"Let’s end this quick!" Li Chang’an charged the last piece of equipment. With two heavy swings of his Saw Chain Sword, he hacked it in half.
Seeing that the situation had turned against them, the Rebel Army soldiers began to scatter and flee.
"Should we give chase?" Shen Qiuyue asked calmly.
"No. Our priority is to retreat!" Li Chang’an ordered loudly.
"Bai Lin, set up the jamming device! Stop them from tracking us!"
"Understood!" Bai Lin quickly deployed the jamming device. Once activated, a piercing buzz filled the air, and the Rebel Army’s communications were completely cut off.
"Move out!" Li Chang’an led the charge deep into the dense forest, and the squad quickly withdrew.
The Rebel Army soldiers behind them gave chase for a short distance, but when they found all their communication and tracking signals were dead, they had no choice but to give up.
...
After their escape, the Insect Hunter Squad stopped to rest in the dense forest. Once he confirmed they weren’t being followed, Li Chang’an finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Situation report!" he said, looking up at the others.
"All equipment destroyed. The Rebel Army’s transmission has been cut off," Han Ruoxi said.
"But their reinforcements have probably reached the camp by now."
"Bai Lin, what’s the status on the data backup?" Li Chang’an asked.
"It’s complete. It’s encrypted, but we can take it back to the base to be cracked," Bai Lin replied with a nod.
"The clues linking to the Insect Race are in there!"
"Good work," Li Chang’an said, nodding.
"Everyone, check your weapons and gear. Prepare to head back to base!"
"Captain, how did I do this time?" Sun Yang asked tentatively while inspecting his Pulse Gun.
"Your performance was acceptable, but your covering fire still isn’t accurate enough," Li Chang’an said, glancing at him.
"You’ll have extra aiming drills when we get back."
"More extra drills?" Sun Yang wailed.
"Captain, my shoulders are about to fall off from all the practice!"
"Cut the crap," Li Chang’an said coldly.
"Either you do the extra drills, or you can fall behind on the next mission!"
"Alright, alright! I’ll do whatever you say, okay?" Sun Yang shook his head with a bitter smile.
"But Captain, now that the mission’s over, how about a little reward?"
"There will be rewards, but they depend on performance," Li Chang’an said, turning to walk away.
"We’ll talk about it back at the base."
"I knew it. The Captain’s rewards are always just empty words," Sun Yang muttered under his breath as he followed.
"If you’re not satisfied, you can apply to not receive it," Han Ruoxi retorted, glancing back at him.
"Fine, fine, I’ll shut up, alright?" Sun Yang waved his hands, a look of resignation on his face.
...
Back at the base, Li Chang’an strode into the Insect Hunter Squad’s dorm. He found Sun Yang already face-down on the sofa, collapsed like a sack of potatoes.
"Captain, I’m begging you, can you give me some time to recover before the next mission? I really feel like my old back is about to break!" Sun Yang whined from the sofa, not even bothering to lift his head.
"You can still shout like that with a broken back?" Li Chang’an shot him a cold look.
"If you screw up again on the next mission, I’ll punish you until that old back of yours really is broken!"
"Hey now, Captain, can’t you leave me a little dignity?" Sun Yang rolled over with a long sigh.
"Life in this squad sure is tough!"
"Tough?" Han Ruoxi was just walking out of her room, a bottle of water in her hand.
"Why don’t you go ask the Rebel Army soldiers if they have it tougher?"
"Ouch, that one hit right where it hurts," Sun Yang said, sitting up and leaning against the back of the sofa.
"Ruo Xi, I’m just complaining a little. Do you have to make such a big deal out of it?"
"You spend more time complaining every day than you do training," Han Ruoxi said, not bothering to engage further as she twisted open her water bottle and took a sip.
"Just try not to screw up on the next mission."
"Me, screw up again?" Sun Yang looked aggrieved.
"Captain, you can’t encourage this kind of attitude! When have I ever not given it my all?"
"You give it your all, but you’re not efficient enough," Li Chang’an said as he took off his Armor and tossed it onto a chair.
"Make the same mistake again, and the extra drills will be tripled."
Sun Yang opened his mouth, but in the end, decided to shut it.
Just then, Shen Qiuyue walked in from outside, carrying a bag of nutrient solution, which she placed on the table.
"I just picked these up from the supply point. Do you want one, Captain?"
"I don’t drink that stuff," Li Chang’an replied, shaking his head.
"You guys go ahead and replenish."
"Captain, it’s not a matter of nutrition. It’s about how much energy we have to burn to even need this stuff to keep going!" Sun Yang complained, grabbing a pouch, tearing it open, and taking a sip.
"Still tastes as awful as ever."
"Then don’t drink it," Han Ruoxi retorted coldly.
"Ruo Xi, why can’t you just let a guy live a little?" Sun Yang put the nutrient pouch down and leaned back on the sofa.
"Sometimes I really think you’re the strictest one in the squad!"
"The strictest one in the squad is the Captain," Han Ruoxi said, setting down her water bottle and turning to Li Chang’an.
"Right, Captain?"
"You’re more annoying than I am," Li Chang’an shot back, glancing at her.
"But you’re definitely more reliable than Sun Yang."
"Captain, are you complimenting her or insulting me?" Sun Yang asked, looking indignant.
"Figure it out yourself." Li Chang’an couldn’t be bothered with him anymore. He turned, walked to the door of Bai Lin’s room, and knocked.
The door opened, and Bai Lin’s face appeared in the gap, his expression as calm as ever.
"Captain? Something I can help you with?"
"Any word from the intel department?" Li Chang’an asked.
"They’re still decrypting. They said the Insect Race’s encryption technology is evolving quickly," Bai Lin said, stepping aside.
"They said it’ll take at least two days to finish cracking it."
"Hn," Li Chang’an grunted with a nod.
"Let me know the moment you have results."
"Understood." Bai Lin nodded, then retreated back into his room to get back to work on his terminal.
...
Night fell, and the dorm gradually grew quiet. Sun Yang was still sprawled on the sofa, refusing to go back to his room.
"Sun Yang, why are you still up? Aren’t you going to sleep?" Han Ruoxi asked, poking her head out from the top of the stairs.