I watched the twenty-two young, rebellious officers with genuine admiration, noting their immediate decision-making when the situation demanded it.

Wu Hui poked the heavy lead suit lying on the ground and discovered that the seemingly soft material was actually quite rigid due to its sheer weight.

“This thing must be tougher than the bulletproof vests we have down at the bureau,” Wu Hui mused, stroking his chin with the air of a seasoned scholar, nodding in repeated appreciation.

Everyone watched Qin Fen put the heavy lead suit back on, clicking their tongues again. Wu Hui had tried to lift it earlier; the weight was astonishing. How could it look as light as a feather in the hands of this team leader?

The four-thousand-jin heavy lead suit was back in place. Qin Fen looked up at Yu Xiao: “Gun vs. Gun?”

“Bring it on!” Yu Xiao’s eyebrow arched, a confident smile blooming at the corner of his lips. “Shooting isn't about strength.”

Qin Fen smiled, offering no rebuttal. If one counted techniques like the 'Thunder Cloud Storm' as firearms, then a gun competition could also be a contest of strength, in which case Qin Fen was a sweeping, monstrous anomaly.

“Old Yu, you have to win this one.”

“Old Yu, we just lost one round; don't lose another!”

The rebellious officers poured out of the martial arts room, shouting encouragement. People from both office buildings peered curiously out of the windows. Why did these troublemakers seem so friendly with the newly arrived Deputy Branch Captain? Was Yu Xiao setting up a match? What kind of competition? A shooting contest?

“Don’t worry about a thing!” Yu Xiao shouted, slinging an arm over Lin’s shoulder. “Have you ever seen me lose a shooting contest? Remember that hostage situation? Who got the headshot? Me! Eight hundred meters! Right between the eyes!”

A burst of confident shouting immediately drew the attention of the officers in the building, pulling everyone back to the memory of that famous sniper engagement.

That time, the kidnapper was strapped with explosives and used a large, fat man as a shield while holding an ancient Type 54 pistol, leaving almost no opportunity for a clean shot. Yu Xiao had squatted there for half an hour, waiting for the perfect moment, and brought the kidnapper down with one shot.

The Little Gun King was going to compete against the new Branch Captain in a shooting match? People craned their necks out of the windows, listening intently to the conversation to confirm their earlier guesses.

“Branch Captain,” Lin Feng turned to Qin Fen. “If Yu Xiao beats you, then we’re tied one to one. What then?”

“Then I count it as a loss.”

...

The bustling crowd quieted down. The police officers peering from both buildings stared at Qin Fen as if he were an oddity. This Branch Captain truly didn't know his limits. While the rebellious officers were hard to manage, Yu Xiao’s marksmanship was legendary; he was known as the Little Gun King.

Yu Xiao stopped his steps and turned back to Qin Fen, his expression slightly strange. “Branch Captain, I’ll be honest with you. My uncle told me that strictly in terms of marksmanship, I could have qualified as an Ace Shooter the moment I entered the army.”

Qin Fen smiled. “Ace Shooter? I just play around with that.”

In the quiet courtyard, Qin Fen’s voice wasn't loud, but everyone heard it clearly.

Ace Shooter? Just playing around? Yu Xiao let out a wry chuckle. “Branch Captain, that cold joke isn’t funny at all.”

All the police officers in both buildings quickly pulled their heads back inside, rushing to check the work on their desks. Several officers whose shifts were ending excitedly grabbed their jackets and bolted for the door. The Little Gun King was competing again today, and clearly, that last statement had provoked him; they expected him to perform spectacularly.

The police station’s shooting range wasn't large, and it usually wasn't crowded, but today it was unexpectedly ‘full house.’

“Branch Captain,” Yu Xiao stood before the firing line. “I need to confirm one last time: how good is your actual shooting skill?”

Qin Fen frowned slightly. Setting aside his gunsmithing talents, he could still hold his own against the Gun King—not exactly weak.

“Not bad,” Qin Fen replied seriously. After thinking for a moment, he added, “My instructor once said that if we disregard martial arts prowess, in terms of pure shooting ability, I could easily rank in the top fifty.”

Top fifty? Yu Xiao’s cheek muscles twitched repeatedly. Top fifty in the entire Federation? What a joke! He himself could barely claim top fifty in East Asia! With that level of skill, how could this new Branch Captain possibly end up as a Deputy Director and Deputy Branch Captain in a backwater place like Tianbei City? Wouldn't the military be cherishing him like a treasure?

That skill level was high enough for assassinating terrorist leaders!

A stir went through the crowd. Top fifty in the Federation? People shook their heads repeatedly; this boast was too outrageous! If he’d said top fifty in Zhongzhou, people might have believed it, but the entire Federation?

“Old Yu, take down our Branch Captain, and you can claim to be top fifty in the Federation too!” Wu Hui called out with a chuckle.

The remark drew laughter from the crowd. This new Deputy Branch Captain, desperate to suppress his subordinate, was resorting to bragging at a crucial moment, trying to mess with his opponent’s focus. The tactic was rather clumsy.

“Since you claim to be top fifty in the Federation…” Yu Xiao’s smile held a trace of mockery. “Then, Branch Captain, you choose the rules of the competition?”

Qin Fen glanced at the calluses on Yu Xiao’s web between his thumb and index finger—a silent medal of honor for any shooter. This single gesture drew a look of pride from Yu Xiao.

“I assume your skills with both stationary and moving targets are good,” Qin Fen said, lightly tapping the shooting bench with his finger. “Why don't you suggest the method where you feel you have the greatest advantage?”

Yu Xiao’s face, usually fixed in a smirk or a proud grin, now showed confusion. Was this man simply arrogant and ignorant, or did he genuinely believe projecting such an aura could disrupt the focus of an Ace Shooter?

“Very well!” Yu Xiao didn’t decline. “We will combine disassembly, reassembly, and firing. Whoever can completely strip and then reassemble a pistol in the shortest time, and shoot most accurately, wins.”

Qin Fen nodded. The rules were set.

For fairness, they could choose any handgun currently available at the police station.

Yu Xiao pointed at Qin Fen. “I will use whatever handgun the Branch Captain uses.”

“HKK.”

Qin Fen stated calmly the weapon he had used in past missions. Yu Xiao’s eyes brightened; the man had taste.

Two HK45Cs were placed before them. Qin Fen nodded, indicating he was ready. Yu Xiao shrugged, signaling his readiness as well.

Yu Xiao had participated in this type of competition more than once; he had never lost. To this day, he held the handgun shooting record for Tianbei City.

Fastest disassembly, fastest assembly, fastest firing, most accurate shooting! All four records belonged to Yu Xiao!

Several administrative staff watched with amusement. Would the Branch Captain, after witnessing Yu Xiao’s marksmanship, feel so embarrassed by the stark difference in skill that he would resign?

Others nodded thoughtfully. It seemed this rebellious officer intended to use his actual skill to humiliate the Branch Captain today, forcing him to back off gracefully.

Yu Xiao observed Qin Fen from the corner of his eye. There was no trace of impatience on the man, like an unmoving mountain. Where did his confidence come from? He didn’t even have significant calluses on his firing hand! Was it all pretense? If he lost, would he be deeply humiliated?

“Ready~~~” Wu Hui, acting as the impromptu referee, drew out the word and waved his hand. “Begin!”

Beep...

Several stopwatches instantly started ticking rapidly. Yu Xiao held the gun, his hands moving like blurs over the frame, creating an afterimage effect that brought to mind his nickname, ‘Sleeve of Shadows Yu Xiao,’ for his disassembly and assembly skills.

Qin Fen picked up his gun, and few people paid him much attention; most preferred watching Yu Xiao’s dismantling, which bordered on art.

Clatter...

Qin Fen’s wrist flicked, and the HK45C instantly disintegrated into a pile of parts.

The eyes of several rebellious recruits who had come to see Qin Fen’s real skill went wide. What was that? How could he disassemble a gun without even seeming to touch it?

As the parts were still falling towards the gun rest, Qin Fen’s other hand moved! Both hands reassembled the parts in a motion so fast it was clearly visible to the naked eye, yet seemingly impossible.

The entire process was incredibly brief! So brief that the parts never actually hit the table; they disassembled and reassembled perfectly in mid-air!

It was as if Qin Fen had simply let go, the gun fell towards the rest, and he caught the completed weapon mid-air.

His extremely stable hands, moving at super-high speeds, gave the impression that the process was slow.

Yu Xiao hadn't even finished dismantling his gun when the sound of a gunshot rang out from Qin Fen’s station next door.

Impossible? A misfire? Yu Xiao looked up toward the distant target, which fell in response. If it was a misfire, how could it coincidentally hit the target?

Was he cheating? Yu Xiao glanced at the referee while hearing nine more shots from Qin Fen’s side. The nine targets in the distance fell in sequence.

Qin Fen was done? Yu Xiao looked at the referee with a questioning gaze, expecting to hear, “Qin Fen cheated; he fired without disassembling the gun.”

However, what Yu Xiao saw were the referee's eyes, wide and frozen, staring blankly at Qin Fen, filled with the silent question: ‘How is this possible?’

The few rebellious recruits who had been watching Qin Fen disassemble, reassemble, and shoot nearly had their eyeballs pop out. The Little Gun King, who swept Tianbei City, was nothing more than a mere infant before the Branch Captain.

Done already? More officers, who hadn't seen Qin Fen’s disassembly and reassembly, stared intently at the man who had already set his gun down. Had he cheated? Had he skipped the disassembly?

Qin Fen leaned back, observing the half-dismantled gun in Yu Xiao’s hands, and nodded slightly. “Not bad, about as fast as I estimated.”

Estimated? Yu Xiao violently shook his head, turned to the referee, and demanded, “I request to view the competition recording.”

An electronic projection screen popped up on the range, displaying the footage of Qin Fen’s disassembly and reassembly.

“Heavens…”

“How did he do that?”

“He just flicked his wrist and the gun fell apart?”

Gasps of astonishment rose one after another as people stared at Qin Fen in disbelief.

Yu Xiao stared blankly at the screen, swallowed hard, and slowly nodded in praise. “Miraculous skill…”

After a long pause, Yu Xiao regained his composure. “Branch Captain, we can have another round…”

Bang!

Before Yu Xiao could finish speaking, Qin Fen had already raised his arm and flicked his wrist, firing the gun. This time, the distant target did not fall.

Most of the officers laughed. That shot was completely below standard—a complete miss!

Yu Xiao remained silent. He stared at Qin Fen for a moment, then suddenly vaulted into the firing range, moving like a monkey descending a mountain gorge, agilely and rapidly toward the targets.

“This…”

Yu Xiao stared dumbly behind the target. There was a bullet mark there! Comparing it to the previous targets, this mark behind the target was precisely on the center bullseye.

Curving trajectory? Yu Xiao rubbed his wide eyes hard; the mark remained.

Curving trajectory! Curving trajectory! Yu Xiao shuddered, feeling as if steel had been grafted onto his neck. He painfully turned his head to look at Qin Fen. “This…”

Bang!

Another shot rang out!

Yu Xiao felt the projectile graze past the side of his head, followed by a crisp sound against the wall behind him. He turned back again.

Curving trajectory! It was another curving shot! Yu Xiao stared blankly at the wall behind his head, where a mark corresponded precisely to his current location.

When did he fire? Yu Xiao suddenly realized another critical question: When the Branch Captain fired, there was absolutely no warning sign! His overwhelming confidence had completely masked his intent to shoot!

“Branch Captain, what are you doing?” a clerk shouted loudly. “Even if he disobeys orders, you can’t just shoot at him! That could kill someone!”

“That’s right! You’re going too far!”

“Everyone, don’t blame the Branch Captain…” Yu Xiao walked back to the line, looking utterly defeated. “He is not what you think… I lost… I accept the loss without complaint.”

Yu Xiao conceded defeat? He hadn't conceded before those two missed shots. Why now, after the apparent misses? The crowd stared at Yu Xiao, unable to comprehend—was he scared by that last shot?

“Hoo…” Yu Xiao sighed, looking up at Qin Fen, asking for confirmation. “Branch Captain, are you really top fifty in the Federation?”

“I don’t know,” Qin Fen shook his head. “I haven't dueled with those people, but my instructor said I could place in the top fifty, maybe even top ten…”

Top ten! Yu Xiao stared at Qin Fen, stunned. Top five and top ten were entirely different concepts! A shooter who could break into the top ten stood at the pinnacle of global firearm mastery!

“I see, hah…” Yu Xiao sighed. “So, it seems my loss was well deserved.”

Qin Fen pointed to the targets in the distance. “Could you fire one shot for me?”

Yu Xiao gave a wry smile. “Is that necessary? If I shoot, I’d just be showing off in front of a master.”

“I want to see it,” Qin Fen insisted, staring at Yu Xiao. “We made a bet. Within seven days, you must obey my orders unconditionally.”

Yu Xiao took a deep breath, and the sharp light of a shooter ignited in his eyes once more. A marksman could concede defeat, but he must still display the skill honed over years of hard training.

He raised his hand and fired… without aiming!

The target fell!

A faint sense of satisfaction touched the corner of Yu Xiao’s eye. Under this kind of pressure, he had unleashed a shot more fluid than any before. While the result looked the same as his usual performance, in a real confrontation, this shot would easily have killed his past self.

Qin Fen stroked his chin, nodding repeatedly, and casually asked, “Interested in learning the curving trajectory shot?”

“What!?”

The quiet Yu Xiao let out a strange cry, his eyes blazing with intense light, fixed on Qin Fen. His hands trembled slightly.

Curving trajectory! It was almost a top-tier shooting technique! It wasn't something achievable just through hard practice; it required both innate talent and the guidance of a master—neither could be absent!

Yu Xiao had dreamed of learning the curving trajectory before, but he had never actually seen anyone who knew how to do it.

“You… you…” Yu Xiao stared at Qin Fen in disbelief. “You… you…”

Yu Xiao, usually eloquent, stammered four ‘yous’ without completing a single coherent sentence.

“You likely have the talent,” Qin Fen nodded. “You have the opportunity to learn it.”

“You… you really are willing to teach me?” Yu Xiao finally managed to straighten out his tongue. “How much is the tuition? I’ll pay!”

“Tuition?” Qin Fen shook his head. “I’m not wealthy, but I don't plan on charging you to teach you.”

“Why?”

Yu Xiao looked at Qin Fen, unable to understand. In this world, many things couldn't be bought even with money. The curving trajectory shot, for instance, was practically unobtainable regardless of wealth.

For a marksman, the curving trajectory shot was equivalent to the highest-level martial arts in the ancient world—a mythical technique they yearned for.

“Because your eyes are clean,” Qin Fen stated calmly. “Though you are willful, your nature isn't bad. You admitted defeat honorably, showing the bearing of a true man, and your conduct is forthright. I like that.”

Wu Hui’s eyes flickered with bright light, as did Lin Feng’s. The eyes of all the rebellious new recruits shone.

Yu Xiao stared fixedly into Qin Fen’s eyes. Slowly, a series of happy laughs erupted from his throat.

It had been a long, long time since anyone in the Special Public Security Detachment had received genuine praise and commendation!

There had been leaders who offered compliments before, but those were often insincere words meant only to placate and win loyalty.

The environment these rebellious officers grew up in had conditioned them to instinctively distinguish between genuine feeling and falsehood. Since joining this bureau, the young officers of the Special Security Detachment had never heard anyone offer them sincere praise.

No one expected that today, this new Deputy Branch Captain who had just arrived would utter words of genuine commendation, devoid of any artificiality or pretense.

All twenty-one rebellious officers also burst into laughter. Although they lost to this new Branch Captain today, he seemed genuinely interesting. His words and actions were entirely sincere, never artificial or forced!

Even though the praise wasn't directed at them personally, Wu Hui and the others were overjoyed that their comrade, Yu Xiao, had been genuinely commended by a master marksman. This was a glory for them too!

Other officers looked at Qin Fen, unable to fathom it. How could these rebels, who had caused so many superiors to be transferred, be considered men of character? This flattery was too extreme!