Chapter 24: Shooting

During his hospitalization, Li Nianchuan spent his time scrolling through the forum. Threads concerning Zhu Ning were trending, with everyone trying to analyze a "Fifth-Class Citizen" with 1200 mental value.

An S-rank mental value paired with the status of a Fifth-Class Citizen was a stark contradiction. These two keywords kept Zhu Ning at the center of attention. Regardless of her physical limitations, with that ultra-high mental value, no one would dare question her if she wanted to join the Combat Department.

Whether Zhu Ning would choose the Combat Department or the Cleanup Department became a mystery; some even placed bets on her decision. To everyone’s surprise, she didn't choose the more "prestigious" and better-paying job of a Demon Hunter. She chose to be a trash cleaner and insisted on staying with Xu Meng’s team.

This left Xu Meng feeling somewhat flattered, having to accept this "treasure" under the watchful eyes of everyone.

Zhu Ning: "I’m timid; I can’t handle being a Demon Hunter."
Xu Meng: "..."
Li Nianchuan: "..."

The video of Zhu Ning and Li Nianchuan was still pinned on the forum. Xu Meng had watched it countless times, and based on what he saw, she was anything but timid. She was, in fact, daring to the point of recklessness; it was extremely rare for someone to show such aptitude during their first encounter with a pollutant.

Facing their skeptical gazes, Zhu Ning said slowly, "I’m afraid of death."

She couldn't exactly say she wanted to slack off, could she? Zhu Ning had analyzed the situation: while trash cleaning allowed her to come into contact with pollution sources, being a Demon Hunter meant charging into the front lines. Every role had its professional requirements, and while she was a slacker, she wasn't a shirker; she believed in doing whatever job she took on well.

Demon Hunters were on the front lines, and when duty called, Zhu Ning couldn't hide—she would have to bite the bullet and go. Logistic execution allowed her to avoid most risks, which was exactly why she had targeted this dream job in the first place.

Trash cleaning satisfied several of Zhu Ning’s needs:
1. She could collect pollution spores, thereby accumulating purification points.
2. She could avoid direct danger while still maintaining contact with pollutants.
3. The salary was decent—enough to support her gene serum injections.

Xu Meng nodded; the reasoning was actually quite sound. Zhu Ning was a "Defective," so it was likely inappropriate for her to be on the front lines anyway.

There were also discussions on the forum claiming that a Defective was always a Defective, and even with high mental value, they remained an inferior breed.

Zhu Ning: "I love cleaning trash."
Li Nianchuan: "..."

Are the quirks of big shots always this unique? Li Nianchuan was quite moved. "I didn't believe you when you said you loved this job, but today, I believe you!" He seemed at a loss for how to describe Zhu Ning’s spirit: "You're truly impressive! You have real integrity!"

Becoming a Demon Hunter was a rare and valuable opportunity; the fact that Zhu Ning hadn't chosen it suggested she didn't care much for money.

Zhu Ning: "..."

That wasn't exactly true.

Not knowing how to explain, Zhu Ning changed the subject: "By the way, what does our employee training consist of?"

Xu Meng: "Shooting, combat, physical training, theoretical foundations, and how to hunt pollutants. Five courses in total."

Wait, the more Zhu Ning heard, the more it didn't sound right. Didn't this look like a curriculum for Demon Hunters?

As Xu Meng led the two youngsters to the training room on the 45th floor, he explained: "Because of you, our District 103 Cleanup Center has undergone a series of reforms—significant ones, from my perspective."

Zhu Ning: "Huh?"

Xu Meng: "Previously, only Demon Hunters underwent weapon and physical training. Cleaners received a different kind of training—you know, the really watered-down kind."

Zhu Ning knew; she had seen Li Nianchuan fire a gun, and it was safe to say his accuracy was non-existent.

Xu Meng: "Now, we’re training alongside the Demon Hunters for weapons and physical conditioning. After the incident with you and Li Nianchuan, the center wants to increase the survival rate of cleaners to handle such extreme situations."

This was the result of a meeting held by the heads of several departments.

Xu Meng continued: "This training is different from the traditional one. Cleaners and Demon Hunters are training together, with the hope that the Demon Hunters will stimulate our combat effectiveness. Of course, Demon Hunters also have to take the cleaning courses; when necessary, they can help contain pollution spores and clean up the scene."

Zhu Ning: "..."

They always said a newcomer shouldn't be too conspicuous, but Zhu Ning was now standing out a bit too much. In other words, her arrival had forced Demon Hunters, who looked down on trash collectors, to learn how to clean trash. Furthermore, having them train in the same pool meant that if they faced off in combat class, the cleaners would be beaten to a pulp by the Demon Hunters.

The cleaners’ physical fitness and overall stats were naturally inferior to the Demon Hunters’. The logistics team was originally supposed to just stick to their trash-cleaning duties, but now they had to learn how to eliminate pollutants as well. No wonder Zhu Ning felt several burning gazes the moment she walked in. She had thought they were looking at something else; it turned out they were resentful glares. She had single-handedly drawn a significant amount of hostility.

Zhu Ning whispered: "Do they hate me now?"

Li Nianchuan, clutching a bouquet of roses, was already tempted to run. "Do they hate me too?"

"Not really," Xu Meng said. "Li Nianchuan is a victim; most of the discussion is about Zhu Ning."

Xu Meng was a very honest and upright person. He told her plainly: "Yes, some people are cursing you."

Zhu Ning: "..."

In other words, she was the one attracting all the fire. Heavens, she hadn't meant to do that.

Zhu Ning bit the bullet and walked into the 45th-floor training ground, suspecting she might get assassinated.

Xu Meng, completely unaware of the pressure he was putting on Zhu Ning, explained dutifully: "Training is credit-based. You just need to earn enough credits."

"Zhu Ning, you go first today. Li Nianchuan just got out of the hospital, so you can observe the process. Let’s start with shooting," Xu Meng said to her. "I remember your marksmanship is excellent."

He had seen her fire a gun before; her accuracy was superb, so there was no need to worry. There were many people training in the shooting range. As Zhu Ning walked in, she was met with another wave of "death stares."

Why was she bound to a Purification System? If she had been bound to a Resentment System, given the current amount of resentment she was drawing, she could absolutely save the world.

The shooting range was noisy, with the sounds of gunfire and falling casings intermingling. Zhu Ning was very familiar with this; she stood to the side and observed their training for a while.

They weren't using air-powered rounds; these were clearly more powerful, with stronger recoil. The assessment tested not just accuracy, but also the ability to reload and react. The appearance of the guns was similar to those in her original world; it seemed there wasn't much room for advancement in thermal weapons.

Xu Meng asked: "Are you going to train first or go straight to the assessment?"

Zhu Ning: "Let’s go straight to the assessment." It didn't seem difficult, and training would be a waste of time.

"Alright," Xu Meng said, tapping his clipboard. "You're next."

The assessment consisted of three parts: static targets, moving targets, and a simulation room.

As soon as Zhu Ning arrived, the people nearby stopped training and looked over. She was too famous; they all wanted to see what level this "Defective" with 1200 mental value was at. They wanted to know if the video on the forum was real or fake.

Zhu Ning walked over expressionlessly and picked up the gun. The moment she held it, she felt an immense sense of relaxation—a natural, physical and mental ease. The gun was her "old friend"; it would never betray her.

There was a static target twenty meters away. Zhu Ning took aim, breathed, and pulled the trigger.

Bang—

The bullet spun out, hitting the dead center.

"Ten rings," the instructor announced.

"You need to fire three shots," Xu Meng reminded her.

Zhu Ning didn't speak. She aimed at the target again and pulled the trigger.

"Ten rings."
"Ten rings," the instructor announced calmly.

The onlookers remained silent for a moment. One shot might be luck, but three consecutive ten-ring shots were proof of true skill.

Li Nianchuan, holding the flowers, stood in the crowd looking like Zhu Ning’s cheerleader captain. He glanced around and noticed the crowd was growing. Most people would feel the pressure of so many eyes, but Zhu Ning didn't seem to. She just stood there, expressionless, aiming and firing—hitting the bullseye every time. As expected of Zhu Ning.

"Is the newcomer this good?" someone whispered.

"This kind of marksmanship isn't that rare," another said. There were many Demon Hunters present who had undergone professional training; hitting three ten-ring shots wasn't difficult. The hard part was the next two stages.

"Don't rush, let's see her later results," a burly man said, arms crossed.

Even Li Nianchuan felt the pressure now. If Zhu Ning failed the next two stages, it would be troublesome. Given her current notoriety, she would likely be roasted on the forum, and he could already predict the headlines: *“1200 Mental Value is Nothing Special; Truly a Defective After All.”*

Zhu Ning paid no attention to the gazes; she was immersed in her own world. Whenever she held a gun, she tended to tune out everything else.

The second stage was the moving target.

It was called a moving target, but the target was actually a robot. Unlike an android, which had consciousness and could feel pain, a robot was just a tool. The target robot would run rapidly through the area, hiding behind various covers. Zhu Ning had to hit the robot, with different points awarded for different hit locations.

Several obstacles were placed in the center of the field, and to simulate reality, they even dimmed the lights.

"Begin," the instructor ordered.

The surroundings went silent as everyone watched Zhu Ning with bated breath. A figure dashed across the field.

Zhu Ning raised the muzzle, but she didn't fire. She watched as the robot reached the opposite cover.

Some people couldn't sit still. She could have fired earlier; why didn't she? Was it because it was a robot, and it felt too much like a human? But in the video, Zhu Ning had been able to handle a fish-man; that didn't make sense.

Zhu Ning remained motionless, maintaining her firing stance. It was a handgun without a scope, so she was aiming with her bare eyes.

Suddenly, the robot moved. It had an automated program that required it to run around the field. It poked its head out—this was it.

Zhu Ning pulled the trigger.

Bang—

The bullet pierced the center of the robot's forehead, and it fell backward.

"One-shot headshot," the instructor said. "Ten points."

So that was it, everyone realized. Zhu Ning could have hit it earlier, but she wouldn't have landed a headshot. She was calculating her shots to maximize her score.

Those who had initially thought Zhu Ning was mediocre changed their attitudes. This little girl was interesting—she knew how to calculate scores.

Whether news had spread or not, it wasn't just the people in the shooting range watching anymore; others from different training rooms had arrived. The shooting range was suddenly packed, with only the area around Zhu Ning remaining clear. Li Nianchuan felt a lot of pressure, as if he weren't Zhu Ning’s colleague, but the assistant to a superstar athlete.