When Zhai Mu arrived at the shooting range, he saw that the entire facility had been cleared out.
Not just wealthy businessmen and politicians—even military personnel below the rank of lieutenant colonel were strictly barred from entry.
After presenting his credentials and passing multiple security checks, he was finally allowed to proceed to the reception room.
“Lieutenant Colonel, hello!”
Bang!
The door swung open, and a sharp-featured officer strode in, extending a hand in greeting.
“Hello.”
Zhai Mu responded immediately, stepping forward to shake hands. At the same time, he subtly glanced at the officer’s epaulettes1.
In his entire career, aside from national military parades, he had never seen so many high-ranking officers gathered in one place.
The officer, well aware that Zhai Mu had been personally selected by General Xu, showed great respect in his tone.
“In ten minutes, the Marshal will arrive. He is expected to stay for about half an hour.” He paused, then added, “General Xu asked me to tell you—your primary task today is to demonstrate this.”
With that, he reached for the table and lifted a sniper rifle, holding it out with both hands.
The King of Snipers—CheyTac Intervention M200.
Even someone as composed as Zhai Mu felt his palm tremble slightly as he took the weapon.
A legendary sniper rifle, famous across the world.
It featured a 7-round detachable single-stack magazine, capable of firing .408 CheyTac or .375 CheyTac rounds.
Its precision? Unrivalled.
It could hit a target beyond 2,286 meters with an accuracy of less than one MOA (minute of angle).
To call it one of the most terrifying weapons on the planet was no exaggeration.
“Don’t mess this up in front of the Marshal.”
The officer chuckled, seemingly unaware of the brief stiffness on Zhai Mu’s face.
In the military, opportunities came with risks.
This rifle wasn’t just feared because of its lethal precision—it was feared because so few people in the world could actually wield it properly.
The recoil alone was enough to shatter a soldier’s shoulder blade if handled incorrectly.
The fact that General Xu had specifically chosen him for this task had nothing to do with personal connections or favour.
Zhai Mu was simply the best-suited “tool” to showcase the M200.
Until you make a name for yourself, in the eyes of others, you’re no different from a gun—or a bullet.
Seeing the shifts in Zhai Mu’s expression, the officer knew that he had figured it out.
Checking his watch, the officer decided there was no more time to waste. He opened the door and led him directly into the training room.
A fully enclosed space.
Ten targets lined up in a row.
The walls were painted stark white, designed to maximise visibility and capture every movement inside.
“The ammunition is ready. You have 500 rounds to fire. Once you start, you do not stop—unless the Marshal himself speaks.”
With that, the officer turned and left the room.
Zhai Mu stood frozen, eyes fixed on the electronic display screen beside him.
Every single shot he fired would be instantly recorded on that screen for all to see.
Truly, stepping beyond his rank into this world came at a cost—a pressure few could fathom.
He had been last year’s shooting champion. But if today’s performance was anything less than outstanding…
Zhai Mu took a deep breath, his hands tightening around the rifle.
Today would be a turning point in his military career.
At that very moment—
A low-profile black SUV slowly drove through the gates of the shooting range.
Along the entire route, every soldier snapped to attention—
Feet together. Fingers interlocked.
Their faces flushed with excitement as they saluted in unison…
- a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organisations. ↩︎
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