Chapter 73: Inheriting Our Will

“That shot…”
“A headshot with a single bullet!”
“That was so sudden, the reversal came too quickly.”
“I almost forgot there was a sniper—awesome!”
“Now they’re at a disadvantage; the ones who drove over have already lost one.”

The crack of the 98K echoed, and what happened next elicited a chorus of gasps throughout the studio. No one had expected the silent sniper to act at that very moment. What shocked them even more was the clean headshot.

As the screen flashed the notification that Yao Cheng had been knocked down, the livestream camera cut directly to the shooter. He was crouched behind a tree, working the bolt of his 98K to reload after the shot.

On the second floor of the competition venue, the player who had just sniped Yao Cheng watched the “knocked down” prompt appear on his monitor, a satisfied smile curling his lips.

You didn’t expect me here, did you?

That surprise shot had completely caught Yang Hao’s group off guard. To lose a teammate in the first exchange was not good news for them.

Through the broadcast, the audience saw that the sniper seemed poised to act again. Perhaps emboldened by his earlier success, he was ready for another strike. His 98K was equipped with a suppressor, so he was confident his position was still secure. Given his swift shot, he believed the enemy would not be able to locate him. This confidence made him fearless.

As he spotted someone in Yang Hao’s group exposing half their head, he could hardly contain himself. With the 98K in his grip, a powerful self-assurance surged within him. The thrill of that previous headshot made him want to cheer aloud, but he knew better than to get careless at a time like this.

“I’m about to take the shot. If I knock another one down, you guys charge in. I’ll cover you,” he said suddenly to his teammates as he prepared to fire. He hadn’t forgotten he wasn’t fighting alone; his teammates were waiting for his cue. If he downed another enemy, the opposition would be left with only two active fighters. His own team could then leverage their numbers for an all-out assault, with him providing covering fire from the flank—a fatal blow to their foes. This would spell utter defeat for the other side.

After his teammates replied, he steadied his breath, staring at the half-exposed white helmet in his crosshairs and quietly raised his 98K.

But just as he zoomed in and before he could pull the trigger, the target abruptly ducked back. In the next instant, a figure flashed into his peripheral vision.

Bang!

As he swung his aim to track the new target, a gunshot rang out.

Thud!

In an instant, a high-velocity bullet pierced his level-three black helmet. Seeing his health bar suddenly plummet, he panicked and ducked back behind cover.

After the shot, the screen showed no “knockdown” notification, leaving the audience momentarily confused. But as their eyes returned to the sniper behind the tree and saw his health nosedive, realization struck.

What just happened?

That question hovered in the minds of countless viewers. Before they could ponder further, the game shifted again. Several plumes of white smoke burst across the hillside, blurring what had been a clear field of view.

Someone was throwing smoke grenades.

Many had already realized what was happening. However, no one had noticed who had thrown them, as the camera had been focused entirely on the sniper, leaving the other side out of frame.

Soon enough, they understood: it was Yang Hao’s group laying down cover.

Yang Hao and Zhang Tian had already charged into the white smoke. Meanwhile, Zhu Ziyuan remained in his original position, not moving with his teammates, eyes sharp as he watched the surroundings.

Clearly, he had stayed behind on purpose—to prevent another shot from the sniper. The sniper had just been hit, but thanks to his level-three helmet, he hadn’t been knocked out completely. His health was now dangerously low, likely forcing him to heal, but there was always a chance he might risk everything and shoot back, rather than retreat and recover.

If that happened, Yang Hao and his team could easily find themselves caught in a deadly crossfire.

Yang Hao and Zhang Tian could not afford to gamble, and neither could Zhu Ziyuan. Moreover, with the enemy outnumbering them in a head-on fight, Zhu Ziyuan needed to stay back and provide covering fire.

Rat-a-tat-tat!

Gunfire erupted; both sides had engaged. The man behind the tree remained motionless, but Zhu Ziyuan squeezed his trigger. The M24’s target was not the crouching sniper, but his teammates further up the slope. With the enemy distracted by Yang Hao and Zhang Tian’s assault, Zhu Ziyuan struck.

One down!

Seeing one of their teammates fall, the remaining two on the hill began to panic.

“Hold on, give me a moment—I’ll take care of their sniper!”

By now, the sniper had finished using a first aid kit and was gulping down an energy drink. After being hit, he dared not poke his head up while the enemy pressed forward, not with his health so low. That last shot had rattled him; he was sure the enemy sniper still had him in their sights, and with an M24’s firepower, he couldn’t afford to take the risk.

So, until his health was fully restored, he dared not reveal himself—not even to help his teammates, one of whom had just been knocked down. He was waiting, hoping his comrades could hold out a little longer so he could launch a fierce counterattack.

But that hope was already fading. Just as his health was nearly restored, his three teammates were all eliminated. He alone remained standing.

On the other side, apart from the first man knocked down, the rest had barely suffered any damage.

To fight or to flee?

He hesitated. Deep down, he knew that even if he acted now, there was no hope of reviving his three fallen teammates. Facing three opponents alone, he lacked the confidence. Judging by their swift and decisive reactions, these were no amateurs.

“Forget about us—just get out of here!”
“It can’t be helped; luck wasn’t on our side this time.”
“You can’t save us. Get out, survive for placement; we might still have a shot at advancing.”
“Inherit our will—live on!”
“Whether we make it to the finals is up to you now.”

As he wavered, the voices of his teammates echoed in his headset, catching him off guard. His expression shifted as he looked at the three downed figures on the hillside. After a moment’s struggle, he clenched his teeth, as if making a decision.