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Just before boarding, Colonel Hank Han began his pre-mission briefing to the members of the Dragonforce Battalion. Glancing at his watch, he shouted at the straight-backed soldiers clad in various camouflage uniforms, armed with all sorts of weapons, their faces streaked with camo paint: "Everyone, line up!"
The Dragonforce Battalion soldiers immediately stood up and formed ranks. Colonel Han looked at these proud, fierce elite warriors and shouted, "Alright! Let me tell you about this mission—follow me to intercept and snipe the enemy. Our biggest opponents may be the U.S. Delta Force or the Navy SEALs, both world-famous special forces. Are you confident you can handle them?!"
"Yes!" the soldiers roared in unison.
"Who are you?" Colonel Han growled, his voice hoarse.
"Dragonforce!"
"Who gave you that name?"
"The enemy!"
"Why do the enemy call you Dragonforce?"
"Because we're ruthless! Because we fear nothing! Because we are the guardians of Huaxia! Whoever dares provoke Dragonforce, no matter how far, will be punished!" The passionate voices of the soldiers stirred Shawn Young's soul, making him feel a fiery heat burning in his chest.
Colonel Han waved his hand: "Alright! Follow me!"
The soldiers formed three small columns, jogging behind Colonel Han as they boarded the Il military transport plane on the base tarmac. Shawn Young and Fiona Tang followed as well. Major Akram, the bearded Pakistani officer, was already waiting in the cockpit. Soon, the Il transport roared into the blue sky.
Inside the cabin, Colonel Han brought over two large parachute packs and some equipment. He said to Fiona Tang and Shawn Young, "Sherry Shawn has already contacted me. She's prepared the exact drop zone for us. In a few minutes, we'll be over the target area, ready for a low-altitude parachute jump. Get ready!"
Fiona Tang quickly put on her parachute pack, helmet, and goggles. Shawn Young, a total rookie at this, just stood there, struggling to get his gear on.
Fiona Tang smiled, stepped forward, and helped Shawn Young get suited up. At that moment, Colonel Han sat down next to Shawn and asked with a grin, "Heh, Comrade Shawn Young, is this your first time parachuting?"
Shawn Young answered honestly, "Yeah, it is."
Fiona Tang laughed from the side, "Hey! Brother Shawn, your first jump is this tough low-altitude parachute drop. I'm honestly a little worried about you!"
Colonel Han patted Shawn Young on the shoulder and said, "A real man fears nothing! Don't worry, I'll teach you the main things to watch out for right now. As long as you follow them, you'll be fine!" With that, he started explaining the techniques and precautions for low-altitude parachuting.
After about two minutes, Colonel Han finished his explanation. Fiona Tang stepped up and gave Shawn Young a quick rundown on how to use the Type 4 carbine.
Soon, a few minutes passed. The red warning light in the cabin lit up, signaling they'd reached the target area and could begin their low-altitude parachute jump. Colonel Han stood up and said to the slightly nervous Shawn Young, "Relax, you got this. Yeah, don't be nervous—there's a first time for everything. Who knows, you might end up loving the feeling of jumping out! Heh!"
Fiona Tang said to Shawn Young, "Yeah, don't worry. Just jump right after me! You'll be fine."
At that moment, the rear hatch opened and a blast of icy high-altitude air swept in. Colonel Han was the first to stand, looked at the checked-and-ready soldiers, and said, "Below us is Afghanistan. Begin the operation!" With that, he leapt out first, followed by the team members one after another.
Major Akram, with his big beard and easy confidence, slipped on his goggles, flashed a V-for-victory sign to Fiona Tang and Shawn Young, and jumped out of the plane.
Fiona Tang turned and gave Shawn Young a victory sign too. "Alright! Just jump after me!" she said, then turned and leapt out.
Feeling nervous, Shawn Young edged forward and looked down—everything was a blur of white, nothing visible at all. The others were already plummeting, just black dots in the distance. He gritted his teeth, put on his goggles, and jumped. A powerful gust instantly swept him dozens of meters away. All he could hear was the roar of the wind as he hurtled toward the ground, feeling for a moment like he was no longer of this world.
Soon, he punched through the thick clouds and saw black military parachutes blooming below. Remembering Colonel Han's instructions, Shawn Young pulled his cord. His body jerked backward, and a parachute opened above him. Only then did Shawn Young breathe a sigh of relief—he was still alive.
A few minutes later, everyone had landed. Colonel Han quickly regrouped the team. Major Akram walked over and said, "Alright! We've successfully parachuted into the target area. We're now in the Afghan Tribal Borderlands. This place is special—the central government has no authority here. It's run by tribal elders and religious leaders. The power structure is a tangled mess of factions, drug dealers, and jihadist groups. First, we need to find a Russian 'iron seller'—he knows all the local tribal chiefs and can help us out!"
"Uh—'iron seller'? What's that mean?" Shawn Young asked curiously.
"Oh! It's slang for arms dealers, also called 'gun runners.' You'll find them in every war-torn region! These guys have serious connections!" Fiona Tang explained.
"Heh—not bad! This young lady knows the business, impressive!" Major Akram gave Fiona Tang a thumbs-up in praise.
"Alright! Comrade Shawn Young, confirm Black Eye's exact location. We're about to move out!" After regrouping, Colonel Han walked over and said.