Evening fell.
The villa atop Jade Spring Mountain blazed with light.
Almost every member of the Xu Family's second, third, and even fourth generations had arrived.
The general's stars glittering in the living room were almost dazzling.
At their head stood a commanding elderly man in civilian clothes, which did little to conceal his soldier's iron resolve.
He was Xu Anbang's eldest son, the supreme commander of the North Sea Theater, Xu Sanjiang!
Five gold stars shone brilliantly!
Beside him stood his refined younger brother, Xu Sihai, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He was the president of Naval Engineering University and a three-star general.
Also present were the Xu Family's youngest daughter, Xu Mingzhu, deputy director of the Naval Equipment Research Institute, and her husband, Qin Qianshan, commander of the Longdu Military Region!
Below them were aircraft carrier captain Xu Jingtao and a host of outstanding members of the Xu Family's third and fourth generations.
Every one of them could shake an entire region's military establishment with a stamp of their foot.
Now, they had gathered to celebrate the hundredth birthday of the family's pillar of strength.
The atmosphere should have been festive and lively.
Yet as the minutes ticked by, Xu Jingtao glanced at his watch and could not help asking his daughter a question.
"Wanqing, where's your great-grandfather? Dinner's about to start. Why hasn't he come down?"
Xu Wanqing smiled. "I'll go get him. Great-grandpa must be getting along so well with Grandpa Lin that he's lost track of time."
With that, she ran lightly upstairs.
"Great-grandpa, dinner's ready!"
She pushed open the bedroom door, only to find the room empty.
The old military uniform, neatly folded on the bed, was gone.
The worn campaign pack beneath the bed was gone, too.
The smile on Xu Wanqing's face stiffened.
An