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Long Zhan arrived at the waiting area, where three role-playing sparring partners were already in position.
All three were tall men over 1.8 meters, each wearing balaclavas and standard CQB (Close Quarters Battle) tactical gear.
The aura of toughness was palpable.
From their stance and movements, it was clear they were seasoned special operations veterans—fully qualified to serve as sparring partners for the assessment of new recruits.
Since Long Zhan didn't know these three sparring partners and was restricted by rules prohibiting unnecessary communication with them, he could only interact using tactical commands.
This intense sense of familiarity triggered a momentary disorientation in Long Zhan, as if he were playing a game.
It strongly resembled a scenario from a role-playing shooter game, where the player's character is accompanied by a group of NPCs following closely behind.
This bizarre overlap between the virtual and the real created a sense of incongruity, yet it inexplicably gave Long Zhan a strong sense of immersion.
The nervousness he had initially felt about taking on the role of team leader for the first time instantly dissipated.
Now filled with confidence, Long Zhan, upon receiving the guide's operational directive, immediately issued the command to advance and led the squad to the starting point.
The door to the assessment area was locked, and the opening move was to breach it.
"Breacher, prepare."
As the team leader, Long Zhan knew he couldn't personally take the lead. Suppressing his instinct to rush forward and kick the door open himself, he issued the second command of the operation.
The flimsy composite wood door didn't warrant the use of explosives for precision breaching.
Long Zhan's orders were precise, earning him an A+ rating from Adam, the instructor observing from the overhead catwalk.
Following Long Zhan's directive, the three sparring partners worked seamlessly together.
One team member held a specially designed breaching bar, positioning its head against the door seam. Another team member, wielding a sledgehammer, stood by.
After exchanging a glance with the first teammate and receiving a confirming nod, the second team member swung the hammer.
*Clang!*
The sharp and elongated head of the breaching bar slid easily into the door seam under the force of the blow.
With a loud *crack,* the teammate holding the breaching bar pried forcefully, snapping the door's lock with sheer power.
At that instant, the third team member, who had been waiting nearby, kicked the door open and charged in with his weapon at the ready.
The trio's movements were fluid and precise, completing the entire sequence in mere seconds.
"Even retired sparring partners are this formidable. No wonder DG is hailed as the Navy's strongest individual combat unit," Long Zhan thought, deeply impressed by what he had witnessed.
Reflecting on his years as a mercenary and his two years with the SEALs, he couldn't help but marvel.
This unparalleled satisfaction—issuing a command and having it executed flawlessly—was something he had never experienced before, either as a mercenary leader or as a SEAL team leader.
The latter couldn't even compare to this.
Feeling firsthand the thrill of leading a top-tier team, Long Zhan finally understood why Jason and Blackburn had given him such special treatment.
The reason lay in the stark difference between commanding a strong team versus a weak one.
It wasn't just a matter of degree—it was an entirely different concept!
"Looks like, when I eventually go solo again, it'll be crucial to recruit top-tier elites from various fields to form a strong enough team," Long Zhan mused, unable to suppress the thought after experiencing the charm of working with a top-tier unit.
Immersed in this unique, new experience of leading a top-tier team for the first time, Long Zhan's mind raced with ideas.
Meanwhile, the team members who had breached and entered the assessment area were methodically advancing.
"Clear!"
The first team member to enter the assessment area wasted no movement, swiftly securing the terrain and maintaining control over the line of sight, while promptly signaling back to the outside.
The clear directive snapped Long Zhan out of his wandering thoughts, bringing his focus back to the task at hand.
"Move!"
As the team leader, Long Zhan maintained his position in the middle of the squad, issuing the forward command while entering the assessment area as the third member.
The assessment venue was the same kill house they had been training in, specifically the fixed-layout one.
After three months of training in this location, Long Zhan was intimately familiar with the terrain. He could navigate it blindfolded and still know where every room was.
This familiarity was the rookies' only advantage.
What lay ahead—how many role-playing enemies were deployed, what obstacles were set up to increase difficulty, and where the HVT (High-Value Target) was hiding—were all unknowns.
Even without guessing, Long Zhan knew the assessment wouldn't be simple.
Thus, he deliberately set aside his familiarity with the layout, treating it as if he were entering for the first time, to avoid letting subjective memories cloud his judgment.
He focused entirely on one thing:
Keeping his mind clear and issuing every command accurately and promptly.
Under the premise of ensuring the safety of all team members, he intended to systematically search every corner of the assessment area, locate the hidden HVT, and extract them successfully to complete the assessment.
Of course, while prioritizing caution, he also had to strive for speed, as operational efficiency is a core aspect of special operations.
The assessment venue covered an area of over 1,000 square meters, with more than ten rooms of varying sizes. The allotted five-minute operation time wasn't particularly generous.
Hesitation or excessive caution could lead to exceeding the time limit, rendering all previous efforts meaningless.
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