Mercenary’s War
Chapter 1142 - 1142 One Thousand One Hundred Twenty-Five Coincidence and Inevitability

1142: Chapter One Thousand One Hundred Twenty-Five: Coincidence and Inevitability 1142: Chapter One Thousand One Hundred Twenty-Five: Coincidence and Inevitability “Relax, relax your whole body, breathe, steady your breathing, aim, aim, wait for the right moment.”

With a loud bang, the gun fired.

After observing through the scope, Gao Yang tried to maintain a steady voice, “Missed, the shot is off.

Alright, let’s try again.

You already know how to read the reticle, right?

Remember the distance, three hundred Mi, aim using the right aiming point at the center of the target.

It’s just a light breeze now, you don’t need to consider wind drift.

Aim, don’t tremble, slowly pull the trigger, intentional aiming, unintentional firing, keep your hand steady as you pull the trigger—oh, damn it!”

After another gunshot, Gao Yang lowered his hand holding the scope with a face full of helplessness.

Saidev moved his face away from the scope and looked at Gao Yang helplessly, “General, this gun is really bad; there’s definitely something wrong with it!”

Gao Yang looked helplessly at Saidev, then handed the scope to Saidev, gestured for him to move away from his shooting position and then Gao Yang laid down on the blanket on the ground, grabbed the rifle with his left hand and fired two shots, then with his right hand and fired two more.

Eventually, he got up, knelt on one knee, and fired two more shots unsupported, then Gao Yang put the gun down and said with a helpless face to Saidev, “You see, the gun is fine, isn’t it?”

Saidev was stubborn, “General, there must be a problem with the gun.

This stock doesn’t fit me, the trigger is too stiff, my inability to shoot accurately is because I’m not in sync with it.

General, let me shoot a few rounds with your rifle, I’m sure I can hit the target.”

Gao Yang hesitated for a long time, he never lent Blade of Satan to anyone; only Cui Bo was occasionally allowed to use his rifle for a few shots for fun, or under reluctant circumstances to let Cui Bo use it.

Looking into Saidev’s eyes, which were full of longing, Gao Yang still sighed and said, “Alright, you can shoot a few rounds with my rifle.

Well, you can only fire five bullets.

If you really perform much better with my rifle, I promise to find you a good gun.”

When Gao Yang handed over the rifle, Saidev received it as though it were a sacred object.

“My rifle’s zeroing distance is currently at three hundred Mi, this scope is meant for mid to long-range shooting, one click is fifty Mi, beyond eight hundred Mi—well, forget about that range setting for now.

Alright, find the appropriate reticle now and get ready to shoot.”

With Gao Yang’s rifle in hand, Saidev took his time to aim, and finally fired a shot.

Gao Yang was quite surprised, “Not bad at all, a direct hit at the center.

Could it be you really don’t get along with the SVD?

Alright, try a few more shots.”

Saidev was ecstatic, his voice shaking as he spoke from excitement, “I said it, I said it!

After half a lifetime as a soldier, it can’t be that I forgot how to shoot.

It’s the gun’s fault, definitely the gun’s fault.”

“Mhm, good, let me see your next shot, continue.”

Saidev put his eye back behind the scope, aimed for a moment, and fired another shot.

“Missed the target.

Ah, man, why do you have to jerk the trigger every time you shoot?

I’ve told you many, many times, this is a very bad habit.

Your habit will ruin all your previous efforts.

What’s the point of aiming accurately if your final move is off?”

“It was an accident, please watch this shot, General.”

“Mhm, missed the target.”

“Missed the target.”

“Missed the target, alright, at least we’ve established that any gun is the same for you.

Major, please return the rifle to me.”

With a dejected face, Saidev solemnly returned the rifle to Gao Yang, who couldn’t help but sigh, “Major, have you ever considered that maybe you shouldn’t focus all your energy on precision shooting?

Well, I know some words might discourage you, but I must say, you genuinely do not have a talent for shooting.”

Saidev let out a sigh, “But I’m pretty accurate when I shoot with an AK.”

Gao Yang patted Saidev’s shoulder earnestly and said meaningfully, “Major, you should continue to do well with your AKM, don’t forget you’re a commander, your attention should not be focused solely on one rifle.”

Saidev sighed helplessly and said, “Alright, maybe I’m really not cut out for shooting, but I won’t give up.

I’ll keep practicing.

If I have bad shooting habits, then I’ll replace them with new ones.

When I can easily hit this rock, then I’ll ask you for advice on shooting again.”

Gao Yang patted Saidev’s shoulder, packed up his rifle, and slowly walked back.

Saidev is very opinionated and persistent, otherwise, he wouldn’t have been besieged by the Rebel Army for so long, enduring many difficulties and still staying true to his original intent.

However, the trouble is, those with their own opinions tend to be stubborn, and once they become stubborn, it’s very difficult for them to give up easily.

Ever since Saidev resolved to learn shooting from Gao Yang, to learn how to shoot accurately, Gao Yang can be considered unfortunate.

Saidev had received complete military training, he certainly knew how to use a gun, but for some reason, he just couldn’t grasp how to shoot targets over three hundred Mi, not because he didn’t know what to do, but despite knowing, he just couldn’t shoot well.

Gao Yang taught Saidev the basics, how to adjust the scope, how to aim with the scope, how to fire, he explained everything, yet Saidev still couldn’t hit a mere rock three hundred and fifty Mi away.

It was as if Saidev was possessed, claiming he couldn’t do well, just couldn’t, no matter how much he practiced.

There were four people practicing with Gao Yang, and aside from Saidev, the others all showed promise, but Saidev just couldn’t shoot well.

Gao Yang advised Saidev to give up, but he refused.

It had been over twenty days now, and the students Gao Yang taught were originally chosen by the government army from new recruit training to be nurtured as snipers.

They did indeed have some talent, and after Gao Yang’s instruction, they improved significantly, but Saidev, it was just tragic.

Actually, Saidev could handle an automatic rifle fairly well, truly not bad at all.

For moving targets at about a hundred Mi, under ideal shooting conditions, he could achieve a hit with each shot.

Gao Yang was afraid of Saidev, because whenever Saidev had time, he would ask him how to shoot, and after half a month of teaching to no avail, Gao Yang finally lost his patience and told Saidev that if he could hit the same target five consecutive times from a distance of three hundred and fifty Mi, he would continue teaching him.

And so, every few days Saidev would ask Gao Yang to check his training progress, but each time it was a sorry sight.

Gao Yang was about to leave, and after he had walked a few steps, Saidev, who had gotten up from the ground, suddenly called out loudly from behind: “General, may I ask you one more question?”

Gao Yang stopped in his tracks and spread his hands, saying, “Of course, go ahead.”

Saidev asked earnestly, “General, when you shoot each time, do you still need to use the micrometer marks on the scope to aim?”

After pondering for a moment, Gao Yang replied seriously, “It’s like this, my scope is a bit special, because my shooting range can reach up to one thousand and two hundred Mi, so my scope has a relatively high magnification, it’s 3×12.

Before each shot, I need to calculate the target’s distance, then choose the appropriate magnification.

After that, I don’t really need the micrometer marks anymore, it’s all done by feel.”

Furthermore, generally speaking, to obtain a larger field of view through my scope, I usually use the minimum magnification.

I only change the magnification for shooting over six hundred Mi, typically using six times magnification.

For targets one thousand Mi away, I’ll use twelve times magnification.

But that’s just changing the magnification.

When I shoot, I usually make adjustments according to conditions like wind speed and bullet trajectory in an extremely short time, then quickly fire.”

Gao Yang explained in detail because long-distance precision shooting is inherently a very tedious and troublesome task.

It’s impossible not to go into detail, so he was already trying to describe his shooting habits in a relatively rough manner.

Saidev chuckled bitterly: “So when you shoot, you don’t actually need to measure based on milliradian or anything before firing, right?”

Gao Yang quickly shook his head: “No, no, that’s not the case.

It may seem to you that I’m shooting based on intuition, but that’s not true.

I’m just extremely familiar with my scope and the bullet trajectory.

Before shooting, I’ve certainly already gathered crucial data like wind speed and distance.

Then, before each shot, I’ve already calculated in my mind.

It’s a very fast calculation process that seems like there was no calculation at all, but in fact, every shot I take is and must be calculated.”

After saying that, Gao Yang spread his hands and laughed: “You need to understand a principle; quick calculations appear as though there’s no thought process behind them, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need to think.

I’ve just turned the work of calculating the bullet’s point of impact into an instinct, as fast as a neural response.

The moment I see a target through the scope, I know how to shoot.

Of course, for close-range shooting, like within four hundred Mi, I really don’t need to calculate, so my shooting speed would be even quicker.”

Saidev scratched his head: “I think I get what you’re saying.

It sounds simple, but it feels like normal people just can’t do it.”

Gao Yang laughed: “Indeed, it’s simple yet difficult.

How should I put it?

After all, this isn’t a game.

If this was a game where you could observe through a first-person view of my scope, you’d find that the reticle is always floating around.

I only fire when I believe it’s the right time.

But from your perspective, while the reticle is still wavering, I take what seems like a random shot and hit the target.”

Gao Yang spread his hands again, helplessly saying: “It really does have to do with talent.

Actually, you don’t need to think too much.

Like Rabbit, he can complete the calculation and then make a precise shot, which already makes him a good sniper.

Don’t pursue shooting speed too much.

I reiterate, this really has a lot to do with talent.”

After finishing, Gao Yang held up his index finger and said earnestly: “Also, I’m familiar with my gun, familiar with my scope.

I know every type of bullet my gun can fire, how far they can travel, what the trajectory is at a certain wind speed and distance.

I’ve firmly memorized them all, so I don’t have to consciously calculate during shooting because these have become my instinct, just like you don’t need to measure the positioning and angle to pick up your food with a fork when eating, whereas a baby would need to go through what is for them complicated calculations and training to perform what for you is a simple act of eating.”

Saidev chuckled bitterly: “Alright, I’ll practice.

Because I feel I do have talent, it’s just that I developed bad habits.

I’ll change, I must become a good marksman.

General, you might think I’m obsessive, but…”

After pausing, Saidev spread his hands: “General, I’ve been stuck here for a year now, and I really can’t find any other pastime.

Now I feel that practicing shooting is a pretty good way to amuse myself.”

Gao Yang smiled.

What Saidev said wasn’t wrong; being cooped up for too long, one really needs to find a pastime to while away the time, or else it’s easy to get frazzled.

Gao Yang extended his finger again and smiled: “If you really want to become a good long-distance shooter, at least start by getting familiar with your weapon.

Not the familiarity you think you have now, but true familiarity, so familiar that you forget it exists, just like how you don’t constantly remind yourself to breathe.

Major, start by getting to know your rifle better.” (To be continued.

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