"Of course! If we don’t eat, how are we supposed to live!" Sun Yang laughed like a child. "Captain, don’t you agree? We fight so we can have a good meal later, right?"
Li Chang’an smiled. "I won’t get in the way of your meal, but everyone’s worked hard. Time to relax!"
"Right, right, right, relax, relax!" Sun Yang shouted as he took off at a run toward the cafeteria.
Sun Yang jogged all the way to the cafeteria, muttering nonstop about how much meat he was going to eat and how much soup he was going to drink, as if the whole battle had been fought just for a hearty dinner.
Han Ruoxi, Shen Qiuyue, and Li Chang’an followed behind at a slower pace, faint smiles on their faces.
"That guy. The second a battle is over, all he thinks about is eating!" Han Ruoxi shook her head.
"His life goals are just eating, drinking, and having fun," Shen Qiuyue said expressionlessly. "But having an optimist like Sun Yang around isn’t a bad thing."
"Yeah, sometimes his optimistic attitude can ease the tension," Li Chang’an nodded. "But he needs to know when to be serious and when to relax."
The three of them hadn’t even entered the cafeteria when they heard Sun Yang shouting inside, "Boss, a big bowl of beef noodles! And add a chicken leg!"
"You really don’t hold back, do you?" Han Ruoxi said with a sigh as she walked into the cafeteria.
"Hey, Ruo Xi, the battle’s over! How can I not treat myself to a good meal?" Sun Yang said, looking at the big bowl of noodles in his hands with a satisfied expression. "You guys better order quick, or everything will get cold!"
Li Chang’an walked to the counter, ordered a few simple dishes, then turned and sat down. He couldn’t help but smile to himself as he watched Sun Yang stuff his face with beef noodles.
"After this mission, I think we can probably relax for a few days," Han Ruoxi said, reaching for her chopsticks. "But you all heard what Commander Liu Na just said, right? We need to be more cautious on the next mission."
"Of course," Shen Qiuyue nodded. "The key to a reconnaissance mission is intelligence, not combat.
But we had no choice this time. The appearance of the Insect Queen forced our hand."
Li Chang’an took a bite of food, thought for a moment, and then said, "This operation did go a bit beyond our expectations.
The Insect Race’s activities are more complex than we imagined. The Insect Queen’s reaction, in particular, shows that their command system has evolved to be quite sophisticated."
"Mm, it looks like the coming battles will only be tougher," Han Ruoxi said thoughtfully. "I’m a little worried now... what if the Insect Race has even higher-level beings?"
"Don’t worry! We’ve got the Captain, what’s there to be afraid of?" Sun Yang said indistinctly, stuffing another mouthful of noodles into his mouth. "When the Captain makes a move, there’s never a problem!"
"Easy for you to say!" Han Ruoxi said with a smile, shaking her head. "When we actually run into a powerful enemy, don’t you go hiding in the back!"
Sun Yang’s eyes widened. "Who said I hide in the back? I’m Sun Yang, the one who charges into the fray!"
Shen Qiuyue said coldly, "I hope you can actually back that up.
Don’t just be all talk when the time comes."
Sun Yang gave an awkward laugh. "Hey, you guys have no faith in me... I did pretty well this time, didn’t I?"
Li Chang’an chuckled softly and didn’t join the conversation. Instead, he looked out the window, thinking about the arrangements for their next mission.
After dinner, they each returned to their own dorms.
Li Chang’an went back to his room, sat on the edge of his bed, and unstrapped his Saw Chain Sword, placing it to the side.
This sword had accompanied him through countless battles. Every time he wielded it, he felt a unique sense of power.
’This mission was a success, but the next one might not be so smooth,’ Li Chang’an muttered to himself. ’The Insect Race’s movements are getting stranger and stranger. I have to be more careful.’
Just as he was about to get some rest, his communicator suddenly rang.
He picked it up and saw Commander Liu Na’s name on the screen.
"Commander, what is it?" Li Chang’an answered the call.
"Li Chang’an, I just received word. We’re holding an emergency meeting tomorrow morning to discuss a new operation plan.
You and your squad members are required to attend."
"Tomorrow?" Li Chang’an frowned. "This mission just ended. Has something new come up?"
Liu Na’s voice was still calm, but it carried a hint of gravity. "Yes.
Our intelligence indicates that the Insect Race’s sphere of activity is expanding, especially near the area we scouted. There may be other hidden Insect Hives."
"Understood," Li Chang’an acknowledged with a nod. "We’ll be at the meeting on time."
After ending the call, Li Chang’an leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, thinking for a moment.
It seemed the threat from the Insect Race was even more serious than they had anticipated. Tomorrow’s meeting would likely decide their next move.
「The next morning」
The members of the Insect Hunter Squad were already gathered in the command headquarters’ conference room, waiting for Commander Liu Na to arrive.
The atmosphere in the conference room was a little tense. Everyone had a vague feeling that this meeting might involve a much bigger mission.
"Captain, what do you think this meeting will be about?" Han Ruoxi asked in a low voice.
"It’s probably related to our reconnaissance mission yesterday," Li Chang’an replied softly. "The Insect Race’s movements are unusual. There might be other undiscovered Insect Hives."
Sun Yang leaned back in his chair with a nonchalant expression. "Ah, whatever the mission is, we can handle it.
Didn’t the Captain already say? As long as we stay vigilant and stick to the plan, the Insect Race is nothing special."
Shen Qiuyue shot him a cold glance. "Don’t underestimate them.
The Insect Race’s operations are getting more and more complex. If we’re careless for even a moment, we could end up in grave danger."
"Alright, alright, I get it!" Sun Yang said with a wave of his hand. "You guys are always so serious. It’s just a meeting!"
Just as they were speaking, Commander Liu Na walked into the conference room, followed by several high-ranking officers.
Her expression was as stern as ever, but her eyes held a trace of solemnity.
"Everyone, quiet down," Liu Na said as she walked to the front and stood still. "I’ve called this meeting today because we’ve discovered new movements from the Insect Race."
"According to the latest intelligence received last night, Insect Race activity in our reconnaissance zone has suddenly increased. It’s not just the one Insect Hive we found—several other potential Insect Hives are now forming."
Hearing this, Li Chang’an’s heart sank. He hadn’t expected the Insect Race to expand so quickly.
Liu Na continued, "Our intelligence department suspects this Insect Race activity is not random, but rather an organized expansion.
This means we are very likely facing a large-scale Insect Race invasion."
"An Insect Race invasion?" Sun Yang couldn’t help but interject. "Are they planning to occupy our entire Star Realm?"
Liu Na gave him a cold look. "That possibility can’t be ruled out.
The Insect Race’s goals have always been resources and colonization. They won’t easily pass up any planet suitable for survival."
Li Chang’an asked in a heavy voice, "What is our next mission?"
Liu Na nodded. "Your Insect Hunter Squad will depart tomorrow for a new reconnaissance zone.
That area is suspected to be an Insect Race staging point. We need you to confirm their numbers and operational plans."
"Another reconnaissance mission?" Han Ruoxi frowned slightly. "Is this one going to be more dangerous?"
"Yes," Liu Na’s voice was unwavering. "You will be entering the core territory of the Insect Race. You must be extremely careful.
According to our intel, this group of the Insect Race may have a stronger command structure, and there might even be higher-level, Commander Level insects."
"Commander Level?" Shen Qiuyue asked. "Do we have a plan, then?"
"Of course," Liu Na nodded. "For this operation, we will provide you with enhanced technical support. Bai Lin will provide remote recon support for the entire mission.
Additionally, we will dispatch a backup unit to assist you in an emergency."