Chapter Sixteen: A Perfect Shot!

“Old Qin is a decent man, I suppose. He taught me a lot,” Qin Feng said. Just then, his eyes caught sight of some feathers in the distance. Peering more closely, he noticed a wild pheasant moving through the underbrush. He spoke up, “I’ll train harder in the future to improve my sniping skills. For now—how about a little practice? Do you see that pheasant over there? I’ll shoot it down and show you.”

“I see it. Go ahead, let’s see if you have what it takes,” Su Yun replied, following the direction he indicated. Sure enough, she spotted the pheasant, over nine hundred meters away, moving through the bushes—a shifting target, not easy to hit at all. She was curious to see if Qin Feng could manage it.

“To thank you for your kindness, I’ll shoot down this pheasant and treat you to roast chicken. My barbecue is really delicious,” Qin Feng said, raising the Type 88 assault rifle in his hands.

“You’ll have to hit it—if you miss, it’ll just be a mess of feathers everywhere,” Su Yun remarked, the corners of her lips curving into a faint smile before she regained her composure. Deep in her eyes, there was anticipation as she watched Qin Feng.

“I’m starting now,” Qin Feng announced. He moved a few steps forward, then swiftly dropped prone, carefully aiming at the pheasant in the thicket ahead. He reined in his presence completely, releasing not a trace of killing intent. As a child, he’d lived in the forest with Old Qin and knew that jungle creatures were acutely sensitive to the aura around them—especially to killing intent. Even a hint of it would alert them, making a successful shot nearly impossible.

“I’ll definitely hit this pheasant,” Qin Feng vowed silently. Narrowing his eyes to a slit, he locked onto the target, merging his senses with the environment. The pheasant was on the move, unpredictable and erratic, making it a difficult shot.

He glanced at the nearby grass, quickly calculating the wind speed, humidity, and other factors that might affect the shot. He focused intently on the pheasant.

Su Yun observed closely. Suddenly, she sensed that Qin Feng’s whole aura had become subdued, like an unsheathed sword brimming with latent power, or a razor-sharp blade hidden beneath water—touch it, and a terrifying force would burst forth.

“What a powerful presence…” Su Yun thought, a trace of surprise flickering in her heart. Qin Feng was not ordinary.

As she marveled, that restrained aura exploded from Qin Feng in an instant, like a sword drawn from its scabbard. The chill of his killing intent was enough to make one’s heart tremble. In the next moment, a gunshot rang out.

Bang! The bullet whistled through the air and struck the distant pheasant, which toppled to the ground, unable to move—a perfect shot, unerringly precise.

“How did I do?” Qin Feng turned to Su Yun.

“Not bad. If you keep training at this level, your sniping will keep improving. But there’s still much to learn. To become a true sharpshooter, you have a long road ahead—more learning, more practice. Do you understand?” Su Yun reminded him gently, knowing that mastery would require training on many fronts and much more effort.

“I understand,” Qin Feng replied, recognizing her high hopes for him—and determined not to disappoint. He walked to the thicket, picked up the plump pheasant, and brought it to Su Yun. “It’s a fat one—lucky shot. Let’s find a source of water, pluck the feathers, remove the innards, and clean it up. Then we can have a barbecue. My roast chicken is really fragrant and delicious.”

Su Yun nodded noncommittally, glancing around. “Let me teach you how to find water in the wild while we’re at it,” she offered.

“Great, thank you!” Qin Feng responded cheerfully.

Su Yun gave him a long, searching look, her eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions—enough to make Qin Feng a little uneasy. She quickly turned her gaze forward and spoke.

“In the jungle, you have to look, smell, and search thoroughly for water. Use your sharp eyesight to spot rivers, streams, or basins. Smell for dampness in the air—if you catch a whiff of moisture, there’s probably water nearby. Then, search the area carefully. That way, you’re likely to find a water source.”

Hearing this, Qin Feng felt as if a door had opened in his mind. He began searching the surroundings, soon picking up the sound of running water not far off. “I think I hear water ahead. Let’s check it out.”

“Alright,” Su Yun agreed. Together, they walked toward the source and soon found a small stream. Qin Feng went to the water’s edge to clean the pheasant. Once he’d finished, he returned to find Su Yun had already built a fire.

“How did you light this fire?” Qin Feng asked, noticing she hadn’t used matches or a lighter.

“I started it by striking stones together,” Su Yun answered, sharing her method for making fire in the wild. Qin Feng was full of admiration for the technique.

“Of course, you could also use a military lighter,” Su Yun added, producing a waterproof military-issue lighter as if by magic.

“I see,” Qin Feng said, placing the pheasant on a spit above the flames to roast.

“You need to keep working hard and become stronger, understand?” Su Yun said, her gaze turning expectant as her usually cold expression warmed, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.

“What’s wrong? Are you still not fully recovered from being underwater earlier?” Qin Feng asked, wondering if Su Yun was still exhausted.

“Me? I’m just fine,” Su Yun replied, shooting him an exasperated look. How could he be so clueless about her feelings? Was he made of wood?

Su Yun hoped Qin Feng would understand her better.

Qin Feng, who’d never had much experience with women, was oblivious to her true thoughts. Thinking he’d somehow upset her, he gave her an apologetic look and said, “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, you’ll be fine. Let me tell you a story—I promise it’ll cheer you up.”

Su Yun glanced at Qin Feng, then quickly turned away. This man, telling stories at a time like this? What story could he possibly tell? Did he really not understand her feelings at all?