"Bang!"
Another gunshot rang out.
This time, the bullet missed the bullseye and flew past the edge of the target.
The recoil caused Xu Xinghe's arm to swing uncontrollably, resulting in a deviation in aim.
“It’s alright. You did a good job for your first time firing a gun.” Zhang Cishu didn’t blame her. Instead, he stepped forward, picked up the pistol, and said, “You’ve already experienced it. Now I’ll teach you how to open the safety and how to change bullets. These are the basics, and you must master them.”
He patiently demonstrated, explaining as he went, "This is the safety catch. Pushing it up opens it, and pushing it down closes it. Make sure the safety is off before firing."
"When changing magazines, press this button and the magazine will automatically detach. Then insert the fully loaded magazine and you will hear a click, which means it is in place."
Xu Xinghe watched attentively, nodding occasionally, and asking questions immediately when she encountered something she didn't understand.
Zhang Cishu answered her questions one by one until she fully understood.
“Now practice loading, disengaging the safety, and shooting on your own. Practice repeatedly until you develop muscle memory.” Zhang Cishu handed her the pistol and bullets. “If you want to be accurate, theory alone is useless; you have to practice a lot. I’ll be watching the shooting range today; you can practice here until noon.”
"Thank you, dictionary!"
Zhang Cishu nodded, said nothing more, walked to the edge of the shooting range and sat down under the shade of a tree, quietly watching her practice.
Xu Xinghe gripped the pistol tightly and followed the steps he had just learned, operating it one by one.
Release the safety, change the magazine, aim at the bullseye, and pull the trigger.
Gunshots echoed continuously across the firing range.
At first, the bullets always missed the bullseye, and sometimes they even missed altogether.
But she did not get discouraged. She adjusted her posture again and again, felt the feedback from the recoil, and constantly summarized her experience.
Her arms were getting increasingly sore, and the area between her thumb and forefinger was red from being rubbed against the gun handle, but she showed no sign of stopping.
Every time she fired a shot, Jiang Linchuan's image appeared in her mind. The thought that he might be in danger and that she had to become stronger as soon as possible to save him filled her with motivation.
As the sun rose higher, the gunfire at the firing range continued unabated.
Xu Xinghe's shooting accuracy has been improving steadily, from initially just grazing the target to later being able to consistently hit the target, and then occasionally hitting the bullseye.
Sweat streamed down her face, soaking her clothes, but her grip on the gun became increasingly steady.
As long as she could get one step closer to Jiang Linchuan, she would gladly endure any hardship or exhaustion!
The midday sun scorched the earth, and the gunfire at the shooting range finally ceased.
Xu Xinghe put down the pistol, and a tingling, numb pain shot through his arm. The area between his thumb and forefinger was red and burning from the rubbing of the gun handle, and he could barely hold anything.
Zhang Cishu said he had to leave half an hour ago, and before leaving he specifically told her to go back and rest after she finished practicing.
Xu Xinghe rubbed his sore arms and slowly walked out of the shooting range, his steps unsteady as he returned to the courtyard.
After pushing open the door, she immediately slipped into the room and entered the space.
She found a basin, filled it with the spiritual spring water from her space, and soaked her two arms in it.
The cool spring water enveloped my aching arms, and a chill seeped into my muscles through my skin, instantly relieving the numbness in my muscles.
Xu Xinghe closed her eyes, feeling the nourishment of the spiritual spring water.
Just five minutes later, the soreness, numbness, and swelling in my arm subsided, the redness and swelling at the base of my thumb faded significantly, and I regained my strength.
She flicked her wrist, still savoring the feel of her shooting practice.
She could feel that muscle memory was slowly forming, but her accuracy was still unstable.
The last few shots I fired were occasionally able to hit the bullseye, but most of the time they just landed on the edge of the target.
"Aiming still requires a lot of practice..." Xu Xinghe muttered to himself.
But she couldn't keep bothering Zhang Cishu, nor could she endlessly expend bullets.
Bullets are strictly controlled military supplies, and Zhang Cishu's ability to get her the opportunity to practice shooting is already an immense favor.
Not long after stepping out of the space, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.
Xu Xinghe thought it was Zhang Cishu returning, so she hurriedly went to open the door. Unexpectedly, it was Political Commissar Wang standing outside the door, holding a thermal lunchbox in his hand and smiling.
"Political Commissar Wang?" Xu Xinghe was taken aback.
"I heard you practiced shooting at the range until noon today and didn't go to the canteen for lunch, so I brought you some." Political Commissar Wang waved the lunchbox in his hand, his tone casual.
Xu Xinghe blushed slightly and tugged at her clothes a little shyly. "Political Commissar, you already know?"
“There are very few things in the military that can be kept from me.” Political Commissar Wang chuckled and stepped into the courtyard. “Moreover, Zhang Cishu didn’t hide your matter from me either. He even came to my office before to talk about the shooting practice, and said that he would have his grandfather find a way to replenish the bullets you used, so that the military’s reserves wouldn’t be used.”
Xu Xinghe felt a warmth in her heart.
Dictionary is a really good person.
She stepped aside to let Political Commissar Wang into the room and opened the lunchbox herself.
Inside were two meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and two bowls of steaming rice—all dishes from the military canteen.
This was the first time Political Commissar Wang had eaten alone with her. Neither of them spoke, and the only sound was the soft clinking of their bowls and chopsticks, creating an awkward atmosphere.
After finishing her meal, Xu Xinghe cleaned up the dishes and sat down. Just then, Political Commissar Wang took a sealed document from his briefcase and handed it to her. "Take a look at this. I have to take it with me after you finish reading it. Note that you can only look at it, not share it with anyone else."
Xu Xinghe's heart skipped a beat, and she took the document with trembling fingers.
This document must contain information about Jiang Linchuan!
She carefully opened the seal, inside were several sheets of paper, the handwriting neat, recording the core information of Jiang Linchuan's mission.
This includes details of the clues he followed, the exact location of the city where he last disappeared, the address of the now-empty outpost, and the scattered clues about local espionage activities that the military currently possesses.
She read very slowly and very carefully, afraid of missing any detail, and her mind was already silently sorting through the information.
Political Commissar Wang sat to the side, not disturbing her, but simply watching quietly.
After reading through all the contents, Xu Xinghe carefully folded the document and handed it back to Political Commissar Wang, saying, "I've read it all."
"Okay." Political Commissar Wang took the documents, resealed them, and put them in his briefcase. "This is all the information that can be made public at the moment. Any more detailed information, involving higher-level secrets, I cannot show it to you. I agree that you should go to that city to find Jiang Linchuan."
Xu Xinghe looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with surprise, "Really?"
“Really.” Political Commissar Wang nodded. “I can’t stop you. Rather than letting you sneak off, I’d rather make proper arrangements for you, at least to ensure your safety on the road. I’ve already had someone get you identification and travel permits, and I’ve also notified someone in the military headquarters there. You can get his help by using a special code.”
He looked at Xu Xinghe, his tone serious, "But I have three requirements. First, you must never reveal your identity or purpose. Second, if you encounter danger, prioritize self-preservation and immediately contact the military personnel there; do not engage in a direct confrontation. Third, if you receive any news about Jiang Linchuan or discover any important clues, you must contact the military headquarters there immediately and report to me."
Xu Xinghe nodded heavily, her eyes slightly red, "Thank you, Political Commissar Wang, I promise you everything!"
“You don’t need to thank me.” Political Commissar Wang sighed. “Jiang Linchuan is a good comrade in the military, and he’s also a child I’ve watched grow up. I want him to come back safely.”
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