Chapter 18: The Weapon Training Field

The shooting range was spacious, with only one field capable of accommodating up to fifty people for training. The selection of weapons was diverse, offering four types: the lightest of the H-series, the handgun, shotgun, assault rifle, and sniper rifle.

"Here, you can pick any weapon you like and have your go at it. Once you master all four and develop good aim, I'll take you hunting," Chen Wuling said, noticing that Tian Xiao seemed uninterested. His offer instantly piqued Tian Xiao's curiosity.

"Deal!" Tian Xiao replied, his voice firm.

"How do you define 'mastery'?" Tian Xiao asked.

"Four weapons, standard distance. You need to shoot ten rounds in total, each hitting the target perfectly. A hundred rings in total," Chen Wuling explained with a smile.

In other words, ten rings on every shot, all of them requiring perfect accuracy.

Tian Xiao turned his gaze toward the targets in the training field.

In the center, there was a moving target shaped like a vicious beast, with a heart and head marked as the core of the target, each having a smaller three-ring section.

"See that?" Chen Wuling pointed out. "The heart's red zone is worth ten rings, and the head's red zone is also ten rings. Any deviation will cost you a ring, and if you miss the rings completely, it's zero."

"We don't use fixed targets here; you'll be shooting at moving ones! This is all about testing how well you can coordinate with your chip's abilities. You need to activate its computational power!"

Chen Wuling continued explaining, guiding Tian Xiao to pick a weapon. "The chip's computational abilities will be your strongest shield and weapon on the battlefield. It's not about your physical strength; it's about how well your chip can collaborate and make fast decisions."

Tian Xiao was no stranger to these concepts. He understood that a person with only slightly better physical attributes would still fall to a bullet in a heated battle—whether they were H3 or H9-level warriors. What truly made the difference was the speed of the chip's calculations.

The speed of firearms may be fast, but they couldn't compare to the computational power of the chip.

The chip could avoid incoming fire as soon as it detected it, even providing defense as the sound of the gunshot traveled. It could analyze the battlefield in real-time, advising on movement, evasion, and targeting.

The true power of the chip became even more apparent when it could operate advanced weapon systems or even entire base defense mechanisms. For example, Earth Alliance's S-series Star Destroyers and Shenlong battleships required computational abilities reaching millions of units to function properly. A fleet of chips had to work together to operate the planetary destruction capabilities of the Star Destroyers, capable of drawing from an entire planet's resources for a single, destructive strike.

"Back during the Great Battle to Exterminate the Xian Nu Star System's insectoid species, only B-level warships and weapons were deployed."

"Stop daydreaming."

Tian Xiao snapped out of his thoughts as Chen Wuling's voice cut through the air.

He was holding a gun, distracted by the intricate details of the training.

"This is my first time with firearms; I guess I got a bit lost in thought," Tian Xiao chuckled.

"You might want to start with the handgun," Chen Wuling suggested kindly, "The shotgun's recoil is pretty heavy."

Tian Xiao glanced down and realized he was holding a shotgun—one that weighed nearly as much as a sniper rifle. The large barrel and the red, massive bullet chamber certainly gave it an imposing appearance.

"The shotgun's effective range is short, but its damage area is wide, making it ideal for hunting large beasts. The only downside is the recoil—it can shake you up pretty badly," Chen Wuling warned, smiling. "I didn't expect you to go for this one; I thought you'd choose the assault rifle."

Most people would naturally prefer an assault rifle, given its high ammo capacity and versatility in various environments. It was easy to control and could unleash a rapid burst of fire.

Tian Xiao set the shotgun down and, following Chen Wuling's advice, picked up a sleek silver Desert Eagle, the older model with an increased magazine capacity from seven to thirteen rounds. Nearby, there was a submachine-pistol-style handgun, which had a magazine capable of holding fifty rounds, but its stability was not as good as the Desert Eagle's.

He liked weapons with strong recoil—it felt powerful, and he relished the challenge.

Loading the gun with ease, Tian Xiao moved to the shooting window.

Without missing a beat, Chen Wuling activated the training mode.

The training field transformed instantly into a desolate, rocky wasteland. From an incline, a "Rendwolf," its mouth split into six jagged sections, emerged—its sharp, predatory movements unmistakable.

The target wasn't fixed, though.

"Notice this?" Chen Wuling said, a smile forming at the corner of his lips.

In practical battle situations, targets wouldn't sit still. The challenge was to rely on the chip to project the target and lead the shots, just as he had shown Tian Xiao earlier. This was his first key lesson for any newcomer—learn to fight with the chip on the battlefield.

Tian Xiao already had an innate understanding of how to use chips.

"Qinglong," Tian Xiao muttered, speaking directly to his chip.

"Calculate the target's movement trajectory."

"Analyze the wind speed in the environment."

"Record the ballistic trajectory, prepare for aiming."

Everything was happening at once in his mind, commands effortlessly flowing. Though his Qinglong chip was basic, with its five-unit-per-second processing power, it could handle simple weapons and single-target analysis, making it perfect for tracking a moving target like the Rendwolf.

Tian Xiao squeezed the trigger.

Bang!

The first shot missed.

Chen Wuling stood to the side, watching with an amused smirk as Tian Xiao, despite his focused demeanor, missed his first shot. It was to be expected. The first time handling a weapon, and trying to sync with the chip—he couldn't expect instant perfection.

The Rendwolf was moving fast, with a peak speed of twelve meters per second, not something to be taken lightly.

Bang!

The second shot rang out.

Chen Wuling narrowed his eyes. The Rendwolf's movement seemed to slow just slightly.

Could it be? Was that a hit?

Tian Xiao fired again.

Bang!

The target was struck.

"Eight rings!" the system announced.

A hit, but not a perfect one.

Chen Wuling's eyes widened in surprise. The first shot missed, the second hit, and the third was accurate?

Bang!

A fourth shot rang out, steady and controlled.

The Rendwolf staggered, its heart shattered by the bullet, and it collapsed with a final convulsion.

"Ten rings!"

The system announced again, confirming the perfect shot.

"Switch targets. Increasing difficulty."

Chen Wuling blinked in disbelief. To go from a miss to an eight-ring hit and finally to a perfect shot within three tries? Tian Xiao was even better than he had expected.

He had only just started, but it seemed he was destined to master this quickly.