Strongest Soldier King

"Huh?" Lan Xue looked at Luo Zheng in surprise, shook her head, and continued, "Sniper Skill is divided into Eye Sniping and Heart Sniping. Eye Sniping means aiming with your eyes and then executing the shot, while Heart Sniping means aiming with your heart, shooting based on feeling. The three Wild Wolf mercenaries you killed were all taken down with your heart, although you haven't undergone any formal training. But you managed to do it, which shows that you have a very good foundation. Don't waste your potential."

"Oh?" Luo Zheng was taken aback, thinking that he was just an ordinary border warrior and would never have the chance to fulfill his dream. After killing time and facing discharge in two years, he wouldn't be able to touch a gun again, making potential irrelevant. But he didn't want to hurt Lan Xue's feelings, so he nodded and said, "I will."

Lan Xue looked deeply at Luo Zheng, as if trying to see through his thoughts, which made Luo Zheng anxious, feeling bad about lying a bit to Lan Xue. He managed an awkward smile and was about to explain when he heard Lan Xue continue, "Eye Sniping is a technique beginners must master. Only after the eyesight is trained to a certain level can one undergo Heart Sniping training. I don't know how you developed your Heart Sniping ability, but now that you have it, there's no need to practice Eye Sniping. You can go straight to Heart Sniping training. Heart Sniping is about 'seeing' your target with your heart. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Mm, it's like using my heart as my eyes, using it to find the target's position, and discerning the distance, shape, and size, etc., to determine the sniping point and then execute the shot, right?" Luo Zheng asked humbly.

Lan Xue's eyes filled with amazement as she sized up Luo Zheng, as if she had discovered a rare uncut gem. Delighted, she said, "Exactly, it seems you don't need my teaching. I was right, you have a lot of potential; the only thing missing is training. How did you come up with all this?"

"It's family tradition." Luo Zheng politely smiled and said. After sharing life-and-death experiences with Lan Xue, they had grown closer and their trust in one another had deepened. Luo Zheng felt no need to deliberately conceal what he could share. Seeing that Lan Xue looked somewhat puzzled, he explained, "My ancestors have been hunters for generations and passed down some shooting skills. I guess the principles are the same, right?"

"Right, the same. No wonder you're so familiar with the jungle and your intuition with guns is so high—it's from a strong foundation. That makes sense," Lan Xue said, her face showing sudden realization. Then, something occurred to her, and she looked at Luo Zheng with more anticipation, her usually icy face blushing.

"What's wrong? Your face is so red, do you still have a fever?" Luo Zheng asked in surprise.

"Me?" Lan Xue glared at Luo Zheng in annoyance, turning her face away.

Luo Zheng, who had never been in a relationship and knew very little about women, didn't understand the situation. Thinking he had annoyed Lan Xue, he said apologetically, "Shall I tell you a joke then?"

"...?" Lan Xue glanced at Luo Zheng and turned away.

Luo Zheng said, "A young Hunter asked an old Hunter how to hunt bears. The old Hunter said, 'Usually, I find a cave and throw a stone into it. If I hear a 'woo woo...' sound, there's definitely a bear inside. You just jump to the entrance and shoot inside, and you'll definitely hit the bear.' A few days later, the old Hunter saw the young Hunter in the hospital, covered in bandages, and was astonished. The young Hunter said, 'I went bear hunting, found a cave, and threw a stone inside. I heard a 'woo woo...' sound, so I jumped to the entrance, but before I could even shoot, a train came roaring out of the cave...'" Luo Zheng stopped, noticing that Lan Xue had no reaction, and gave an embarrassed smile.

"Your joke is good, and I..." Lan Xue apologized with an explanation, turning away, as a tear slid down her cold cheek, her expression a mixture of desolation and bitterness.

Luo Zheng always felt that Lan Xue's perpetual stern face and icy demeanor were somewhat amiss, but since they were not familiar, it was not appropriate to ask more. Seeing Lan Xue's tearful face, he spoke awkwardly, "I'm sorry."

"It should be me apologizing. You're very kind, thank you." Lan Xue wiped away her tears composedly, yet dared not look at Luo Zheng, and said seriously, "Remember my words, don't waste your potential. Don't let me down, okay?"

"Me?" Luo Zheng looked at Lan Xue in surprise, feeling inexplicably moved, and after thinking, he said earnestly, "I won't let you down."

"That's good. I'm giving you two years, you must surpass me in two years. Can you do that?" Suddenly turning around, Lan Xue looked at Luo Zheng seriously, her icy eyes filled with expectation.

"Uh?" Luo Zheng felt the strangeness from Lan Xue and seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, he couldn't bear to hurt her feelings, and nodded vigorously, replying, "Okay, I promise you."

"Remember our two-year promise. If you can't do it, I won't let you off." Lan Xue spoke seriously, and seeing Luo Zheng nod firmly again, the ice in her expression began to melt, her lips curled up in a smile. She smiled so naturally and happily, as though she had let go of all the burdens in her heart. Like a lily in a deserted valley, elegant, serene, and tranquil, she gave a refreshing feeling akin to a spring breeze.

Luo Zheng could not help but be captivated, unable to understand why such a strikingly beautiful woman would always wear a cold and stoic face.

"Do I look good?" Lan Xue suddenly asked.

"You look good." Luo Zheng said sincerely. No stains or smears could hide her breathtakingly beautiful face, and her eyes, black and white, were full of spirit, like a talking elf. The oversized combat uniform could not conceal her impressive figure, curvaceous and voluptuous, an exceptional beauty that seemed to belong in the heavens—how could she not be good-looking?

"Then remember our two-year promise," Lan Xue said seriously, turning her face away and feeling her heart pounding as if a little deer was knocking inside, her face blushing red.

"Ah? Okay." Luo Zheng did not understand the relation between looking good and the two-year promise, but he still wholeheartedly agreed. Seeing Lan Xue fall silent, he pondered and sensed something, his heart leaping with joy. Which girl doesn't harbor spring, and which boy isn't romantic? He silently admonished himself to train diligently, deciding to wait and see what happens after two years.

A hint of fragrance wafted through the air, and Luo Zheng reacted, saying, "It's ready." He quickly dismantled the campfire, taking out the wild chicken, breaking off the encrusted mud along with the feathers and skin, revealing the tender meat underneath. Luo Zheng tore off a plump chicken leg and handed it to Lan Xue.

Lan Xue did not say much, taking it and eating. The two ate in silence, and after a few minutes, they had finished the wild chicken. They rested for a while before continuing on their journey. Along the way, Lan Xue continued to impart her sniping skills to Luo Zheng, sharing all her knowledge and experience without reservation. Luo Zheng, having understood a bit of Lan Xue's intentions, was even more eager to learn, not daring to fail the beautiful woman's grace.