The thought flashed through her mind, only to be completely dispersed by Lu Shiyan’s even faster, more cunning feint followed by a sudden close-quarters attack.
Su Wan was too slow to dodge and was gently pulled by Lu Shiyan’s arm, instantly losing her balance and stumbling a few steps to the side, nearly falling.
She had to concentrate fully just to endure this training, which she perceived as completely unequal.
The training room was filled only with the whooshing sound of fists and feet cutting through the air, the scuffing of their feet on the ground as they moved quickly, and Su Wan’s increasingly heavy breathing.
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Shiyan finally stopped.
With a “thump,” Su Wan’s legs gave out, and she could no longer support herself, collapsing onto the ground like a pile of mud. Her throat felt fiery, and she gasped for air, her chest heaving violently. Sweat completely soaked her clothes, making them cling to her body, leaving her in a disheveled state. She felt as if she were on the verge of collapse.
Looking at Lu Shiyan, he merely had a slight fluctuation in his breathing, and a few fine beads of sweat appeared on his temples. Other than that, his expression was normal. His stamina was simply inhuman, Su Wan cursed silently in her heart.
“Get up.”
Su Wan struggled to get up but found her limbs weak, and several attempts proved futile. “I… I need… to rest for a bit…” she said, out of breath and with a hoarse voice.
“Next, shooting.” Lu Shiyan gave her no chance to catch her breath.
Su Wan: “…”
Is this even possible?! She barely had the strength to lift a finger now, and shooting? Was she supposed to kill the target with her eyes?
She laboriously turned her head and glared fiercely at Lu Shiyan’s back, though, of course, he didn't notice.
Xiao Han, watching from the side, shook his head, clicking his tongue in wonder, a smile on his face as if enjoying a good show: “Lu Da Shao, are you trying to turn the little pregnant woman into a super warrior?”
“You’re too harsh. Aren’t you afraid of overtraining her? Su Wan, she’s still pregnant, aren’t you afraid of hurting the baby?”
While it was a very fast pace for Su Wan, in Xiao Han’s eyes, Lu Shiyan was simply teaching a primary school student, not putting in any effort at all.
Lu Shiyan ignored Xiao Han’s teasing, took out two pistols, and handed one to Su Wan. The gun was dark and emitted a cold metallic sheen: “Don’t worry, the child will be fine. Hold it properly.”
Su Wan laboriously reached out and took the gun. It was cold and heavy in her hand, making her wrist sink slightly. She tried to adjust her breathing, attempting to calm her heart, which felt like it was about to leap out of her throat.
“Stance.” Lu Shiyan’s voice sounded beside her, carrying an undeniable command. He walked behind Su Wan, reached out, and, through her thin clothing, adjusted her shoulder and arm posture.
“Feet shoulder-width apart, body slightly leaning forward, weight centered between your feet. Arms naturally extended, but don’t lock your elbows; maintain a slight flex.”
His fingers occasionally brushed her arm or back, a slightly cool touch that made Su Wan a bit uncomfortable, but more so, it was a sense of focus.
“Hold the gun steadily, but not too tightly. Too much is as bad as too little; it will affect accuracy.” Lu Shiyan’s voice continued, like the most precise caliper, “The web of your hand should align with the rear of the gun body, fingers naturally curved, index finger’s first joint lightly on the trigger, ensuring vertical force from the fingertip.”
He reached out and covered Su Wan’s hand on the gun, enveloping hers with his palm, meticulously adjusting her finger placement. His palm was broad and strong, with slight calluses, and it enveloped her hand, bringing a curious sense of stability and security. Su Wan felt her heart skip a beat, and her cheeks flushed slightly. She quickly refocused her attention on the cold gun.
“When aiming, the front sight, rear sight, and target should form a straight line. Focus your attention on the front sight; the target can be clear or slightly blurry, but the front sight must be clear.”
Su Wan followed his instructions, trying to aim at the distant target. At first, the front sight wavered in her vision, and her gun-holding hand was still a bit weak from the previous training.
“Breathe.” Lu Shiyan reminded, “Before shooting, take a deep breath, then exhale slowly. As you are about to finish exhaling, or after you have fully exhaled, hold your breath and pull the trigger.”
“Bang!” A gunshot rang out, and the bullet missed the bullseye by quite a bit.
Su Wan felt a little discouraged.
“It’s normal.” Lu Shiyan seemed to have anticipated it. “Insufficient arm strength, coupled with the exhaustive training just now, affected your stability. Again.”
“Don’t let your wrist wobble. Pull the trigger smoothly; don’t jerk it.” Lu Shiyan’s voice remained calm.
Su Wan gritted her teeth, a surge of stubbornness rising within her. She refused to believe she couldn't even do this simple thing. She was a “genius”! Though self-proclaimed.
She readjusted her breathing, recalling every one of Lu Shiyan’s instructions, raising the gun, aiming, and shooting over and over again. Gunshots continuously echoed in the training room, deafening. The bullets initially went wildly off target, but gradually, they began to approach the bullseye. Although she still couldn’t achieve high scores, at least she was no longer missing the target entirely.
Lu Shiyan did not offer much more verbal guidance; he simply stood quietly by her side, occasionally correcting her with a concise word or two when she made obvious mistakes.
This woman, appearing delicate, had a fierce streak deep down.
The next day.
The base’s supply distribution area was packed with people, a dense, dark crowd.
Su Wan stayed close to Lu Shiyan, standing on the periphery of the crowd.
This was her first time witnessing such a large-scale supply distribution within the base. A suffocating tension hung in the air, making it hard to breathe. Various whispers merged into a buzzing sound.
“Tsk, this scene is more lively than a vegetable market fighting over discounted eggs,” Xiao Han said, standing beside them.
“Don’t let your guard down,” Lu Shiyan said with an indifferent expression. “Pan Yong specifically told us to come and watch; there must be something fishy behind this supply distribution.”
Just then, a team of guards in uniform black uniforms appeared on the high platform. Each of them had a stern expression, and their waists were bulky, clearly indicating they were armed. They escorted a tall man onto the platform. It was Scorpion!
As he appeared, the commotion in the crowd below quieted considerably.
“Today’s supply distribution is a little special,” Scorpion began.
“To the residents of Sector B and Sector C,” he drawled, his gaze sweeping over the dense crowd below, carrying undisguised mockery and malice, “What do you want? Food? Medicine? Or… your worthless lives?”
As soon as his words fell, a suppressed commotion immediately erupted in the crowd below, but it quickly subsided under his cold sneer, leaving only heavy breathing.
The murmuring of the crowd below grew louder, mixed with uneasy shuffling and suppressed sobs. Everyone felt vulnerable, yet they craned their necks, eager to see the drama that was about to unfold on the high platform.
“Bring them up!” Scorpion waved his arm abruptly.