Chapter 7: Archery

Chapter 7: Archery

For this outing, Ji Xinghuo chose to walk.

Changan's urban planning was impeccable, effectively segregating vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Most vehicles traveled on the elevated superconductor highways, leaving the ground level sparse with traffic. Even the surface roads were enclosed and occupied minimal space.

As a result, the spaces between buildings had been transformed into sprawling urban parks, lush with trees and flora, creating a highly eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing environment.

However, Changan's population was immense.

Qishan District was relatively remote, and though it was already past two in the afternoon, Ji Xinghuo encountered many pedestrians as he walked along the park trail.

Some strolled leisurely, deep in conversation, while others hurried by in powered shoes.

There were also couples nestled among the secluded flower beds, lost in their own worlds.

But solitary walkers like Ji Xinghuo were the majority. Having lived in this community for years, he occasionally recognized familiar faces and exchanged polite nods as they passed by.

And that was the extent of it.

Ji Xinghuo didn't know them, and they didn't know him—a polite yet detached familiarity.

Ten minutes later, Ji Xinghuo arrived at a building that stood over a dozen stories tall. A sign outside read, "Qishan Wutong Archery Hall."

"I'm here," he sent a message at the entrance.

Soon, a tall, slender young man with long hair rushed out of the archery hall, exclaiming with delight, "Xinghuo! I thought you were joking, but you actually came!"

"Yunhai," Ji Xinghuo smiled and bumped fists with him before sharing a brief embrace.

Lu Yunhai was his classmate and one of his best friends from university, whom he had seen almost daily before graduation.

Yunhai had even brought his girlfriend along on their graduation trip.

"How are you doing now?" Lu Yunhai asked with concern, recalling Ji Xinghuo's previous mention of frequent insomnia after the trip.

"It's been resolved," Ji Xinghuo replied with a mysterious smile. "My current state couldn't be better."

"Oh?"

Lu Yunhai took a step back to observe him closely, initially skeptical but then surprised. "You've become an Other?"

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

"Wow!" Lu Yunhai's astonishment quickly turned to envy, and he playfully punched Ji Xinghuo's shoulder. "I knew it! You were always destined to become an Other. You should've taken this step years ago; then, Wu Qifeng wouldn't have had the chance to show off all through university."

Wu Qifeng was also their classmate, both a friend and a rival.

However, blessed with exceptional talent, Wu Qifeng had successfully fused with an exotic species in his freshman year, assuming the formidable profession of "Gravitist." He had dominated their class throughout their university years.

"Which profession did you choose?" Lu Yunhai asked curiously.

"Ranger," Ji Xinghuo replied.

"Ranger?" Lu Yunhai was taken aback.

Being very familiar with Ji Xinghuo, he had never heard him express any interest in becoming a ranger, a choice that diverged significantly from expectations.

"But wasn't your goal to become a 'Tantalum-Cobalt Dragonman'? Why did you give up on that?" Lu Yunhai shook his head in disbelief. "Don't tell me your application for a super-limit ability was rejected. That would be such a shame."

The Tantalum-Cobalt Dragonman was a unique profession within the Asia-Pacific Collective, with a small population but incredible strength, ranking among the world's elite professions.

Any Tantalum-Cobalt Dragonman was guaranteed to become a super-Other in the future.

Whether in terms of strength, potential, rights, or status, the Tantalum-Cobalt Dragonman far surpassed the ranger, the difference between the two being like heaven and earth.

"I didn't apply; I just changed my plans," Ji Xinghuo explained briefly, not elaborating further.

Sensing his reluctance to discuss the matter, Lu Yunhai wisely let it drop and smiled. "Being a ranger is pretty good, too. At least you won't have to worry about employment."

Then it dawned on him, and he exclaimed, "No wonder you came to find me!"

"With you working at the archery hall, who else would I turn to?" Ji Xinghuo spread his hands.

The primary weapon of a ranger was the bow and arrow.

In the early stages, at least before advancing to become a super-Other, a ranger's strength relied predominantly on archery. Not only was it a necessary skill, but it also required relentless practice.

Lu Yunhai had been practicing archery since childhood and was an exceptional archer. During university, he had served as the vice president of the archery club.

In his sophomore year, Lu Yunhai had attempted to fuse with an exotic species, becoming a "Pursuer," a profession similar to the ranger, with archery as the main weapon and the inclusion of a battle pet, akin to a hunter.

Unfortunately, Lu Yunhai's fusion had failed.

However, he hadn't given up. After his body recovered, he started working part-time off-campus to save money for a second attempt at fusion, a pursuit he continued to this day.

Post-graduation, Lu Yunhai officially became a coach at the archery hall.

When Ji Xinghuo decided to learn archery, his first thought was to turn to his good friend, especially since the hall was conveniently located close to home, providing an opportunity to boost Lu Yunhai's business.

Upon hearing that Ji Xinghuo wanted to learn archery, Lu Yunhai couldn't help but feel proud.

"You refused to join the club back then, but now you're willing to pay to learn archery from me. Do you regret it now? Hehe..."

Ji Xinghuo rolled his eyes. "You'd better give me a discount.

Along the way, they encountered colleagues and students, many of whom greeted Lu Yunhai as "Coach Lu," indicating his esteemed position within the archery hall.

"You're doing well for yourself," Ji Xinghuo remarked casually.

"Of course," Lu Yunhai boasted. "Even though I'm not an Other yet, my archery skills rank among the top five in our hall, and I could even compete for the top three. Only the hall master can consistently surpass me."

Ji Xinghuo was intrigued. "The hall master is very skilled?"

"Definitely!" Lu Yunhai exclaimed admiringly. "Our hall master, just like you, is a Ranger, but he's a super Other. Countless people want to learn from him, and many of them are Others themselves. He charges over ten thousand Asia Dollars per lesson, and his class slots get snapped up as soon as they're released."

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

Super Others tended to earn absurdly high incomes regardless of their profession.

According to public data from the Star Sector, the number of super Others in the Asia-Pacific Collective surpassed 150,000 last year, while the national population stood at 5.6 billion. This highlighted the rarity and value of super Others due to their minuscule proportion.

Any super Other could easily find a lucrative income stream.

Lu Yunhai quickly registered Ji Xinghuo as a member and said, "Different types of bows have different courses and prices. Which one do you want to learn? Traditional bow, light bow, or compound bow?"

"Compound bow," Ji Xinghuo replied without hesitation, not even inquiring about the price difference.

Lu Yunhai nodded, unsurprised.

This was the choice of most Rangers due to the compound bow's superior power, arrow speed, and precision.

While the traditional and light bows had their advantages, and the compound bow had its drawbacks, the power gap was too significant to ignore.

There was also a competitive recurve bow, but due to its excessive number of accessories, it was inconvenient to carry and maintain, and it was too intricate for practical use in combat. Thus, it was rarely chosen by Rangers, only finding popularity among enthusiasts in sports competitions, making it a niche option.

The light bow, on the other hand, was a simplified version of the competitive recurve bow, stripped of most accessories.

Some traditional bows also fell into the recurve bow category.

"The beginner course for compound bows consists of twenty lessons. If you take one lesson per day, the total fee will be 6,000 Asia Dollars."

Lu Yunhai lowered his voice. "I'll give you a 70% discount."

"Thanks," Ji Xinghuo said.

He knew that even with promotional discounts, the archery hall wouldn't offer a 70% reduction, or they'd be making a loss. Lu Yunhai was probably subsidizing part of the cost himself.

Ji Xinghuo silently took note of this favor.

"Why are you thanking me? We're close friends," Lu Yunhai grumbled good-naturedly as he registered Ji Xinghuo for the course and collected the fee. "Come on, let's get you started right away."

The entire building, spanning over a dozen stories, belonged to the archery hall, with each floor boasting a spacious shooting range.

They headed to the third floor, where most of the shooting positions were occupied. Some people practiced independently, while others received instruction from coaches.

Lu Yunhai selected a shooting position and asked, "What kind of bow do you want? A hunting bow or a target bow?"

Compound bows were further categorized into two types.

Hunting bows and target bows differed in size but not in structure.

Hunting bows were designed with a smaller frame to facilitate maneuverability in complex outdoor environments like forests and tunnels. They packed a bigger punch with higher draw weight, resulting in more power. Target bows, on the other hand, had lower portability demands and were intended for use in open areas. They featured a larger frame and were typically used for shooting at distant targets, so they sacrificed a bit of power for improved precision by using lower draw weight.

Naturally, the techniques for both types of compound bows largely overlapped, and the market also offered versatile hybrid bows that served dual purposes.

Ji Xinghuo already had a basic understanding of these distinctions.

"I want a hunting bow," he stated.

"What about the draw weight?" Lu Yunhai inquired.

Ji Xinghuo estimated his preference and replied, "70 kilograms."

70 kilograms was the force required to draw the bow, and higher draw weight meant greater power. However, over a century ago, the unit for draw weight had been changed to kilograms, which people found more familiar.

70 kilograms was equivalent to approximately 155 pounds in the old unit of measurement.

"Damn!" Lu Yunhai exclaimed, his face filled with envy.

A compound hunting bow with this draw weight would take an ordinary person several years of practice to handle, and they would need a robust physique. Yet here was Ji Xinghuo, a beginner, opting for such a high draw weight right off the bat.

Lu Yunhai, who had been practicing archery for years, usually worked with a 60-kilogram draw weight.

"Being an Other is awesome," he muttered.

Having interacted with numerous Others at the archery hall, Lu Yunhai was getting used to their exceptional abilities. He quickly fetched a compound bow and adjusted its parameters to match Ji Xinghuo's physique.

To achieve optimal performance, a bow had to be tailored to the shooter's build.

The first consideration was draw length.

Ji Xinghuo stood at a height of 1.8 meters, but his arm span was an impressive 1.98 meters. According to the formula, his ideal draw length was 79 centimeters—the distance between his bow hand and string hand when the bow was fully drawn and he was in the most comfortable and powerful shooting position.

This compound hunting bow had an axle-to-axle length of 33 inches. The riser was made of aluminum alloy with a common hollow structure, while the limbs were crafted from carbon fiber composite materials. The entire bow weighed less than 6.6 pounds, feeling almost weightless in Ji Xinghuo's hands.

Although rangers tended to forgo many accessories, this compound bow still retained a few essential ones.

It had a five-pin sight, a drop-away arrow rest, a stabilizer, a string stop, and a string separator—all small in size and durable, providing significant assistance for accurate shooting.

"You participated in the archery club activities back in your third year. Do you remember the basic archery movements?" Lu Yunhai asked.

"Of course," Ji Xinghuo nodded.

Lu Yunhai pointed at the target across from them. "Shoot an arrow and let me see."

Ji Xinghuo turned to face the target, picked up a training arrow, and nocked it onto the bow without using a release aid. He held the arrow on the right side of the arrow rest and used the Mongolian drawing method, hooking the string with his thumb and placing his index finger over his thumb. He aimed at the target 30 meters away.

All these unconventional design choices served one purpose: combat!

The goal was to shoot with the fastest speed and frequency, delivering the most lethal arrows.

Ji Xinghuo's gaze locked onto the target. The 30-meter distance and the 3.1-inch diameter of the yellow bullseye seemed almost within arm's reach to him.

He felt an intuition that he could easily hit wherever he wanted.

The Myriad Phenomenon Pupil was in effect, surpassing 'Precision.'

He took a slight breath.

Then, with his left hand pushing the bow and his right hand exerting force to draw the string, he smoothly pulled back. The 70-kilogram poundage didn't feel particularly challenging, and he managed to draw the bow without any issues.

The compound bow had one string and two cables. When pulled, they synchronously transmitted the force, and as the draw approached full extension, the eccentric cams at both ends of the bow came into play, reducing the force needed to hold the draw by 80%. Suddenly, it became much easier, and his hands felt more stable.

The "peep sight" attached to the string was now in front of his right eye, and his line of sight passed through the peephole, aligning with the tip of the second pin on the sight and the distant bullseye, forming a straight line.

In reality, the sight and peephole were mere decorations in Ji Xinghuo's eyes.

Even without these auxiliary accessories, he could still shoot accurately.

Twang!

Ji Xinghuo released his hand, sending the arrow forward as a black line, instantly embedding itself deep into the target.

"Bullseye!"

Lu Yunhai exclaimed the score, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He was well aware that Ji Xinghuo had barely touched a bow before, and his knowledge of archery was limited to what he had learned from Lu Yunhai himself.

While the shooting process was smooth, there were many mistakes in Ji Xinghuo's form—typical of a novice.

Yet, he had hit the bullseye on his very first try!

"Beginner's luck," Lu Yunhai muttered, unconvinced. "Shoot another arrow."

Ji Xinghuo smiled, picked up a second training arrow, and repeated the process: turning to the side, nocking the arrow, hooking the string, pushing the bow, dropping his shoulder, aligning his body, drawing the string, finding the right position, aiming, releasing, and finally, following through.

Twang! Another bullseye!

Before Lu Yunhai could react, Ji Xinghuo swiftly shot three more arrows, his Thousand Spirit Dexterous Hands accelerating his shooting actions, each arrow faster than the last.

Bullseye! Bullseye! Bullseye!

Lu Yunhai stood there, mouth agape, staring at the five arrows embedded in the bullseye. He had to admit that Ji Xinghuo had just shot five consecutive bullseyes.

Having worked at the archery hall for several years, Lu Yunhai had taught several newcomers who had just become rangers, but none of them had been as naturally accurate as Ji Xinghuo.

"Is your first fused ability 'Precision' by any chance?" Lu Yunhai asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

The composition abilities of a profession template were not always fused in a fixed order.

Typically, the first ability fused would be the core ability.

While it was a rare occurrence, there were some exceptional individuals who chose to fuse a non-core ability first due to personal preferences or other reasons.

"I fused the Thousand Spirit Dexterous Hands," Ji Xinghuo replied, balancing an arrowhead on the tip of his index finger, keeping it steady and upright. "Can't I just be a natural-born marksman with world-class shooting talent?"

"But how come you've never..."

Lu Yunhai's words trailed off halfway through his sentence.

His most proud professional ability had just been unexpectedly surpassed by his friend, and he felt the urge to refute it. However, after thinking it over, he could only accept the reality and said seriously, "That is indeed possible. Fine, you're amazing! It seems you chose the ranger profession for a reason."

"But this is just a 30-meter target and a stationary one at that."

"You're still far from being a top-notch archer."

"There's a lot more for you to learn about archery and compound bows." Lu Yunhai assumed the confident posture of a coach.

Ji Xinghuo nodded humbly. "Please instruct me, Coach Lu."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end