New weapons always require some practice, and Yijie was very satisfied with the attack power of the Hand Cannon. Those two little henchmen had been completely obliterated, not even leaving any remnants behind.
"Can’t you keep it low-key?" Number Zero looked at him enjoying a comfortable headshot and still reluctant to put away the Hand Cannon.
The Hand Cannon, once seen at the Dark Night Market and baring its fangs, now fully revealed its size in the dim green forest - in comparison to Number Zero’s Mini Needle Gun, it was like a lion to a pink kitty.
The muzzle was a barrel extended about five centimeters in diameter, with a revolving chamber that could hold six bombs at a time. Normally, one would need to use both hands to operate it, one to aim, and the other to fire.
However, Yijie was very knowledgeable about firearm performance and highly accurate in precision. After this mission, he planned to design a portable gun rack, then find a blacksmith to make it so that next time he fired, his accuracy would be greatly improved.
"Why be low-key? We’re here to wipe out bandits, skulking around doesn’t suit us," Yijie, with his Octagonal hat already tossed behind his back, swaying from his neck with the recent bombardment awakening every killing cell in his body.
The muffled boom of the cannon would inevitably alert the nearby bandit camp.
Number Zero glanced at the flashy Hand Cannon and then at her own tiny, adorable gun, and without uttering a word, walked away.
"Aren’t you going to scout the terrain ahead?" Yijie asked, holding the gun with one hand.
"Ahead is flat as a pancake, I could even count the dragonflies; do I need to scout that?" Number Zero spoke the plain truth.
Starting from where the two stood, the hills gave way to plains, and the trees gradually shortened, with several red-tailed dragonflies circling over some low bushes.
Those few bandits were sent to scout the way first, their long absence would surely bring a following group of bandits.
Such terrain was perfect for ambushing the enemy. Yijie turned the cannon around, searching for a suitable position.
Where the plain met the hill, there were a few large trees for cover. Yijie thought he should ambush the bandits from above. Being tall, he had to find a densely leafy tree.
The tree Yijie chose had the most abundant leaves among the surrounding trees, providing enough coverage to soundly hide his large frame.
During the climb, he also noticed a beehive hanging in a tree cavity, so he tiptoed around it carefully.
It was only after he had fully concealed himself amongst the leaves that he noticed a pair of bright eyes showing from a neighboring tree.
Number Zero had the same idea; she had picked a tree suitable for her figure, right next to the one where Yijie was perched.
Yijie, nearly weighing in at two hundred pounds, hanging on a tree was enough to shake even the sturdiest of trees. Half embracing the trunk, Yijie freed one hand to rest the Hand Cannon on the trunk, making for an indecent pose.
He then looked over at Number Zero. With a pose as graceful as a swallow, not crouching nor kneeling, she daintily crossed her legs and casually rested her hand on a branch, with a few green leaves running across her face and body. The green leaves veiled her face, making her look quite comfortable.
Number Zero was watching Yijie too, and as he lay on the tree trunk ready for battle, she opened her mouth as if to speak, but then the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from below.
Yijie gestured for silence and aimed the cannon at the corpses of those little henchmen.
Anxiety set in, and Number Zero started feeling her mouth dry up, "Forget it, he climbed up here himself."
This time the group of bandits was obviously larger than before, around fifteen or sixteen people. Apart from the regular bandit minions, there were a few bandit lieutenants, all bulky figures wielding shiny curved knives.
"Bandit lieutenant, Physical Strength Value: 500, Spiritual Power: 50. Special Skills: Throwing." Number Zero brushed aside the leaves, but she didn’t immediately react.
Her needle gun was suitable for close range; against such a group, if they rushed her, she would be powerless to counterattack.
Yijie’s left index finger was on the drive wheel, and the ammunition chamber made a pleasant ’click’ sound.
The alert bandit lieutenant heard the noise, howled and brandished his blade, and several little henchmen had already circled below the tree, vigorously climbing towards the one Yijie was on.
"Boom, boom, boom," three continuous shots and Number Zero only felt the leaves fluttering down as even her side of the tree shook with the recoil, and the smell of gunpowder rolled upward instantly.
The Hand Cannon’s power instantly sent three or four bandits flying. The remaining minions also ceased their climbing.
At that moment, the leading bandit lieutenant suddenly hurled his curved knife.
Yijie ducked his head in haste just as the dry branches overhead were chopped sharply, leaves rustling down in droves.
Seeing his "Throwing" skill taking effect, the lieutenant hollered, and the remaining two lieutenants also hurled their curved knives in succession.
The special "Throwing" skill of the bandit henchmen meant that after the curved knives were thrown, they would make three boomerang-like revolutions; the three knives greeted from three directions, with a total of nine returns, putting the stationary Yijie in a tight situation.
Yijie narrowly avoided them, cursing, "Dammit, watch me blow one away." He bravely leaned out from behind the protective leaves with one hand, aiming at the first bandit lieutenant who had thrown his knife.
With a ’boom’ from a single shot, the head instantly turned into a mist of blood.
Yijie pulled back the Hand Cannon with satisfaction. As he flicked the drive wheel again, he heard an empty click and cursed inwardly: Damn it, out of ammo. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian [qidian.com], and your support is my greatest motivation.)