Chapter 6

"Don't be ridiculous!" I said, "The squad leader doesn't allow us to light up and smoke because he is concerned for our safety. Isn't this just an opportunity for you to sneak a smoke behind the rocks? Are you... are you afraid of dying?"

Then I thought again and felt something was off. It is true that the enemy's sniper rifle can shoot 800 meters, and having a scope is also correct... But this is at night! Is a scope useful at night? We can only see a few meters ahead, and so can the enemy. So what use is an effective range of 800 meters? Can you hit a spark the size of a cigarette butt from 800 meters away?

Subsequently, I also felt that this method was indeed not very effective. It is important to note that we had just lost a soldier to the gun of this Vietnamese sniper. Even the most foolish person would think of the need to refrain from firing and smoking. How could someone so quickly and brazenly make such a mistake again

"Wait a moment!" It seems that Little Stone is feeling a bit awkward

I lowered my rifle slightly, keeping my eyes fixed on the darkness ahead.

I felt a wave of tension in my heart, and it took only a few minutes to finish a cigarette. After one cigarette, I immediately followed with another, which would raise suspicion in my opponent

"Who? Who fired the gun?" I heard Scar's roar

What? Little Stone widened his eyes and said to me: "Are you crazy? The squad leader has orders..."

"Hush, kid..." he whispered to me as I passed by the rifle.

I quickly understood the reason behind this; the guy was squatting back there to relieve himself

Little Stone secretly borrowed a box of matches and two cigarettes, then hid behind a rock. I, on the other hand, found another spot to set up my rifle again

At that time, I never imagined so much; I only noticed a spark appearing before me. Therefore, without a second thought, I raised my gun and pulled the trigger towards that spark, guided by the first impression in my mind.

At this moment, I realized that I had never faced a night like this one. The nights I was accustomed to were always brightly lit, filled with revelry and indulgence, or were occasions for seeking pleasure. However, what I now confronted was a pitch-black void, akin to a distant emptiness, like the depths of the ocean, or like facing my own inner self. In this void, I seemed to see my home, my mother who longed for my return, and the old man lying on the sickbed. Yet, what I faced was still a pitch-black void, akin to a distant emptiness, like the depths of the ocean, or like facing my own inner self. In this void, I seemed to see my home, my mother who longed for my return, and the old man lying on the sickbed.

Goodness! 800 meters versus 400 meters, is there even a comparison? Moreover, they even have a scope attached!

It would have been fine if he hadn't said anything about the rifle, but his urging only stirred up my rebellious pride. So I raised my head and replied, "The squad leader ordered us not to smoke and not to fire recklessly, right? He didn't say we couldn't run around..."

I smiled gently; people these days truly cannot withstand provocation, especially when others call them cowards or say they are afraid of death

Yes, I am relying on luck. No sniper wins purely by luck, and yet I do.

Thinking of this, my ambition immediately diminished, and I began to waver in my resolve: I'm not joking, this is no trivial matter; who knows, I might also get shot in the head by the enemy! Just recalling the scene of that soldier being shot in front of me, with his brains splattering everywhere, sends chills down my spine. It is possible that this scene will soon happen to me as well

It is precisely for this reason that I do not have much confidence in my ability to take down a Vietnamese sniper; after all, I am just a novice who has only recently learned to shoot

After some reflection, I came to understand the underlying principles. Our military has never placed significant emphasis on the development of snipers, especially after the decade of turmoil. With millions of troops, our military did not have a designated sniper unit, and naturally, there were no specialized sniper rifles. The old man used to say: the rifle we use, mhetushucom.com, is the Type 56, which can hit targets at 400 meters, while the enemy's rifles have an effective range of 800 meters. The old man used to say: the rifle we use, mhetushucom.com, is the Type 56, which can hit targets at 400 meters, while the enemy's rifles have an effective range of 800 meters

Who... who is afraid of death? Just do it, what is so remarkable about it?

"You go to the back..." I glanced at the terrain behind me and then pointed to a prominent rock, saying, "Just hide behind that, light a cigarette, and then reach out..."

Thus, I quickly reached another conclusion: the snipers of the Vietnamese must be hiding not far from our positions. In other words, during this night, the sniper rifles used by the Vietnamese army would not be significantly different from the Type 56 I have in my hands, and I still have a chance to take out my opponent

I admit that I am not a qualified sniper, nor can I even claim to be a marksman, as no sniper would recklessly fire a bullet at a completely uncertain target

However, I feel fortunate that after lying in wait for more than an hour, not only did I come away empty-handed, but the marksman known as the rifle also had no gains.

It is easy to talk about dealing with the snipers of the enemy, but in reality, it is quite challenging. Not to mention the complete darkness of the night, the swarms of mosquitoes overhead make it impossible to remain hidden for long. Look at this: I barely lay in position for a while before my face was bitten by mosquitoes, resulting in several large welts. This forced me to ask the scholar for mosquito repellent oil and apply it several times.

At this thought, I felt a wave of frustration; I had originally thought I was quite clever, and I had believed that I would possess at least several decades more knowledge than those of the present, but who would have known...

Just as I was about to give up, a sudden gunshot startled me with a loud bang

Because I know that the Vietnamese troops are hiding in the darkness, and the only thing that can indicate the target for me is that fleeting spark like a shooting star, so I can only rely on luck

I want to, but... the little stone is still hesitating. And the picture book.

There were no gunshots, nor any flashes of light; the only responses from the void were the chirping of insects and the rustling sound made by the breeze stirring the weeds. I admit that I had never thought of such a scene existing in the night. If possible, I would even wish to calm my mind and take a moment to appreciate it.

I shook my head to clear my mind, responded to the small stone with the sound of a pigeon, and then focused my attention on the rifle's sight.

I said to you, comrade! The rifle, with a stern expression, spoke to me in a tone of admonition: "Did you not hear the order from the squad leader? There is a battle to be fought tomorrow, so find a place to rest!"

I know the squad leader has orders! But don't you want to lure out the enemy's sharpshooters?

Three minutes have passed

The cooing of a few pigeons startled me from my imagination; this was the secret signal agreed upon with Little Stone, indicating that everything was ready.

But why did our army not do this? ... It is normal for me not to have an observer, but even the sharpshooter assigned a mission by Scar, who is armed with a rifle, does not have an observer ... This seems a bit difficult to explain

Upon reflection, it seems incorrect: even if the enemy opens fire, it is merely the sound of a gunshot and a flicker of flame at the muzzle... If I were to focus solely on that minuscule point of the sight, perhaps I would not see even a glimmer of light in this darkness

Additionally, I have a feeling that using guns in this manner seems rather unprofessional... It feels like something is missing, and after thinking it over... I suddenly recalled that in movies, U.S. military snipers operate in pairs, one being the shooter and the other the observer or assistant! However, whether it is me or the rifle, it seems we are both working solo!

It is quite reasonable to say that snipers operate in pairs. As someone who is fond of military matters, I understand that a shooter, while aiming with a rifle, has a limited field of observation. They focus more on a specific target to take it down. On the other hand, the observer can use binoculars to survey the entire battlefield from a broader perspective, formulating reasonable shooting targets and sequences for the shooter. Moreover, the weapons of the two can complement each other; the shooter's sniper rifle has a long range but a slow rate of fire, while the observer can be equipped with a submachine gun that has a shorter range but a faster rate of fire. This arrangement helps to mitigate the weakness of the sniper being unable to eliminate all enemies quickly due to their numbers.

You... the rifle was momentarily rendered speechless by my words, and after giving me a fierce glare, he fell silent.

I still remember one time when I happened to pass by the rifle's hiding spot... I should say, I didn't notice at all where the rifle was concealed. From this perspective, I must admit that his stealth techniques and endurance are far superior to mine. I simply cannot remain motionless like he does, even under the bites of mosquitoes.

Upon thinking of this, I immediately put away my rifle, crouched down, and quickly ran back. Before I reached the camp, I spotted Little Stone squatting behind a tree and waved at him without saying a word

Oh no! It was at this moment that I realized that firing recklessly was also a violation of military orders

This is a very good suggestion. In fact, after more than an hour of lurking just now, I was somewhat exasperated, as I myself did not believe I could defeat the battle-hardened Vietnamese snipers. I remember the old man once said that the Vietnamese have been at war since World War II, driving out the French only to be followed by the Japanese, and when the Japanese drove out the French, the Americans came to fight next... Thus, every Vietnamese became a veteran.

"Go ahead!" Little Stone immediately agreed without a second thought

I said somewhat shyly, "Could you do me a favor?"

Why doesn't he shoot? Is it because he is too far away to hit? Or is it because he has realized that this is a trap?

To be honest, I am not particularly afraid this time. There is a saying, "Out of sight, out of mind." Although this night is filled with mystery and eeriness, it is still much better than the corpses and blood that are visible everywhere during the day.

I approached him with some reluctance, bending slightly at the waist, while internally marveling at the undeniable difference compared to a rifle

However, I know that it is not permissible, for this seemingly tranquil night is fraught with deadly intent

One minute has passed

Isn't it? The front is pitch black, with visibility of only a few meters. What good does lying down do? Even if the enemy is swaggering around on the other side, we wouldn't be able to see them!

This is a feeling, a dangerous feeling. I cannot see him, but I know he is there

In retrospect, this must have been the Vietnamese sniper underestimating the situation. It is important to note that the Vietnamese forces were very familiar with our military's weaponry; they knew that our troops did not possess sniper rifles and that there were no snipers among our ranks. Therefore, he knowingly jumped into the trap as if to challenge it.

There is still no movement, but I know that in the darkness there is a person, an enemy, who is watching me with vigilant eyes, aiming a cold gun barrel at me

I secretly felt pleased with myself, then moved a little distance away from the rifle to find a place to lie down. At that moment, I sensed that something was amiss; it seemed that our concealment was lacking something.

Bang bang bang ... ... I fired all the bullets in the rifle in one breath

Two minutes have passed

"What is it?" Xiao Shitou's tone was somewhat annoyed, which I can understand; if I were in his position, I would also dislike being called over at this time

However, I gritted my teeth and persevered. If I go down like this, won't that just make that rifleman laugh to death! Even if I have to lie here, I will lie here for the whole night. I can't hit him, and the rifle can't hit me, so what is there to be afraid of!

Rather than confront the gaze and cruelty of my enemies, I would prefer to face this darkness