to my parents, and yesterday, my mom scolded me. That little guy said that when he was sleeping, the wind in the blanket was very strong, and he was almost freezing.” Chen Jun said with a smile, his heart filled with warmth as he thought of Da Bao’s adorable appearance.

"..." An Ran couldn't help but chuckle, the image of Da Bao's childish complaint flashing through her mind, making her both annoyed and amused. Actually, it was all Chen Jun's deliberate teasing of the child that triggered this "complaint" saga.

“Well, Da Bao is almost three years old, and Xiao Bao is being taken care of by his parents, who are experienced. So, I think it’s about time, and I want to go back to the army.” An Ran put away her smile and said seriously.

"What? You want to go back to the army?" Chen Jun was taken aback. He never expected his wife to make such a request. He had always thought An Ran would stay at home and take care of her husband and children, after all, he had seen how hard it was to raise children.

“Yes, Mom and Dad can take very good care of the children. Da Bao is very sensible and intelligent. They can definitely take care of Xiao Bao without any problems. Besides, even if I go to the army, I will come back to visit the children regularly. The time in the army is still relatively flexible now.” An Ran explained patiently, her eyes revealing her longing to return to the army.

“Honey, I’m a soldier. In the past, someone had to make sacrifices for our young children. Now everything is back on track, and I need to go back to work. That’s a soldier’s duty too. Now, I’m receiving military benefits but I’m idle at home, while you’re a general. It just doesn’t make sense!” An Ran’s tone was firm. She longed to rediscover her value as a soldier.

Hearing An Ran's words, Chen Jun fell silent. Back then, to allow An Ran to stay home and care for the child without worry, he had indeed used the only power he ever held in his life to grant her paid leave. He knew all too well how arduous childcare was, even more so than the work of a soldier in peacetime, so he wanted An Ran to rest properly. But now, An Ran had completed her phase of childcare and wanted to return to the army to fulfill her military duties, which he couldn't refuse. Although he secretly hoped An Ran would stay home as a housewife, he also understood that such a thought was somewhat selfish; An Ran also had her own pursuits and dreams.

After a moment of silence, Chen Jun slowly said, "It's a good thing that you have your own pursuits, but you definitely can't go back to the hacker base."

An Ran paused for a moment, but didn't press for a reason. Since Chen Jun had already left the hacker base, she naturally didn't want to return to her original intelligence unit, which had now been handed over to the original Fire Phoenix female soldiers.

"Then please, General Chen, use some of your power to arrange a job for me?" An Ran winked mischievously and said with a smile.

Chen Jun thought for a moment and said, "How about this? Your expertise is in intelligence work. Coincidentally, I've established a department called the National Strategic Security Department. It's currently classified, but its importance is no less than that of the National Security Bureau. You can wait for my message at home. I'll notify you to come over once the department is established."

“You can use your expertise to set up an intelligence department. As for personnel, you can recruit from all over the country. This period of time is perfect for you to make preparations in advance.” Chen Jun took a breath and continued, “This time, I’m having Lao Fan come with me to use his expertise to find some talent for me.”

An Ran's eyes lit up with excitement as she said happily, "Thank you, husband."

"Let's not stand on ceremony between us, but I also have a request." Chen Jun looked at An Ran with a hint of tenderness in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, An Ran blushed slightly and asked shyly, "What...what do you want?"

“That’s right. Once the intelligence branch is established, it would be best to set up in this city. That way, you can go home every day to see the children. I’m afraid that if the two of us don’t go home for too long, the children won’t recognize us anymore.” This was Chen Jun’s selfish wish. He hoped that even though he was busy with work, his family could spend as much time together as possible.

These words made An Ran blush deeply; she had indeed misunderstood. Understanding her husband's meaning, she quickly said, "Of course, no problem, thank you!"

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window and onto the floor. After breakfast, Chen Jun, carrying the luggage that An Ran had already prepared, left home.

"Commander, everything is going smoothly." At the door, Wang Dalei saluted his benefactor deeply. For the past few days, he had been staying up all night to patrol and ensure the safety of Chen Jun's family, resulting in noticeable dark circles under his eyes. He was filled with gratitude and respect for Chen Jun and was willing to do anything for him.

"Commander..." Fan Tianlei and Xu Zhengyang, who had been waiting for a long time, quickly put out their cigarettes and walked over when they saw Chen Jun come out. The two of them had gotten up early in the morning, and when they saw their commander coming, they quickly came over to help carry his luggage.

Old Fan is now riding high. He went to his ex-wife to remarry him. Although she didn't agree at first, her attitude changed a lot after she heard that he had been promoted to general. Her tone and mindset softened considerably, and she was no longer as hostile to him as before.

Xu Zhengyang asked curiously, "Where should we go for our first battle?"

Standing at the door, Chen Jun waved goodbye to Wang Dalei, then looked up at the northern sky and said in a calm tone, "Going to the Northern Frontier!"

"Okay!" Xu Zhengyang and Fan Tianlei replied in unison, their eyes filled with anticipation and fighting spirit.

Snow-covered plains, the northernmost snowfield of Yan Kingdom, a border outpost. A biting north wind howls, as if trying to freeze everything. The helicopter slowly descends in the gale, the powerful wind from the rotors bending the surrounding dry grass low and raising a cloud of snow.

Wearing heavy military uniforms, Chen Jun and Lao Fan disembarked from the helicopter. Their footsteps left deep imprints as they trudged through the thick snow. Gazing at the northern landscape, the vast expanse of frozen mountains and rivers was a blanket of white. In this pristine white world, a small, striking border post stood silently amidst the endless expanse of white.

This small outpost is built against a cliff, with a bright red flag fluttering fiercely in the wind atop the high precipice in front of it. The red flag, like a burning flame, stands out conspicuously in this icy and snowy landscape, demonstrating the steadfastness and indomitable spirit of the Yan soldiers.

Chen Jun stood silently before the border post, his thoughts seemingly drifting back to his youthful days. He had once stood guard in the wind alongside his squad leader, though that was in the Southeast Military Region; the environment here was far more treacherous. Long-term guard duty here took a toll on a person's body, especially their fingernails. Some veterans' fingernails were so curved they could hold a drop of water, and they weren't actually that old. Standing guard here required enduring immense loneliness and solitude to guard the border of Yan, day after day.

“Here are three elite members, not He Chenguang from before, but Wang Yanbing and Li Erniu. Let’s go see them.” Chen Jun broke the silence and led Lao Fan toward the outpost.

The entire route was treacherous, covered in snow. The snow had completely obscured the original path, and a slip on the steps could send someone tumbling down, the consequences unpredictable. The wind howled, and snowflakes lashed their faces, yet their steps remained firm as they pressed on towards their destination…

Amidst the howling wind, a young sentry stood ramrod straight at his post. The wind was so strong that he had to tie a rope to the railing beside him to maintain his position. Beside him was a cliff, practically standing on the edge of an abyss, but his expression remained unchanged.

Like a statue.

Even a soldier like Chen Jun couldn't help but show admiration, saying, "Look, no matter how strong the wind is, it can't blow away their iron will. This is the iron will that belongs to soldiers. The person I'm looking for is a soldier with such an unyielding spirit. Old Fan, if you had this kind of ability when you were young, Comrade He Weidong wouldn't have sacrificed his life back then."

Upon hearing this, Old Fan blushed deeply, countless images flashing through his mind: He Chenguang had grown into a young man, that strong and resolute figure... But twenty-one years, three months, and four days had passed since then...

Old Fan's eyes welled up with tears. This soldier looked to be only eighteen or nineteen, exactly the same age as him back then. Yet, despite the harsh scenery and the avalanche, he remained unfazed. This was a composure that Old Fan lacked.

“Alas, when I joined the army, I had some talent, but I came from a relatively good family and was a pampered child by my mother since I was a child. I only started to suffer in my unit. I became a special forces soldier because of my talent and passion, but I ultimately failed in terms of enduring hardship. I am sorry to Comrade He Weidong!”

"They are much stronger than me. At this age, they should be in school, enjoying their youth and love. Instead, they are standing on the edge of a cliff, guarding the players' lights in the wind and snow. The pressure they bear is much greater than that I, an unqualified special forces member, was back then."

Old Fan felt ashamed and moved.

At that moment, Chen Jun had already walked up to the sentry. Before he could even salute, the sentry turned around warily and pointed his gun at them.

However, when he saw clearly that the two soldiers standing in front of him were actually a general and a colonel, he was so shocked that he could hardly speak.

"Commendations... Well, I'm so sorry, the wind and rain are too strong. I thought it was the enemy, so I can't salute you right now. My posture is not standard..."

The young soldier looked uneasy. He never dreamed that two high-ranking officers would come. To his surprise, the younger officer had a much higher rank than the older officer.

It seems that no one much older than him is actually a general?

Chen Jun smiled slightly at him, walked directly in front of him, raised his hand, and patted his youthful yet strong shoulder.

"You did a great job. There's no need to salute us. Thank you for guarding the border of our motherland in the wind and snow. Is it cold in this weather?"