advance/early chapters : p atreon.com/Ritesh_Jadhav0869
After scheduling the video for automatic release at 6 AM the next morning, Blake fell into a deep sleep.
He needed ample rest to ensure he could work effectively in the coming days.
Although he slept, the ocean of the internet never did.
At precisely 6 AM, "Delta Force: Longbow Valley Operation Preview — Hell Black Shark · Reis" made its debut across all major platforms.
The platform algorithms generously provided the maximum possible push.
All users who followed the gaming or tech sections — or even those who had shown the slightest curiosity about "Horizon Interactive" or the name "Blake Weiss" — received this major push notification instantly.
The video began not with the continuous rain of Zero Dam, but with a vast canyon scorched by blazing sun.
The camera rapidly swept over a somewhat dry riverbed, withered bushes, and a distant cluster of buildings shimmering in the heat haze.
Subtitles appeared: "Longbow Valley — War Zone Level 7 Unlocked Area."
A topographical sandbox display clearly showed the layout of this new map.
Longbow Valley was bisected by a winding river, dividing it into upper and lower halves. The terrain was complex, visibility was open, and the strategic depth far surpassed Zero Dam.
Key resource points were highlighted:
Upper Half — Haavk Radar Station.
This was a sprawling complex of buildings — main structure, experimental wing, and support facilities standing tall against the desert sky. It was marked as a "materially extremely dense area," but also displayed a warning icon: "Signal Jamming."
Lower Half — Diamond Queen Hotel.
A luxurious resort rising incongruously from the desolate canyon. Although its resources weren't as concentrated as the Radar Station, the total loot value was still staggering.
Other areas — Crash Site, Aminya Village, Blue Port Dock — medium-resource zones that flashed by quickly, each with simple hints of both risks and opportunities.
New enemy units made brief appearances:
The "Faction Sniper" hidden in a tower overlooking Aminya Village. The "Haavk Soldier," clearly better equipped than standard Faction grunts, patrolling the outskirts of the Radar Station. "Haavk Machine Gunners" manning heavy weapons at fortified positions.
The final highlight was a close-up of a fierce-looking man with dark skin and a thick beard, wearing a red beret and red sunglasses — "Hell Black Shark · Reis."
He made no elaborate movements. He merely flashed a cruel, playful smile at the camera, his formidable S12K shotgun still seemingly smoking from recent use.
The video was short, but the information density was explosive.
"New map! New enemies! New BOSS!"
"Holy crap, this production capacity is insane, isn't it?"
"What's Haavk? Another new faction? What's its relationship with the regular Faction enemies?"
"This signal jamming mechanism is brutal. You go in and you're blind..."
"Reis looks even more terrifying than Saeed. And he's a SHOTGUN boss. Close combat probably won't work, right?"
"Diamond Queen Hotel? Bro, isn't opening a luxury resort in the desert a bit ridiculous?"
Countless players and content creators erupted instantly. Analysis videos, plot speculation threads, and strategy guides appeared like mushrooms after rain.
Everyone was discussing the new map's gameplay and guessing the skill mechanics of "Hell Black Shark."
Just as a well-known gaming YouTuber had released a video claiming "the trailer has limited information, Reis's faction affiliation is unclear," Horizon Interactive's official account — without warning — dropped a second video.
"Delta Force: Longbow Valley Combat Demonstration"
The style of this video instantly pulled players back into the cinematic immersion of the Zero Dam promotional trailer.
Under the scorching sun, the heat waves of Longbow Valley seemed to radiate from the screen itself.
A team of well-equipped, efficient special operators advanced quickly and cautiously toward Haavk Radar Station.
The camera work was extremely dynamic — alternating between the operators' determined eyes, the desolate and dangerous environment surrounding them, and the massive Radar Station complex looming in the distance. The sense of oppression was palpable.
The perspective pulled upward, clearly showing their objective: Haavk Radar Station in the upper half of the map.
Over the radio, Command's voice came through: "Operators, you are approaching the outskirts of Haavk Radar Station."
"A reminder — once you enter the core area, strong signal jamming will immediately take effect. I will be unable to provide real-time command and map support."
"Your actions from now on will be entirely up to yo—"
"— Hsssssk —"
Before he could finish, a harsh burst of static erupted, and communication cut off completely.
The screens of all operators' tactical devices instantly went dark, leaving only cold time digits still ticking.
The sudden silence ratcheted the tension to its peak.
"Doo — woo —!"
A long, muffled horn sound echoed from the outskirts, reverberating through the canyon.
An operator who had temporarily assumed command immediately lowered his voice: "Superstar Train."
"Intelligence indicates Haavk forces use it to transport troops to Zero Dam."
"Ignore it. Our objective is not there."
The team avoided patrolling Haavk Soldiers on the outskirts, using terrain to stealthily infiltrate the Radar Station area.
The enemies here were clearly better equipped, their tactical movements more professional — completely different from the Faction grunts at Zero Dam.
Entering the passage to the main building, a horrifying sight met their eyes:
Several Haavk Soldiers' bodies lay in various twisted postures around an identity verification barrier. They had clearly suffered a brutal massacre.
The operators showed no change in expression. They exchanged tactical hand signals, indicating they had expected this.
The temporary commander whispered: "Target the MandelBrick. Prioritize avoiding engagement."
"Hell Black Shark · Reis and his escort team are very likely still inside the building. Encountering him would be extremely dangerous."
Clearly, the Haavk Soldiers here had been cleared out by Reis himself.
The team didn't disperse — coordinated action was the only option under signal jamming conditions.
The main building's interior was complex: crisscrossing corridors, numerous rooms, multiple floors.
They spent considerable time searching before finding their objective on the second floor, in a room resembling a small vault or classified archive — the MandelBrick, emitting a faint blue glow.
"MandelBrick acquired!"
"Attention all — retreat immediately via the predetermined route!"
The operator serving as temporary commander quickly placed the brick into a specialized container.
Just then, the camera swept over a corner of the room, where dozens of glittering gold bars were piled high.
Judging by their size, each bar weighed at least three kilograms. Priceless.
However, not a single operator glanced their way. Their extremely high professional discipline kept them focused on the primary mission.
Suddenly—
"Wait... what's that sound?"
A voice came. An operator abruptly froze, having never heard that voice before.
Everyone stopped instantly, because they all recognized: that lazy, drawling voice belonged to none of them.
The temporary commander's pupils constricted. He mouthed silently and made a tiny gesture: "Reis!"
"What's going on over there?"
"Was there a sound just now?"
Reis's voice rang out again, approaching from far to near, accompanied by heavy, rapid footsteps — multiple individuals heading toward their area.
"Disperse and conceal!"
"Remember — ensure the MandelBrick's extraction at all costs!"
The temporary commander mouthed the final order while strapping the backpack containing the MandelBrick tightly to himself.
Team members instantly scattered, hiding in nearby rooms, stairwell corners, behind equipment.
But although Haavk Radar Station's interior was large, it was exceptionally quiet. Even the slightest stealthy movement produced subtle sounds.
"Tsk. Drag these little rats out for me!" Reis had evidently heard those imperceptible movements. His tone grew impatient. "Sneaking around — get out here!"
Heavy footsteps stopped in front of an operator hiding in a narrow crevice beneath the stairs.
"Where are you hiding?"
"Aren't you hiding... HERE?!"
Suddenly, Reis's imposing face peered into the crevice.
He came face-to-face with the breath-holding operator.
The operator reacted extremely fast — lunging with his tactical dagger the instant their eyes met!
But Reis seemed to have anticipated it. He sneered and retreated, dodging the stab effortlessly.
His escort team behind him swarmed forward, instantly subduing the operator and pinning him to the ground.
Reis didn't interrogate him. Didn't show any extra emotion. He simply drew his S12K shotgun, aimed it at the operator's head—
"BANG —!"
The screen didn't show the bloody scene. It instantly cut to black, with only the deafening gunshot and a brief grunt announcing the fate of an elite operator.
"Kill them all! Fire at will — leave no one alive!" Reis's cold voice commanded.
In an instant, gunfire erupted throughout the main building.
Explosions. The roar of submachine guns. The thunder of shotguns. Counter-fire and screams — incessant, overwhelming.
The camera cut rapidly, showing this sudden and extremely unequal encounter.
The operators resisted fiercely, but Reis's escort team had ferocious firepower and coordinated well. And Reis himself was like a nightmare — his S12K possessing devastating power at close range.
Soon, the gunfire gradually subsided.
The camera swept over the corridor from a god's-eye perspective. Several operators lay in pools of blood while Reis merely shook his shotgun, clearing the chamber.
One of his escort members was seriously wounded, but it was clear the special task force had suffered a far more devastating blow.
Reis strode to an operator who was severely wounded and unable to move. He squatted down and roughly shoved the still-hot barrel of his S12K into the man's mouth.
"The farce is over, bastard."
"BANG —!"
Another brutal gunshot. The screen went dark again.
Finally, the screen lit up.
The three remaining operators — the temporary commander carrying the MandelBrick and two other scarred team members — stumbled out of Haavk Radar Station's signal jamming range, re-establishing connection with Command.
The temporary commander's voice was hoarse from exhaustion and tension, but exceptionally firm: "Report! Mission accomplished!"
A calm response came from the other end: "Good. Now evacuate immediately!"
No questions about casualties. No unnecessary chatter. Only confirmation of the mission's outcome and the evacuation order.
The video ended there.
Audiences across the entire internet were silent.
Then completely erupted.
This second video was more than just a promotion — it was a miniature military action short film!
It vividly demonstrated the high risks, high rewards, and extremely dangerous environment of Longbow Valley, especially Haavk Radar Station.
Hell Black Shark · Reis's power, coldness, and cruelty were showcased to the fullest.
"My god! This sense of oppression is even scarier than Saeed!"
"Signal jamming PLUS a boss like this? Is Haavk Radar Station a place for humans to go?"
"Those gold bars... did you see them? So many gold bars!"
"They're so big — one bar alone could sell for one or two million HAF!"
"Who would dare take them? A gold bar is heavy as hell, and it's not easy to hide."
"Tactical coordination is everything. Being alone means death!"
"It's not just coordination — Reis's combat power is clearly stronger than the entire operator organization. A head-on confrontation would probably get them all killed."
"Horizon Interactive really dares to do this. This game is too hardcore!"
"Requesting test qualification! I want to meet this Reis!"
A new wave of excitement — even more intense than during the Zero Dam period — instantly swept across the entire internet.
All players were looking forward to seeing who would be the first to step into this cruel battlefield called Longbow Valley in a week's time.
Meanwhile, Blake — had just woken up.