Chapter 56.2

The melee began after this shot rang out.

Positioned behind the boulder, utilizing the medic’s advantage, Xue Lan valiantly held the line. Remarkably, he swiftly eliminated an enemy sniper. In tandem, Wen Yan promptly mobilized to support. With one of them stationed at an elevated point, the two dismantled the remaining three opponents in a single, coordinated assault.

Wen Yan’s reputation as Apocalypse’s number one assaulter stemmed from his precision in judgment and meticulous micro-operations, evident in matches like these. His adept support enabled Xue Lan to shoot with uncommon ease and fluidity.

But following this was the real challenge.

In the current scenario, both his and Wen Yan’s health points remained relatively unscathed. At the same time, the medic’s reserves had dwindled to less than half.

Faced with this situation…

Xue Lan found himself unable to convey to Wen Yan the need to advance toward Duan Wenzheng’s elevated position.

Xue Lan pondered his next move while injecting himself to regain some health. Suddenly, Wen Yan issued a command, “Keep an eye on the high point. Let’s charge together, all three of us.”

“Hold on.” Duan Wenzheng, unfazed by the distinction between a formal match and the current situation, resumed speaking without any hesitation on his part. “You’re planning to take me on with four against one?”

Wen Yan’s cold voice interrupted his words. “This is a 5v5 ranked match.”

“So?” With a calm and composed tone, Duan Wenzheng said, “You’re currently engaging in a four versus one situation. What sort of true man would engage in such odds? Captain, why not come up yourself and settle this with a duel? What do you say?”

Listening to the exchange between the two, while Xue Lan found Duan Wenzheng’s words somewhat audacious, he couldn’t shake the thought that this game was bound to become a showcase for the duo. Disregarding integrity and morality, Xue Lan tossed such concerns aside.

His sole desire was to stand there, a steadfast cannon fodder, offering cheers and applause exclusively for those two.

Given Wen Yan’s temperament, confronted with Duan Wenzheng’s audacity, it was highly probable that Wen Yan would oblige and engage in a solo showdown with him.

Such solo confrontations played a pivotal role in their intricate love-hate dynamic. From Wen Yan’s perspective, it presented an excellent opportunity to foster Duan Wenzheng’s growth and improvement.

However, just as Xue Lan was pondering this, he suddenly heard that Wen Yan seemed to have not heard Duan Wenzheng’s words. Instead, he issued an attack signal to Xue Lan and the other two members.

“…”

Xue Lan, originally intent on being a spectator, had no choice but to steel himself for action. Aligning with Wen Yan’s lead, he joined in the advance toward Duan Wenzheng’s position.

At that moment, Xue Lan’s peripheral vision caught a fleeting figure at the high point, swiftly followed by an imprecise shot hurtling in their direction.

This shot did not hit any target, only grazing past their feet.

However, this shot left Xue Lan perplexed. At present, Duan Wenzheng was under attack from various directions. The optimal strategy would have been to bide his time, waiting for the enemy to make a mistake, but this slip-up had evidently revealed his position.

Xue Lan’s heart skipped a beat.

Duan Wenzheng wasn’t one to act recklessly or ignore consequences unless…

A distant gunshot echoed through the air in the realm of his contemplations. It was in this precise instant that their concealed sniper, enshrouded within the shadows, unleashed a single, resounding shot!

Xue Lan’s breath hitched in a frosty inhale. If he guessed correctly, this shot aimed to unveil the sniper’s whereabouts on their side. And considering Duan Wenzheng’s speed…

Xue Lan’s contemplation halted abruptly as another gunshot reverberated from the nearby elevated vantage.

And their sniper was killed.

Sure enough.

Duan Wenzheng’s earlier shot was merely a feint, designed to mislead his adversary’s sniper into believing it was an opportune moment to strike. However, the shot unveiled his position.

Xue Lan’s heart leaped violently.

If his deduction was correct, Duan Wenzheng, perched at an elevated vantage point, no longer concerned about the initially unseen sniper, aimed for his next target: the medic with less than half their health remaining.

As if the medic knew this, they used their skill to heal themselves.

Time was ticking.

To prevent the four adversaries from reviving, Wen Yan commanded an assault on the shelter.

The trio surged through the shelter with force, pressing forward toward the elevated position.

In that fleeting moment, Xue Lan caught sight of a diminutive, pitch-black gun barrel peeking out from behind the colossal boulder, where a figure had recently shifted.

In the blink of an eye, Xue Lan unleashed his chip skill without a moment’s pause. Accompanied by the echo of a gunshot, while everyone still couldn’t grasp the situation, they saw Exist, previously positioned behind the medic, suddenly materialize at the forefront. Simultaneously, his other chip skill unfurled —

That sniper’s shot accurately hit the shimmering shield, radiating a powerful, luminous glow.

But it was not over yet.

Amidst the collective gasp at this swift and precise maneuver, an unseen bullet, concealed within the initial shot, soared forth simultaneously. As the first shot shattered the shield with precision, the second bullet, amidst the scattering debris, hurtled directly toward Exist’s character, aimed straight at his head.

Xue Lan’s gaze locked onto the bullet hurtling directly toward him, and he held his breath.

This was —

Rapid fire.

It was crafted by Wen Yan in the Dawn of the Apocalypse, a skill honed through adept manipulation of the assault rifle.

Despite the fervent attempts of every assaulter to replicate this rapid fire, no sniper had managed to replicate it.

Because, in the realm of Dawn of the Apocalypse, the sniper’s controls permitted the reduction of intervals between two bullets and enhanced precision through adept management of the gun’s recoil. A “hold key” feature also allowed momentary stabilization of the gun position.

Nevertheless, even the most seasoned and precise veteran snipers couldn’t achieve the feat of firing two bullets in such a minuscule interval and ensuring their consecutive connection with pinpoint accuracy.

Unless —

Someone could, in the very instant the sniper shot began, masterfully control their recoil, execute an instant loop of the movement a second time, and manually retract the scope to abolish the lingering animation of the skill…

Mastering this technique was at least twice as challenging as grasping the controls for an assaulter’s rapid fire.

So, no one dared to contemplate mastering such controls, let alone successfully executing them.

But this shot was from Duan Wenzheng.

At that moment, time seemed to stall, the trajectory of the bullet hurtling toward Xue Lan’s frame vividly reflecting in Xue Lan’s pupils.

The headshot was unavoidable, as if this singular moment had already sealed his fate —

The author has something to say:

Zhou Kanqing (enthusiastically): Today, I invite everyone to witness Zheng-ge’s domestic violence, firing two rapid shots toward his wife.

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