Mercenary's War

"Although it still seems unlikely, we have to give it a try to know."

Gao Yang said with a serious expression and nodded, as if speaking to others and himself, saying again, "We must try."

Alexander’s always serious face finally showed a bit of a smile, while Phoenix furrowed his brows and then nodded, saying, "It’s worth a try."

No one believed Gao Yang could do it; Phoenix was convinced it was impossible, Alexander held onto a faint hope, and Gao Yang himself considered it unlikely, but they had to try to see the difference.

At this moment, Cui Bo, looking carefree, said, "I don’t see the problem. Brother Yang, I’m sure you can do it."

Everyone looked at Cui Bo, who casually said to Gao Yang, "You will definitely succeed."

Gao Yang couldn’t help but laugh out loud, saying, "Why do you think I can surely do it? You know how difficult it is."

Phoenix just slightly shook his head without saying anything.

Cui Bo remained indifferent, "There’s no particular reason, you will surely succeed."

This was blind confidence.

Gao Yang took a deep breath and said to Alexander, "Then, if we are shooting here, arrange the target positions."

Alexander nodded repeatedly and then took out his walkie-talkie to call for the staff to start setting up target positions.

If one were an unknown but capable person, things would be easy. When everyone fails and suddenly someone succeeds, it scares the hell out of everyone, making them drop their jaws, and earns instant fame. Even if it doesn’t work, it wouldn’t be too embarrassing.

But if one is the renowned number one, when others have already failed, with hopes pinned on them, the feeling is not of glory but pressure.

Now, Gao Yang was that number one; others’ failures brought him no experience, only pressure.

While others began to busy themselves, Gao Yang went for a walk.

The shooting range was on the grassland; Gao Yang strolled leisurely on the grass holding Yelena’s hand.

"You know, in Africa, we had to run a long time every day just to get food. Sometimes you run for a long time and still get nothing, but that’s normal. Each hunt, every run represented hope. That’s why I loved running back then, loved it."

He crouched down, picked a tiny wildflower, placed it in Yelena’s hand, and smiled, "Our tribe often migrated, so I don’t have a special hometown concept, but it doesn’t matter because all sparse tree savannas in Africa look the same. I’ve been missing the grassland I lived on lately and even dreaming of running and chasing prey on it. These dreams usually come when I’m hungry."

Yelena smiled and said, "You should go see your tribal relatives, and you should take me. You said you’d introduce me to everyone."

Gao Yang nodded, saying, "Once things settle, we’ll go. Although I miss them, everyone in the Akuri tribe is like my family, and with family, you always have to be extremely careful."

Yelena said nothing, watching Gao Yang pick up a stone and throw it far away.

"Everyone thinks shooting is my best skill."

Yelena asked puzzled, "Isn’t it?"

"No, not shooting, not combat, not money-making, not that famous groin kick—what I’m best at is running!"

Explaining what he’s best at with a smile, Gao Yang said longingly, "Running freely, running hopefully while chasing prey, running disappointed when losing prey, running aimlessly, anything—once I start running, I forget everything. But only in Africa, only on the grassland; after leaving there, I couldn’t find that feeling."

After speaking with a hint of sadness, Gao Yang suddenly pointed around, "This place somewhat resembles it. Although the grass is different, the trees are different, the temperature is different, the people are different, everything is different, it just feels familiar. Perhaps it’s because it’s also a grassland, or maybe I just miss that grassland."

Yelena tidied her hair and said seriously to Gao Yang, "I’ll run with you, but you must take me."

Gao Yang suddenly turned serious and didn’t hesitate to say, "Once I’ve finished my business, we’ll marry, and then for our honeymoon we’ll go to Africa, and I’ll take you to run freely on that grassland."

Yelena smiled slightly, "It’s settled, no backing out, and no forgetting."

Gao Yang felt the pressure, compelling him to miss the grassland he lived on for three years. Three years wasn’t a long time, but it completely changed his life.

"The target is ready."

Hearing someone call out, Yelena suggested smiling, "Perhaps you could run back?"

Gao Yang shook his head and laughed, "No need, and it wouldn’t help."

Gripping Yelena’s hand confidently, Gao Yang said to her, "Okay, let’s go back, and see how I accomplish the impossible task."

Back at the shooting position gracefully, with everyone’s attention, Gao Yang lay down, picked up the rifle, and after closing his eyes thinking for a moment, suddenly shouted, "Let’s begin!"

With a beep, Gao Yang started shooting, aiming for precision, so his shooting rate was slow. After firing ten bullets, with another beep, Alexander announced, "One minute and forty seconds."

One minute and forty seconds is one hundred seconds, precisely ten times the bet time.

No one cared about Gao Yang’s first time shooting because everyone knew the first round was just a warm-up.

Gao Yang contemplated briefly, deciding not to gradually shorten the time, but to finish within ten seconds.

Timing again, Gao Yang took aim and started rapid shooting, the gunshots sounding continuously. When he finished the tenth shot, Jack exclaimed, "9.675 seconds!"

Hearing the time, Alexander quickly shouted with the walkie-talkie, "Report the targets! Report the targets!"

This kind of shooting couldn’t calculate the ring score; it only checked target hits.

The result came quickly; Gao Yang hit two out of ten, missing on eight.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Gao Yang frowned and asked, "What was the best previous score?"

Alexander, however, seemed pleased, smiling, "Ten shots with two hits, taking ten seconds; there’s also a ten shots three hits but took twelve seconds, and they all had at least two days’ preparation with hundreds of practice rounds."

Gao Yang sighed and said quietly, "Indeed, it’s impossible, too difficult."