"Sigh, I was thinking about something!" Sun Yang let out a long sigh.
"Thinking about what?" Han Ruoxi asked, leaning against the stairway with her arms crossed.
"What kind of deep thoughts could you possibly have?"
"I just find it strange. How did the Insect Race and the Rebel Army suddenly get tangled up together?" Sun Yang turned his head, looking at her with a serious expression.
"Don't the Insect Race usually keep their distance from humans?"
"Since when do you care about this stuff?" Han Ruoxi raised an eyebrow.
"Aren't you the one who hates using your brain the most?"
"That's usually the case, but today is different!" Sun Yang waved his hand dismissively.
"I have a feeling this is a big deal.
The Captain didn't say it outright, but I get the sense that things are about to get even tougher for us!"
"I'm surprised you could figure that much out!" Han Ruoxi sneered.
"But you're not wrong. This business with the Rebel Army is definitely not going to be simple."
"All right, you two, stop worrying about nothing!" Li Chang'an said, walking out of his room to look at them.
"Get some rest. We still have training tomorrow."
"Captain, don't you think this mission was a little unusual?" Sun Yang asked, bracing himself.
"What was unusual about it?" Li Chang'an retorted.
"I just think... the Insect Race cooperating with the Rebel Army is too abnormal. Is it possible the higher-ups at the base already knew something?" Sun Yang asked cautiously.
"That's not your concern!" Li Chang'an's gaze was sharp.
"Your job is to follow orders. Don't go looking for trouble."
"Fine, I'll shut up!" Sun Yang shrugged and obediently stood up.
"Guess I'll just go back to my room and sleep, then!"
Seeing his dejected look, Han Ruoxi couldn't help but let out a soft laugh before turning to head upstairs.
The dormitory fell quiet again. Only Li Chang'an remained standing where he was, staring pensively at the night sky outside the window.
He said nothing more, simply turning and heading back to his room, closing the door behind him.
「The next morning」 The base's broadcast crackled to life right on schedule, urging all squad members to head to the training grounds.
In the Insect Hunter Squad's dormitory, Han Ruoxi was already up, organizing her gear while sipping some water.
"Sun Yang, if you don't get out of bed right now, I'm dragging you out myself!" she yelled without looking up.
"I'm up, I'm up!" Sun Yang's voice came from his room, followed by a flurry of frantic scrambling.
"Ruo Xi, can you stop nagging me every single day? I feel like I have zero freedom!"
"Freedom? You're here to be a soldier, not to be on vacation!" Han Ruoxi sneered.
"Hurry up! The Captain is probably already at the training grounds, just waiting to chew someone out!"
"Chew someone out again?" Sun Yang emerged with his hair a complete mess.
"Is our Captain ever in a good mood?"
"His mood depends on your performance!" Shen Qiuyue said, coming down from upstairs, her gear perfectly in order.
"Sun Yang, if you mess up again today, I can't guarantee I won't get physical!"
"Sister Qiuyue, please stop threatening me! My poor heart can't take it!" Sun Yang waved his hands in surrender, then picked up his gear from the table and began inspecting it.
...
On the training grounds, Li Chang'an had indeed already arrived. He was holding a terminal, reviewing the day's training schedule.
"Morning, Captain!" Sun Yang walked over with a fawning smile.
"Any new tricks for us today?"
"New tricks?" Li Chang'an looked up at him.
"Yes. Your target practice is doubled."
The smile on Sun Yang's face froze instantly.
"Captain, you're not joking, are you?"
"Joking?" Li Chang'an shot him a cold glance.
"You seem to have a lot of free time. How about I add some weighted runs?"
"No, no, no! I'm ready! I'll start right away!" Sun Yang waved his hands frantically and zipped over to his training station.
Han Ruoxi couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Captain, you must get tired managing him like this every day, right?"
"Not at all," Li Chang'an replied, his eyes back on the terminal.
"This squad's survival depends on the performance of every one of you. I can't afford to be idle."
"Alright, you're the boss," Han Ruoxi shrugged and began her warm-up.
...
Today's training regimen was even more intense than usual. In addition to basic physical conditioning and combat simulations, there was a new tactical drill: counter-ambush.
"In this simulation, we're being ambushed by the Rebel Army. You need to find a breakthrough, counter-attack, and escape the danger zone within a limited time," Li Chang'an announced calmly, standing before the simulation pod.
"Captain, that sounds a little tough," Sun Yang muttered under his breath.
"Tough?" Li Chang'an's gaze swept over him.
"If you find even a simulation tough, are you just going to surrender when we face the real Rebel Army?"
"No way, no way! I was just speaking hypothetically!" Sun Yang said with a sheepish grin, raising his hands.
"Let's start! I'll definitely do my best!"
The simulation began, placing the squad in the environment of an abandoned factory.
Enemy figures flickered in the periphery, and the sound of gunfire was incessant.
"Sniper on the left! Be careful!" Shen Qiuyue was the first to spot the threat, quickly moving to cover.
"Sun Yang, covering fire!" Li Chang'an commanded loudly.
"Understood!" Sun Yang quickly changed his aim and fired several shots toward the sniper's position. Although he didn't hit the target, he successfully suppressed the enemy's movements.
"Ruo Xi, clear out the cover ahead!" Li Chang'an directed.
"Roger!" Han Ruoxi raised her hand and unleashed a powerful arc of energy. The enemy behind the cover was instantly knocked down.
"Qiuyue, ambush at your two o'clock! Clean it up!" Li Chang'an continued to command.
Shen Qiuyue rolled to evade the enemy's fire, her High-Energy Sword striking with precision. Within seconds, she had eliminated two targets.
"Bai Lin, crack the control system for the exit passage! The faster, the better!" Li Chang'an ordered while using his Saw Chain Sword to block an approaching enemy.
"I need ten seconds!" Bai Lin replied calmly, rapidly working his terminal.
"Ten seconds is a long time! Sun Yang, cover Bai Lin!" Li Chang'an yelled.
"You got it, Captain!" Sun Yang raised his Pulse Gun and stood guard by Bai Lin, intently scanning his surroundings.
"Hack complete! The exit is open!" Bai Lin shouted.
"All units, withdraw!" Li Chang'an waved his hand and led the charge toward the exit, the rest of the squad right behind him.
The simulation ended, and the scene returned to normal.
Li Chang'an stood before the control console, his calm gaze sweeping over everyone.
"That performance was barely a pass," he began.
"Sun Yang, your suppressive fire was decent, but your accuracy is still lacking.
Ruo Xi, your Arc Energy consumption was a bit high. Watch your control.
Qiuyue, your attack rhythm was good, but you need to adapt to changing situations faster.
Bai Lin, your cracking speed is fine, but you need to ensure your operating environment is secure!"
"Captain, you're so strict. Are your expectations for us too high?" Sun Yang couldn't help but grumble.
"My expectations are high so that you can live longer," Li Chang'an said coldly.
"That's all for this morning's training. We'll continue this afternoon."
"We have to continue this afternoon?" Sun Yang's face was a picture of Despair.
"Captain, are you not going to let us catch our breath?"
"Catch your breath?" Li Chang'an sneered.
"You were doing plenty of panting during this training session, weren't you?"
The others couldn't help but laugh, while Sun Yang could only scratch his head, a helpless look on his face.
After training ended, the squad members dragged their exhausted bodies back to the dormitory. The moment he walked in, Sun Yang dove onto the sofa, sprawling out like a starfish.
"I'm really done for. The Captain's training intensity is definitely a personal attack on me!" he said weakly, his eyes closed.
"Even if you're done for, you have to keep going," Han Ruoxi said coldly, sitting in a chair with a cup of water.
"If the rest of us hadn't been covering for you today, you would have been shot full of holes by the enemy in that simulation!"
"Ruo Xi, don't you think that's a little harsh?" Sun Yang said, lifting his head to look at her.
"My damage output was the highest on the team!"
"The highest damage, but also the lowest accuracy," Shen Qiuyue said, walking out of the kitchen with a bag of Energy Bars.
"Your output is all quantity over quality. Zero precision."
"Sister Qiuyue, can't we avoid crushing my spirit the moment you open your mouth?" Sun Yang whined with a pained expression.
"You could at least offer a little encouragement, right?"