Who the Hell Were These People?!

Lu Yuanhang's face burned. Clapping a hand over it, he turned back furiously. "What gives you the right to hit me?!"

Feng Dayuan's gaze was cold and stern. "Hitting you was letting you off lightly. You ought to be court-martialed!"

"There weren't any bullets in the gun. I was just messing around with him." Thinking back on what he had done, Lu Yuanhang felt a little shaken himself, and his voice softened. "B-but he actually took my gun apart."

That was right. His movements had been swift and practiced, as though he had handled it thousands of times, or even more...

He was showing off on purpose!

And that Feng Dayuan actually dared to hit me?!

What was that nonsense about a court-martial?!

What a joke. Just wait until the court of public opinion gets its hands on you!

Apart from Lu Yuanhang's whining, all the other guests fell silent.

The looks they cast at Jian Li grew even more complicated.

Especially Best Actor Huo, who had not said a word throughout. An unusual emotion flickered in his eyes.

He suddenly stepped forward, picked up his CZ P10 C, and deftly disassembled it, laying the parts on the table one by one. Then he turned toward Jian Li. "Could you put it together for me?"

Jian Li: "..."

Was this guy testing me?

Or treating me like free labor?

Perhaps the beautiful, powerful, tragic villain's gaze was too intense, or perhaps Jian Li felt a kinship with a fellow sufferer in this angst-filled novel.

Whatever the reason, he somehow found himself walking over and starting to assemble it without another word.

He really had not been showing off. These were basic mercenary skills.

Whenever they had no missions and were bored out of their minds, everyone would assemble and disassemble their guns, then disassemble and assemble them again, as though competing in silence.

Over time, practice made perfect. They could do it with their eyes closed...

Twenty-eight seconds later, Jian Li handed the fully assembled metal weapon to Huo Xiao. "Bro, did I pass the test?"

Huo Xiao lowered his eyes, his gaze settling on those fair, long-fingered hands. His heart caught slightly before he took the gun the next second. "You..."

"Were great."

Comments streamed through the livestream chat.

[Aaaaaah, Xiao actually complimented someone! That's practically a miracle! He said Jian Li was great?! Am I seeing things? The chemistry is off the charts!]

[Do you seriously not think that was cool? Jian Li really was great! He snatched the gun from Lu Yuanhang and took it apart in no time. You only ever see stuff like that on TV, right?!]

[Weird. Jian Li went white with fear when he saw a gun on a variety show before. Why does he seem like a completely different person now?!]

[Don't care! I'm in love! As of this moment, I officially declare Jian Li's fan community open, and I'm its head fan!]

[Just flashy tricks. You people really haven't seen much! Obviously Jian Li practiced beforehand!]

[Beforehand? You couldn't do that with a whole fucking year of practice. Get lost, hater!]

"Are we doing circus tricks now?" Lu Yuanhang suddenly spoke up, interrupting them. "Shouldn't we be judging marksmanship at a shooting range?"

"So you're saying you're a great shot?" Yuan Feng snorted. "You couldn't even hold on to your gun. What right do you have to criticize?"

He really could not hold back anymore.

Not just because Lu Yuanhang was asking to be told off.

But because Jian Li's performance had been mind-blowing!

He had secretly timed him just now.

Twenty-eight seconds!

That was two seconds faster than the best record in the unit where he was interning!

How on earth had he done it?!

[Well said, little bro! I can't stand people like Lu Yuanhang, who have no limits when they're "joking"!]

[Does he have any idea where he is? What if there had been a round in the chamber? Would he only behave after getting someone killed? Does he think having a brother with superpowers puts him above the law?!]

[Haha, the nerve of him to call it circus tricks. If you weren't so useless, nobody would've had the chance!]

[...]

"Is everyone ready?" Feng Dayuan asked in a strong, booming voice. "Do you need me to go over the shooting basics again?"

Lu Yuanhang had wanted to speak, but when he saw everyone around him keeping quiet, he swallowed his words.

What a bunch of posers.

Acting like they could do everything.

They'd better not screw up in a minute!

The sun blazed overhead, and a cloud of dust swept across the shooting range.

A target stood a dozen or so meters away, unmoving in the wind.

"Who's going first?" Feng Dayuan asked.

Lu Yuanhang was just about to step forward when Feng Dayuan raised a hand and pointed. "You."

"Me?" Yuan Feng was taken completely by surprise.

Feng Dayuan nodded. "Yes, you."

Determined to stay in the background and conceal his undercover identity, Yuan Feng reluctantly walked forward. Yet the moment he aimed at the target, his expression suddenly turned serious.

By reflex, he stepped into position, lifted his hips, and tightened his two-handed grip, silently reciting,

Aim at the target, steady your breathing.

Align all three points, maintain your balance.

Gently squeeze the trigger, apply even pressure.

*...*

After three bangs, Yuan Feng came back to his senses, embarrassment flickering across his face as though he had just woken from a dream.

The target automatically returned to them. Feng Dayuan glanced at it. "Three tens. Not bad."

Not bad?

It was way too good!

It did not remotely fit his persona as the nation's little brother: a brainless talent-show debutant who had become popular through web dramas!

If my cover gets blown...

Fuck... I can kiss turning this internship into a permanent position goodbye!

Yuan Feng berated himself frantically inside, forcing out a smile uglier than a crying face.

The guests who shot next seemed to have been affected by his performance. Each looked serious and assumed a professional stance, followed by three bangs.

Feng Dayuan kept a stern face. "Luo Xiaohong, three eights."

"Shi Huayi, three eights."

"Zhou Nan, three eights as well."

All three nodded in unison. Good. A middling score would definitely keep them from standing out.

This way, no one could guess their true identities!

Just as they were feeling pleased with themselves, Feng Dayuan studied the target sheets for a long moment, then suddenly called out to the three as they headed back to the group. "Wait."

All three turned around, their smiles stiff. "What is it?"

"How did you put all three shots in exactly the same spot? Didn't your arms shake at all?"

Shi Huayi: Damn it, I actually forgot such an important detail!

Zhou Nan: Am I fucking brain-dead? Why didn't I aim a little off?

Luo Xiaohong: I can strike just as precisely with a steel whip. What's so special about a few bullets?!

Standing at the front of the group, Yuan Feng nearly jumped up and applauded. Compared to them, what was scoring three tens?!

After all, hitting the exact same spot was something only a shooting prodigy could...

Wait!

His expression suddenly changed as a thought struck him. Who the hell were these people?!

Without waiting for the three to answer, Feng Dayuan tipped his chin toward Jian Li. "Your turn."

"Okay." Jian Li walked up with his pistol. Without giving himself any time to aim, he raised his arm and fired three rounds.

He finished shooting so quickly that the livestream viewers barely had time to blink before the target sheet was in front of the camera.

[Holy shit?! Three tens?! The bullet holes line up perfectly?! Since when was Jian Li this badass?!]

[I thought the other guests were already insane, but Jian Li just unleashed his ultimate right in our faces. Was he pretending to be a coward all this time?!]

[Oh my god, oh my god, isn't he way too professional?! Time to rename this show. Please call us "Sharpshooters"...]