Doesn't Know How to Use a Gun

Elegy of the Square versus Iris. The standoff between these two sniper rifles had been the variable on this battlefield. Now, the outcome of that clash of variables was decided. And the shift in the battlefield didn't stop there. For on the other side, Han Qingyu had just dragged his heavily wounded body forward and single-handedly inflicted grievous injuries on two top combatants. Granted, even wounded, Zhe Shouzhao and Rocher were still capable of fighting. A definitive conclusion to this battle had not yet been reached. It was just that the massive advantage Zhe Shouzhao had spoken of earlier was undeniably gone. In fact, it now felt as though they were starting to find themselves at a disadvantage. The variable now lay solely with Han Qingyu. And the key to everything that followed was whether Han Qingyu could continue fighting in that same state. Judging by his injuries alone, he looked as though he might collapse at any moment. Across the scene, the howl of the sniper bullet made everyone in the valley lose focus for a split second... At the edge of the woods along the cliffside, Niger was dead. His index finger slipped limply from the trigger, missing his chance by just the barest margin. A fraction of an instant more, and he could have put another shot into Han Qingyu's flank from behind just as he landed. Below, from a position completely disadvantageous for a sniper duel, Wen Jifei—who had stood motionless as a statue for so long—finally moved. Elegy of the Square shifted horizontally with his arm as he turned, his gaze sweeping the battlefield before finally turning toward the cliffside above. From the moment Han Qingyu was shot until now, Wen Jifei hadn't spared him a single glance and had no idea how he was holding up. *Whoosh!* Upon the shattered boulder along the cliff face, Han Qingyu sheathed his blade and moved simultaneously. Even heavily wounded, he sprinted with astonishing speed, his silhouette blurring in the darkness. Yet at least the direction of his advance was clear. The onlookers saw that Han Qingyu did not press the attack while Rocher and Zhe Shouzhao were injured; instead, his first move was straight toward Niger off to the side. He didn't seem to hesitate in the slightest. Logically speaking, this made sense—it could be explained as Han Qingyu worrying that another Voyage member might pick up the rifle and pose a renewed threat. Yet looking at it from the other side: hadn't he had a chance to cut down one of the two?! Moreover, an inexplicable sense of fanaticism and excitement radiated from him, feeling somewhat bizarre. It didn't quite suit the reputation and stature of Major The Qing. In fact, even from an enemy's perspective, the combatants of Voyage had always imagined this young man who stood amidst legend as someone extraordinary, lofty, and grand. In short, he sprinted away... to go loot a gun. This was nothing like the legendary major who had remained dead silent from the start, doing nothing but lunging in to strike and kill. Nor did it look much like a team leader. "Not bad. He's alive... and pretty lively too." Rusty Sister and Wu Xu relaxed slightly, He Tangtang grew a bit excited, and Wen Jifei smiled happily. To them, it felt like watching a fish that had already floated belly-up suddenly thrash its tail with vigor, swimming around full of life. In the woods along the cliffside, the heavy sniper rifle slipped from Niger's limp grip, falling toward the ground... only to be caught in a single swooping reach just above the carpet of withered branches and leaves. Han Qingyu didn't allow his momentum to stall. Grabbing Iris, he sidestepped a few paces, kicked up the combat blade he had hurled earlier, slotted it back behind him, swept past every spot where an ambush could lurk, and came to a halt on another rock on the far side before turning around. Standing there, he raised the rifle upward with one hand, looking thoroughly delighted. *I don't know if they've fired it before, or how many rounds are left.* He knew for certain this Iris had at least one shot left, but beyond that was anyone's guess. *If I hand it over to Plague Chicken and the next shot blows up in his face...* Han Qingyu hesitated. In truth, it wasn't that he hadn't wanted to press his advantage and kill one of them earlier; rather, his current condition was far worse than it appeared. When Qu Zongxing had struck his chest earlier, it had been a sneak attack, leaving no time to fully raise his source energy defense. Moreover, the man was a genuine super-tier combatant, leaving behind massive internal damage—far worse than the bullet wound in his shoulder just now. After unleashing two all-out strikes, he was currently teetering on his feet. To fight again, he needed at least a moment to recover. *So do we run now, or chat a bit and keep going?* While Han Qingyu hesitated, Zhe Shouzhao's side was already preparing to flee. Han Qingyu's condition didn't look particularly bad, and he was now holding a gun. They had two guns now. Iris had at least two rounds left—Zhe Shouzhao knew that very well. With those two shots in Han Qingyu's hands combined with his formidable combat power, he would be completely unstoppable. ... *What a pity!* Wen Jifei pulled his gaze back with a wry smile. He remembered back when he was learning to shoot; Han Qingyu had actually practiced alongside him for a few days... As it turned out, perhaps because his genius was so wildly untamed, the bullets he fired flew just as wild and untamed. Later, Milla had gleefully kicked him out. After several days of practice, this genius of the blade couldn't even hit a rabbit or a bird, let alone an opponent sprinting and weaving under source energy enhancement. In truth, very few people in the source energy world could shoot well. By that definition: Han Qingyu didn't know how to use a gun. Though he looked as if he looked down upon the whole field, standing up high with rifle raised in one hand, in truth... giving him a machine gun might work, but a sniper rifle was out of the question. Wen Jifei could guess Qingzi's reservations. But among their group, Wu Xu had never touched a gun, Rusty Sister risked jamming the trigger with her armor, and He Tangtang had never mastered it. Zhu Jiaming? Leaving aside whether he could even shoot, how could they possibly hand it to him? That bastard had been dueling one of the enemy's top combatants this whole time, and didn't have a single scratch on him... nor did his opponent. He was completely slacking off, just waiting to see how Han Qingyu's moves played out. At the very least, he had zero intention of putting his life on the line to carve out a local advantage and break the stalemate. *So I'd better do it after all.* Having made up his mind, Wen Jifei began: "Qingzi, you..." Now was his time to take charge, and Wen Jifei was about to tell Qingzi to pull back first, when— *Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...* Dense and overlapping, near and far, the sounds of erupting source energy rolled across several connected hills. No need to look: Qu Zongyan had arrived. It was unexpected, yet not unexpected. After all, the hidden clans had never given up their pursuit, and they had just caused such a massive commotion here. *It's impossible to fight now,* Han Qingyu thought. There was no need to shout "run"—everyone in the crew knew full well what Han Qingyu's next decision would be. However, there was no time. A thunderous roar of majestic source energy resonated from the reverse slope to the flank. Insects, snakes, and birds in the trees were shaken to death and tumbled down; trees trembled and snapped... Super combatant Qu Zongyan had arrived to kill. The stunning entrance and overpowering aura drew the eyes of both sides across the battlefield. "A super?!" "A super!" *Whoosh!* Qu Zongyan launched into midair like an arrow, hurtling toward Han Qingyu's back. Cries of alarm erupted. Some on the battlefield hadn't fully processed what was happening; others saw the newcomer pounce straight for Han Qingyu and were overcome with joy, waiting to see Han Qingyu take the hit; while Wen Jifei, Rusty Sister, Wu Xu, and He Tangtang felt their hearts leap into their throats. *In Qingzi's current state, he can't take this hit.* Wen Jifei raised his rifle. At this distance, it was impossible to hit a super, and even if he did, it would only inflict minor harm on Qu Zongyan. He prepared to waste a bullet. The third round. The rest didn't have time to do anything. Qu Zongyan's strike came too fast, crashing in from behind. Dodging was impossible, and Han Qingyu couldn't outrun him either. If he braced to take it, the extent of his injuries would be laid bare, compounding wound upon wound. Amidst the chorus of gasps, Han Qingyu calmly turned around... *Whoosh—whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!* In a frantic succession of source energy bursts, Qu Zongyan—to Zhe Shouzhao's utter disappointment and astonishment—suddenly flew backward, veered sideways, bounded down, and slapped a palm against the earth to launch himself away. The repeated explosive bursts had nearly caused him to cough up blood, but once safely hidden, Qu Zongyan felt only sheer relief. He had just seen the muzzle. Han Qingyu stood there, his expression placid and his eyes calmer still, aiming the gun right at him. It felt as if he were asking: "Scared yet?"