Chapter 641-650

Chapter 641: Direct Eye Contact


"Hmph, that's because Sheng Ming hadn't met me."


It seems like the proud Cruff couldn't heed anyone's words.


The coach shook his head helplessly.


As Cruff had never suffered a defeat in a shooting competition, his heart was incredibly swollen with pride.


It would be fine if he kept up with his victories. But should he suffer a defeat even once, it would be a destructive blow to Cruff.


"Cruff, I will let you be if you can keep on winning. But you need to be wary of this Yin Ruoyi this time round."


Cruff nodded solemnly. "I know."


Although he was proud and arrogant, he didn't slight his opponents.


It was the main reason for his continuous victories.


Just then, as a shooter born with acute intuition, Cruff sensed a strange gaze upon him.


He turned around and looked over, feeling a slight discomfort. It turned out it was a Chinese girl eating cake in the center of the room.


Cruff couldn't be sure if she were Chinese, but he had a feeling she was one.


Westerners couldn't tell Asians apart.


But in Cruff's eyes, this Chinese girl's facial features were exquisite and made one feel at ease.


Such a girl should be considered a beauty according to the Chinese's beauty standards?


Cruff's judgment was pretty spot-on.


But that girl's stare made him feel extremely uncomfortable.


With a smile on her face, she didn't appear at all imposing.


However, she riveted her eyes upon Cruff. It was a scorching, fiery gaze that made one involuntarily shiver.


Cruff was familiar with such a gaze. That was because he had the same stare whenever he discovered a prey during hunting competitions. It was a feeling of excitement and thrill.


He didn't feel that this Chinese girl was staring at him because she fancied him.


He was very sure that there wasn't a hint of infatuation in her eyes.


After Cruff's gaze met with hers directly for three seconds, the girl left the spot she was standing with a slice of cake in her hands.


But she didn't leave in a dejected state, as though she had lost.


Cruff felt strange.


He asked his coach, "Is that girl from China or some other country?"


The coach looked in the direction he was showing and caught sight of Gu Qingjiu's side profile.


After staring for approximately two seconds, the coach shook his head. "No impression. She probably came with an official from some country. Family member perhaps."


The coach speculated.


Cruff's intuition told him otherwise. "Could it be a participant from China?"


"No, no, no, you ought to have seen the list of participants from China this year. There isn't a new girl on that list. Cruff, what you should do right now is to focus on preparing for tomorrow's competition, instead of wasting your attention on random stuff."


Cruff frowned.


Random stuff?


No, that didn't feel like random stuff.


He always had faith in his intuition. Although this girl seemed non-threatening, she gave off a dangerous vibe.


When he looked over through the crowd, he realized the girl had already left the banquet.


The coach reached out and pulled Cruff. "Cruff, it's time for us to leave. You've pretty much seen everyone you needed to see. You need to be well-rested for tomorrow's competition to be in top form. That newbie from China will compete for the first time tomorrow. Your task is to deal him with a great blow. You wouldn't want any accidents to happen, do you?"


Cruff immediately nodded and left with his coach after hearing those words.


Chapter 642: Joint Attack


"Qingjiu."


When Gu Qingjiu left the banquet by herself and prepared to return to the hotel, Nian Chusheng suddenly came out and called her.


She turned her head. "Ah, Commanding Officer, what's the matter?"


"Come with me. A superior of the association asks you to go over."


Association?


Gu Qingjiu instantly understood. By 'association,' he was referring to the primary jurisdiction under the Shooting Department.


Since a superior wanted to see her, of course, she had to go.


"Commanding Officer Nian, this summon is regarding what?"


"I don't know the details either. You'll find out later."


Nian Chusheng brought Gu Qingjiu to a room in the banquet venue.


Gu Qingjiu realized that there wasn't only one such room—one room was provided to each country that attended the event.


After she went in, she realized it was a large conference room.


At that moment, there were quite a lot of officials standing in the conference room. Nian Chusheng led Gu Qingjiu in.


Gu Qingjiu then saw that other than a few higher-ups, Yin Ruoyi and the other participants were also around.


When Gu Qingjiu went over, everyone's gazes turned towards Gu Qingjiu simultaneously.


So this was what 'center of attention' meant.


She went over, not at all feeling nervous.


"Gu Qingjiu."


When she walked over, a man with ordinary looks, a slightly chubby figure, and a pleasant smile greeted her.


Yin Ruoyi introduced him to Gu Qingjiu. "Junior, this is the chairman of the association, Chairman Song."


Gu Qingjiu paused when she heard Yin Ruoyi call her junior, but she didn't stop him. She instantly nodded with a smile. "Hello, Chairman Song."


"Mm!"


Chairman Song nodded, then continued, "The reason I asked Classmate Gu to come over is that I'd like to bring up a matter with you people."


Chairman Song sounded stern as he mentioned this. "Yin Ruoyi, you know that we have pinned all our hopes on you this time. This, being your first match, we naturally hope that you will have a glamorous victory. But don't feel too pressured. Just do your best."


Yin Ruoyi nodded with a solemn expression. "Got it, Chairman Song."


"We've received news that Cruff, the top US sharpshooter in shooting competitions, confirmed that this wouldn't be his last competition. Instead, he expressed his plan to take part in the international competition three years from now. That means that he has the ambition to take down three successive international championships."


Everyone was shocked to hear this.


Gu Qingjiu didn't understand the significance of three consecutive championships, but she knew that meant winning the champion title three times in a row.


Yin Ruoyi frowned, then let out a scoff. "Is he that confident?"


The second competition hadn't yet started, and with the outcome unknown, Cruff had already decided he would take part in this competition three times?


"You can't put it this way."


Chairman Song looked worried. "You should know what situation we're in. His confidence should not come off as surprising. That also means that regardless of whether he wins or loses, you will still encounter him as an opponent the next time around. This is also why I called Gu Qingjiu over."


Chairman Song looked at Gu Qingjiu. "Elder Gong told me you shouldn't have a problem taking part in the competition three years later. Hence, you and Yin Ruoyi will counter Cruff together three years from now."


Gu Qingjiu instantly understood.


She looked towards Yin Ruoyi. "What if Senior defeats him this time around?"


Chapter 643: The Competition Starts, Flat Map


"... Before the results are out, no one can guarantee anything."


Chairman Song's words meant that even if it was Yin Ruoyi they were talking about, they weren't very confident.


It was just that he had said it so neutrally that he didn't sound like he wasn't confident.


But this was the truth.


"Got it."


They had asked her to come to inform her she would meet Cruff as an opponent in the years to come.


The most significant advantage they had was that Cruff wasn't aware of China's Gu Qingjiu. He was only aware of just Yin Rouyi.


But for this competition, they could only depend on Yin Ruoyi.


"I've read up on this Cruff. He's ambitious, and I could tell three years ago when he first took part in this competition. China is at a disadvantage in such an international competition arena right now. After so many years, only Sheng Ming from our country got the championship title three consecutive times. Cruff is trying to replicate Sheng Ming's miracle."


"Hmph."


A superior let out a sneer. "He thinks he's Sheng Ming? Sheng Ming won the grand slam in the international competition. Nobody would dare say that there is another person of such capability. Who does Cruff think he is?"


"Eh, you can't put it this way."


Chairman Song comforted, "It's good for a person to have ambition."


The others merely smiled at his words.


Gu Qingjiu pursed her lips. She saw Cruff earlier.


By simply judging from his appearance, Cruff definitely looked like an arrogant person.


But since he had won the champion title once, that went to show that there was more to him than meets the eye.


Even if he was arrogant, his capability justified his arrogance.


Cruff was such a person.


"That's it from me. You people have to compete tomorrow. Go back early and have a good rest."


Chairman Song finished speaking to Yin Ruoyi and the rest before patting Gu Qingjiu on her shoulder. "Pay attention to the competition tomorrow. It will enhance your experience."


"Mm."


Gu Qingjiu nodded solemnly.


There were many people present, but Chairman Song didn't say a lot.


Hence Gu Qingjiu returned to the hotel with Yin Ruoyi and the rest.


Since Yin Ruoyi and the rest had to compete the next day, they didn't chat much. When Gu Qingjiu returned to the hotel, she called the Chief Instructor. And the following day, when she woke up, she went to the competition venue to view the competition.


The competition venue was very far from where they were at.


As these essential officials had to be protected, they viewed the competition in real-time in an indoor hall.


It was an enormous hall, like a venue where one could view the competition from.


There was a large, main screen in the center that allowed the viewers to view the competition in real-time.


There were people seated on all four sides, and they had positioned the screen such that everyone could see.


They installed thousands of surveillance cameras in the surroundings, as well as numerous bodyguards.


These bodyguards helped to ensure secrecy, and at the same time, ensuring the safety of these officials.


These competitions weren't open to the public.


This was the first time Gu Qingjiu saw so many officials.


There were perhaps hundreds of officials from various countries gathered around, plus translators and secretarial staff.


There were many people.


Gu Qingjiu sat in a spot where the view was better, and she could view the entire competition with no effort.


The venue where the actual competition took place could be far away from where she was.


They would hold the competition over a few days, shooting for a day and combat on the other, etc.


This year's shooting competition venue was on grassy plains in the UK, not far away.


Holding the competition on a flat surface most easily resulted in intense fights.


It was a great test of these competitors combined capabilities, including the ability to dodge and chase.


Chapter 644: Viewing From All Directions


They dispersed the flight cameras automatically throughout all corners of the competition venue.


This camera was a newly developed model that allowed one to film silently.


One could zoom in to film the players from a distance away to prevent distracting them.


These players' combined abilities were pretty strong on this international battlefield, especially with a sharpshooter's acute senses.


If the camera were too near, it would affect the participants.


Of course, such cameras were extremely expensive.


Though it was of a small build, one camera would cost more than a million yuan.


They dispersed several hundred of these cameras throughout the competition venue to ensure they would miss nothing.


Also, to deny participants the opportunity to cheat.


Personnel from various countries monitored the staff operating these cameras. Someone couldn't possibly attempt to cheat under everyone's scrutinizing gazes.


They would precisely change the scenes and try their best to feature the most important players and interesting scenes on the large screen.


Such a task was a great test of the operators' response abilities. Because they had to broadcast the battle in real-time, they had to do the task with astonishing speed.


Those who were up to such a task weren't ordinary people.


The competition formally began at 3 pm UK time.


And it would end at 3 pm the next day.


Although this was the case for the competitors, these officials wouldn't be able to last for that long, so basically, they would switch out for another batch or leave mid-way, and after getting some rest, they would come back and continue watching.


The competitors, however, didn't enjoy such luxury.


On the grassy plains, they had to overcome the difficulty of having no food, and at the same time, remain guarded against opponent attacks.


Since a low-lying environment surrounded this expanse of grassy plains, one could easily see what was going on in the distance.


However, the advantage was that there were bountiful plants and farms around.


Such an environment tested competitors on their ability to adjust to changing circumstances.


When the competition started, Gu Qingjiu could see many competitors' back views on the big screen.


From what she knew, over thirty countries took part in the competition this time around.


There were more than a hundred participants.


It was why the competition venue was huge. With the divided scenes and so many participants, these officials' eyes were kept busy.


The point system differed from the usual. How they tallied the points in the international shooting competition was a little disgusting.


Every country would start from zero, and three people from each country could take part.


When a country's participant defeated another participant, the points given would follow the part of the body hit.


If they hit vital parts—the opponent's forehead or heart—they would earn five points. Of course, they wouldn't be using real bullets in the competition.


Regarding the four limbs and torso, if they hit the parts with smaller surface area, such as the back of hands or soles, one would earn three points. As for larger surfaces like the waist, they would receive one point.


These were the only three methods of calculation. Only when one was not discovered could they hit the opponent's vital parts on such a battlefield.


Because everyone was an elite from their country, their response and speeds were of a certain standard.


What they were genuinely competing on were other areas—such as their control of the venue, like in the case of Cruff.


Once a person eliminates an opponent, this participant would obtain half of the eliminated player's accumulated points.


It resulted in the many possibilities on the battlefield in terms of points accumulation. The rankings would also undergo a rollercoaster ride.


Unless the difference was extremely huge, it was possible that a player's elimination could cause the drastic change of another country's accumulated points, shifting this country from the bottom to the top in the rankings.


It was a great test of the officials' hearts' ability to withstand volatile changes.


When the competition started, the first person Gu Qingjiu placed her attention on wasn't Yin Ruoyi, but Cruff.


Chapter 645: Capability


Among so many people, Cruff was the only one who truly disappeared in an instant.


Many officials searched for him because he was so famous, but they failed to discover Cruff among so many players.


But Cruff was in the images.


Gu Qingjiu only hesitated for a few seconds when she discovered Cruff in the bottom right corner.


"Eh. where is Cruff?"


Someone asked. Gu Qingjiu pointed it out to that person. "Seventh-row thirteenth column, bottom right corner."


That person looked for the spot she mentioned, and after confirming for a long while, they realized it was indeed Cruff.


He sighed with astonishment. "Cruff's ability to conceal himself is powerful. How did you find him so quickly?"


The competition started a minute ago, and many officials had to look for him in various scenes. However, Gu Qingjiu found Cruff in a ridiculously short amount of time.


Gu Qingjiu merely smiled and said nothing.


She fixed her gaze upon Cruff throughout. She then saw the players from the various countries get into action on the screen.


On such a flat surface, concealing oneself was the best strategy before one counters an opponent head-on.


Many people were living on the grassland, and there were even farms.


It was effortless for these players to hide.


With her gaze fixed on Cruff, Gu Qingjiu realized he was very adept at making use of his strengths.


Everyone wore the same thing during the competition. The spots Cruff hid were those that bore similar colors to what he was wearing, allowing himself to blend in with his surroundings with ease.


Add to the fact that he naturally didn't stand out too much, Gu Qingjiu realized he was pretty great at deliberately hiding.


Of course, as the 'chameleon,' he indeed had more capabilities than that.


Since the competition had just started, there weren't any intense battles taking place.


The players who first went in were very cautious, for no one would be so dumb as to expose themselves right at the start.


Some even hid into those farming families' homes.


One look and Gu Qingjiu caught sight of the spot Cruff was hiding. She also saw where Yin Ruoyi was hiding.


Yin Ruoyi's position was some distance away from Cruff, so there likely wouldn't arise any significant conflict between the two any time now.


Just then, Gu Qingjiu saw the first confrontation taking place on the screen.


On the international map, the spots where every player started were stringently drawn.


But once the competition started, one player was bound to run into another player. It was inevitable for an intense clash to arise when that happened.


The staff members in control of switching the scenes played this battle on the screen in the middle of the viewing venue.


Gu Qingjiu saw that those two players were from Europe or the US.


The spot where the confrontation took place was outside of a farm, amid animals such as cows.


But Gu Qingjiu realized that during the confrontation, none of the bullets hit these animals.


Their response, attack, and dodging abilities were comparable to the present Gu Qingjiu.


Amid the intense gunshots, the way the players were dodging was as though they were in the middle of an action blockbuster.


Exciting and fast.


After a brief crossfire, both parties quickly left their spots, leading to a temporary halt.


Such gunshot sounds would attract players from other countries, so they feared it would outnumber them.


No one had been eliminated.


The first confrontation only lasted briefly, so Gu Qingjiu couldn't yet gauge these players' abilities. But she realized one thing.


If any of these players were to take part in an outdoor activity like the one held by her school, they would crush all other players.


There wasn't a single weak player among those who made it to the international battlefield.


Chapter 646: Halfway Through the Competition


After the crossfire ended, the main screen went back to playing what it was initially playing.


The multiple scenes displayed on the screen were too much for the officials to take in.


The staff would also considerately play some individual scenes of seeded players.


This time, Yin Ruoyi and Cruff were among those seeded players.


But since the competition had, after all, just begun, these players were still overly cautious, so exciting and intense battles had yet to arise.


Other than personnel from the relevant associations, most officials started getting bored.


Hence, there were hushed conversations heard amongst them.


It was a normal phenomenon.


Since Gu Qingjiu sat in the back rows, which was farther away from Nian Chusheng and the rest, she didn't know those around her.


"How boring. Is this how the competition usually is? It's not exciting at all," Someone started grumbling in a low voice.


Looking over, Gu Qingjiu saw that the voice came from a blond man who appeared relatively young. He seemed extremely bored and even yawned.


He added, "I bet putting two dogs in there and letting them bark would be more interesting than what we're currently seeing."


Gu Qingjiu frowned upon hearing this.


This man went overboard with his speech.


She looked over, and that blond man saw that Gu Qingjiu had noticed him. He then seemed to realize something.


He lowered his eyes and averted from Gu Qingjiu's gaze.


Next to him, someone berated him softly, "What sort of place do you think this is? Watch your behavior."


This was, after all, an international competition, and senior officials from various countries were around. If someone heard him and made a fuss about what he had mentioned, they could easily do it and result in a political scandal.


Only then did Gu Qingjiu retract her gaze.


Honestly speaking, though, there was indeed not much to see at the start.


However, through observing how the players hide, one could infer their habits.


But only people like Gu Qingjiu could interpret their actions. It was torture to these people who couldn't understand what was going on but had to stay around and watch.


No one dared to voice that opinion, though.


They were here because they had responsibilities to fulfill.


Just then, Gu Qingjiu saw Chairman Song, who was seated in the front row, turn his head and nod in her direction.


Gu Qingjiu didn't quite understand the meaning of this nod, but she nodded back.


At night time, they asked Gu Qingjiu to go for dinner with them.


When she came out, Nian Chusheng said to her, "Don't be anxious, night time is when the competition gets interesting."


"Because it's ideal to launch an attack late at night?" Gu Qingjiu asked.


Nian Chusheng nodded and said with a smile, "You can come over and watch tonight, but don't force yourself. The competition will end tomorrow at 3 p.m. When the time comes, they will record the important moments. You don't have to view it live if you can't take it."


"I understand, Commanding Officer Nian."


Gu Qingjiu nodded, then went to eat with Nian Chusheng and the rest.


At least they could still eat. As for Yin Ruoyi and the rest, they had to stay in the competition venue for the entire night.


When one wasn't on the battlefield itself, they honestly couldn't understand the environment in which the competition took place.


But it was not as relaxed an environment as what they might see on the screens.


After eating, Gu Qingjiu merely took a brief rest before re-entering the viewing hall.


The moment she entered, she made it just in time to view an exciting battle.


Chapter 647: Accurately Judging the Direction in Which Opponent Was Dodging


It was Cruff.


As she watched Cruff in action, Gu Qingjiu's eyes sparkled with a glow.


She returned to her seat to watch this competition.


Based on what they could see on the screen, Cruff was chasing someone.


He, together with his two companions, had determined smiles on their faces.


An orange glow emitted from farmhouses in the surroundings and the nighttime visual effect of the cameras.


For this competition, all the players used a specially made gun model.


It was different from the ones Gu Qingjiu, and the rest used. This type of gun could fire into a greater distance.


It evolved from the guns used for round targets. Although it had the form of a handgun, its barrel was slim and long.


It could at least ensure precision within two thousand meters.


It was a great test of the user's skills in controlling the gun.


The camera was facing right at Cruff. Gu Qingjiu saw that when Cruff fired a shot, there would be a fanatical expression on his face.


She was very familiar with such an expression—it was one that showed the player's determination in hitting the prey.


Moreover, when he fired a shot, he nearly didn't hesitate, and he could always hit the target he was aiming for.


The players he had chased were ones who moved with incredible speed as well, in hiding and dodging.


It was definitely not a simple task to aim for a target when it was too far away.


Moreover, the other party didn't have the intention to counter him head-on.


Just then, the repeated gunshots attracted the attention of other players.


Someone charged towards Cruff. Seeing that the situation was unfavorable to him, he instantly climbed up a farmhouse.


And his two teammates continued chasing after others.


After Cruff climbed up the house, as he was under the roof, and added to the fact that it was a dark night, even if there were cameras, he still briefly disappeared.


Those who came chasing after him weren't goons. They speedily retreated behind other obstructions in the farmhouse.


But when one of them fell slow for a moment, he was momentarily exposed under the lighting.


It was merely a short second.


Bang!


After a subtle gunshot sound, this player's pupils shrunk, and he dodged almost instantaneously.


However, he hadn't expected that someone fired the bullet in the direction in which he was moving towards in his attempt to dodge the bullet.


Ironically, that meant that nothing would have happened to him if he had simply stayed where he was.


There was a column indicating the accumulated points for each country beside the large screen, and it now showed that the US had gained four points, and was ranked number one.


One player from France was eliminated.


"Woah..."


Gasps erupted amongst the crowd. Many people hadn't seen clearly how things had resulted in such an outcome.


Gu Qingjiu was also astounded.


That eliminated French player certainly wasn't slow in responding, and with his speed, he had no problem dodging the bullet.


But most importantly, how did Cruff accurately predict the direction in which he was going to dodge?


That shot just now....


Gu Qingjiu frowned. Based on her capabilities, it was still a tad difficult for her to predict the direction someone was going to dodge accurately.


Unless there was a blatant obstruction next to her opponent.


But nothing but flat terrain on all sides surrounded the French player...


There was simply no way to predict which direction he was going to dodge in.


But it was a fact that Cruff accurately hit him.


In the shadows, Cruff's face appeared, a very visible arrogance on his face.


He then raised his brows at the camera.


Gu Qingjiu rapped her finger against her arm. The international battlefield indeed exceeded her expectations.


These players' capabilities were terrifying. But this Cruff seemed even more frightening.


Chapter 648: Not As Exciting As I Have Imagined


Yin Ruoyi's location was very far from Cruff, and for the time being there wasn't any action.


On the big screen, someone was making a slow-motion commentary of the shot Cruff fired earlier.


It was a pity that Cruff's hiding location was in a blind spot. Hence, one could only see the direction in which Cruff had shot that fire, and not any other issues.


Could it be that Cruff had accidentally missed his target and the French player so unluckily happened to get hit?


It was impossible.


Unless they could not hit the target in this competition, something as laughable as 'missing the target' couldn't possibly happen.


The players here could easily hit an apple on a person's head several hundred meters away with their eyes closed.


Cruff obtained four points with this shot, the only points gained by any player so far.


With this first victory, the nighttime battle grew even more intense.


If it weren't because this was an actual competition, one would think they were watching a movie.


The battles and bullets flying around were fascinating beyond one's imaginations.


Gu Qingjiu willed herself to stay awake and watched until midnight before Chairman Song made her go back and rest.


When the time comes, he will send the competition video to Gu Qingjiu for her to analyse.


With her arm injury, Gu Qingjiu couldn't keep up late nights.


Apart from the fact that the audience was more high class than an ordinary competition, there weren't many differences in other areas.


Gu Qingjiu felt regretful that she couldn't experience the competition as a player to handle the exhilaration at the place where all the action was taking place.


She would have to wait another three years before she could participate.


When she returned the next day, Gu Qingjiu saw the US was still ranked number one, whilst the China team ranked second.


They had 24 and 20 points, respectively.


Although the battle was intense and explosive throughout the night, it didn't mean that it was easy to gain points.


Everyone was skilled. It could only be said that Cruff of the US team was indeed an extremely strong player.


But Yin Ruoyi's first performance could be considered very impressive.


On the second day, Gu Qingjiu heard many people discussing him.


This genius player that suddenly emerged from China had aroused the interest of many.


Gu Qingjiu didn't watch for long before Chairman Song summoned her.


"What thoughts do you have after watching them all this while?"


Chairman Song asked Gu Qingjiu as he walked in the corridor outside.


Gu Qingjiu thought for a moment, then said blandly, "Actually it's not as exciting as I had imagined."


Previously, she thought that since this was an international competition, it would be as thrilling and impactful as other international sporting events.


However, other than the times where there were battles taking place amongst the players, most of the time the competition was quite dull.


Gu Qingjiu could sense this.


Chairman Song nodded and smiled. "Many people had thought the same previously."


"But Qingjiu, you need to know that this competition is not open to the public, and those who aren't part of the action cannot understand the exhilaration that happens during the competition. You saw on the big screen that their battle exploded at a great speed and ended rapidly. But with the excitement of it all, take part as a player before you can understand. As for most of the 'audience' in there, what they need to understand is the point they have will determine their country's ranking."


Gu Qingjiu fell into deep thought when she heard Chairman Song's words.


Actually, she understood such a mentality.


Chapter 649: Points


All of those inside were officials, and most of them could restrain themselves pretty well.


Hence the atmosphere was solemn, and the air of officialdom was intense.


This affected Gu Qingjiu's mood in viewing the competition.


It was why she had felt the competition felt dull.


Only the players themselves could understand just how exhilarating the competition was.


"It'll be your turn to perform three years later. I have confidence in you. Three years later, I hope you can join hands with Yin Ruoyi and create a miracle. I'm already delighted with Yin Ruoyi's performance this time."


It baffled Gu Qingjiu. "The difference in points isn't that great. Do you not have confidence in Yin Ruoyi, Chairman Song?"


Cruff let out a bitter laugh. "Of course, I have confidence in him. But the nearer the competition approaches the end, the more alert will the countries ranked ahead be, making it increasingly difficult to gain points. As for the countries ranked towards the back, they would launch aggressive attacks. Even Cruff couldn't ensure he can get a lot of points in such a situation. In the second half of the game, even he would sometimes just gain one point. At times like this, all the more they ought to opt for self-preservation. If a player accidentally gets eliminated, the person who eliminated that player will receive half of their accumulated points. This isn't an ending that they can endure."


Chairman Song's words made Gu Qingjiu furrow her brows slightly.


It seemed like China had always played a conservative strategy.


After obtaining sufficient advantage, they ought to carefully protect themselves.


This was, of course, what was most important. But did that mean they should stop attacking altogether?


Although Gu Qingjiu wasn't in the game, she couldn't help but wonder what she would do if she were there and in the lead.


Perhaps because Chairman Song could tell that Gu Qingjiu was in deep thought, Chairman Song asked, "If you're in the game and you're in the lead, what would you do?"


Gu Qingjiu gave it some thought but didn't give a definite answer. "Depends on the situation."


She could attack or play defence.


All this was empty talk before she participated in the competition.


But in her heart, Gu Qingjiu was perhaps more inclined towards... attacking?


Chairman Song didn't continue discussing this. He merely patted Gu Qingjiu's shoulder and said, "You don't have to fret over this for now. There are still three more years for you to prepare. Learn well from Elder Gong. Win the local shooting competition in October first."


"Mm."


After this conversation with Chairman Song, Gu Qingjiu returned to the viewing room once again.


Just as Chairman Song had predicted, subsequently the countries ranked bottom started launching aggressive attacks.


When facing countries with high points, so long as they eliminated the person with the highest points, they could get half their points. Wasn't this a guaranteed good deal?


But the players ranked ahead weren't goons either. Naturally, they would be more cautious in concealing themselves.


Just Cruff alone carried 14 points from the US. Eliminating him would mean gaining half of that, which is 7 points.


Yin Ruoyi alone carried 12 points.


Twelve points.


That was merely two points lesser than Cruff on an individual basis.


Such a result shocked many people.


After all, this was Yin Ruoyi's first appearance on the international battlefield, and his performance was sufficiently outstanding.


The only regretful thing is, Yin Ruoyi had yet to counter Cruff head-on.


The intense battle between the two that others imagined had yet to appear.


But judging based on the live situation, what Cruff was powerful at was his ability to hide.


He was just like a chameleon who conceals himself well in his surroundings. He deals the opponent with a fatal blow when the latter isn't looking.


It was very rare for players to find Cruff in where he is hiding.


On the other hand, Yin Ruoyi launched aggressive attacks, and his responses were top-notch.


These two players displayed two extreme styles.


Chapter 650: The Competition Ended!


Finally, just as the competition was about to end, everyone in the competition grew nervous.


Because the competition was getting tighter, at 1 pm, the US team had 25 points after gaining another point.


The China Team had 22 points, after gaining two points.


Chairman Song and the rest got all wired up.


The difference was only three points at present.


Could they stand a chance this year?


Perhaps Yin Ruoyi could create a miracle?


But too bad that nearly no players were moving actively in the large venue in the final two hours of the competition.


It was looking quite impossible to gain those three points.


But just then, suddenly, Yin Ruoyi was about to meet Cruff!


The nervous Gu Qingjiu subconsciously clenched her fingers.


Most of the officials held their breaths as this sudden scene played on the screen.


There were only a few minutes left until the end.


Yin Ruoyi suddenly entered a farmhouse Cruff was hiding in.


Cruff was on the balcony of this farmhouse's top level.


And Cruff had already noticed his presence.


In the center of the house, a US team member was in ambush.


Although Yin Ruoyi had cautiously entered as displayed in the video, he didn't realise Cruff was on the top level.


Cruff was hanging next to a piece of glass, and the afternoon sunshine reflected off the glass as it shone upon it.


There was a curtain hiding Cruff that even if Yin Ruoyi looked up, he might not necessarily see Cruff.


Gu Qingjiu finally understood how Cruff got his 'chameleon' nickname—because he always had a way of finding an ideal hiding spot right away.


Add to his unique technique in concealing his breath, even a player with keen senses might not discover him.


When Yin Ruoyi walked over, Cruff narrowed his eyes.


But because his hiding spot was impressive, he didn't dare signal his other team member, for Yin Ruoyi would immediately notice him that way.


However, Cruff had quietly raised the gun in his hands, aiming straight for Yin Ruoyi's head.


He recognised that to be Yin Ruoyi.


He had a smirk on his face; it was as though he wanted to deal a fatal blow.


A fatal blow to the China team.


A blow in the last minute before the competition ended.


Time seemed to tick loudly. The Chinese representatives seated among the audience felt like they were about to suffer a heart attack from all that suspense.


If Cruff managed to hit Yin Ruoyi, China would drop to the bottom rankings.


30—


29—


Cruff had already pulled the trigger!


All the viewers could feel their scalps turning numb from excitement.


However, when the bullet was fired, by right, Yin Ruoyi wouldn't be able to respond promptly.


But at that moment, he suddenly leapt into the house and nicely dodged Cruff's fatal shot with a response speed that seemed impossible.


Following that, he fired three continuous shots into the house.


Bang!


Bang!


Bang!


"Player Number Three from the US team has been eliminated!"


"The competition has ended. All the players may prepare to return to the resting station corresponding to your country."


"Wah..."


Gasps erupted among the crowd. Chairman Song and his group could feel cold sweat dripping down.


After they managed to calm down, they got a kick out of seeing Cruff's incredibly shocked expression on the screen.


However, at that moment, how did Yin Ruoyi discover Cruff?


Most people likely didn't understand.


Otherwise, based on the speed at which Yin Ruoyi was moving, even if he was swift in responding, he likely couldn't hide from Cruff's bullets.


There was only one possibility—that is, he had already discovered Cruff.

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