Riding on a motorcycle for an 800 mile journey was no easy feat, even though Long Zhan's Harley was good for traveling over long distances, it was still incredibly demanding.
If he had taken a more efficient mode of transportation, the long trip would have been far less taxing.
Unfortunately, Long Zhan's credit card status didn’t allow for that.
Fortunately, he had always loved riding motorcycles, the feeling of the wind brushing against his face during a drive was something he always enjoyed.
His body, honed by special forces training and years of rigorous self-discipline, was more than capable of enduring this ordeal and saving himself a few hundred bucks.
This turned what could have been a torturous journey into a more than enjoyable one.On the first day, Long Zhan set off under the scorching sun, leaving the hospital and bidding farewell to Chicago, the city of sin. He took I-90E into Indiana, then I-65S into Ohio.
After the sun set, he found a roadside motel to rest at and recover his strength.
The next day, he got up at the crack of dawn and continued along I-70E, exiting Ohio and entering West Virginia, where he then went onto I-77 and took it through West Virginia.
Finally, he arrived at South Hampton Roads, an independent city nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay, bordering North Carolina Beach to the south.In the southeast lay a naval fleet training center called Oceana Naval Air Station.It was essentially the Navy's version of Fort Bragg!
This is where DEVGRU's base was located, and it was also where Long Zhan was heading to, the place where he would begin his Green Team selection process.
The Green Team was one of seven squadrons under DEVGRU. Gold, Silver, Red, and Blue were the combat units, Black handled intelligence; Gray was the boat team, responsible for vehicles and transportation in general.
The remaining Green Team was for training recruits, tasked with assessing and selecting qualified new recruits.
"I heard that every day of Green Team training is more hellish than BUD/S Hell Week. I don't know if it's true or not, but I hope it is, that would make it even more fun."Long Zhan revved his bike up to 70 mph, watching the "Welcome to Virginia Beach" sign flash by, his blood, which had cooled down in the past few days, began to boil again.
As the largest city in Virginia, Virginia Beach not only had a vast area and a large population, but it also possessed exceptional urban management.
Compared to Chicago, which was practically run by gangs, Virginia Beach was a model of civility in America.
Yet despite this…Maybe it was because Long Zhan, though of mixed-race descent, looked predominantly Asian.
Or perhaps his towering, muscular build, standing at over 1.9 meters tall and weighing more than 200 pounds, made for an intimidating presence.
Or it could have been the beaten down vintage heavy motorcycle he was riding on, favored by biker gangs and thugs, made him seem shady.While he was driving through the city, he got pulled over by a police car."Sir, please cooperate with the inspection. Remove your hands from the steering wheel, then slowly step off the motorcycle and walk to the side of the road. Keep your hands where I can see them at all times, and show me your ID."The two officers who got out were both over 1.8 meters tall, but in the face of Long Zhan, who stood over 1.9 meters tall and weighed over 200 pounds, they looked nervous, their expressions betraying their unease.
“Okay, no need to be so tense.”
Laws varied from state to state in the US, and while Long Zhan was confident he could take down both cops in under three seconds, there was no point in doing that.
Never do anything without purpose, this was another one of Long Zhan’s mottos.
Vroom, vroom vroom…
As Long Zhan pulled out his social security card and driver's license to prove his identity, a well-maintained black Harley with a gleaming paint job approached from behind.
Spotting the familiar trident Velcro patch on the travel bag strapped to Long Zhan's seat, the rider slowed to a stop and pulled up behind the police car.
"Hey, buddy, you in trouble?"
Long Zhan, who was mid-conversation with the cops, instinctively looked up at the friendly greeting.
One glance, and he froze. Then, less than a second later, he broke out into a grin.
The stocky, muscular build under the sweatshirt, the thick black beard covering the lower half of his face, the Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycle; and that trademark aggressive stare...
This distinctive look was all too familiar to Long Zhan, he recognized who it was in an instant.
Sonny Quinn, a supporting character in the 2017 hit series SEAL Team, the demolitions expert on the protagonist Jason's Bravo Team, call sign B3.
With a character from the show standing right in front of him, Long Zhan's earlier uncertainties were finally settled.
Now, as long as he passed the Green Team training program, he could become one of the world's most elite operators, tap into the SEAL Team storyline and claim the $10 million he so desired.
With that money as startup capital, combined with the skills he would refine from his time in the Special Forces, Long Zhan was supremely confident.
Money, honor, status, women… it was all within his grasp!
Imagining the wonderful life ahead, his blood surged uncontrollably, sweeping away the frustration of being pulled over.
Whatever Sonny's reason for approaching, Long Zhan wasn't about to miss this chance to establish a relationship with one of the characters on the show.
To get that $10 million, joining the SEAL Team protagonist’s crew was key, and building a good relationship with Sonny could only be beneficial.
"I'm a Navy SEAL, I was heading to the Air Base, but these two gentlemen don’t seem to think I look like a good person, so..."
Long Zhan spread his hands, shrugged, and smirked, the rest he left unsaid, but what he meant was pretty heavily implied.
"Do you have your CAC card on you?" Sonny kicked down his kickstand and walked over.
The CAC card is a US military ID card, officially known as the Common Access Card, It was similar to the Chinese non-commissioned officer and officer ID cards. The chip inside stores all the cardholder's personal information, and the front and back have simple information printed on them, like an ID card."Of course."Long Zhan pulled the card from his jacket pocket and handed it to Sonny.If it were any other person, Long Zhan wouldn't take it out, even if he were facing an inspection. But since he knew that Sonny was from DEVGRU, there was no problem.
"Long Gibran? Long is spelled like Bruce Lee, I like that name."Americans were open with their emotions, and Sonny didn't hold back in his praise. But after seeing his age and rank below his name, his admiration turned to surprise.
"A 25 year old E-6? Buddy, you’ve climbed up the ranks fast. Looks like you've done some big things in the Rangers over the years."
E-6 was a Staff Sergeant, above Private, Private Second Class, Private First Class, Specialist, Corporal, and Sergeant.
The minimum enlistment age across all the U.S. military branches was 18.
Typically, it took a soldier 10 to 15 years to go from Private to Staff Sergeant, but Long Zhan had done it in just seven, outpacing 99% of the troops. No wonder Sonny was impressed.
Facing the praise unfazed, Long Zhan smiled faintly. "That's why I'm here, to get even stronger."
"Buddy, you're cocky as hell, but I like you even more now."
Sonny, hailing from the strongest squadron in DG, instantly understood Long Zhan's purpose and, because of confidentiality reasons, didn't ask any further questions.
He pulled out his own white card, marked E-7, and flashed it. "We're both SEALs. If everything checks out, you mind letting us go?"
Sonny's tone was commanding, he phrased it as a question, but really it was more of an order if anything.
The SEALs, famous for taking down Bin Laden, were celebrated as heroes in Virginia Beach, immensely popular among the public.
Local law enforcement avoided clashing with them unless it was absolutely necessary, and this time was no exception.
After the two officers checked his CAC card, they not only let Long Zhan go immediately but even apologized to him.
If he'd shown them his CAC card first, they would have waved him through from the start.
Once the cops drove off, Sonny patted Long Zhan's bulging pecs with a hint of envy. "Let's roll, big guy. I'm heading back to base too, I'll show you the way."
"Thank you very much, Sergeant."
Long Zhan enjoyed Sonny’s envy, he was proud of his strong body, which came from his impressive self-discipline. He then put his ID back in his pocket and got on his motorcycle.
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