Chapter 165: One More Shot

Ahsung Defense had implemented triple shielding across all components and wiring when designing the A2C.

This was why CEO Yoon Seok-hwan and Development Director Gwon Do-hyeon were so confident about this test.

Captain Jeong Gwang-sik calmly entered the chamber.

“EMP release prep. 3, 2, 1, fire!”

Whoosh—!

A powerful EMP pulse struck the inside of the chamber with a short blast.

Captain Jeong Gwang-sik’s HUD flickered momentarily but soon returned to normal.

‘Good. No issues.’

Targets reappeared on the HUD, and he quickly pulled the trigger.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

[Hit, deviation 0.15mm, 0.12mm, 0.13mm]

Captain Jeong Gwang-sik let out a sigh of relief.

“As expected of Ahsung, the EMP shielding technology is impressive.”

“Still, it seems a bit slower than during the urban warfare course.”

Some of the judges murmured.

They had sensitively noticed a slight delay in recovery.

This time, attention naturally turned to Captain Jo In-hyeok.

“What about the AGE-01?”

“I don’t think Dojin Frontier has any special EMP-related technology.”

“Even if the AGE has some unknown technology, it’s highly unlikely it’ll work this time.”

The judges’ predictions seemed to be right.

As soon as the EMP was released, the HUD mounted on the AGE-01 went dark.

‘It’s out?’

Captain Jo In-hyeok was momentarily flustered.

Then, Kang Tae-joon’s voice came through the earpiece.

“Don’t worry, just pull the trigger. The HUD is just off.”

If only the HUD was off, the monstrous feature of the bullet automatically hitting the target would still work.

Recalling his past experiences, Captain Jo In-hyeok pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The targets were moving quickly, dodging.

Normally, it would be a difficult situation to hit, but the result was…

[Hit, deviation 0.03mm, 0.02mm, 0.01mm]

With overwhelming precision, the AGE-01 completely outperformed the A2C again.

As Captain Jo In-hyeok raised his hand,

cheers erupted from our side, including myself.

Whoa-a-a-a-a!

Meanwhile, the Ahsung side, which hadn’t won a single victory during the three stages of the test, was enveloped in heavy silence.

None of the participants dared to speak to CEO Yoon Seok-hwan.

Unable to hold back any longer, Director Gwon Do-hyeon raised a loud objection.

“This is clearly rigged.”

The technical analyst calmly responded to the agitated Director Gwon Do-hyeon.

“Our verification results are the same as before. Video and log analysis show no issues.”

“How can such precise results come from a shooter’s skill alone when the HUD is off, as in the vibration test earlier?”

“This isn’t a result achievable by the shooter’s skill alone.”

Figures from Ahsung Defense, including Director Gwon Do-hyeon, raised consecutive objections but didn’t get the answers they wanted.

“We can’t disclose specific details, but we can assure you there was no rigging.”

Despite Ahsung’s continued objections, the decision didn’t change.

CEO Yoon Seok-hwan’s expression darkened more than ever, and Director Gwon Do-hyeon’s face was filled with anger and defeat.

Then, Lieutenant General Kim Dae-hoon took the microphone again.

“Everyone, attention please.”

The murmuring room quickly fell silent.

“We will now disclose the details of the fourth stage evaluation. According to internal review regulations, additional points will be awarded to the winning side in this test.”

Lieutenant General Kim Dae-hoon’s words caused a stir once more.

“So… what’s the next test?”

In response to someone’s question, Lieutenant General Kim Dae-hoon added an explanation.

“It’s an ultra-long-range shooting test, precisely hitting a target located 3 km away.”

“3 km? That’s way beyond the effective range.”

“This doesn’t seem like a test meant to be passed.”

“Even the world’s top sniper rifles have an effective range of about 2 km. 3 km seems excessive.”

“But if it really hits a target 3 km away, the rifle’s performance would be undeniable.”

“That’s true.”

Listening to the judges’ comments, the corners of my mouth naturally turned up.

The big picture I had envisioned during the planning of the AGE-01 at the Advanced Technology Fusion Research Institute.

The nature of future wars will quickly shift from armored equipment like fighter jets and tanks to drone-centric warfare.

While numerous technologies will be researched to counter drone swarm attacks,

I believed the most efficient among them would be active shooting technology (Acquired Guidance Engagement, AGE).

Currently, real-time target calculation is impossible without integration with Luna,

but once the interactive AI platform ‘Luna’ is completed

and the ‘Luna Link,’ capable of monitoring the world in real-time, is successfully operational,

just firing the AGE-01 randomly will be enough to block drone swarm attacks like a swarm of bees.

Not to mention engagements with regular soldiers.

‘Of course, with the current setup, the AGE-01 can only hit what its mounted camera can see.’

I thought that even with this limited technology, passing the fourth stage test would be more than possible.

“Prepare for the fourth stage ultra-long-range shooting test!”

Lieutenant General Kim Dae-hoon’s voice echoed again.

“According to test regulations, targets at the 3 km distance range will be automatically set.”

“Each shooter will fire three rounds, and higher points will be awarded to the side with the most precise hit record.”

Shortly after, a live feed from the outer range appeared on the large screen.

In the middle of a vast plain, the wind gently rustled the grass.

Beyond it, at the 3 km mark, a small metal target plate hung from a fixed tower along the coastline.

Those who saw it voiced their opinions.

“Wow, how can anyone hit that?”

“No matter how good the rifle is, that seems impossible to hit.”

“The bullet drop will be enormous.”

“It’s practically impossible with a regular rifle.”

“It’s just a show test. Hitting it is out of the question.”

Meanwhile, CEO Yoon Seok-hwan smiled again.

Director Gwon Do-hyeon shared a similar thought.

“Combining the performance of the optical sight, range finder, and ballistic calculator mounted on the A2C, even if not ultra-high performance, it should demonstrate some sniping capability.”

With Captain Jeong Gwang-sik’s shooting skills added to the A2C’s performance,

they believed hitting a target 3 km away would be possible.

This showdown wasn’t about how close to the center they could hit,

but whether they could hit the target at all.

“If we get bonus points in this round and secure additional points in the final fifth stage, we might be able to overturn the previous results.”

Hope returned to the previously gloomy Ahsung Defense side.

In that atmosphere, Captain Jeong Gwang-sik and Captain Jo In-hyeok stepped into the firing lane side by side.

As the two stood side by side at the firing line,

a heavy tension filled the air.

First, Captain Jeong Gwang-sik picked up the A2C.

Unlike his usual calm demeanor,

a deep wrinkle formed between his brows.

Hitting a target 3 km away with a regular rifle like this was practically impossible.

However, he decided to trust the A2C’s precise optical sight and ballistic calculator.

[Wind speed 3.5 m/s, southeast direction, humidity 42%, bullet drop calculation complete. Ready to fire.]

The calculated trajectory appeared on the HUD,

and Captain Jeong Gwang-sik immediately began aiming.

He maintained his calm, slowly regulating his breathing.

Bang!

The first round left the barrel.

Those watching the monitor held their breath, waiting for the result.

Shortly after, the result appeared on the screen.

[First shot, target not hit, deviation 7.2 m]

“As expected, too difficult.”

But Captain Jeong didn’t panic and quickly prepared the second shot.

The A2C’s ballistic calculator adjusted the values more precisely.

Bang!

[Second shot, target not hit, deviation 2.4 m]

“Oh, much closer!”

The onlookers murmured in surprise.

But there was still a long way to go.

Captain Jeong carefully prepared the final shot.

‘I must hit it this time!’

He narrowed his eyes and aimed at the target again.

He held his breath and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

This time, the bullet flew very close to the target, grazing it.

[Third shot, target not hit, deviation 0.7 m]

“So close…!”

Gasps erupted from all around.

Though it didn’t hit,

getting within 1 meter of the target from 3 km away was astonishing.

CEO Yoon Seok-hwan and Director Gwon Do-hyeon’s faces brightened.

“At that distance, it’s practically a hit, isn’t it?”

“Yes, even if the AGE-01 is exceptional, it would be hard to match that.”

Attention turned to Captain Jo In-hyeok once more.

Captain Jo calmly picked up the AGE-01.

But having just witnessed Captain Jeong Gwang-sik’s results, he couldn’t help but feel the pressure.

Then, Kang Tae-joon’s voice came through the earpiece again.

“Don’t be nervous. Just aim well towards the target this time, too.”

It was just one sentence,

but strangely, confidence welled up inside him.

The confidence that with this, nothing could miss.

Captain Jo didn’t know,

but the true power of the AGE-01 lay in its MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System)-based active steering fin system.

The micro-steering fins mounted on the warhead allowed the bullet to make fine adjustments to its posture and direction mid-air.

Unlike conventional bullets that simply fly straight,

it worked in conjunction with the computation module, essentially acting like a miniature missile that homed in on the target.

Captain Jo took a light breath and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The moment the bullet left the barrel,

the built-in computation module began immediate calculations and corrections.

Those watching the screen held their breath collectively.

Shortly after, the result appeared on the large screen.

[First shot, hit, deviation 0.18 m]

“What? A hit?”

“He hit a target 3 km away on the first try?”

Murmurs of disbelief and awe spread through the crowd.

CEO Yoon Seok-hwan and Director Gwon Do-hyeon’s faces drained of color.

Nearby, Captain Jeong Gwang-sik also looked stunned, his face blank as he stared at Captain Jo In-hyeok.

But there were still two shots left.

Captain Jo prepared the second shot with even greater calm.

Bang!

[Second shot, hit, deviation 0.06 m]

The consecutive results left the crowd not just in awe but in shock.

As Captain Jo prepared the final third shot, the onlookers’ anticipation reached its peak.

Captain Jo felt the same.

‘Just one more shot…’

He held his breath

and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The final bullet pierced the target’s center.

[Third shot, hit, deviation 0.00 m]

The moment the result appeared on the screen, the room erupted in cheers.

“Unbelievable…!”

“He hit the center from 3 km away.”

“How is that even possible?”

Everyone looked at each other in astonishment.

The Ahsung Defense team was completely frozen.

When they first participated in the WSPI evaluation, they had been so confident.

With this test result, Dojin secured overwhelming additional points,

making a comeback impossible.

Shortly after, Lieutenant General Kim Dae-hoon, holding the microphone, drove the point home.