Qianben Xixi was currently focused intently on the screen ahead. In the realistic virtual reality simulation, a cold-faced blond man was sitting in a Western restaurant 500 yards away, drinking coffee, with a black briefcase placed beside him. The man set down his cup, glanced at his watch, as if waiting for someone.
At the same time, two lines of text appeared on the large screen:
—Target: Secretary of a certain country's political figure.
—Kill distance: 500 yards.
Understanding her mission, Qianben Xixi picked up her sniper rifle, squinted her left eye to observe the target through the scope, and quickly aimed. This distance was merely an appetizer for her, with no significant pressure. Without needing much adjustment, she calmly and decisively pulled the trigger.
Instantly, the virtual bullet traced a streak of light, shattering the Western restaurant's glass window and striking the target's carotid artery—a clean, swift kill.
"Cooool~" Chianti beside her drawled, whistling. "Nice kill. My turn."
The same scene, the same target and distance. For fairness, in competition mode, both players' levels were identical.
With an equally clean, swift kill, Chianti hummed in satisfaction. "Your turn."
Qianben Xixi didn't respond, picking up her sniper rifle again as the scene switched.
This time, the difficulty increased slightly—a moving cargo truck. Not only was the distance greater, but the target was also mobile.
—Target: Smuggler.
—Kill distance: 550 yards.
This level wasn't difficult either, far from her maximum kill range. Qianben Xixi only aimed briefly before pulling the trigger, hitting the target's neck once more.
"Why do you like shooting necks so much?" Chianti raised her rifle with a laugh. "I prefer heads—that's more satisfying."
"I don't really like such violent visuals," Qianben Xixi disagreed.
"Tsk, boring." Chianti ignored her and focused on her own second level—a moving target at 550 yards. She raised her rifle, fired, and the target fell instantly.
"Your turn," she said, tilting her chin proudly.
Third round, 600 yards. Scene: A crowded beach, with sea winds rustling roadside tents.
—Target: A smuggler swimming in the sea.
—Kill distance: 600 yards.
The distance still wasn't particularly far, but the strong sea wind affected shooting accuracy. Additionally, accurately targeting and eliminating the target amidst a dense crowd added to the challenge.
Qianben Xixi closed her eyes, opened them, calculated briefly, and fired decisively again. Affected by the wind, the bullet traced an arc, instantly striking the neck of the target as he surfaced from the water for air, staining the seawater red.
She set down her sniper rifle and glanced at Chianti beside her. The other woman pursed her lips, said nothing, and turned to focus on her own level, seemingly feeling the pressure.
Starting from 600 yards, it required full concentration. Chianti took longer than in the previous two rounds to adjust for distance before firing. The target similarly stained the sea red, dying on the spot.
She proudly lifted her chin toward Qianben Xixi. "Your turn."
Fourth round, scene switch. This time, it was nighttime in a bustling downtown area, with a Ferris wheel.
——Target, the man in Ferris Wheel cabin number 13.
——Kill distance, 650 yards.
Due to visibility issues, the difficulty increased further. The night wind wasn’t light, but compared to the sea breeze from the previous stage, it was still manageable, with minimal impact. At a distance of 650 yards, there wasn’t much to consider.
The biggest challenge was still inside the Ferris Wheel. The couple—a man and a woman—were similar in height, making it slightly difficult to distinguish their silhouettes in the dark. Moreover, to avoid harming the innocent and calculate the optimal shooting angle, she had to fire when cabin number 13 reached the very top of the Ferris Wheel. That was the only shooting point; missing it meant mission failure.
An interesting challenge. Qianben Xixi raised an eyebrow, her interest slightly piqued. She closed her eyes, quickly calculating various influencing factors in her mind, including the couple’s body movements for prediction. Just as cabin number 13 was about to reach the peak, she suddenly opened her eyes, calmly and indifferently pulling the trigger, as if returning to the state she was in during the Infinite Horror Game.
One shot, one soul. The target lost consciousness before he could even react.
A perfect 650-yard hit. Everyone present—Chianti, Korn, and even Vodka, who was observing from the shadows—was somewhat shocked.
Within the Organization, aside from the defected FBI undercover agent, the man with the code name Rye, there wasn’t a single sniper who could accurately shoot beyond 650 yards.
Whether it was Chianti, Korn, or Calvados, who wasn’t on-site, their maximum effective range was 600 yards. Beyond that distance, their accuracy dropped significantly, often resulting in missed shots.
“Hmph.” Chianti was somewhat displeased. This new member really had some skill, but she wasn’t about to admit defeat. Although her success rate at 650 yards wasn’t high, it didn’t mean there was no hope.
Unfortunately, Lady Luck didn’t favor her, or perhaps her success rate was simply too low. When attempting the 650-yard stage, she regrettably only hit the target’s shoulder, failing to achieve an instant kill.
“YOU WIN.” Chianti was a bit unwilling but still openly admitted defeat. After saying this, she called Korn and left the training facility without looking back.
Now, only Vodka, who had been secretly livestreaming to Gin, and Xiaxi herself remained in the facility.
“Will you continue?” Vodka stepped forward as instructed by his elder brother Gin.
A person suddenly emerged from the darkness behind her, but Xiaxi wasn’t startled, as she had vaguely sensed their presence earlier.
“Sure, I haven’t had enough fun yet.” Qianben Xixi turned and saw a man dressed as staff, identical to the sunglasses-wearing man who had led her in earlier.
Without further ado, Vodka followed his elder brother’s orders to test her abilities to the fullest. He walked to the control panel and switched the program from two-player battle mode to training mode, allowing for unlimited progression through stages.
“Thank you. Let’s start from 700 yards.” Qianben Xixi excitedly picked up her gun and resumed her shooting game.
Another scene transition. This time, it was a rainy night in a bustling downtown area. Inside a nightclub, a man in a luxurious private room was dancing and drinking, surrounded by women on both sides.
——Target, the gang leader.
——Kill distance, 700 yards.
The heavy rain and darkness affected visibility, and the dancing girl who kept pressing close to the man also interfered with the shot placement, preventing her from aiming at his vital points. She needed to wait for the right moment. The difficulty was considerable, but not insurmountable. Qianben Xixi, who had become addicted to the game, seemed to find this somewhat boring, so she decided to take an unconventional approach.
She focused intently on calculating various errors, then adjusted her breathing and calmly aimed.
A few seconds later, when the moment arrived, she decisively pulled the trigger twice in quick succession, firing two bullets. The first shot knocked off the man's belt. Just as he felt a sudden chill on his legs and frantically looked down to check, another bullet struck his head, instantly killing him.
There was no need to painstakingly calculate and predict the movements of the target and the dancing girl, nor to wait for that fleeting opportunity. She only needed to make the target assume the posture she desired and expose his vital points.
Qianben Xixi put away her gun with satisfaction. It seemed her skills hadn't deteriorated. She had thoroughly enjoyed today's training and was more than willing to go a few more rounds.
But Vodka, standing nearby, didn't share her enthusiasm. At that moment, he too felt a sudden chill on his legs and couldn't help but look down and adjust his pants—the immersion was simply too intense.
"What are you doing, Vodka?" Gin, who had arrived in the control room unnoticed, saw his subordinate constantly adjusting his pants and frowned as he asked.
Meanwhile, Qianben Xixi, completely unaware of Gin's arrival, was already fully immersed in the joy of the game. So, Gin and Vodka watched as she creatively tormented the target—shooting him into an 'S' shape one moment, then into a 'B' shape the next. At times, she would fire a circle of bullets around the target without killing him, and at other times, she would focus solely on shooting his hair until he went bald. She was clearly having the time of her life.
At first, Gin watched with some satisfaction, thinking it reflected the cold-blooded style of their Organization. But as he continued watching, his blood pressure began to soar uncontrollably.