Chapter 514 - 247: Watch Your Ammo (Part 2)

Chapter 514: Chapter 247: Watch Your Ammo (Part 2)

"Very good, and very humble!" Chen Hao stood up and patted Li Chang’an’s shoulder. "The Insect Hunter Squad will have more missions coming up. You must be prepared!"

"We’re always ready!" Li Chang’an replied firmly.

"Good. Go on, get some rest. The mission is complete!" Chen Hao waved his hand, dismissing him.

Li Chang’an stood, saluted, then turned and walked out of the command room.

Back in his dorm, Li Chang’an pushed open the door to find Sun Yang sprawled on his bed, shouting, "Captain Li, you’re finally back! I was just wondering if we could get an extra meal at the mess hall tonight!"

"Is food all you think about?" Li Chang’an shook his head with a smile. "The mission just ended. Can’t you rest for a bit?"

"I get hungry as soon as a mission ends!" Sun Yang said dismissively. "Look, Han Ruoxi and Shen Qiuyue already went to the mess hall. I can’t fall behind!"

"Go on and run after them, then," Li Chang’an said with a laugh, then walked over to his own bed and sat down. "But speaking of which, we did a good job on this mission. The Corps Commander was quite pleased with our performance!"

"You bet!" Sun Yang said smugly. "I told you, our Insect Hunter Squad is something special! There will definitely be bigger missions in the future!"

"Then you’d better be prepared. Don’t get so scared your legs turn to jelly when we face a major operation," Li Chang’an teased.

"Me? Legs turn to jelly? Captain Li, you’re underestimating me!" Sun Yang thumped his chest, looking full of confidence. "Don’t worry, I’m the steadiest hand we’ve got! When things get real, I’ll be the first one to charge!"

Li Chang’an didn’t say anything more, just smiled and nodded.

The next morning, when Li Chang’an woke up, the sky was already faintly lit.

He rolled over and sat up, stretching. Last night’s battle hadn’t been intense, but it had left him with a lingering fatigue.

Gazing at the blurry outline of the base outside his window, Li Chang’an mulled over their next mission.

He wasn’t devising any complex plan; it was simply his habit to collect his thoughts in the morning. After all, every step had to be a steady one.

"Captain Li, are you up yet?" Sun Yang’s voice came from outside the door, tinged with a hint of laughter. "Today’s the special training the Corps Commander arranged! I don’t want to be late!"

"Is special training all you can think about?" Li Chang’an chuckled helplessly, getting up to open the door. He saw Sun Yang was already fully dressed, a piece of bread in his hand. "You’re all ready to go?"

"Of course! Don’t you know what today’s training is? I heard it’s a mock battle between new recruits and veterans, arranged specifically for our Insect Hunter Squad by the Corps Commander. Hehe, feel like we’ve leveled up?" Sun Yang was buzzing with excitement, clearly looking forward to the training.

"A mock battle, huh," Li Chang’an nodded. "Then we’ll have to put on a good show."

"Don’t you worry, Captain Li, there’s no way we’ll lose to those veterans!" Sun Yang thumped his chest, brimming with confidence. "Today, we’re going to show them what the Insect Hunter Squad is made of!"

"I hope so," Li Chang’an said with a faint smile. "Come on, let’s go to the mess hall, get something to eat, and then head to the training grounds."

The two chatted as they walked, and before long, they arrived at the mess hall. Han Ruoxi and Shen Qiuyue were already there eating breakfast.

As soon as Han Ruoxi saw Li Chang’an, she called out, "Captain Li, what do you think about today’s mock battle? You don’t think the veterans will pick on us newbies, do you?"

"Pick on us? You’re overthinking it!" Li Chang’an walked over, sat down, and picked up a tray to get his breakfast. "Since it’s a mock battle, the veterans will definitely go hard on us, but we’re no pushovers. We just need to be prepared!"

"True," Han Ruoxi nodded, then turned to look at Sun Yang. "Sun Yang, don’t you get scared by them. If you mess up, I’m not cleaning up your mess!"

"Are you kidding me?" Sun Yang retorted indignantly. "Me, mess up? Look at these hands—steady as a rock!"

Shen Qiuyue ate her breakfast calmly, listening to their conversation. She occasionally glanced up at Li Chang’an. "Captain Li, do you think this mock battle is a test from the Corps Commander?"

"Most likely," Li Chang’an nodded in response. "We only just joined the Interstellar Warrior Corps. Although we’ve completed a few missions, we haven’t fully demonstrated our true strength yet.

"This mock battle is very likely an evaluation. The Corps Commander wants to see how the Insect Hunter Squad performs!"

"Then we can’t afford to be careless," Shen Qiuyue said calmly. "The veterans’ strength is not to be underestimated."

"Right. That’s why we have to give it our all!" Li Chang’an put down his tray and stood up. "Finish up. We’re assembling at the training grounds!"

The group quickly finished their breakfast and headed straight for the training grounds after leaving the mess hall.

Inside the training grounds, quite a few veterans were already getting ready, gathered in twos and threes, discussing the day’s training exercises.

"Yo, Captain Li, you guys made it!" A figure approached from a distance. It was Wei Zhuang, one of the Insect Hunter Squad’s instructors.

He looked at Li Chang’an with a cheerful laugh and a friendly expression. "I hear you’re sparring with us old-timers today. Feeling confident?"

"Instructor Wei, it’s not sparring, it’s a mock battle, right?" Sun Yang immediately chimed in with a grin. "We won’t be holding back!"

Wei Zhuang laughed heartily. "Attaboy, you’ve got guts. I like seeing new recruits with some backbone!"

Li Chang’an also smiled. "Instructor, this training is to improve our combat abilities as new recruits. Don’t be too rough on us, okay?"

"Don’t worry, Captain Li, I’ll go easy on you!" Wei Zhuang waved his hand, then lowered his voice. "But on a serious note, this mock battle really was arranged by the Corps Commander himself. He wants to see what the Insect Hunter Squad is capable of.

"This isn’t just ordinary training; there’s an element of a test to it!"

A realization dawned on Li Chang’an. He nodded. "I understand, Instructor. We’ll give it our all!"

"Good. In that case, I’ll be looking forward to it!" Wei Zhuang patted Li Chang’an’s shoulder with a smile, then turned and left to rejoin the veterans and prepare.

Li Chang’an looked at his squadmates, his brow furrowing slightly. "Did you hear that? This mock battle isn’t just a spar. The Corps Commander is watching us!"

Han Ruoxi clenched her fists, a flicker of fighting spirit in her eyes. "I’ve been ready. We have to win today!"

"Don’t worry, the Insect Hunter Squad won’t embarrass itself!" Sun Yang, also full of fighting spirit, declared. "Today, we’ll show these veterans what new recruits are made of!"

Shen Qiuyue said nothing, simply checking her gear in silence. She was clearly fully prepared.

Li Chang’an looked around at his team and nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Since everyone’s ready, don’t drop the ball. Give it everything you’ve got!"

Soon after, the training exercise officially began.

The Insect Hunter Squad was assigned to a simulated battlefield. The veterans were already in position on the other side, and the atmosphere grew tense.

"Captain Li, what’s our strategy?" Han Ruoxi asked, gripping her weapon, her eyes sharp.

"Play it safe and steady. Don’t rush to attack. Observe the veterans’ movements first!" Li Chang’an said in a low voice. "They’re experienced, so don’t let them lead you by the nose!"

"Understood!" Han Ruoxi nodded.

At the signal, the battle began.

Sun Yang was the first to charge out, his Pulse Gun spitting streams of fire, aimed straight at the veterans on the other side.

Their opponents were clearly prepared. Several veterans immediately launched a counterattack with fierce firepower.

"Sun Yang, be careful! Don’t charge in so recklessly!" Li Chang’an shouted.

"I know what I’m doing!" Sun Yang yelled back with a laugh, his movements not slowing in the slightest. Instead, he dodged their attacks with even greater agility.

Han Ruoxi stood at the rear, the Electric Energy in her hands already gathering, waiting for the perfect moment.

Her attacks had a wide range, allowing her to deliver a devastating blow at a critical moment.

"Captain Li, I’ve found a blind spot in their line of fire. Can I make my move?" Han Ruoxi said in a low voice, a combative light shining in her eyes.