C16 Show off Your Skill with the Bow

The night had deepened, and the village lay in silence, disturbed only by the occasional chirp of crickets and the distant barking of dogs. Suddenly, a series of harsh caws broke the stillness from the treetops nearby.

Perched in the tree was a crow, an omen of ill fortune in the eyes of the villagers. Some even believed that a crow cawing at one's doorstep was a harbinger of death in the family. Consequently, the sound of its call would often prompt people to shoo it away.

Fong Chao eyed the crow, gauging the distance at roughly thirteen or fourteen meters—well within the range of his slingshot. Without hesitation, he drew his slingshot, expertly loading the projectile behind the sturdy leather bands.

With a steady hand, he took aim at the vigilant bird. Crows are clever creatures, always on high alert. Sensing danger, it prepared to take flight, wings beating the air. But it was too late.

With a swift motion, Fong Chao released the shot. "Whoosh!" followed by a resounding "Bang!" The projectile struck the crow's head, obliterating it instantly. The bird plummeted to the ground without a sound, lifeless.

A surge of exhilaration washed over Fong Chao. He marveled at his own precision, "This Slingshot Specialization really pays off! I never expected to hit my target on the first try."

Empowered by his skill, he felt confident in his ability to be a hero, to rescue Soong Aiqin. She had been in peril for the last couple of days, and Fong Chao was determined to make an effort. He was curious to find out how many Karma Points he could earn for saving a life.

With these thoughts in mind, Fong Chao hastened to Soong Aiqin's doorstep. The gentle night breeze was cool, and he shivered slightly, underdressed for the chill. Soong Aiqin's home was shrouded in darkness, all quiet within.

Fong Chao mused, "Perhaps her child's fever has broken? Otherwise, I would surely hear the cries of a child."

Fong Chao stood concealed behind a large tree, surveying the courtyard of Soong Aiqin's home. He decided to bide his time there for a bit.

Leaning on the tree, he squinted his eyes, intending to take a brief respite.

But, perhaps due to the exhaustion of the last few days, he unexpectedly drifted off to sleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

"Bang!"

A faint noise startled Fong Chao awake.

His eyes snapped open, and he peered towards Soong Aiqin's house, only to see two or three shadowy figures prying open the fence gate and infiltrating her yard.

A sense of urgency gripped Fong Chao.

Every nerve in his body was on high alert.

Damn!

It looked like the assailants intended to harm Soong Aiqin tonight!

Had he not been here on watch, the tragedy might have repeated itself.

Fong Chao hastened towards Soong Aiqin's courtyard.

Upon his arrival, he noticed that the three thugs had already forced the door and made their way into Soong Aiqin's house.

Fong Chao heard a muffled scream, suggesting that Soong Aiqin's mouth had been covered. The dreadful scene was about to unfold.

Fong Chao realized that barging into the house recklessly wasn't wise, especially since his expertise lay in long-range combat.

He raised his voice and bellowed, "What are you doing?"

Inside, the three thugs jumped at the sound of someone yelling from beyond the courtyard gate.

"Damn it, someone check what's happening? Looks like we might not pull this off tonight," grumbled a particularly tall thug in frustration.

The other two thugs scrambled towards the door in a panic.

Fong Chao, positioned outside, watched as two figures emerged from the house. He swiftly raised his slingshot, already loaded, and took aim at the forehead of the first thug to appear.

"Whoosh!"

He let the projectile fly.

"Thwack!"

The pellet struck the thug squarely in the forehead.

"Ah!"

The impact split his skin, eliciting an involuntary scream of agony.

Without a moment's hesitation, Fong Chao loaded another pellet and targeted the second thug's mouth.

"Whoosh!"

"Thwack!"

The second pellet struck true, hitting the man's mouth.

His mouth was smashed open, and two of his front teeth were broken.

The second criminal clutched his mouth, wailing miserably.

"They've got a gun, run for it!" The first person who was shot yelled as he sprinted towards the low courtyard wall. With a push off the wall, he vaulted over and vanished into the night.

The second criminal fled in a panic as well.

Fong Chao paid them no mind.

They had gotten their just desserts.

The most important rule: don't pursue a desperate foe!

Since they had fled, it was time to let them off the hook.

Fong Chao gripped his slingshot, his eyes fixed on Soong Aiqin's front door.

He was waiting for the third criminal.

Hearing his accomplices' cries, the third criminal hastily abandoned Soong Aiqin and bolted out the door.

Fong Chao smirked, thinking, "Just the moment I've been waiting for!"

He raised his hand and let a slingshot pellet fly, aiming for the man's groin.

"Snap!"

"Ouch!"

The pellet struck the third criminal squarely in the groin, likely shattering at least one testicle.

The man howled in agony but didn't pause; he too made it to the wall, pushed off, and fled.

Fong Chao was confident that his three shots had severely wounded the trio.

They were thoroughly intimidated, unlikely to dare a return.

"Ding!"

A notification chimed in his head.

"Respected host, greetings! You have successfully safeguarded Soong Aiqin's honor and destiny. As a special reward, you are granted 100 Karma Points! Please check your account," Meimei's soothing voice echoed in Fong Chao's Brain Domain.

Fong Chao was thrilled.

Fantastic!

His efforts tonight were not in vain! To receive a bounty of 100 Karma Points all at once was truly extraordinary.

Fong Chao was ecstatic.

"Who's there?" While Fong Chao was reveling in his joy, Soong Aiqin emerged from her house, kitchen knife in hand, still visibly shaken.

Spotting a silhouette at her doorstep, she was terrified, fearing the criminals were still at large.

"Auntie, it's me, Fong Chao." Fong Chao scratched his head as he addressed Soong Aiqin.

"Ah?! Fong Chao?" Soong Aiqin exclaimed in surprise. "Was it you who saved me?"

Realizing he had been recognized, Fong Chao thought it best to engage in conversation. He approached Soong Aiqin with a warm smile and explained, "Yes, I was restless and couldn't sleep tonight, so I took a stroll around the village. As I neared your house, I noticed someone sneaking into your yard, so I hurried over to check. I saw those thugs were about to harm you, so I yelled out. They got scared and ran off. You should be safe now."