Li Chang’an gestured for everyone to spread out and proceed with caution.
"Stay in contact. Report anything you see," Li Chang’an ordered in a low voice.
The squad members each found cover and advanced silently toward the target area.
Han Ruoxi and Shen Qiuyue took the flanks, responsible for security, while Sun Yang provided fire support, ready to open fire at the first sign of danger.
As they ventured deeper into the mountains, the terrain grew more treacherous, and a heavy feeling hung in the air.
Li Chang’an remained on high alert, the only sound the wind whistling past the rocks.
"Captain, I have no signs of Insect Race activity on my side," Han Ruoxi’s voice came through the comms.
"Same here," Shen Qiuyue reported softly.
Li Chang’an nodded. "Keep moving. Don’t let your guard down."
They advanced slowly, every step taken with extreme care.
Suddenly, Sun Yang’s voice crackled in their earpieces. "Captain, I’ve found traces of the Insect Race, about two hundred meters from our position!"
Li Chang’an stopped, his gaze sharp as he looked ahead. "Everyone, focus up! Prepare for combat!"
The squad immediately tightened their formation and crept toward the location Sun Yang had reported.
Sure enough, among the rocks not far ahead, several Insect Race patrol sentries were moving slowly.
"There are more of these things than I thought," Han Ruoxi said with a frown. "What’s the plan?"
"No direct engagement," Li Chang’an said calmly. "We’ll go around them and keep moving. The objective is intel."
The team nodded and silently changed their route, avoiding the Insect Race patrols.
’Man, I thought we’d get to take out a few,’ Sun Yang grumbled under his breath.
"Stop thinking about fighting all the time," Han Ruoxi shot him a glare. "We’re here for reconnaissance, not a brawl."
Sun Yang shrugged. "Alright, alright. I’ll listen to you."
They continued onward, gradually approaching the target area.
The signs of the Insect Race grew more numerous, and a thick, foul stench filled the air.
"Bai Lin, how far to the target location?" Li Chang’an asked quietly.
"Less than fifty meters," Bai Lin’s voice came from the earpiece. "I’ve hacked into the Insect Race’s internal monitoring system and found their assembly point."
"Good. Keep monitoring," Li Chang’an nodded, leading the squad silently toward the assembly point.
When they finally reached the Insect Race’s assembly point, the sight before them made everyone hold their breath. It was a massive underground cavern, swarming with a dense mass of the Insect Race. The ground was covered in eggs. It was clearly a new Insect Hive.
"My god, there are so many of them..." Sun Yang whispered in shock. "What do we do now?"
Li Chang’an’s expression was grave as he quickly formulated a plan. "We gather intel first. Confirm their numbers, then we pull back immediately."
Han Ruoxi tightened her grip on her Superpower Gloves. "Captain," she asked in a low voice, "what do we do if we’re discovered?"
"Stay hidden. We avoid a fight if at all possible," Li Chang’an glanced at her. "We can’t afford a direct confrontation."
Li Chang’an led the Insect Hunter Squad as they hid behind the rocks. Everyone held their breath, trying not to make a sound.
The Insect Race’s assembly point was right in front of them. A dense swarm of insects crawled back and forth, and the ground was covered in eggs that shimmered with a nauseating sheen.
"Captain, this place is basically an insect factory," Sun Yang said quietly, a look of astonishment on his face.
Li Chang’an raised a hand, signaling him to be quiet.
His gaze swept across the interior of the Insect Hive, searching for key intelligence.
An Insect Hive of this size meant their numbers had reached an astonishing level. If they didn’t act quickly, the Insect Race would spread, and the base’s defensive lines would face a massive threat.
"Look over there," Han Ruoxi whispered, pointing to a distant corner. "There seem to be larger eggs over there. Could that be their command center?"
Li Chang’an narrowed his eyes, following her finger. He did indeed spot several objects much larger than the normal eggs. They were guarded by a few special-looking members of the Insect Race. It looked like some kind of hatchery for the High-tier Insect Race.
"It’s the Insect Race’s advanced units," Shen Qiuyue analyzed calmly. "Those guards look different from the regular sentries. They must be a stronger variant."
Li Chang’an nodded, making a quick decision. "We need to find a way to get intel on those eggs, confirm the exact number and type of these advanced units. Han Ruoxi, can you use your Superpower to interfere with their defense systems?"
Han Ruoxi frowned slightly in thought. "I can try, but there are too many of them here. I can only interfere for a short time."
"That’s enough," Li Chang’an said in a low voice. "Sun Yang, prepare to provide cover. Shen Qiuyue, you’ll be responsible for breaking through from the flank to retrieve the egg data. We need to be fast. Try to complete the mission without alerting them."
"Understood!" they replied in unison and immediately sprang into action.
Han Ruoxi moved to a hidden position, blue electric light sparking in her hands.
She gently waved her arm, and several currents of electricity spread out, silently infiltrating the Insect Race’s defense systems.
The High-Tier Insect guards seemed to feel something, their bodies twitching slightly, but they quickly returned to normal.
"It worked!" Han Ruoxi said quietly. "But I can only hold it for a few minutes!"
"That’s plenty of time," Li Chang’an nodded to Shen Qiuyue. "Go!"
Shen Qiuyue silently approached the massive eggs from the flank, her Dueling Sword partially unsheathed. Her movements were as light as the wind, like an agile cheetah.
She reached the eggs, quickly activated the information-gathering device on her wrist, and began scanning their data.
"Scan complete!" Shen Qiuyue reported in a low voice. "Data has been transmitted back to base."
"Nice work. Let’s pull back, now!" Li Chang’an immediately gave the order to retreat, and everyone quickly prepared to leave.
However, just as they were about to retreat, a deep, rumbling vibration suddenly echoed from the distance.
Li Chang’an’s brow furrowed instantly. He knew this was bad.
Though they had been cautious, the sheer number of the Insect Race meant that any minor disturbance could have alerted them.
"Captain, something’s approaching!" Bai Lin’s voice, tinged with obvious anxiety, came through the earpiece. "I see a large number of the Insect Race converging on your position in the monitoring system! It looks like they’ve spotted something!"
"Damn it, I think we’ve been discovered," Han Ruoxi said quietly, a trace of nervousness in her eyes.
"Retreat!" Li Chang’an didn’t hesitate, immediately issuing the command. "Everyone, fall back now! Don’t get bogged down in a fight!"
The squad members quickly dispersed, rapidly falling back along their pre-planned escape route.
Li Chang’an brought up the rear, ever-watchful of his surroundings.
He knew that if the Insect Race fully discovered their presence, the entire hive would swarm them.
"Faster, don’t stop!" Li Chang’an urged, while simultaneously scanning behind them with his peripheral vision to ensure all squad members were on the move.
"Now this is a real thrill!" Sun Yang panted as he ran. Despite his casual words, the tense look on his face betrayed his true feelings.
Han Ruoxi was up ahead, electric sparks flashing in her hands, ready to deal with any sudden developments.
Meanwhile, Shen Qiuyue gripped her Dueling Sword tightly, cautiously watching every movement around them.
"Captain, there’s a wave of the Insect Race closing in from behind. Not a large group, but they’re fast!" Bai Lin’s voice came through again. It was clear the insects had detected them.
"Keep running, don’t stop!" Li Chang’an immediately picked up his pace.
The squad quickly traversed the outer tunnels of the Insect Hive, but just as they neared the exit, a huge member of the Insect Race suddenly burst out from the side, blocking their escape route.