Chapter 726 - 355: Wasn’t I Impressive Enough?

"I really wish we’d get a different mission soon!"

Han Ruoxi cut in.

"Dealing with bugs every day... there’s no novelty to it at all!"

"The Insect Race is troublesome enough. What kind of novelty are you looking for?"

Shen Qiuyue said coldly.

"Alright, alright, forget I said anything!"

Han Ruoxi grumbled, then went back to adjusting her equipment.

Bai Lin’s voice came from the corner.

"The mission roster just updated. I checked. Tomorrow’s mission is patrol."

"Patrol?"

Li Chang’an raised an eyebrow.

"What sector?"

"Sector Three, outside the base perimeter!"

Bai Lin answered simply.

"Standard mission. Low risk!"

"Low risk doesn’t mean no risk."

Li Chang’an nodded.

"Focus on coordination tomorrow. No screw-ups!"

Everyone acknowledged, then went about their own business.

The dorm fell quiet again, leaving only the soft clatter of equipment and the tapping of keys.

After some time, Sun Yang finally emerged from the equipment room, drenched in sweat.

"All done!"

Sun Yang said, looking smug.

"Captain, go take a look. It’s spotless!"

"Alright, stop showing off."

Li Chang’an waved his hand dismissively.

"Go take a shower, you reek!"

"You got it!"

Sun Yang replied boisterously and ran toward the bathroom, humming a tune.

「The next morning」 The Insect Hunter Squad assembled in Sector Three, outside the base.

The patrol mission seemed unremarkable, but Li Chang’an still meticulously checked everyone’s gear and condition out of habit.

"Sun Yang, did you check the ammo count on your gun?"

Li Chang’an asked, looking up as he fastened the last strap on his Armor.

"Checked it a long time ago. Don’t worry, Captain!"

Sun Yang raised his Pulse Gun and gave it a shake.

"It’s fully loaded, not a single round missing!"

"Don’t get cocky!"

Li Chang’an shot him a glance.

"You’ve always been careless. Check it again!"

"Captain, you don’t trust me!"

Sun Yang clutched his chest with an exaggerated look of hurt.

"I’m a reliable guy! But fine, since you gave the order, I’ll look again!"

"Han Ruoxi, how did the calibration on your Amplifier go last night?"

Li Chang’an turned to look at her.

"No problem at all!"

Han Ruoxi slung the Amplifier onto her back and patted the device.

"It’s fully charged, ready to fire anytime!"

"Bai Lin, what’s the range on the radar?"

"Five-kilometer radius. Signal is normal."

Bai Lin didn’t even look up, his head down as he operated the terminal on his wrist.

"Already connected to the base’s main system. Data is updating in real time."

"Qiuyue, your sword—"

"It’s fine."

Shen Qiuyue cut him off, her tone curt.

"No need to ask."

"Alright. Let’s move out!"

Li Chang’an nodded and led the way toward the patrol zone.

The terrain in Sector Three was rather complex, with a few derelict buildings as well as some small patches of jungle and hills.

Even though it was a low-risk patrol, Li Chang’an remained vigilant.

"Hey, Captain,"

Sun Yang muttered under his breath as he walked.

"This kind of mission is so boring, it’s like taking a stroll in the park.

You think if the bugs were smarter, they’d know we’re here and hide on purpose?"

"If you’re so bored, you can go for a run."

Shen Qiuyue said icily.

"Or I could find something for you to do. Like pulling weeds."

"Sister Qiuyue, that’s just a personal grudge!"

Sun Yang looked helpless.

"I’m just speaking the truth!"

"Shut up and focus!"

Li Chang’an glanced back at him.

"The terrain here is complex. Don’t let your guard down!"

"Captain, I know!"

Sun Yang immediately straightened up.

"Totally focused!"

The squad followed the patrol route for some time. Everything was quiet.

Han Ruoxi couldn’t help but mutter.

"Seriously, isn’t it a little too quiet here? The Insect Race has been pretty active lately, how come there’s no sign of them?"

"The quieter it is, the more careful we need to be."

Li Chang’an said in a low voice, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

"Bai Lin, detected any anomalies?"

"Negative."

Bai Lin replied quietly.

"Thermal signatures are normal. No signs of enemy activity."

’Strange!’

Li Chang’an frowned.

"Keep moving."

Before long, they arrived in front of a cluster of abandoned buildings.

Most of the walls here had collapsed, and the ground was littered with scraps of metal and rubble.

Han Ruoxi stood on a high piece of rubble, looking around.

"This looks like an old research institute, right?"

she asked quietly.

"Look, there are still serial numbers on some of these metal sheets!"

"It’s the ruins of a research institute."

Li Chang’an nodded.

"But it’s long been abandoned. After the Insect Race occupied this area, it was cleared out several times. Nothing of value is left."

"Then what are we doing wandering around here?"

Sun Yang complained.

"If there are no enemies, let’s just go somewhere else. This place is pointless!"

"We can’t miss a single spot."

Li Chang’an turned to Bai Lin.

"Scan the interior of the building. Any anomalies?"

"Understood."

Bai Lin nodded, activated the scanner on his wrist, and aimed it at the building to begin his scan.

A few seconds later, he looked up, his expression turning serious.

"There’s a thermal reading. Inside the building!"

"What is it?"

Li Chang’an asked immediately.

"Not many of them. The energy signature is weak."

Bai Lin continued to study the data.

"Could be small members of the Insect Race, or it could be some other lifeform."

"Other lifeforms?"

Han Ruoxi frowned.

"What else could be living in a place like this?"

"Who knows!"

Sun Yang shrugged.

"As long as it’s not bugs, I’m fine with it!"

"Stop guessing."

Li Chang’an waved his hand.

"Han Ruoxi, you guard the entrance. Shen Qiuyue, you’re with me. Sun Yang, provide cover from the outside. Bai Lin, give us data support."

"Understood!"

The team members moved swiftly to follow his orders.

Li Chang’an and Shen Qiuyue carefully entered the building.

The light inside was dim. Collapsed beams and scattered equipment debris were everywhere.

They followed the coordinates from Bai Lin and soon discovered something squirming in a corner.

"They’re insect eggs!"

Shen Qiuyue said in a low voice.

"Not many, but we can’t leave them."

Li Chang’an drew his Saw Chain Sword.

"Destroy them!"

Shen Qiuyue nodded and swung her sword at the eggs.

The viscous eggs made a soft SPLAT as they burst, spilling disgusting fluid all over the floor.

Li Chang’an cleared them out while staying alert to his surroundings.

Suddenly, there was a faint noise from above.

"Something’s up there!"

Shen Qiuyue immediately looked up.

Before her words faded, a small, incredibly fast insect leaped down from a beam, heading straight for Li Chang’an.

Li Chang’an reacted instantly, sidestepping the attack while swinging his sword, slicing the bug in half at the waist.

"Any more?"

Li Chang’an asked in a low voice.

Shen Qiuyue glanced around.

"Don’t see any for now."

"Let’s regroup."

Li Chang’an nodded.

"This place is clean. Let’s continue the patrol."

The two quickly exited the building, regrouped with their teammates, and continued along the remainder of the patrol route.

Although they encountered no more enemies along the way, the squad remained on high alert with every step.

By the time they completed the mission and returned to base, the sky was already growing dark.

Back in the dorm, Sun Yang flopped onto the sofa and let out a long sigh.

"Finally over!"

he said.

"This kind of mission is boring to the extreme!"

"You want something more exciting?"

Han Ruoxi shot him a glance.

"Why don’t you apply to fight the Insect King one-on-one?"

"No way! I was just kidding!"

Sun Yang quickly waved his hands in surrender.

"Patrol missions might be boring, but at least they’re safe. I actually quite like them!"

"You have no backbone!"

Shen Qiuyue said coldly.

"Can backbone put food on the table?"

Sun Yang muttered, lying back on the sofa.

"Anyway, the mission’s done. I’m not moving for the rest of the day. You guys do whatever you want."

Li Chang’an couldn’t be bothered with him. He walked over to the table, sat down, and began writing up the mission report.

In the evening, the lights in the dorm area were dimmed. The members of the Insect Hunter Squad gathered in the lounge, the atmosphere much more relaxed than during the day.

Sun Yang lay on the sofa with a bag of snacks. Han Ruoxi sat nearby, fiddling with a small tool board in her hands.

Shen Qiuyue sat in another chair, a thin tactics manual in her hands, her gaze calmly sweeping over each page.