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Having taken care of the two primary light machine guns, Long Zhan began outfitting his secondary and backup weapons.
First, he equipped an HK416 assault rifle with a shortened 10-inch barrel, paired with an OSS Helix suppressor, an EOTech holographic red dot sight with a 3x magnifier, and a collapsible, folding stock.
The short barrel, combined with a red dot and suppressor, made the weapon quieter and more agile—perfect for indoor CQB (Close Quarters Battle) scenarios.
Next, he prepared another HK416, this one with a 14-inch barrel, outfitted with a 2.5×10 Nightforce scope, an AN/PEQ-15 laser designator, a clip-on thermal imaging sight, and an M203 grenade launcher.
The longer barrel ensured greater effective range, tailored specifically for outdoor medium-to-long-range combat.
If necessary, it could even serve as a designated marksman rifle.
Then came the MP5 SD6, a suppressed submachine gun with an integrated suppressor, designed for ultra-quiet engagements.
Though its stopping power was slightly lower, its suppression capabilities were unmatched.
When paired with subsonic ammunition, the MP5 SD6's firing sound was so faint it was quieter than the mechanical click of the bolt chambering a round.
It was silent enough to eliminate a target in one room without waking someone sleeping in the next.
Finally, Long Zhan selected two pistols.
One was the P226, the standard sidearm of U.S. Special Operations Forces. The other was the HK45C, developed by the renowned German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch specifically for American forces.
The two handguns were nearly identical in performance, intended mainly as interchangeable sidearms.
To enhance their rapid target acquisition, Long Zhan had Mario make a few subtle customizations—both pistols were fitted with tiny red dot sights, no larger than a fingernail.
All of this was completed in under an hour.
Importantly, none of these weapons were off-the-shelf. Every firearm had been custom-modified to Long Zhan's personal specifications.
Six weapons fully configured in under an hour—Mario's gunsmithing skills earned Long Zhan's heartfelt praise.
He silently resolved that if he ever assembled his own team, finding a top-tier gunsmith like Mario would be a top priority.
Long Zhan loaded the fully equipped weapons onto a small trolley, then gathered a few essential modular attachments.
At last, the ever-busy Diaz showed up.
He told Long Zhan to quickly deliver everything to the armory—Bravo Team was already assembled, just waiting on him to begin the initiation ceremony.
"Armorer Mario, your craftsmanship is truly incredible. Thank you for all your help. I'd really like to be friends—maybe grab a drink together sometime."
Long Zhan genuinely admired Mario's skill and took a moment before leaving to express his appreciation—leaving the suggestion of a drink as an open invitation for future connection.
Taking the elevator back to the third floor, Long Zhan stored his weapons. Then, accompanied by Diaz, he finally stepped into the Red Squadron Command Center as an official member of DEVGRU.
During his two previous stints as a temporary operator, Long Zhan had gone straight to the briefing room.
Later, he had spoken with Blackburn in his office, but he'd been too tense and preoccupied to take in his surroundings.
Today marked the first time Long Zhan properly observed the command center that belonged to Red Squadron.
The space was massive. In the left corner sat a small bar and kitchen, allowing operators to grab a drink, brew some coffee, or heat up a sandwich as needed.
On the right side, against the wall, were two enclosed rooms: one for the Commander, the other for the Command Sergeant Major.
The rest of the space formed a large open hall. A massive central table dominated the room, surrounded by smaller desks with computer terminals. Mounted on the front wall were a flat-panel display and a whiteboard briefing board.
From the layout, it was easy to tell that squadron meetings were held right here.
The remaining walls and cabinets were adorned with plaques and pennants from units like the **SASR** (Australian Special Air Service Regiment) and **URNA** (Czech Rapid Response Unit), tokens of camaraderie sent over the years.
There were also memorabilia from past missions—items of deep symbolic significance.
One wall bore a bloodstained hood and a pair of plastic cuffs, used in the 1990s when the squadron captured a Bosnian war criminal.
Another displayed the squad automatic weapon once used by Petty Officer First Class Neil Roberts, who died in Operation Anaconda.
Each item told a story—some marked historical missions DEVGRU had successfully completed; others, hard-learned lessons etched in sacrifice.
They were hung there as warnings—to remind everyone never to repeat the same mistakes.
When Long Zhan pushed open the door and entered the command center, Bravo Team was already assembled: Team Leader Jason, Deputy Ray, Sonny, Trent, Brock, Clay—who had arrived just days prior—and Diaz, who had escorted Long Zhan here.
Even Hellfire, the military working dog who had fought side-by-side with Long Zhan twice before, was present.
All members of Bravo Team had gathered. Jason opened the ceremony with a simple, "Welcome to Bravo Team." Sonny followed with a joking, "I still don't like American beer," kicking off the hazing ritual that marked a DEVGRU initiation.
Newcomers were required to bring alcohol to their initiation—it was a unique tradition within DEVGRU.
The ceremony started quickly and ended just as fast.
Everyone took a bottle of liquor from Long Zhan and then scattered—heading off to their own tasks, leaving him standing alone, unaddressed by anyone else.
It looked awkward. But that was the point.
It was both a welcome and a playful prank.
Long Zhan understood it well. This was the American way of breaking in a new teammate—signaling that he was now one of them, no longer an outsider.
As someone skilled in breaking the ice, he wasn't going to let a little prank get to him.
"We are family!"
Long Zhan raised his bottle high and shouted, then began toasts all around—clinking bottles with Sonny, downing one with Diaz.
The cold, deliberately indifferent atmosphere was instantly shattered by his energy.
Jason and Ray exchanged a look and smiled.
That familiar spark was unmistakable.
This was the "Wonder Kid" they knew.
---
The lighthearted yet meaningful initiation wrapped up.
Ray, recently a new father overflowing with paternal affection, was the first to leave—heading home to be with his child.
Jason, who had recently begun suspecting something off about his close friend Nate, left soon after to continue investigating.
With no urgent missions on DEVGRU's agenda, and unlike conventional military units, they weren't required to stay on base without cause.
One by one, the idle operators said their goodbyes and departed, leaving the command center nearly empty.
"Diaz said the supplies won't arrive until tomorrow. No point in sitting around the base doing nothing. Might as well go house hunting now."
Looking at the empty command center, Long Zhan decided to clean up and go meet Stella.
Now that he had left Green Team and become a free agent, he could no longer stay in the team dorms.
DEVGRU didn't provide housing, and Stella's apartment already housed two couples. Living arrangements were quickly becoming a problem.
Finding a proper place to live had become an urgent priority for Long Zhan.