Chapter Summaries

Jiang Yan Hai demonstrated his sniping ability to the Sharp Blade Team by hitting moving clay targets from 1,000 meters. The range raised the targets’ difficulty, but he continued landing every shot until his rifle ran out of ammunition.

• Jiang Yan Hai returned He Da Hu’s rifle and pointed out that its trajectory pulled to the right.
• Jiang Yan Hai borrowed Sparrow’s Sniper Rifle and chose the moving-target range for his demonstration.
• Jiang Yan Hai set up a firing position 1,000 meters away, and Hu Tian ordered the range to begin launching targets.
• Jiang Yan Hai hit each clay target as it rose, and the range’s detector raised the difficulty after his tenth hit.
• Jiang Yan Hai kept striking the faster targets until he had fired all fifteen rounds in his magazine.

Jiang Yan Hai impressed the Sharp Blade Team with his exceptional sniper skills and keen observation before heading to the armory to choose equipment. He requested a heavy Death God-series 12.7-millimeter sniper rifle, and the armory sergeant brought out its case.

• Jiang Yan Hai ended the shooting test by demonstrating precise single shots, leaving Hu Tian and the others stunned.
• Hu Tian accepted Jiang Yan Hai as captain and proposed joint training, but Jiang Yan Hai chose to review the intelligence with the team instead.
• Jiang Yan Hai noticed Sparrow Ji Tao's habit of rubbing near his trigger by spotting worn paint on the rifle.
• At the armory, Jiang Yan Hai requested a 12.7-millimeter Death God-series sniper rifle.
• The armory sergeant retrieved a specially made case and set it before Jiang Yan Hai.

Jiang Yan Hai equipped his team and briefed them on a mission involving Assad, the leader behind the execution of the Republic of Lance’s president. The team would gather intelligence and get involved without directly opposing Mipu or the Sulan United Kingdom, as Jiang Yan Hai sought to prevent dangerous materials from reaching the real world.

• Jiang Yan Hai assembled a Sniper Rifle and selected specialized ammunition, scopes, and other combat equipment for himself and his team.
• Jiang Yan Hai led Hu Tian and the others to a tactical room, where he identified Assad as their target and explained that Mipu had launched an offensive against the Republic of Lance.
• Hu Tian asked whether the team would seize Assad from Mipu and the Sulan United Kingdom’s Special Air Service, and Jiang Yan Hai clarified that they only needed intelligence and must get involved without directly confronting those forces.
• Jiang Yan Hai kept his deeper concerns about future chaos and dangerous materials to himself while the team studied files on Assad, his possible hiding places, and his forces.
• Hu Tian and the others realized they might face hundreds or thousands of enemies, including tanks, artillery, and rockets, while receiving little heavy-weapons support.

Jiang Yan Hai briefed the Sharp Blade Team on surviving a real battlefield, then learned that a one-megaton nuclear bomb had struck a major city in the Republic of Lance. An urgent order brought the team to a secret meeting, where Major General Li Xu announced that a world-shaking event had occurred.

• Hu Tian asked Jiang Yan Hai whether he had fought on a real battlefield, and Jiang Yan Hai shared advice drawn from his experience.
• Er Dan told Jiang Yan Hai that a one-megaton nuclear bomb had detonated in a major city in the Republic of Lance, whose peacetime population was 1.8 million.
• Jiang Yan Hai warned Hu Tian that they might be sent out before morning, and the team finished eating.
• An urgent order arrived, and Jiang Yan Hai and the others rushed to the secret conference room.
• Major General Li Xu told Jiang Yan Hai and the other nine team members that a shocking event had just occurred.

Jiang Yan Hai and his team learned that terrorist Assad had detonated a nuclear bomb, killing an estimated six hundred thousand people, and were ordered to join an operation to capture him. After flying to a base near the Kas Sea, they prepared to support a Sulan-led assault on Assad’s hideout in the Osai Nation.

• Li Xu told Jiang Yan Hai and the others that Assad had detonated a one-megaton nuclear bomb in the Republic of Lance, causing an estimated six hundred thousand casualties.
• Li Xu ordered the nine soldiers to join a joint operation with the Mipu Republic and Sulan United Kingdom, taking over if the Sulan Special Air Service failed to capture Assad.
• Jiang Yan Hai and his team collected their prepared equipment and flew to a military airport, shaken by the scale of civilian deaths.
• Eight hours later, the team landed at a Tans Republic military base, where a major briefed Jiang Yan Hai on Assad’s location and the planned assault.
• A soldier notified Jiang Yan Hai and his team that their helicopter would take off in five minutes.

Jiang Yan Hai led Hu Tian and the others into Osai Nation on foot to infiltrate a terrorist-held area, while learning that a nuclear blast near the neighboring Star Gate would affect access to the area. The chapter left the team advancing through the mountains as America and the Republic of Goa continued their separate efforts to secure territory and fight the Rebel Army.

• Jiang Yan Hai briefed Hu Tian and the others on their infiltration plan and warned them not to fire unless necessary.
• Jiang Yan Hai and his team were dropped in a mountainous area and began hiking toward their target.
• Er Dan told Jiang Yan Hai that a nuclear blast about fourteen kilometers from the neighboring Star Gate was expected to expose it to radiation.
• Jiang Yan Hai considered how the blast could affect the Americans, whose Star Gate connected Area 51 to the other world.
• America and the Republic of Goa maintained a territorial dividing line and agreed that America would clear Rebel Army forces from its area before returning control.
• America began moving quickly against the Rebel Army, while the Republic of Goa denied that the rebel-held areas represented legitimate rule.

Jiang Yan Hai and his team reached a village where terrorists were massacring civilians, but he ordered the soldiers to hold back and watch. The chapter left Hu Tian and the others struggling to understand their captain’s restraint as they faced the violence below.

• Jiang Yan Hai considered the possible consequences of the nuclear attack and left the diplomatic decisions to others.
• The Blood Wolf Mercenary Group took responsibility for guarding the Stargate in the Caucasus Mountains, while the Americans dealt with the setback to their own operations.
• Jiang Yan Hai and his team approached the target village late at night and saw terrorists attacking civilians.
• Bandage Yan Lei asked to intervene, but Jiang Yan Hai refused and reminded him of the deaths of six hundred thousand civilians.
• Little Fish asked whether they would simply watch, and Jiang Yan Hai said yes; Hu Tian realized he could not have endured the decision as captain.

Jiang Yan Hai and his team spotted terrorists abusing villagers while searching for Assad, whose escape could lead to further massacres. Yan Lei chose to intervene despite the risk of alerting the enemy, and the team descended from the ridge to approach the terrorists.

• Jiang Yan Hai warned that attacking the terrorists could alert Assad and let him escape, potentially leading to more deaths.
• Yan Lei argued that they could not stand by while the villagers were tortured, and Jiang Yan Hai left the decision to him.
• He Da Hu and Tablet grabbed rappelling ropes, and Hu Tian joined them after seeing Jiang Yan Hai remain silent.
• The six soldiers descended and began sneaking toward the terrorists, while Yan Lei asked Sparrow to shoot once he was in position.

A wooden building exploded during the terrorists’ attack, leaving Old Cat badly wounded, and Jiang Yan Hai joined the battle to help the surrounded Sharp Blade Team. After clearing a nearby building, Jiang Yan Hai found Old Cat unconscious and began treating him, though Old Cat’s severed ligament could not be repaired on the battlefield.

• An explosion destroyed the building and blasted Old Cat across the ground, while Jiang Yan Hai continued shooting at the advancing terrorists.
• Little Fish ordered Bandage to check Old Cat, and Jiang Yan Hai rappelled from the cliff to join the fight as Price and the others attacked from the north.
• Jiang Yan Hai charged into a nearby building, used a grenade, and killed its remaining terrorists in under twenty seconds.
• Jiang Yan Hai entered the team’s room and scanned Old Cat, finding seventeen embedded splinters and a severed ligament in his left arm.
• Jiang Yan Hai stopped Bandage from treating Old Cat in his unstable state, told Bayonet to restrain him, and began giving Old Cat battlefield medical aid.

Jiang Yan Hai treated Old Cat and coordinated with Price's group to attack the buildings where Assad was likely hiding. After regrouping with Price, Jiang Yan Hai charged toward the enemy position, leaving Price and his team to follow.

• Jiang Yan Hai treated Old Cat's wounds while the Sharp Blade Team kept watch.
• Sparrow reported that Su Lan's people were approaching, and Jiang Yan Hai directed Tablet to contact them.
• Jiang Yan Hai argued with Price, then guided Price's group toward two buildings where he suspected Assad was being protected.
• Old Cat woke up, and Jiang Yan Hai bound his injured arm before ordering the team to clear nearby enemies and regroup with Price.
• Jiang Yan Hai led the Sharp Blade Team toward the two buildings, joined Price's group, and charged into the enemy fire despite Price's warning.

Jiang Yan Hai and Price stormed the terrorists’ positions and captured Assad, whose mind had been influenced by a robot implanted in his head. Price took custody of Assad after Jiang Yan Hai knocked him down, while their teams secured the area.

• Jiang Yan Hai led a rapid assault that eliminated the terrorists’ firing positions, and Price’s team followed him to the buildings.
• Jiang Yan Hai entered a building after throwing in flashbangs and discovered that Er Dan had detected a thought-interference robot inside Assad’s head.
• Jiang Yan Hai and his teammates killed the terrorists in the room and found Assad still there.
• Assad accused Jiang Yan Hai and his team of siding with Mipu, and Jiang Yan Hai kicked him to the ground.
• Price arrived, thanked Jiang Yan Hai, grabbed Assad, and punched him back down.

Jiang Yan Hai uncovered a silver electronic device embedded in Assad’s brain and took it, while Price agreed to help his team escape. With Zakayev’s reinforcements closing in, the two groups prepared to break out toward the mountains.

• Price beat Assad and answered a call from Zakayev, who threatened him; Price then shot Assad dead.
• Jiang Yan Hai opened Assad’s head on camera and found a silver electronic device embedded in his brain.
• Jiang Yan Hai claimed the device and offered Price a copy of the recording and relevant intelligence in return.
• Sparrow reported that enemy reinforcements were approaching and terrorists were moving to surround them.
• Jiang Yan Hai and Price agreed to break out together toward the mountains before Zakayev’s forces arrived.

Jiang Yan Hai and Price’s team fought their way out of the village as Zakayev’s forces sent helicopters after them. With an attack helicopter closing in, Jiang Yan Hai headed toward the Death God Sniper Rifle he had left behind.

• Jiang Yan Hai led the team out of the building, killing terrorists while Sparrow and the other team members provided support.
• Jiang Yan Hai and his team eliminated the remaining terrorists, but helicopters arrived and Price confirmed they were not friendly.
• Jiang Yan Hai urged everyone to run and used grenades to kill more terrorists as the team raced through the village.
• An attack helicopter fired rockets at the team, and Price ordered everyone to spread out and take cover.
• Jiang Yan Hai charged toward the Death God Sniper Rifle he had left behind as an attack helicopter and two armed transport helicopters approached.

Jiang Yan Hai destroyed an armed helicopter with a 12.7mm sniper rifle and forced the surviving helicopter to retreat. He withdrew with Price’s team toward the northern mountains, then asked Price about Zakayev as Price began recounting a covert mission from seventeen years earlier.

• Jiang Yan Hai ordered Price to draw the armed helicopter’s fire while the others took cover.
• Price sprinted toward a distant cliff, and Jiang Yan Hai used his Advanced Scanning System to target a missile on the helicopter.
• Jiang Yan Hai’s armor-piercing explosive round detonated the missile, destroying the armed helicopter and damaging a nearby transport helicopter.
• Jiang Yan Hai shot a pilot in the remaining helicopter, which then fled, and he ordered his team to withdraw with Price’s group.
• As they retreated toward the northern mountains, Jiang Yan Hai asked Price about Zakayev, and Price began describing a covert mission in Ribel City seventeen years earlier.

Jiang Yan Hai’s team withdrew after fighting alongside Price, arranging for the wounded Old Cat to be evacuated separately. As they waited in a mountain cave for the weather to clear, Jiang Yan Hai revealed that Old Cat’s hand injury would likely end his ability to serve in the next operation.

• Price thanked Jiang Yan Hai for helping defeat the terrorists, and the two teams exchanged recordings before separating.
• Jiang Yan Hai ordered Tablet to call for an evacuation for Old Cat, whose injured hand needed immediate treatment.
• Old Cat boarded the helicopter alone while Jiang Yan Hai and the others continued toward their backup extraction point.
• Near the Caucasus Mountains, Jiang Yan Hai postponed their helicopter evacuation because worsening weather made the crossing unsafe.
• In a cave, Jiang Yan Hai told the team that Old Cat’s severed tendon would leave him unable to lift more than five kilograms, and Bandage protested the news.

Jiang Yan Hai confronted Bandage after Bandage broke down over Old Cat’s injury, forcing him to face his guilt and the mistakes he had made during the rescue. He left Bandage with the choice to understand a soldier’s duty and continue on the next mission or return to the unit.

• Bandage rejected the news about Old Cat and grabbed Jiang Yan Hai by the collar.
• Jiang Yan Hai broke free and repeatedly knocked Bandage down, calling him a coward.
• Jiang Yan Hai explained that Bandage was not wrong to choose to save civilians, but had charged in without properly assessing the battlefield.
• Jiang Yan Hai reminded Bandage that Old Cat had chosen to fight to protect people and told Bandage to return to the unit if he could not accept the reality of the mission.
• Jiang Yan Hai returned to the campfire and told everyone to sit down and eat, while the others silently considered his words.

Jiang Yan Hai told the Sharp Blade Team about a rescue operation in Hamen where every possible decision led to civilian deaths, forcing them to confront the cost of choosing on a battlefield. He ended by saying Old Cat would not regret his sacrifice, but the team was left without an answer to how soldiers should choose.

• Jiang Yan Hai told the Sharp Blade Team that he had faced a similar ordeal during the evacuation of civilians from Hamen.
• He recounted how a sniper hesitated to shoot a civilian forced to drive a car bomb, and the blast killed the civilian and more than thirty government soldiers.
• Jiang Yan Hai described how his team stopped a second car bomb and rescued its driver, but the Rebel Army killed the driver’s five-year-old child.
• He explained that either choice would have made his team responsible for deaths, and asked the silent team how they should choose.
• Jiang Yan Hai recalled comrades who died protecting civilians and said Old Cat would not regret his own sacrifice.

Jiang Yan Hai helped the team process Old Cat’s injury and the brutal realities of the battlefield, reminding them that soldiers and other first responders had already chosen their path through their sense of duty. The soldiers recognized their inexperience, thanked Jiang Yan Hai for saving and teaching them, and left the cave with a clearer understanding of what they still needed to learn.

• Jiang Yan Hai reflected that soldiers, firefighters, and anti-drug police had made their choices when they accepted their responsibilities.
• Bandage apologized to Jiang Yan Hai and Goshawk, and Jiang Yan Hai told him he did not need to apologize for Old Cat’s injury.
• Jiang Yan Hai reassured the team that Old Cat could retire and live safely, helping ease their guilt.
• The team reconsidered their performance and recognized that their training had not prepared them for the scale and dangers of this battlefield.
• Bayonet Hu Tian thanked Jiang Yan Hai for saving their lives and teaching them, and Jiang Yan Hai said he might need their help someday.

After withdrawing from the battlefield, Jiang Yan Hai reported that miniature robots had been used to manipulate terrorists, prompting the Red Star Republic to alert the world’s major powers. Jiang Yan Hai and Er Dan discussed how the hidden Octopus Machines might be located, but a worldwide search remained difficult.

• Jiang Yan Hai became the Sharp Blade Team’s captain after the team recognized his strength and battlefield experience.
• The team withdrew safely, while Old Cat was taken to the Tans Republic for surgery on his injured arm.
• Jiang Yan Hai reported the miniature robots in Assad’s brain to the Red Star Republic and arranged to share the intelligence with the Sulan Republic.
• The Red Star Republic passed the information to the world’s major powers, which realized the robots could explain how terrorists had influenced government officials.
• Er Dan told Jiang Yan Hai he could detect hidden Octopus Machines if they entered the Active Warning System’s range.
• Jiang Yan Hai concluded that locating the machines would require international satellite cooperation and considered Ramsey’s Sky Eye program useful.

Jiang Yan Hai and the Sharp Blade Team received orders to join Captain Price in a mission against Zakayev, who had seized a secret military base near the Altai Mountains. With no reinforcements, Jiang Yan Hai chose a parachute insertion for the team, leaving their exact landing approach to the operation ahead.

• The Americans and their allies prepared extensive detection equipment at the Star Gate, while Jiang Yan Hai and his team remained on standby.
• After Price's attempt to capture Zakayev's son failed and the son died by suicide, Zakayev threatened nuclear retaliation against the Mipu Republic, the Sulan Republic, and the rest of the world.
• Jiang Yan Hai received a mission to join Captain Price at a Bear Army base near the Altai Mountains, which Zakayev's forces had taken over, and was asked to capture a micro-robot-controlled terrorist alive if possible.
• Lieutenant General Ma Qiang offered Jiang Yan Hai reinforcements, but Jiang Yan Hai said the eight remaining members of the Sharp Blade Team were enough.
• Ma Qiang explained that the team would be dropped from a disguised transport plane and would have to reach the base through dangerous territory, so Jiang Yan Hai decided they would enter by parachute.