Chapter 192: Practical Testing? Field Training and Target Practice!

Chapter 192 – Field Test? A March and a Shooting Range!

Five minutes later, every combatant was fully equipped.

Chen Jian had intended to set out at once, but after a quick glance he swiftly realized the troops’ armaments were far from logical.

Including Huang Yu, all forty‑six combatants were armed solely with direct‑fire weapons.

Though a handful of rocket launchers were present, they were plainly insufficient against monsters that moved at blinding speed and wore thick armor.

He therefore ordered Fuxi to unlock the armory and instructed Huang Yu to divide the men according to numbers.

The forty‑six were split into five infantry squads, each of which was further broken into three combat teams, with squad leaders and team captains elected on the spot.

In the manner Chen Jian knew best, he assigned each infantry team a fitting loadout.

The first team, led by its squad leader, would carry two rockets and a rifle each, shouldering the primary “anti‑armor” role, while the squad leader retained overall command.

The second team, under the deputy squad leader, was equipped with three Model‑201 universal machine guns and an extra ammunition crate, tasked with heavy firepower output.

The third team, commanded by a seasoned veteran, received a PBP‑201 mortar, an LG‑6 semi‑automatic grenade launcher, and a QLU‑193 sniper grenade, serving as the unit’s support element.

With this arrangement, a single infantry squad’s firepower and combat capability were pushed to the limit, and functionally it could cover virtually every scenario a monster might present.

The sole problem was that these “raw recruits” were unfamiliar with the weapons in their hands.

But what of it?

As long as they could pull the trigger, that was enough.

Chen Jian had no intention of letting the monsters draw near enough to sow chaos in the formation.

To put it politely, this was a combat operation.

To put it bluntly, it was a live‑fire drill.

After all, the objective was clear, the map was fully revealed, and the armaments were maxed out.

If casualties could still be inflicted under those conditions, Chen Jian thought he, as a commander, might need to be reforged himself.

Thus, rather than pondering how cruel battle might test these rookies, Chen Jian cared more about how, in a genuine battlefield, they could gradually grasp the essence of “tactics.”

This, too, was a necessary step in their transition from “defense” to “offense.”

With all preparations complete, Chen Jian led the main force aboard three cargo trucks, a Mengshi anti‑mine ambush vehicle, and two “cat” cars toward the designated combat zone.

From the moment they boarded, the real‑world training began in earnest.

“All squad leaders, check radio communications; reply ‘received’ when done, over.”

“Squad One, received, over.”

“Squad Two, received, over.”

“Squad Three, received.”

The five squad leaders answered in turn; Chen Jian nodded approvingly and issued his next orders:

“Deputy squad leader, monitor the drone feed and report any reconnaissance findings, starting with Squad One, over.”

“Copy, I’ve spotted a monster, approximately 1,012 kilometers away to the southwest.”

“No other monsters nearby—none within five kilometers; the nearest creature is 0.7 kilometers away. Over.”

Squad Leader Huang Meng of Squad One stammered in his report, his information incomplete, yet Chen Jian did not nitpick; perfection was never his demand.

Once they began, once the habit of drone reconnaissance took root, they would inevitably grow more adept.

“Squad Two, what’s your situation?”

“Squad Two, received. I see nothing on my end. Commander, could the drone fly a bit farther east? Over.”

“Try nudging the control stick to adjust the drone’s position. Fuxi, guide him via radio.”

“Fuxi, understood. Intervening, switching frequency.”

As Fuxi’s voice faded, the deputy squad leader perched in the cat car caught the guidance on the new frequency and, following it, personally piloted the drone, executing a position tweak so simple it bordered on trivial.

It may not have been a cause for great pride, yet Deputy Leader Huang Qiao’s face lit with unmistakable excitement.

He had taken a step forward, and that meant his distance from the commanders had narrowed as well.

Inspired by his example, the other four squad leaders began to take the drone controls themselves; under hand‑on instruction and the already robust flight‑control system, they quickly mastered the basics.

As they grew proficient in steering the drone’s view, the radio reports grew clearer and richer.

“Squad One leader Huang Meng reporting: the monster at the target location has awakened and is now moving.”

“It may head east to hunt; if it continues, it could merge with the creature to the east.”

“Commander, should we accelerate? If the two monsters converge, the difficulty will rise sharply. Over.”

“Affirmative.”

Chen Jian smiled with relief.

As a commander, what frightened him most?

Not that his subordinates overthink, but that they think nothing at all!

No matter how much you contemplate, as long as the baseline of “obey orders” remains, command stays effective.

Yet if the battlefield shifts and you persist in a rigid, unchanging execution, the unit is essentially doomed.

Now, not only Huang Yu, but even the rank‑and‑file beneath him have begun to think proactively, a sign that the team is one step closer to true forging.

With resolve, he issued the decisive command:

“Full speed ahead!”

“Combat positions have been pushed to the PDAs; squad leaders, review them and brief your troops.”

“According to the planned operation, each squad will seize advantageous terrain and intercept the target.”

“Squad Five will establish the first interception line; Huang Yu, lead your team forward swiftly and take up the designated position!”

“Copy that!”

Eager to showcase his training results to Chen Jian, Huang Yu nodded instantly, then led his men onto a cargo truck, breaking away from the main force to surge ahead toward the monster’s eastern flank.

He released his grip on his 191 rifle, wiped the sweat from his palm onto his rough trousers, and spoke:

“Everyone, the organization is testing us now.”

“Our mission is to erect a defensive line on the high ground 600 meters east of the monster, preventing it from fleeing eastward and joining the other creature out there.”

“The task is perilous and not easy for us.”

“But this is our first offensive operation alongside the commanders; we must make our presence felt!”

“Huang Xing, once you reach the designated spot, immediately establish a machine‑gun nest and lay down suppressive fire on the monster.”

“Huang Shuo, stay close behind Huang Xing and ready the mortar and howitzer.”

“If the monster moves too fast for the machine guns to keep up, your squad must block it.”

“Everyone else, have your rocket launchers ready; I’ve already shown you how to use them, now a final reminder of the precautions.”

“First, wait until the monster is within 150 meters, then take aim before firing.”

“Second, before firing, you must look behind yourself and make sure there are no obstacles, no comrades.”

“Do you understand?”

“Understood!”

The soldiers of Squad Five answered in unison, their tones resolute, though their faces betrayed a hint of tension.

After all, it was a formidable beast “nearly level‑four.”

By their previous experience, a creature of that caliber could raze a small town.

Yet now they were to rely on their limited firepower to hunt it down!

Nervousness was inevitable; some even began to tremble all over.

It was a normal reaction to the surge of adrenaline, and although Huang Yu did not grasp the theory, he comforted them with seasoned words:

“It’s fine, you’re shaking now; once the fight starts you’ll stop trembling.”

“The monster isn’t that strong; a captain alone could fell one like this. We have forty‑eight men and plenty of weapons—no problem at all.”

“Remember one thing: never be afraid!”

“If you’re not afraid you’ll survive; if you are, you’ll die!” “Alright!”

“Got it, squad leader!”

One by one they replied, and at that moment Squad Five had already skirted around the monster’s zone, following the map’s guidance to the small hill that served as their firing position.

Without a hint of hesitation, the instant the truck halted, Huang Yu leapt forward, swiftly shedding the gear on his back and, without pause, began loading ammunition and adjusting his stance.

Within a dozen seconds, every person was in place.

Huang Yu sent a “ready” signal to Chen Jian, and at that very instant, deep within the withering canopy of the umbrella‑shaped fungal forest, a silhouette of the monster flickered into view.

“There!”

Huang Yu whispered, pointing toward the creature’s location.

Everyone instantly swung their weapons toward the bearing, and Huang Yu, mimicking Chen Jian, continued:

“Fuxi, can you hear me?”

“Can you operate the drone and track that monster for me?”

“Fuxi received. Drone command transferred. Tracking. Position updated!”

“Excellent!”

Huang Yu nodded excitedly, then turned his gaze to the PDA screen in his hand.

He meticulously calculated the monster’s coordinates, waiting for it to slow.

Once he confirmed the beast had entered range, Huang Yu spoke decisively:

“Team Two, suppress with machine guns!”

In an instant, a roar of gunfire erupted.

The three machine‑gunners of Team Two were unaccustomed to tripod‑mounted guns, yet after nearly a month of training they had learned a crucial lesson:

The trigger must not be held down to the end.

In a staccato, irregular burst, the not‑especially dense stream of bullets arced toward the distant fungal thicket; guided by tracer rounds, the three gunners constantly adjusted their muzzles, striving to make the impact points fall where the monster moved.

At that moment the creature was startled by the sudden hail of fire.

After an initial scramble of panic and fear, its innate predatory instinct snapped it back to focus, and it charged toward the source of the incoming rounds.

It moved with astonishing speed, covering more than two hundred meters in mere seconds, and its once‑indistinct shape began to sharpen.

Huang Yu’s heart hammered; in that instant he was absolutely certain that the ten‑person squad he led faced a beast that could be classified as “level‑four.”

Its speed was blinding, its agility uncanny!

Even after seeing the incoming tracer, it abruptly halted mid‑sprint, then veered in another direction, attempting to dodge the bullets!

“Team Three! Fire the mortar!”

“Don’t let that monster turn a corner! If it turns we won’t be able to hit it!”

“Understood!”

Team‑Three leader Huang Shuo instantly raised his LG‑6, roughly aimed, and, a little flustered, pulled the trigger.

“Bang!”

A light crack sounded as the mortar arc fell toward the monster some four hundred meters away.

Unfortunately, the shell did not land where he had anticipated.

It fell far too close!

Huang Shuo drew a deep breath; he intended to raise the barrel, but, as if guided by sudden insight, he chose the same reference point as his first shot and pulled the trigger again.

“Bang!”

Two seconds later the mortar struck!

This time the beast collided head‑on with the shrapnel from the explosion!

“Boom!”

Smoke billowed, and the monster emitted a piercing scream that sent the few defenders on the line into a state of dread.

Only three hundred meters remained!

In a few more seconds the creature would be upon them!

Panic began to spread, but at that moment Huang Yu’s voice rang out again.

“Don’t be afraid, everyone!”

“We’re close; the machine guns can reach it!”

“Don’t stop! Keep firing!”

“If we run now we’re dead; kill it and we’ll survive!”

“Got it!”

Team‑Two leader Huang Xing gritted his teeth and kept pulling the trigger, and this time the barrage of machine‑gun fire finally grew dense.

A curtain of fire swept over the monster, instantly halting its charge.

Several rounds struck it squarely, then pierced through, nearly pinning it to the ground.

Yet, regrettably, the creature’s speed was simply too great.

Even with the momentum of its forward rush, it broke free of the fire curtain, zigzagging at a sharp angle before surging again toward the soldiers’ position.

The distance closed to two hundred meters; Huang Yu rose, and two other teammates formed a line five meters apart, raising rocket launchers whose safeties were already off.

There was only one chance.

Huang Yu whispered a mantra in his mind, and his once‑trembling hand steadied.

“Listen to my count!”

“Count down to zero, fire!”

He shouted loudly:

“Three!”

“Two!”

“One!”

“Zero!”

“Fire!”

The trigger was pulled, and the rocket burst free from its tube.

In an instant it slammed head‑on into the monster that had already surged within a hundred meters.

“Boom!”

A tremendous explosion roared; Huang Yu couldn't help squinting, then instantly opened his eyes, bent down and snatched the other rocket launcher lying nearby.

“Fire again—— cease fire!”

Huang Yu stared forward in stunned bewilderment.

After a direct hit from a killing blast, the creature, barely over four meters tall, collapsed into a puddle of mushy flesh.

Its entire upper half had been shattered into fragments; the last flicker of neural response kept its limbs twitching, yet it could no longer threaten the squad.

It was dead.

Just like that, dead?!

Huang Yu looked at the launcher in his hands with incredulous wonder.

Could a weapon truly be this powerful?

No.

The Mechanical Cult possessed similar arms, yet in their hands such a thing could never unleash such force.

It is not the weapon that is strong, but the wielder.

Huang Yu exhaled heavily, and at that moment a calm voice crackled over the radio—Chen Jian's voice.

“The first monster has been eliminated.”

“Team Five, good work.”

“Regroup with the unit and press onward!”

(End of chapter)