Chapter 39: Spear Practice

Chapter 39: Firearms Practice

The next day, they carried the bodies left in unit 902 downstairs to be cremated. They divided up the useful supplies from Li Aixue's home, but they didn't bother fixing the door; they just left it as it was.

Residents on the first and second floors had considered moving up, but the thought of rooms where dead bodies had sat for days still filled them with dread. They had wanted to ask Cheng Yang if they could move into their place, but after seeing the weapons Gu Pan and her group had brought back that day, they lost their nerve.

Regardless, much of the snow around the first floor had been cleared, allowing some sunlight to filter in, so they decided to stay put. Although it was cold, it was their own home—with doors and locks—which felt more secure than moving into someone else’s space.

In the evening, Chen Shaonan distributed the electric batons he had finished making. They were compact and easy to carry, yet possessed immense stopping power. Gu Pan felt truly fortunate that her neighbor was a physics and chemistry teacher, and even more so that they weren't overly sentimental or naive.

Three days later, Lu Ruisheng finished assembling several handguns and gave one to everyone in 901 for self-defense. Lu Ruisheng kept a submachine gun for himself, while Gu Pan took a sniper rifle. They were already familiar with these weapons, and since the others didn't know how to shoot, handguns were more practical for them to learn.

Ammunition was limited. Each person was allotted eighty rounds: thirty for practice, and the rest reserved for future defense.

They spent the first morning familiarizing themselves with the firearms—stripping, cleaning, and understanding the mechanics—without firing a shot. They only headed out for live-fire practice in the afternoon.

It was impossible to practice shooting inside the building, so they went to an open area near a shopping mall. With the snow, there were few open spaces left, mostly just narrow paths. Only the area in front of the supermarket had been cleared on a large scale previously. Since the supermarket had already been picked clean, few people came by, making it an ideal spot.

Though people occasionally passed through, it didn't matter. Who would be foolish enough to approach people practicing with guns? Unless they had a death wish, most people would see the weapons and be desperate to steer clear.

Lu Ruisheng had already calibrated and tested every gun. He then drew several targets on the wall of the shopping mall across the way.

Lu Ruisheng had already taught Gu Pan in the safety of their space, so she simply found a spot to practice on her own. She had already mastered the handgun; for the sniper rifle, she needed a location with sufficient distance.

The rest of the group followed Lu Ruisheng’s instructions: "Whether you use one hand or two, choose the stance that feels most comfortable. We aren't looking for textbook form right now; we are looking for the best results and the highest efficiency."

Cheng Yang and Chen Lang both thought Lu Ruisheng’s stance looked cool, so they chose to shoot one-handed like him. The older members of the group, however, felt that a two-handed grip was more stable. Feng Zhekai, whose hands were steady from years of wielding a scalpel, adapted well to the one-handed stance.

Lu Ruisheng continued, "When gripping the gun, apply even pressure. Seat the grip firmly in the web of your hand, relax your index finger, and keep your wrist and upper arm straight. Let your upper arm guide your forearm. Stay relaxed."

Everyone adjusted their posture according to his commands.

"Align the eye, the notch, and the front sight. Squeeze the trigger evenly and straight back. Pre-press intentionally, but fire unintentionally." Lu Ruisheng walked among them, helping to correct their form.

Perhaps it was the reality of the apocalypse or the sheer desperation to survive, but they all learned quickly.

Lu Ruisheng returned to his position and led the group in raising their weapons. "Inhale before firing, hold your breath while firing, and exhale after."

With that, he fired the first shot. Cheng Yang followed, and then the others took their turns.

Once everyone had fired, Lu Ruisheng had them lower their weapons before he went to check their grouping. To his surprise, no one had missed the target entirely. Even more unexpected was Lu Xuerong, who showed natural talent, landing her first shot near the eight-ring mark.

They fired a second and third round, then were left to practice on their own. Since each person only had ten rounds left for the day, they were frugal, opting not to rapid-fire but instead focusing on aiming, judging wind direction, and accounting for the lighting.

Seeing them practicing, Lu Ruisheng went to coach Gu Pan. She had climbed to the third floor of the mall, found a suitable angle by a window, and was practicing on an unfinished building across the street. Lu Ruisheng stood behind her, leaning in to offer guidance, and soon Gu Pan was consistently hitting her targets.

In truth, people learn much faster in extreme conditions. In normal times, these people might have gone days without hitting a target, but here they were, getting the hang of it in a single day.

By dusk, they returned home, only to be stopped by the floor monitor from 401.

The monitor said to them, "The residents of 501 haven't come out in two days. We knocked, but there was no sound. I wanted to ask for your help to break down the door and check on them."

Gu Pan said, "Isn't that inappropriate? What if they're fine? If we break the door, they'll just argue with us."

The monitor replied, "They won't. For one, they wouldn't dare, and for another, I suspect they’re gone. If they are, it’s not right to leave them in there. Even if the cold keeps them from rotting, it’s not good to have bodies in the building."

This was hardly unexpected. After so many days of the apocalypse, if they didn't go out to find food and just waited to beg from others, it was impossible to last long.

Since leaving bodies behind was indeed problematic—as they would become sources of disease once the weather warmed—Gu Pan agreed, "Fine, let’s go take a look."

They followed the 401 monitor to the door of 501. Lu Ruisheng pushed the door and said, "I'll go upstairs to get some tools. You all keep knocking."

The monitor pounded on the door again, loudly, but there was no response. The female owner of 502 also came out. "Usually, their children are always running in and out, or knocking on our door a few times a day. There hasn't been a sound for two days; I’ve felt something was wrong, too."

The monitor told the 502 owner, "Then we’ll all be witnesses. Once the group from the 7th floor breaks the door, we’ll see what’s inside. If they’re truly gone, we can't just leave them."

The 501 neighbors agreed; nobody wanted two corpses sitting in the apartment next door.

A short while later, Lu Ruisheng returned with his tools. Since the door wasn't double-locked, he pried it open with ease. Inside, they found that the elderly resident and the grandchild of 501 had both died in the bedroom.

The monitor led the effort to wrap the two in quilts, and then Lu Ruisheng, Cheng Yang, and the others helped carry them downstairs to be cremated at the designated site. As for the apartment, it remained empty for the time being. They would see if anyone downstairs wanted to move up later, but for now, most were unwilling to live in a room where someone had died.

Because everyone had grown accustomed to death—so many had frozen or starved to death—each person was now only worried about what they would eat or burn the next day. Who had the energy to pity the dead?

Some even felt that more deaths were better; the more people who died, the fewer people there were to fight over resources, meaning there would be more for themselves. The apocalypse truly tested human nature. That was why Gu Pan never tried to test people’s hearts; other than her husband, she could never fully trust anyone else.