After Long Zhan finished explaining how to use the preparatory oxygen mask, he proceeded to personally guide Dr. Lucien through the use of portable high-altitude breathing systems, thermal suits, and other HAHO (High Altitude High Opening) equipment step by step.
Dr. Lucien, being a person of high intellect, learned everything remarkably quickly.
Once he had mastered the use and wearing of all the equipment, he openly praised Long Zhan.
"If you worked as an instructor at a skydiving club or as a military consultant in a defense club, you'd undoubtedly be adored by everyone. No one would be able to resist falling in love with you."
Although Dr. Lucien's words were slightly exaggerated, they were fundamentally aligned with societal expectations.
Elite special forces soldiers, particularly those who have experienced the adrenaline of taking lives on the battlefield, often exude an inherent pride and rebelliousness that creates an invisible barrier between them and ordinary people.
Finding someone like Long Zhan, who is both patient and thorough in teaching, is exceedingly rare across the United States.
Dr. Lucien's brief interaction with Long Zhan allowed him to feel the latter's uniqueness compared to other special forces soldiers, naturally leading to a growing sense of admiration.
In reality, however, Long Zhan wasn't as perfect as Dr. Lucien imagined. Everything he did was purpose-driven.
A senior biochemical expert valued highly by the CIA had a worth that transcended monetary measurement. Building a solid rapport in advance was never a bad idea.
After all, who knows when that connection might come in handy? Right?
---
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.
The C-17 Globemaster transport plane rolled down the runway, its massive but sleek body gradually lifting off the ground, soaring into the sky bathed in golden sunlight.
Traveling from the U.S. East Coast to Sulya in the Middle East was a farther journey than their previous mission to Liberia.
The transport plane's cabin was entirely metallic, with the only seating being chairs covered with a thin layer of padding, offering little to no comfort.
Spending more than 20 hours in such an environment was not something the average person could endure.
For the first few hours, Dr. Lucien managed to chat and laugh with Long Zhan.
Long Zhan, ever disciplined and eager to seize any opportunity to enrich himself, took the chance to consult the top-tier biochemical expert about specialized chemical knowledge.
For instance, he inquired about which civilian materials or equipment could be combined to create bombs or gas grenades. He also sought insights into the various known biochemical weapons worldwide, how they inflicted damage on humans, and effective ways to counter them.
Such dangerous questions would likely land an ordinary person in a police interrogation room.
However, for anti-terrorist special forces operative Long Zhan, this relentless thirst for knowledge was seen as a rare and commendable trait.
Jason, observing the entire interaction, silently noted it and grew increasingly satisfied with Long Zhan.
But as the flight stretched past the 10-hour mark, Dr. Lucien's frail body began to falter.
If this continued, by the time they reached their destination, Dr. Lucien might only have half his life left and would need to be carried into action.
To prevent such a situation, Mandy handed Dr. Lucien two sleeping pills.
Meanwhile, Long Zhan, ever resourceful, used his ingenuity to fix a sleeping bag to the cabin's hooks, allowing Dr. Lucien to rest inside. This solution barely resolved the issue.
Naturally, as the inventor of the "cabin sleeping bag," Long Zhan did not deprive himself.
Instead of tying himself to a cabin seat like Jason and Ray, he also crawled into a secured sleeping bag.
One could say that Long Zhan achieved a dream that Clay had long aspired to fulfill.
The official members of Team B, including Jason, secretly envied Long Zhan's comfort. However, as elite operatives, they couldn't afford to compromise their image in front of the rookie.
For them, maintaining appearances was more important than anything else.
In the end, they could only begrudgingly watch Long Zhan sleep soundly while they, refusing to lie on the floor, endured the discomfort of sleeping in their seats for the grueling 20-plus-hour journey.
---
When Long Zhan awoke, it was already the next day. The plane was flying over the Mediterranean Sea.
After waking, Long Zhan headed to the aircraft restroom to expel the accumulated waste from his body. Upon returning, he passed the time by asking Mandy to teach him Latin.
The cabin's intercom broadcasted an announcement from the captain: they would enter Iraqi airspace in an hour and a half.
Hearing that they were nearing their destination, everyone participating in the mission began eating their specially prepared rations to store enough energy for the upcoming operation.
"Forty minutes to the destination. Please put on your preparatory oxygen masks."
After eating and resting briefly, the captain's reminder came through the intercom, signaling everyone to begin oxygen pre-breathing.
HAHO jumps occur at altitudes of 10,000 meters, where oxygen levels are significantly lower than normal.
The cabin was currently pressurized, but once they reached their destination, the cabin would be depressurized to allow the doors to open for the jump.
Pre-breathing oxygen for 30 to 45 minutes helps the body adjust its internal pressure and oxygen levels, reducing the risk of decompression sickness upon exiting the aircraft.
When the countdown reached 15 minutes, the jumpmaster, seated near the rear hatch, stood up, tapped his ear with his right hand, and drew a circle beside his head—a tactical gesture signaling the team to prepare.
He simultaneously shouted to Team B, "Countdown: 15 minutes!"
Jason, upon receiving the jumpmaster's signal, removed his oxygen mask, stood up, and ordered everyone, "Get up and prepare for action."
Hearing the command, Team B immediately rose to their feet and moved to the gear secured in the center of the cabin.
Being seasoned professionals, everyone got to work quickly.
The sequence of donning equipment was critical. Long Zhan first put on his thermal suit, followed by his bulletproof tactical vest, tactical belt, and other combat gear, and finally strapped on his high-altitude parachute system.
The combat pack, which was initially on his back, was secured to his groin area using a carabiner.
To prevent weapons from flailing mid-air, they were tied tightly to the exterior of the tactical pack, forming a compact unit.
After completing all the preparations, teammates conducted mutual inspections to ensure everything was secure.
Carabiners had to be properly latched, straps tightened sufficiently, parachute harnesses locked securely, and portable breathing systems functioning correctly.
Once all checks were confirmed to be flawless, they reported to their team leader, Jason.