"You did a great job. You almost held them off!" Li Chang’an patted her on the shoulder. "But our attack isn’t that easy to defend against!"
"Of course! Captain, you’ve got one strategy after another. Who could possibly stop you?" Sun Yang said with a smug grin. "But you’re not bad yourself, Han Ruoxi. I want to spar with you again next time!"
"Sure thing. Next time, I’ll definitely give you a hard time!" Han Ruoxi replied with a smile.
Shen Qiuyue wiped her Longsword and said calmly, "Defense is difficult, especially against Li Chang’an’s attacks."
"All right, that’s it for today’s tactical drill. Everyone did a good job!" Li Chang’an clapped his hands. "Head back and get some rest. We’ll continue tomorrow!"
After the squad dismissed, the group walked back to the dorms, talking and laughing as they went.
"Captain, you really won that tactical drill beautifully!" Sun Yang said with a laugh. "But next time, I’m definitely going to find a way to break through Han Ruoxi’s Electric Grid!"
"You’d better get some more practice in!" Han Ruoxi laughed. "My Electric Grid isn’t so easy to break through!"
"Alright, alright, we’ll see about that!" Sun Yang said excitedly, clearly looking forward to their future training.
「The next morning」
Li Chang’an was once again the first to wake up. Just as he finished putting on his gear, Han Ruoxi was already waiting for him at the door, a hint of a smile in her eyes.
"Captain, you’re up really early again today!" Han Ruoxi said with a smile.
"Waking up early is a good habit," Li Chang’an said with a faint smile. "You’re up earlier than usual. Looks like you’re fully prepared?"
Han Ruoxi shrugged. "Of course I am. Yesterday’s drill was a real challenge. I need to step it up today so you can’t just break through my defenses so easily again!"
Li Chang’an nodded lightly. "It’s not just about drills today. I have a feeling that the atmosphere in the base is a little unusual. Everyone needs to be extra prepared."
Just then, Sun Yang came stumbling out of the dorms, holding his Pulse Gun in one hand and rubbing his eyes with the other. "Whoa, Captain, why so early? Are we really doing extra training today?"
"Of course!" Li Chang’an said with a smile. "Didn’t you say you hadn’t had enough? I’m giving you your chance today to get some extra practice in!"
Sun Yang immediately perked up, the sleepiness vanishing from his face. "Captain, don’t you worry. I definitely won’t slack off today!"
"See that you don’t," Shen Qiuyue said, stepping out with her Longsword in hand, her expression calm.
"Alright, everyone fall in. Today’s training schedule is tight, and we might get a notice for a new mission this afternoon," Li Chang’an said, leading the squad toward the training grounds.
Once they arrived at the training grounds, the squad had just begun to warm up when the communicator suddenly beeped again.
Li Chang’an glanced at it and immediately answered.
"Li Chang’an, urgent mission. Your Insect Hunter Squad is to assemble at the command center immediately!" Liu Na’s voice was calm, but laced with urgency.
"Understood. We’ll be right there!" Li Chang’an ended the call and looked at his squad.
"Gear up, everyone. We have a mission!"
Sun Yang’s eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up. "Captain, what’s the mission this time? It’s not another recon mission, is it?"
"It’s not clear yet. We’ll find out when we get to the command center," Li Chang’an said with a wave of his hand. "Move out!"
The squad quickly checked their gear and hurried to the command center.
Liu Na was already waiting for them in front of the large screen, a look of clear tension on her face.
"This mission is extremely urgent." She got straight to the point. "We just received intel that an Insect Race assault force has suddenly appeared not far from our base. It’s a sizable force, and they may be planning a direct attack on the base!"
"A direct attack on the base?" Han Ruoxi asked, surprised. "They’re planning a full-frontal assault?"
"Yes. We estimate they’ll launch a full-scale offensive this afternoon. The Insect Hunter Squad’s mission is to intercept the Insect Race’s assault force and delay them for as long as possible, buying time for the base to prepare its defenses," Liu Na continued.
Li Chang’an’s brow furrowed. "What are the numbers on this assault force? How long can we hold them off?"
"The exact numbers are still unclear, but according to our intel, there are a lot of them, and their combat strength is high," Liu Na said gravely. "Your mission isn’t to crush them in a frontal assault, but to disrupt their advance as much as possible and buy us time to set up our defenses!"
Sun Yang’s spirits immediately lifted at the news. "Captain, this is going to be a tough fight! A head-on clash with an Insect Race assault force... We finally get some real action!"
"Don’t get too excited. This mission is extremely dangerous," Li Chang’an warned. "Remember, delaying them is our top priority. Don’t even think about trying to rout the enemy in a direct confrontation."
"Understood, Captain!" Sun Yang nodded, but his eyes still shone with anticipation.
"Your gear and supplies are ready. You need to depart immediately. The Insect Race assault force could be close," Liu Na said with a wave of her hand.
Li Chang’an led his squad quickly into the armory to change into their combat gear.
This mission was unlike any they’d had before. Time was short, the enemy’s numbers were unknown, and everyone was exceptionally cautious.
Han Ruoxi carefully checked her Superpower Device and said quietly, "Captain, this mission feels tougher than the others. An Insect Race assault force is not to be taken lightly."
Li Chang’an nodded. "Exactly. This mission is dangerous. Our job is to buy time. We avoid direct engagement as much as possible and retreat the moment we get a good opportunity."
"I understand. Hold them up, buy time for the base," Shen Qiuyue said calmly, gripping her Longsword.
Sun Yang hefted his Pulse Gun. Though excited, he didn’t dare let his guard down. "Captain, I know I can’t mess around this time. Don’t worry, I’ll follow your orders to the letter!"
"Good. If everyone’s ready, let’s move out!" Li Chang’an checked everyone’s readiness, and after confirming they were set, he led the squad aboard the dropship.
The dropship took off quickly, heading for the mission area.
"Captain, you think we’ll run into the Insect Race’s main army?" Sun Yang asked while inspecting his Pulse Gun, a hint of excitement still on his face.
"Unlikely. The Insect Race’s main army doesn’t show itself that easily," Li Chang’an said, shaking his head. "But their assault force is nothing to scoff at. We can’t let our guard down on this mission, especially."
"I think the Captain’s right," Han Ruoxi said quietly, looking at the terrain outside the viewport. "Assault forces are usually elites. Their attack patterns could be far more vicious than we anticipate."
"Everyone, stay sharp. The mission could start at any moment," Li Chang’an said gravely.
A few minutes later, the dropship landed at the designated coordinates. Li Chang’an led his squad as they quickly jumped out, immediately assuming a combat-ready stance.
"According to intel, the Insect Race assault force is approaching from the southeast. We’ll set an ambush here and do our best to hold them up," Li Chang’an said in a low voice.
"Captain, there’s a stretch of hills up ahead. The terrain is complex; we can use it to bog the enemy down," Han Ruoxi said, pointing forward.
"Good. We’ll set the ambush there," Li Chang’an said with a nod, leading the squad quickly toward the hills.
The squad used the hilly terrain to conceal themselves. Li Chang’an lay prone on high ground, observing the area ahead through binoculars.
"Enemies incoming," Li Chang’an said in a low voice.
In the distance, the Insect Race assault force came into view, just as expected.
They were moving fast and in large numbers, clearly geared for a lightning raid.
"That’s a lot of them," Sun Yang muttered, watching the approaching Insect Race.
"Hold your fire. Wait until they’re in the kill zone," Li Chang’an ordered.
The Insect Race forces drew nearer, closing in on the Insect Hunter Squad’s ambush point.
"Engage!" Li Chang’an commanded.
Sun Yang immediately squeezed the trigger. The Pulse Gun spat out a stream of Energy Bullets, striking the front rank of the Insect Race with precision.
At the same time, arcs of electricity from Han Ruoxi flashed through the air, striking several of the foremost insects.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the Insect Race formation instantly fell into disarray.