Chapter 51: Another Draw
He said it was possible.
Liang Ping, who had remained silent until now, looked at He Yan with an entirely new perspective. Based on past experiences, he knew this young man wasn’t one to boast idly. If he agreed, it meant he was at least confident in his ability.
Could he really hit a moving target?
"If you want to shoot wild game, you’ll have to go into the woods," Wang Ba said. The woods were on White Moon Mountain, and he glanced at Liang Ping. Liang Ping snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. "No."
Both Wang Ba and He Yan were new recruits who had never been to White Moon Mountain and were unfamiliar with its paths. New recruits weren’t allowed into the mountains yet—they’d have to wait. "Use flying birds as targets instead," he suggested.
Flying birds… The recruits were stunned once more. If beasts were harder to hit than straw targets, then birds were undoubtedly even more challenging. People stood on the ground, while birds flew in the sky—the natural distance alone made it difficult. Moreover, shooting upward required sharper eyesight and stronger arm strength.
Wang Ba burst into laughter. "Fine by me!"
He Yan also smiled faintly. "No problem."
Their casual agreement sent a ripple of excitement through the recruits, who had only just calmed down. It seemed Wang Ba was accustomed to hunting birds and wolves in the mountains, but what about He Yan?
Xiao Mai quietly tugged at Shitou’s sleeve. "Big brother, do you think Brother He can win?"
"I don’t know," Shitou replied.
Xiao Mai gave his elder brother a surprised look. Shitou hadn’t outright dismissed the possibility. Did that mean He Yan actually stood a chance?
"Go get your bows," Liang Ping instructed. He then called over another recruit and whispered something to him. The recruit nodded and hurried to the weapon racks in the Martial Arts Field, retrieving a bronze gong. He carried it to a nearby grove and, moments later, struck it hard with a resounding "dong!"
The sudden noise startled countless wild birds into flight.
White Moon Mountain was dense with forests, teeming with wild birds. He Yan had previously spotted White-bellied Blue Swallows and Azure Pearl Finches there. As the birds took to the sky, Wang Ba swiftly nocked an arrow. His movements were practiced, exuding the ease of someone who had hunted winged prey many times before.
The arrow soared upward, and amidst the flock, a bird mid-flight seemed to be struck, plummeting heavily to the ground. Cheers erupted from the Martial Arts Field. "He hit it! He hit it!" A recruit picked up the fallen arrow—piercing a Crimson Chirper.
This was Wang Ba’s prey.
Wang Ba smirked triumphantly at He Yan.
He Yan merely smiled, drawing her bow with an air of indifference. Her movements were even faster than Wang Ba’s—so fast that one might doubt whether she had even aimed properly. Yet the arrow was already in flight. The glaring sunlight blurred vision, making it momentarily impossible to track its trajectory.
Shitou stared unblinkingly at the sky before finally declaring, "He hit it."
"Really?" Hong Shan frowned skeptically. "I can’t even see it."
From another corner of the Martial Arts Field, a voice called out, "I found He Yan’s arrow! Over here!" The recruit ran to Liang Ping, holding up the arrow. "Here!"
Dangling from the shaft was a Willow Warbler.
Liang Ping and Wang Ba both turned to look at He Yan.
The former was struck by the sudden realization that this young man was a hidden treasure, while the latter wore an expression of utter disbelief.
How had he done it?
Wang Ba tightened his grip on his bow. "Again!" he barked at the recruit with the gong. "Keep going!"The new recruits struck the gong several times, and immediately, a large flock of birds took flight from the woods. Wang Ba nocked several arrows at once, releasing them all together!
The arrows soared into the sky, making it hard to tell if any had hit their mark. But moments later, excited shouts erupted from the Martial Arts Field: "Hit! Hit! The arrows landed here!"
To hit every target with multiple arrows simultaneously was a feat that placed one in a league of their own—no, perhaps even one in a thousand. But what about He Yan?
Everyone turned their gaze to He Yan, who merely smiled and mimicked Wang Ba’s stance, nocking several arrows at once.
The bow was drawn to its full extent, yet the young man’s face bore an easygoing smile, as if he were merely indulging in a casual archery game by the Si River Bank, like any carefree youth on an outing.
He released the bowstring.
The arrows shot into the flock, sending the birds into a frantic scramble. Someone from the Martial Arts Field shouted, "Hit! Hit! I found the arrows!"
When the arrows were brought before Instructor Liang, not a single one had missed its mark.
"You!" Wang Ba gritted his teeth, turning to grab another quiver. "I refuse to believe you’re just lucky every time!" He continued firing arrows without pause, determined to empty the entire quiver.
Each quiver held twenty arrows, their fletching color-coded for easy identification during practice. Wang Ba had chosen the red-fletched arrows, while He Yan picked the green ones. He followed Wang Ba’s lead, shooting arrow after arrow without stopping.
For a while, neither of them spoke. The only sounds were the relentless clanging of the gong from the woods and the startled cries of the birds taking flight.
"This is amazing! So thrilling!" Cheng Li Su’s eyes sparkled as he gripped Liang Ping’s arm in excitement. "This is far more interesting than the hunting grounds in the capital! Instructor Liang, how did you manage to recruit such fascinating soldiers? Where did you find such talents?"
Liang Ping forced a smile, equally bewildered. He had no idea! Wang Ba had already been an unexpected delight, and now, with He Yan joining the fray, Liang Ping couldn’t help but wonder if he was dreaming.
Twenty arrows were exhausted in the blink of an eye.
The new recruits on the Martial Arts Field eagerly collected the fallen arrows and brought them to Instructor Liang. Twenty red arrows, every one a hit. Twenty green arrows, not a single miss.
Among the new recruits of Liang Province’s garrison, two unparalleled archers had emerged—archers who could pierce stone and split feathers with their shots. Liang Ping mused that he might be due for a promotion, or at the very least, a raise in his monthly stipend.
"I never expected Brother He to be this good…" Xiao Mai murmured, utterly stunned.
"Neither did I," Hong Shan admitted, still dazed. "If I’d known, I would’ve bet on He Yan to win…"
Ah, right—the wager wasn’t settled yet. Hong Shan’s words seemed to remind everyone. One recruit suddenly called out, "Then… then this counts as a draw, right? He Yan and Wang Ba achieved the same result. So how do we settle this?"
Yes, how indeed?
Wang Ba stood with his head lowered, his thoughts inscrutable. After a moment, he looked up, his expression shifting between emotions. "You didn’t win."
"True," He Yan conceded, even offering sincere praise. "Your archery is exceptional. I overestimated myself."
"Then it’s a draw. Today, you still haven’t beaten me," Wang Ba declared. At this point, he was beginning to feel uneasy. The fact that He Yan could match him shot for shot with moving targets meant that, in all other aspects of archery, they were evenly matched.He couldn't find any other way to surpass He Yan.
"Ten days ago I said that in ten days, I would surely defeat you. Now that the outcome remains undecided, how can we call it a draw?" He Yan fanned herself with her hand. "Since you can't think of a way to compete, shall I propose one instead?"
What seemed like bronze turned out to be the king—our Yan Yan.
(End of Chapter)
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