Chapter 33: The Assessment—A Decisive Showdown

The small gathering on the hillside behind the camp at dusk not only restored Wang Yanbing’s confidence, but also deepened the bonds between them.

Spurred by this brotherhood, the four helped each other and made rapid progress. Yet as their skills improved, the time allotted for recruit training quickly slipped away, and before they knew it, the final moments had arrived.

The ultimate challenge—the recruit assessment—was finally upon them!

During this period, with He Chenguang’s guidance, Xing Xiaolong, Li Erniu, and Wang Yanbing all made significant strides in marksmanship. While they couldn’t yet shoot tight clusters, hitting the bullseye every time was no longer a problem.

It must be said, He Chenguang, who had grown up handling firearms, possessed remarkable expertise. The little tips and tricks he shared were crucial to the trio’s swift improvement. Beyond shooting, He Chenguang proved to be a true brother. During their free time, he taught Xing Xiaolong and the others skills such as Sanshou, boxing, and grappling—professional combat techniques not even covered in regular recruit or army units. He even imparted his family’s breathing method for physical conditioning without reservation.

According to He Chenguang, this breathing technique came from his grandfather and belonged to the tradition of internal cultivation. Though it couldn’t unleash force across distances like in the movies, it worked wonders for fitness and strength. He Chenguang’s success as national youth champion in combat sports was largely thanks to this method.

Having acquired the legendary “internal energy,” even if it wasn’t as miraculous as the stories claimed, Li Erniu and Wang Yanbing were so excited they lost sleep for several nights. Xing Xiaolong was even more elated, walking around as if accompanied by his own soundtrack—he seemed to glide and float with joy!

Despite enjoying his days in the recruit company, Xing Xiaolong never forgot that once he left this world, dangerous situations awaited him. The more he learned, the stronger his ability to protect himself—and the greater his hope for survival. This mattered—it was a question of life and death.

…

Before the assessment began, Gong Jian, who always favored dramatic gestures, staged another grand spectacle for the recruits—

He brought in a squad of elite soldiers from the Sharpshooter Fourth Company, fully armed and equipped with top-tier weaponry.

When the recruits arrived at the training ground…

The first sight that greeted them was the array of armored infantry combat vehicles and all-terrain “bouncers,” their brand-new camouflage paint shimmering, steel bodies sharp-edged, exuding a wild, imposing aura.

In front of these specialized military vehicles stood a row of fully armed veterans, faces painted, standing rigidly with their rifles. Just looking at them created a sense of pressure.

Most striking were the snipers and spotters at the end of the formation, clad in uniquely shaped ghillie suits, which piqued everyone’s curiosity.

But the recruits’ attention ultimately settled elsewhere—not on the snipers and spotters in their strange attire, but on what lay in front of the veterans.

Spread out on a large oilcloth on the ground before the assembled soldiers was a dazzling array of firearms and weapons: everything from Type 92 pistols, Type 95 squad light machine guns, Type 88 sniper rifles, to rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles—over twenty types in all.

Standing opposite, the recruits were nearly overwhelmed, eyes wide in amazement.

Among them, Xing Xiaolong, Wang Yanbing, Li Erniu, and He Chenguang—the Four Musketeers—were all fixated on the sniper rifle.

Li Erniu, clueless about firearms, found the sniper rifle’s unusual shape intriguing and couldn’t help asking, “What kind of gun is that? It’s got two legs in front and a long tube on top. Doesn’t look anything like ours.”

“That’s a laser gun—pew pew—one shot, one kill. It’s amazing,” Wang Yanbing said with feigned seriousness, though the mischief in his eyes betrayed him.

“What nonsense, laser gun. Old Wang, if you’re going to fool people, at least make it believable,” Xing Xiaolong scoffed, while He Chenguang laughed and explained, “That’s a sniper rifle. The long tube you mentioned is a high-magnification scope for seeing far. The person using it is called a sniper.”

He Chenguang’s voice took on a tone of longing as he continued, “Both my father and grandfather were snipers. One day, I’ll be a sniper too.”

“Of course—you’re the best shot among us,” Li Erniu praised, giving a thumbs up. Then, like a curious child, he asked, “So why do those two veterans at the back dress like beggars? Is army life still that tough?”

His comment was so amusing that Xing Xiaolong, Wang Yanbing, and He Chenguang burst into laughter.

“What’s so funny? Isn’t it true?” Li Erniu asked, scratching his head in confusion.

Suppressing his laughter, Xing Xiaolong explained, “Erniu, those aren’t beggars’ clothes. It’s called a ghillie suit—battlefield camouflage. It’s expensive—could buy who knows how many sets of our uniforms.”

“Ghillie suit?” Li Erniu was baffled, and Wang Yanbing seized the moment to tease, “It’s called a ghillie suit because it brings luck, you know?”

“Oh, I get it!” Li Erniu nodded vigorously, “It’s like we say in the countryside, ‘A good name brings good fortune.’ People wearing those ragged clothes will have better luck—won’t die so easily in battle, right?”

“Pfft—hahaha!” Xing Xiaolong and Wang Yanbing laughed so hard they nearly spat.

“Erniu’s simple words cut right to the essence of the ghillie suit. Strong—got to hand it to him,” He Chenguang laughed, giving a thumbs up, thoroughly defeated by Erniu’s “wisdom.”

“Is it that funny?”

Suddenly, Old Hei’s intimidating voice rang out. The three quickly stifled their laughter, straightening up and changing expressions in an instant.

Old Hei swept his gaze over the four with sternness and barked, “To eliminate the enemy, you must see your target—but not let your target see you.

This suit helps you hide, lets you become a tree, a rock, mud, or dust, and keeps you alive. Do you still find it funny?”

…

None of the recruits dared make a sound. The four troublemakers looked innocent, as if none of it concerned them.

The rowdy group returned to order as Old Hei reorganized the formation. Instructor Gong Jian stepped forward and said, “Time flies—almost three months have passed, and your recruit training is nearly at its end.

I’m very glad to have met you and spent this enjoyable period in the recruit company together. I’m satisfied with the changes you’ve undergone; those changes are evident to all, and you can feel them yourselves.

The upcoming assessment is very important for all of you. There are some things I’ll say only once—so listen carefully and remember…”