Chapter Forty-Four: Qin Feng, Well Done!

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On the morning of the vertical sun, the weather was beautiful and radiant—a perfect day had begun.

At the training base of the Fierce Tiger Special Operations Brigade, a group of rookies was undergoing grueling, devilish training, sweating profusely. These rookie special forces soldiers were the thirty men, including Qin Feng, who had passed the selection test just the day before.

Time flew by, and half the day soon passed. The rookies returned to eat.

Training resumed in the afternoon, focusing on the sniper course. The sniper instructor explained the basics, and Su Yun, also a sniper instructor, was present at the range, standing beside the brigade commander. After the lesson, the instructor invited questions and answered each one in turn. About ten minutes later, he directed everyone to the shooting range for practical training. Each person received a sniper rifle and four boxes of training ammunition—enough for this session.

As the instructor’s voice faded, the rookie special forces soldiers queued to receive their sniper rifles and ammunition before heading to the range for sniper training.

The sun shone brilliantly, a gentle breeze stirred the air, lush green trees cast cool shadows, and vibrant life pulsed through the scene. The air was filled with the thick scent of vitality. “Caw!” A large bird circled above the shooting range, its cry echoing as below, the group of soldiers, drenched in sweat, trained earnestly in sniper shooting, each one deeply focused.

“Captain, do you really think there’s anyone with potential to become a sniper among these rookies?” Su Yun asked the brigade commander. Here at the Fierce Tiger Special Operations Brigade, she addressed him as Captain, unlike at home. Since he wanted her to train an outstanding sniper, she had come to observe in person, to see if she could spot anyone with potential.

“Yes, Instructor. What do you think of them?” The brigade commander looked at his sister, Su Yun. Instructor was his way of addressing her now, as she served as a sniper instructor.

“To me, they all look rather ordinary,” Su Yun replied. She had already noticed Qin Feng among the recruits with her keen eyes, but made no comment. Since her brother wanted her to cultivate a top sniper, she would watch from all angles.

“I think there’s someone with great potential among them. Let’s see if you can find him,” the Captain replied with a smile.

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“If I do find him, what will you do?” Su Yun asked.

“Not much—at most, I’ll treat you to a meal,” the Captain said, grinning. Treating his own sister to a meal was no trouble for him.

“Alright, if I find him, I want braised pork,” Su Yun replied.

“No problem,” the Captain said readily. He knew how to make braised pork—a skill he’d learned from their father, who was also passionate about good food. Su Yun especially loved the braised pork made by their father and brother.

Time slipped by, and three hours passed in a flash. On the sniper range, Qin Feng focused intently on his target, firing continuously. The three boxes of ammunition beside him were completely spent, and the fourth was nearly finished as well. Each box contained a hundred rounds—over three hours, Qin Feng had fired nearly four hundred shots. The powerful recoil of the sniper rifle had left his shoulder swollen and achingly sore. Every shot felt like a heavy blow, his muscles throbbed with pain, yet he pressed on.

His eyes gradually became swollen and strained, almost too heavy to keep open, and the target blurred before him, as if it were no longer fixed but swaying in the haze.

By now, fewer than five or six people remained on the sniper range; the rest could no longer endure the strain. Some suffered from sore backs, others from burning eyes, numb limbs, or unbearable shoulder pain. They had all gone to rest, planning to resume once recovered.

“I must hold on, I can’t slack off,” Qin Feng told himself. Despite his body aching, his eyes stinging, he persisted. He harbored a conviction: to master the sniper rifle, so that on the battlefield, he could fight and kill more effectively.

He wanted to become stronger—stronger than Su Yun. He remembered the three-year pact he had made with her.

He did not know that Su Yun had already arrived at the Fierce Tiger Special Operations Brigade and was standing beside the sniper range.

Su Yun was watching Qin Feng, noting his focus and diligence; she nodded to herself in approval.

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At that moment, the wind on the training ground picked up, making the trajectory of the bullets more unpredictable. It became nearly impossible to judge where each shot would land. Dust swirled up, carried on the wind, and quickly disappeared into the air.

Qin Feng narrowed his eyes, finding some relief from the irritation, and peered once more through the sniper scope. He continued aiming. Although it was afternoon, the sun was still blazing, the temperature soaring above thirty degrees. He was drenched in sweat, his whole body sticky and wet, sweat streaming down his forehead, dripping from the tip of his nose, even his eyebrows were soaked, making it harder to see and aim. He looked on the verge of collapse.

Still, he persisted with his sniper training, driven by a sense of purpose. He told himself he must persist, must train relentlessly, must improve his marksmanship.

Gradually, two or three more trainees gave in to the exhaustion, leaving only three on the range: Zhang Cheng, Liang Xiaoyu, and a thin, wiry youth—each one doggedly persisting with their sniper drills.

Not far away, in a row of buildings, Su Yun and the Captain stood motionless, remaining there for over three hours. That length of time meant nothing to them, but they both understood Qin Feng’s situation. For a first experience with such intense sniper training, especially in this heat, to endure three hours was truly remarkable.

“Instructor, what have you observed? Can you pick out someone with the potential to become a sniper?” the Captain asked Su Yun. He too had noticed Qin Feng’s tenacity—training alone at such intensity was not something most could endure. He had also noticed that Su Yun’s gaze often lingered on Qin Feng.

“Three hours—for a first sniper training session, very few can endure that long. It’s too soon to draw conclusions,” Su Yun replied in a calm tone, though in her heart she had already made her choice. She saw Qin Feng’s persistence, his will to become stronger, even in the face of such grueling conditions. She recognized in him the heart of a warrior.

“Qin Feng, well done. Keep pushing, reach your limits, and keep growing,” Su Yun thought to herself. She sensed that Qin Feng could continue to improve, and she looked forward to his progress.