Chapter 1153: Taking the Final Shot

The spot where Xia Qing was now truly was her last hiding place, but it wasn’t her final sniper perch.

When she spotted wolf eyes flashing in the distance, Xia Qing quickly drew up a plan for the most dangerous outcome. That’s why she changed this location to her last hideout.

And now, that most dangerous moment had arrived.

Six-and-a-half star Strength Evolution Sniper Xia Qing radioed today’s squad leader. “Captain, give me one minute. If I can pry loose a rock for cover I can lay down suppressive fire on Phantom for ten seconds. But during my attack I’ll need Shiyue to pin down the other sniper.”

“How sure are you you’ll suppress Phantom?” The window of opportunity was brief—ten seconds might decide everything, but only if Xia Qing could pull it off.

Xia Qing answered calmly. “Eighty percent.”

Shiyue replied coolly, “I can keep their senior sniper pinned for ten seconds.”

Xia Qing revised herself. “Ninety percent.”

That last ten percent of uncertainty was that the enemy might have another hidden sniper. But even if she got hit, Xia Qing wasn’t worried—she wore a snake skin protective suit under her special protective gear. Double the bulletproofing meant a shot would only sting, not kill.

Ninety percent. Time to go all in.

“Roger, Xia Qing, start your move.” Zhu Zhenming approved her plan on the spot and snapped out orders. “Chen Yan, you three make a ruckus 150 meters left—draw their focus. Shiyue, fall back to the final sniper spot. Tang Zhou, take your four Evolved fighters—speed and elasticity types—and sneak in from both flanks, get as close to Phantom as possible. Xie Yun’s squad, move in too—cover Tang Zhou’s team with close fire when we attack. I’ll circle right and join either group as needed. The all-out assault signal—Sister Qing’s gunshot.”

“Copy that.”

“Copy that.”

“Copy.”

……

As the replies echoed in her earpiece, Xia Qing pulled a custom thirty-round magazine from her pack and snapped it into her sniper rifle.

Her usual mag held twenty rounds. The custom one held thirty. But it stuck out a ways, making it awkward to use, so Xia Qing rarely equipped it. Today she needed all the bullets she could squeeze into ten seconds against a top-tier sniper.

With weapons ready, she pulled out her crowbar from her pack, extended it, and tightened it she gripped the pointed end and jammed it under the big boulder she hid behind. With practiced hands she cleared away small stones, put her arms to work, and grunted internally:

Go!

“Boom—”

The nearly four-meter-tall rounded boulder pried loose and began to roll.

Using the rolling stone as mobile cover, Xia Qing pushed forward. Her team made sure their bullets were chambered, knives out and ready—everyone on a hair trigger.

The enemy’s top sniper, Phantom, thought Xia Qing planned to dash back to the third sniper point behind the rock. He immediately took aim, intent on nailing her the moment she showed herself, ready to snap the neck of a green newcomer like Hui Three with a single shot.

But Phantom underestimated Xia Qing’s nerve—and her knack for breaking the rules.

Running downhill behind the boulder, Xia Qing only followed it for four meters before stopping. Planting her shield firmly into a crevice she’d picked beforehand, she crouched and raised her rifle.

As the boulder lost cover, Xia Qing suddenly rose, squeezing the trigger!

By the time Phantom caught sight of her, it was already too late—her muzzle flashed red!

“Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang—”

Standing behind her shield, Xia Qing—the six-and-a-half star Strength Evolution sniper—braced for recoil and let her rifle rip like a machine gun, blasting away at Phantom’s hideout over 2100 meters away.

Phantom had chosen his nest well—but there was only one escape route!

Doesn’t matter what level Speed Evolution you’ve got—with this relentless assault, you’ll be lucky to keep cowering!

“Bang bang bang—” At the same time, Shiyue set up her rifle and used the same approach, hammering the enemy’s senior sniper with furious gunfire, pinning him down and keeping Xia Qing safe on the exposed hillside.

With Xie Yun’s group laying down cover, Tang Zhou and Zhu Zhenming led four others flanking Phantom at full speed. Even if it meant six lives for one, they were determined to take Phantom down.

At that moment, the lurking Wolf Pack pounced on the intruders too!

A sniper is a god in long-range warfare, the team’s true shield. But under withering fire? Even a top-tier sniper becomes useless.

The two enemy intruders guarding Phantom and three more retreating moved at once. The guards traded fire with Xie Yun’s group, while the rest rushed Tang Zhou’s squad—determined not to let them reach Phantom.

The instant the two sides clashed, casualties fell on both.

Tang Zhou, leading the charge, took a bullet to the arm—but didn’t even seem to register the pain. He kept sprinting straight for the fire-suppressed Phantom.

“Splurt!”

A second bullet hit Tang Zhou’s thigh, but at the same time the enemy shooter was taken out by Xie Yun.

Only ten meters left! Tang Zhou let out a wild roar, pouring all his strength into a massive leap, charging up the slope alongside Zhu Zhenming toward the high ground Phantom was trapped on.

At the very peak of his jump, Tang Zhou was about to pitch his grenade—when an Evolved Wolf suddenly darted in, pinning the crawling top sniper beneath its paws!

“Ah—!”

To Tang Zhou’s ears, the enemy sniper’s scream was heavenly music. He whipped his grenade to an intruder aiming to save Phantom. Zhu Zhenming, wounded, worried the Evolved Wolf might not finish Phantom, tossed his grenade aside and kept rushing—only to be slammed down by another Evolved Wolf.

Seeing both the wolf and Zhu Zhenming crash into Phantom’s hideaway, Xia Qing immediately swapped magazines and joined Shiyue in focusing fire on the enemy’s senior sniper.

Top-tier versus senior—the winner was clear.

Taking the opening, Shiyue dashed to the best sniper spot and finished the enemy’s last senior sniper with a single shot.

“Awooooo—”

As the gunfire died, a lone Evolved Wolf in the distance howled in victory.

They’d won the battle. Wolves howled their triumph as those still standing rushed to aid the fallen.

Xia Qing rolled her aching right shoulder just as Tang Zhou’s plea crackled in on her walkie-talkie. “Sister Qing, Brother Zhu’s pinned by an Evolved Wolf! Any ideas?”

“On my way.” Xia Qing stowed her shield and dashed up the hillside to Phantom’s former den, where she found Tang Zhou wounded, plus two face-first men—one Phantom, one Zhu Zhenming—each with an Evolved Wolf clamped onto their neck.

Good thing—it was a familiar wolf.

Zhu Zhenming’s captor was Number Four; Phantom’s was that same adolescent male who’d once been trapped by Scavengers, then stitched up by Xia Qing after his mouth was torn. Phantom’s legs still twitched—looked like he was finished.

Number Four’s Brain Evolution was impressive. Watching the fight, he must have figured out Zhu Zhenming was Xia Qing’s ally—that’s why he held back.

Wolves don’t forget grudges. They must have beef with Phantom. Number Four only pinned Zhu Zhenming to let the Scarface Wolf end Phantom.

Luckily, only Tang Zhou saw all this—he could be trusted, giving Xia Qing a chance to step in.

Not wanting to expose her ties to the Wolf Pack, Xia Qing signaled Tang Zhou to set down his weapon, then tugged off her protective mask and stepped forward under the wary gaze of two sets of fierce green eyes. She dug out a nutrient shake and handed it to Number Four, her tone stern. “Let go.”

She couldn’t use his name or let the military know she knew Number Four—sooner hidden, the better. Her sharp tone was meant for Zhu Zhenming’s ears.

Number Four’s gaze stayed savage—a jaw clamped tight as ever. Zhu Zhenming dared not even twitch.

What, is that not enough?

Xia Qing sighed, silent, then fished out two more nutrient shakes and two packs of freeze-dried meat, plus three eggs. She shoved them all in a bag, pointed at the Evolved Forest, then at the adolescent wolf pinning Phantom.

Seeing Number Four unmoved, Xia Qing just acted. She flung the bag over.

The eggs would definitely crack on landing. But Number Four loved eggs—no way he’d pass that up.

Sure enough, as soon as she tossed the bag, Number Four released Zhu Zhenming and pounced, grabbing the bag and slipping into the Evolved Forest.

Why a cloth bag? A plastic bag would rustle and tip Zhu Zhenming off for sure.

The adolescent wolf loosened its grip on Phantom, blood dripping down its maw. It shot Xia Qing a look—then followed Number Four away.

Seeing all this, Tang Zhou barely felt his own wounds any more.

He’d stopped the other team from provoking the wolves, choosing to trust Xia Qing would handle it and save Zhu Zhenming.

Who’d have thought two packs of jerky and three eggs would be all it took to get Zhu Zhenming back!

Wasn’t her territory over three hundred li away up in Section One of the north? When did she get so chummy with the southern wolves to pull off something like this?!