Infinity, The Arcade Age

In the desolate wilderness, Qin Ming and Kasamoto Eri rode together on the sleek black warhorse, both clad in cowboy attire. They followed the map at a leisurely pace, heading toward the territory of Simon, the bandit leader.

Their plan was simple—stake out the area and wait for their tracked enemies to show up.

The distance was considerable, but with Black Rabbit's impressive speed, they were confident they'd arrive before nightfall.

Still, they weren't in a hurry. They moved slowly, and the reason soon became clear...

Click!

The Black Rabbit abruptly halted, its hooves digging into the dusty ground.

Keeping his head bowed, Qin Ming adjusted his grip on his hat's brim and slowly lifted his gaze.

All around them, numerous cowboys rose from behind cover, their weapons aimed squarely at the duo.

The cowboys exuded hostility, brandishing an assortment of firearms—rifles, revolvers, and even shotguns.

The clattering of hooves echoed in the distance as several mounted figures emerged from behind a massive boulder.

Leading the group was none other than the sheriff Qin Ming had just dealt with.

He swayed slightly atop his horse, reins in one hand and a rifle slung over his shoulder.

A cigarette dangled from his lips beneath his wide-brimmed sheriff's hat, his expression amused yet menacing.

"Well, well... we meet again, bounty hunter," the sheriff drawled with a crooked smile.

Still tipping his hat, Qin Ming chuckled softly.

"Indeed, what a coincidence. Sheriff, what brings you out here?"

"Oh, nothing much. I couldn't help noticing you seem to have a lot of money. And since you're heading off to die at Simon's hands anyway, why not be generous and give it all to us first?"

"Ah? So it's black-on-black crime, is it?"

Qin Ming's eyes narrowed as he scanned the encircling cowboys, their aggressive stance unmistakable.

The sheriff's expression turned cold as his finger tightened on the trigger of his rifle.

"Nope. Just sticking to the rules of the West: only those strong enough get to keep their money. That's how things work here. So... ready to die?"

A tense silence blanketed the scene.

Lowering his head, Qin Ming remained still for a moment before spitting out the toothpick he'd been chewing.

In a flash, he rolled off the horse, his body twisting mid-air.

Before his feet even hit the ground, his twin revolvers were already roaring to life.

Bullets blazed forth like shooting stars, ripping through the ranks of the ambushers.

Cowboys who had just pulled their triggers were struck down, blood spraying from their wounds as they collapsed onto the ground.

Behind Qin Ming, Kasamoto Eri finally made her move.

Unlike him, she didn't reach for her revolver.

Instead, she grabbed hold of the energy machine gun mounted to Black Rabbit's saddle.

The barrel spun violently as she squeezed the trigger, unleashing a blinding torrent of fire.

A storm of dense bullets swept across the battlefield, shattering boulders into fragments. The cowboys taking cover behind them were hit and collapsed on the spot.

Then, with a blinding flash, a beam from the double-barreled cannon shot forth, slicing through the massive stone and dismembering several cowboys hiding behind it.

The gunfire roared incessantly, mingled with panicked screams.

In the blink of an eye, over half of the two dozen cowboys surrounding them lay motionless on the ground. The remaining few huddled nervously behind cover, their faces tense.

The sheriff, who had underestimated the duo's capabilities, finally understood why they dared challenge the infamous bounty target, Simon.

Gritting his teeth, the sheriff pulled out a stick of dynamite from his jacket. Lighting it with his cigarette, he prepared to hurl it.

But the moment he raised his arm, his body violently jolted twice.

Across the way, Qin Ming fired with lightning precision, hitting the sheriff twice — and then nailing the dynamite in his hand.

Boom!

A deafening explosion rocked the area, blasting several nearby cowboys into the air.

The sheriff, caught at point-blank range, was thrown to the ground, his body scorched and bloodied, one arm completely blown off.

Writhing in agony amid the smoke, he stubbornly reached for his rifle.

Before his trembling hand could touch the weapon, a boot firmly planted itself on the gun barrel.

The sheriff looked up in a desperate struggle, only to see Qin Ming standing over him, his expression cold and unreadable.

The sunlight streaming from behind cast a dark shadow over Qin Ming's figure, obscuring his features.

"You...!" the sheriff gasped.

"Nice gun," Qin Ming remarked flatly. "Much better than that piece of junk you gave me. You don't mind if I take it, right?"

"I...!"

"Not that your opinion matters. After all, you said it yourself: in the West, only the strong keep their guns."

Click!

Qin Ming cocked the rifle, swiftly spinning it in a flashy arc to load a round.

Leveling the gun at the sheriff's forehead, Qin Ming grinned, his white teeth gleaming.

"Survival of the fittest, Sheriff."

Bang!

The gunshot echoed, and the already gravely wounded sheriff fell limp, lifeless.

Bending down, Qin Ming retrieved the three gold coins he'd given the man earlier.

After blowing dust off the coins, he pocketed them with a satisfied hum.

Rising, he surveyed the blood-soaked scene, then casually cocked the rifle again with a shrug.

In the West, rules were meaningless—or perhaps might makes right was the only rule that mattered.

As a rookie bounty hunter flashing gold coins around, Qin Ming knew full well he'd attract trouble.

In fact, he was counting on it.

That cheap blue-tier revolver didn't satisfy him. And spending 300 points just for information? That stung.

So he'd been waiting—waiting for the sheriff to succumb to temptation and make a move.

The sheriff hadn't disappointed.

After a quick search of the bodies, Qin Ming pocketed a few scattered keys and gathered the non-transferable equipment.

He then used them to fuse with the newly acquired lever-action rifle.

A burst of light heralded the creation of a weapon that finally met his standards.

Name: Lever-Action Rifle (Sunset Riders 1)

Category: Weapon (Ordinary Silver-Tier)

Requirements: None

Effect 1: Fixed damage: 35–40 (Ammo Capacity: 6/6)

Effect 2: Damage increases the closer the target, up to 50% additional damage

Description: If revolvers are a cowboy's romance, lever-action and bolt-action rifles are a man's true love. No one can resist the slick spin and crisp cocking sound—not even the Terminator.

(Note: This is a plot item and cannot be taken out of this world.)

Qin Ming lifted the rifle, closing one eye as he aimed into the distance.

Satisfied after a few test motions, he lowered the weapon, scratching his head thoughtfully.

"Wait a sec... did lever-action rifles even exist in this era?"

(End of Chapter)