Chapter 178 – Another Sniper Elite
With the support of [Immense Strength], Tu Ran was able to force the large monster to retreat step by step. Min Tao, relying solely on his muscular build, could make the monster stagger back and forth. This was beyond what an average person could achieve.
Min Tao stood up and brushed the dust off his clothes. “There’s still room for improvement.”
He looked at Tu Ran and praised her, “No wonder you became one of the standout figures in our class. I hadn’t interacted with you before, but after working together twice today, it’s clear that you’re truly outstanding.”
“You’re too kind,” Tu Ran said with a slight smile.
The research institute personnel were trying to figure out how to move the monster out of the air raid shelter, with the guards assisting them.
Min Tao said, “We probably don’t need to be here anymore. Let’s go.”
“Okay,” Tu Ran nodded.
Their mission was complete, and the rest was no longer their concern.
The three of them left in silence.
Due to the appearance of the genetic monster, the school had urgently evacuated students and teachers, making the campus eerily quiet.
“It’s already 2 p.m. Let’s go get something to eat,” Xiao Di suggested.
They had been busy from the morning, dealing with two genetic monsters, and had yet to have a meal.
“Sure,” Min Tao looked at Tu Ran, who was walking on his left. “Do you want to join us?”
Tu Ran nodded. “I’d like that.”
She was indeed hungry.
The three of them decided to go to the cafeteria for the Executive Department staff.
Although it was past the usual mealtime, the cafeteria was still filled with Executive Department guards who were having their meals, having just finished their work and taking a break to eat.
Tu Ran chose two dishes casually, carrying her plate to a table by the window.
She took off the heavy submachine gun from around her neck and placed it on the chair next to her.
Min Tao and Xiao Di soon joined her and sat across from her.
Xiao Di glanced at the dishes on her plate and asked in surprise, “Is that all you’re eating?”
Tu Ran looked down at her plate, which was piled with food. “Is this considered little?”
She then looked at the plates of the two people across from her.
Alright, she did seem to be eating less.
Their plates were stacked high, resembling small hills.
For those who engaged in physical labor, eating that much was normal.
“I had some compressed biscuits this morning,” Tu Ran explained.
“That makes sense,” Xiao Di nodded and didn’t press further, focusing on his own meal.
The rest of the time, the three of them ate in silence, with no one bringing up any topics.
Min Tao finished first, setting his chopsticks aside and wiping his mouth.
“Tu Ran, um… may I call you that?”
“Sure,” Tu Ran nodded. It was just a form of address.
She continued eating.
“Would you like to attend our juniors’ graduation party?” Min Tao asked with a smile.
“Aren’t we not allowed to leave the Pandalin District?” Tu Ran put down her chopsticks.
Actually, she wasn’t very interested. It was just a party; given the choice, she would rather relax in her hotel room.
“The party is right next to the Pandalin District. It’s only a ten-minute walk.”
So close?
Tu Ran wiped her mouth and searched her memory for relevant details.
The training base indeed seemed to be nearby.
“Let’s go, let’s go,” Xiao Di immediately agreed, excitement written all over his face. “We can also check if there have been any changes to the training base. Is it still the same as when we left?”
“What time does the party start? What if we have a mission then…”
Xiao Di’s expression fell. “If there’s a mission, we’ll have to finish it first. Let’s not be so unlucky; we’re finally so close to the training base.”
Min Tao patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, the three of us working together won’t take too long. The party will last at least three or four hours.”
“That’s true,” Xiao Di’s enthusiasm returned.
Tu Ran watched them with a sigh. It would be nice to visit, considering it was the alma mater of the original owner.
After finishing their meal, the three returned to the Executive Department to await further instructions.
…
In the afternoon, there were five more incidents of genetic monsters attacking people. Tu Ran and her team handled one, while the other four were dealt with by the previous ten pioneers.
The genetic monster they faced was much weaker compared to the ones earlier. Bullets could easily penetrate its body. Its only notable feature was its speed, and its eight legs allowed it to quickly disappear.
Tu Ran was frustrated. She could easily capture the monster using her [Teleportation] ability. However, unlike [Immense Strength], [Teleportation] was more noticeable. A slight increase in speed would draw attention from the surrounding guards.
She had no choice but to exhaust herself, working with Min Tao to corner the monster. Xiao Di was tasked with sniping from above.
What amazed Tu Ran was Xiao Di’s exceptional sniping skills. Despite the monster’s high-speed movement, he was still able to accurately predict its trajectory.
Out of twelve shots, he hit nine, breaking seven of the monster’s eight legs, leaving it barely able to stand on the last one.
Tu Ran and Min Tao immediately moved in and injected a tranquilizer into the monster’s body.
The monster’s eyes rolled back, and it ceased struggling with its remaining leg.
The rest was no longer their concern.
Xiao Di, carrying his machine gun, came running down from the upper floors, admiring his spoils.
Tu Ran looked at him with newfound respect.
She had always believed that anyone who survived in the Pioneer Team was no ordinary character.
“Xiao Di, your marksmanship must be among the top three in our class, right?” Tu Ran asked.
“Of course,” Xiao Di replied, raising his eyebrows. “Among the entire Pioneer Team, only Xi Chunzhi’s shooting skills surpass mine a little. No one else comes close.”
For Tu Ran, who was decent in other aspects but struggled with sniping accuracy, she truly admired these people.
After inheriting the original owner’s memories and realizing the weaknesses in sniping, she had intended to practice more and improve in this area to overcome the original owner’s shortcomings.
But nearly a month had passed since arriving in this world, and she had hardly any free time. The last time she visited the training ground was quite some time ago.
Becoming a sharpshooter required a significant amount of time and focus.
For Tu Ran, who often felt stretched thin, she began to understand why the original owner had opted for a quantity-over-quality strategy.
She now shared the original owner’s attitude.
As long as the firepower was strong enough, accuracy might just have to be sacrificed.
“Hurry up, let’s get to the training base. The party has already started half an hour ago,” Xiao Di excitedly tugged at Tu Ran and Min Tao’s arms, pulling them away.
It was clear he was very eager to attend the event.
The three of them quickened their pace, reaching the training base within ten minutes.
The gate guards did not stop them.
Their attire clearly marked them as pioneers.
