Chapter 4: Wild Paths

Joja had a lot of guns, but the ones he used most frequently were his two Beretta 92F pistols, also known as the M9 pistols used by the U.S. military. Additionally, he had a powerful firearm for ensuring his safety—a 10.5-inch-barreled HK416D equipped with a suppressor. However, the gun Joja was currently assembling and adjusting was an old and worn-looking SVD semi-automatic sniper rifle.

Over the past three years, Joja had become accustomed to shooting with the pistols and fully automatic rifles he had customized. He wasn't sure exactly how good he was, as he'd never witnessed a true expert in live combat. However, when it came to target shooting, Joja felt that his skills were more than adequate.

Part of this was due to his natural talent, but mostly it was the result of three years of uninterrupted practice and the near-endless supply of ammunition that had honed his sense for shooting.

Without any guidance, Joja had no idea how real soldiers trained. He could only search for top-level shooting competition videos online and then set up a makeshift shooting range in a hidden location outside of Kamu, where he could study and compete against those experts from a distance.

Joja believed that holding himself to competition-level standards might yield better results, but in reality, this self-imposed standard was more of a form of torture. Yet it was precisely this form of self-torture that had allowed Joja to develop highly accurate shooting skills.

It was around this time that Joja began learning how to modify standard weapons. He started by lightening trigger weights, then moved on to improving the return springs, adding muzzle brakes, and making adjustments to the barrels—among other modifications.

Currently, Joja's performance with his customized Beretta 92F in simulated combat scenarios was approaching record-breaking levels in American shooting competitions.

Joja didn't realize how remarkable this achievement was because those record-setting individuals typically used custom competition guns and ammunition that were not designed for real combat. However, Joja believed there was still room for improvement, so he continually pushed himself, working on his physical fitness and strength. He had gone through round after round of self-enhancement, achieving one breakthrough after another, though he didn't feel much of a difference himself.

This is the benefit of having a goal: when you know that something is possible, you want to achieve it yourself. When you have both the means and the motivation, physical hardship no longer seems like a big deal.

In reality, combat shooting is a type of aerobic exercise, and the intense physical activity can be quite addictive.

Currently, Joja had finalized his dedicated pistol, and his 5.56mm HK416 was also fully modified. What he needed now was a semi-automatic sniper rifle capable of extending his shooting range to around 600-800 meters while maintaining high precision.

After considering various options, Joja eventually decided to start with an old SVD and get some practice in first.

In Joja's view, shooting is a gradual process, and it's best to practice shooting at increasingly distant targets, as this is more practical. 

This theory is certainly flawed because there's no conflict between practicing with a pistol and practicing with a sniper rifle. However, Joja's time was limited, and the nature of his work meant there were inherent risks, so he had to prioritize his limited time on the most urgently needed skills.

Many people think that shooting is easy, but those who have never handled a gun might be surprised to learn that after running 50 meters, they might not even be able to hit a target 10 meters away with a pistol. Without extensive practice, a pistol is little more than a five-meter sword—more effective at intimidating than hitting anything.

As for why he chose an almost obsolete SVD as his modification target, it was partly because Joja liked the structure and overall appearance of the SVD, and partly because he wanted to test his modification skills on an older weapon.

It wasn't just about adding a few features; it was about making structural, aesthetic, and performance improvements.

This was a challenging task and a meaningful one for someone who considered himself an advanced firearms modifier.

Joja planned to keep the integrated stock and grip design, ditch the side-mounted scope that made him feel nauseous, and replace it with a Picatinny rail. He would also use high-strength engineering plastics extensively. Lastly, and most importantly, the rifle would feature an electromagnetically accelerated barrel.

This new barrel, slightly thicker than a standard SVD barrel, was equipped with internal electromagnetic acceleration coils during the manufacturing process. These coils were connected via a wire to a lithium battery mounted in the stock, providing the bullet with a secondary acceleration.

This wasn't a figment of Joja's imagination; it was a technology provided by the microcomputer within his versatile toolkit. Although he wasn't sure how effective it would be, he knew it would work.

The microcomputer had already simulated the performance of the final product, and in optimal conditions, this barrel could increase the bullet's muzzle velocity by 20%. Even if Joja's craftsmanship wasn't up to par, an increase of 10% or even 5% would be enough to excite him.

Of course, this wasn't something he would sell to others. Joja was still in a competition mindset: the things he used had to be the best in their class, and the ability to turn something seemingly useless into something incredible gave him a great sense of accomplishment.

Simply put, it was about showing off. Using an SVD to shoot farther and more accurately than others, whether or not anyone else admired him for it, Joja would at least get a kick out of it himself.

Carefully assembling the SVD he had made, Joja used the microcomputer to check the rifle's structural precision. He then attached a muzzle brake that had been modified several times and installed a 15x optical scope. Since the Picatinny rail was long enough, he could add a night vision attachment later if needed.

Loading ten rounds of special sniper ammunition into several plastic magazines, Joja looked at his finished product with satisfaction before packing it into a gun case, ready to test it at the range that afternoon.

Over the past three years, Joja hadn't had the time or a suitable venue to try hitting targets beyond 400 meters. Now, he finally had the opportunity.

After organizing all the firearms he needed, Joja was about to go upstairs to make himself some lunch when a call came through on his business phone.

Seeing the number on the screen, Joja answered and, in his reasonably fluent Arabic, said, "Hello, this is Jackal."

The person on the other end of the line, speaking in a hoarse voice, said rudely, "Jackal, when will the goods you promised be delivered?"

Joja detected the impolite tone in the other's voice and responded sternly, "Our agreed delivery date is ten days from now…"

The person on the other end paused for a moment, then softened his tone and said, "The situation here isn't looking good. I need enough weapons and ammunition."

Joja frowned and replied, "That's your problem. We agreed on a delivery time. If I don't deliver the goods to you in ten days, then you can talk to me in that tone."

Perhaps Joja's firm stance gave the other person some confidence in him. After a few seconds of silence, the caller said, "I need to move up the delivery date. If you can get the goods to me within five days, I'm willing to pay 30% extra."

Joja considered this for a moment, then nodded and said, "Thirty thousand dollars, plus the 30% rush fee. Okay, that's reasonable! But I'll remind you, I only take cash or gold."

"No problem. As long as you arrive on time, you'll get your money, and we can talk about bigger business."