John looked at the scenery flying by outside the window: "Six o'clock, don't stay up late."
Zhang Jie suddenly remembered something: "Oh, right, who did you say told you that Huaguo people are pacifists?"
John's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile, then his eyes dimmed: "An old acquaintance."
[Firearms Basics: Lv0 (25 → 40 / 100)]
Three months passed in a flash… At six in the morning, Zhang Jie was already standing in the shooting range, his exhaled breath condensing into white mist in the cold wind.
He stared at the numbers in the bottom right corner of his vision:
[Shooting: Lv2 (72 / 100)]
[Quick Reaction: Lv1 (65 / 100)]
[Melee Combat: Lv1 (58 / 100)]
Three months of high-intensity training had steadily increased these numbers, but in the past two weeks, the handgun shooting value had been fluctuating around 72, as if blocked by an invisible ceiling.
He also understood the rules of that proficiency.
At lower levels, one could break through with a lot of training, but after level 2, one had to engage in a lot of actual combat to break through. Long-term disuse of a skill would lead to a decrease in proficiency, dropping points but not levels, which would not affect its use.
The panel only showed the progress of skills he could learn; it wasn't a cheat, had no other functions, and didn't offer a permanent certification.
There was no hint for things he couldn't learn, and the original owner was just an ordinary person, so he had nothing to inherit.
Based on the current situation, he temporarily divided the proficiency levels into five: Understanding Lv0 → Usage Lv1 → Initial Mastery Lv2 → Proficient Application Lv3 → Mastery Lv4 → Grandmaster Lv5.
He didn't know if there would be higher levels, but this would do for now.
And this was just a panel that visualized the progress of skills; there was nothing else, he still had to train himself!
"Then, one more set!"
Zhang Jie raised his Glock 34, aiming at the target paper twenty-five yards away.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After three shots, he checked the target paper: two tens, one nine.
[Handgun Shooting: Lv2 (72 → 71 / 100)]
"Damn it!"
He cursed under his breath, watching the number drop instead of rise.
This was the third setback this week.
The sound of a wheelchair came from behind him.
John entered the shooting area, the cast on his right leg replaced by a light knee brace.
He glanced at the target paper, said nothing, but simply pulled an old M1911 from the side pocket of his wheelchair.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The three bullet holes were almost overlapping in the bullseye.
One bullet hole.
"How did you do that?" Zhang Jie couldn't help but ask.
John handed him the still smoking gun: "Two hundred thousand rounds."
Zhang Jie took the heavy M1911; the feel of this gun was completely different from the Glock.
He tried to aim, pulled the trigger, and the bullet missed the target completely.
[Handgun Shooting: Lv2 (71 → 70 / 100)]
"Damn it!" Zhang Jie almost dropped the gun.
John's lips curved slightly: "Are you counting scores while shooting?"
Zhang Jie's heart skipped a beat; could John see his proficiency?
But the other party's next words dispelled his doubts:
"Your eyes tell me you're too focused on the result of each shot."
John moved closer to Zhang Jie, "True shooting should be..."
He suddenly grabbed Zhang Jie's wrist, guiding his hand to pull the trigger.
Bang!
The bullet hit the bullseye.
"...like this." John released his hand, "Let your body remember the feeling, not the numbers."
Zhang Jie looked thoughtfully at the numbers in his vision.
Perhaps he was too reliant on this proficiency value?
Proficiency was just an aid; real improvement still depended on muscle memory.
The subsequent training became a bit strange.
John made him shoot with his eyes closed, shoot with one hand, and even shoot while doing squats.
Zhang Jie's scores were abysmal, but the numbers in his vision showed new changes:
[Handgun Shooting: Lv2 (70 → 69 / 100)]
[Instinctive Shooting: Lv0 (15 → 25 / 100)]
This newly appeared "Instinctive Shooting" made Zhang Jie's eyes light up.
It seemed John was right; some things couldn't be measured by simple numbers.
During lunch break, Zhang Jie lay sprawled on the sofa in the lounge, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Three months ago, he was a rookie who couldn't even load a magazine; now he could at least shoot at the average level of a beginner professional.
But in the past two weeks, no matter how much he practiced, his handgun shooting value remained stuck around 70.
"Bottleneck." John tossed him a sports drink, "Everyone encounters it."
Zhang Jie twisted open the cap: "How did you break through it back then?"
"Actual combat."
The light sentence almost made the drink spray out of Zhang Jie's nose.
"Between life and death, the body remembers the most important things." John's tone was as calm as if discussing the weather, "But we have other methods."
The training ground in the afternoon became a simulated apartment.
John handed Zhang Jie a handgun loaded with marking rounds and special goggles.
"Scenario training." John pointed to the room, "Five moving targets, three friendly, two hostile, three seconds to judge."
Zhang Jie put on the goggles, and the scene before him immediately changed – ordinary furniture became holographic projections, and humanoid targets moved around.
He pushed open the door; a female target was cooking, with a child target next to her.
Suddenly, a male target carrying a gun rushed out of the bedroom on the right... Bang! Bang!
Zhang Jie fired two shots, and red smoke appeared on the male target's chest.
But the female target in the kitchen suddenly turned and lunged with a knife!
"Shit!" He fired hastily and missed.
The training continued until evening.
Zhang Jie experienced various scenarios like supermarket hostage situations and nightclub brawls.
His shirt was soaked with sweat, his fingers twitched from pulling the trigger, but "Instinctive Shooting" in his vision steadily increased.
"Last round." John adjusted the projector, "No hints."
The scene changed to a dimly lit alley.
Zhang Jie advanced cautiously, hearing footsteps behind him.
He turned and saw a hooded figure.
He hesitated for 0.3 seconds, the figure raised its hand, and Zhang Jie felt a sharp pain in his chest.
"You're dead." John turned off the projector expressionlessly.
Zhang Jie tore off his goggles: "That was civilian attire!"
"Wrong stance? Amateur grip?" John asked coldly.
"I... didn't notice..."
"Instinct isn't trained; it's lived." John handed him a towel, "Rest tomorrow."
Zhang Jie was stunned: "Rest?"
"Go for a walk in the city." John pushed his wheelchair away, "Bring a gun."
The next day at noon, Zhang Jie, dressed in casual clothes, walked the streets of Brooklyn, a holstered and safety-on Glock 19 tucked into his waistband.
This wasn't his first time carrying a real gun in an ordinary environment, but this time was different; with every step, he could feel the cold touch of the metal.
While waiting in line at a fast-food restaurant, the drunkard in front suddenly turned, and a beer bottle almost hit his holster.
Zhang Jie's body reacted before his brain; his right hand pressed on the gun grip, his left hand blocked.
The drunkard mumbled curses and walked away, Zhang Jie's heart pounding.
[Crisis Reaction: Lv1 (30 → 40 / 100)]
Returning to the villa in the evening, Zhang Jie collapsed on the sofa, reflecting on the day. The movements repeated thousands of times on the training ground suddenly took on new meaning in a real environment.
John came out of the study, holding two glasses of whiskey: "How was it?"
"I almost pulled out my gun at McDonald's." Zhang Jie took the glass and downed the drink, "This is fucking crazy."
"Understand now?" John took a sip of his drink, "100 points isn't the end."
Late at night, Zhang Jie lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Three months ago, he was a pauper worried about rent; now he could draw and fire a gun in 0.5 seconds.
But John was right, the real test was just beginning.
He turned over and fumbled in the dark to disassemble the handgun on the nightstand.
Metal parts gleamed coldly in the moonlight; every finger movement was precise.
[Firearms Disassembly/Assembly: Lv2 (85 → 86 / 100)]
This value might still fluctuate, but some things had changed forever.
Zhang Jie watched as "Instinctive Shooting" reached Lv1 in his vision, a slight smile on his lips.
Perhaps true strength wasn't about how high the numbers were, but about how, even if the numbers temporarily dropped, the body still remembered what to do.