Chapter 405: He Is a Master Who Plays the Pig to Devour the Tiger

"Your turn!"

Lao Mao took the gun and shoved it into Tu Hongwei's hand.

Seeing his pale complexion, he sneered, as if saying he was overreaching.

Bai Yuan stood motionless in the distance, and a berry materialized in his hand like a trick; he held it aloft and shouted at him.

No need to be polite, just shout over here!

Tu Hongwei cocked the gun, and the click of the bullet being chambered made his heart tremble.

He lifted the barrel, aimed through the sight at the distant Bai Yuan, and his palms broke out in nervous sweat.

He was wrong.

He knew he was wrong.

The moment the berry was shot away, he realized he had already lost.

Bai Yuan's becoming an instructor is not without reason; with so many people coming one after another, scrambling for that spot, how could it possibly be as wretched as he imagined.

At this moment, Tu Hongwei truly regretted—regretted his bitterness, regretted being the one who stood out.

Perhaps, as long as he endures this most arduous stage, he can obtain that respect.

Perhaps the torments they now endure are simply because they are too weak, unworthy of equal dialogue with the instructors.

Tu Hongwei's forehead sweated; the inner tension made his heartbeat race, preventing him from achieving unity with the gun or focusing on the target.

This was also his first time aiming live ammunition at a living person; he feared that if the bullet veered off and hit Bai Yuan, he'd see a spray of blood mist.

Under immense psychological pressure, Tu Hongwei's back was drenched in sweat; after aiming for a long time, he still lacked the courage to pull the trigger.

"I..."

"I want to try."

Just as Tu Hongwei was about to shout the three words "I lost", Lu Yang appeared beside him and smoothly took the gun from his hand.

Lao Mao watched the scene, frowned, yet did not intervene.

Earlier, Bai Yuan had instructed that if Tu Hongwei was about to give up, they should find him a way out.

A couple of curses, a couple of kicks would do, but they must not let him utter those three words, otherwise it would be irrecoverable.

Bai Yuan said Number Ten was a good soldier, just a little stubborn and a bit too proud; he'll be refined later.

Lu Yang's appearance happened to give him a way out, but Lao Mao didn't think Lu Yang had the nerve, given the long distance and lack of a scope; what if he injured someone...

Bang!

The gunfire rang out, and a spray of blood mist erupted.

Bai Yuan looked at the berry that had vanished from his hand, his pupils trembling.

He had thought Lu Yang was merely putting on a show, but didn't expect him to actually fire, and hit so accurately?

Lao Mao, his face full of shock, said: "You actually hit it?!"

Lu Yang mimicked Lan Li's earnest expression of seriousness: "Is it hard? Isn't it just having a hand? It's only two hundred meters, not two thousand meters."

Lao Mao's eyes twitched: "Damn, they even let you equip it?"

"Answer me properly!"

"Report, I guessed!"

"Guessed? Do you think I believe that? When you were in the Army, were you a sniper or a precision shooter?"

"I could be a sniper, or a precision shooter, either works!"

"Good kid, I didn't see it coming, you actually have that skill?"

Lao Mao took the gun from his hand, removed the magazine, then asked: "What branch and unit were you in before?"

Lu Yang: "I am... a member of the Hard Bone Company, armored troops! My position is vehicle‑mounted sniper, and also a reconnaissance soldier!"

Lao Mao wore a skeptical expression, seeming not to fully believe it; but he had no records on Lu Yang and couldn't verify.

Bai Yuan walked over, glanced at Tu Hongwei's flushed face, as if he could crawl into a crack, and gave a slap to his hat brim.

"A full bottle doesn't move, a half‑full bottle shakes; with this little ability you still dare challenge the instructor? Go hop like a frog on the beach two hundred times, do two hundred sit‑ups!"

"Yes!"

Tu Hongwei no longer voiced any complaint, accepted his mistake and punishment.

The instructor didn't pursue the matter, letting him stay, which was the greatest tolerance.

Bai Yuan re‑examined Lu Yang, rubbed the red juice on his fingers: "I really underestimated you, didn't expect you to be a sharpshooter? Two hundred meters is easy for a fixed target, but shooting at a person isn't that simple."

"What, have you been on a battlefield before, killed anyone?"

Lu Yang gave him a look, but said nothing.

But Bai Yuan already got the answer he wanted.

That kid has been on a battlefield, killed enemies, perhaps more than one.

The first time pointing the barrel at a living person requires great courage, overcoming huge psychological pressure.

Tu Hongwei couldn't do it, not because his shooting skill was lacking, but because he couldn't overcome that inner fear.

Lu Yang being able to do it shows his shooting is excellent and he lacks that fear; it seems this kid isn't from the regular Army units, likely from a Division‑affiliated reconnaissance unit.

Because usually only units of that level can be involved in peripheral searches, deployments, and reconnaissance for actual combat missions.

"You, are excellent."

Bai Yuan adjusted Lu Yang's collar, pinched his face.

Lu Yang felt the gesture was overly ambiguous: "Thank you for the instructor's compliment!"

Bai Yuan instantly withdrew his smile, shouted angrily: "But you acted without permission, taking the lead for others, violating discipline! Take a rope, roll to the southern cliff and wait; later I'll personally supervise you, hand‑climbing up and down ten rounds!"

"Yes!"

Lu Yang turned and ran toward the southern cliff.

Others saw this, looked at each other, and their prejudice against him lessened considerably.

In the unit, as long as you have ability and skill, everyone will be convinced by you.

Just based on Lu Yang's previous move, the vast majority of them could not do it.

But it's only being convinced; there's still a long way to go before genuine acceptance.

After all, these eleven people have all come up through hard struggle and selection, whereas Lu Yang has only been here three days; in other words, he hasn't truly suffered hardship yet.

"Why are you still standing here? No need to wash up, no need to tidy your quarters, no need to eat breakfast?"

"Go do what you're supposed to do!"

The rest scattered in a swarm.

Although this is a deserted island, they still follow the unit's routine.

Although it feels somewhat ludicrous, it at least maintains a bit of the unit's connection, constantly reminding them that they are still soldiers.

Lao Mao crossed his arms and said: "If he doesn't make a sound, it's fine; once he does, he's astonishing. This kid is a master of pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger. I suspect the guy who ate my noodles that night is very likely him."

Bai Yuan gave a hollow cold laugh: "No need to doubt, it's definitely this kid. All the people on the island combined aren't as slippery as him."

Lao Mao sighed: "Just a little more, and among these eleven we'd have to lose another one—still, it's a narrow escape."

Bai Yuan lit a cigarette, his gaze penetrating the rising smoke, and said meaningfully: "Number Twelve's gaze gives me a feeling; he seems to have seen through the essence of surviving on this deserted island, and found the key."

"No way, he's only been here a few days?"

"This kind of thing depends on talent; remember when you confiscated his watch, what was his reaction?"

"His grip hurt my wrist, damn it—his strength is truly not small!"

Lao Mao: "However, he indeed cares about the collective, misses his comrades. Over these many years, I only believe in one kind of soldier: a soldier with feeling and righteousness."

Immediately after, he self-mockingly laughed: "Among those we painstakingly selected layer by layer, none can see through appearances to the essence; on the contrary, this guy who slipped in midway sees through it at a glance."

Bai Yuan grunted: "When they realize that the essence of surviving on this deserted island is not mutual struggle but cooperation and win-win, sincere unity, then this ordeal should be about over."

"'We keep emphasizing not abandoning, not giving up, but few truly take it to heart.'"

"'After they pass this hurdle, I will arrange for them an opportunity to reshape themselves and truly realize the value of a soldier!'"

Lao Mao turned his head in surprise: "You couldn't be... this is too dangerous?!"

Bai Yuan said lightly: "They will inevitably face danger, they will inevitably take that step; first let them get through this hurdle, then we'll talk."

Bai Yuan said little, turned and walked toward the southern cliff; he wanted to personally see just how much ability this kid Lu Yang still has!