Chapter 38: The Shooting Range – Holding Mo Han, Luo Fei’s Heart Raced

Ludwig agreed to teach Iman how to shoot. Exiting the instance, he immediately created a room labeled “Shooting Range” and pulled Iman in. Mo Han, wanting to observe this “Hunter” teammate’s gun skills, followed Iman inside. Since Mo Han went, Luo Fei naturally wasn’t about to miss out.

Frank had to go pick up his girlfriend and logged off early. The remaining four gathered in the Shooting Range.

In training mode, players could freely select scenery and weapons. The range existed specifically to help newcomers adapt to the game environment.

Ludwig chose the simplest setting: the “Training Room.” It was about a hundred square meters, brightly lit by a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. A row of targets stood ahead—some stationary, some moving. Each target displayed ten concentric scoring rings, with the outermost being 1 point and the dead center bullseye scoring 10. Target position, distance, and movement speed were all adjustable.

Ludwig asked, “What do you want to practice with?”

Iman eagerly walked to the shooting station and picked up a sniper rifle. “Can I just start with sniping?” He had watched this teammate snipe the Snake King from afar and then flank and take out those three players. The feeling of eliminating an enemy from a kilometer away was just incredibly cool.

Ludwig gave a curt nod. “Fine.”

He stepped up behind Iman and reached out, lightly lifting Iman’s arm to adjust his stance. “Raise your arm a bit.”

Iman suddenly felt his heart rate accelerate. The game’s physical contact felt intensely real. He’d worn short sleeves today, and the fleeting cool touch of the man’s fingers supporting his arm made Iman’s breath catch for a moment. The man’s voice remained frigid, his face expressionless, but the contact sent Iman’s mind wandering. Seen up close, the guy was outrageously handsome, his features flawlessly sculpted.

And the cold, restrained, almost puritanical aura around him was exceptionally… attractive.

Noticing Iman’s attention had drifted, Ludwig’s brow arched slightly. “Concentrate.”

Iman’s heart hammered harder. He quickly steadied his breathing, adjusted his posture as instructed, and asked, “Like this?”

The man’s low, pleasant voice sounded by his ear: “Mn. First, scope in and observe your target. Align the crosshairs with the distant bullseye, then fire.”

Iman followed the instructions. He squinted, aiming for a long moment, then complained, “The target is too high up. Looking up like this, my neck’s getting sore.”

Ludwig: “……”

The target wasn’t high. You are just short.

Expressionlessly, Ludwig adjusted the target height, lowering it until it was level with Iman’s eye line. “Try again.”

Iman grinned and nodded, squinting fiercely. After lining up what he felt was a good shot, he pulled the trigger.

Bang. The gunshot rang out, immediately followed by the system’s voice: “Round missed the target.”

Ludwig: “…………”

The target was less than twenty meters away, and completely stationary. Missing it entirely indicated Iman truly knew absolutely nothing about shooting.

An expert sniper could hit a moving target a hundred meters out. A total rookie couldn’t hit a stationary one twenty meters away.

Taking the rifle from Iman, Ludwig demonstrated with a single shot. He stated, tonelessly, “Scope in. Align the center point of the crosshairs with the target ahead. Then fire.”

Bang. System: “10 points.”

Iman looked at him with pure adoration. “10 is the absolute dead center, right? Your bullet didn’t deviate at all?”

Ludwig handed the rifle back. “At this close range, on a stationary target, if there was any deviation, my shooting exams wouldn’t be passable.”

Iman’s face flushed slightly. “Oh. If I took that exam, I’d definitely fail.”

Ludwig: “You wouldn’t even be allowed into the exam hall.”

Iman: “………………”

Did he have to be so blunt?

Yet, strangely, the more this icy man put him down, the more exhilarated Iman felt. It was confusing. Was he a masochist? Did he actually like being shut down like this?

Nearby, Mo Han and Luo Fei sat in the observation area, watching Ludwig teach Iman sniping.

After observing for a while, Mo Han commented, “I’m not too familiar with sniper rifles either. I’ll learn a bit too.”

He stood and walked to a station next to Iman, picking up another rifle to try. Luo Fei immediately jumped up and positioned himself beside him eagerly. “You’ve never had systematic training before?”

Mo Han nodded. “Sniper rifles are mostly for ambushes, striking from concealment. In a real-life dangerous situation, they’re not as convenient. When I practiced shooting as a kid, it was purely for self-defense, so I focused on the most portable weapons—pistols. Hence, my pistol skills are good, but my proficiency with other firearms is average.”

That aligned with Luo Fei’s assessment.

Mo Han had clearly trained in marksmanship, but in the game, he exclusively used pistols, showing less skill with submachine guns, sniper rifles, and such.

Luo Fei’s smile was warm. “If you’re interested, I can teach you from the ground up.”

Mo Han nodded. “Sure.”

Luo Fei suggested, “How about we step out and create a separate training room?”

Mo Han looked at him, puzzled. “Why not just do it here?”

Luo Fei explained smoothly, “Four people in one room is too chaotic. I’d rather teach you alone; you’ll learn faster that way.”

Right on cue, another bang echoed—Iman had fired again. Still off, but this time at least he hit the target… the outermost 1-point ring.

Mo Han let out a soft chuckle. “Alright, let’s go.”

So, Luo Fei created a separate room and pulled Mo Han in.

—Definitely better to be alone. Luo Fei had zero desire to share a training room with Iman and Ludwig.

Entering the new room, Mo Han naturally walked to the shooting station and picked up a sniper rifle. He’d watched “Hunter” instruct Iman and had already memorized the correct stance. He raised the rifle according to that memory, asking, “Is my posture correct?”

Standing beside him, Luo Fei praised him, “You’re sharp. Picked it up instantly.”

Mo Han said, “Line up the target, then scope, aim, fire, right?”

Luo Fei nodded. “Mn. Give it a try.”

Mo Han closed his left eye, sighting the bullseye with his right. His finger gently squeezed the trigger. The shot rang out, and the system chimed: “9.0 points!”

Seeing Mo Han squinting seriously, aiming down the sights with such focused concentration… he looked unfairly attractive. Luo Fei, watching his profile, couldn’t tear his gaze away.

Lowering the rifle after the shot, Mo Han commented coolly, “Not too difficult.”

Scoring a 9.0 on his very first attempt with a sniper rifle was indeed easier than he’d anticipated.

Hearing this, Luo Fei smiled gently. “With your shooting foundation, hitting a stationary target like that isn’t hard. But snipers generally have to set up ambushes and snipe distant, moving targets. Aiming at long-range moving targets isn’t easy.”

Mo Han nodded in understanding. “True. In actual combat, no one’s going to stand still waiting to be shot.”

Luo Fei elaborated, “Sniping actually encompasses many different techniques. Want me to give you a detailed rundown?”

“Sure.” Mo Han set the rifle down, turning to face him, listening attentively.

Luo Fei adjusted the training room’s settings, clearing the stationary targets and switching to “Random Target Appearance” mode.

He then picked up the rifle Mo Han had laid down, explaining while demonstrating. “First, there’s Choke-point Sniping—the most common method. The sniper occupies an advantageous terrain, pre-aims at likely enemy approach paths, then waits patiently. The moment the target appears, you fire instantly, taking them out.”

Just then, a target started moving rapidly in from the right. Luo Fei had already pre-scoped, anticipating its entry point. The instant it appeared, he fired without hesitation.

Bang. The bullet drilled squarely into the bullseye—10 points!

Mo Han praised him. “Impressive.”

He hadn’t even taken a full second to react. The target, in motion, was hit dead center the moment it appeared. A perfect 10.

Luo Fei smiled, lowering the rifle and turning back to Mo Han. “Understand? Choke-point Sniping is waiting in a strategic spot—rooftops, intersections, anywhere with good sightlines—and instantly killing enemies as they appear.”

Mo Han nodded. “Mm. Most snipers I’ve seen in the game use that method, ambushing from a prepared position.” He paused, then asked, “Are there other techniques?”

Luo Fei continued, “There’s also Quickscoping. A fast ‘peek-and-shoot’ method, including horizontal peeks and crouch peeks. Horizontal peeking is used when the obstacle is tall—statues, pillars—where the sniper hides behind cover, judges the enemy’s location, quickly sidesteps out, scopes, fires, and ducks back. Crouch peeking is for lower cover—broken walls, crates—where you crouch behind it, pop up to shoot, then crouch back down. Both are very common in chaotic firefights.”

As he patiently explained, Luo Fei smoothly executed each technique, demonstrating.

Mo Han watched intently, learning. It was clear that Mr. F’s shooting was at a truly professional level. Even when peeking from behind cover, he could instantly hit a moving target, and his score never dipped below 9.6.

Mo Han tried the technique himself. The result… he completely missed the target, hitting the wall instead.

System: “Round missed the target!”

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Mo Han’s eyes, though he maintained a composed front. “Quickscoping seems a bit harder.”

Luo Fei smiled slightly. His right hand gently settled on Mo Han’s waist to steady him, while his left hand guided his arm, adjusting his posture. As he corrected him, he explained, “When you peek out to shoot, your body must be completely stable, or your trajectory will veer off. When you peeked just now, your body was leaning, throwing your sight picture off.”

Mo Han didn’t mind the physical contact; his attention was fully absorbed in aiming.

Following Mr. F’s corrections, he tried again. This time he hit the target… but scored only 5.5.

Luo Fei encouraged, “When I was learning, it took me a whole class session just to hit the target with a quickscope. Your learning ability is very strong; you’re improving incredibly fast.”

The praise lifted Mo Han’s mood. He repeated the motion several more times, his accuracy steadily climbing, managing a best score of around 8 points.

That level of accuracy would easily be sufficient for hitting vital spots on enemy players in the game.

Luo Fei then proposed, “Ready for the next technique?”

Mo Han questioned, “Aren’t you teaching too fast? I haven’t mastered quickscoping yet.”

Luo Fei looked at him, his smile gentle. “For a smart student, a specialized approach works best. I’ll teach the concepts, then you can practice them all together. With your comprehension, you’ll get them all down quickly.”

Mo Han let out a soft laugh. “You compliment me every three sentences. You’re making me self-conscious.”

Luo Fei replied, “But you are smart.”

Mo Han: “……”

Complimented again. The smile on Mo Han’s lips widened. He was beginning to find this guy genuinely interesting—so fierce and cool when shooting, yet so adorably earnest when just talking.

A very intriguing person.

That was Mo Han’s conclusion. He looked at his instructor. “Alright then, next technique.”

Luo Fei nodded, hefting the rifle again. “There are also more advanced techniques: Flick Snipe and Jump Snipe. These are typically used when evading or chasing enemies. A Flick Snipe means rapidly scoping onto targets while on the move, flicking your aim left and right for consecutive shots, giving the enemy no room to dodge. Accuracy drops, so you use multiple shots to cover their escape path. Hitting with one out of three shots is considered passing. Jump Snipe involves jumping into the air, scoping while airborne, and firing the moment you land, catching the opponent off guard.”

He demonstrated both the flick snipe and jump snipe. The fluid, powerful movements and crisp execution drew genuine admiration from Mo Han.

More impressively, during the high-difficulty flick snipe, he managed to track and hit three separate moving targets with three consecutive, rapid shots.

His reaction speed and target acquisition were inhumanly fast. The moment a target appeared, he aimed and fired. Three shots in a row, all scoring above 9 points. Precision that forced a sigh of awe.

Mo Han stood aside, observing and absorbing every detail. The more he watched, the more he realized Mr. F was a truly formidable individual.

In the game, he hid behind System Preset Face #1. Mo Han suddenly felt a strong impulse—he wanted to know this man in the real world too.

With that kind of accuracy and decisive action, he had to be military, or perhaps police?

Mo Han held favorable views of both professions, associating them with the steely resolve, fiery passion, and sense of justice found in true warriors. So unlike the soft, helpless scions of wealthy merchant families he usually encountered. Most of them, faced with real danger, couldn’t even fend for themselves, only able to cower and scream for help.

The thought prompted Mo Han to speak. “Can I ask you a question?”

Luo Fei instantly responded, “Of course.”

Mo Han turned to face him. “Frank mentioned your father is military, very strict with you, training you in all sorts of firearms since you were young. What about you? Have you followed your father’s path? Are you a soldier now?”

Luo Fei gave a slight smile. “I was accepted into the military academy my father graduated from. Currently, I’m still just a student.”

Just as Mo Han had guessed. Following in his father’s footsteps into the military academy. Academy students trained with firearms daily—no wonder his skills were so elite.

“Saint Romia Military Academy?” Mo Han prompted casually.

“Exactly,” Luo Fei confirmed. “The best academy in the Empire. My father graduated from there too.”

Luo Fei hadn’t lied at any point. His Majesty Xize had indeed attended Saint Romia, and he indeed held the status of a soldier.

Yet Mo Han didn’t connect Mr. F to the First Prince.

In Mo Han’s mind, the First Prince was still that immature young boy, possessing the naivety and inexperience of someone raised in a sheltered environment. Inexperienced in society, hence prone to social blunders, always clinging with that shameless, grinning expression. Though… if he’d just stop proposing marriage and wanting him as his Prince Consort, he’d be much more tolerable.

He simply couldn’t equate that person with the decisive, impressive soldier before him.

Luo Fei also caught that Mo Han hadn’t suspected his identity. He could tell from his tone—it wasn’t the skeptical probing of last time, just simple, genuine curiosity.

Sure enough, Mo Han continued, his tone purely conversational, “I’ve heard Saint Romia’s training standards are brutally strict. For shooting exams, the average score has to be above 9.8. That shouldn’t be hard for you, should it?”

Luo Fei replied, “Mn. It’s not difficult for me.”

Mo Han smiled. “Let’s keep practicing. I probably can’t reach your level, but hitting 9 points is something I can strive for.”

Luo Fei looked at him, his gaze soft with warmth, and handed him the rifle. “You can do this. Keep at it.”

Mo Han began attempting flick snipes as instructed. Naturally, his first tries were complete misses. Luo Fei patiently corrected his form after each attempt.

And inevitably, this involved a great deal of physical contact.

The flick snipe, requiring rapid, successive lateral shots, made trajectory deviation severe. To correct this, Luo Fei moved behind Mo Han, his arms reaching around him, hands covering Mo Han’s as he guided him through the correct flick motion. Their bodies pressed close, Luo Fei’s chest against Mo Han’s back.

Gunfire punctuated the air. Mo Han, cradled within Luo Fei’s loose embrace, focused intently, memorizing every timing and angle of the shots.

Watching Mo Han’s earnest profile, Luo Fei’s heart hammered like a drum against his ribs.

Holding Mo Han in his arms—this was something he’d dreamed of endlessly. Even if it was just a game, the tactile feedback was so real. The person in his arms was warm, solid, and surprisingly yielding—nothing like the cold, unapproachable image the outside world had of him. Luo Fei held him, his heart almost bursting from his chest.

Yet he forced himself to clamp down on the overwhelming urge to kiss the exposed nape of Mo Han’s neck. With Herculean effort, he maintained a calm facade, acting the part of a strict shooting instructor.

For Mo Han, the physical contact was purely instructional. He focused entirely on mastering the technique, occasionally asking for confirmation. “Like this?”

Luo Fei nodded, his voice holding steady with immense effort. “Mn. You’re doing very well.”

Mo Han truly was brilliant, grasping the core principles with amazing speed.

After a few rounds of hands-on correction, he seized the technique and his proficiency rapidly increased.

They spent a relaxed, thoroughly enjoyable period in the shooting range, teacher and student. Mo Han genuinely loved practicing the sniper rifle. He trained for over an hour without a hint of fatigue. And Luo Fei patiently remained by his side. Even as the night deepened, he showed no intention of logging off.

It wasn’t until 2 AM that Mo Han suddenly realized he’d been in the training room for two full hours.

And Mr. F had been with him the entire time.

Mo Han felt a wave of guilt. He turned to his companion. “Sorry for taking so much of your time, teaching me this long. Let me buy you a gift as thanks. Is there anything you want?”

Luo Fei smiled, shaking his head. “No need. Being able to teach you something is an honor.”

Mo Han was taken aback. “Really?”

Luo Fei nodded. “Mn. Truly, no need to be polite with me. If there’s ever anything you need, just ask.”

Mo Han: “……”

This Mr. F was simply too good to him, stirring something unmistakably close to a genuine flutter in Mo Han’s chest.

Every interaction with Mr. F brought a sense of being understood, of effortless ease. Whenever danger loomed, Mo Han could trust him with his back without a second thought. And whenever accidental contact happened, Mr. F’s shy, awkward reactions were endlessly endearing.

Maybe… he should meet him in person sometime?

Resolve firming, Mo Han turned to him. “You’re at Saint Romia, right? How about I come find you next weekend? We can meet, I’ll treat you to a meal, to properly thank you for teaching me the sniper techniques.”

Luo Fei: “………………”

Wait, so Mo Han had developed enough fondness for him… to actively ask to meet?!

Seeing Mr. F frozen like a crashed program, Mo Han tilted his head. “What’s wrong? Are you against meeting online friends in person?”

With the Empire’s network so advanced, billions interacted via virtual avatars. Many who connected wonderfully online experienced instant, crushing disappointment upon meeting face-to-face. Mo Han assumed this was his concern and added, “It’s fine. I won’t care what you look like. Let’s just be friends.”

Luo Fei finally rebooted, a smile breaking through his shock. “Alright. Let’s set a time and place later.”

If he refused Mo Han’s request to meet, and Mo Han grew suspicious enough to check his registration data… he’d be completely exposed.

Rather than let Mo Han unmask him through investigation, it was better to choose to shed the disguise himself, proactively.

This time, he would control the narrative.

He wondered… when Mo Han saw that Mr. F was actually the First Prince, Luo Fei… would his jaw hit the floor?