Chapter 26: The Sovereign of the Battlefield

Wang Xiaoqiang slung Xue Bin over one shoulder and grabbed the gun case with the other, stepping out of the basement and straight into the cargo truck without so much as a glance at Cheng Ying, still stunned on the floor. He laid Xue Bin down in the passenger seat and drove straight to the same spot where they’d practiced shooting before.

Thirty minutes later, back in the same valley, Wang Xiaoqiang set up a target 400 meters away, then returned to Xue Bin’s side and said, “I can’t teach you how to shoot—your technique is your own. But I can teach you how to think.”

He pointed toward the distant target. “A gun is a weapon of death. A sniper rifle? That’s the king of guns. Once it fires, the battlefield tilts forever.”

“Back in ancient times, great generals would ride through ten thousand enemies and take the enemy commander’s head like plucking fruit from a pocket.”

“Today’s battlefield? The best sniper is the modern-day general.”

“See that red dot in the center of the target? That’s the enemy commander’s head. All you have to do is find a way to hit it—and you become the king of the field.”

He counted out five bullets and placed them on a wooden stump.

“A sniper scope gives you the sharpest possible lock on your target.”

“You’ve got five shots. Hit that red dot. Then we’ll see what you’re made of.” With that, he sat beside the stump and began practicing Yi Jin Jing.

Xue Bin blinked, not quite grasping everything—but one thing was clear: he had to use this rifle to hit the red dot far away. Quietly, he started assembling the sniper rifle. Twenty minutes passed. Finally, the weapon was ready. He loaded all five rounds into the magazine and took aim.

Through the scope, the red dot grew larger, sharper. He looked up, squinting with his naked eye. It blurred. He finally understood. He began switching back and forth between the scope and normal vision—repeatedly, deliberately.

*Bang.*

The first shot cracked through the air. Wang Xiaoqiang didn’t flinch. Still deep in his meditative world.

Missed. Xue Bin knew—he’d fired a pistol before. His bullet hadn’t even come close.

He paused. Thought about how it felt to fire a handgun. Adjusted his stance. Took aim again.

*Bang.*

Second shot. This time, the bullet struck the target—two rings. Xue Bin studied the impact.

*Bang.*

Third shot. Again, wide of the mark.

His brow furrowed. He sat back on the ground, staring blankly at the distant target.

Then he looked down at the rifle resting across his thighs. It trembled slightly with each breath.

And suddenly—stillness.

His breathing stopped.

The rifle froze.

Lightbulbs clicked behind his eyes.

He raised the rifle again, braced it on the stump, and aimed.

*Bang.*

Fourth shot. Six rings. He grinned.

He raised the rifle once more.

*Bang.*

Fifth shot. Two rings.

His frown deepened. He thought hard. Raised the rifle again.

*Click.*

No sound. Just the dry click of an empty chamber.

Xue Bin froze.

Wang Xiaoqiang opened his eyes.

“You’re out of chances today,” he said calmly. “You failed to take down the enemy general. You lost. Time to go home.”

Without another word, he turned and walked toward the truck.

Xue Bin stared at the ground for a moment, then seemed to understand. He began disassembling the rifle, packing it back into the case. Twenty minutes later, he climbed into the truck.

No more words on the drive home. They arrived at the orphanage in silence.

Once inside, Xue Bin went straight to the basement, sat on the bed, and stared at the sniper rifle case—lost in thought.

Meanwhile, Wang Xiaoqiang grabbed a cloth sack, stuffed in a submachine gun, then added a pistol loaded with fifteen rounds. He stood in the courtyard and called out, “Yingzi! Come out and say hi!”

A few seconds later, Cheng Ying poked her head out from the second-floor window. “What now?”

“Come on. Let’s go out. I’ll give you a chance—be my driver.”

Her eyes lit up instantly. She’d had her license for half a year, but never actually driven on the road. She bolted downstairs and followed Wang Xiaoqiang to the side of the road, where the Elora car waited.

“You drive. I’ll keep an eye on things,” he said, sliding into the passenger seat.

Cheng Ying was giddy. She ran her hands over the dashboard, touched the gear shift, peered into the mirrors—like a country girl seeing the big city for the first time.

“Cut it out,” Wang Xiaoqiang said. “It’s not like you’re meeting Zhou Dafu, the pretty boy.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re supposed to be the big brother. If you don’t stop talking nonsense, I’ll tickle you.”

“Fine, fine. No more jokes. Ready to drive? Know where the gas and brake are?”

“Pfft. You really think I’m a total rookie?” she scoffed.

She buckled up, adjusted the seat, checked the side mirrors—smooth, precise movements. Clearly trained. After five minutes, the car finally inched forward—slow, cautious, barely moving.

Wang Xiaoqiang didn’t rush her. “Take me to the appliance store on Main Street,” he said, then closed his eyes and relaxed.

New drivers? Teaching them won’t help. Experience is the only teacher. She didn’t know how hard to press the gas, or how to tap the brake just right to avoid jerking the car. Only miles would teach her.

About thirty minutes later, they reached the store—three kilometers total.

Wang Xiaoqiang stretched, glanced at Cheng Ying, drenched in sweat, and smiled. “Good job. Keep going. Wait here—I’ve got some business to take care of.”

He stepped into the shop.

The owner looked up, surprised. Most people were heading to town to loot. The power was out, the streets empty. Who’d come here?

Still, he offered a smile. “Young man, need anything?”

“I want to buy a freezer,” Wang Xiaoqiang said. “I see you’ve got five. I’ll take all of them. What’s your price?”

The man raised an eyebrow. “Kid… you serious?”

Wang Xiaoqiang smiled. “The world’s already gone to hell. Who’s got time for jokes? Give me a number.”

The owner hesitated. “Look, I won’t lie—you might laugh at me. But honestly, I don’t know what to charge. Money? Feels like paper now. No idea when order will return. And food? You can get it in town these days. So how do I even price this?”

“I get it,” Wang Xiaoqiang said. “Here’s my offer.” He pulled out his pistol and laid it on the counter.

“See this? How does that price sound?”

The shopkeeper jumped back, startled. He stared at the gun, wide-eyed.

“In this world, nobody knows what tomorrow brings,” Wang Xiaoqiang said calmly. “But if you’ve got a weapon in your hand, you’ve got a chance. Otherwise, you might not even survive the next day. Right?”

The man nodded slowly, still stunned.

“Don’t worry,” Wang Xiaoqiang continued. “I’m not threatening you. This is real. And trust me—this will be the new currency. More valuable than all your junk metal combined.”

After a long pause, the owner finally came to his senses. He stared at the gun for two full minutes, then said, “You’re right. So… how do you want to trade?”