Chapter 20: They actually know how to fix airplanes?

With the nine rounds of ammunition as a pad for the Type 88 Sniper Rifle, Liu Xiaotian's shooting with the Type 10 Sniper Rifle was obviously smoother and more continuous.

Even for the shortest aiming time, he only took 2.8 seconds to complete the whole aiming and shooting process.

This... is simply a bit monstrous! But what nobody knows is that Liu Xiaotian also paid a price in this process.

Although the ground was soil, it had been compacted, and was even less than a hard, smooth concrete surface, so the friction could be even smaller.

At this moment, Liu Xiaotian could clearly feel the fresh blood oozing from both elbows smearing together.

Painful? No, not at all.

Because it's already numb.

When he finished shooting, as he stood up from the ground after last night's inspection, safety catch, and all those procedures, the sharp-eyed soldier saw that both elbow positions were already soaked through his uniform with blood.

Chen Shanming also saw it, but he didn't show too much concern, merely asking lightly: "Are you okay?"

Liu Xiaotian quickly shook his head: "Report, Instructor! It's fine, this is just because regular sniper training isn't solid enough; others have a layer of callus protecting them, but I don't; however, please rest assured, Instructor, I will adapt quickly!"

Chen Shanming nodded and said nothing more.

When the training reached the second stage, the differences among the trainees immediately became apparent.

For example, Cai Xiaoxin.

I don't know if it's his competitive spirit acting up, but he also chose the Type 10 Sniper Rifle.

But he himself comes from the Mechanized Infantry Company; although shooting training also includes concealed and exposed target shooting, no matter how you say it, it's impossible for him to do live-fire shooting as often as the Sharpshooter Fourth Company.

Especially his Sixth Company, whose main training subject is mechanized warfare coordination, with shooting training mainly based on rifles.

Not to mention the Type 10 Sniper Rifle; even the Type 88 or Type 85, Cai Xiaoxin had only fired them once when the initial training began.

Without the training experience of He Chen Guang, Wang Yanbing, and Li Erniu, and without Liu Xiaotian's cheat, Cai Xiaoxin's results are naturally easy to imagine.

Ten rounds, only six hits, totaling forty-two points, with not a single bullseye.

After finishing shooting and returning to the ranks, Cai Xiaoxin's mood was somewhat low.

It's no wonder he felt that way.

With such results, elimination has basically become a foregone conclusion.

The only thing that could slightly balance things, though it's not a correct comparison, is that Cai Xiaoxin's results aren't the worst; they can only be described as below average.

As long as he continues to strive and persevere, there should be an over eighty percent chance that he will be sent back to his original company only in the final training assessment selection.

In that case, it wouldn't really count as being eliminated; it would be better called 'not selected'.

After the last soldier finished shooting, Chen Shanming immediately ordered the veteran who had been distributing ammunition earlier to count the remaining ammunition, and then to inspect the condition and quantity of the rifles.

For all the trainees, he only said: "Performance is acceptable; take them back to rest, and continue tomorrow."

After that, he let them return to the barracks on their own.

By that time, it was already 4 p. m.

On the way back from the range, Liu Xiaotian deliberately walked side by side with Cai Xiaoxin, offering low words of comfort as they went.

"Old Cai, don't rush, didn't Instructor Chen just say? The second stage of training has just begun; you still have a chance."

Cai Xiaoxin grinned, showing a smile uglier than crying: "It's fine; I know my own level perfectly; just being able to participate in this training already satisfies me;"

"But rest assured, I definitely won't just give up like that. Even if I'm eliminated, I want to be eliminated in a splendid way!"

Liu Xiaotian looked at Cai Xiaoxin with some surprise, then said nothing more.

Unlike the Cai Xiaoxin he saw in film and TV dramas, this Cai Xiaoxin seems to possess, deep down, some simplicity and tenacity similar to Li Erniu.

Returning to the Sixth Company barracks, the soldiers of the Sixth Company had not yet returned from training.

He and Cai Xiaoxin each took a foam mat used for physical training, ran to the activity room, spread it on the floor, and lay down directly.

As for why not lie on the bed, anyone who has served in the military and in a large unit knows.

The sheets and blankets, also known as 'internal affairs' in the military, must not be disturbed before the evening roll call.

Of course, there is no explicit rule forbidding lying on the bed at noon or during regular rest.

But there is a precondition: you must be able to restore the deformed blanket and wrinkled sheets to their original state within three to five minutes before assembly.

So, at least ninety-nine percent of soldiers will not lie on the bed during the day.

That 'tofu block' standard, even for soldiers, is not something you can achieve by simply pinching it.

Over these past days, all the trainees have been exhausted.

Each of the two found a corner; just after lying down, they almost instantly fell asleep.

Whether Cai Xiaoxin slept soundly, Liu Xiaotian doesn't know; anyway, he himself didn't sleep soundly, not even reaching the standard of light sleep, more like being half-asleep, half-awake.

In a daze, he seemed to feel a change occurring in his body.

Although it's not like a fantasy novel where you can see meridians, the sore, swollen muscles gradually relaxed, then began to warm up, giving a feeling of fullness, which made Liu Xiaotian unusually excited.

Because this is not the first time he has had this feeling.

During this period, after completing several physical training tasks issued by the system, Liu Xiaotian would have this feeling, only less obvious.

This time, he could even feel strength rapidly growing in his body.

They appeared like a foaming agent throughout his muscles, and all his previous fatigue and exhaustion quickly disappeared under its effect.

Not long after, Liu Xiaotian actually fell asleep.

Although after being woken up he found that only a little over an hour had passed, the moment Liu Xiaotian opened his eyes he still felt mentally refreshed and full of energy;

completely different from Cai Xiaoxin's constant yawning fatigue.

Starting from the next morning, Liu Xiaotian assigned himself a task.

Every day after lunch, during others' rest time, he would go to the training ground, borrow a Type 10 Sniper Rifle, lie prone on the ground to practice sniping, and simulate the friction between his elbows and the ground caused by recoil.

This empty rifle, a heavy sniper rifle weighing 12 kilograms, is perfectly suited for practicing sniper drills.

"Sniping" is not an abbreviation for sniper rifle.

It is not a noun but a verb; it is the training that every soldier must undertake before live-fire shooting—a not‑short process of holding the rifle and simulating aim.

The purpose of this training is to increase the shooter's control over the gun's stability.

And when training sniper rifles, naturally, the heavier the rifle, the better the training effect...

(End of chapter)