Chapter 510: Chapter 249: Encountering the Rebel Army (Part 2)
"Boss, my gunās about to give out! Iām almost out of ammo!" Sun Yang yelled, sweat pouring down his face as he continued to fire his Pulse Gun nonstop.
"Just hold on a little longer! Reinforcements will be here soon!" Li Changāanās voice remained calm, his Saw Chain Sword a constant blur in his hands, each swing kicking up a spray of blood.
"Whoa, my life is really on a knifeās edge here!" Sun Yang mocked himself as he kept firing. There wasnāt a trace of fear on his face; instead, he was filled with excitement.
Just then, a roar echoed from the distance. Several armed aircraft screamed into view overhead. Heavy machine-gun fire rained down from the sky, instantly suppressing the Insect Raceās assault.
"Reinforcements are here!" Sun Yang yelled excitedly. He stopped firing his Pulse Gun and collapsed behind his cover, panting heavily.
"Theyāre finally here. What a bunch of lifesavers!" Han Ruoxi let out a long sigh of relief, and the glow from her Electric Power Bracelet slowly dimmed.
Li Changāan looked up at the aircraft in the sky, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Good work, everyone. The reinforcements have arrived. The Insect Raceās attack has been contained!"
"Whew, we made it," Shen Qiuyue said, gently wiping the sweat from her forehead as she sheathed her Dueling Sword.
The members of the Insect Hunter Squad all breathed a sigh of relief. Although they had just endured a difficult battle, every one of them wore a victorious smile.
"Now that was a rush! Boss, todayās battle was awesome!" Sun Yang said excitedly, a huge grin on his face.
Li Changāan clapped him on the shoulder. "Donāt celebrate too early. Weāve got more missions waiting for us."
"Heh heh, no problem. The more missions, the better. Iām never afraid!" Sun Yang grinned like a child, looking full of energy.
"Alright, everyone head back and rest. The coming missions will be even tougher, so be prepared," Li Changāan said, his gaze sweeping over the other team members, his tone calm but firm.
The members of the Insect Hunter Squad all nodded.
ćTime flew by, and a while passed.ć
Li Changāan and his squad slowly adapted to their new environment. The team members grew closer, and their days were full.
"Captain Li, think we could go out and get some real practice today? We canāt just stay cooped up training at the base all the time, right?" Sun Yang asked, looking at Li Changāan with anticipation while chewing on his breakfast.
"Whatās the rush to get out there? Isnāt training here good enough?" Li Changāan glanced at him, casually popping his own breakfast into his mouth. He chewed slowly, looking like he was in no hurry.
"Come on, Captain Li, this training stuff is way too basic! Iām about to start growing moss over here!" Sun Yang slapped his own head dramatically. "Besides, my marksmanship is getting rusty. Whatās the point of just shooting at targets all the time?"
"Marksmanship getting rusty?" Han Ruoxi chimed in, her eyes lighting up. "Youād better not say that. If we really go out there, donāt come crying to mommy and daddy when the Insect Race is kicking your butt!"
"Me, crying to my mommy and daddy?!" Sun Yang immediately straightened up, as if heād been gravely insulted. "Han Ruoxi, you take that back! When we get on the battlefield, Iāll be the one knocking their teeth out!"
"Donāt get ahead of yourself. Letās see you do it first," Li Changāan said with a smile. He put down his tray and stood up. "However, we do actually have a mission today. Itās not a big one, so we can go stretch our legs."
"Huh? We really have a mission?!" Sun Yang was so excited he nearly jumped out of his seat. He immediately rushed over to Li Changāan. "What is it? Tell me, tell me! I canāt wait!"
"Settle down," Li Changāan said, holding up a hand to calm him. "The Commander just issued an order for us to patrol a nearby abandoned mine. Recent intel suggests signs of Rebel Army activity there, but itās not confirmed. Weāre just going to check out the situation, so donāt act like weāre heading into a major battle."
"Patrolling a mine? Such a simple mission?" Shen Qiuyue said calmly, crossing her arms. "What if the Rebel Army is too well hidden for us to find?"
"Itās simple, but we canāt let our guard down," Li Changāan agreed with a nod. "If thereās an ambush, we have to be ready. Otherwise, itās a suicide run."
Han Ruoxi moved a little closer, asking with a hint of doubt, "Isnāt that mine a bit dangerous? I heard the Insect Race has been active in that area before. Weāre not going to run into them, are we?"
"I doubt the Insect Race would be too interested in the mine," Li Changāan said with a shrug, his expression relaxed. "Its resources have been almost completely depleted. I wouldnāt even want whatās left.
Do you think the Insect Race would waste their time scavenging for scrap metal?"
"Hm, that makes sense," Han Ruoxi nodded, though still hesitant. "But what if something unexpected happens..."
"Relax, Iāll be there," Li Changāan said with a smile, as if talking about something trivial. "Besides, the Insect Hunter Squad is no pushover. Weāre more than enough to handle the Rebel Army."
"Tsk, Captain Li, youāre talking so big, I almost want to see you eat your words!" Sun Yang teased, slapping Li Changāan on the shoulder. "But hey, itās fine by me. Iāve been itching to get out there and cause some trouble!"
"Donāt get your hopes up. We might patrol the whole area, find nothing, and come right back to training," Li Changāan replied coolly, glancing at Sun Yang.
"Donāt be such a buzzkill, Captain Li!" Sun Yang pouted, looking dejected. "Canāt you let a guy have some hope? What if there really are rebels?"
"Itād be good if there were," Shen Qiuyue said flatly. "I find training too boring anyway. Iād like to see if my sword is actually useful."
"Alright, alright, enough complaining," Li Changāan said with a wave of his hand. "Get ready. We leave in half an hour.
Bring your weapons and gear, but donāt pack too much else. Travel light."
"Got it!" Sun Yang immediately leaped up and ran off to get his Pulse Gun, muttering to himself, "Finally, a mission... finally, a mission..."
Han Ruoxi watched Sun Yangās retreating back and shook her head. "The moment that guy hears āmission,ā heās like heās had a shot of adrenaline. I donāt know where he gets all that energy."
Li Changāan smiled. "Thatās just how he is. The more downtime he has, the more he looks for some excitement."
"You men are all the same!" Han Ruoxi rolled her eyes. "Always thinking about fighting and killing. I wonder when youāll ever settle down."
"Weāre soldiers. How can we not fight?" Li Changāan teased. "Besides, your Electric Energy is pretty handy, isnāt it? If we really run into enemies later, donāt you dare hold back."
"Hmph, as if I would!" A smirk played on Han Ruoxiās lips. "When I make my move, Iām way more dangerous than you guys who just swing swords around."
"Weāll be counting on you, then. Looking forward to seeing you in action," Li Changāan said with a chuckle. He then turned and walked toward Shen Qiuyue. "Shen Qiuyue, check your weapon. Donāt drop the ball when it counts."
Shen Qiuyue nodded, her expression blank. "I know. You donāt have to remind me."
Li Changāan didnāt say any more and turned to another member of the team. "Bai Lin, any news from the mission system?"
Bai Lin, busy operating a terminal, replied, "Everythingās normal for now. The intel hasnāt been updated, but Iāll keep monitoring the situation."
"Good. Stay in touch." Li Changāan nodded, then walked to the side to wait quietly for the team to finish their preparations.
Half an hour later, the entire Insect Hunter Squad assembled at the base entrance. Li Changāan scanned the group. "Everyone ready?"
"Ready!" they answered in unison.
"Move out!" With Li Changāanās command, the squad headed toward the mine.
Along the way, Sun Yang couldnāt resist a bit of banter. "Captain Li, you think we could maybe wipe out an entire Rebel Army camp while weāre at it?"
"In your dreams!" Li Changāan couldnāt help but laugh. "Our mission is just a patrol. Donāt get carried away."