Ma Yan，reporting by Ma Lijuan,Yu Enze

Like shooting stars， five bullets sang out of Cheng Jing's rifle. In a flash she drew a handgun and nimbly loaded it with ten rounds， before hitting the target unerringly. All of this had taken her just 27 seconds.

Cheng is a"sharpshooter"from Leopard Commando at the Special Police Branch of the Kunming Public Security Bureau， Yunnan Province. Her swapping between a long gun and handgun is one of the most exceptional sights one can witness on the practice range.

One of few female combat tactics instructors in the local public security forces， Cheng practices and exchanges tips with her colleagues on the training ground， and can bring offenders under control bare-handed during real-life raids. In countless police operations she has found what it means to fulfill one's dreams.

With a slender figure and a bright smile， Cheng often surprises strangers with her background as an award-winning athlete. But she began standardized sports training at 11 years old， and won the taekwondo event of the provincial sports games at 15. At 20 she won in the 52-kilogram category of the National Women's Boxing Championship. In 2008， she earned world championship belts from the World Boxing Association （WBA） and the Women's International Boxing Association （WIBA）. In February 2016， she managed to defend her title with the Chinese Boxing Federation （CBF）.

However， she didn't get carried away by this array of successes. Instead， Cheng kept pushing herself to seek new goals. Between her routine training sessions， Cheng often thought about such legendary heroines as Hua Mulan and Mu Guiying， and how they had both fought bravely and fiercely for their families and country on the battlefield. Finally， she wrote down her dream in her diary："I'm going to be a police officer". Upon her retirement as a boxer， she embarked on a new journey in Kunming， where she would fulfil her dream in the police force.

"Police！ Don't move！"With pistol raised， Cheng loomed around corners inside the dim building as part of a training drill. The cramped staircases could conceal any number of threats， and she seemed to hear her own heartbeat in the dreadful silence. Though every drill poses tough challenges for Cheng， she prefers to view each one as a boxing ring. Once you made your move， there would be no second chances—every decision is pivotal in deciding the success or failure of the operation.

In each drill， Cheng is always racking her brain for the best way to deal a knockout blow to the criminal and to protect the public from harm. From early morning to late night （barring breaks for food）， she is constantly on the training ground. She pushes herself in every practice program： jogging， climbing， and shooting. She always has one goal deeply rooted in her mind："I must beat the men."

The standard time for firing a rifle and then a handgun is one minute， but Cheng's personal record is just 27 seconds. In different types of unarmed combat techniques—from wrist control to wrestling—she stands out among her colleagues. With her solid boxing skills and tremendous fortitude， she won the respect of her colleagues.

Joining the police force gave Cheng the chance to flex her fighting muscles in combat techniques. These techniques involve many tricks to beat criminals at a stroke during brutal physical combat. Cheng has never relied on just one established practice， instead， she flexibly uses her fists， waist， elbows and any other part of her body that can serve as an attack tool according to different scenarios， and leverages various types of grappling tactics like the"hit and hold"to knock down or defeat the opponent.

During physical confrontations， she always stays calm and composed， ready to launch a surprise attack with methodical tactics， never leaving any opportunity for the offender to resist. Petite in size and quiet as she looks Cheng can explode with vicious punching power in every strike， and easily deal a crushing blow to the criminal. Many of her teammates aspire to challenge this"female boxing champion"and often come to her for combat tips. They have dubbed her"invincible tough girl"; a symbol of their admiration and respect for her.

"I train myself hard every day for no other purpose but to be ready to protect the people from danger，"says Cheng. Even now， she is still sharpening her skills and strengthening her sense of responsibility in training， day in and day out， dedicating herself to fulfilling the lofty mission engraved in her heart.

（Translated by Zhang Yanzhou）