Her name was Mandy Iris, and she held the position of a senior intelligence officer at the CIA, a key supporting character in the American TV show *SEAL Team*, and a dedicated intelligence auxiliary for Team B.
This was the information that flashed through Long Zhan's mind when he saw the woman.
"The CIA has no direct connections with the Green Team, and Red Team's auxiliaries have no need to come assist the Green Team. Why is she here, playing the role of a sparring partner for Green Team?"
There was no relevant information in the original plot, and Long Zhan was left utterly confused, unable to figure out what had happened.
Just then, a few medics ran over.
"Step aside! Step aside! Non-related personnel, move to the side. We're taking over from here."
The medical team had arrived, and Long Zhan's pressure-point technique was no longer needed. The unconscious woman was swiftly carried away.
The male sparring partner, who had taken a punch from Long Zhan, was also taken by the medical team.
He probably needed to get checked for a concussion!
Meanwhile, outside in the training queue, 14 new recruits, including Clay, had not expected that a routine indoor simulation training session would end with one of the instructors being carried out on a stretcher. The scene instantly caused a stir.
Curious, they gathered around the door of the training room, eager to see what had happened.
Just as they were preparing to sneak closer, Instructor Adam, looking stern, descended from the elevated walkway. It seemed he was headed into the training room.
To avoid getting caught and facing unnecessary trouble, Clay and the others quickly suppressed their curiosity.
They decided to wait for Long Zhan to come out and ask him what had happened.
Inside the training room, only Long Zhan remained. Since he had not heard the command to finish training and wait outside, he could only wait inside.
Looking up at the elevated walkway, he noticed that Instructor Adam and his accompanying instructors had also disappeared.
Long Zhan realized that he was probably in some kind of trouble, but he showed no signs of nervousness or concern in the face of the upcoming "inquisition."
The reason was simple: Long Zhan had been accustomed to such situations during his time with the SEALs.
Whenever it came to open-ended training scenarios, Long Zhan's handling style was always unique. He could complete the mission, but his methods often differed significantly from the other team members and the official training plans.
His higher-ups often couldn't accept his approach, so they would call him in for a "confrontation."
However, two years had passed, and even when he left for the Green Team, he had never faced any punishment. Despite his unconventional methods, he always found a way to justify his actions based on relevant regulations.
His superiors both loved and hated him but were helpless to do anything about it, so they allowed him to "do as he pleased."
Long Zhan believed that even now, in the Green Team, as long as his methods were effective and aligned with his current needs, he could continue to implement his unique mercenary-style special operations approach.
In fact, Long Zhan was the only person in the world who had spent over ten years as an old-fashioned mercenary before becoming one of the world's top special forces soldiers.
If his approach had been the same as other special forces, that would have been suspicious.
The wait wasn't long. Soon, Instructor Adam arrived, accompanied by two other instructors. They pushed open the training room door and stood before Long Zhan.
"I had planned to give you a perfect score for this training, but now you'll only receive zero. However, I'll give you a chance to explain. Why, after neutralizing armed hostiles, did you attack other targets that were clearly not a threat?"
Instructor Adam's face remained expressionless as he stared at Long Zhan, as if silently conveying: "Are you out of your mind?"
It seemed unbelievable to offer a soldier a chance to explain after they made a mistake in training.
But this was exactly the SEALs' style.
Unlike most special forces, where the chain of command is top-down, the SEALs, along with DG, operate in the opposite manner.
During counter-terrorism operations, for example, the first meeting isn't led by the higher-ups. Instead, it's the team leaders who bring the intelligence down and discuss the mission plans with their squad members.
Everyone is free to speak their minds, propose what they think is the best solution, or raise concerns about the intelligence.
After collecting everyone's suggestions, the team leader discusses with the commanders and intelligence officers to finalize the plan.
This same approach is applied in training.
For training exercises with open-ended outcomes, as long as the recruits can explain their methods reasonably and effectively, their solutions are accepted.
This open and inclusive system gave Long Zhan the confidence to act independently.
Faced with Instructor Adam's questioning, Long Zhan, as usual, responded confidently and powerfully:
"Sir, I don't believe I did anything wrong. I was simply fulfilling my duties as a special operations team member.
The targets you described as 'non-threatening'—I didn't know their true identities.
In a situation where I can't differentiate friend from foe, according to the operational rules set by JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command), any target holding a weapon can be treated as an enemy combatant.
Furthermore, I am currently training with the Green Team, which means my role is that of a DEVGRU Tier-1 operator.
Based on my understanding, DEVGRU holds a special authorization from the Department of Defense, allowing Tier-1 operators to preemptively strike terrorists and terrorist facilities, under certain conditions, without adhering to international engagement protocols.
So, no matter how you look at it, I had every right to neutralize those armed targets.
Moreover, I didn't kill them. I was only preparing to incapacitate them for capture.
Given the circumstances, I believe my actions were not only justified but also the most reasonable and effective solution."
Long Zhan's explanation was meticulous, even flawless. Especially his application of various operational regulations, which he maneuvered with precision.
Instructor Adam couldn't find any fault, and his expression shifted noticeably.
"You shot one of them, disarming him. Did you never consider the possibility that if you missed, you could've shot one of your teammates? That's beyond your authority, and you could be court-martialed."
Instructor Adam raised his head slightly, staring at Long Zhan with a faint smirk on his face. It was unclear whether he was angry or amused.
"First, he was in plain clothes without any insignia, so I didn't know he was my teammate. Even if I had killed him, the primary responsibility wouldn't have been mine. Second, I trust my shooting skills. There's no way I would miss."
Long Zhan's response was full of conviction, especially the latter part, which he said with great confidence.
"Confident in your shooting skills, huh? Haven't you heard of Murphy's Law of combat? Nothing is ever certain in war."
Instructor Adam continued.
"No, sir, I don't agree."
Long Zhan smiled confidently and replied arrogantly: "As far as I'm concerned, as long as it didn't happen, it doesn't exist. Whatever laws or principles—they're all a bunch of nonsense."