Chapter 35: Firearms License Examination (Please Vote for Monthly Tickets!)
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The year was drawing to a close.
The firearms license examinations would begin the next day at the Qingchang Special Police Detachment. Eighteen people had registered.
Seven of them were rookie officers.
Only after becoming permanent officers could they apply for a firearms license, but that did not mean all seven had been made permanent ahead of schedule. Some rookie officers had chosen to take the unified examination the following year.
During this period, Han Ling and Xu Qinghe had met three times. Each time, they had simply gone out for a meal before returning to their separate homes.
Xu Qinghe’s behavior had been perfectly normal. She treated him as a friend, revealing at most the faintest trace of fondness and leaving open the possibility of something more between them in the future.
Han Ling observed her while probing cautiously, waiting for the right moment to force the issue—preferably somewhere enclosed where they could be alone, such as a hotel or one of their homes.
If his own safety was threatened, not even the most beautiful woman could expect him to show mercy.
To Han Ling, affection without trust or a meeting of souls was nothing more than a beautiful corpse beneath a pretty face.
The following afternoon.
Zhu Yue walked Han Ling out of the police station and encouraged him. “It’s no big deal if you don’t pass. There’s annual training again next year, so don’t rush. At a police station, there’s honestly not much difference between having a firearms license and not having one.”
Han Ling had grown quite familiar with Zhu Yue and regarded him inwardly as his first guide in this new world. He grinned and said, “Is that supposed to be encouragement? Sounds to me like you’re hoping I fail.”
Zhu Yue chuckled. “Of course not. Hurry up and go. Take a taxi—don’t be stingy over a few pennies.”
Han Ling answered with a hum, hailed a cab, and left.
The Special Police Detachment was located in another district, and the journey took nearly half an hour. By the time he arrived, most of the participants were already waiting inside the indoor shooting range.
The examination was being conducted by a Level-Two Police Affairs Instructor from the Special Police Detachment.
Han Ling spotted two familiar faces. Lin Rong and Zhang Yunhang were there as well.
Had they been made permanent officers too?
Neither Lin Rong nor Zhang Yunhang was surprised to see Han Ling. They knew he had already been made permanent ahead of schedule, and his mentor at the station had probably advised him to take the firearms examination.
The two sides nodded in greeting. Zhang Yunhang clearly had no desire for further conversation, but Lin Rong was unusually talkative that day.
“Congratulations, Han Ling. An individual third-class merit award after only six months as a police officer—that’s exceedingly rare.”
At those words, the other officers taking the examination turned to look. Only then did they realize that the newcomer was the rookie officer who had recently appeared on the station’s announcement board.
A rookie officer with an individual third-class merit award was no ordinary person.
Han Ling gave a polite smile.
Zhang Yunhang remained silent. Nothing he said at a time like this would be appropriate. Praise him along with everyone else? He could not bring himself to do that. Try to belittle him? He did not yet have the standing to do so, and would only make a fool of himself.
He had been a police officer for less than a year, and he believed he could distinguish himself in the Criminal Investigation Detachment. Han Ling, meanwhile, was merely a junior officer in a police station’s criminal investigation unit.
The two of them still had little in common, and there was no way Lin Rong would take an interest in Han Ling.
Elsewhere, the police affairs instructor had overheard the conversation and turned his gaze toward Han Ling.
A rookie officer with an individual third-class merit award— even he could not help paying attention.
The participating officers soon arrived in full. Apart from the rookie officers, everyone else was taking a retest.
In theory, there were many opportunities to retake the examination. In practice, however, each individual had only one real chance. If they failed again, they would face two consequences: they could not be rated outstanding in their annual assessment, and their promotion would be restricted.
The consequences were quite serious.
There were so many police officers across the city—even the number of rookie officers exceeded eight hundred. With such a large pool, it was only natural that a few people would fail.
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At that moment, a middle-aged man in a navy service uniform entered the indoor shooting range. The police affairs instructor turned slightly and showed his respect.
Several of the participating officers recognized him. Their expressions changed, and they hurriedly straightened their posture.
Those who did not know him stared over curiously.
The police affairs instructor introduced him. “This is Luo Jingwu, commander of our Special Police Detachment. Don’t be nervous. Just do your best.”
The few officers who had not recognized him immediately became solemn and stood at attention.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Luo Jingwu walked over with a genial smile. “I happened to have nothing to do at the station today, and heard there was a firearms license examination, so I came to take a look. Don’t mind me. Pretend I’m not here. If my presence makes you nervous, I can leave.”
Who would dare answer him at a moment like this?
Someone did.
Zhang Yunhang declared loudly, “Having you here makes us feel even more at ease, Commander Luo. It would be a lie to say we aren’t nervous, but that nervousness will turn into motivation. Your presence is the greatest encouragement we could have!”
Han Ling turned his head in surprise.
What a shameless show-off.
Luo Jingwu looked over at him, evidently quite pleased. Seeing this, the others felt a little regretful. They should have said something just now.
Lin Rong remained completely calm, unaffected in the slightest.
The examination began soon afterward. The police affairs instructor checked the documents and shuffled the order randomly for the first round. There would be another shuffle later.
The examination consisted of two events, both using bull’s-eye targets.
The first was rapid fire at ten meters: ten rounds, with a time limit of twenty seconds for male officers and twenty-five seconds for female officers.
The maximum score was one hundred points. A score of eighty-five qualified, while ninety was considered excellent.
The second was precision shooting at twenty-five meters: five rounds, with a time limit of three minutes for male officers and five minutes for female officers.
The maximum score was fifty points. A score of thirty-five qualified, while forty was considered excellent.
Han Ling received his number. He was twelfth in line.
The examination began. The participants put on their ear protection, and gunshots rang through the indoor shooting range.
The first man scored eighty-six points—passing.
The second scored eighty-nine—passing.
The third scored ninety—excellent.
…
No one had failed. Anyone who dared to come had clearly trained beforehand and possessed some confidence. After all, the consequences of failure were difficult to bear.
It was Lin Rong’s turn. She elegantly put on her ear protection, raised her pistol, loaded the magazine, took aim, drew a deep breath, and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Ninety-four points—the highest score so far.
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Luo Jingwu, who was drinking tea not far away, was somewhat surprised. He had not expected the beautiful young woman to be such a good shot. After glancing at her records, he learned that she came from the Economic Crimes Investigation Detachment.
The suspects handled by the Economic Crimes Investigation Detachment were no simple criminals. Good marksmanship was extremely useful; at a critical moment, it could save a person’s life.
Lin Rong let out a quiet breath and removed her ear protection. She was fairly satisfied with the result. It had been a normal performance for her.
Not long afterward, it was Zhang Yunhang’s turn. Everyone could see the confidence in his smile.
Ear protection, pistol, firing—his movements flowed together seamlessly.
In just over ten seconds, he scored ninety-five points.
Ninety-five was an outstanding score, one rarely seen in ordinary examinations.
Luo Jingwu nodded inwardly. When he asked the police affairs instructor and learned that Zhang Yunhang was from the Criminal Investigation Detachment, he nodded again.
“Not bad. Not bad.”
It would hardly be good news if the Criminal Investigation Detachment had poor marksmen.
Unless something unexpected happened, this should be the highest score.
After Zhang Yunhang came Han Ling. The former removed his ear protection and gave Han Ling a polite nod, the corners of his mouth nearly reaching his ears.
Han Ling almost laughed aloud.
Were you really forcing me to humiliate you? We were colleagues. Why make such a fuss?
“Next, Han Ling.” The police affairs instructor stood with his hands behind his back, his indifferent gaze sweeping over.
The others grew interested. They wanted to see how well this recipient of an “individual third-class merit award” could shoot.
Han Ling strode forward. He did not even put on ear protection. He picked up the pistol, loaded the magazine, and performed the entire sequence with effortless fluidity before raising the gun and firing.
Bang bang bang…
His speed was astonishing. In five seconds, he emptied the magazine completely. The efficiency of his shooting attracted everyone’s attention, including that of the special police officers standing guard nearby.
Luo Jingwu choked and spat out the tea in his mouth. He stared at the target.
One hundred points. Every shot had struck the bull’s-eye.
The police affairs instructor was dumbfounded on the spot. Perfect scores were rare, but not unheard of; they generally appeared among officers from the Counterterrorism and Special Patrol Detachments. What stunned him was Han Ling’s speed.
Ten rounds in five seconds—and without even wearing ear protection.
That was terrifying.
He was not the only one left speechless. The officers taking the examination were also frozen, unable to react.
A stir went through the special police officers stationed nearby. They whispered among themselves and cast astonished looks at Han Ling.
Zhang Yunhang was petrified where he stood, his mouth hanging open.
“Good heavens!” Luo Jingwu blurted out, unable to restrain himself. He strode over. “Come, come… young man, what’s your name?”
The police affairs instructor had clearly announced it moments earlier.
At that moment, Lin Rong was also utterly astonished. Her mind held only the image of Han Ling’s effortless five-second burst of ten shots—and that perfect score.
She remembered that in the firearms examination for government-issued weapons the previous year, the “Top Marksman” had scored ninety-seven points in the ten-meter rapid-fire event.
…
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