He bought the Vic's Modern Warfare Mod.
Given that mods involving firearms tend to be somewhat restrained in their mechanics, Steven had not extensively experimented with or played them, even in the original Minecraft world. After all, in a world where mod bosses often boast full armor and thousands of health points, the fixed damage of around ten points per shot from firearms feels a bit underwhelming.
Explosives might have been slightly more helpful to Steven, but their terrain-damaging side effect made him reluctant to use them, even when interested. Blowing things up might feel satisfying for a moment, but filling in craters is a hassle. Nobody would enjoy playing Minecraft with their home surrounded by massive holes, right?
However, now that the setting had shifted to the world of Arknights, Steven felt that the utility of firearms might significantly improve. While they might not seem powerful to him, they remain deadly to ordinary humans.
Why are firearms considered formidable? Compared to other weapons, the scariest thing about guns is how easy they are to use. A five-year-old child holding a sword that can cut through iron might pose a minimal threat, but give that same child a basic handgun, and it's a different story. Swinging a sword requires skill and strength, while pulling a trigger is just a matter of pressing with your finger.
Moreover, Steven was starting to feel tired, old even. Constantly fighting with fists and swords was exhausting, and sometimes, a change of pace was necessary. So, Steven casually enabled Vic's Modern Warfare mod in his settings.
The point cost for activating a weapon-only mod like this was relatively low. After all, even if Steven didn't enable the mod, these firearms could theoretically still be crafted in this world—just less flashy and refined. Furthermore, since the mod didn't include any particularly overpowered items, the activation cost was even lower.
Still, the ongoing expenditure without any means of replenishment made Steven somewhat uneasy. Anything finite inevitably feels insufficient when there's no sustainable source of supply—there's always the fear of running out one day. Perhaps this was Steven's hoarder instincts kicking in; after all, many Minecraft players probably share a similar tendency.
With thoughts of eventually diving into the main storyline for a big haul, Steven quickly smelted the materials he needed. After enabling the corresponding mod, the crafting recipes instantly appeared in his mind as if they were automatically unlocked.
For most common mods, Steven didn't even need a crafting guide to remember the recipes. But for a complex and unfamiliar mod like this, he felt it was necessary to study the recipes a bit.
Stuffing the smelted materials into his inventory, Steven began arranging them on the crafting table while pondering which firearm might suit him best. Should he go with the universally recognized household classic Springfield? Or perhaps the M1 Garand, with its quirky habit of "biting fingers"? Then there's the iconic little Kaiser, the Kar98k, whose fame precedes it.
When it came down to practice, Steven realized that having too many choices could also be a problem. Everything looked appealing, and he couldn't decide which one would be the most stylish. Additionally, as he read the names of the guns, he couldn't help but associate them with the one from Girls Frontline.
It was as if memories of the past were attacking him—those otaku-like recollections buried in Steven's mind surged up uncontrollably.
If he remembered correctly, wasn't there also a Girls Frontline mod in Minecraft?
Thinking about how he should enable that mod when he had enough points, Steven ultimately decided on an old-fashioned rifle that, while somewhat outdated by modern technological standards, still held a special charm: the M1903 Springfield Rifle.
Setting aside the added appeal of its "housewife" archetype in a certain game, the bolt-action mechanism alone was reason enough for Steven to fall for it.
'Bolt-action is a man's romance!' he thought to himself. Automatic weapons? Rapid fire? None of them can match the satisfying, raw feeling of manually cycling the bolt for each shot.
Taking the freshly crafted rifle off the crafting table, Steven couldn't help but caress it lovingly.
As they say, guns, cars, and balls are the ultimate trifecta of romance for men. While Steven had little interest in cars, and his "interest in balls" was limited to anatomical humor rather than sports, when it came to guns, he was undoubtedly fired up.
Though he was born into a typical household and country far removed from firearms, Steven couldn't deny his fascination with them as ultimate tools of destruction. Still, his knowledge of their use was limited to what he had seen in movies and TV shows. Forget trick shots like curving bullets—Steven wasn't even sure he could fully assemble a gun on his own.
Luckily, even if Steven wasn't the most skilled marksman, he made up for it with sheer strength and quick reflexes.
Picking up a compatible bullet, Steven casually loaded it into the magazine, then carried the rifle out of the basement. Without even needing to use a scope, he could clearly spot a withered fruit hanging from a branch several hundred meters away, thanks to his sharp vision.
Steadying the rifle, Steven aimed briefly before decisively pulling the trigger.
BANG!
However, the shriveled fruit remained intact, still hanging on the branch as if nothing had happened.
His aim wasn't the issue; neither was the rifle's construction. But Steven was no sharpshooter, and he hadn't accounted for factors like wind speed or trajectory deviation.
Even so, Steven was quite satisfied. He had seen with his own eyes how the bullet had grazed the fruit, missing it by mere millimeters. With more practice and better control, accuracy wouldn't be much of a problem.
As for damage? Steven glanced at the bullet hole left in the tree. While it might not be enough to deal with larger monsters like the boulder-beasts he had encountered earlier, it would undoubtedly be fatal if aimed at a vital spot on a regular person.
That was good enough for him. He wasn't expecting too much from these weapons, after all. If worse came to worst, he could always switch to an anti-materiel weapon. And if that couldn't pierce through, he'd just break out the rocket launcher. If even that failed? Well, then he'd have to grab his sword and handle things the old-fashioned way.
To solidify his identity as a "gunner," Steven also crafted two of the most iconic Desert Eagles and holstered them at his waist.
Close-range shooting wasn't an issue for him. His strength allowed him to handle the recoil, and his reflexes ensured precision. Everything else was secondary.
He even went out of his way to prepare some smoke grenades, flashbangs, and regular grenades.
Anyone seeing him like this might think he was gearing up for a round of CS:GO. But at this point, Steven had fully embraced the thrill of modern firearms, crafting a complete arsenal to play around with.
Finally, Steven glanced at his leather armor, which clearly didn't match the firearms he had just equipped, and decided to ask Alina tomorrow if she could make him a cowboy outfit. If he remembered correctly, she was quite skilled at crafting this sort of thing. At the same time, he could give her the self-defense gear he had prepared.
Since Alina wasn't physically strong, using a large-caliber handgun like the Desert Eagle might result in her dislocating her arm. Thinking ahead, Steven had thoughtfully prepared two Glock pistols for her instead. These sleek, compact, and rapid-firing automatic handguns were perfect for a delicate girl like her to defend herself.
That was Steven's plan—no matter how physically weak Alina might be, she should at least be able to handle a pistol, right?
With the idea of turning her into the legendary "armed maiden," Steven even prepared some grenades specifically for her.
If natural ability wasn't enough, technology could bridge the gap. And when it came to weapons and ammo, Steven had an endless supply to offer.
After deciding on his next course of action, Steven stowed away his arsenal of firearms into his backpack and began pondering how to find the Collapsal he was supposed to deal with.
Steven's current plan was to wander around the village's outskirts systematically. While it might not be the most efficient approach, it would at least ensure he didn't miss anything important.
Then again, with Talulah and the two iron golems he had stationed in the village, Steven figured he didn't need to worry about anyone raiding his home.
Wouldn't it be more efficient to directly locate the hiding place of the Collapsal and take it out right away? That seemed like a more convenient option.
Rubbing his chin, Steven weighed the feasibility of both approaches. He realized that what he truly lacked was a tracking mod. Without it, he had to rely on asking others for clues or spending his own time and effort to find things, which felt too inefficient.
If he had a mod for tracking ores or blocks, he wouldn't have to worry about this at all. But installing such mods always came with the risk of making things feel too easy and, consequently, dull.
"Too easy isn't always a good thing," Steven muttered to himself, letting out a quiet sigh. Scratching his head, he ultimately decided to put in the effort and manually comb through the snowy plains using his minimap to search.
After all, it wasn't all bad. Who knows? He might stumble upon something interesting along the way.
With this thought in mind, Steven quickly lay down on his bed and drifted off into his dreams.
<+>
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