"Let's see... how much skill I still have after so many years without touching this thing."

Lin Mu gave a light smile and flicked his forearm. The AWM in his hands instantly gave off an aura of pure, chilling lethality that radiated from him.

"Leopard Cat, Leopard Cat, respond if you copy. Respond if you copy!"

The voice came from Leopard Cat's communication device at his feet. Lin Mu picked it up and hooked it over his ear.

This piece of communication equipment was high-quality, even by his standards. The rest of the combat gear was also valuable, adding up to a considerable sum.

It seems this mysterious organization has a profound background.

Lin Mu could hear the rustle of leaves and the faint sounds of someone moving, telling him the person on the other end was relocating quickly. A cold smirk touched his lips as he cradled the sniper rifle, and in a flash, he vanished.

"Plan B!"

Suddenly, a frigid voice cut through the earpiece, and then there was only silence. He knew, of course, that Leopard Cat had failed to respond. The enemy realized their agent was compromised and had decisively switched communication channels.

Lin Mu didn't care in the least. He was already moving rapidly toward a specific location.

Two minutes later, he arrived on a hillside. The trees were short, and the undergrowth was sparse, offering no distinct cover. In a sniper duel, such terrain was the worst choice for a sniping position. But Lin Mu simply found a spot and went prone.

An excellent sniper never chooses the perfect sniping spot. An obvious location would be the first place the enemy sniper would target. They might even set up an ambush there, waiting for their prey to fall into the trap. It was precisely these imperfect sniping locations that could achieve the element of surprise.

Indeed, just as Lin Mu settled into position, he noticed a few blades of grass twitch among the pile of rocks where Leopard Cat had been hiding.

Although the wind wasn't strong tonight, Tea Mountain's high elevation meant the wind speed was still considerable. Normally, a few swaying weeds wouldn't attract anyone's attention.

But who was Lin Mu? He was the world's number one assassin, a legend in the Mercenary World. More than that, he was the Sovereign of Myriad Realms.

The slightest rustle of wind or stir of grass could not escape his notice. His expression was placid, his gaze sharp yet contained. At that moment, he had completely concealed his presence, but his hands moved with deliberate speed.

Though the distance between them was roughly 1,500 meters, exceeding the AWM's effective range, Lin Mu remained perfectly composed.

He expertly dropped prone, set up the rifle, chambered a round, and... squeezed the trigger.

BANG!

A 7.62x67mm .300 Winchester Magnum bullet screamed from the barrel, tearing through the night sky and instantly striking a spot behind the pile of rocks.

SPLAT!

A head that had just peeked out was immediately obliterated into a spray of gore. A one-shot headshot.

And it happened before the man even had a chance to react. This alone proved that Lin Mu's title as a god-tier marksman was well and truly earned.

After a killing shot, a sniper should immediately change positions. But Lin Mu didn't. Instead, he quickly raised his rifle, aimed toward the ten o'clock position, and pulled the trigger again.

BANG!

Another sniper round whistled through the air, killing an enemy who had just emerged from behind a tree. It was another perfect headshot.

THUD! THUD!

As he fired the second shot, Lin Mu was already rolling away. Two bullets slammed into the spot where he had been lying, gouging two small craters in the earth. But Lin Mu was already gone, melting back into the darkness with a faint smile.

"Damn it!"

Elsewhere, a man in camouflage face paint seethed, his eyes blazing with rage and murderous intent.

Who the hell is this person? His marksmanship is unbelievably godlike! This level of sniping is definitely elite-tier in the Mercenary World! His tone was laced with shock and bewilderment.

Such a formidable individual had infiltrated their base. If the higher-ups found out, none of them would live to see another day.

"Azure Hawk, do you think this could be a test from Number One? You know how he likes to pop up and check on our training progress," someone said over the comms.

"Impossible!" Azure Hawk's voice was like ice. "Even Number One doesn't possess this level of skill!"

A stunned silence followed on the channel, punctuated by the sharp intakes of breath.

The enemy is stronger than Number One? Who in the world is he?

"Everyone, get serious! This isn't a drill or a training exercise! Someone has infiltrated our perimeter!" Azure Hawk commanded calmly, his eyes scanning the forest with predatory focus.

Within the entire organization, fewer than five people knew about this location. Furthermore, not even he knew exactly where they were. Leaving required permission from above, and they were always blindfolded. Arrival and departure points were always different. While this method effectively protected the base's secrecy, it also meant that members could easily get confused about their surroundings.

Now, facing an unknown enemy of immense skill, his confidence was wavering. But as the person in charge of the base, allowing an intruder to get in was already a grave sin. If he failed to capture this person, the organization's punishment would be more than he could bear.

A flicker of fear crossed his eyes. Azure Hawk clenched his jaw and began issuing orders. "Mountain Cat and Mouse, move to the ten o'clock position! Viper and Wild Buffalo, twelve o'clock! Earth Dog and Lone Wolf..."

After a moment's thought, Azure Hawk rapidly laid out his plan. He was preparing to cast an inescapable net, trapping their target so they could pick him off at their leisure.

"Roger!"

More than thirty men quickly fanned out into the dense forest, blocking every possible escape route. They were confident that even if the enemy grew wings, he wouldn't be getting out.

However, a mere half-hour later, a chill crept into Azure Hawk's heart.

"Earth Dog, respond if you copy!"

Static.

"Viper..."

Static.

"Lone Wolf..."

No matter who Azure Hawk called, there was no response.

"Azure Hawk, bad news! The brothers... they're all dead!"

Just then, a reply finally came through, but it caused the blood to drain from Azure Hawk's face.

"How is that possible?" he exclaimed in horror.

"I... AHH!"

A scream tore through the earpiece. Azure Hawk yelled, "Bee! Bee!"

But there was only silence.

"Damn it, who the hell are you!" Azure Hawk's eyes were filled with fury. Over thirty of his men were dead, yet they still had no idea where the enemy was.

The higher-ups can't find out about this. Otherwise, I'll die without a grave!

Azure Hawk made his decision in an instant. Snatching his rifle, he plunged into the jungle. He would hunt this intruder down himself.

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