novelraw Chapter 44 : The Bullet That Never Misses
Chapter 44 : The Bullet That Never Misses
Chapter 44: The Bullet That Never Misses
On the second day after Li Wei officially joined the Transcendent Affairs Bureau, the entire Haicheng—a megacity with a population exceeding twenty million—entered an unprecedented state of silence with an efficiency beyond imagination.
“To respond to the ‘sudden public incident,’ from this day onward, the entire Haicheng area will enter a thirty-day period of the highest-level security control.”
“All citizens are to remain in home isolation; do not go out unless absolutely necessary.”
“All daily necessities will be uniformly delivered door-to-door by community workers.”
“During the drill, comprehensive and indiscriminate high-intensity signal monitoring and personnel inspections will be carried out across the city. Citizens are requested to cooperate…”
Official announcements were broadcast continuously via television, radio, the internet, and loudspeakers installed in every corner of the city, repeating around the clock.
Under the overwhelming enforcement power of the authorities, overnight, Haicheng—the once bustling city that never slept—turned into a silent ghost city.
All highways, railways, air routes, and ports connecting to the outside world were completely sealed off, with armed soldiers and armored vehicles taking control of every entry and exit point.
The wide roads were utterly deserted, with only squads of armed soldiers and black armored vehicles patrolling in precise formations.
In the sky, swarms of drones patrolled continuously, twenty-four hours a day. Their high-precision cameras and thermal imaging systems monitored every movement within Haicheng.
Tens of thousands of community workers, under the joint operation of the army and police, visited households one by one under the pretexts of “door-to-door delivery of daily necessities” and “nationwide health screening.”
At every community entrance and exit, joint checkpoints composed of SWAT officers and agents from Bureau 869 were established.
Every household, every individual, had to be registered.
For the vast majority of ordinary citizens, this was merely a large-scale “emergency exercise.”
But for those who had just been drawn into the “Game of Gods,” they all understood clearly that this was the net the authorities had cast specifically for them.
……
At the same time, a heavily encrypted recruitment broadcast looped repeatedly through television, radio, the internet, and even local emergency broadcasting systems.
“To all participants of the ‘Game of Gods,’ we are the Transcendent Affairs Bureau of the Longxi Republic……”
“The nation is now aware of the game’s existence. We have no intention of making enemies of you……”
“We solemnly promise that any participant willing to cooperate with the government shall receive exemption, protection, and the most generous treatment.”
“Already, a participant from the 【Radiance】 faction has become our first collaborator.”
“We are your strongest backing.”
“Repeating……”
……
Transcendent Affairs Bureau, Haicheng Branch Base — Shooting Training Range.
Li Wei stood at the center of the range, eyes closed, adjusting his breathing.
Directly before him, targets made of special alloy steel stood at distances of one hundred meters, five hundred meters, one thousand meters, and three thousand meters.
“Are you ready?”
Chen Mo’s voice echoed through the loudspeakers across the training ground.
“Ready, Director Chen,” Li Wei responded.
“Begin.”
Li Wei’s eyes snapped open, a gleam flashing within them.
He slowly raised his right hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together as though holding an invisible pistol, aiming at the coin-sized bullseye a hundred meters away.
“Bang!”
A crisp gunshot rang out.
At a hundred meters, the steel target’s forehead was instantly pierced with a perfectly centered bullet hole.
“Report! Bullseye hit. Zero deviation,” the observer on the far end of the range reported through the intercom.
Without pause, Li Wei immediately turned his “muzzle” toward the second target, five hundred meters away.
“Bang!”
Another shot rang out. The second target’s center was punctured just as precisely.
But this time, Li Wei felt a faint sting within his brain, as though a sliver of mental energy had been drained away.
Next was the third target, one thousand meters.
“Bang!”
After the shot, Li Wei’s complexion paled slightly, his temples throbbing violently.
He could feel that as the distance and power increased, his mental energy consumption was growing geometrically.
Finally, he fixed his gaze upon the last target, three thousand meters away—so distant it was nearly invisible.
He took a deep breath, channeling every ounce of his spiritual power into his fingertips.
An unprecedented fatigue surged through him; even his vision began to blur.
“Fire!”
He roared inwardly.
“Bang—!”
Li Wei’s body swayed violently, nearly collapsing to the ground as two streams of blood trickled from his nostrils.
In the distance, the target three thousand meters away trembled violently as a visible shockwave rippled across its surface.
At its center appeared a massive fist-sized dent, webbed with cracks all around—though the bullet hadn’t completely penetrated it.
The observer’s voice came again, this time tinged with uncontrollable shock: “Report! All subsequent bullets have hit the target!”
Behind the one-way glass of the observation room outside the range, Chen Mo and several weapons experts watched the scene with solemn expressions.
“Incredible……”
A gray-haired veteran expert adjusted his glasses and muttered, “His ‘bullets’ seem entirely unaffected by air resistance, wind speed, or even Earth’s gravity.”
“This completely defies every known law of ballistics.”
“After several days of testing, we can now basically determine the ability characteristics of the 【Gun God】.”
A young researcher beside him pointed to the data analysis report on the screen. “First, absolute accuracy.”
“As long as the target is within his line of sight and consciously ‘locked on,’ his attack cannot be dodged.”
“Second, power control.”
“The power of his ‘bullets’ is proportional to the mental energy he expends. The greater the power, the greater the cost.”
“Third, distance penalty.”
“The farther the target, the exponentially higher the mental energy required to achieve the same power output.”
Chen Mo nodded thoughtfully. Then, holding two cups of hot tea, he left the observation room.
“Comrade Li Wei, take a break.”
“Director Chen.” Li Wei immediately straightened and saluted.
“How do you feel? Getting used to your ability?” Chen Mo handed him a cup of tea, smiling.
“Reporting to Director Chen, I’ve basically mastered it.”
Li Wei took a sip of the hot tea, feeling his mental fatigue ease a little. “It’s just that… the consumption of mental energy is still a major problem.”
“Don’t rush it; take it slow.”
Chen Mo patted his shoulder. “Mental energy is like a muscle—it can be strengthened through systematic training and proper nutrition.”
“We’ve gathered the best nutritionists and neuroscientists in the country to design a special training program just for you.”
“The state will provide you with the best logistical support.”
Li Wei nodded, warmth rising in his chest.
“By the way, Director Chen,”
He glanced at the empty range and couldn’t help asking, “Have you found the others yet?”
A knowing smile crossed Chen Mo’s face. “We already have leads.”
“Your teammates will be arriving very soon.”