The "Desert Eagle", also known as the famous handgun, is almost universally known in North America, where carrying guns is legal.
Its popularity is due to its frequent appearances in Hollywood action movies, making it extremely recognizable. Many gun enthusiasts even collect this iconic pistol.
There's no doubt that the Desert Eagle is one of the most powerful handguns out there.
When people think of a powerful pistol, the Desert Eagle is often the first one that comes to mind.
However, its actual utility is not as great as its reputation.
The reason is simple.
Although it's very powerful, its recoil is also shockingly strong, and it's much heavier than a regular handgun. Most people would find it difficult to use.
Probably only a limited group of people can handle it well.
But that wasn't the reason why Vincent's tone was so strange.
The Desert Eagle might be tough for normal people, but for most S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, it's no big deal.
Even if Raymond could use it, Vincent wouldn't be surprised.
The real problem is that the current challenge is a fixed point offense and defense scenario. Handguns are usually only good for close combat, not for this kind of situation.
Raymond pulling out a Desert Eagle now looked like a total joke.
"Am I really overthinking this?" Vincent muttered to himself.
…
In the weapons room, 'Raymond,' who had just finished putting the Desert Eagle together, moved his lips slightly.
He barely made a sound, but it looked like he was talking to himself.
"Relax, there's no way I'm going to lose to someone like that... An accident? No, no... When the gap is this big, accidents don't happen..."
A confident smile appeared on 'Raymond's' face as he grabbed some bullets from a nearby shelf.
When he left the weapons room, there was exactly one minute and fifty-seven seconds left before the door would lock automatically—just three seconds to spare.
Meanwhile, Leonid had already left his weapons room and reached the high ground.
He quickly explored the high-tech equipment around him and found some useful tools as fast as he could.
By the time 'Raymond' entered the scene, Leonid was fully prepared and just waiting for him to show up.
He was confident that if 'Raymond' showed even a little bit, he wouldn't have a chance to attack again—and there would be no need to stay on defense.
Attack is the best defense!
As long as he could kill Raymond, the first round of defense would be a win.
Crouching behind cover, watching the area with a small device, Leonid sneered and thought, "I don't know where you got the confidence to think you can beat me, but the outcome is already decided..."
Duang!
As a strong force suddenly pressed down on his head from above, followed closely by the sound of metal clashing in his ears, Leonid felt dizzy and confused!
What just happened?!
The sudden situation completely stunned Leonid!
Before he could figure it out, a robotic voice suddenly rang out from the base's loudspeaker: "Agent Leonid has been eliminated. First round completed. Dr. Raymond wins!"
"I... was eliminated?"
Upon hearing the announcement, Leonid was completely stunned.
What had just happened?
He hadn't even seen his opponent's shadow—how could he already be eliminated?
…
What Leonid didn't know was that he wasn't the only one confused. Everyone watching the game through the two camera feeds had no idea what had just happened.
Outside the open-air base, the students and teachers watching the game broke into shocked chatter!
Even the three deans in the central control tower were stunned!
"What just happened?" Weaver looked at Claude, hoping he had seen it more clearly.
As a non-combat staff member, Weaver didn't know much about combat. So her first reaction when she didn't understand something was to ask Claude.
Claude, the Dean of the Spy Division, wasn't as famous as Leonid, but he was also a high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, so he should have some insight.
That's why Weaver asked him first.
To her surprise, Claude looked as confused as she was. He shook his head slightly, then turned to Vincent.
"Did you find out?"
Vincent frowned, deep in thought.
A moment later he suddenly moved!
He walked quickly over to the control console in the tower.
"Good afternoon, Director."
The people manning the console were from the Communications Division. When they saw their director come over, they quickly greeted him.
Vincent didn't waste time with small talk. He nodded and waved them off.
Then he began to quickly operate the controls. As he moved his hands, the central screen began to change angles, eventually showing a side view.
Soon the playback began, and a red arc-shaped line appeared on the screen.
The line started from Raymond's position and ended behind the obstacle at Leonid's height.
"So it really was like that..."
Vincent's eyes lit up and he changed the angle again.
Now he showed Raymond's side from a new angle, playing the footage from a few seconds before Leonid was declared defeated.
"This should be the moment. Look."
Vincent pointed to the screen for Claude and the others to focus on.
Claude stared intently at Raymond on the screen... suddenly he saw Raymond casually flick his gun-holding arm as he looked toward the high ground.
Right after that, the robotic voice declared the game over.
"My God... was that a shot? Did that single flick just headshot Leonid?" Claude blurted out in shock.
"Looks like it," Vincent replied, still stunned.
Because based on all the angles they'd just reviewed, there was no way that shot should have hit Leonid behind the obstacle on the high ground.
The angle and direction were all wrong!
And since they were using training rounds, it was impossible for the bullet to go through walls—it had to hit directly for a kill to count.
For that shot to hit Leonid from that angle, the bullet would have had to curve!
But... how could that be possible?