Chapter 10, Nourishment

She almost crawled over, rolling and scrambling, unable to utter a word, constantly struggling, constantly accumulating

The muscles of the body reacted almost reflexively, preparing to roll and seek cover. Clearly, it was the reflection from a telescope or the objective lens of a sniper scope. One can imagine that all of one’s movements were being meticulously observed under that lens

With a "bang," the sound was as clear and muffled as that of a soda bottle being opened. Perhaps it was the hot air rising from the ground in the afternoon that interfered with the transmission of sound waves, but Qi Tianlin was still able to clearly identify it as the sound of a Russian-made sniper rifle. In that instant, a sharp pain surged from behind, concentrated in the area near the right shoulder. The marksmanship was quite average; the bullet violently tumbled after hitting the scapula, seemingly shattering many bone fragments, creating a gaping wound the size of a silver dollar on the front of the right shoulder, and embedding itself into the sandy ground. Qi Tianlin was still able to clearly identify it as the sound of a Russian-made sniper rifle. In that instant, a sharp pain surged from behind, concentrated in the area near the right shoulder. The marksmanship was quite average; the bullet violently tumbled after hitting the scapula, seemingly shattering many bone fragments, creating a gaping wound the size of a silver dollar on the front of the right shoulder, and embedding itself into the sandy ground.

Qi Tianlin was in excruciating pain and had not yet spoken when he heard Tiya exclaim: "Huh... Huh... Ah... Ya... Mama!" Her voice finally transformed into the correct tone, as the mutism caused by psychological shock from the fright was finally broken through in the face of this more intense impact. The little girl had finally regained her ability to speak

However, this state lasted for less than ten seconds. She finally began to move with great difficulty, making her way towards Qi Tianlin's side. Yet, after moving less than half a meter, she collapsed to the ground with weak knees, her whole body in excruciating pain. However, it seemed that her mind could not register the pain; all she could think about was throwing herself towards that body, which was no longer bleeding.

What followed was a heart-wrenching wail devoid of any words, as if she were trying to make up for all the tears that had accumulated over many days. It was truly tragic, and she was utterly focused! Qi Tianlin, holding his breath, patted her back without even noticing.

As a professional sniper, Qi Tianlin is accustomed to planning meticulously before taking action. He must thoroughly understand the miraculous changes in his body before re-entering the chaotic world; otherwise, this hard-won life of rebirth would be wasted.

It is evident that the entire upper body is trembling slightly and rapidly, a manifestation of the body's uncontrollable discomfort. The metabolic byproducts in the muscles have been accumulating, layer upon layer, intensifying that indescribable sensation of soreness.

The time is about right; after three or four days, Qi Tianlin was contemplating going to Aweilande, but what to do about this little tail

Yet, in that moment of twisting, I suddenly felt a glimmer at the corner of my eye, coming from at least three hundred meters away, from the sand dunes!

Qi Tianlin still did not dare to move; this must be a very cautious sniper, able to remain completely still

My mind is spinning, and in my hand, I hold a branch, tapping in front of me on the Type 54 pistol: "Steady now, don't shake... Just hold it like that..." With the other hand, I gently drag the dagger across the ground.

Since she received consent, Tiya began to cry wholeheartedly again, but if you observe closely, there seems to be a hint of joy emerging in her tears

Blood immediately gushed out, staining the white T-shirt red. Qi Tianlin let out an undignified gasp, threw down the dagger, and crouched on the ground, secretly reaching out with his right hand to grab a stone and hide it under his palm. In fact, the dagger that had fallen was only about twenty centimeters away from his left hand... Then he remained completely still...

Such scenes often occur in the open space outside the factory's electrical room: a sturdy yet not very tall figure frequently practices boxing slowly, while another slender and petite shadow mimics the movements beside him.

Qi Tianlin did not call it a stop, slowly pacing himself, slightly twisting his waist, adjusting the flexibility of his body

He almost forced himself to control his body to refrain from making any movements, and continued to walk slowly, casually lowering his head a little, then a bit more, as if he had spotted something particularly beautiful on the ground

However, she is also a stubborn girl, who surprisingly perseveres day after day, clenching her teeth. The duration of her persistence is gradually increasing, but Qi Tianlin says that this is merely basic training with no practical application in combat; it serves only to strengthen the body and requires long-term practice. The girl, who has remained silent, does not ask questions and continues to stand in place quietly.

In fact, starting from the second day, the young girl's body was essentially in a state of severe soreness, with the muscle pain resulting from continuous practice and the even more intense aftereffects the following day causing her, a girl who had never experienced any vigorous exercise, to be in excruciating pain

Tiya seemed stunned, only seeing a patch of blood spreading like a bloom behind Qitianlin. She lay motionless on the ground, her empty hands dropping the handgun without bullets, maintaining a dazed posture as if still aiming. A chaotic and meaningless sound escaped her throat: "He... La... Chuheng..." Her limbs, originally as if rusted and immobile, seemed completely fixed in place, her blue eyes wide open, larger than their sockets. A chaotic and meaningless sound escaped her throat: "He... La... Chuheng..." Her limbs, originally as if rusted and immobile, seemed completely fixed in place, her blue eyes wide open, larger than their sockets.

Qi Tianlin did not dare to make any sudden movements, so he could only gently pinch the girl's back with his hand. Diya finally felt it; her cries continued as she sobbed and hugged Qi Tianlin's head, looking at him in astonishment.

In a state of emotional turmoil, Tiya was completely oblivious to these details. She exerted all her strength to lift Qitianlin's body, desperately trying to make him stand up. However, her little strength could only allow her to hold onto Qitianlin's head, gripping it tighter and tighter, with painful groans escaping her nostrils, as if she were desperately calling out for the complete support she had lost again over the past few days.

Fortunately, Tiya, who was already in tears, lifted Qi Tianlin's arm, seemingly attempting to turn the one hundred sixty to seventy pounds of Qi Tianlin over. Qi Tianlin then slightly exerted force with his arm, pressing the young girl to his side to shield her from the line of fire and prevent her from getting shot

Tiya finally could not hold on any longer, letting out a muffled groan as she sat down on the ground. She quickly raised her eyes to Qi Tianlin and the book, but did not make eye contact with him, nor did she hear any command to stop. Gritting her teeth, she swayed and stood up again, attempting to lift the handgun. After several attempts, her right upper arm felt as if it were broken, completely devoid of strength. She then forcibly used her left hand to raise her right hand, trying to return to that alignment, aiming at the bottle.

Qi Tianlin whispered: "Keep crying, hide under me, and lure that person over..." He exerted a slight force with his arm, guiding the young girl to shelter beneath his body

In fact, for young girls around fourteen or fifteen years old, the Type 54 pistol is the most suitable for holding. Its grip is slightly smaller, but the weight is not light. Moreover, holding it with the right hand raised and the left hand supporting from below, while standing with feet slightly apart in a crouched position, the young girl, who has only practiced for four or five days, has sweat streaming down her face. The earthy white scarf is almost completely soaked with sweat, and her chestnut-colored hair has become tangled into strands.

Qi Tianlin was actually deep in thought, planning his next move. At this moment, he intentionally took a couple of steps away from the young girl, raised his hand towards the sky, stretched his entire body, and exposed himself fully under that gaze. He merely nodded slightly, his muscles tensing just a bit, preparing to face what might come next