As the group wandered through the park, Xue Tian couldn't stop yawning, his boredom making Lamda, who had suggested the outing, thoroughly lose face. In contrast, Lin Liqiang seemed quite enthusiastic, his eyes constantly scanning the passing beauties.

Inzarota, usually a man of few words, observed his old friend's high spirits and offered a dry, two-word assessment: "Artificial."

Qin Fen smiled; Inzarota was in a good mood today, actually teasing Lin Liqiang. The reunion of old friends seemed to have made him cheerier than usual.

Lin Liqiang scratched his head, looking exasperated. "Come on, Old Yin, this place is just excruciatingly dull. Looking at pretty girls is the only entertainment left for me. And you have to shoot me down? That's heartless, man. Even surgically enhanced beauties are still beauties, right? Isn't there a saying? A man dies for one who truly knows him; a woman gets plastic surgery to please the one who loves her..."

"It really is boring," Xue Tian added, stifling another yawn. "The person who suggested coming here has terrible taste."

Lamda’s expression had long since soured. This folk park, which had reportedly soaked up a significant advertising budget, was mostly dedicated to explaining the history and culture of Hanzhou.

"Truly uninteresting."

Qin Fen nodded in strong agreement. Wasting time here was inferior to finding a hotel with decent internet and earning money on the Sky Battle Net.

Lamda’s face grew even gloomier. Lin Liqiang had an extraordinary background and was a genius in his own right; if he called it boring, Lamda had to tolerate it. But this guy, using an antique mobile phone and only gaining entry to the group through his connections with women—what right did he have to speak up?

Lamda wasn't the only one thinking this way. Several young men interested in Song Jia shared the same simmering resentment.

Song Jia, however, felt no boredom at all. She walked happily alongside Qin Fen, frequently asking questions about his basic training.

"Qin Fen, what kind of guns did you use in the military? Is firing them thrilling? Your scores must have been amazing; you must have earned constant praise from the instructors, right?"

"Uh..." Qin Fen hesitated. Praises? Scoldings from his instructors were a daily occurrence.

Are you a pig? Are you stupider than a pig? If pigs knew of your existence, they’d be delighted, for at last, there would be something dumber than them...

His hesitant expression, noticed by the others, confirmed that praise was clearly not his reward; it appeared he was disciplined frequently.*****

Lamda glanced around at the others. People he usually got along with were now collectively silent, their eyes flashing with a look of subtle anticipation.

Lamda knew that look intimately. It was the same look they got when they ganged up, hoping to see someone humiliate themselves. He just hadn't expected to be the focus of that anticipation today.

He sighed inwardly, deeply regretting his impulse to speak up. Now, the responsibility for this tedious situation rested entirely on him. If he couldn't seize this opportunity to turn things around, this day would likely become a joke within their circle later on.

After much hesitation, Lamda felt compelled to speak again. "Since classmate Qin Fen also finds this boring, how about we play some paintball? As a soldier, Qin Fen, your marksmanship should be excellent, right? A few of us are also firearms enthusiasts and occasionally play paintball. Why don't you give us a demonstration of how a real soldier handles it?"

The eyes of those watching for a spectacle immediately lit up. Lamda and his group weren't just casual enthusiasts. They had formed a paintball team for their dull moments, and recently, they had won a championship in a Mediterranean tournament, earning a ticket to the Paintball World Cup.

"Paintball?" Qin Fen felt a touch unfamiliar with it. He was used to real firearms; this amateur stuff was new.

"Yes, it’s similar to real guns," Lamda said, his smile appearing very sincere. If he could drag Qin Fen into this, he planned to teach him a harsh lesson on the paintball field, showing off his superiority to Song Jia and salvaging a bit of reputation within their social circle.

Lin Liqiang scoffed from the side. These rich kids were truly insidious. He’d heard they usually trained with real guns, making them naturally superb at paintball. Rumor had it they were even somewhat famous sharpshooters in certain sectors of the Sky Battle Net.

Xue Tian covered his mouth, pretending to yawn, but in reality, he was furiously clamping down, terrified of bursting into laughter. Qin Fen’s marksmanship? Having seen it once was enough to engrave it in memory forever. They wanted to challenge him to paintball?

"Just playing?" Qin Fen felt a lack of interest. Since it was similar to real guns, he naturally had the advantage. If he could involve some wagers, he might seize the chance to earn some money. Regarding gun skills, after being tormented by the Gun King for so long, Qin Fen felt reasonably confident, especially after the previous mission battle boosted his morale.

Lamda sensed a hint of provocation in Qin Fen's tone and, afraid he might refuse to play, quickly pressed, "Then what do you suggest?"

"Can we bet something?" Qin Fen immediately put his idea forward. "For instance, the person who gets eliminated has to pay the eliminator one hundred US dollars. ^^First Release==”

Lin Liqiang and Inzarota chuckled. Earning a hundred dollars per elimination meant that even if Qin Fen eliminated two people and was then eliminated himself, he’d still net a hundred dollars. This trap, which seemed almost risk-free for him, was quite subtly set.

"Deal!"

Before Lamda could speak, the guys next to him shouted in agreement. The young men were desperate to impress Song Jia.

This was the granddaughter of the Earth Martial God, Song Wendong! If they could catch her eye, it wouldn't just mean years of effortless progress for them; their entire families would benefit immensely. Moreover, Song Jia herself was stunningly beautiful and shapely!

The young men, who had experience with many women, felt involuntary physical responses just thinking about seducing Song Jia.

Hearing their agreement, the heavy weight on Lamda’s heart finally lifted. Whether he succeeded or failed this time, these people had actively stepped into his trap. He could now safely withdraw and wouldn't need to be impulsive or try to show off in the future.

"Since everyone is so enthusiastic," Lin Liqiang said with a sly grin, "How about it, Old Yin? Shall we jump in and play too? The 'Jianzhong Three' haven't acted together in a while."

Jianzhong Three? Inzarota frowned. Wasn't the name they chose last time 'Jianzhong Three Guns'? Ah well! The time before that, Lin Liqiang had named them the 'Jianzhong Three Sages'...

"Fine," Inzarota agreed readily, not dwelling on Lin Liqiang’s naming habits.

A flicker of happiness crossed Qin Fen’s face. True camaraderie needed no explicit declaration. These two stepping in clearly showed they were looking out for him, offering help in the most discreet way possible.

"Old Qin, count me in too," Xue Tian drawled, stretching his limbs and struggling to suppress the urge to laugh. These guys had decent physical stats and combat skills, but when it came to using guns? They were all amateurs! People who couldn't show an ounce of 'gun sense' dared to challenge Qin Fen? Xue Tian sized up Lamda and his crew, thinking that on a real battlefield, he could eliminate all these seemingly competent men with a single weapon.

Lamda and the others’ expressions shifted slightly. Finally, Lamda had to step forward. "Young Master Lin, Young Master Yin. If the two of you join the paintball match, it won't be fair play."

The others nodded vigorously in agreement. Lin Liqiang was famously an all-around superman. Even though he hadn't played paintball since entering Jianzhong, rumors persisted among the elite circle of Earth's wealthy scions that Lin Liqiang was the Paintball No. 1. Today, they wanted to show off in front of Song Jia; they certainly didn't want to be unexpectedly humiliated by Lin Liqiang. As for Inzarota? Anyone invited to play by Lin Liqiang and agreeing so readily was clearly not lacking in skill either.

"You won't play with us? You look down on us?" Lin Liqiang feigned annoyance, looking as if he might challenge them to a physical fight if they didn't give a satisfactory answer.

"It’s not looking down on you," Lamda said with a bitter smile. "We admit we’re no match for Young Master Lin or Young Master Yin. You are rumored to be the King of Paintball in the military circles."

Having gotten this far, Lin Liqiang felt a flicker of admiration for Lamda. This candid admission of inferiority wouldn't diminish his charm in the eyes of women; instead, this seemingly carefree attitude might even increase it.

"It’s fine," Qin Fen nodded to Lin Liqiang and Inzarota. "I think I can win. I think I can win?" Lamda and the others’ faces instantly darkened. Qin Fen's words showed a profound lack of respect for them.

Qin Fen then turned his attention back to Lamda. "If I get a one-shot kill, can the payout be doubled?"

One-shot kill? Lamda and his group chuckled. In this era that revered martial prowess, paintball pellets moved much slower than real bullets. Achieving a one-shot kill—even against a one-star rookie—was rarely successful.

"Yes," a man next to Lamda answered quickly. "It's been ages since someone achieved a one-shot kill on me. I actually kind of miss those moments."

Qin Fen smiled but said nothing more. After studying psychology under Squad Leader Hao, he could sense from their subtle attitudes that their true goal was to make him look foolish so they could impress Song Jia.

Xue Tian fought back the urge to burst out laughing, secretly delighting, Haven’t experienced a one-shot kill moment in a long time? Really miss those moments? Excellent! I believe you’ll soon relive those moments you miss so much.

There was indeed a paintball range within the Folk Amusement Park. Following the electronic map, they arrived at the registration entrance. Qin Fen donned the specialized vest equipped with hit sensors. If he was struck by a pellet, the vest would register if it was a fatal one-shot kill or simply deduct a certain amount of life points.