Theory, speaking theoretically

"Is this how abilities are guided and improved?"

Chen Jing's explanations, together with those of the several old professors, suddenly made Lu Xin understand a great deal more.

As it turned out, Mental Mutants also needed training to make better use of their abilities. Still, he was probably different from them, wasn't he? After all, he had borrowed his ability from Sister. So how could he make his own ability stronger?

Although he still had some doubts, he decided to listen to them and undergo the tests properly.

For one thing, after what had happened with Qin Ran, he had realized that even with regard to many Mental Pollution incidents, the Special Pollution Processing Department still needed to conduct research. Research required data. Although he had always found his own situation difficult to understand, cooperating with them and providing some data might help them discover the real problem he was facing.

Thus, after pondering for a moment, he asked, "How do we test it?"

Chen Jing fell silent briefly before saying, "We'll take it step by step!"

As she spoke, she picked up a document and casually checked off a few items. Then she led Lu Xin toward an office. The old professors and expert-like figures followed behind, chatting and laughing as they came along. Gecko, meanwhile, stuck close to them. Although he wore sunglasses, it was difficult to conceal his curiosity toward Lu Xin—or rather, his curiosity about someone with the same ability.

"The first thing we'll test is your shooting ability!"

By the time they finished speaking, they had already arrived in a huge indoor room fitted with transparent bulletproof glass. Several targets stood at the far end.

Several staff members carried in a few pale-blue metal cases and placed them on a table near the wall.

When the cases were opened, the contents made Lu Xin's scalp prickle.

They were all guns, arranged neatly inside grooved linings and radiating a chilling presence.

Lu Xin didn't know much about guns, but he could still tell that the firearms inside came in many varieties. There were classic revolvers, Taurus pistols, semi-automatic rifles, submachine guns, and light and heavy machine guns. Their distinctive sheen showed that they were definitely not toys.

"You've never received professional firearms training, have you?"

Chen Jing turned to Lu Xin and said, "So I'll begin training you now!"

As she spoke, she took a black pistol from a nearby case, disassembled it, inspected it, loaded the bullets and magazine, disengaged the safety, then held it in one hand and fired at the target opposite them. An image appeared on the display: eight rings.

Chen Jing handed the pistol to Lu Xin and said, "All right. Training complete."

Lu Xin's expression grew strange. "That's it? What did you train me in?"

An old man with glasses standing nearby smiled at Lu Xin. "Theoretically speaking, you don't actually need training!"

"You only need to get familiar with it!"

Gecko interjected at the right moment. "For us, as long as we know how to disengage the safety and aim at the enemy, the training is complete!"

Lu Xin exhaled, doing his best to follow their train of thought.

He took the pistol and, under everyone's watchful gaze, tried hard to aim at the target opposite him.

The target was a full two hundred meters away. From where Lu Xin stood, he could see only a blurry mass.

"Bang!"

He fired.

An image appeared on the display, and everyone crowded around to look.

"Hmm, three rings..."

"No, that's the three rings on the neighboring target..."

Everyone around him looked at Lu Xin strangely.

Three rings on the neighboring target. Was this a Spider-type ability user?

That was it?

Lu Xin's face flushed. This shot had been even worse than the one he had fired earlier at Sifang Transportation Company.

"Don't be nervous!"

Gecko smiled at Lu Xin. "Everyone has trouble hitting accurately at first. You need to get used to it. After a bullet leaves the chamber, there's a powerful recoil. Your posture while holding the gun, the coordination of your muscles, the amount of force you use, and so on will all affect the bullet's accuracy. First, you need to sense the gun's own precision, then adjust your muscle strength and coordinate with it..."

Lu Xin took a deep breath and raised the gun again.

But as he held it up, his arm began to tremble uncontrollably. The gun was not light.

Moreover, no matter how hard he tried to look, the target opposite him remained only a blurry mass.

Lu Xin didn't know how to coordinate with the gun and fire the bullet he wanted.

So, somewhat awkwardly, he instinctively looked around, hoping to find Sister's figure...

"What is this?"

A cool little hand wrapped around the hand Lu Xin was using to hold the gun.

Lu Xin turned his head and saw that Sister had appeared beside him at some point, curiously examining the gun in his hand.

At that moment, Lu Xin suddenly felt a wondrous change take place in his body. It was as if every muscle and bone in his body—even his heartbeat and breathing—had come completely under his control. With each breath, this sensation grew stronger. After three breaths, he felt as though his entire body had transformed into a precision machine.

He looked toward the target opposite him, and his pupils contracted. The target suddenly became exceptionally clear.

Then his hand steadied like a machine. He gently pulled the trigger, and the recoil barely caused his arm to move.

An image appeared on the display: "Three rings!"

But before the people around him could show astonished and confused expressions, Lu Xin had already pulled the trigger again.

Bang, bang...

Two more bullets shot out. One struck the eight-ring position, while the other hit the red dot in the center.

Swish, swish, swish...

Everyone around him turned to look at the same time, their eyes filled with surprise as they waited to see what Lu Xin would do next.

But after firing those two bullets, Lu Xin did not fire again. Instead, he lowered his head and pondered for a moment. Then, all of a sudden, his hands crossed and removed the gun's chamber. He continued by taking apart the barrel, slide, recoil spring, slide frame, firing mechanism, and magazine. He even dismantled the bullets one by one. The entire gun instantly became a pile of parts that clattered across the table.

"What is this...?"

The people around him watched in growing astonishment.

Even Lu Xin was somewhat confused. He looked curiously toward Sister.

"Shooting isn't fun..."

Sister pouted and looked disdainfully at the parts on the floor. "Taking it apart is passable, though."

"This..."

Lu Xin shook his head helplessly, then turned to the others. "I don't really like using this. Can we test something else?"

The others looked at each other, evidently not expecting that answer from Lu Xin.

Gecko was especially surprised. "Brother, we're naturally born to play with guns! How can a Spider-type ability user get by without a gun?"

Lu Xin could only smile and say nothing.

"All right, all right. He's already demonstrated an aptitude for adapting to firearms. Let's try another kind!"

A bald old man nearby smiled as he smoothed things over. He had several fully armed soldiers standing at the door enter the room and line up by the wall with their guns. Then he cheerfully motioned for Lu Xin to stand opposite them. His little eyes glittered with apparent anticipation.

"What are you doing?"

Seeing the cold, grim firearms in the hands of the three armed soldiers, Lu Xin immediately grew wary.

"Dodging bullets..."

The bald old man smiled brightly. "Theoretically speaking, Spider-type ability users all possess astonishing perception and reaction speeds. So, at a distance of more than three meters, you should be able to dodge bullets."

He even comforted Lu Xin. "Don't worry. The soldiers are very experienced. They won't aim for vital points, so even if you can't dodge, you won't die..."

"This..."

Lu Xin seriously studied the three tall, muscular soldiers and the guns in their hands, then slowly shook his head.

He thought of the consequences of being injured and how his family might react.

"Let's forget it!"

Looking at the somewhat bald old professor, he said sincerely, "Theoretically speaking, I might indeed not die. But you might not be so lucky..."