The selection process for the Green Team's new recruits, strictly speaking, is not so much an assessment as it is an advanced version of special operations training—an intensive, systematized drill designed to push each recruit to their limits.
The entire selection process spans nine months, during which recruits must undergo overload training, mastering advanced special operations skills, a wide range of essential professional knowledge, and auxiliary capabilities.
Only those who can keep up with the pace of learning will be allowed to remain in the Green Team for further training.
In the first 24 weeks of the 36-week process, recruits will be eliminated based on the top five and bottom five performance each week.
In the subsequent three months, the final 12 weeks of the "internship period" will also result in the elimination of some recruits who fail to meet the standards.
This means that...
Each recruit must not only keep up with all the courses but must outperform the others to continue their stay in the Green Team until they complete all the training and become part of SEAL Team Six.
While this might not sound overly difficult, the actual competitive pressure is brutal.
Each year, no more than 40 recruits are selected to join the Green Team, and the training process is designed to eliminate at least 24 of them.
With an elimination rate exceeding 70%, less than a third of those who start will remain.
This is one of the most intense elimination rates imaginable!
Although all the recruits are called "newcomers," in reality, each one is a seasoned veteran with at least five years of experience, coming from one of the eight SEAL teams.
The Navy SEALs are already one of the world's top ten special forces, with every member possessing elite individual combat capabilities, all having fought real battles with live ammunition.
The less than 40 individuals selected from this pool are gathered in the Green Team to compete against each other for the title of the strongest.
The pressure is so immense that calling it "hellish" is no exaggeration.
Long Zhan, Brian, and Clay are all fully aware of what the Green Team is like, and each of them has made thorough physical and mental preparations.
While they joke about hitting the bar to unwind, in reality, it's all just talk.
That night, they only had a couple of drinks at the bar, shared some conversations to deepen their camaraderie, and, without a word, they all returned to their barracks before 10 PM.
The idea of an exciting encounter with a stranger was far from their minds—they didn't have the energy or inclination for that.
The night passed quietly.
"Bang~ Bang~"
As the new day dawned, with the sun just rising over the ocean, two tear gas canisters were thrown through the window of the dorm, officially starting the Green Team's training.
Awakened by the suffocating smell, the recruits scrambled to find their clothes and gear, loudly cursing as they did.
"F*ck, b*tch, shit…"
A symphony of colorful expletives filled the air.
The seemingly sturdy metal frame of the double beds groaned under the pressure of these burly men quickly moving about, each sound of metal scraping against metal marking the chaos.
Long Zhan's movement was a bit too vigorous when he got up, causing his shoulder to collide with the top bunk's frame.
With a loud "bang" sound, the frame bent completely under the force, while Long Zhan, tough as he was, seemed unaffected—though the poor bedframe was clearly destroyed.
The noise didn't stop there. The entire dorm was filled with clanging and banging as recruits tried to wake up and get moving.
This also explained why the double beds here were in such a sorry state.
As for why they didn't turn on the lights first—everyone in the room was an experienced veteran, and with a little thinking, they could all guess what the instructor had in mind.
Rather than waste time trying to turn on a light that wouldn't work, it was better to just hurry up and get on with it.
Despite a small mishap when he got up, Long Zhan's actions were not hindered. The effects of the tear gas were minimal for him.
Most of the other recruits were similar. Though a bit disorganized, their speed was impressive.
After all, they were all elite special forces selected for their strength. They had undergone tear gas and flashbang drills countless times before, so their resistance to these tactics was far superior to that of ordinary people.
Even though their eyes watered and noses ran, they had all assembled within three minutes.
Long Zhan quickly counted the recruits present—38 in total—meaning there were 38 competitors.
In front of them stood the two individuals who would relentlessly torment them for the next nine months—their two "bosses."
One was Green Team's Command Sergeant Major, Adam Seaver, a highly ranked E9—Master Sergeant. He would serve as their special training instructor.
The other was Colonel Malcolm, the Green Team's commanding officer and head instructor.
This combination of an officer and a senior non-commissioned officer was the standard structure for U.S. military units.
In contrast to China's model of combining military and political roles, this was a purely military command structure.
As the "pinnacle" of the Green Team, Malcolm had the formalities down pat.
Much like in movies and TV shows, he used every intimidating word and rule to emphasize how grueling and painful the training would be, while highlighting the immense rewards of success.
It was the carrot and the stick at once, a calculated attempt to intimidate the recruits.
Long Zhan wasn't sure if the others were scared, but he definitely wasn't.
In fact, he had to fight back a laugh!
It wasn't that Malcolm's speech was ineffective; rather, the actor playing Malcolm was the same person who portrayed the villainous "Loki" in the Avengers movies.
In Long Zhan's mind, the image of Loki was deeply ingrained.
Whenever Long Zhan had watched the show, he always found himself distracted by the thought of that "blue elf" whenever Malcolm appeared on screen.
Now that he was seeing the real person, the mismatch between the serious military figure and the "blue elf" in his head was overwhelming.
Luckily, as is common for a big boss, Malcolm didn't stay long to keep up his mysterious and imposing aura. He quickly wrapped up his speech and left, heading back to bed while leaving the rest of the details to be handled by the training instructor, Sergeant Major Adam Seaver.
"Morning run, five miles along the beach, let's go."
Sergeant Major Seaver was clearly the type to let his actions speak. Without a word of further explanation, the 38 recruits were swiftly marched out of the barracks.
Seaver himself sat on a dune buggy, following behind them, enjoying the sunrise.
The beach run was one of Green Team's basic training exercises, and it was one of the most physically demanding.
Running on soft, wet sand made every step more difficult. The occasional wave washing over their feet added even more resistance, filling their shoes with water and sand, which further drained their energy with every stride.
Running five miles on the beach would burn more energy than running 20 kilometers on the road.
This advanced fitness training system, designed specifically for the Green Team's recruits, involved much more than just the beach run—it was a comprehensive, rigorous program.
And it had a special name, a label to define the uniquely difficult physical regimen they would endure.