Lei Zhengyang staggered to his feet, testing his wounded leg. A bone-deep pain shot through him, but he had no choice. In this kill-or-be-killed hell, he had to grit his teeth and push forward. One slip, and those snipers would show no mercy.
Cornered like a beast, a murderous fire erupted in his chest. Mercy? He'd show none to these hunters. To cross this primal forest on time, he had no choice but to meet them head-on, no holds barred.
For days, he'd moved at night, resting by day. Now, he flipped the script—active in daylight, sleeping at midnight. The sudden shift caught the snipers off guard. In a single day, Lei took down six of them. Each kill was a razor's edge of danger, but as he sat catching his breath, a wild thrill surged through him. I'm alive. Another day survived.
He also sidestepped several major traps. By his rough count, only eight of the 36 traps remained, and just seven of the 24 snipers were still breathing. Victory was in sight. Though he'd only advanced a dozen miles that day, it was a damn impressive feat.
In the base's central control room, Instructor Two stormed into the command center. The old man was engrossed in a digital map tracking troop movements, not even glancing up as he spoke, his voice icy. "Little Phoenix, what now? This is the third time today you've interrupted me."
"General, I demand we cancel 001's training immediately!" she snapped. "Instructor One tampered with the data, doubling the already escalated difficulty. It violates our protocols!"
The old man had known about Instructor One's meddling. With the one-year deadline looming, time was a luxury he couldn't afford. After a moment's thought, he'd let it slide. "As 001's primary instructor, he has the authority to make any changes that enhance training. I care about results, not procedures. Your job is to do your duty, Instructor Two. Any consequences are not your concern. Understood?"
"But—"
"Leave," he cut her off.
Fury flashed across her face, her teeth grinding, but she saluted sharply and stormed out, her heavy footsteps echoing her rage.
Once she was gone, a bespectacled officer approached. "General, I recommend removing Instructor Two. She's unfit to train 001. Scans show emotional fluctuations—a dangerous sign."
The old man waved him off. "I'm aware. I'll consider it. For now, show me 001's training feed."
"Yes, General."
The screen wall flickered to life, revealing Lei Zhengyang in the forest, clinging to a towering tree like a slumbering bear. What stunned the old man wasn't his position but his eyes—one open, one closed, like a damn owl.
Suddenly, both eyes snapped open. A faint hiss echoed nearby as a green venomous snake slithered toward his perch. His hand shot out, seizing the two-meter-long serpent. As its fangs lunged for his arm, his Swiss knife flashed, pinning its head to the tree. With a flick, he ripped out its gall bladder and swallowed it. The writhing snake went limp, dead.
But Lei wasn't done. Peeling back its skin, he devoured the raw, tender flesh, his body screaming for energy after relentless exertion.
Watching Lei's satisfied expression, the old man nodded approvingly. "Monitor 001's training around the clock. Report any emergencies immediately."
"Yes, General."
Lei smeared his body with green sap, blending into the dense foliage. Unless someone passed right by, he was invisible.
Two more days passed. All 36 traps had been neutralized, but one sniper remained. Kill that last hunter, and he'd stroll out of this forest free. So, he halted his advance, focusing solely on the final prey. Three days remained—plenty of time.
He sensed the sniper was close. It was a game of patience now, and Lei had the edge. Holed up in a tree trunk for a day and night, he sipped morning dew to wet his cracked lips, his senses probing the silent, insect-humming world. No sign of danger.
Am I overthinking this? he wondered. Maybe the last sniper isn't even here.
Then, a faint rustle—like a snake gliding over dry leaves. Beneath a pile of foliage, the ground shifted. A head emerged—gray hair, ashen face, blending perfectly with the forest floor. If it weren't moving, it could've passed for a stump.
Lei's heart leaped. This is it.
He aimed his pistol, finger on the trigger. A chance like this came once. These snipers were elite, sharper and deadlier than any beast in this jungle. Let one escape, and he'd never get another shot like this.
Bang! The shot was flawless, the bullet drilling into the sniper's forehead. Instant kill.
Lei leapt from the tree, relief flooding his body. His leg wound was healing, and in his exhilaration, the pain vanished. Another trial conquered.
He sauntered to the corpse, yanking it from the earth to scavenge supplies. The forest had food, but a change of flavor was welcome. Luck was on his side—the sniper carried spiced beef jerky and two small cans of food.
Popping a can, he sipped the faintly sweet contents, a taste that rocketed him from hell to paradise. The jerky, spicy yet fragrant, was a delicacy. Lei savored it, marveling that such a simple meal could feel like a feast. In his old life, even a lavish banquet wouldn't have impressed him.
Crack. The bracelet on his wrist—the one from Instructor Two—snapped apart. As he glanced down, bang! A bullet grazed his scalp, searing pain exploding across his skull.
He'd been ambushed.
How? He'd eliminated all 24 snipers.
Toot-toot! A piercing whistle cut through the air, sharp and far-reaching—an emergency rally signal.
Lei's blood ran cold. There wasn't just one enemy—there were more. His eyes narrowed as realization hit. Instructor One's numbers—36 traps, 24 snipers—were a lie. This forest hid more threats.
He snatched the broken bracelet from the ground and rolled behind a tree. Danger was closing in, but staying put wasn't an option. Against one sniper, he could outwait them. Against a squad? Patience would only get him killed.
With the whistle still ringing and reinforcements yet to arrive, he had one shot to break through. This was his only chance to survive.
But how? Running was suicide—humans couldn't outpace bullets. Somewhere, a sniper's rifle was trained on him. Poke his head out, and it'd be blown off. He might dodge the first shot, but the second or third would end him.