Chapter 110

Chapter 110

The sudden bursts of gunfire caused the group’s expressions to shift drastically.

Lu Jing was the first to react.

He hoisted his Sniper Rifle and sprinted a few paces toward the source of the noise. Once he found a large rock to serve as cover, he immediately dropped into a prone position on the ground.

The others were stunned by Lu Jing’s sudden movement. After exchanging confused glances, they tentatively ran toward the nearby trees and hid behind them.

There were limited places to hide nearby, and the trees weren’t particularly thick. With a person standing behind a trunk, they weren’t exactly hard to spot. Qin Nan couldn’t help but feel that their method of hiding was no different from not hiding at all-it was like burying one’s head in the sand, a mere psychological comfort.

And it wasn’t just them; there was Lu Jing too.

How much could that rock really block?

Lu Jing gripped his Sniper Rifle, staring ahead for a long time. Only after confirming there was no immediate danger did he scramble up from the ground. When he turned around, he froze.

The group that was supposed to be behind him had completely vanished. He scanned the surroundings and saw them huddled behind trees that couldn’t possibly conceal their frames. He looked at them with confusion. “What are you guys doing?”

Seeing Lu Jing stand up, the others hesitantly emerged from behind the trees and peered toward the front.

“Is the danger gone?” Qin Weiyi asked.

Yellow Hair answered Lu Jing’s question instead. “Well, you hid, so we all followed suit.”

“There’s no danger for the moment,” Lu Jing answered Qin Weiyi. Then, he looked at Yellow Hair with a bewildered expression and said, “Did I hide? I wasn’t hiding.”

“Then what was that just now?” Yellow Hair mimicked the action of dropping to the ground.

Lu Jing lifted the Sniper Rifle in his hand and explained, “I was finding a good angle so I could fire at any moment. Besides, being prone on the ground makes you a smaller target.” Lu Jing glanced back at the rock and added, “You think a rock this size can hide me? Are you overestimating the rock’s capabilities or underestimating my physique? No, wait-are you underestimating my IQ?”

Yellow Hair: “…”

Yellow Hair looked at the sky, then at the ground, refusing to answer the question.

Anyway, he wasn’t the only one who thought that, right?

“That was gunfire just now, wasn’t it?” Qin Nan chose to change the subject.

Lu Jing’s attention was instantly diverted. His expression turned grim. “Yes, it was gunfire. And judging by the sound, the model should be the same as the one I’m holding.”

“You can actually tell just by listening?” Lin Junruo was astonished.

“If it’s the same model, it might have come from a Military Box in an Airdrop. Looking at the direction, the suspected Airdrop location aligns with where the shots came from. It’s very likely a conflict broke out over the supplies,” Qin Nan said, his brow furrowed.

There were only twelve Players in a single world of the Realm of Death. Therefore, any thirteenth person appearing in this world had to be an NPC of the Realm of Death. And hearing those shots… it meant those NPCs knew how to use guns.

This was not good news for them.

“What do we do now?” Qian Xing looked at Lu Jing and asked.

Lu Jing’s face was solemn. “I need to go take a look to understand the situation.”

“What about us?” Orange Hair asked immediately.

That was a good question.

Lu Jing definitely had to go check it out. Since enemies had appeared, blindly avoiding them was clearly not a viable option. In fact, in some ways, the sound of gunfire was a good thing.

An unknown danger was the true threat, whereas a known danger could be gradually overcome.

It was a given that Lu Jing would go, but what about the others?
The sound of gunfire meant danger could be lurking nearby. If Lu Jing left, what would happen to the rest of them? Without weapons, they might be able to hold their own in a fistfight until Lu Jing returned, but the opposition had guns. Here, the only one left to protect them was a novice, Qin Weiyi.

It wasn’t a good option.

However, if the whole group followed, they would be heading into unknown danger. A large group was easier to spot, and if they were exposed, there was no telling if Lu Jing’s skills would be enough to protect everyone.

Actually, Qin Weiyi would be fine.

He had a self-defense weapon, and if he followed Lu Jing, Lu Jing would be able to protect him the moment danger appeared. The real issue was the others.

What should they choose?

“Let’s go together,” Qi Shuping spoke up.

Clearly, Qi Shuping was still the same person she had always been; she didn’t like leaving her fate in the hands of others.

Lu Jing didn’t refuse. He nodded and asked, “Alright. What about the rest of you?”

“Together,” Jian Fan replied.

Once Lu Jing heard that, he didn’t even need the others to voice their opinions. He thought for a moment and said, “I’ll lead the way and scout ahead. Keep a distance of about ten meters from me and follow my hand signals. If I wave forward, it means you can advance. If I wave backward, run. If I push my hand down, hide where you are.”

As Lu Jing spoke, he demonstrated the corresponding gestures.

The group nodded one after another.

Exploration was necessary, but safety remained the top priority.

Lu Jing scanned the group once more before reaching out toward Qin Weiyi. “Xiao Qin, the Military Knife.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Qin Weiyi pulled out the Military Knife.

Lu Jing took it but didn’t move immediately. Instead, he asked Qin Weiyi, “Is it alright if I let Qin Nan use this for a bit?”

Qin Weiyi gave a soft “Mm” and said, “It’s your item. You decide.”

Qin Nan looked bewildered. Why was he being given the Military Knife out of the blue? Still, being given a weapon was a good thing. He could use it for self-defense, adding another layer of security to his life.

Having obtained Qin Weiyi’s consent, Lu Jing walked over to Qin Nan and handed him the Military Knife.

“You take the rear. If there’s danger, look out for Xiao Qin a bit more. When this world ends, you have to return the Military Knife to Qin Weiyi,” Lu Jing instructed.

Qin Nan quickly took it and smiled. “Don’t worry, Qin Weiyi and I have already developed a bit of a Revolutionary Friendship. As for returning the knife… well, even if I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t dare keep it given your combat skills.”

Lu Jing let out a short laugh.

Once everything was settled, Lu Jing shouldered the Sniper Rifle again and began to move forward. Qin Weiyi held the Pistol in his hand, while Qin Nan took up the rear with the Military Knife.

Within this group, Xia Zeqin was a threat, and the intentions of Yellow Hair and Orange Hair were uncertain. Lu Jing didn’t trust them. Qian Xing seemed okay, but he was on Xia Zeqin’s side, so he was ruled out. Jian Fan was fine, but looking at his frail frame, Lu Jing didn’t feel at ease leaving him in charge. After weighing his options, Qin Nan seemed the most reliable.

And so, Qin Nan had the good fortune of being chosen by Lu Jing to inherit the Military Knife for the time being.

The moment Lu Jing stepped forward, his expression changed.

He moved with extreme caution, constantly searching for cover as he advanced. Qin Nan and the others followed behind. With Lu Jing clearing the path, they only needed to move from one hiding spot to the next. Although everyone was tense, for the time being, they appeared to be safe.