Chapter 620 - 302: Is There Something Wrong with This Base?
Chapter 620: Chapter 302: Is There Something Wrong with This Base?
Just then, Bai Lin suddenly shouted, "Strong life signs deep in the hive! It might be an adult of the Insect Race. Be on your guard!"
"An adult?" Han Ruoxi instantly tensed up. "Didn’t the instructor say there would only be juveniles? How can there be an adult?"
"Mission parameters are never absolute!" Li Chang’an said in a low voice. "No matter what, stay calm and stick to the plan!"
"Alright... let’s do this!" Han Ruoxi gritted her teeth, the arcs of electricity dancing even more violently in her palms.
As the Insect Hunter Squad entered the third hive chamber, a massive adult of the Insect Race lunged out from the darkness. Its carapace was tough and its speed was incredible as it charged straight at them with ferocious momentum.
"It’s here!" Li Chang’an commanded. "Sun Yang, suppress its movements! Ruo Xi, disrupt it with an Arc Attack! Qiuyue and I will flank it!"
"Roger!" Sun Yang was the first to open fire, unleashing a full barrage from his Pulse Gun, but the adult insect’s carapace completely absorbed the impact of the bullets.
"Damn it! Is this thing made of iron?" Sun Yang yelled.
Han Ruoxi quickly released a bolt of electricity that struck the insect. It stunned the creature for a moment, but it quickly recovered.
"Its weak point is the abdomen!" Bai Lin called out in the nick of time. "Its abdominal armor is weak. Concentrate your fire!"
Li Chang’an seized the opportunity, leaping in from the side and plunging his Saw Chain Sword into the insect’s abdomen. Green blood gushed out.
At the same moment, Shen Qiuyue stabbed it from the other side. The insect let out a piercing shriek before finally collapsing with a thunderous crash.
With the mission complete, the squad stood amidst the ruins of the hive. They looked at each other and couldn’t help but break into laughter.
Han Ruoxi collapsed onto the ground. "It’s finally over. This was even more exhausting than a simulation!"
Sun Yang panted heavily. "Captain, can we apply for a few days off when we get back? Another mission this intense and I’ll drop dead for sure!"
Li Chang’an smiled and patted his shoulder. "We’ll talk about it when we get back. For now, pack up. Prepare to pull out!"
The transport ship ascended steadily. The Insect Hunter Squad was crammed into the small cabin, each member panting, exhaustion etched onto their faces.
Han Ruoxi leaned back in her seat, slumped over as if she had no bones. "Captain, can I request fewer missions like this in the future? That adult was way too strong. I almost thought I was going to die back there!"
Sun Yang, hugging his Pulse Gun, rolled his eyes. "You’re just realizing that now? That whole barrage I just fired just bounced off its carapace. It was like trying to scratch an itch for it. I nearly pissed my pants!"
"Don’t say that in front of the instructor!" Shen Qiuyue said, looking down to gently wipe her sword. "If Captain Li and I hadn’t pierced its abdomen just now, you’d probably still be stuck crawling around in that Insect Hive!"
"Sister Qiuyue, I’ll admit it this time!" Sun Yang raised his hands. "You guys are the reliable ones when it counts.
I was just messing around. This Insect Race just doesn’t play by the rules!"
Han Ruoxi snorted. "Messing around? When that adult lunged at us, you ran faster than anyone! Suppress its movements? Go on, show me how you ’suppress’ it!"
Sun Yang looked indignant. "That was a strategic retreat! Don’t you understand tactics? If I didn’t run, what if it came after me? If it chased me, it wouldn’t be attacking you. That’s called diverting its fire!"
Han Ruoxi covered her forehead with her hand. "Just keep making things up. It’s not like we can stop you from talking.
You’re really something else, Brother Yang!"
Bai Lin looked up, tapping something on his terminal and interrupting their argument. "Captain Li, I’ve uploaded the data to the base. The instructor will probably evaluate our performance.
As per standard procedure, there will likely be a debriefing when we get back!"
"A debriefing?" Han Ruoxi’s brow furrowed. "Is Instructor Wei going to lecture us again? Can’t he just let us off the hook for once?"
Li Chang’an was leaning against the cabin door, resting with his eyes closed. Hearing this, he said lightly, "If we need a lecture, we’ll get a lecture.
We completed the mission today, but we definitely revealed a lot of problems.
Ruo Xi, your Arc Attack is effective, but its area of coverage is too small. Sun Yang, your fire is too scattered and not concentrated enough. Qiuyue, your Swordsmanship is precise, but against an enemy like the Insect Race, your kill efficiency could be higher!"
"Captain, don’t just critique us!" Han Ruoxi pouted. "What about you? Are you so perfect?"
Li Chang’an opened his eyes and glanced at her. "My problem was not shutting you all up sooner. Now all this bickering is giving me a headache!"
"Hey!" Han Ruoxi’s eyes went wide. "Captain, are you saying you’re annoyed with us for talking too much?"
"It’s not annoyance, it’s a fact!" Li Chang’an raised a hand to rub his temples. "So be quiet. I’d like a few minutes of peace!"
When the transport ship landed on the base’s landing pad, Instructor Wei Zhuang was already standing there waiting for them.
As soon as the squad disembarked, Wei Zhuang walked over, his hands clasped behind his back and an unfriendly look on his face.
"So you’re still alive?" Wei Zhuang scanned the team. "I heard you ran into an adult. What happened? That wasn’t in the mission briefing, was it?"
Li Chang’an took a step forward and answered succinctly, "There was indeed an adult in the hive. It probably wandered in from nearby.
We took care of it!"
Wei Zhuang raised an eyebrow. "Took care of it? How? An adult’s carapace is something rookies can barely scratch!"
Shen Qiuyue chimed in, "Its weak point was its abdomen. We concentrated our attacks and killed it!"
Wei Zhuang stared at them, a barely perceptible smile on his face. "Not bad. I guess you’re not completely useless after all.
You completed the mission well, and staying calm in the face of an adult is a sign of progress!"
Sun Yang grinned cheekily. "Instructor, does that mean we get a reward? Like a day off or something?"
"A reward?" Wei Zhuang snorted. "Dream on! Performing well is what’s expected. The debriefing is still on, we’ll still go over your mistakes, and training will continue as scheduled!"
"Instructor!" Han Ruoxi couldn’t help but complain. "Aren’t you being a little heartless? We risked our lives to finish this mission today. Can’t you cut us some slack and give us a little treat?"
"A treat?" Wei Zhuang chuckled. "The treat is that you’re still alive. Being able to eat and sleep is your treat. You want a break on top of that? On a real battlefield, what’s a little exhaustion like this?"
Han Ruoxi opened her mouth to say more, but Li Chang’an stopped her with a look.
She closed her mouth, puffing out her cheeks in frustration, and stood to the side without another word.
Back in the dorms, Han Ruoxi plopped down on her bed and tossed her combat suit aside. "This is no way to live! Missions every day, lectures every day, who can stand it!"
Sun Yang leaned against the wall, looking like he was enjoying the show. "Why don’t you apply for a transfer to logistics? It’s safe there. No one will be forcing you to run around killing insects!"
"Screw you!" Han Ruoxi shot him a glare. "I, Han Ruoxi, am a Superpower User, after all. Going to logistics would be a waste of my talents, wouldn’t it?"
"Then stop complaining!" Shen Qiuyue said, sitting at her desk and starting to disassemble her sword. "No matter how tired you are, you have to push through.
This is nothing."
"Sister Qiuyue, are you made of iron?" Han Ruoxi sighed. "I really admire your tireless energy. You’re almost on the same level as the Captain!"
"Less chatter!" Li Chang’an took a notebook from his locker, opened it, and began writing a mission summary. "Today’s performance was acceptable, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t problems.
Let’s review now so we don’t repeat our mistakes in the future!"
Han Ruoxi muttered under her breath, ’The Captain is such a perfectionist. Will he die if he doesn’t debrief?’
Bai Lin spoke up from the side. "Debriefing is indeed important.
Data analysis shows there is room for improvement in our teamwork efficiency.
If we don’t improve, we’ll be in more danger when we face tougher missions!"
"Fine, fine, you’re all right!" Han Ruoxi flopped flat on her bed. "I’m not arguing anymore. Let’s talk about it tomorrow. I’m going to sleep!"
「And just like that, some more time passed in a flash.」