"Don’t forget to buy us a round once we’ve pulled this off!" Han Ruoxi whispered from the side.
Sun Yang grinned. "No problem. As long as we finish the mission, the treats are on me!"
Li Chang’an said nothing. He simply focused on the Insect Hive entrance ahead, leading the Insect Hunter Squad as they crept closer and closer.
The hive entrance wasn’t obvious. It was covered in a dense mat of vines and dirt, making it nearly impossible for an outsider to spot without a careful look.
"It’s just ahead!" Bai Lin whispered, his tablet displaying the Insect Hive’s internal layout. "I’ve hacked their surveillance system, but I can only hold it for a little while. We have to hurry!"
"Good work," Li Chang’an nodded and ordered quietly. "Bai Lin, you stay here and handle surveillance and remote support.
The rest of us are going in to scout and assess the situation inside!"
"Don’t worry, Captain. I’ll be watching your every move," Bai Lin said with a slight smile. He then crouched in a hidden corner and quickly adjusted his equipment to monitor the area.
"Captain, this entrance is too narrow. How about I fire a Pulse Bullet and blast it open?" Sun Yang suggested, half-joking.
"You want to wake up the entire Insect Hive?" Shen Qiuyue shot him a cold glare.
Han Ruoxi chuckled. "Sun Yang, you love blowing things up so much. Ever think you might get blown up yourself one day?"
Sun Yang pursed his lips. "Why don’t you guys ever trust me? Am I the kind of person who doesn’t know what’s at stake?"
"You are!" Han Ruoxi and Shen Qiuyue replied in unison.
"Alright, fine! I’ll shut up," Sun Yang shrugged, giving them a ’you’re right’ look.
Li Chang’an didn’t join their banter, his attention fixed on the hive entrance.
He said quietly, "The defenses at the entrance are weak. This is likely a secondary passage for the insects. Perfect for our infiltration."
"Then let’s get a move on. Don’t take too long," Shen Qiuyue said, having already drawn her Dueling Sword. Her eyes flashed with a cold light.
The squad quickly formed a single file line and entered the hive one by one.
The hive’s interior was more complex than they had expected. The ground was covered in a viscous fluid and the remains of cocoons, while the walls crawled with layers of writhing insect larvae. A foul, fishy stench filled the air.
"So gross," Sun Yang muttered, pinching his nose.
"Quiet!" Li Chang’an gave a small hand signal, motioning for everyone to be silent.
They pushed deeper, gradually approaching the Insect Hive’s core.
The insect patrols weren’t dense, but they occasionally spotted a few massive Sentinel Insects guarding the junctions.
"The core is just ahead!" Bai Lin’s voice came through their earpieces. "I’m seeing it on the surveillance feed. It’s the Insect Hive’s command center. A massive Insect Queen is in there, controlling the whole nest!"
"The Insect Queen?" Li Chang’an frowned. "What are its combat capabilities?"
"Its direct combat ability is average, but it can control a huge number of insects to attack for it.
If we accidentally attract its attention, every insect in the hive will be summoned here!" Bai Lin explained.
"Then we’ll have to be careful," Han Ruoxi said, gently stroking her gloves. "If we run into it, I need to paralyze the Insect Queen’s Superpower system first!"
"You can disable it?" Li Chang’an asked.
Han Ruoxi nodded. "My Electric Superpower can severely disrupt this kind of creature’s nervous system. If the timing is right, I should be able to make it lose its command ability for a short period."
"Excellent," Li Chang’an said after a moment’s thought. "We’ll keep advancing. Once we spot the Insect Queen, Ruo Xi, you disrupt it. Sun Yang and Shen Qiuyue, you cover me while I attack.
We end this fast. No dragging it out!"
"Understood!" the others replied in unison.
They pressed on, cautiously navigating several narrow tunnels.
Just then, a massive Insect Queen came into view.
The Insect Queen’s body was mountain-sized, its writhing tentacles thrashing constantly. It was surrounded by several guard insects.
"That’s the Insect Queen?" Sun Yang whispered. "Damn, that thing is terrifying!"
Han Ruoxi tightened her grip on her Superpower Gloves. "I’m ready."
"Hold on," Li Chang’an signaled for them to stop. "Let’s assess the surroundings first. We can’t move in rashly."
They hid in the shadows, observing the Insect Queen’s movements.
There weren’t many guard insects, but each one looked incredibly tough.
Li Chang’an quickly formulated a plan of attack in his mind.
"Captain, when do we move?" Shen Qiuyue asked, already poised to strike.
"Wait for my signal." Li Chang’an took a deep breath, his eyes locked on the Insect Queen. "Ruo Xi, when I give the word, you’ll shock the Insect Queen.
Sun Yang, right before that, you’ll fire a few Pulse Bullets to draw the guards’ attention."
"No problem, Captain! You can count on me!" Sun Yang said, cracking his knuckles with an excited look on his face.
"Get ready," Li Chang’an ordered quietly.
Sparks of electricity already danced around Han Ruoxi’s hands, ready to unleash her Superpower at a moment’s notice.
At that moment, Li Chang’an gave a sharp wave of his hand, signaling the attack to begin.
"Let’s do this!" Sun Yang quickly raised his Pulse Gun and fired a volley of Pulse Bullets toward the guard insects, instantly drawing their attention.
"Now!" at Li Chang’an’s command. Han Ruoxi’s Electric Superpower instantly struck the Insect Queen. A current spread across its massive body, and the Queen let out a low wail. Its tentacles flailed wildly in the air, but it had clearly fallen into a temporary state of paralysis.
"Charge!" Gripping his Saw Chain Sword, Li Chang’an rushed toward the Insect Queen with Shen Qiuyue right behind him.
Shen Qiuyue’s Dueling Sword lanced out precisely at the guard insects, while Li Chang’an’s Saw Chain Sword aimed straight for the Insect Queen’s head.
"Nice one!" Sun Yang shouted with a laugh as he laid down cover fire. "We’ve definitely got it this time!"
Just then, however, the Insect Queen’s body convulsed violently, as if it was about to break free from the shackles of Han Ruoxi’s Electric Energy.
Li Chang’an faltered for a split second, his eyes flashing with surprise.
"Captain, it’s recovering!" Bai Lin’s voice came over the comms.
"Ruo Xi, hit it again!" Li Chang’an commanded instantly.
"I’m trying!" Han Ruoxi gritted her teeth, intensifying the Electric Energy in her hands. The current surged toward the Insect Queen like a tidal wave, but the creature’s struggles only grew more violent.
"Damn it, it’s about to counterattack!" Sun Yang yelled as he continued to fire.
"Keep up the attack! Don’t let it recover!" Li Chang’an shouted, bringing his sword down in a vicious slash. The Insect Queen let out a piercing shriek, but it continued to struggle wildly.
Shen Qiuyue pierced the last guard insect with her sword and said coldly, "Finish it, now!"
"Captain, its resistance is getting stronger!" Bai Lin’s voice was tinged with anxiety.
Li Chang’an gritted his teeth and swung his Saw Chain Sword again, bringing it down hard on the Insect Queen’s head.
With the high-frequency vibration of the Saw Chain Sword, the Insect Queen’s carapace was finally torn apart. A blackish-green fluid gushed out, and after a few violent convulsions, the Queen’s body collapsed to the ground.
"We got it!" Sun Yang waved his Pulse Gun excitedly. "See? I told you we could take it down!"
"Good work," Li Chang’an said, wiping the gore from his Saw Chain Sword. He glanced back at Han Ruoxi. "Ruo Xi, you did well."
Han Ruoxi caught her breath and managed a weak smile. "It was nothing, Captain. Good thing you finished it when you did."
"Alright, mission’s complete. Let’s get out of here," Shen Qiuyue said, walking over to the others. Her tone was as calm as ever. "This place is too dangerous. Let’s not linger."
Li Chang’an nodded. "Let’s move. Back to base."
The Insect Hunter Squad quickly withdrew from the Insect Hive and started on the journey back.
Even though the Insect Queen was dead, Li Chang’an didn’t let his guard down in the slightest. He remained vigilant, his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings.
"Captain, that mission was a real rush!" Sun Yang said with a laugh, patting his Pulse Gun. "If that Insect Queen had been any stronger, I’m not sure I could’ve held on!"