Chapter 524: Chapter 254: No Sense of Humor at All
"Of course! If we donāt eat, how are we supposed to live!" Sun Yang laughed like a child. "Captain, donāt you agree? We fight so we can have a good meal later, right?"
Li Changāan smiled. "I wonāt get in the way of your meal, but everyoneās worked hard. Time to relax!"
"Right, right, right, relax, relax!" Sun Yang shouted as he took off at a run toward the cafeteria.
Sun Yang jogged all the way to the cafeteria, muttering nonstop about how much meat he was going to eat and how much soup he was going to drink, as if the whole battle had been fought just for a hearty dinner.
Han Ruoxi, Shen Qiuyue, and Li Changāan followed behind at a slower pace, faint smiles on their faces.
"That guy. The second a battle is over, all he thinks about is eating!" Han Ruoxi shook her head.
"His life goals are just eating, drinking, and having fun," Shen Qiuyue said expressionlessly. "But having an optimist like Sun Yang around isnāt a bad thing."
"Yeah, sometimes his optimistic attitude can ease the tension," Li Changāan nodded. "But he needs to know when to be serious and when to relax."
The three of them hadnāt even entered the cafeteria when they heard Sun Yang shouting inside, "Boss, a big bowl of beef noodles! And add a chicken leg!"
"You really donāt hold back, do you?" Han Ruoxi said with a sigh as she walked into the cafeteria.
"Hey, Ruo Xi, the battleās over! How can I not treat myself to a good meal?" Sun Yang said, looking at the big bowl of noodles in his hands with a satisfied expression. "You guys better order quick, or everything will get cold!"
Li Changāan walked to the counter, ordered a few simple dishes, then turned and sat down. He couldnāt help but smile to himself as he watched Sun Yang stuff his face with beef noodles.
"After this mission, I think we can probably relax for a few days," Han Ruoxi said, reaching for her chopsticks. "But you all heard what Commander Liu Na just said, right? We need to be more cautious on the next mission."
"Of course," Shen Qiuyue nodded. "The key to a reconnaissance mission is intelligence, not combat.
But we had no choice this time. The appearance of the Insect Queen forced our hand."
Li Changāan took a bite of food, thought for a moment, and then said, "This operation did go a bit beyond our expectations.
The Insect Raceās activities are more complex than we imagined. The Insect Queenās reaction, in particular, shows that their command system has evolved to be quite sophisticated."
"Mm, it looks like the coming battles will only be tougher," Han Ruoxi said thoughtfully. "Iām a little worried now... what if the Insect Race has even higher-level beings?"
"Donāt worry! Weāve got the Captain, whatās there to be afraid of?" Sun Yang said indistinctly, stuffing another mouthful of noodles into his mouth. "When the Captain makes a move, thereās never a problem!"
"Easy for you to say!" Han Ruoxi said with a smile, shaking her head. "When we actually run into a powerful enemy, donāt you go hiding in the back!"
Sun Yangās eyes widened. "Who said I hide in the back? Iām Sun Yang, the one who charges into the fray!"
Shen Qiuyue said coldly, "I hope you can actually back that up.
Donāt just be all talk when the time comes."
Sun Yang gave an awkward laugh. "Hey, you guys have no faith in me... I did pretty well this time, didnāt I?"
Li Changāan chuckled softly and didnāt join the conversation. Instead, he looked out the window, thinking about the arrangements for their next mission.
After dinner, they each returned to their own dorms.
Li Changāan went back to his room, sat on the edge of his bed, and unstrapped his Saw Chain Sword, placing it to the side.
This sword had accompanied him through countless battles. Every time he wielded it, he felt a unique sense of power.
āThis mission was a success, but the next one might not be so smooth,ā Li Changāan muttered to himself. āThe Insect Raceās movements are getting stranger and stranger. I have to be more careful.ā
Just as he was about to get some rest, his communicator suddenly rang.
He picked it up and saw Commander Liu Naās name on the screen.
"Commander, what is it?" Li Changāan answered the call.
"Li Changāan, I just received word. Weāre holding an emergency meeting tomorrow morning to discuss a new operation plan.
You and your squad members are required to attend."
"Tomorrow?" Li Changāan frowned. "This mission just ended. Has something new come up?"
Liu Naās voice was still calm, but it carried a hint of gravity. "Yes.
Our intelligence indicates that the Insect Raceās sphere of activity is expanding, especially near the area we scouted. There may be other hidden Insect Hives."
"Understood," Li Changāan acknowledged with a nod. "Weāll be at the meeting on time."
After ending the call, Li Changāan leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, thinking for a moment.
It seemed the threat from the Insect Race was even more serious than they had anticipated. Tomorrowās meeting would likely decide their next move.
ćThe next morningć
The members of the Insect Hunter Squad were already gathered in the command headquartersā conference room, waiting for Commander Liu Na to arrive.
The atmosphere in the conference room was a little tense. Everyone had a vague feeling that this meeting might involve a much bigger mission.
"Captain, what do you think this meeting will be about?" Han Ruoxi asked in a low voice.
"Itās probably related to our reconnaissance mission yesterday," Li Changāan replied softly. "The Insect Raceās movements are unusual. There might be other undiscovered Insect Hives."
Sun Yang leaned back in his chair with a nonchalant expression. "Ah, whatever the mission is, we can handle it.
Didnāt the Captain already say? As long as we stay vigilant and stick to the plan, the Insect Race is nothing special."
Shen Qiuyue shot him a cold glance. "Donāt underestimate them.
The Insect Raceās operations are getting more and more complex. If weāre careless for even a moment, we could end up in grave danger."
"Alright, alright, I get it!" Sun Yang said with a wave of his hand. "You guys are always so serious. Itās just a meeting!"
Just as they were speaking, Commander Liu Na walked into the conference room, followed by several high-ranking officers.
Her expression was as stern as ever, but her eyes held a trace of solemnity.
"Everyone, quiet down," Liu Na said as she walked to the front and stood still. "Iāve called this meeting today because weāve discovered new movements from the Insect Race."
"According to the latest intelligence received last night, Insect Race activity in our reconnaissance zone has suddenly increased. Itās not just the one Insect Hive we foundāseveral other potential Insect Hives are now forming."
Hearing this, Li Changāanās heart sank. He hadnāt expected the Insect Race to expand so quickly.
Liu Na continued, "Our intelligence department suspects this Insect Race activity is not random, but rather an organized expansion.
This means we are very likely facing a large-scale Insect Race invasion."
"An Insect Race invasion?" Sun Yang couldnāt help but interject. "Are they planning to occupy our entire Star Realm?"
Liu Na gave him a cold look. "That possibility canāt be ruled out.
The Insect Raceās goals have always been resources and colonization. They wonāt easily pass up any planet suitable for survival."
Li Changāan asked in a heavy voice, "What is our next mission?"
Liu Na nodded. "Your Insect Hunter Squad will depart tomorrow for a new reconnaissance zone.
That area is suspected to be an Insect Race staging point. We need you to confirm their numbers and operational plans."
"Another reconnaissance mission?" Han Ruoxi frowned slightly. "Is this one going to be more dangerous?"
"Yes," Liu Naās voice was unwavering. "You will be entering the core territory of the Insect Race. You must be extremely careful.
According to our intel, this group of the Insect Race may have a stronger command structure, and there might even be higher-level, Commander Level insects."
"Commander Level?" Shen Qiuyue asked. "Do we have a plan, then?"
"Of course," Liu Na nodded. "For this operation, we will provide you with enhanced technical support. Bai Lin will provide remote recon support for the entire mission.
Additionally, we will dispatch a backup unit to assist you in an emergency."