Chapter 0003: A Door to Four Martyrs

A man who once roamed the battlefield with arrogance, a hardened warrior who had sent four sons to their deaths, now weeps, kneels, and pleads. He cannot afford to lose any more; he simply cannot bear it any longer

This comfort did not have much effect, even when the middle-aged man witnessed the most elite troops going to rescue. It was not that he did not believe, but rather that he was too afraid; the kidnapped child was his only son. If this son were to die as well, he did not know whether he would go insane.

At eleven o'clock, the rescue mission for the hostages was still not completed, as the bandit was exceedingly cunning. Not only was he clever, but he also possessed an exasperating counter-surveillance capability, making it impossible to find any trace of him, not even a single footprint.

Xiao Hongjun was born into a military family and was naturally brave and fierce. At the age of eighteen, he was forced by his father to marry and have children. At twenty-four, he secretly left his wife and children to participate in the first round of the Vietnam self-defense counterattack war, where he was seriously injured and later recovered. Although he had recovered, his ferocity during the first round of the war was unmatched. He once shaved his head, drank blood wine, and led a team of reconnaissance soldiers to infiltrate behind enemy lines, engaging in fierce combat with Vietnamese agents, returning with his body bound with severed heads, laughing heartily.

The middle-aged man bent down sharply and heavily bowed his head towards the rocky ground of the mountain.

"Commander, phone!" A soldier ran over and handed the wireless phone to Sun Honglie

"Chief, you must save my son, even if he comes back with broken limbs, as long as he is alive, alive!" The middle-aged man's eyes were filled with tears as he tightly grasped Sun Honglie's trousers, pleading as if holding onto a lifeline: "This son is the only bloodline of the Xiao family. If he dies in the aid to Korea, his mother will definitely not be able to survive. I beg you, you must rescue my son, I, I, I..."

The name of the six-year-old child, Xiao Yuanchao, was presented before leaders at all levels, tugging at everyone's heartstrings. They were willing to pay any price to rescue this child

When the fourth son passed away, Xiao Hongjun merely held the urn tightly, murmuring to himself, and no one could clearly hear what he was saying

Xiao Hongjun has five sons: the eldest son Xiao Jiefang died in battle at the northwestern border; the second son Xiao Zhonghua was killed at a border outpost in the southwest; the third son Xiao Hongxing died while rescuing people during a flood; the fourth son Xiao Xiangqian used his own body to block the slowly descending bus wheels towards the cliff in order to save a bus full of people; the fifth son Xiao Yuanchao, only six years old, was taken hostage today by a ruthless criminal.

Ensure the completion of the task ! '' Hundreds of powerful voices resounded in unison, exuding a fierce and menacing intent.

Listen! This is not merely a hostage rescue mission, but an extremely serious political task! At the foot of the mountain, an officer with the rank of colonel, his gaze sharp as lightning, swung his right hand down forcefully, emitting a low growl: "I don't care what methods you use, you must rescue that child unharmed."

When the second son passed away, Xiao Hongjun said to his son's ashes: Son, well done

Hanging up the phone, Sun Honglie once again grasped Xiao Hongjun's arm and gritted his teeth, saying: "Old Xiao, leave it to me, I, Sun Honglie, will definitely return to you a lively and energetic son"

The number of individuals wearing black berets is not large, merely in the hundreds. However, each one is battle-hardened, proficient in various combat terrains, and has completed countless missions, truly deserving the title of a formidable force.

"Comrade," Xiao Hongjun took a deep breath, tightly gripping Sun Honglie's shoulder and said: "My eldest son died on the northwestern frontier, my second son died at the border outpost, my third son died in flood relief efforts, and my fourth son sacrificed his life to save a bus full of people. I have only this one son left, I have only this one son left..."

Sun Honglie's eyes turned red; he understood the weight of a man's knees, especially in front of Xiao Hongjun, who, though only middle-aged, appeared exceedingly old.

When his first son died, Xiao Hongjun said a phrase to his son's ashes: For the country, it is worth it

Standing before the colonel is a special forces unit renowned throughout the nation: the Black Berets

When the third son died, Xiao Hongjun touched his son's urn and said, "How should I explain this to your mother"

Autumn 1993

Calls came in one after another, all personally made by senior leaders. This matter even alarmed the four headquarters, which issued a strict order: the safe rescue of Xiao Yuanchao must be completed within two hours

Just as this head had not yet been pressed down, it was abruptly pulled up by Sun Honglie, preventing him from taking this utterly desperate action.

This is what the motherland owes them, what the people owe them, and even more so, what the military owes them

Xiao Hongjun, born in 1955, is the son of Xiao Yuanzheng, who participated in the Burma Expeditionary Force in 1942. After the unit was dispersed, he fortunately returned to the country and was incorporated into the Eighth Route Army. He later participated in the Liberation War and the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, and was recognized as a first-class combat model.

If one must speak of what is different about this mountain range, it is its name, which is said to be named after Xu Xiake.

The middle-aged man trembled, his lips desperately buzzing. However, after buzzing for a long time, he still could not utter a single word. His knees buckled, and he knelt straight down before Sun Honglie.

All four sons sacrificed their lives heroically; the motherland cannot bear it, the people cannot bear it, and they cannot allow this pair of parents to lose their last child.

Sun Honglie's eyes became moist as he reached out to support Xiao Hongjun's arms, gripping them tightly, tightly...

Dabie Mountains, Xiake Ridge

In seven years, four sons sacrificed their lives in succession. The four heroic martyrs brought unparalleled glory to the Xiao family, yet Xiao Hongjun and his wife thereafter lived in seclusion, closely watching over their only remaining son. This last son was their lifeline, the only hope for their continued existence.

Sun Honglie pressed his lips together, walked over, and grasped the trembling right hand of the middle-aged man. With a feigned ease, he smiled and said: "Old Xiao, don't worry, we will definitely rescue the child. Safe and sound, I guarantee it!"

Xiao Hongjun, no longer the iron-blooded tough guy, sat slumped on the ground, constantly wiping his eyes as he gazed at Xiake Ridge. At this moment, he was nothing more than an ordinary father, as ordinary as one could be.

This is a mountain range that has almost been forgotten by people, with rugged rocks, dense trees, and overgrown weeds. Although it is not far from the urban area, very few people tread here, except for a small quarry.

The black berets fell silent, swiftly transforming from a neat formation into individual combat teams moving towards the mountains.

Beside him stood a middle-aged man with a haggard complexion. Although he was dressed elegantly, the deep wrinkles on his face made him appear as if he were in the twilight of his years. His eyes were filled with a complex gaze interwoven with despair and hope, and his hands trembled gently without cease

As long as it allows this child to return to the embrace of their mother, to fall asleep peacefully in her arms, and to see the father of this child smile once more, no matter the cost, even if it requires a bloody sacrifice, it is worth it

The colonel did not nod. He swept his piercing gaze over the faces of the hundreds of elites, extended a finger, gritted his teeth, and said in a deep voice: "I want him alive, I want that child to be safe and sound, standing right in front of me. This is my only request, my plea, as Sun Honglie to all of you! I beg you! I beg you!"

After speaking, Sun Honglie, as the instructor, directly picked up a gun and ran towards Xiake Ridge with the guard beside him

Upon answering the phone, Sun Honglie immediately stood at attention, his expression serious, and spoke loudly into the phone: "Rest assured, Comrade Leader, I will definitely rescue Xiao Yuanchao unharmed! If even a single hair is harmed, I, Sun Honglie, will immediately take my own life here; I will act on my words!"

However, at 10 o'clock this morning, this mountain range, which is almost untouched by human presence, was surrounded by thousands of fully armed soldiers. One military vehicle after another caused a commotion throughout the city, with people speculating about what exactly had happened at Xiake Ridge