Xiaohai stood at a high vantage point, scanning the insect swarm with his terminal. "Their numbers are small. It’s likely a small reconnaissance group. At most, five or six more will show up.
We can keep wiping them out!"
"Hey now, Xiaohai. You finally said something I can relax to!"
Sun Yang grinned, continuing to pull the trigger. "Never thought you’d see the day, huh? Sun Yang is actually soloing the Insect Race!"
"Less talk, more focus!"
Shen Qiuyue blocked an insect’s pounce with her sword. With a flick of her wrist, the blade accurately pierced its head.
Li Chang’an stared at the deep crater in the clearing, his expression grim.
He slightly raised his hand, signaling for Han Ruoxi and Bai Lin to freeze.
"It’s an ambush!"
he said in a low voice, his gaze sweeping across the surrounding bushes. "The Insect Race never sends just a few mid-sized grunts out on their own.
Either their nest is nearby, or they’re waiting for us to make the first move!"
"If their nest is nearby, shouldn’t we get out of here?"
Han Ruoxi tightened her grip on her Electromagnetic Emitter and took a small step back. "If we get swarmed, the three of us won’t be able to hold them off, will we?"
Li Chang’an didn’t answer. Instead, he crouched down, pulled a Small Detector from his gear pouch, and quickly adjusted a few parameters with his fingers.
"Bai Lin, activate the interference shield! Fifty-meter radius!"
As soon as he spoke, he gently tossed the detector into the middle of the clearing.
Bai Lin nodded, his fingers flying across his terminal. "Interference shield activated. Coverage area established!"
A few seconds later, the detector landed softly, emitting a faint beeping sound.
A ring of faint blue light spread out from the detector, instantly enveloping the entire clearing.
"Something’s coming out!"
Han Ruoxi gasped, pointing toward the crater.
The glow from the crater suddenly intensified. Then, a massive insect crawled out, a biological Energy device on its back that emitted a low hum.
"An Energy-type insect!"
Bai Lin stared at his screen, rapidly analyzing the data. "This type of insect is primarily used to supply Energy to the nest. It rarely leaves.
Looks like this is definitely one of their important strongholds!"
"Who cares if it’s an Energy-type!"
Han Ruoxi gritted her teeth. "The problem is, can the three of us even beat it?"
"If we can’t win, we run!"
Li Chang’an said grimly, tightening his grip on his Saw Chain Sword. "But before we do, we need to teach it a lesson.
Bai Lin, contain its energy-wave radius! Han Ruoxi, get ready to discharge on my command! Target the energy unit on its back!"
"Understood!"
Han Ruoxi nodded, the electric light crackling in her palms growing brighter.
"Captain, what are you planning to do?"
Bai Lin looked up and asked, a little uncertain.
"To show it that the Insect Hunter Squad is no pushover!"
Li Chang’an replied coldly, then strode toward the insect.
Meanwhile, the second squad was mired in a chaotic battle.
"Sun Yang, hit the right flank! The insects are trying to circle around!"
Xiaohai shouted from his high ground, observing the swarm’s movements on his terminal as he warned Sun Yang.
"I know, I know! I’m kind of busy here!"
Sun Yang aimed at the insects on his right. His Pulse Gun let out a continuous roar, forcing two of them back.
But just as he breathed a sigh of relief, he heard a skittering sound from behind.
"Shen Qiuyue! Behind you!"
He shouted and spun around in a panic, only to find Shen Qiuyue had already solved the problem.
"Don’t just watch what’s in front of you. You need to watch your own back!"
Shen Qiuyue pierced an insect’s head with her sword, then quickly withdrew the blade, flicking the green liquid that dripped from its tip onto the ground.
"I’m a little swamped here!"
Sun Yang said with a pained expression as he re-aimed his Pulse Gun, "How come it feels like these insects are endless? Isn’t this ’small group’ a little bigger than we thought?"
"It’s not that there are too many of them, it’s that your aim is terrible!"
Shen Qiuyue said coldly. At the same time, she lightly leaped onto a rock and, from her high vantage point, precisely struck an insect that was trying to climb up.
Just then, Xiaohai’s warning came through. "Watch out! A new swarm is approaching, about ten of them! Coming from the south, and they’re fast!"
"Ten?!"
Sun Yang’s eyes went wide. "Can the three of us hold them off? Xiaohai, didn’t you say it was a small group of only five or six!"
"They must have called for reinforcements!"
Xiaohai remained calm, but there was a hint of anxiety in his voice. "We have to retreat immediately, or we’ll be surrounded!"
"Retreat?"
Shen Qiuyue frowned. "No. We hold on a little longer. If we can drag the new swarm into a bottleneck, their numbers won’t matter!"
"Fine, fine, you call the shots!"
Sun Yang gritted his teeth and fired another burst, pushing back the insects in front of him. "But speaking of which, in a situation like this, shouldn’t we call the Captain for backup?"
"The Captain has his own mission. We can’t hold him back!"
Shen Qiuyue’s tone was resolute. She shot a glare at Sun Yang. "You’d better stop complaining!"
"Okay, okay, I’m shutting up! Your call!"
Sun Yang raised his gun and fired again, knocking an approaching insect to the ground.
The swarm pressed in, and the second squad was locked in a high-intensity defensive battle. Meanwhile, their communication signals were being progressively jammed by the insects, making it impossible to contact Li Chang’an.
Li Chang’an revved his Saw Chain Sword, the sound of its whirring teeth echoing across the clearing.
He charged without hesitation toward the Energy-type insect, aiming straight for its abdomen.
The insect seemed to sense the threat. It let out a low roar as the Energy unit on its back lit up, releasing a wave of green Energy.
"Han Ruoxi, electrical interference!"
Li Chang’an shouted.
"On it!"
Han Ruoxi raised her hands, and a current surged from her palms, striking the unit on the insect’s back.
The insect’s movements visibly faltered, and the Energy wave from its back became unstable.
Bai Lin quickly analyzed the data. "The interference is working! The Energy unit’s output is down by thirty percent!"
"Keep it up!"
Li Chang’an rolled to dodge the insect’s attack and seized the opportunity to slash at its abdomen with his Saw Chain Sword. The weapon’s mechanical teeth bit into the insect’s exoskeleton, emitting a piercing shriek.
The insect struggled, attempting to counterattack, but its movements had already become noticeably sluggish.
Li Chang’an seized the opportunity and swung his sword again. This time, the blade severed the Connection point for the unit on the insect’s back.
"Done!"
Li Chang’an stepped back, watching the fallen insect. He only let out a sigh of relief after confirming it was completely incapacitated.
"That was way too intense!"
Han Ruoxi wiped the sweat from her brow and leaned against a tree, panting. "Captain, can you please not charge in so recklessly next time? If you’d gotten caught, what were we supposed to do?"
"If I get caught, you run."
Li Chang’an said flatly, retracting his Saw Chain Sword. "Alright, the target is confirmed. Notify the base and have logistics send a team to deal with this."
"Wait!"
Bai Lin suddenly spoke up, his expression growing serious. "I just intercepted another insect signal. Their heading... they’re approaching the second squad!"
Li Chang’an’s face fell. "Contact Shen Qiuyue’s team immediately. Confirm their status!"
"The signal’s being jammed! I can’t get through!"
Bai Lin quickly worked his terminal, but then shook his head.
"They might be in trouble."
Li Chang’an said decisively, "Let’s move out and support them!"
The three immediately turned and hurried in the direction of the second squad.
"Are these bugs suicidal? How come the more we kill, the more show up?"
Sun Yang complained through gritted teeth as he fired. "Xiaohai! Scan them again! How many of these damn things are there? Can we even finish them all off?"
"The signal interference is getting stronger, and my detection range is shrinking! I can only confirm that another group of insects is approaching!"
Xiaohai frowned as he rapidly worked his terminal. "I estimate they’ll be here in ten minutes, max!"
"Ten minutes? We won’t even last five!"