What Was It Like Trading Shots with NIKO?

Jiang Yang had only recently begun seriously studying pre-aiming.

His learning speed was not slow at all—at the very least, it was much faster than most players'.

It was just that because of time constraints, he had only been mechanically training against a Bot on pre-aim maps.

He had yet to conduct any in-depth research into pre-aiming or discover its core logic.

Over this period, he had also come to understand something.

The fact that 30-year-old Jiang Yang had become a professional player without a system already proved that his talent was genuinely outstanding.

If he were willing to put in the effort, he would definitely be able to break down and analyze pre-aiming using his own logic.

But what he lacked most right now was time.

The things obtained from the System Mall and mission rewards could help him understand these gaming techniques faster, step onto the professional stage earlier, and challenge stronger opponents.

[NIKO's Pre-aim Technique] was outrageously expensive, but after experiencing it several times, Jiang Yang felt that the items in the System Mall were truly worth every point.

He only had 10,086 Comeback Points for now, but the Hex he had obtained before, 'Buy Now, Pay Later,' could help him make one purchase for free.

He would have to pay it back later, but a [signature skill] from a player at NIKO's level was not something that showed up every day.

But before that, he first checked the other items in today's mall.

After all, once he bought [NIKO's Pre-aim Technique], he would not be able to buy anything else.

[Dust II Positioning Compendium (Beginner)]

[Description: Improves understanding of Dust II positioning and helps Old Timer secure kills from better positions.]

[Value: 1,000 Comeback Points]

Jiang Yang raised an eyebrow. It had come at exactly the right time.

He had just considered changing his ranking strategy today and making his most familiar map his main map for climbing, and now an item that could improve his Dust II positioning had appeared.

He could definitely make use of it.

He continued scrolling down.

[One Lighter]

[Description: A one-yuan lighter that can be used to ignite objects. When you have nothing to do, you can also bite it and act weird.]

[Value: 10 Points.]

Jiang Yang fell silent. What normal person had nothing better to do than bite a lighter?

As for the final item, [One Danking Signature Design Blueprint], Jiang Yang did not even need to look at it.

He knew Danking. He was currently Tyloo's Sniper, and supposedly he had played for years without ever getting a sticker.

Jiang Yang had no idea what use a signature design blueprint like that could possibly have.

It was nothing but a tasteless burden—too bland to use, too wasteful to throw away.

After reviewing everything in the System Mall, Jiang Yang's thoughts gradually became clear.

[Consume 1,000 Comeback Points to purchase 'Dust II Positioning Compendium (Beginner)'?]

"Yeah!"

[The 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Hex card has been used. Purchase 'NIKO's Pre-aim Technique'?]

"Yeah!"

After finishing this round of purchases, Jiang Yang looked at his personal panel.

[Comeback Points: -90,914]

Damn, the pressure shot right up.

But he was already in a state where more debt meant less worry. After spending a huge sum on two items, Jiang Yang immediately opened his personal inventory.

"Use [Dust II Positioning Compendium (Beginner)]?"

"Yeah!"

The next second, images of Dust II began appearing in his mind.

From the Phone Booth at A Area CT Base, Behind Long Gun, Fake Door, Short Box, On Short Box, Dead Point, Below A2 Floor, and Above A2 Floor...

Jiang Yang saw different CTs appearing in different positions. He knew some of these positions, while others were relatively niche and ones he had never seen before.

For every relatively standard position across the entire map, Jiang Yang now had a rough idea in his mind.

But as for how to use those positions and how to use them to gain an advantage, he only had a general notion based on his past experience.

If he had not bought this positioning compendium, he could still have learned all of it gradually in ranked matches.

He would just have had to struggle through it and slowly master it, perhaps learning one or two positions in a match, or picking up another one or two after watching a video someday.

But the system had directly collected and organized all of it for him this time, allowing him to study it systematically. That made it immensely useful.

In Jiang Yang's opinion, this thing might have been worth far more than 1,000 Comeback Points.

Of course, it might also have been because the system believed that '30-year-old Jiang Yang' had absolutely no need to buy such basic things.

Instead, Jiang Yang had gotten a bargain out of it.

But the next item was the real main event!

Jiang Yang rubbed his hands together expectantly, and with a thought—

"Use [NIKO's Pre-aim Technique]?"

"Yeah!"

The next second, his consciousness suddenly sank into a space.

Jiang Yang curiously looked around, but his surroundings seemed to be shrouded in fog.

He sat before a computer, and familiar small text appeared in front of him.

[Please use any weapon and attempt to hold the angle where NIKO may swing out from A1...]

Hm?

Jiang Yang was somewhat surprised. So there really was a reason it was expensive. Something bought for 100,000 Comeback Points even came with a Simulation Space.

He was also looking forward to finding out what it felt like to trade shots with a pro. He had never tried it before.

After thinking it over, Jiang Yang chose to buy a Big Sniper and hold A1 directly.

The system had already told him that NIKO would swing out from A1, so the Big Sniper was definitely the best weapon for holding the angle.

Jiang Yang was extremely confident in his reaction time.

Although he had been using the MP9 a lot recently, a Big Sniper was relatively easier to use.

After scoping in, he focused his attention and held the A1 exit beside the Phone Booth at CT Base.

If the opponent swung out and he missed his first shot, he could immediately duck behind the nearby Cover and have a chance at a second shot.

He focused completely, his gaze fixed tightly on A1.

The next second, a Terrorist popped out from A1.

Jiang Yang immediately pulled the trigger.

Bang!

What rang out was the sound of an AK47. Jiang Yang did not even get a shot off before he was sent flying.

"What the hell, what was that?" Jiang Yang was stunned.

He felt that his reaction had already been very fast, but NIKO had swung out from A1 and instantly killed him.

And it had even been a single tap!

Two prompts appeared before him.

[Continue Attempt] and [Next Stage].

Jiang Yang decisively chose to continue.

He had great confidence in his reaction ability.

But NIKO swinging out and one-tapping him really was a little too terrifying.

Jiang Yang still chose the Big Sniper. After thinking it over this time, he chose to stand Behind Long Box and hold A1.

Behind Long Box was a relatively dangerous position in ranked matches because enemies from Mid could potentially attack it, but this was a 1v1 simulation, so he did not need to worry about that much.

He continued holding A1 with his Big Sniper.

His eyes stayed locked on A1, ready to fire at any moment.

Then NIKO's figure suddenly appeared, and Jiang Yang immediately pulled the trigger.

But the instant the bullet fired, Jiang Yang knew something was wrong, because he saw NIKO duck back.

Jiang Yang also ducked behind Cover and worked the bolt, then peeked out again. However, the moment he gained vision, an AK47 bullet had already passed through his head.

"No, why is he body swinging too?!"

Jiang Yang was getting a little heated.

When facing a top player head-on, his supremely confident reaction time seemed to have had no real effect.

But he was not stubborn either. After taking several deep breaths and steadying his mindset, he threw himself back into the confrontation with NIKO.

In the following exchanges, NIKO used more and more methods.

And he never repeated the same trick even once, making Jiang Yang miserable.

But through being killed again and again, Jiang Yang learned quickly, and his use of the Sniper Rifle became increasingly proficient.

He began to understand the relationship between holding angles and the distance from Cover, and he slowly began thinking about what his opponent intended to do during their duels.

Finally, after losing twelve lives, he killed NIKO for the first time with the Big Sniper.

Jiang Yang was incredibly excited at that moment. He had spent no small amount of effort to kill NIKO. Even if it was only once, it was still an impressive achievement.

[NIKO's pure pre-aiming alone has already made you suffer endlessly. You have finally understood the power of pre-aiming ability. Next, please enter NIKO's perspective and conduct one full-map pre-aiming run.]

After the system prompt, the scene before him shifted. Jiang Yang saw someone controlling a character and gradually advancing through Outer Site by Iron Plate on Nuke.

Like a robot vacuum, he swept out every possible hiding spot in his field of vision.

Watching NIKO's pre-aiming, Jiang Yang could not help but marvel.

NIKO's mouse movements were as smooth as if Kisame Hoshigaki had polished them. As he pre-aimed his way forward, aside from certain spots where the Crosshair needed deliberate adjustment for specific positioning, NIKO's pre-aim was always at head level.

A casual swing would put the Crosshair right on the head level of a standard position.

Wait!

A flash of inspiration suddenly struck Jiang Yang.

Pre-aiming was actually the act of aiming in advance under specific circumstances after understanding those fixed gun positions.

For pre-aiming at NIKO's level, merely practicing on the Yprac Aim Map Series as Leon Kai had suggested was nowhere near enough.

The key was having a concept of space in his mind. For example, if Jiang Yang stood at A1 and wanted to pre-aim the head level of the Long Box position—

Then, while standing at A1, he needed to construct a model of the A Bomb Site in his mind, with a CT holding A1 from Long Box. That way, the wall at A1 would basically cease to exist for him. When he swung out, his Crosshair would already be at head level, and he could instantly kill the CT Behind Long Box.

So pre-aiming was not merely about memorizing the map. It also required extremely strong Map Understanding and hand-eye coordination.

Inspiration surged through Jiang Yang's mind. At this moment, he was gradually beginning to understand what pre-aiming truly was.

I get it!

[Signature Skill: NIKO's Pre-aim Technique (Intermediate)]

[Progress: (0/5000)]

[Feature: After pre-aiming properly, greatly improves the accuracy of the first shot.]

There should be another chapter later tonight.