Chapter 213 Even a fleet-footed runner can’t escape (Part one)
Instructor Yan continued, “I’ve got good news for you, there are now 21 teams still in the competition, and our 5th MR hasn’t been eliminated yet. Now we’ve broken our record of 22nd place and are in the top 21; maybe we can even enter the top 20. But I must tell you, all of this was achieved by Xu Cheng for our MR. I hope you will respect him from the bottom of your hearts because he can do what you can’t. No matter what place we win this year, I think you must go back and train harder, so you don’t hinder Xu Cheng and make him lose just because of you guys. Like this time, you didn’t give him the least bit of help. If you know your mistakes and feel ashamed, next year I hope I can see the result of your efforts.”
The soldiers nodded. “Head, don’t worry, we promise we’ll not become Captain Xu Cheng’s burden next year. Having witnessed the abilities of the senior soldiers from other MRs, we’ll remain humble and try not to disappoint Captain Xu Cheng again.”
Instructor Yan said, “Very good! Then I’ll wait and see your performance next year. That’s all I want to hear from you.”
Casting a glance at Hu Bing who remained silent under his jacket, Instructor Yan left.
“Captain Xu Cheng is amazing, he actually took out two MRs!”
“From the way he teased us in the training competition, I knew he was an experienced good soldier!”
“Many veterans admire Captain Xu Cheng. It turns out that he’s indeed strong; his strength makes people bow to him willingly.”
“Yeah. The head instructor is right. If we could have gotten him some more opportunities this time or even just covered for him, we might have moved to a higher position. What a pity.”
As they talked, one of the rookies was considerate and nudged the speaker while glancing at Hu Bing, reminding him that they were neglecting him.
Hu Bing had pulled up his jacket and the others could see his eyes were red-rimmed.
They all looked at him, and someone who was close to him even patted his shoulder, trying to comfort him.
After a long while, Hu Bing said, “I’m sorry. I know it’s too late to say that, but I still want to apologize. I should thank all of you for training with me; thank you, Old Wang, for sacrificing yourself to protect me at the critical moments. Thank you.”
Then, he bowed deeply to the other soldiers and remained in this position for more than ten seconds.
Finally, Old Wang grinned. “Anyway, we’re a team. If we don’t work together, how can we fight other teams? Hu Bing, be confident in yourself and your comrades! We’ll come back next year!”
Hu Bing let out a bitter laugh. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to join you next year because I won’t be allowed to stay in the MR after this. Brothers, thank you for tolerating me.”
The other soldiers exchanged a look and then smiled at him. “It’s fine. It’s true that your abilities are the best among us. When we get back, I’ll give you my playboy magazine collection hidden under my pillow.”
Hu Bing laughed.
Standing at the door, Instructor Yan smiled; lighting a cigarette, he took a few puffs and then left. After this failure, the newbies would learn to be humble and become more mature in mind.
On the battlefield, a sniper rifle shot broke the silence in the zone of the 33rdMR.
A soldier hiding in the bushes was eliminated by a headshot and caused an uproar among the other soldiers.
“Enemies!” Captain Huang He of the 33rd MR yelled and tried to contact the scout on the hillside. Receiving no reply, he knew that their eye had been eliminated.
Chapter 213 Even a fleet-footed runner can’t escape (Part two)
“Retreat and gather with our friends of the 28th MR.” Huang He yelled, and all the soldiers rose from their cover.
They were all within Xu Cheng’s range of sniping. Xu Cheng’s lips curved up slightly as he aimed at the back of the helmet of a slow-moving guy.
Bam!
The soldier immediately fell; then with three shots, another three soldiers were eliminated.
Looking at the four eliminated teammates and the positions of the red paint, Huang He immediately determined the direction of the sniper; he yelled, “Get in cover! Our enemy is a sniper! Our eye’s already been eliminated!”
At this moment, the soldiers of the 13th MR heard the gunshots and came to investigate.
“Captain Huang, the bastards of the 13th MR have come; do we run or not?”
Huang He: “No, we can’t. The sniper is good and has gotten five of our soldiers. He must be on the hillside. His marksmanship is excellent since he can hit us from so far away.”
At this moment, his teammates hiding behind the big tree panted and said, “Captain Huang, there are no good snipers in the 13th MR. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”
Huang He narrowed his eyes. “That’s what I’m worried about. If that’s true, it means we’re targeted by soldiers from two teams.”
“You mean just as we did, they also joined hands to deal with us and will then split the loot?”
“Captain Huang, Pao is fast. He can run in and get the 28th MR to help us.”
Huang He shook his head. “No. Sniping one moving target is very easy. We don’t know how many snipers they have. Just now, they got five of us in ten seconds. Do you think they were killed by one sniper? I think there are at least three of them. Despite A’Pao’s (TL Note: a common nickname format to add A’ in front of the first name) fast speed, he’d be in danger if three snipers shoot at him.”
Huang He took off his jacket to test the waters; if the sniper was still aiming at their spot, he would shoot at the jacket.
When his jacket was tossed out and dropped to the ground, no shots came.
Huang He sighed in relief. “It seems that they left. A’Pao, go and get back-up from the 28th MR. We’ll cover for you and block the 33rd MR.”
A’Pao nodded. “Don’t worry. I was the champion of the national running competition in the army and the world record holder of the 100-meter sprint. Even if the sniper is still there, I’d leave him in the dust.”
Huang He nodded. “Old Tie, take off your jacket and try again. If no shot comes as the jacket falls on the ground, A’Pao, you can dash out.”
A’Pao nodded and then Old Tie tossed his jacket out of their vision range.
Xu Cheng aimed at them but didn’t fire; he snorted, “Man, you’re indeed cautious. Tossing once wasn’t enough, you have to do it again.”
He felt speechless, thinking, “I can see everything with my penetrating vision and knew you would toss out your jackets. If the sniper bullets could pierce the big tree, I’d have blind-sniped you guys long ago!”
Hearing no shots when Old Tie’s jacket flew out and landed, A’Pao, the fleet-footed runner, dashed out; meanwhile a sniper shot came, and Huang He and his comrades watched as A’Pao was shot down from midair and dropped to the ground on his face…
“Fack!” they yelled at the same time.
In the spectator center, some commanders gasped.
“Any melee elites would be killed by this sniper with one shot. And if one shot wasn’t enough, at most two shots!”