When the Asian strongman was hired as cannon fodder to the Middle East, he was blown to the sky and killed by US special forces. To his astonishment, just like in a novel, he was reincarnated and traversed to a new world.
Moreover, he soul-swapped into the body of a US Navy SEAL in a world that blended elements of film and television.
In his previous life, he had been hunted by US special forces as a mercenary and died in a foreign land. Now, after reincarnation, he had become the very enemy he had once fled from—transforming from a thug to a lawman.
The Asian youth couldn't help but marvel at the twists of fate as he lay in a hospital bed, exploring his new world.
His original name in his past life was Long Zhan, a regular Chinese military veteran. The body he had occupied in this world belonged to Long · Kibrun, a man who had been a US Marine and was attempting to join the SEALs during his last days. He was participating in the BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) training when an accident during an explosive escape drill led to a head injury, resulting in his death in the hospital shortly thereafter.
For reasons unknown to him, Long Zhan's soul had been drawn into this world, occupying Kibrun's body.
To those in this world, it appeared that the dead Kibrun had miraculously "come back to life," but in reality, Long Zhan had taken over, inheriting Kibrun's memories.
After some time spent in a daze, Long Zhan accepted this strange reincarnation and was thankful for the chance to live again. In his past life, he had been forced to work as a mercenary overseas to make enough money to marry, only to end up dying a miserable death in a foreign land with no one even to claim his body.
Taking advantage of his time in the hospital at night, Long Zhan reflected deeply on his failed life.
He realized that the reason his previous life had been so miserable—unable to even afford a wife—ultimately came down to his lack of ability. Faced with a second chance at life, he vowed to make the most of it.
Determined not to repeat the same mistakes, to no longer live in humiliation and be like a maggot in a dark corner of society, he swore to make his life spectacular and live like a true man—doing everything he had failed to do in his previous life. All the regrets left behind would be rectified in this new life.
"I'm not just going to live an extraordinary life, I'm going to live like a king. I'll drive the best car, live in the biggest house, and have the most beautiful women. When I die, my ashes will go into the most expensive urn."
With this fierce desire to rise above, coupled with the knowledge he gained from Kibrun's memories, Long Zhan realized that he had many familiar faces in this world. As someone who loved novels, he speculated that this was a crossover parallel world.
Given the iconic status of the TV series "SEAL Team," it was highly likely that the SEALs Kibrun had been trying to join were directly related to him.
In this series, there was a plot where a character in Team B discovers a hidden stash of cash worth nearly 10 million USD during a mission. At the time, only the supporting character was present.
Long Zhan had often fantasized that, if he were that supporting character, he would do whatever it took to seize that money.
With only a few thousand dollars earned as a soldier each year, having 10 million dollars would make him give up the dangerous life of an American soldier and return home to a comfortable life with his wife and children.
Now, as he found himself in this parallel world, his earlier thoughts had the chance to materialize, and to his surprise, his identity was perfect for this opportunity.
Long Zhan thought, "Although I'm unwilling to sell my life to the US government, continuing as a US special forces soldier for the money doesn't bother me."
Based on his understanding of the SEAL Team series, if the plot was the same as in the TV show, his chances of securing the 10 million USD were very high.
10 million USD was over 60 million RMB—an amount Long Zhan could only dream of in his past life.
With the opportunity to gain such a fortune, he thought that a small gamble could turn his life around, from a bike to a motorcycle, or even a supercar.
This life, driven by the desire to make something of himself, led Long Zhan to make a decision without hesitation. He ignored the doctor's advice to quit the SEALs selection, and instead, he chose to continue with the training despite his injury. By joining the special forces, he could become stronger and lay the groundwork to obtain the 10 million USD.
After two years of relentless effort, aided by the extraordinary benefits of being a transmigrator—exceptional memory and rapid physical recovery—Long Zhan's abilities had improved dramatically. He transitioned from being a cannon fodder mercenary to a special forces soldier.
Not only had he successfully joined the SEALs, but he had also received a training invitation to the DG Green Team.
Though his mercenary-style approach to life made him seem out of place among the other soldiers, he conquered all his superiors with his strength.
If he could complete all the Green Team training and impress the notoriously harsh Green Team instructors, Long Zhan would join DEVGRU, the world's top special forces unit.
In the TV show "SEAL Team," the main characters were part of this elite unit.
Once Long Zhan joined, he could approach the main characters and increase his chances of securing the 10 million USD.
For this sum of money, Long Zhan had spent two years preparing and dedicating himself, and he would not allow anyone to mess up his plan.
Today, he took action, eliminating a black-market hitman who had disrupted his plans. To Long Zhan, this was merely a necessary consequence of having his plans disturbed—nothing more than compensation for a ruined opportunity.
This was the mercenary-style SEAL, who considered this to be entirely justifiable.
...
"1, 2, 3... 197,800. Robbing a bank really is the quickest way to get money. In less than an hour, my earnings almost matched my entire salary over the years. If I wasn't focused on my plans, I'd probably gather a team and do this full time."
Long Zhan counted the "found" money and had to admit, he was tempted. But thinking back to his past life, where he had once led a mercenary team in Africa, feeling invincible, only to be crushed by the national machine, he discarded the idea.
"Making big money and living comfortably can't be done with old methods. I need to find a new path. Once I get that 10 million, I'll have enough capital to start something new and finally leave all this behind."
Muttering to himself, Long Zhan got up and pushed away the peeling sofa. He lifted a floorboard to reveal an iron box filled with more cash—American dollars, stacked neatly.
"This 200,000 plus my earnings should be enough. Tomorrow I'll take care of the last thing on my mind and start my Green Team journey with a clear conscience."
Long Zhan packed the money into a canvas bag and, as he prepared to leave, a delicate face with tears suddenly flashed in his mind. He sighed and pushed the feeling away before turning on the TV.
The evening news played...
"Political turmoil in the Republic of Iveria in North Africa, with terrorist organizations and rebels having entered the capital. Evacuation efforts are ongoing...
According to the latest report, China's Dragon Assault Team has successfully completed their mission. While the hostages were safely returned, the casualties were heavy, showing a clear gap compared to our country's special forces..."
"Ah, is this the Red Sea operation too?"
Seeing the familiar news, Long Zhan instantly recognized where it was from.
Opening a can of beer, he chuckled, "I have to say, this world is quite amazing. So many TV series mixed together, and they all flow in an orderly fashion."
"I just don't know if the 'SEAL Team' storyline is the same as the one I watched. If the plot is the same..."
If it was, then Long Zhan knew exactly what would happen next. It would be like having a cheat code, granting him foresight, and securing the 10 million USD was practically a done deal.
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. Imagining that it might happen just as he thought, he couldn't help but fantasize about spending money without a care.
"Too bad I can't verify it yet. The TV shows already aired aren't useful anymore. Looks like I'll have to wait until I join the Navy Special Warfare Development Group. I hope it's the same one from 'SEAL Team.'"
As Long Zhan prepared to enter SEAL Team Six's base, his excitement soared, and the news on TV no longer interested him.
The 10 million greenbacks danced in front of his eyes.
To calm his excitement, Long Zhan grabbed a cold beer from the fridge and drank it in one go.
Turning off the TV, he walked into the equipment room and began his usual intense workout, continuing the daily training that had not stopped for the past two years, sculpting his body to be even more deadly.
The only easy thing had happened the previous day:
"One Team, One Fight!"
The SEALs' motto.
Long Zhan reflected on this and realized that he had found his own version of the truth:
"To make life more comfortable, you must make yourself more outstanding."
One night passed quietly.
Only two days remained before the Green Team arrival deadline. Chicago was over 800 miles from Virginia, and driving on the highway would take almost 20 hours.
If Long Zhan didn't leave today, he wouldn't make it in time.
Yesterday, he had gone to the chaotic bank to complete the last part of his preparations, but now, things had already gone awry.
The next steps, though unexpected, were part of the plan.
Packing his clothes into a travel bag and securing it on his motorcycle's back seat, he placed the money into a sling bag, carrying it on his chest.
He revved his motorcycle and left the garage, heading toward the beach city of California.