Before Iron Hand could finish his sentence, the gun Qin Fen was swinging discharged, the shot instantly cutting off Iron Hand’s speech. The bullet pulverized the red apple, showing everyone that curved-trajectory shooting wasn't so difficult after all.

Crisp! Unmatched crispness! Iron Hand stared blankly at Qin Fen. That single shot was delivered without any warning whatsoever; an overwhelming confidence concealed the intent to fire.

This wasn't just a display of marksmanship! It was a demonstration of other military skills as well! The concealment of that shot was profound. If they were fighting in the jungle, Iron Hand seriously doubted whether he would have a chance to live if he exposed his back to Qin Fen, assuming the latter was an opponent.

The other veterans stopped their respective activities. Monkey, who had a peach halfway into his mouth, froze mid-chew, and Little Chicken’s sunflower seed was only just cracked open.

Curved-trajectory shooting was completely different from other forms of target practice—moving targets or stationary ones. The latter required diligent practice, and improvement was always possible.

But curved-trajectory shooting. This demanded not just arduous training, but also innate talent.

What was the background of this recruit? The veterans reassessed Qin Fen. Calm, composed, mastering the mission trap before assembling the gun, the movement trap during the shooting drill—it seemed nothing escaped his grasp. He had effortlessly neutralized everything.

First-class marksmanship, rock-steady psychological fortitude, a nimble mind. What kind of qualities were these for a mere recruit? Just which lineage of military genius had he sprung from?

"Interesting, very interesting!"

Xue Tian strode toward Qin Fen with light, quick steps. The long katana at his waist swayed gently. Judging by its suspension point, it was clear this wasn't a mere decoration for a martial artist, but a genuine instrument of killing.

Even through the thick steel scabbard, Qin Fen could sense the cold sharpness emanating from within. This was a blade that had tasted blood. While it lacked the heavy, pungent scent of gore clinging to Butcher’s triangular bayonet, its edge far surpassed it.

"What? You know blades too?" Xue Tian noticed the direction of Qin Fen’s attention and patted the katana at his waist, offering it to Qin Fen. "It seems it’s just the two of us recruits on this mission. Let you take a look; call it a gesture of goodwill."

Qin Fen didn't stand on ceremony, accepting the katana while handing over the firearm he had used with such brutal efficiency. He noticed Xue Tian’s eyes lingering with curiosity when he offered the weapon.

The katana, which looked deceptively light, startled Qin Fen the moment it settled in his hands. This blade had to weigh at least thirty pounds. Its close-combat potential was far greater than he had imagined.

Xue Tian also whistled appreciatively while handling the violent assembly of the firearm. His own time for assembly had been slightly longer than Qin Fen’s, and he certainly hadn't thought of putting the gun together so directly and cleanly. In fact, it was an assembly method he hadn't even conceived of.

The expressions of the five veterans shifted significantly as they watched the pair. Based on their current performance, both of these men had exceeded the level of a standard recruit, barely reaching the standard expected of Level One Special Forces operators.

"New kid, why don't we spar a bit with fists and feet?" Monkey tossed away the remainder of his peach and darted in front of Qin Fen. "Quick reactions on the fly are also very important in a mission."

Qin Fen remained silent and slowly shook his head. This man’s gait, with slightly bent knees, appeared flippant, yet his steps were steady, and his spine formed a subtle arc. His arms hung heavy and powerful. He subtly carried the aura of a monkey from a zoo; if they actually fought, he would likely be lethally agile.

"What? Scared?" Monkey’s eyes challenged him. "Seems like you're all technique and no guts. You’re suited for teaching, not for..."

"Only a fool challenges a Six-Star Meteor-level expert in an environment they call 'fair' while operating at Four-Star strength," Qin Fen stated simply. Monkey’s expression became more complex than when Squad Leader Hao’s secret had been exposed by Qin Fen.

The veterans, along with Xue Tian, looked at Qin Fen again with a strange intensity. This young man, who had only just entered the room, was continuously challenging everyone's baseline understanding of capability with his consistently composed demeanor.

Youngsters with extreme talent could use their martial intuition to sense if an opponent was stronger than them, but few could actually see through the true strength of an opponent ranked above them.

"If you are willing to fight me fairly, keeping to your Four-Star strength, then I would very much like to witness the Great Sage Fist," Qin Fen said, already retreating two steps to assume the starting posture of the Shaolin Arhat Fist, signaling his readiness to challenge.

Anyone who makes it into Special Forces, even Level One, possesses their own unique strengths. Absorbing experience from combat is the best method for improvement. Qin Fen remembered Butcher’s words well, and now that he had a chance to spar with several masters from outside units, he certainly wouldn't let the opportunity pass easily.

The veterans’ gazes toward Qin Fen changed again. With just a few words, this young man had cornered Monkey into accepting a challenge, yet simultaneously forcing him to maintain only Four-Star power.

Monkey’s face was peculiar. He felt that his own Monkey Fist techniques were deeply ingrained; the overt monkey-like quality of his movements had faded significantly over the years. He never expected that merely walking a few steps would allow a Four-Star martial artist to discern his level. Where did this young man accumulate so much experience?

Thousands of hours of observation, guided by various masters over a single month—the essence of his past viewing had been rapidly absorbed. Qin Fen’s perception was far ahead of his actual strength level.

"Senior Monkey! What? Afraid to spar with us recruits?" Xue Tian, playing the instigator, added fuel to the fire. His voice escalated from initial teasing to outright bellowing, the echoes reverberating through the empty room.

Being provoked and cornered by a youngster didn't anger Monkey much; rather, the fighting spirit within him slowly began to rise. Even if they were both Four-Star combatants, Monkey was confident he held the comprehensive advantage in experience, power control, and judgment. "Even in a fight between stars of the same level, instant annihilation is possible." Monkey crouched slightly, retracting his body momentarily, instantly resembling a monkey squatting on the ground, murmuring faintly, "Young man, don't truly believe you stand on the same starting line as me."

Qin Fen offered no verbal reply, his feet gliding slowly forward, scraping the ground. His entire body was sealed tight, like a perfectly defended mobile fortress aiming to flatten the Monkey before him.

Monkey’s eyes darted rapidly, taking in Qin Fen from head to toe. His palms blurred, shooting forward with a sudden lunge, attacking Qin Fen’s facial features like an angry shrew. If this strike landed, it wouldn't just disfigure him; the force could pierce straight through his skull and shatter his head.

"Faster than Piao Zhonghuan. The first Four-Star opponent I've seen with this kind of speed!"

Qin Fen’s muscles trembled slightly. His ankles twisted sharply, and his body recoiled like a projectile slamming toward Monkey. The previous immense qi vanished completely. As he ducked and bent low to evade the Monkey Claw, his left palm snapped loudly, fingers flashing lightning-quick towards Monkey's lower regions—this scenario, the notoriously vulgar Monkey Steals the Pearl, was being employed here at its peak efficacy.

Not only was Monkey stunned, but even the watching veterans widened their eyes. Xue Tian clapped his hands and shouted loudly, "Brilliant!"

Monkey didn't think his groin was made of refined steel, given that Qin Fen’s palm strike could shatter stone and wood. In a desperate move, he twisted his body, falling sideways like a drunken monkey—a clumsy posture, yet incredibly effective, allowing him to evade the extremely vulgar Monkey Steals the Pearl.

Qin Fen missed the pearl, but his wrist flipped, aiming directly for Monkey’s kidney area. If that spot were struck, the specific part might be spared, but it would be rendered decorative for the rest of his life.

Vulgar! Excessively vulgar!

The veterans’ eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Usually, men possessing such deep calm, steadiness, and an aura of effortless composure would approach combat by favoring direct, powerful techniques, if not outright dominance. How could this young man, so imposing before the fight, descend to such vulgarity once the clash began?

Monkey Steals the Pearl? Monkey Picks the Fruit? Sever-the-Lineage Kick?

Monkey was at a disadvantage, his form swaying like a small boat in a storm, constantly on the verge of capsizing, yet never truly falling over. The veterans’ anxiety eased; they were seasoned veterans, their mindset unshaken by being suppressed by a recruit. If they could just hold on...

Before the veterans could finish their thoughts, after the groin strike, Qin Fen’s internal momentum surged abruptly. A ferocious series of three continuous palms was immediately followed by the Arhat’s Salutation, his arms twisting and crossing.

The sudden burst of fierce power erupted, Qin Fen’s attack flowing like a mighty river breaking its banks, surging forward relentlessly. The fist winds roared, forcefully shattering Monkey’s established rhythm.

With his rhythm momentarily choked, Monkey knew smooth evasion was now impossible. He swung both arms, colliding with Qin Fen’s, unleashing the ‘Sling’ technique of the Monkey Fist. The clash of four limbs produced a soul-shaking, visceral impact sound.

Bad! I can't shake him off!

When the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill is mastered to its peak, it unleashes the strength of ten dragons and ten elephants—enough to easily topple tanks, let alone men. Although Qin Fen hadn't reached perfection, the sudden explosive power of this punch meant that among Four-Star practitioners, few could match his sheer strength.

Monkey was deeply alarmed. Qin Fen had executed the Arhat’s Salutation with maximum ferocity, layered with that fierce momentum. The slightly disrupted rhythm of the Monkey Fist’s ‘Sling’ technique was now useless.

Meteor Level! Facing imminent danger, Monkey instinctively boosted his Great Sage True Qi by a full tier. A galaxy-sized difference in star level—Monkey's hands moved like a drummer on a vast drum kit, continuously striking Qin Fen’s forearm against the explosive punch!

The sound of flesh meeting flesh was like refined iron colliding. Qin Fen’s arm instantly burned, feeling as if dozens of monkeys were clawing at him simultaneously, a fiery, spreading pain.

The Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill, flowing like a surging river, suddenly met the immovable gate of a colossal reservoir—instantly, a stop!

A sharp gleam flared in Monkey’s eyes. Having been pushed back as a Four-Star, if he couldn't defeat his opponent cleanly and brilliantly now, he would truly lose all face.

He shook his shoulders, driving his right hand into the centerline. The Great Sage Skill caused his bones to rumble; his fingertips stabbed toward Qin Fen’s chest!

The faces of the four veterans changed drastically. One palm, four styles! Monkey was truly staking everything! To secure victory, he was even deploying his ultimate secret technique.