The selection process for DG members is extremely rigorous. Candidates must have served at least two years in the Navy SEALs, and since U.S. non-commissioned officers need to serve 20 years to qualify for a pension, this adds an additional layer of commitment.
Unlike non-commissioned officers domestically, who can receive a substantial severance package regardless of rank upon retirement, American special forces often remain active in frontline combat roles well past the age most others would retire. This is especially true for DG's Tier 1 operators, whose average age skews higher.
Sunny, in his early thirties, is considered relatively young. Most DG operators at Jason's rank of E8 team leader are over 40, practically "antiques." In other countries, non-commissioned officers of this age would typically transition to logistics or research roles to ease into retirement. In the U.S. special forces, however, they continue to fight on the frontlines.
Older non-commissioned officers undeniably have more combat experience, which is an invaluable asset. Yet, as the saying goes, age catches up with everyone. Older operatives often lack the drive and youthful fervor of their younger counterparts. Their decision-making can become overly cautious and rigid—drawbacks that cannot be ignored.
The burden of improving DG's current situation naturally falls on "the blood transfusion machine," Bravo Team. Special training instructor Adam has been tirelessly working toward this goal, as has Chief Instructor Malcolm. Even team members such as Ray and Jason are actively cooperating.
In the original storyline, the reason someone always stood up for Clay after his repeated mistakes was precisely because of this dynamic. Clay was young, energetic, and brimming with creative and daring ideas—qualities that DG's "old guard" sorely lacked. This made them invest significant effort in nurturing him.
Unfortunately for Clay, a new star has emerged—Long Zhan. Not only is Long Zhan even more talented, but he also exudes youthful vigor and boldness, coupled with an innovative approach to missions. His abilities far surpass Clay's. Naturally, the spotlight and attention once focused on Clay have now shifted to Long Zhan.
Instructor Adam is now convinced that DG needs Long Zhan's "violent infusion of energy." His expectations for Long Zhan's future performance grow stronger with each passing day.
Unbeknownst to him, Long Zhan has already become the "top seed" in Adam's mind, but he remains focused on leading his team forward methodically.
The first room they encountered earlier had an unlocked door, which Long Zhan neutralized with a flashbang. However, the second room presented a different setup—a door left slightly ajar.
At first glance, this appeared advantageous for an assault, but it was, in fact, far more dangerous than a closed door.
Given the explosions and gunfire from the previous room, even the slowest-reacting enemies inside would have had enough time to prepare for an attack.
If the armed assailant inside had his weapon trained on the doorway, anything appearing in his line of sight would become an immediate target. The intruder, no matter how quick, would be at a disadvantage against the assailant lying in wait.
Additionally, the partially opened door created a limited angle for maneuvering, pinning Long Zhan and his two teammates to one side without room for proper action.
Fortunately, Long Zhan's combat style leaned heavily toward brute force. He cared little about whether the high-value target (HVT) might get caught in the crossfire. From the outset, he had decided to employ a violent approach to clear the area, saving himself valuable time.
He opted once again for a flashbang assault, employing a clever trick to maintain cover.
Instead of tossing the grenade directly into the room by hand, he threw it at an angle against the partially open door.
The armed assailant inside saw no movement, only a metallic canister bouncing off the door, then ricocheting directly into the center of the room.
**Clang, clang, clang...**
The grenade landed near the enemy's feet after a series of bounces.
If this had been a real operational flashbang, its proximity would have incapacitated the target with its high-decibel explosion, even though it is classified as a non-lethal weapon. The blast would render the enemy disoriented, if not partially incapacitated.
This brute-force method is generally avoided during HVT capture missions. There's always the risk that the grenade might land too close to the target, potentially causing fatal injuries and resulting in mission failure.
**Boom!**
The familiar sound of an explosion echoed, and the scene repeated itself.
The operatives stormed in without resistance, swiftly neutralizing the disoriented assailant who could no longer fight back.
The clearing process went smoothly, but they still didn't locate the high-value target.
"Clear!"
"Move forward!"
Upon receiving confirmation from his teammates inside the room, Long Zhan immediately ordered the team to continue their advance.
Using the same tactics, they cleared each room systematically. In under two minutes, they had cleared all the rooms on the right side, eliminating seven assailants in total.
Two of these targets had charged into the hallway and were neutralized there.
Long Zhan glanced at his wristwatch. The five-minute mission countdown timer he had set showed only 2 minutes and 10 seconds remaining.
Time was running out!
Fortunately, the right side was now fully cleared, meaning the target had to be in one of the three rooms on the left side of the corridor.
The left side's layout was simpler—two rooms on either side and one at the end of the hallway.
Long Zhan estimated that the remaining time would be just enough and immediately led his team toward the left corridor.
The first two rooms on the left mirrored those on the right. One door was ajar, while the other lacked a door entirely. These posed little challenge to clear.
Once again, two flashbangs set the stage, followed by a rapid breach to neutralize threats.
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
After confirming the outer rooms were secure, Long Zhan realized there was only one room left—the final room at the end of the corridor.
The high-value target's location was now beyond doubt. It had to be in that last room.
HVT locations are typically the most heavily defended.
Long Zhan steeled himself, heightened his focus, and directed his team toward the final breach.