Chapter Seventy-Seven: A Fierce Confrontation

Li Daoran and Kazuki Okamoto circled around each other's positions, neither foolish enough to charge straight ahead. At this distance, the threat posed by energy firearms, which boasted the speed of light, was greatly heightened. As they drew closer, both slowed their pace. The impact of distance on energy weapons is far less significant than on physical ones. Just as the most advanced sniper rifles on Aquamarine have an effective range of only three kilometers, their power remains substantial even if a shot lands beyond that range.

But energy weapons are different. Though their effective range is long, their power diminishes rapidly. In space, this decline is within acceptable limits, but on planetary surfaces, the energy decays at an astonishing rate. Conversely, the closer the target, the greater the destructive force. All long-range weapons share this trait; it isn’t exclusive to energy arms.

Thus, as the two drew nearer, caution overtook them. Li Daoran gripped his weapon tightly, hiding behind a giant tree, unwilling to risk exposing himself. Now was the time for patience and tactical skill. The direct line between him and Okamoto was no more than two kilometers—a distance that, at full speed, could be covered in minutes, and a shot could be fired in less than two seconds. In close quarters, the power of a recoil-free, rapid-fire energy weapon was self-evident. Li Daoran had no intention of trading life for life; it was simply not worth it.

Holding his breath, Li Daoran realized as the confrontation drew closer that he was not as steady as he wished. At this moment, he hesitated—should he act as bait to lure Okamoto into revealing his position, then strike? But what if Okamoto remained unmoved, and his own actions only exposed himself?

“You haven’t moved for nearly thirty seconds, Li Daoran. Don’t be foolish,” came Chen Ming’s stern voice.

Thirty seconds—a lifetime in a duel between two snipers. Chen Ming had told him: the best way to counter firearms is to run, making yourself an impossible target, and to move unpredictably. It's thrilling and deadly—hesitate, and death comes even faster.

Li Daoran drew a deep breath, focusing his mind, seeking the sensation he’d once experienced during a long-range duel in a game. He crouched, then leapt like a cunning hare, searching for Okamoto’s location out of the corner of his eye. In the forest, blue and yellow-green hues stood out, but he saw no sign of Okamoto. Without pause upon landing, he pivoted left and kept running, changing directions constantly, seemingly at random. In truth, he was following the instructions of Chen Ming and the others. If he relied only on instinct, his movements would follow a pattern; taking their guidance ensured Okamoto wouldn't anticipate his path.

Yet Okamoto’s absence cast a shadow over Li Daoran’s heart.

“Left—he’s either above or below. Climb,” David’s voice came.

David’s words were a revelation. Li Daoran had assumed Okamoto was on the ground, forgetting that these trees could easily support their weight, and traversing among the branches was no difficulty—they could leap nearly ten meters with ease.

Li Daoran looked up; the dense leaves revealed no trace of Okamoto. Unhesitating, he holstered his gun and began climbing a nearby tree.

“Jump!” came Tam’s abrupt command.

Instantly, Li Daoran let go, pushing off the trunk and ducking behind another tree. The tree he’d been climbing was suddenly riddled with small holes.

Okamoto had struck. He was hiding in a distant tree hollow, not a natural cavity but one he’d carved with a kinetic dagger. In such an environment, Okamoto held the native advantage, far more adept at utilizing the surroundings than Li Daoran or Chen Ming.

The sharpness of the kinetic dagger was beyond compare, slicing through wood as effortlessly as paper. These giant trees, requiring a dozen men to encircle, were perfect for concealment and surveillance.

Yet even after landing, Li Daoran still couldn’t locate Okamoto.

“Where is he?” Li Daoran asked. Since Chen Ming had urged him to jump, followed by an immediate attack, they must have spotted Okamoto, but he himself couldn’t see him.

“No idea,” Tam replied in his deep voice.

“Come back first,” Chen Ming ordered.

Li Daoran didn’t dare linger and sprinted away, but Okamoto’s attack never came. Only after Li Daoran left the world did the threat fade.

The scene shattered. Li Daoran rose, went to relieve himself, washed his face, still shaken, and slapped himself in the mirror.

Exiting, he saw the five others staring blankly, eyes unfocused, muttering words Li Daoran couldn’t understand.

At that moment, they were watching Li Daoran’s live stream frame by frame, marking each tree, searching for Okamoto’s trail. The codes they spoke were incomprehensible to Li Daoran. He didn’t disturb them; instead, he poured a glass of water, drank it down, but couldn’t quell his lingering anxiety. He couldn’t sit still, nor interrupt them, so he headed to the gym to burn off his restless energy and calm himself.

Nearly an hour later, after his workout, Li Daoran returned to find the five no longer watching the replay but chatting at their computers with others.

Drying his damp hair and sweat with a towel, Li Daoran asked, “Well, did you find him?”

“Not yet—go take a shower first,” Natasha replied without turning.

Li Daoran shrugged, sniffed himself, found no odor, and went to shower again.

When he emerged, the five were already seated, waiting for him.

“We found him,” Chen Ming said, rubbing his temples. “Based on the marks left by the shots, we determined the direction. But in that direction, your field of view didn’t include him. There are over thirteen thousand different visual frames along that line. By comparing them frame by frame, only about three hundred trees matched the angle of fire. Both above and below the trees showed no sign of him. Then, a casual comment from an ordinary netizen in our homeland reminded us—one can hide inside a tree.”

David, excited, added, “Trees so large they require a dozen people to encircle, a kinetic dagger—it should have occurred to me sooner.

It’s a clever hiding place, but now that we’ve discovered it, he’ll find it much harder to escape. His field of vision is severely limited. We don’t know his exact location yet, but finding him will be much easier.”

Li Daoran nodded. No wonder—according to his understanding, when he leapt down and hid behind another tree, that should have been Okamoto’s best moment to press the attack. Yet he hadn’t done so; it meant his vision couldn’t reach Li Daoran.