Regarding the matter of awakening lightning abilities after transformation

"I've practiced a few times, not too many," Qi Bei replied expressionlessly, cracking his knuckles. After confirming his Awakened status, Zhan Tai had devoted a great deal of effort to training him, which naturally included firearms shooting.

"Indeed impressive..." Su Wanxi praised softly. Qi Bei not only had high shooting accuracy, but his magazine loading speed was also extremely fast. The timer showed that he could complete the three steps of inserting the magazine, loading the chamber, and firing in less than two seconds.

For veterans, this speed can be reduced to less than one second, but for new recruits who have just participated in enlistment training, this level is already far beyond expectations.

It seems she doesn't need to put in too much effort... Su Wanxi touched the pistol at her waist, turned around and walked towards another shooting platform.

With the butt of the gun against his shoulder, his left hand gripped the handle close to the gun barrel, and the first joint of his right index finger pressed against the trigger. He aimed at the peephole with his light brown pupil.

A single shot hit the target's seventh ring, and the girl's slender shoulders trembled slightly from the recoil.

For various reasons, the choice of assault rifles is far less free and flexible than that of pistols; the Hermit Bureau only provides them with two types of firearms.

One was the Type 95 rifle, produced in China, and the other was the M16A4, used by the army of a certain world's leading superpower. Gu Cheng chose the former without hesitation.

"Didn't I just teach you? Pull the position back, don't lean against it here..." The standard shoulder rest position for the Type 95 rifle is below the collarbone, near the inner deltoid muscle of the right arm, in the shoulder socket. Gu Cheng's position is almost above the acromion. Su Wanxi leaned forward, pressed her fingers on her shoulder, and pressed down on the butt of the gun to help her adjust her grip.

"It should feel better now." The warm, soft fingertips pressed gently, slightly relieving the fatigue in her body. Gu Cheng pulled the trigger again.

......

Seeing Su Wanxi sit down to rest in the back, Gu Cheng took the initiative to call out to Gu Chengyan.

"What is it?" From the moment Gu Cheng gripped the gun, Gu Chengyan had been fully alert. Every time she aimed through the peephole and pulled the trigger, she received accurate feedback from all her senses.

"Try to keep shooting..." After inserting a new magazine, Gu Cheng remained in the same position.

The next second, under Gu Chengyan's control, she chuckled and aimed the gun at the target.

"This is my first time using a gun... I'm probably only slightly better than you." Gu Chengyan began to simulate Gu Cheng's shooting posture and feeling before, and then slowly pulled the trigger.

"Bang!" With a gunshot, the shooting target in the distance remained motionless.

"Pfft..." Suddenly losing control of her body, Gu Cheng hadn't even had time to adjust before she saw Gu Chengyan miss the target. She couldn't help but chuckle softly in her mind.

"Ahem... I'm just getting familiar with the process," Gu Chengyan explained stubbornly, but a faint blush appeared on his face.

The first shot missed, showing the level of Gu Cheng when she first started practicing shooting... The girl knew she was ashamed, so she calmed down and continued aiming.

The entire magazine was used up; apart from the first shot, all the other bullets left marks on the target.

"I feel... your shooting skills aren't very good..." Gu Cheng followed the gaze and noticed that the other person's accuracy was far inferior to hers.

"Maybe." As if her pride had been hurt, she did not release her control over Gu Cheng's body, but instead grabbed a handful of bullets from the ammunition box and continued to reload.

"That was just a warm-up, now start counting for me..."

The training session lasted from 1:30 pm to 5 pm, a total of three and a half hours. This time passed in the blink of an eye when you were focused.

With his thumb and forefinger supporting both ends, the copper-plated 9mm bullet reflected a golden-yellow luster under the light. He slowly released it, then tucked it into the magazine. Qi Bei exhaled a breath of stale air, raised his arm, and continued firing.

The so-called gun training is actually quite boring. It's nothing more than loading bullets, chambering, and firing repeatedly. After an afternoon of training, his wrists and eyes were particularly sore, as if they had been soaked in chili water.

As for Su Wanxi... after explaining the shooting points, she went to the shooting platform where Miss Gu was. The few shots she occasionally demonstrated were all accurate and hit the bullseye. It seems that in addition to her superpowers, her shooting skills are also exceptional.

"Finished training?" Su Wanxi asked in a low voice when she saw Qi Bei walking towards her out of the corner of her eye.

"Hmm." Qi Bei didn't look directly into those dark eyes, but instead turned to look at Gu Cheng. The girl wore earplugs, and her index finger, which was pulling the trigger, was fair and delicate.

"..." After emptying the magazine, Gu Cheng had just relaxed when she noticed two pairs of eyes behind her.

"Mr. Qi, are you done practicing?" The girl took off her earplugs, shook her hair, and took the wet wipes that Su Wanxi handed her.

"Hmm... After the pistol shooting training, do we still need to practice rifles?" He also recognized that the black assault rifle in the other person's hand was a Type 95 produced in China.

“Yes, Captain Su said it’s a mandatory training item, but you can arrange the specific training time yourself.” With the assault rifle strapped to her chest, Gu Cheng picked up a small broom from the corner to clean up the spent cartridges.

Gu Chengyan never surpassed her record, and as the training ended, he simply disappeared.

How embarrassing... Is she afraid I'll laugh at her? Gu Cheng thought to herself.

“If you feel you’ve mastered enough handgun training, you can apply to take the test in advance. If you pass, I’ll arrange advanced training for you,” Su Wanxi said as she walked to the shooting range.

The man's gaze was blocked by Su Wanxi, so he didn't ask any more questions.

"Understood." After saying that, Qi Bei put on his coat and walked out of the training room. He wasn't in a hurry to learn more; laying a solid foundation was far more important than anything else.

......

After leaving the office building, Su Wanxi escorted Gu Cheng all the way back to her apartment.

"Thank you... Huh?" When they arrived at the apartment building, the girl tried to open the car door a few times but couldn't. She turned around and looked at the other person in confusion.

"I...I'm a little hesitant to let you go back." Su Wanxi gripped the steering wheel, her delicate profile revealing neither joy nor sorrow.

"I dare not..." Gu Cheng narrowed her eyes, countless question marks floating in her mind.

"So... send me a video every eight hours, which must demonstrate your lightning abilities."

Su Wanxi turned her head, her dark eyes filled with a peculiar emotion that was hard to describe.

Gu Cheng: "Why?"

Su Wanxi bluntly replied, "Because I'm worried about you."

Worried? As a friend or as the team leader? The girl didn't even dare to look up at the other person.

"I understand." After a moment of silence, Gu Cheng pushed open the car door and got out of the passenger seat.

Chapter 111, Section 113: Winning Over

Watching that gentle figure disappear at the end of the corridor, Su Wanxi slowly rolled up the car window.

Her cherry lips were pressed tightly together, and her long eyelashes drooped slightly, concealing all the emotions hidden in her eyes.

Her knuckles, gripping the steering wheel, turned white from excessive force. Perhaps she was being too sensitive, but Su Wanxi felt that the girl today was different from usual.

It is not the frivolity and laziness that the inner personality deliberately displays, but rather a kind of indifference and detachment towards the things around them.

It's like... an old man who's nearing the end of his life.

Releasing the steering wheel, Su Wanxi gently tapped the interlayer with her slender, fair fingers, her brows furrowed as she tried to probe further into her thoughts.

Even though Gu Cheng didn't do anything unusual, why would she think that...?

Glancing unintentionally through the car window, Su Wanxi noticed a faint gloom lingering in her eyes.

Her eyes... A sudden realization dawned on her; she finally understood that something was wrong...

Compared to his usual gentle and lively demeanor, the light brown eyes that met hers in the office building held a hint of melancholy and...helplessness.

......

After changing into slippers, Gu Cheng stepped into the living room on the birch floor and quietly leaned against the back of the sofa.

Before things stabilize, I won't take up my body for the time being... Compared to the elation I felt when I first received the news this morning, Gu Cheng was left with only bitter confusion and frustration.

She didn't know the exact date when Gu Chengyan would return to normal, but she understood that once he recovered, she would have no reason to continue affecting his life.

Watching TV... or should I cook first...? This suffocating feeling of having a Damocles' sword hanging over her head made Gu Cheng lose all interest.

He pulled his phone out of his denim pocket, swiped his fingertips, and ordered the latest braised chicken rice.

Gu Cheng rarely eats takeout; the number of times she has eaten it since she can remember is no more than five—not counting the boxed meals she was forced to eat while working.

"Degenerate..." the girl muttered to herself as she lay down on the soft sofa for a nap.

About thirty minutes later, I heard the clear sound of the doorbell.

"Your takeout."

"Thank you." After closing the door, Gu Cheng carried the plastic lunchbox into the kitchen.

"The portion is quite generous..." After opening the package, in addition to what she ordered, the store also gave her a small box of apple-flavored drinks as a bonus.

Wishing you happiness every day! There's a heart-shaped paper sticker on the drink straw, and a smiley face drawn in pencil at the very top.

"Pretty flashy," Gu Chengyan's low sneer echoed in his mind.

"It's all out of good intentions..." Gu Cheng picked up a small piece of chicken and chewed it carefully, feeling that the taste was indeed quite good.

After finishing dinner, the girl went to the balcony and chose two pieces of underwear to take a shower.

"It's dry..." I gently touched the hem of the skirt with my fingers and couldn't feel any dampness. It's the late summer heat after all; an afternoon of sun exposure will evaporate all the moisture from the clothes.

Gu Cheng thought to herself, "If I had known, I would have had Su Wanxi wait downstairs for a while so I could have returned the clothes directly to her."

......

A secluded old house in Likou District, Lanjiang City.

Song Shiyan took out a lighter from his suit pocket and was about to light the cigarette between his fingers when there was a sudden, urgent knocking at the door.

"Please come in." He put away his cigarette and slowly steadied himself.

A moment later, a young man in a black suit with a crew cut entered the room. He looked to be under thirty, with a high nose bridge, thin, flat, and pale lips.

"Is there anything else, Director Cheng?" The visitor was named Cheng Hao, and he was Song Shiyan's direct superior.

"There are some things I'd like to discuss with Mr. Song." Cheng Hao glanced around and smiled slightly when he saw that there were other people present.

"You can go out now..." Upon receiving Song Shiyan's order, the man dressed as a secretary left the room directly.

"I am truly flattered that Director Cheng could take time out of his busy schedule to attend the party." The man handed the other person a ceramic teacup and gently brewed some tea leaves.

The party had ended. It was a welcome banquet hosted by Song Shiyan for the members of the Hermit Bureau (excluding the Awakened), and he never expected Cheng Hao to come...

Moreover...they even went so far as to return after the guests had left...

"You flatter me. Mr. Song has gone to great lengths for the superpower incident in Lanjiang City. I hope you will forgive me for attending this banquet without an invitation." Cheng Hao squinted, his eyeballs hidden under his skin and difficult to see.

"However... I do have something I want to tell Mr. Song..."

"Please speak." After the formalities were over, Song Shiyan put down his teacup and waited for Cheng Hao to get to the point.

"Mr. Song recently cooperated with local officials to eliminate the remnants of the Parchment Party, and the higher-ups are very satisfied..." He slightly curled the corners of his mouth, a calm and composed smile on his face.

The Hermit Bureau is nominally a secret agency of China, and its members are almost entirely exempt from orders from anyone except their superiors. For example, Song Shiyan and Fan Ruosong's cooperation is purely collaborative; there is no fixed superior-subordinate relationship between them.

"However, apart from Lanjiang, officials in other regions do not have a consistent attitude towards us."

“I’ve heard a little about it.” Song Shiyan’s eyes became complicated. Awakened individuals have absolute power to suppress ordinary people. Many high-ranking officials in China believe that the Hermit Bureau’s organizational structure is too loose, and some of its Awakened individuals abuse their privileges to commit crimes. They have repeatedly demanded the dismantling and reorganization of the Hermit Bureau at the conference.

"It's good that you understand..." One bad apple spoils the whole bunch; the negative impact of a few awakened individuals must be borne by all awakened individuals...