Chapter 281
A sturdy and agile spirit. Had she stumbled upon a nest of soldiers? Here came another one.
Even though he was trying to keep a low profile, not even wearing a jacket on this crisp autumn day, his demeanor screamed military. Might as well have those words tattooed on his forehead.
Every profession had its telltale traits, something one could spot a mile away. And for soldiers, honed by years of rigorous training, it was even more pronounced–unless they were undercover agents, masters of disguise, who often managed to blend in seamlessly.
“Can I help you with something?” Miranda asked nonchalantly, pretending ignorance.
She figured this guy probably wasn’t acquainted with Beck. Beck and his crew knew her well enough not to address her like that.
Hannah started to take off her headphones, but Miranda interjected, “Keep practicing.”
Hannah reluctantly kept her headphones on, continuing to practice as Miranda had instructed.
Timothy chuckled wryly. “And quite the strict lady.”
One wouldn’t raise the hand to a smiling face, and Miranda smiled back. “Well, since you’ve already paid to be here, you might as well make the most of it. Wouldn’t want your money to go to waste, would you?”
Timothy’s eyes twinkled with admiration as he looked at Miranda. “That’s a fair point. I noticed you seem quite knowledgeable about marksmanship. Coincidentally, so am I. Do you have a moment to chat?”
Miranda was about to claim she was busy.
“One minute, a thousand bucks.”
Miranda replied, “In that case, I have all the time in the world!”
Timothy was at loss for words. Mr. Ashcroft wasn’t wrong. Nothing spoke quite like money.
Two minutes later, they were seated in the lounge area. Miranda flashed a professional smile. “Go ahead.”
Her demeanor was that of a professional conversationalist. Timothy paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts before speaking.
“Hi, my last name is Temple. I noticed you have an impressive knowledge of firearms and your aim is impeccable. Even in the relevant fields, someone with your skills is a rare find. Have you ever felt it’s a pity to have such a talent but no outlet to showcase it?”
Miranda’s eyes gleamed with understanding, but she kept her smile. “Not really.”
Timothy paused. “You’ve probably seen those TV shows where people with special talents eventually decide to contribute to the country or join related fields, fulfilling their potential. Do you have any thoughts on that?”
He gestured as he spoke, as if worried Miranda wouldn’t catch his drift. Watching him, Miranda chuckled and shook her head. “Not really.”
Timothy felt irritated but couldn’t bring himself to take it out on her. So, he laid his cards on the table. “Miranda, what I mean is, you’re talented, and it’d be a shame to let it go to waste. Why not consider joining us? I could recruit you into the division.”
He decided to stop beating around the bush. Finally, he felt a sense of relief after he said it.
He waited for Miranda’s response while continuing, “Even though there are many sharpshooters in the division, training a competent marksman requires significant resources. Your skills and qualities make you an ideal candidate for becoming a top–tier sniper. If you’re willing, we can train you to be one of the best. Just so you know, a top sniper can command the world’s attention.”
He had observed Miranda long enough to know her potential. With some training, she could easily become a
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star sniper. If she was merely a random sharpshooter, he wouldn’t specially come for her.
Her accomplishment in every aspect was too exceptional to ignore, almost as if she were already trained in military techniques, not to mention her outrageously impressive shooting skills.
Her impressiveness couldn’t be described by plain words, and her accuracy made him wonder the thing clutched in her hand wasn’t a gun but any other object instead, where she presumably would target at the enemy’s lethal point with precision.
Miranda pondered for a moment, and then spoke, “Here’s the thing, Mr. Temple. Some time ago, another gentleman approached me with a similar offer.”
Timothy’s senses went on high alert. “Who?”
Miranda looked conflicted. “He said his name was Beck, which makes your offer quite a dilemma for me because I was considering joining him.”
At the mention of Beck, Timothy’s expression shifted.
Beck? Of course, he knew Beck. Though they were in the same military umbrella, their branches and command lines differed.
“What’s so great about their offer?” Timothy frowned. “Forget about him!”
Miranda sighed dramatically, “But now I’m really torn. Perhaps, Mr. Temple, you could talk it over with him?”
Better to let them sort it out among themselves than bother her about it.
As Timothy saw Miranda’s innocent, conflicted expression, his demeanor softened. After all, she was just a twenty–year–old kid who hadn’t seen much of the world.
It was natural for her to feel caught in a bind when faced with people like them.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ashcroft, watching from the monitors, rubbed his chin, eyes squinted. “That sly fox.”
Chapter 282
Chapter 282
