Jason had originally prepared to present the operational plan, but Dragon Zhan beat him to it by a second.
Due to his trust in Dragon Zhan's personal abilities, Jason didn't interrupt him but instead curiously focused his attention on him, awaiting what he would say.
Despite the unspoken rules in DEVGRU, where newcomers and external reinforcements typically have no say, Jason didn't mind this breach of protocol.
The reasoning behind this rule was simple.
First, as a newcomer, one typically lacks both the ability and combat experience, meaning that any ideas they share could be pointless, wasting precious meeting time.
Second, as an external member, you don't fully understand the capabilities of the team you're working with. Without this knowledge, any plan you devise would likely have major flaws, potentially wasting valuable resources.
Commander Eric, unfamiliar with Dragon Zhan, would normally step in to stop such rule-breaking.
However, just as Eric was about to turn around and say, "Newcomer, it's not your turn to speak yet. If you don't want me to kick you out of here, I suggest you sit down," the loudspeakers on the television behind him cut him off.
"Who is speaking?"
This naturally drew the attention of the admiral, and Dragon Zhan's lips curled up slightly as he stepped forward. Moving into the camera's view, he replied, "Reporting, sir. External reinforcement for Team B, new recruit from Green Team, Sergeant Long Jibolun."
"Kid, I've never seen you before, but that doesn't matter. I admire your courage. We in JSOC need soldiers like you, those capable of independent thinking. Tell me your solution."
The admiral didn't care about who was a newcomer or a veteran. To him, they were all just soldiers, and he only needed someone to step up and solve his problems.
Dragon Zhan, confidently asserting that he had a solution, struck a chord with the admiral.
With the approval of the admiral's superior over his own, Eric had no choice but to swallow his words and step aside.
At that moment...
Everyone, including Mandy and her intelligence team, the official members of Team B, and even Clay, all focused their attention on Dragon Zhan.
As a newcomer and external reinforcement, Dragon Zhan had set a historical precedent by speaking at the highest-level meeting of the Joint Special Operations Command.
Most people, when under the scrutiny of so many generals, would feel at least a little nervous.
However, Dragon Zhan remained calm and confident, walking from the back row to the front, coming to stand by the 1:100 scale model of the target building on the left.
"Last night, Team B entered Lionheart King's small town and conducted a field reconnaissance of the target building area.
I, as an external reinforcement for Team B, participated in the entire operation and spent the whole night carefully exploring, gathering some very valuable intelligence.
Additionally, my two years in SEAL Team, where I participated in two Middle East deployments and one African deployment, gave me a solid understanding of local architectural structures.
Based on my personal deduction:
The target building is far more complex than it seems. Beneath its two-story structure, it's highly likely that there's a hole somewhere on the first floor, with a basement built for hiding.
According to the information provided by Intelligence Officer Mandy, Samir is someone who is very good at self-preservation.
Therefore, I'm confident in saying that Samir has likely already used the cover of smoke to enter the building.
He's not staying on the first or second floor, but rather in the safest place—underground in the basement.
With this intelligence, we can devise a targeted action plan, and Team B will have no problem completing both missions simultaneously."
Dragon Zhan's words were eight parts truth, two parts fiction, perfectly weaving together information he'd gleaned from TV dramas with his own personal experience.
No one in the meeting room, including the high-ranking officers of the Joint Special Operations Command, found any contradictions in Dragon Zhan's words. Instead, they were all amazed by his clear, logical reasoning.
To have such keen observation and excellent deductive abilities at such a young age was simply unbelievable!
"Mr. Jibolun, your excellence clearly exceeds my expectations. If I'm not mistaken, you already have a mature action plan, right?"
The admiral's tone had noticeably changed, now tinged with admiration.
"In just a few minutes, you've come up with a plan?"
Everyone in the room, including Jason, Sonny, and Mandy, was shocked. Their surprise quickly turned to awe as they looked at Dragon Zhan.
Even Mandy, who had initially thought of him as a rough, brutish guy, had to reassess her opinion of him.
Feeling the shift in the room's atmosphere, Dragon Zhan's confidence swelled even further.
Pointing to the alley behind the model building, he confidently began outlining the plan: "We'll proceed with an infiltration operation, choosing the optimal time at 4 AM.
Team B will arrive by car at the rear alley of the target building, split into two assault teams to begin operations.
There are no armed pickup trucks belonging to Lionheart King in the alley, and the guards there pose no threat.
Once the assault teams get close to the building, one team will use climbing claws to scale the second floor to rescue hostages and eliminate any threats. The other team will pry open the door to enter the first floor and search for the entrance to the basement.
While the assault teams are inside, A Team will be taking a helicopter, ready to deploy.
If all goes as planned, the assault teams will successfully rescue the hostages and capture high-value targets in the basement, just as A Team's helicopter arrives.
By the time Lionheart King's forces react, we'll already be airborne and on our way out."
Dragon Zhan's plan was simple, clear, and targeted, with a well-thought-out approach that struck directly at the heart of the mission.
All the official members of the action teams in the meeting room couldn't find a single flaw in the plan.
"Well done, kid."
The admiral was extremely satisfied with Dragon Zhan's plan and immediately expressed his approval: "I think this plan is solid. Eric, it's up to you now. We'll be waiting for good news from you."