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The next day, within a privately-owned shooting range in Chiang Mai, Song Heping, wearing noise-canceling headphones and holding a Glock 17, kept up a rapid-fire at a target 25 meters away. After emptying a magazine, he swiftly replaced it and began to shoot rapidly again.
Hunter and Grey Wolf wouldn't arrive in Chiang Mai until the next day, so Song Heping found himself at a loose end when he got up early the following morning.
Therefore, he found a shooting range to practice his marksmanship.
Thailand is a country where gun possession is legal. Firearms can be legally owned by simply processing the relevant legal documents and paying a certain management fee.
Of course, this only applies to Thai nationals. Foreigners must purchase a gun, register it under a local person's name, and keep it in the shooting range's locker. It can be used only after an application for its use is submitted.
However, in privately-run shooting ranges, the rules aren't so strict. As long as you pay, they'll let you shoot to your heart's content.
Song Heping used up two magazines. Although he wasn't very satisfied with the gun, he had to make do; after all, the firearms here were like prostitutes in a brothel, intended for communal use.
The safety officer quickly pressed a button to bring the target back, eager to check Song Heping's results.
Normally, he had to stick closely to Song Heping as he shot, watching him as carefully as one would a baby.
Being a safety officer here, he had seen many foolish patrons, but the scariest were the female customers who could get shocked by the recoil and send everyone around scurrying in panic.
But the moment this patron took hold of the Glock, he knew the man was an expert.
Many IPSC enthusiasts from Southeast Asia enjoy practicing in Thailand, but they usually bring their custom firearms rather than choosing from the shooting range's arsenal.
When the target returned to its position, the safety officer took one look at the target paper and got a fright.
The paper within the 10-ring was shot to pieces, with only a few shots landing in the 9-ring area.
"OH MY GOD!"
He exclaimed.
This was an otherworldly marksmanship...
He asked himself, even though he had served in the Thai Army Special Forces, achieving such a result was an impossible task for him.
"GOOD!"
He gave Song Heping a thumbs up.
"Your marksmanship is too good! I've never seen anyone with such skills!"
"His shooting is not up to par."
Just as Song Heping was nodding and smiling modestly in response to the safety officer, a resonant voice suddenly came from behind him.
Upon hearing the voice, Song Heping's body jolted, and he swiftly turned around.
When he saw the person who had come, he was completely stunned.
Duke of Thunder approached, glanced at the Glock on the table, and with a smile asked Song Heping, "Would you mind if I shoot a couple of magazines using number 12?"
Song Heping was startled for quite a long time before he pulled himself out of the shock, "Of course, of course! Instructor, when did you arrive? Are you here for me?"
Duke of Thunder said, "I just arrived last night and found you today."
After speaking, he walked to the table, picked up the gun, ejected the magazine, and began pressing loose rounds from a nearby ammo box into it.
The safety officer wanted to step forward to stop him but was promptly presented with a few hundred-dollar bills by Song Heping.
"He's a friend of mine; don't worry, everything is under control."
Money talks.
The safety officer, seeing those hundred-dollar bills, immediately flashed a big smile and stepped aside, repeatedly saying, "Thank you, boss!"
As Lei Ming pressed bullets into the magazine, he glanced at the safety officer beside him without even looking at Song Heping, focusing instead on his task. He remarked, "Times have changed, number 12. You really have made it in the past two years."
Number 12 was the student number assigned to Song Heping when he joined the 203 training selection.
Everyone had a number, and upon joining the training team, people were called by their numbers, not their names.
"This..."
Song Heping sensed the implication in his words, starting to feel somewhat at a loss.
"I did make a little money… but not much…"
"Not much?"
Lei Ming finished loading the bullets and lifted his gun to aim at the distant target.
"A 240-million-dollar US Army transport contract, the two largest oil fields in the north, and even missiles you dared to buy and sell, yet you say you have no money?"
At these words, Song Heping's heart shook violently.
He suddenly remembered the Mitsubishi jeep that had been following him back in the country.
Could it have been Instructor Lei's people?
But he hadn't committed any act of betrayal, nor had he caused trouble within the country, so why were they targeting him?!
"Instructor, I haven't let down our unit, nor have I done anything to betray the country,"