Chapter 98: Good Shooters Are Bred on Bullets

Boom!

Boom!

The sun gradually set, and the temperature dropped sharply with it.

On the firing range, only a lone figure remained, still crouched there.

Lu Yang's face was flushed, his hands were so cold they turned a bluish white, and the snot at his mouth had frozen into little ice clots.

He pressed his right eye against the scope's padding, repeatedly looking through the four‑times optical sight, firing at the target four hundred meters away.

The 85 sniper is a semi‑automatic sniper rifle, ten‑round capacity, no burst mode, using 7.62×54 mm machine‑gun ammunition.

So each time Lu Yang fired, there was a pause, just enough for him to check the bullet's trajectory and adjust the next muzzle position.

At first, with the four‑times scope's aid, Lu Yang could see the target at four hundred meters fairly clearly, but for some reason each bullet missed the spot he wanted.

He aimed at the bullseye, yet the shots landed as five‑ring, six‑ring; even his best result was only a seven‑ring.

This made him wonder whether the optical sight's parameters were faulty.

He recalled Guo Yongwen's words: a sniper's sight is the lifeline of a marksman.

So after each shot he made minute manual adjustments.

Finally, after calibrating seven or eight times, the sight and the muzzle finally synced.

This shot landed on the border between the ten‑ring and nine‑ring, which thrilled him.

"Nice shot!"

Deputy Team Leader Cheng Jun walked over carrying a box of ammo.

From afar, Lu Yang could hear the clanking metal inside, like a treasure chest packed with gold coins.

Cheng Jun set the ammo box on the ground, opened the side latches, and said, "It's only been half an afternoon and you're already shooting this well; you must have talent."

Lu Yang got up from the ground, brushed dust off his elbows and knees.

He then did a set of high‑intensity interval exercise to loosen his cold, stiff body.

"Deputy, so far I've only managed a nine‑ring; I haven't even brushed the ten‑ring."

Cheng Jun rolled his eyes, "Just be content. How many bullets have we veterans fired and how long have we trained to achieve this? Besides, look at where we are."

In other words, as a conscript you've already done enough.

This is a sniper training squad; the ones sent here are all prodigies from various companies, inherently gifted.

You stand out among so many gifted people, and as a conscript you make us veterans look…?

Cheng Jun clearly remembered his first time with a sniper rifle, not knowing how many times he missed.

Slowly, after repeated failures and reflections, he finally worked out the patterns and gained experience.

He actually has no talent; it's just the sheer number of bullets he's fired that brought him to his current level.

Isn't it said that good shooters are made by feeding them bullets?

Yet while others spent a month or several months summarizing experience, Lu Yang figured it out in less than half an afternoon, leaving him at a loss for words.

Cheng Jun handed him three energy bars: "Everyone's gone to eat, you're still starving; have these first, replenish your energy."

"Later, finish this box of bullets before you can eat; the Cafeteria has already set aside a meal for you."

"Thanks, Deputy!"

Lu Yang smiled, took the bars, tore the wrappers and shoved them into his mouth, almost stabbing his throat.

He was truly starving, the kind where his chest pressed against his back.

Don't think shooting practice lying still doesn't consume much stamina.

But it's winter now, the ground is icy, the range is open, and occasional gusts blow.

Even though he stuffed old newspapers in his chest, knees, even his groin, it still didn't help much.

Cheng Jun watched him wolf‑down the bars, his teeth and mouth black with crumbs, couldn't help laughing; at that moment he thought the kid had the guts of a conscript.

"Don't thank me, thank Guo's team."

"Huh?"

"The energy bars are his, and this box of bullets he got me to bring. He's thin‑skinned, can't bring himself to ask."

Lu Yang stopped swallowing, stared blankly at him.

Cheng Jun squatted on the ground and gave a wry smile.

"Does it feel… a bit surprising?"

"A bit, I thought he disliked me?"

"He doesn't dislike you; he dislikes himself, hates a misstep that leads to another."

Lu Yang thought the words sounded familiar; his older cousin had said something similar.

He said, if the first step hadn't been wrong, he wouldn't have come back after a miserable two‑year conscript stint.

He said he went to serve, but it was like being a fake soldier; he learned no proper skills.

Cheng Jun plopped down and began loading bullets into a few empty magazines for Lu Yang.

"Actually, people misunderstand him a lot; what Wanbaoshan told you that day wasn't entirely correct."

"Guo Yongwen's family is poor; his hometown is a poor village in a poor county. Him joining the army truly fulfills the saying 'one soldier brings glory to the whole village.'"

"I and he came out of the same New Recruit Company, watching him crawl out of the mud, fighting his way up, gradually becoming a soldier, then a good soldier."

"Do you know why he's so keen on being promoted to Platoon Leader?"

"To stay?" Lu Yang tentatively answered.

"Yes, to stay. Staying from Phase Three to Phase Four is already very difficult; staying from Phase Four to Phase Five in the Special Third Regiment, a heroic unit with a special title, is almost as hard as climbing to heaven."

"In the Regiment, the Fifth‑Phase Non‑commissioned Officers, i. e., Third‑Class Sergeants, each one is an elite combat jet, able to swipe enemies with just a few fingers…"

"Especially the sole Second‑Class Sergeant; even the Regiment Commander and Political Commissar, when they see him, must politely nod."

That compensation, compared to any Platoon Leader, must have prestige and be far more impressive. So, by contrast, the Acting Platoon Leader's regularization is actually easier.

Lu Yang also was taught; it turns out a Non-commissioned Officer can reach the end and become a truly formidable presence.

At least in compensation and status, even officers above the school level dare not look down on you.

That is the true pillar, truly a family with an elder is like having a treasure.

"I forgot to tell you, Zhou Kaidong, your New Recruit Squad Leader, and I are in the same unit; he is still in the First Platoon, Third Squad, while I am in the Third Platoon, Ninth Squad."

"What, you two know each other?"

"We're actually quite familiar! That guy often sneaks into our Ninth Squad, steals the instant noodles from my locker, just like a rat!"

Lu Yang instantly had a scene in his mind.

Zhou Kaidong tiptoed, like a sneaky dog, ran upstairs and stole things from other people's lockers.

This contrast is indeed far from the stern, severe image of the veteran Squad Leader he had in the New Recruit Company.

Cheng Jun smiled at him, lifting his chin: "Do you think it's quite funny, being completely different from the stern, severe Squad Leader image? It's normal; people have two sides. If I were to train new recruits, I wouldn't be as friendly as I am now."

"Well, when you become a veteran and a Squad Leader later, you'll know; if you're not fierce enough, those cheeky monkeys really aren't afraid of you, they truly can't be restrained."

"Deputy Leader, may I ask a question?" Lu Yang asked curiously.

"Ask?"

"As a Squad Leader, must one go to teach the team training?"