Chapter 0004: Li Zhen's Sniper Rifle

As long as it is not particularly dangerous, Huang Shihai is only responsible for guarding the camp

Wu Qigong shuddered, startled by the sudden fright

At the same time, news of Wu Qigong's imminent participation in the competition also spread

"Who is He Ming?" Li Zhen asked

At this moment, a soldier placed a target one hundred paces away. One hundred paces is approximately eighty meters, a distance that is not far but suitable for Li Zhen to test the sniper rifle in his hands. Li Zhen waved his hand to signal the soldier to step aside, cradled the sniper rifle in his left hand, with the stock resting against his armpit, his right hand gripping the trigger, and his eyes close to the eyepiece, aiming at the target one hundred paces away.

Huang Shihai is unruly and defiant, a maverick in the Jiangbei garrison, even Qi Shan cannot manage him, clearly isolated within the military. If Li Zhen were to win over Huang Shihai, he would undoubtedly become a trusted confidant.

He Ming's eyes sparkled with a look of resentment as he turned and left

Outside the tent, a deep and resonant voice suddenly echoed

Li Zhen said with great excitement: "Rest assured, General, I will not let you down."

Wu Qigong nodded and said, "It is indeed Huang Shihai"

Bang ! !

The tent flap was lifted once more, and a person walked in from outside. Li Zhen looked up and found that the newcomer was He Ming. He Ming strode in with a faint smile on his face and coldly said: "Lord Qishan has issued a command, ordering Li Zhen to take over a battalion of soldiers under Huang Shihai. Li Zhen, the lord has high expectations of you, do not let him down"

This is his opportunity

Wu Qigong, we shall see.

Li Zhenming understood that He Ming had persuaded Qi Shan, deliberately using Huang Shihai to deal with him, taking the opportunity to confront Wu Qigong. However, Li Zhen was pleased with the situation, as he urgently needed to establish his own faction.

Li Zhen said: "General, leave everything to me to handle"

This is the consequence of opposing him

Wu Qigong revealed a look of intention, yet said: "Although that is the case, it is difficult to handle"

Wu Qigong said in a low voice: "In the Jiangbei garrison, there is a disobedient Huang Shihai, like a thorn stuck in the throat, which must be uncomfortable for the lord. However, he does not dare to remove Huang Shihai, as there are still bandits lurking menacingly. If Huang Shihai is removed, there will be no pillar in the army, and the lord will not be able to sleep soundly."

Exceeding two hundred meters, the scope cannot keep up, and both the bullet and the chamber are unable to keep pace, resulting in the fired bullets lacking accuracy. Therefore, Li Zhen's current distance is two hundred meters

The soldiers under Wu Qigong were lethargic and far from reaching a state of strict discipline. In a short period, it was nearly impossible for Li Zhen to achieve any results in training, and it was futile to place hope in these soldiers.

Countless generals mocked Wu Qigong for his overconfidence and scolded Li Zhen for courting death. However, Li Zhen remained unfazed, fully dedicating himself to preparing for the battle against the Taiping Army. This was his first time leading a major battle since his crossing over, and it was imperative that he fought decisively and beautifully, ensuring that he could not afford to fail. As the saying goes, knowing oneself and knowing the enemy leads to victory in a hundred battles. Li Zhen dispatched over a hundred scouts deep into Yangzhou to gather intelligence.

Two hundred and fifty steps is nearly two hundred meters

Therefore, Li Zhen shifted his focus to firearms

Wu Qigong took a deep breath and said, "Alright, you go ahead and do it. As long as I hold positions in the military and in the library, I will ensure that you are not affected." Wu Qigong stared at Li Zhen, feeling that the person before him was not just a pawn, but someone with great ambitions.

Wu Qigong chuckled twice, knowing that reconciliation was impossible. Changing the subject, Wu Qigong said in a deep voice: "At present, our primary task is to defeat the bandits. As long as we defeat the bandits seeking revenge for Yang Zhengqing, everything else will be manageable. Li Zhen, we cannot afford to relax at this moment; we must ensure that everything is foolproof, do you understand?"

Li Zhen became increasingly excited after listening

Li Zhen nodded, understanding Huang Shihai's situation

If he wants to establish himself in the military camp, he will need a group of trusted confidants

Sir Qian, General Wu requests your presence

In the training ground, Li Zhen is preparing to test the gun

Thus, Li Zhen was able to hit the target from one hundred steps, two hundred steps, and finally from two hundred fifty steps

Wu Qigong sighed and said, "Li Zhen, He Ming has set a trap for us."

The Qishan guards use rifled guns, which are more advanced

Li Zhen asked, "Since Huang Shihai is unmanageable, why is he still being kept?"

Li Zhen's lips curled up; this person is indeed Huang Shihai, truly a valiant general

Li Zhen could not tolerate He Ming's arrogant demeanor and said in a deep voice: "General He, please convey to the lord that Li Zhen will not disappoint the lord's expectations and will complete the tasks assigned by the lord"

Subsequently, Li Zhen began training the soldiers under Wu Qigong's command

Wu Qigong said, "He Ming is also a deputy general in the army, and there are some grievances between us."

Hehe... what a pleasant surprise!

At this point, Wu Qigong's double chin trembled slightly as he continued, "The leader of this camp's soldiers is a Qianzhong, named Huang Shihai. Although Huang Shihai is merely a Qianzhong, he is unruly and does not submit to anyone. Even Lord Qishan cannot manage Huang Shihai. Handing Huang Shihai over to you is like passing a hot potato; if not handled properly, it could lead to trouble."

Li Zhen rubbed his sore shoulders; the recoil of this rifled gun was somewhat strong and needed improvement. However, at present, Li Zhen lacked the technology and conditions to make changes. He strode towards the target, examined the arrow that had hit the bullseye, but it was still slightly off. Li Zhen directly adjusted the scope beside the training ground, beginning to calibrate the sight.

Wu Qigong wore a look of helplessness and sighed, "I have just received news that Lord Qishan is preparing to send you 1,200 soldiers to assist us in combating the bandits."

Qi Shan did not like Huang Shihai, yet he needed Huang Shihai to maintain the situation, so he could only hide Huang Shihai. It was only when a crisis arose in the Jiangbei camp that Huang Shihai was allowed to take the field.

Li Zhen smiled and said, "General, this is a good thing!"

Wu Qigong observed that Li Zhen was very optimistic and said in a deep voice: "Many generals in the army have tried to subdue Huang Shihai and have made efforts, but in the end, they all ended up with their faces covered in dust. He Ming also went, and at that time, He Ming confidently declared in front of the adults that he would subdue Huang Shihai, but in the end, he was tormented by Huang Shihai to the point of near death."

Understood

Wu Qigong feigned calmness, raised his head, and shouted with a fierce yet timid tone: "Huang Shihai, what are you here for?"

Li Zhen nodded gently, feeling a mix of admiration and unease in his heart, silently praising the man as a hero and beginning to speculate about his identity. The man looked up at Wu Qigong, his expression stern and his gaze icy, causing Wu Qigong to instinctively take a step back in fear

Li Zhen's heart was filled with excitement, yet he spoke calmly: "General, you lead the troops to confront the bandits, while the other generals are waiting for you to achieve victory. Especially He Ming, who is particularly eager for this. Now that He Ming has taken the initiative to push Huang Shihai forward, it is precisely your opportunity. As long as you gain Huang Shihai's support and have a capable and battle-ready army, you will become the pillar of the Jiangbei camp. Even if He Ming and the other generals attempt to slander you, they will not succeed."

The bullets fired from a rifled gun rotate during their exit, resulting in high accuracy, long range, and greater power. Although rifled guns do not fully meet Li Zhen's requirements, the current technology is insufficient, and he can only make do with what is available. After obtaining the gun, Li Zhen made some rough modifications to the rifled gun and installed a new scope to facilitate long-distance shooting

He Ming stared at Wu Qigong with a smile, revealing a look of gloating satisfaction

Report

In three days, the news of Yang Zhengqing's murder has spread.

Li Zhenping calmly shouted: "Come in!"

After a pause, Li Zhen said again: "I have heard that General He once considered capturing Huang Shihai, but unfortunately, it ended in a disastrous failure. Hmph, not everyone can swagger in like General He and then run out in disgrace. When I, Li Zhen, take action, I will certainly live up to your expectations and will subdue Huang Shihai, training a group of soldiers who will obey orders."

Li Zhenlang said loudly: "Rest assured, General, I understand."

Li Zhen carried a sniper rifle and walked towards Wu Qigong's tent. Upon arriving at Wu Qigong's tent, Li Zhen asked, "General, what matters do you have for me?"

Opportunity

Li Zhen felt a stir in his heart and thought of the 'he' mentioned by Qi Shan and Wu Qigong. Could it be that Huang Shihai was the person they were discussing? Li Zhen asked, "General, is Huang Shihai the person you referred to when speaking with the dignitary?"

The tent flap was lifted, and a tall, robust man walked in. This individual was of impressive stature, with a square jaw and sharp features, his eyes gleaming like lightning. He had a well-defined forehead, a prominent nose, full lips, and a beard that stood upright like steel needles. His arms were strong and muscular, and he had a broad waist and shoulders. Standing in the large tent, he exuded an aura as formidable as a mountain.

Li Zhen requested more firearms from Wu Qigong, but learned that Qishan had better guns, so he also asked Qishan for one.

Li Zhen said: "General, although it is a disaster, it is not without its blessings!"

Wu Qigong watched He Ming's departing figure and said, "Li Zhen, you should not have provoked He Ming."

The trigger was pulled, and a muffled sound echoed.

Li Zhen said: "General, do you have a chance to reconcile with He Ming?"

He carried a crude sniper rifle and commanded, "Prepare a target at one hundred paces"

Li Zhen then asked, "General, what exactly happened?"

Wu Qigong exclaimed, "What nonsense! Let me tell you, the problem lies here. You were merely a centurion before, with a lowly position, and you are unfamiliar with the situation in the barracks. In the Jiangbei camp, there is a battalion of soldiers who are exceptionally fierce; all the soldiers in that battalion are brash and combative, and they are difficult to manage. The one thousand two hundred men assigned to you are precisely those unruly soldiers."