Spy-x-War Showdown
Chapter 917 - 922: The 2nd Place

Chapter 917: Chapter 922: The 2nd Place

Zhang Yong was at a loss for words. As an experienced mercenary, he knew Brian was right.

Snipers are snipers, shooters are shooters, and it’s crucial to distinguish the two. Just like an Olympic shooting champion would have a higher starting point as a sniper than a green recruit, it’s not certain that the champion could become the best sniper.

"Sniping is a technique, no, sniping is an art, and Stone Statue is the person who has taken this art to its ultimate level."

After speaking indifferently, Brian confidently said, "I admit, Gong Yang is the best shooter I’ve ever seen; the most oppressive, able to change the dynamics of the battlefield and destroy the enemy’s morale. But he’s not the best sniper. The process by which Satan sniped Deyo shows that. Gong Yang may be the best precision shooter in the world, but he’s not the best sniper. He’s not even better than Rabbit."

Yang Yi took a breath and said, "I’d rather take on Rabbit. I can engage in a sniping duel with Rabbit, but I’d never expose myself to Gong Yang’s line of sight, because I know there’s a chance in a duel with Rabbit. But if I’m in Gong Yang’s sight, I’m as good as dead, no, I’m already dead."

Brian spoke gravely, "Do you think Stone Statue couldn’t do that? Trust me, for a true sniper, marksmanship is important, but it’s not everything. If Stone Statue were to face Gong Yang, Gong Yang wouldn’t even get the chance to pull the trigger."

Yang Yi and Gong Yang were neither enemies nor friends—strictly speaking, definitely not enemies. Gong Yang’s shooting had convinced both Yang Yi and the people from the Organization of Water, so although Gong Yang could only be said not to be an enemy, Stone Statue was definitely one of their own. Yet Yang Yi dared not believe that Stone Statue was better than Gong Yang.

There was no particular reason, just disbelief. If pushed for a reason, it would be that Gong Yang had already won everyone over, while Stone Statue had not.

It seemed Brian had fallen into reminiscence; after pondering for a long time, he finally said, "I don’t even know Stone Statue’s real name. He joined Pandora Box under his nickname. Before that, he was in the Army, the 82nd Airborne Division."

Yang Yi, surprised, said, "A latecomer? You mean he wasn’t trained by you personally?"

Brian nodded and explained, "Stone Statue did not meet physical standards while in the Army, but his shooting was exceptional, so he remained a sniper instructor. Yet he couldn’t produce a single qualified student because he had a split personality."

"That works?"

"Yes, why not? Stone Statue lacked the physical fitness, and as a paratrooper, he was also bad at parachuting. To allow him to participate in combat, his superiors had to assign him at least one assistant shooter, nominally an assistant but actually there to protect him. Yet in Stone Statue’s first combat jump, he even twisted his ankle."

"Heh, this paratrooper..."

Zhang Yong laughed mockingly, but Brian wasn’t offended and continued at his own pace, "It was during Operation Fury in Grenada. Stone Statue twisted his ankle and had his assistant help him shoot seven people."

"Only seven?"

"Yes, seven, seven officers. The officers Stone Statue killed accounted for twenty-three percent of all Grenadan casualties from Operation Fury. He was second only to a Naval airman. The third place was taken collectively by the 75th Ranger Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, and the Multinational Joint Task Force. By the way, the highest-ranking casualty of Operation Fury was also taken out by Stone Statue."

Zhang Yong didn’t interrupt, his face showing disbelief, "Really?"

Brian curled his lip, "There’s a military record. Do you want to check?"

Zhang Yong shook his head, "No need."

"So Stone Statue is an airborne soldier who can’t master parachuting and a fool who can’t catch a pistol you throw at him. He can’t fight hand-to-hand, but he can dig himself a trench with a shovel; he can’t kill with a knife, but he can survive three weeks in the forest with one. Err, does that sound contradictory?"

Yang Yi nodded emphatically, "Honestly, it’s very contradictory."

Brian shrugged, "Well, you don’t understand, and frankly, I don’t either. My guess is he put all his energy into sniping. Hence, the split personality, inadequate physical standards, but still, the 82nd kept him as a sniper instructor, even though he couldn’t teach anyone."

"How did he end up under you?"

Looking at Zhang Yong’s curious face, Brian smiled, "He wanted to leave because he didn’t want to be an instructor; he wanted to fight. And until the First Gulf War, he had no war to fight. Finally, the CIA picked him up, then passed him on to me. Honestly, I wasn’t thrilled at first, but after just one display of his skill, I made him the number one sniper of Pandora Box, with Paul as his assistant shooter, until Paul couldn’t bear it anymore."

"A display?"

Yang Yi was very curious, while Brian nodded, "Yes, a display. When you point someone out to Stone Statue, and he takes them down for you, it feels fantastic. Just imagine, in a crowded street, he identifies a Soviet spy, then you give the order, and the spy is dead. I’ll tell you, the feeling is fantastic, simply fantastic."

Zhang Yong spoke urgently, "You guys dare to do that? Take out a Soviet spy just like that, aren’t you afraid it’ll start a war?"

"People die every day; it just doesn’t make the papers."

"What was the distance?"

"One kilometer, only a headshot."

"He could see clearly in the scope? Confirm the target?"

Brian smiled, "It seems I must clarify. The intelligence people were responsible for identifying the target. They couldn’t get close enough to take them out, and that’s where we came in with the assassination. Actually, I just wanted to see if Stone Statue was bluffing. Turns out, he gave me a pleasant surprise."

Brian turned his head to Zhang Yong and said soberly, "Stone Statue never lies; he never brags. If he says he can do it, he can do it, one hundred percent of the time."

Zhang Yong was taken aback, "Well, he’s not bad."

Brian sighed, "Not bad? He’s nothing short of a miracle. He wasn’t trained by me, and we barely spoke. So, it was a surprise when he was willing to come with me. But surprise isn’t the right word; I knew he wasn’t content with obscurity."

Zhang Yong touched his head, suddenly asking, "Stone Statue doesn’t hold grudges, right?"

Brian smiled, "Don’t worry, he doesn’t hold grudges, so you don’t need to be concerned about getting a bullet in the back from him."