Chapter Forty: One Peek, One Elimination!

"An expert, that sniper is an expert." The seven remaining soldiers were deeply astonished. They sensed that their opponent must be highly skilled to remain concealed so thoroughly. Had Qin Feng not fired, they might never have realized he had been lurking around the fringes of the jungle all along.

"Type 88 sniper rifle." The two snipers exchanged glances. They suspected the enemy was also using a Type 88, but his marksmanship was clearly superior to theirs. A sense of impending danger pressed upon their hearts.

"But how did he spot us?" Each of the seven soldiers harbored the same question, glancing at one another in confusion. They couldn't fathom how Qin Feng had detected them. Judging from his previous shots, it was nearly impossible to discern his location. He was meticulously concealed, firing a shot and then instantly relocating. Their efforts to pinpoint him were futile.

"Could he be firing blind, like we are?" one of the snipers whispered.

"Impossible. Blind shots could never be that accurate," the other replied, certain that Qin Feng wasn’t firing blindly. The precision was simply too great.

"Quiet. Don’t risk being discovered," the first sniper warned softly. Yet before the words had faded, a gunshot cracked— "Bang." In an instant, the sniper beside him was “eliminated,” a wisp of white smoke curling up as he was disqualified. The remaining sniper was stunned. "Impossible."

"Nothing’s impossible. I just have to be more careful." The last sniper swiftly melted into the jungle, holding his breath, motionless, not daring to make a sound.

The other five soldiers also hurriedly concealed themselves. They realized they were up against an exceptionally formidable sniper. The slightest sound or movement could give them away and lead to elimination.

They aspired to become special forces soldiers—they didn’t want to be disqualified so easily.

"Could he have night-vision goggles? That’s impossible—none were issued as part of our equipment, and he couldn’t have gotten one on his own. Unless his eyesight is exceptionally keen in the dark," one soldier muttered, doubting the possibility unless Qin Feng truly possessed extraordinary vision.

"Bang!" As if to confirm his suspicion, the moment he finished speaking, a bullet struck him. He stared in shock at the white smoke rising from his head, unable to understand how Qin Feng had found him, but he was eliminated all the same.

"Quick, find somewhere to hide. Don’t make a sound or move unnecessarily—if he finds you, you’ll be out." The five remaining soldiers all sought new hiding places, now fully aware of Qin Feng’s prowess. They were terrified by his ability to spot and shoot them with unerring accuracy in the darkness.

Worse, he still lurked in the shadows, impossible to spot. He was a sniper of the highest caliber; even a small movement or the briefest exposure could spell their end.

The six soldiers hid separately—some in thickets, others behind large trees or earthen mounds by the lake, or in any nook that offered concealment. Each chose his spot with utmost care.

"They’re hiding, and they’re quick about it—better than I expected," Qin Feng mused with a faint smile. "Let them hide. I’ll stay put as well. I’m in no rush. Let’s see who endures the longest. Whoever outlasts the other is the victor."

Qin Feng watched his surroundings intently, utterly patient. Though he hadn’t received much sniper training, he understood that a sniper must know how to conceal himself. He’d spent the past two days practicing stealth, which was why he was able to remain hidden during this jungle survival assessment. He had the stamina for it.

He was well supplied, too. His military canteen was full, and he still had food—a wild pheasant he’d plucked and cleaned, wrapped in large leaves, ready to eat at any time. He had no worries on that score. It was simply a matter of who could hold out the longest; whoever broke first would lose.

Thus Qin Feng lay motionless, blending into the jungle, regulating his breathing through cultivation techniques, imagining himself as part of the forest, merging with his surroundings. Time slipped by—over two hours passed in utter silence, the stillness so complete it seemed the forest was deserted.

"The sniper must have left. He’s probably not there anymore," one soldier thought privately, convinced Qin Feng had moved on and it was now safe to emerge.

"Be careful, don’t poke your head out," the remaining sniper urgently warned. But it was too late—a gunshot rang out. The soldier who had risked a look was immediately hit, a plume of white smoke rising as he was eliminated.

"To think that fellow could hide so deeply, so terrifyingly well. Truly, you can’t hope to outlast a sniper," the five remaining soldiers thought in awe, shaken by the sniper’s skill.

Though they had temporarily allied themselves, each secretly hoped to eliminate the others after dispatching the enemy. Now, facing such a powerful adversary, they weren’t sure they could even survive, let alone defeat him.

The five now trembled at the slightest sound, not daring to raise their heads. The sniper, especially, was hidden most deeply, sensing that their opponent was a master among snipers—so skilled that even the smallest movement might be detected and ruthlessly punished with a single shot.

None dared to move. Eliminating Qin Feng was out of the question—now they only worried about being eliminated by him. They kept themselves tightly hidden, fearful that one stray bullet would spell their end.

After firing that shot, Qin Feng scanned the area carefully. Suddenly, he noticed five soldiers approaching from the southwest, moving lightly and stealthily. Clearly, the sound of gunfire had drawn them, hoping to take out the competition. Their plan was clever, but ultimately doomed to fail.