Chapter 290 - 201: Shooting the Bird That Sticks Its Head Out, The Salted Fish Team’s Counterattack (Part 2)

Chapter 290: Chapter 201: Shooting the Bird That Sticks Its Head Out, The Salted Fish Team’s Counterattack (Part 2)

He knelt, his rifle Soul Devourer propped up on its bipod, his eyes fixed on the cliff edge ahead. It was the only way across for his opponents.

His sword, Name-Slasher, was planted in the ground beside him. Yu Fei was completely focused.

His ultra-long-range vision, combined with a fifteen-fold increase in his neural reaction speed, meant that everything was under control.

Suddenly, a swift figure leaped from the cliff’s edge. His movements were graceful and quick, yet he paused for a moment in mid-air.

Yu Fei’s five senses had been repeatedly enhanced. Though he had yet to begin practicing any Pupil Skills, his eyesight was incredibly sharp. Moreover, the moonlight tonight was brilliant white, offering excellent visibility.

The instant he spotted the target, he swiftly adjusted his muzzle. Thanks to his incredibly high neural reaction speed, Yu Fei locked on in less than a second.

"BOOM!"

Then a second and a third figure appeared.

A dense volley of gunfire rang out like a death knell.

Chi Yu had the best Body Technique, and he was the first to leap past the others toward the high cliff, preparing to make a stylish landing. Suddenly, terror seized his heart as the shadow of death loomed over him. A green wave rippled into existence before him, blocking the Armor-Piercing Bullet. The impact, however, was converted into a powerful kinetic force that slammed violently into his chest.

Chi Yu immediately plummeted toward the ground like a broken doll. Hengji, who was below him, reacted instantly and caught him. He coughed up blood and swore resentfully:

"Fuck, I’m the first one out again..."

Then his head lolled to the side, and he passed out.

Hengji froze for a moment. She knew what Chi Yu meant. Last year, in this very same place, when the roles of offense and defense were reversed and they were fighting the then third-year seniors, Chi Yu had also been the first one to be shot down.

’But didn’t Spirit Fox say there was no ambush after she scouted the area?’

The moment Chi Yu was hit, Feng Hua roared, "Take cover—"

But it was too late. Three more people were hit and fell. The final shot was dodged by a man who looked like a high school student.

A long moment later, the thunderous roar of the gunshot finally arrived.

The distance was too great; sound traveled the slowest.

In the very first exchange, the Salted Fish Assault Team had lost four members.

A cold wind howled at the base of the cliff, and the atmosphere turned grim.

Feng Hua’s face was ashen, her pretty features frosted with rage.

"Very good. Just great. It seems we’ve underestimated our dear junior! Sending us such a grand gift before we’ve even properly engaged!"

Spirit Fox apologized profusely. "I’m sorry, Miss Hua! I really didn’t detect an ambush!"

Feng Hua glanced at her. "It’s fine. The enemy might be using some kind of stealth Secret Technique. Perception team, do a joint scan!"

"Yes!"

Spirit Fox and the others immediately linked their energies. A pulse far stronger than before swept out in all directions. A moment later, they exchanged confused glances, and Spirit Fox reported to Feng Hua with uncertainty.

"Miss Hua, there’s still no one!"

Kang Ming, holding four of the Armor-Piercing Bullet heads, closed his eyes to sense them for a moment before speaking to Feng Hua.

"Ah Hua, it’s a single person. The projectiles are C5-type Armor-Piercing Bullets, fired from an enhanced Level 2 Superpower Firearm—something typically only a Fifth-Realm sniper can handle. What’s more, he’s imbued them with at least three types of Intent. I can identify two, Sharpness and Toughness. The third is unknown, but it seems to have a stealth property."

Kang Ming was the man who looked like a high school student; he was one of the Salted Fish Assault Team’s two S-rank members.

Feng Hua let out a long sigh. ’No wonder even Chi Yu couldn’t dodge.’ Normally, very few people could inflict damage with Superpower Firearms at maximum range. A Martial Artist’s five senses were sharp; at such extreme distances, they should easily sense the danger and find it relatively easy to dodge.

But Kang Ming said the bullets were imbued with numerous properties. Sharpness to increase the bullet’s speed, Toughness to enhance its power, and an unknown stealth ability. With all that, you’d only sense the danger as the bullet was about to hit you, and by then, it would be too late.

She recalled the five shots fired in rapid succession just moments ago. ’To have such a high hit rate in such a short time... this junior must be a born-and-bred genius sniper Martial Artist!’

Feng Hua made a quick judgment. ’It’s probably just one person with extremely strong sniping and stealth abilities—a lone wolf on the battlefield. I can’t just let him watch us from the sidelines. A guy like this could kite our entire team into collapse.’

"Spirit Fox, activate the mind-link network! Same plan as always: Kang Ming commands, I draw fire, Hengji circles around for a surprise attack. Everyone else, fire in bursts between his shots. Perception team, lock onto his position and break his stealth as fast as you can!"

"Right!"

After giving her orders, she checked on Chi Yu and the others.

"What’s their condition?"

A burly man was treating the wounded. He was Bayan, the team’s Martial Artist specializing in battlefield first aid. He tended to Chi Yu’s injuries, speaking to Feng Hua without looking up.

"Ah, Captain... on a real battlefield, one hit from an Armor-Piercing Bullet and you’d be a goner. His Excellency, the Azure Emperor, is somethin’ else, turned it into a serious injury instead. Chi Yu’s got eight broken ribs. He ain’t gettin’ up.

Passed out cold. The rest of ’em are in the same boat."

Bayan was from the Northern Border and had a thick accent, but he was an exceptionally meticulous man. Feng Hua understood him perfectly.

’That green wave of light must have been His Excellency, the Azure Emperor, stepping in. He must have absorbed the fatal shot aimed at Chi Yu’s head and converted it into a serious injury. It was the same last year, when the Martial Saint referee converted our would-be fatal wounds into broken limbs. This year, it’s broken ribs.’

Anger flared in her heart. ’I’m going to cripple this insidious, cunning junior!’

"Everyone, get ready! Execute the plan!"

Spirit Fox formed a series of hand seals. Aided by the perception team, everyone was connected to the mind-link network. Kang Ming’s voice rang out, issuing a steady stream of orders.

"Harassment team, in position...

Sniper team, in position...

Assault specialists, in position...

Feng Hua... in position..."

"Engage!"

Kang Ming’s voice was as concise and powerful as ever. Once in combat mode, he was no longer his usual chatty self, speaking only when it was critical.

Feng Hua was the first to leap up, her speed a good deal faster than even Chi Yu’s. The moment she landed, Yu Fei reacted, firing a steady shot. Enhanced by numerous Sword Intent properties, the super-powered bullet flew silently toward Feng Hua.

As the bullet closed in, Feng Hua drew a slender blade in a flash. With a flicker of silver sword light, the Armor-Piercing Bullet was sliced in two. The powerful kinetic energy of the bullet, however, knocked Feng Hua’s stance off-balance.

Yu Fei had been about to switch to his next target, but he couldn’t help but watch this stunning display.

’That was a bullet from a Level 2 Superpower Firearm!’ Yu Fei was stunned. ’There’s no way I could have done that.’

In his Reversing Destiny Vision, the silver gem on her head emitted a faint glow. The distance was too great.

Yu Fei immediately locked his aim on Feng Hua and fired four quick shots in succession.

But she was prepared. Feng Hua’s slender sword danced, creating a dense web of sword light that shredded all four super-powered bullets. ’This was the frustrating reality of being a sniper. Against a truly prepared expert, a sniper Martial Artist could only provide interference and covering fire, not land a killing blow.’

The instant Yu Fei finished firing his fifth shot, Kang Ming issued a command over the mind-link network.

"Spirit Fox, mark his position! Harassment team, one round, rapid fire! Sniper team, one round, delayed volley!"

The other members of the Salted Fish Assault Team quickly popped up, firing in unison toward the approximate location marked by the perception team.

The distance was too great for Spirit Fox to get a precise lock on Yu Fei’s position, but during the brief exchange, she had confirmed his general location within a three-meter margin of error. On the mind-link network, a small square targeting reticle appeared in the vision of the harassment team members. Following Kang Ming’s order, twenty-one members popped up with their guns, fired a single shot, and then quickly disappeared back into cover.

Then, the target reticle in the sniper team’s vision suddenly shrank, pinpointing Yu Fei’s position more accurately. The seven snipers fired another volley. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Feng Hua steadied her stance and advanced slowly, drawing fire while simultaneously providing cover for Hengji.

’She had to be on full alert. Facing a top-tier sniper, the only way to perceive a fatal trajectory was to keep a calm heart and a still mind.’

Up on the high ground, Yu Fei had just fired his fifth shot and was about to reload when a horrifying premonition of danger washed over him. He instantly abandoned reloading and swapped places with a decoy he had prepared beforehand. Only after swapping positions twice more in quick succession did the sense of crisis finally fade.

He then saw that his original firing position on the ridge had collapsed under a dense barrage of super-powered bullets. His first decoy had been obliterated into motes of light by the slightly delayed volley from the sniper team.