The Green Team's "big baby" had finally been forged—a weapon in the making, as if Thor had gained his hammer. Yet, Long Zhan didn't move immediately.
He was waiting.
Waiting for the right moment.
At least a **50% chance** of escaping the basement.
A **70% chance** of getting farther than his first attempt. At minimum, he needed to reach the outer door—just to see what lay beyond this dungeon.
He didn't have to wait long.
Three more hours passed.
Then, it happened.
Two training partners dragged Clay inside, his nose and mouth smeared with blood. Like a dead fish, he was hauled across the floor and unceremoniously dumped into his cage.
That left only **one** recruit still standing.
Of the eleven who entered the final stage, Bryan was the last man left.
The first round of interrogation was ending. Ten had been broken, one by one, beaten until they were nothing more than crumpled wrecks inside their cages.
Now, they lay limp, barely distinguishable from sick old men on the verge of death.
A threat?
No.
Under normal circumstances, even if these recruits were exceptional, they were in no condition to challenge the DEVGRU training partners.
That's why the two men escorting Clay **weren't paying attention.**
Even though Long Zhan had already sent two training partners to the infirmary at the very start, these two didn't see him as a threat anymore.
They barely spared him a glance when they walked in.
The steel bars were thick—each as wide as a finger. Without the key on their belts, **there was no way out.** They were certain. Even if Long Zhan suddenly grew wings, he wouldn't be able to fly out.
So, in this **absolutely secure** environment, why should they be on high alert?
If anything, **acting too cautious** would just make them look like cowards.
And no Green Team member wanted to be seen as a coward.
So they remained completely at ease.
They locked Clay in his cage, then turned to Bryan's.
Time for the next round.
One of them unlocked Bryan's cage and crouched down. The other reached inside, both hands grabbing for Bryan's arms—
**Click.**
A sound.
Not loud.
But in the dead silence of the basement, **anything** was noticeable.
**"What was that?"**
Years of training should have made them react instantly. Instead, they hesitated.
After all, everyone here had been beaten into submission.
Why would a locked cage make noise?
It didn't feel urgent, just… **odd.**
So they didn't turn around.
Instead, they focused on pulling Bryan out first. **Two more seconds wouldn't make a difference.**
**Except it did.**
Because **two seconds** was all Long Zhan needed.
By the time they realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
The **lock was open.**
The door had swung wide.
And **Long Zhan was free.**
Like a tiger unleashed, he shot forward—silent, fast, lethal.
Before either man could react, he was already behind them.
His left hand struck like a blade, slamming into the first man's neck.
The impact sent a jolt through the vagus nerve, straight to the brainstem. The man's body **locked up instantly.** His limbs went numb, knees buckling. Without a sound, he collapsed, unconscious before he even hit the ground.
Long Zhan barely spared him a glance.
Compared to simply cutting off blood flow to the brain, **striking the vagus nerve was much harder.**
But it was also safer.
This was still a **"test."** He wasn't here to cripple his future teammates.
The first man was down.
Now for the second.
Long Zhan's right fist **tightened.** His muscles coiled, preparing to launch a devastating blow.
**Then—**
The second man **spun around—**
**And threw up both hands.**
"NO, NO, NO!"
Long Zhan hesitated.
What the hell was this guy doing?
Before he could decide whether to punch or not, the training partner took matters into his own hands.
"I… I'm dead. You got me. No need to hit me—I'll just, uh… take a nap now."
And with that, he **collapsed to the floor.**
Not just that—he even **gave Long Zhan a thumbs-up** on the way down.
It was an Oscar-worthy performance.
For a second, Long Zhan just stared.
Then it clicked.
Back during the first **evaluation**, there had been **another** guy who played dead to avoid getting beaten.
And **this** guy was probably him.
"You're a smart man," Long Zhan said, returning the thumbs-up.
He actually respected this guy.
All DEVGRU operators had grit, but this dude? He had **no shame.**
A **survivor through and through.**
A **mudslide** in a team full of steel.
Meanwhile—
Bryan had **finally** managed to stand. Using the cage for support, he forced himself upright, legs trembling.
He looked at Long Zhan.
Then at the open cage.
Then back at Long Zhan.
Then—
**"What the f***, Long!"**
His voice cracked.
**"How the hell did you pull that off? A magic trick?! That was INSANE!"**
He had seen **everything.**
And yet, he still couldn't believe it.
Every bit of exhaustion had been wiped from his face, replaced with **pure shock.**
He had no idea **how** Long Zhan got out.
And his brain couldn't even begin to figure it out.
It wasn't just unbelievable.
It was impossible.
**Across the room—**
The other recruits were just as stunned.
Even Clay, half-conscious inside his cage, was staring.
No one had seen Long Zhan **move.**
They had all been too beaten down to react.
Yet now—
Long Zhan wasn't just out of his cage.
He had **taken out** both training partners like it was nothing.
How?
They were all locked in the same kind of cage.
They had all been **tortured** the same way.
They couldn't even stand properly.
So **why the hell was Long Zhan different?!**
Why was he **walking freely** like the last ten hours had meant nothing?
How could he not only escape but **take down two trained DEVGRU operators** in the blink of an eye?
And most importantly—
What was he planning next?
Because the moment they saw him move—
They all **understood.**
From his first counterattack hours ago—
To **this.**
Long Zhan wasn't just surviving.
**He was fighting back.**
And now, they could only wait—
**And hope he did the impossible.**
Because if anyone could—
It was him.
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