Part 3
The audience fell silent instantly. Even the whispers vanished without a trace.
In the silence, Yu Shi stood up leisurely and walked onto the ring under everyone’s gaze.
Xie Ren raised the corner of his mouth and followed him up at a relaxed pace.
The host was confused about the situation and subconsciously looked at him, asking, “Commander Xie… didn’t you stop competing in gun assembly?”
Xie Ren shrugged. “Occasionally my hands itch and I want to play a round. Explain the rules to him.”
Below the stage, Xu Bohan said dully, “What does this mean?”
Zhao Yi’s voice popped up behind them again. “Brother Ren holds the fastest record. Very few people dare to challenge him.”
Xu Bohan was almost scared into a mental breakdown. “Big brother, can you stop hiding back there and eavesdropping!”
Zhao Yi curled his lip. “You guys are close to the ring here. I want to watch this one-sided slaughter carefully. Instructor Yu choosing to compete in gun assembly against Brother Ren is simply digging his own grave.”
“Nonsense!” Qi Huan said unhappily. “Do you think Director Yu hasn’t touched a gun?”
“Touching a gun and touching it every day are two different things. Touching it every day and becoming one with it are also two different things.” Zhao Yi said a number. “Sixteen seconds. Can he do it?”
Xu Bohan’s eyes widened. “That’s Xie Ren’s record? That fast?”
“Blindfolded record.”
The two instantly fell silent.
The host said to Yu Shi, “After completing the stripping and assembly, there is a shooting component. If you hit the opponent’s chest area, you win. The bullets are special and won’t draw blood. The winner can ask the loser to do one thing or answer one question. The loser has no right to refuse.”
He attached sensors to their chests. On the table in front of them lay two 9mm P210-1s.
Xie Ren put on protective goggles and said, “It’s not too late to regret it now. My demand might be something you can’t afford.”
Through the lenses, Yu Shi met his gaze calmly. “If you lose, you are not allowed to be late for the next three months.”
Xie Ren was slightly surprised. He didn’t expect Yu Shi to turn such a precious opportunity for extortion into a simple “not allowed to be late.” He remembered Tang Jiadong’s words: Scientists are a very simple group of people.
Instructor Yu seemed particularly simple.
He smiled and gave no answer.
The two stood facing each other, separated by a long table, with barriers behind them respectively.
The host raised his hand. “Ready, 3, 2, 1āStart!”
The moment the whistle blew, they began dismantling simultaneously. Their movements were fast as they laid out the parts one by one. Every step was incredibly synchronized, as if facing a mirror. The audience watched in dead silence.
In Xie Ren’s hands, the gun looked like a toy. He was not only fast but handled it with ease; even his injured hand showed no sign of sluggishness.
He even spared a moment to lift his eyelids and glance at Yu Shi.
To his surprise, Yu Shi’s speed was not inferior in the slightest. His assembly technique was extremely proficient, clearly the result of years of training. Spring first, then the plugāassembling methodically.
Those hands were born extremely beautiful. Rather than a scientist’s hands, they looked more like a pianist’s.
The fingers were long and slender, the knuckles barely visible. The skin was translucent white, with dark blue veins floating on the back of the hand. They looked pampered, yet full of strength.
Xie Ren gave a short laugh.
A very beautiful pair of hands. Beautiful enough that even if they held a gun against someone’s head, the other person probably wouldn’t care about life or death.
His gaze wandered, pausing on Yu Shi’s ring finger. The idle chatter from earlier rang in his ears.
“Starting last year, he frequently went on blind dates. He’s probably married by now…”
Xie Ren’s smile vanished, and his hands paused for a few seconds. In those few seconds, Yu Shi immediately caught up and finished assembly at lightning speed.
He lowered his eyelids, his eyes cold.
With two muffled clicks, both men raised their guns and pulled the triggers at each other simultaneously.
The bullet flew precisely toward Yu Shi’s chest but was dodged by a sideways movement he made in advance. This anticipatory reaction earned applause and cheers from many in the audience.
Yu Shi raised his hand and returned fire with two shots, bang bang, while retreating behind the barrier. His actions were sharp and free, not at all like someone who spent all year in a lab.
“I couldn’t tell, Instructor Yu is actually a trained fighter. His aim is steadier than mine.” Zhao Yi leaned forward, watching with intense focus.
Xu Bohan was nervous yet proud. “Of course. Every time he develops something, he tests it personally for over half a year. Did you think he was playing around?”
Xie Ren fired six shots in a row at Yu Shi, emptying the magazine completely. One shot hit Yu Shi in the waist, while he himself remained unharmed, dodging Yu Shi’s six shots.
The host opened his mouth wide, about to announce Xie Ren the winner, when Yu Shi aimed at him again.
Bang!
The seventh shotāstill dodged.
Bang!
The eighth shot followed instantly, the bullet hitting Xie Ren right in the heart.
āThis was because, in those short few seconds, he had loaded two more bullets than Xie Ren.
Dead silence fell below the stage, followed by a massive uproar.
“Holy shit, Xie Ren got hit?!”
“This isn’t how the script was written! Where did he get two extra shots?”
“This Omega is kinda awesome. Is he your institute’s instructor? Do you have his StarChat?”
Xie Ren looked down at his chest, the corner of his mouth rising in a cold arc. He raised his hands. “I lost, Instructor Yu.”
He surrendered too readily, catching the host off guard.
Yu Shi showed no expression of triumph. putting down the gun. “Since you lost, no being late this semester.”
Xie Ren tilted his head. “Just this one requirement? Don’t blame me for not reminding you; you won’t get a second chance.”
Yu Shi didn’t know what Xie Ren was daydreaming about during those few paused seconds, but he knew clearly that Xie Ren was telling the truth. If not for that gap, the loser would have been him.
So he said, “There is one more.”
Xie Ren seemed to expect it. “Speak.”
“No eating breakfast in my class.”
“…”
This morning, the trio had eaten breakfast in the back row. Zhao Yi performed swallowing two buns whole in one bite and was called out by Yu Shi to stand up and reflect for five minutes.
Xie Ren’s mouth twitched. “Instructor Yu really is dedicated. Even Brother Li, the counselor, would have to admit defeat.”
The host cleared his throat. “Since the demands have been made, let’s start the second round of competition.”
“Wait, I didn’t hear a word! What did that Omega say?”
“Can’t you broadcast it? What did he demand?”
“Is he making things difficult for Xie Ren? No, wait, why is Xie Ren smiling?”
Amidst the buzzing discussion, the second round of assembly began.
This time, Xie Ren seemed to have eaten gunpowder. His bearing was aggressive, a few notches faster than his usual training speed.
Yu Shi had just loaded the first bullet when the gun was already pointing at his chest from across the air.
Xie Ren pulled the trigger lightly, a threat in his eyes. “Instructor Yu, consider surrendering? I really can’t bring myself to shoot a face like this.”
His expression and tone were asking for a beating, as if the person who just fired six shots at Yu Shi wasn’t him.
Yu Shi knew a wise man doesn’t fight when the odds are against him, so he said, “I surrender. What do you want me to do?”
The host didn’t expect it to be this fast. He was still hyping up the atmosphere when it came to an abrupt halt, his eyes darting between them.
Xie Ren huffed. Even though the captive had surrendered, he still didn’t lower the gun.
It seemed that if the other party upset him, he would fire at any moment.
“I want to ask a question,” he said expressionlessly.
Yu Shi was puzzled. “Go ahead.”
Xie Ren’s gaze swept over his ring finger as he asked, “When did Instructor Yu get married?”
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