Chapter 11: The Sniper God—Headshots from a Thousand Meters

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“A colonel? That’s the equivalent of a regimental commander or a deputy division chief. Why would someone of his rank show up at the Public Security Bureau? Judging by his demeanor, it looks like he’s here for me.”
Xing Xiaolong was deeply perplexed by the presence of this high-ranking officer at the local police station.

As Xing Xiaolong studied the middle-aged soldier with curiosity, the man also began to size him up, their gazes inevitably colliding.

In that very instant—

A surge of resonance unique to soldiers swept through Xing Xiaolong, making every hair on his body stand on end. The terrifying intensity in the officer’s eyes was like being caught in the pitch-black night, stalked by the predatory gaze of a tiger—death could come at any moment.

Such a penetrating, soul-chilling aura, that overwhelming presence—these were not qualities an ordinary soldier could possess.

“This old guy is something else. Could he be from one of those legendary, mysterious special forces units—so elusive that even after five years as a guard at regimental headquarters, I never once glimpsed them?”

Though Xing Xiaolong himself wore a uniform, he was just a regular guard. His days were spent either standing watch at the gate or patrolling the streets in a white cap, shield, and baton, rounding up disorderly soldiers.

Every soldier dreams of joining the special forces, and Xing Xiaolong was no exception—but for him, it remained just a dream.

Now, out of nowhere, a “suspected” special forces officer had appeared, and not just any officer, but apparently a seasoned veteran, and it seemed he had come specifically for Xing Xiaolong. Amidst his anxiety, excitement and anticipation surged even stronger within him.

What if, for example, his assigned role in the “CF Mall” was to be a special forces soldier, and now this officer had come to bring him back?

That would be a dream come true.

From the day he enlisted, Xing Xiaolong had aspired to join the special forces, yet after his service he was still just a “doorman.” But now, to be able to fulfill that lifelong ambition—even if only in another world—there could be no greater joy.

To tell the truth, faced with a man who might well be a special forces commander, Xing Xiaolong was so thrilled and nervous that he dared not utter a word.

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He behaved as meekly as a kindergartener.

The colonel took in every detail of Xing Xiaolong’s demeanor, his lips curling into a faint, inscrutable smile. His thick, dark eyebrows—like two black caterpillars—arched slightly upward.

He removed his cap and placed it at the top left corner of the desk. Without glancing at the files spread before him, he spoke with quiet authority: “Xing Xiaolong, born in 1992, twenty years old this year, abandoned as an infant, parents unknown, raised in the Meihao Welfare Institute, dropped out after middle school, currently unemployed…”

The colonel’s memory was extraordinary. It was clear he hadn’t had the files for long, yet he could recite the details crisply, word for word, without missing a beat.

“Do all special forces soldiers have such freakish memories?”
Xing Xiaolong was impressed by this display, and finally learned the details of his own background. The last weight on his heart was lifted.

As long as he wasn’t a “ghost on the books,” everything else would be manageable.

Having finished reciting the personal details, the colonel noticed Xing Xiaolong’s complete lack of reaction. His brows twitched again, as if quite satisfied with Xing Xiaolong’s composure.

Steadiness—one of a soldier’s core virtues!

But in reality, Xing Xiaolong was anything but calm inside; he was overwhelmed with excitement. His outward steadiness stemmed from the fact that he neither knew the colonel’s background nor his purpose in seeking him out, and was unsure how to respond. To avoid saying anything wrong, he simply chose to remain silent.

As it happened, this inadvertent move worked in his favor, earning him unexpected approval.

While Xing Xiaolong said nothing, the colonel, seasoned and adept, cut straight to the point: “I saw you fighting in the street this morning. Say what you will, but when it comes to taking a beating, you do have a knack for it.

If you were given a proper environment and targeted training, you could achieve great results and become someone of real value to the nation and society. But if you keep drifting aimlessly on the streets, you have only two paths ahead: either become the kind of scum everyone despises, or run afoul of the law and end up behind bars…”

“All right, enough, stop right there.”

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Xing Xiaolong cut the colonel off, rubbing his temples at the long-winded lecture: “No need for all that empty talk. Everyone knows those big truths. Just tell me what you want me to do.”

“Good, straightforward—I like your style.”

A gleam flashed in the colonel’s eyes once more; his satisfaction with Xing Xiaolong’s attitude only grew. In his mind, Xing Xiaolong’s blunt and forthright nature, his refusal to mince words or back down—this was exactly the kind of promising recruit he had come to find.

Since Xing Xiaolong wanted him to get to the point, the colonel obliged. He produced a file and tossed it onto the desk, saying briskly, “I want you to enlist. I’ve already handled all the paperwork for you; it’s all in this folder.

If you agree, just come and take it. Next Wednesday, report to the Armed Forces Department for your physical exam. If you’re not interested, I won’t force you—you’re free to leave at any time.”

“I’ve heard that as a soldier, you get food, drink, and a place to live—and there are even beautiful female soldiers around. Since I’m just drifting aimlessly anyway, I’d be a fool not to go. I’ll take the job.”

Xing Xiaolong grinned, stood up, strode over, and grabbed the file without hesitation. He didn’t rush to leave, but instead stroked his chin and asked curiously, “Judging by your bearing, you must be from the special forces, right? Does that mean I’ll be joining the special forces too? Also, could I be a sniper? My biggest dream in life is to be a sharpshooter—the kind who can take out a target with a single shot from a kilometer away.”

“Hahaha…”

The colonel burst out laughing, clapped Xing Xiaolong on the shoulder, and left him with a cryptic reply: “As long as you’re willing to work hard, nothing is impossible.”

With that, he put on his military cap, strode out of the interrogation room with the steady gait of a dragon or tiger.

“Nothing is impossible, huh?”

Xing Xiaolong rubbed his gold ring with his left thumb, glanced at the mission panel that had appeared before his eyes—already advanced to the second stage of special training—and an enigmatic smile played about his lips.