Chapter 662 - 323: Insect Race Scout Unit (Part 2)
Chapter 662: Chapter 323: Insect Race Scout Unit (Part 2)
"Of course!"
Shen Qiuyue’s tone was cold, but her eyes betrayed a hint of seriousness.
While adjusting the parameters on her Superpower Bracelet, Han Ruoxi glanced back at Sun Yang.
"Hey, Sun Yang, are you sure you’re not going to hold us back today?"
"Don’t worry, I definitely won’t do any worse than you!"
Sun Yang said with a grin as he checked his Pulse Gun.
"Don’t underestimate me! I’ve got skills too!"
Han Ruoxi rolled her eyes. Not bothering to say more, she headed directly into the left-hand corridor.
The two groups split up. The factory interior was exceptionally quiet, with only the occasional low whistle of wind passing through the cracks of broken windows.
Li Chang’an and Shen Qiuyue moved in single file, their steps light. The teeth of the Saw Chain Sword gleamed faintly with a cold light.
Ahead of them was a row of derelict machines, covered in rust and dust, looking as if they hadn’t been touched in a very long time.
"Can this equipment still be used?"
Shen Qiuyue asked in a low voice.
"Probably scrapped long ago. Don’t touch anything. The Insect Race could be hiding inside!"
Li Chang’an replied in a low voice, raising a hand to signal her to stop.
He stared intently at a corner up ahead where a few broken steel plates were piled. It looked messy, but he could faintly sense that something was wrong.
Shen Qiuyue immediately understood. Gripping her sword tightly, she moved slowly to the side, preparing for a flanking maneuver.
Suddenly, the pile of steel plates shifted. A blurry Black Shadow shot out, lunging straight for Li Chang’an!
"Here it comes!"
Shen Qiuyue let out a sharp cry as she swung her Dueling Sword, the blade’s light slashing directly at the Black Shadow.
VMMMM—
The sound of the Saw Chain Sword revving to life echoed in an instant. Li Chang’an took a step forward, his blade carving a vicious arc to meet the Black Shadow head-on.
CRACK!
The Insect Race creature’s carapace was torn apart by the Saw Chain Sword. The scout unit was cleaved in two with a shrill screech, splattering green fluid all over the ground.
Shen Qiuyue quickly retracted her sword and scanned their surroundings.
"There’s probably more than one. The Insect Race never operates alone!"
"Right. Stay sharp!"
Li Chang’an said softly. He nudged the insect’s corpse with the toe of his boot, and after confirming it was completely still, he waved her forward.
Meanwhile, in the left corridor, Han Ruoxi and Sun Yang had also run into trouble.
"Sun Yang, hurry up! You’re moving way too slow!"
Han Ruoxi urged from ahead, a hint of impatience in her voice.
"I’m just being careful! Haven’t you ever heard? Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast!"
Sun Yang said, scanning the area with his Pulse Gun raised.
"This place is too creepy. Who knows what corner those bugs will pop out of!"
Han Ruoxi rolled her eyes.
"With an attitude like that, you’d jump if a mouse popped out, let alone an insect!"
"Hey, don’t look down on me! I’m the heavy support! If a real insect shows up, just watch me riddle it with holes!"
Sun Yang patted his gun, his face full of confidence.
The words had barely left his mouth when a faint RUSTLE RUSTLE came from overhead.
"Sun Yang, don’t move!"
Han Ruoxi suddenly stopped and looked up, staring at the ventilation duct above.
Sun Yang froze for a second, then instinctively looked up as well.
A slender figure was slowly crawling out of the duct. Its sharp claws scraped against the metal with a piercing sound, and its cold, gleaming eyes were fixed on them.
"My god, that thing is hideous..." Sun Yang swallowed, instinctively raising the Pulse Gun in his hands.
"Enough talk! Fire!"
Han Ruoxi shouted. Her Superpower Bracelet instantly lit up, and an arc of white-hot electricity shot toward the insect.
Sun Yang snapped to his senses and pulled the trigger. The Pulse Gun spat out a stream of searing Energy Bullets that struck the insect’s body with precision.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The insect’s corpse fell from the duct, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
"Got it!"
Sun Yang blew on the muzzle of his gun and grinned smugly.
"See? What’d I tell you? My firepower is solid!"
"Solid, my ass! If I hadn’t stopped it in its tracks first, you’d have been pounced on by now!"
Han Ruoxi retorted bluntly.
"Alright, alright, you’re the best. I admit it, okay?"
Sun Yang waved his hand dismissively, not in the mood to argue further.
On the other end, Bai Lin’s voice came through the communicator.
"Captain Li, I’m detecting stronger heat signatures in the target area. There must be more Insect Race remnants.
You need to move faster. I suspect they’re calling for reinforcements!"
"Roger that!"
Li Chang’an replied, then turned to Shen Qiuyue.
"Let’s pick up the pace. We can’t stay here long!"
Shen Qiuyue nodded, and the two of them pushed deeper into the factory.
Before long, several larger insects charged out of the darkness, clearly agitated by the smell of blood.
"Shen Qiuyue, your right!"
Li Chang’an shouted a warning as his Saw Chain Sword swept out, instantly slicing an insect in two.
With a backhanded thrust, Shen Qiuyue pierced another insect’s head. Her movements were clean and decisive, without a moment’s hesitation.
"What a pain..." Shen Qiuyue said coldly, flicking the blood from her sword.
"The real trouble is yet to come!"
Li Chang’an’s gaze darkened slightly.
"Finish them off quickly. Don’t give them any chance to escape!"
A few minutes later, all the Insect Race scout units had been eliminated.
The Insect Hunter Squad regrouped in the center of the factory. Han Ruoxi was still breathing heavily.
"Captain Li, are we done? These insects are a real handful!"
"We’re done!"
Li Chang’an nodded.
"But we need to pull out, now. Bai Lin was right; these insects might have already called for reinforcements!"
"Let’s go, let’s go! I’m dead tired!"
Sun Yang plopped onto the ground, not even bothering to put away his Pulse Gun.
"Cut the crap and get up!"
Han Ruoxi kicked him.
"Who said you could sit down?"
"Ow! Alright, alright, I’m getting up, geez."
Sun Yang said with a helpless expression, rubbing his butt as he stood up.
"Can’t a guy get a break?"
"You can rest when we’re back at the base!"
Li Chang’an said flatly, then made a gesture.
"Move out! Let’s go home!"
The Insect Hunter Squad quickly boarded the transport ship and headed back to the base.
Back at the base, Liu Na was already waiting on the landing pad. When she saw them disembark, her face was expressionless as she asked a single question.
"Is it done?"
"All targets eliminated!"
Li Chang’an replied.
"No stragglers!"
Liu Na nodded.
"Not bad. I’ll submit tonight’s record. You can all get some rest.
The mission was completed adequately, but there’s still room for improvement on some of the details!"
"Thank you, Commander!"
Sun Yang immediately put on a fawning smile.
"So, can we eat now? I feel like I’m hungry enough to eat a horse!"
"Go on!"
Liu Na waved her hand, not bothering to humor him.
The exhausted Insect Hunter Squad returned to their dorms. The moment she entered, Han Ruoxi ripped off her Superpower Bracelet and tossed it on the table.
"I’m dead tired! Those insects are so annoying!"
"You’re tired?"
Sun Yang collapsed into a chair.
"I’m the one who’s really tired! I was firing that Pulse Gun the whole time. My arm’s about to fall off!"
"That’s because you’re always slacking off. Serves you right!"
Han Ruoxi shot back mercilessly.
Shen Qiuyue, sitting to the side silently cleaning her sword, spoke coldly.
"If you don’t want to be this tired again, spend some time improving yourself instead of always trying to slack off!"
Sun Yang immediately shut his mouth and gave an embarrassed laugh.
"Okay, okay! I’ll work hard tomorrow, I promise!"
That night, the Insect Hunter Squad finally had a moment to breathe after the hectic cycle of training and missions.
They gathered in the base’s common area, the atmosphere uncharacteristically relaxed.
Han Ruoxi was sprawled on the sofa, clutching a large cup of a hot drink, clearly having completely unwound.
"Today was seriously exhausting!"
she mumbled, chewing on her straw with a weary expression.
"I’m starting to wonder if Liu Na is targeting us specifically. Every mission is such a grind!"
"What can you do? We’re the ’priority development squad,’ after all."
Sun Yang mumbled indistinctly while chewing on a skewer he was holding.