One More Shot

Chapter 38: One More Shot

"You know medicine too?"

Jian Congsheng, walking beside him, asked in surprise.

"Just a little!"

Zhao Rui was telling the truth. He didn't have much talent for medicine, but since he had a teacher skilled in healing arts, he had to know a thing or two.

Over the years, he had also learned some superficial skills in using Internal Energy to heal injuries and treat illnesses, as well as emergency first aid.

"Student, I'm counting on you!"

The counselor, Liu Jie, had only recently graduated from university. She had a delicate appearance and a slender build, the image of a gentle, refined young woman from the south.

Suddenly encountering a student fainting had flustered her for a moment.

Hearing that a student knew medicine, she immediately grasped at a lifeline.

"Okay, I'll do my best! Please contact the accompanying doctor first."

"I'll contact them right away!"

Liu Jie hurriedly took out her phone and made a call.

Seeing her contact the school doctor, Zhao Rui crouched down, gently lifted the girl's fair white wrist, and placed his fingers lightly on her pulse. His brows furrowed slightly. After a moment, he reached out and supported the girl's spine, his fingers rapidly tapping points on her body.

Then, he slapped her upper back.

This scene startled the counselor, who was on the phone. Just as she was about to ask worriedly, the drill instructor called out to her, silently mouthing, "Martial Arts Student!"

The counselor paused, then stopped moving.

Just after Zhao Rui's palm strike, within a few breaths, the girl's eyelashes fluttered twice, and then she groggily opened her eyes.

"She's awake, she's awake!"

The students gathered around exclaimed in unison.

"Thank you, student."

The counselor teacher breathed a sigh of relief. This wasn't just about waking the girl up; it also lifted a heavy weight from her heart.

Having just become a counselor, she would have been disciplined if a student had encountered problems.

"You're welcome, teacher. Her body is a bit weak. This long journey might be too much for her; she needs to rest."

Zhao Rui said with a smile.

"Okay, thank you. Which class of Martial Arts are you in?"

The counselor tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and asked.

"Uh, I'm in your class!"

Zhao Rui scratched his head, a little embarrassed.

"Ah!"

The counselor's small, delicate lips parted slightly, and her elegant eyes widened, a look of surprise on her face. She had thought Zhao Rui was just a passing Martial Arts Student.

"You're not a Mar—"

Before she could finish, a voice came from the side: "The school doctor is here!"

Everyone quickly made way, and two accompanying doctors jogged over. They hurriedly crouched down and performed a basic examination on the girl.

After the examination, her condition was similar to what Zhao Rui had described – just weak.

Once finished, the school doctors administered two bottles of nutrient solution, gave a few instructions, and left.

After the school doctors left, both the counselor and the drill instructor breathed a sigh of relief.

"What are you all doing? Keep running!"

The drill instructor kicked lightly at the backsides of the male students who had gathered around, reorganizing the formation.

Just as Zhao Rui was about to rejoin the team, he was called back by counselor Liu Jie. "Stay here for a moment. We still need your help with something."

Zhao Rui stopped when he heard her and walked over.

Liu Jie said, "The drill instructor said you're a Martial Arts Student, and, well..."

She then glanced somewhat shyly at the listless, fainting girl beside her.

Zhao Rui instantly understood and smiled, saying, "Alright, I'll carry her!"

Liu Jie's eyes lit up with joy. "Thank you for your trouble. I don't want anyone to fall behind!"

"It's nothing!"

Zhao Rui smiled and walked to the front of the girl, crouching down slightly.

The girl's pretty face flushed. After a slight hesitation, she leaned onto Zhao Rui's back, her hands gently encircling his shoulders.

"I'm not taking advantage of you, you know!"

Zhao Rui didn't get up immediately but stated plainly.

The counselor listened to his words and couldn't help but chuckle, "I'll vouch for you."

"Alright then!"

Zhao Rui reached out and grabbed the girl's plump thigh, easily standing up. He took two quick steps and caught up with the marching group.

"Mmm..."

The girl felt a pair of warm hands on her legs, pressing firmly through the thin military training uniform. Her pretty face flushed even redder.

Seeing Zhao Rui effortlessly lift the girl onto his back as if she weighed nothing, Liu Jie's heart settled. She quickly followed, and the group continued towards their destination.

"What level Martial Artist are you?"

Walking alongside him, Liu Jie couldn't help but curiously ask about Zhao Rui's background.

"Level five!"

"What? Why didn't you apply to a Martial Arts academy?"

"My grades weren't good enough!"

"Oh, what a shame. I just took over, so I'm not too familiar with you all. Which dorm are you in?"

Liu Jie didn't press the topic further, as it involved personal privacy, and instead casually asked about trivial matters.

However, she couldn't ask many trivial questions because she was too tired. After running for only a short while, she was already out of breath and couldn't even speak properly.

But as a counselor, she had to lead by example and persevere. She couldn't falter before her students did.

"Um, Teacher, I actually have a way to make your run easier!"

Zhao Rui saw her clutching her stomach and gasping for breath as she ran, and couldn't help but speak up.

"What way?"

Liu Jie's spirits immediately lifted. Even the girl on Zhao Rui's back perked up her ears, eager to know the answer.

"I'll hold your hand and pull you along!"

"..."

Liu Jie froze, then playfully glared at Zhao Rui, saying, "What kind of method is that! You dare to tease your teacher."

Zhao Rui couldn't help but laugh, "It's a proper method. Ask the instructor if you don't believe me."

Liu Jie glanced at the long line and decisively rejected Zhao Rui's suggestion. Even if the method worked, she wouldn't use it. What would it look like for a teacher and student to hold hands?

"Ouch, reporting, Instructor, I've sprained my ankle!"

After running for a short while, another problem arose in the group. A girl fell to the ground, clutching her ankle and in pain.

Liu Jie endured her own fatigue and hurried over. After a quick look, she turned her gaze to Zhao Rui beside her.

"The capable should carry more of the burden. You can fix this, right?"

Zhao Rui gently set down the girl he was carrying and walked over. He crouched down and examined the fallen girl's ankle. There was no swelling, just a slight twist.

He then said to the girl, "Relax!"

He grabbed her foot, applied a subtle but precise force, and twisted it slightly. He then massaged her ankle with his fingers and said, "Alright, you can walk now, but be careful!"

The girl on the ground immediately rotated her ankle. It no longer hurt.

She said with a mix of happiness and helplessness, "I don't know whether to thank you or not. I have to run again!"

Hearing him, Zhao Rui couldn't help but smile and say, "I can make it twist even worse! Want to try?"

"No way! Hehe, thank you!"

The girl quickly stood up with a smile and, with the help of her roommate, hurried forward.

Seeing the girl return to the group at full strength, her classmates were all astonished. When they heard that Zhao Rui had healed her sprained ankle with just a twist and a gentle manipulation, they all marveled.

Meanwhile, seeing the girl with the sprained ankle rejoin the group, Zhao Rui picked up the girl beside him again and started to jog.

Liu Jie watched Zhao Rui's dashing figure and couldn't help but smile. She didn't expect to have such an interesting student in her class.

A level five Martial Artist!

Students like him rarely chose ordinary majors. They would either apply to a Martial Arts academy at a slightly lower-ranked school or pursue research-related majors connected to Martial Arts.

Someone like him was truly rare.

She wondered what his plans were. Had he given up on the path of Martial Arts?

Well, regardless, after military training, she had to make him the class monitor and give him more responsibility!

Zhao Rui was unaware that the counselor had already listed him as a potential future class monitor.

At this moment, he was enjoying the girl's delicate touch, uh, wiping his sweat.

In reality, he hadn't even sweated much. If not for the need to train his physique, he wouldn't have sweated at all with his internal energy circulating.

But the girl behind him felt she had to do something, so she kindly used her handkerchief to wipe his forehead.

"Shhh!"

This scene was witnessed by classmates running behind them, and they immediately started to tease.

They didn't know Zhao Rui was a Martial Artist; they only knew he knew medicine and had healed two classmates.

Seeing the situation, they all shouted, "Girls, rent out your backs! Who wants to rent? Wipe your sweat every ten minutes! Low-price promotion!"

"Tch, if I carry you, can you run with me?"

"Absolutely, I'm small, aren't I?"

A playful girl immediately called out the most arrogant boy, insisting he carry her and run.

In front of everyone, the boy could only reluctantly pick up the girl who had challenged him.

The girl wasn't heavy, but he had to run with her!

Gritting his teeth, the boy had only run a few dozen meters before he was too tired to stand and almost dropped the girl.

"What are you two causing a ruckus for? Go to the side of the road and do ten push-ups before coming back!"

The drill instructor, who had been away on other business, returned just then and, seeing this scene, immediately yelled to stop their antics.

Although the matter ended there, the way the classmates looked at Zhao Rui changed.

It was because Zhao Rui had carried the girl with such ease.

"A failed Martial Arts Student!"

This thought popped into everyone's minds.

Later on the path, two more girls ran into trouble: one's leg cramped up, and the other had low blood sugar.

Zhao Rui relieved their symptoms using his Internal Energy techniques.

This earned him admiring glances from all the girls.

The five-kilometer run wasn't the end of this military training hike; the journey from the school to the mountain camp was a full fifteen kilometers.

This five-kilometer run was just an appetizer; the remaining ten kilometers would be covered on foot.

The long line of people stretched on, like a winding giant dragon.

With so many people, there were naturally quite a few students who fell behind, all managed by the accompanying military medics and logistics personnel.

Unless you had a special circumstance, you had to crawl if you had to, but you had to get there.

Time passed, the distance decreased, and the scorching sun began to set, no longer as fierce as before.

"At your positions, rest in place!"

With the drill instructor's whistle, the five-kilometer obstacle run finally ended.

The students collapsed onto the ground without any regard for their image, gasping for air.

Many girls' training uniforms were already soaked through, revealing their colorful undergarments. Sweat dripped from their foreheads, making them look disheveled.

"Zhao Rui, thank you!"

Since they didn't have to run anymore, the girl on his back no longer needed Zhao Rui to carry her.

The girl lowered her head slightly, a little embarrassed.

"It's nothing, we're all classmates!"

Zhao Rui smiled generously, then said something to the drill instructor and counselor before jogging back to his position.

As soon as he reached his spot, a boy next to him leaned over enviously and whispered, "How did it feel?"

"How did what feel?"

Zhao Rui blinked.

"Soft?"

"..."

After less than ten minutes of rest, the team set off again. The remaining journey didn't involve running and was relatively easier.

But having already run so far, the students' stamina was completely depleted, and they were all exhausted.

The team moved forward like a worm, slowly making its way towards the base.

By around 4 PM, Zhao Rui and the others finally arrived at the open-air military camp built on the mountain.

"At your positions, at ease, attention!"

Following the drill instructor's commands, all the students reorganized themselves into square formations by company.

"Next, we will go to the shooting range in order. Each person gets two bullets. No one is allowed to move around. Obey commands!"

The drill instructor issued the orders with a serious expression. Live-fire target practice was no joke.

The team waited in place for about an hour before it was finally Zhao Rui's company's turn.

"Great, we finally get to touch a real gun!"

Everyone was excited. This was the real deal, not like the toy guns they played with normally.

One by one, they excitedly lined up, picked up their rifles, and under the drill instructor's command, they learned to shoot at the targets.

As the "bang bang" sounds echoed, the shooting range was instantly filled with a tense and solemn atmosphere.

"Missed, missed! Inner ring..."

"You're really embarrassing me."

The instructor looked at everyone's scores, so angry he picked up his rifle and fired twice. Instantly, two nine-ring scores appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Instructor is so amazing! Instructor is so handsome! Love you, instructor!"

There were more girls. Although they were at a disadvantage in the competition, the team-building atmosphere was definitely top-notch.

Soon, it was Zhao Rui's turn to shoot.

Zhao Rui picked up the rifle placed before him, feeling the coldness of the firearm. An urge to just spray bullets arose spontaneously.

Damn, do I have violent tendencies?

Zhao Rui's heart trembled slightly. Perhaps he had watched too many movies like this in his past life, finding them too exhilarating!

In this life, gun control wasn't strict, so he had to find an opportunity to experience it.

What exactly was "suppressive fire"!

Gathering his focus, Zhao Rui followed the instructor's guidance, aimed at the bullseye, and gently pulled the trigger. A powerful recoil immediately traveled up his shoulder.

Zhao Rui slightly adjusted the force in his arm, counteracting the recoil and keeping the muzzle steady, pointing forward.

With a bang, the bullet shot out, heading straight for the target rings a hundred meters away!

"Nine rings!"

As the score appeared, the surrounding classmates cheered. Especially those female classmates Zhao Rui had helped before, they were all incredibly happy.

"One more shot!"

The female classmates clamored, each finding their spot, waiting to witness Zhao Rui shoot again.

It was hard to refuse such enthusiasm. Since he had one shot left anyway, Zhao Rui raised the rifle again and, following the instructor's previous guidance, fired with a bang. Another bullet shot out.

"Ten rings!"

This time, the score was even better.

The girls erupted in cheers, while the boys fell silent!

There's no comparison without hurt.

The instructor also felt a bit awkward. He cleared his throat, walked over, took the rifle from Zhao Rui's hands, and said, "Shooting such good scores on your first try, not bad!"

After speaking, he raised the rifle and fired a few shots at the bullseye.

"Ten rings, ten rings, ten rings!"

"Instructor is amazing, instructor is too amazing!"

This time, everyone, regardless of gender, cheered along.

The spotlight instantly returned to the instructor. After all, he was also a man not yet twenty years old.

Zhao Rui rubbed his nose and quietly took two steps back.

"Well done!"

Liu Jie walked over, patted his shoulder, and said with a smile.

"Beginner's luck, pure luck."

Zhao Rui smiled. It was indeed luck, at most it was his good grasp of aiming in his past life, and in this life, with his internal energy as a foundation, it was easy to master!