Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

”We will complete the mission!” Li Chang’an said firmly.

After receiving their orders, the Insect Hunter Squad returned to the rest area to prepare for the upcoming battle.

Sun Yang leaned back in his chair and sighed. ”Sigh, looks like there’s no getting out of it this time. We’re up against that swarm of insects and the Rebel Army again!”

Han Ruoxi smiled. ”Don’t you always say you love this kind of exciting fight? Why are you getting cold feet now?”

”Hey now, don’t get me wrong! I’m not getting cold feet. I just think we’ve got a few too many opponents this time... The Insect Race, the Rebel Army, Alien Martial Artists... That’s quite a lineup!” Sun Yang said with a helpless look on his face.

Shen Qiuyue said coldly, ”If you’re scared, you can quit now.”

”Scared? Are you kidding me? Am I that kind of person?” Sun Yang immediately sat up straight. ”I’m just psyching myself up to put on a good show in battle!”

Han Ruoxi couldn’t stop laughing. ”Alright, alright, everyone get some rest and conserve your energy!”

Sun Yang leaned back in his chair and rested for a moment, but he couldn’t help but ask, ”Hey, Chang’an, with such a mixed bag of enemies this time—the Insect Race, the Rebel Army, and Alien Martial Artists all thrown together—you think we can hold out? This feels like more than just a minor skirmish.”

Li Chang’an didn’t answer right away. He was sitting at a table, looking down and organizing the mission logs. Only then did he slowly say, ”This isn’t the first time we’ve faced a joint attack from multiple factions. We’ve had similar situations in past battles.

What’s crucial is our coordination and our intelligence. That’s what will determine if we can find an opportunity to win amidst the chaos.”

”True, but that’s a lot of pressure!” Sun Yang sighed, sitting up a little straighter. ”Our squad’s coordination is solid, no doubt. But if we’re really going to fight, we need a strategy.”

”You have to remember, half of any battle is an information war,” Bai Lin said calmly while checking the data on his terminal. ”Knowing what the enemy is doing... intelligence is more important than anything.”

”Exactly. Information determines the course of a battle.” Li Chang’an nodded, his gaze firm. ”The cooperation between the Rebel Army and the Insect Race didn’t just happen overnight. There must be a plan behind this operation.

We have to disrupt their plan before they can execute it.”

Han Ruoxi turned her head and said worriedly, ”But, Brother Chang’an, we’re just one squad, after all. Their combined forces will outnumber us by a lot.

Even if we have the intelligence, we can’t just fight them head-on, can we?”

Li Chang’an let out a light chuckle. ”We don’t need to fight them head-on. The base has plenty of defensive power.

Our mission is intelligence gathering and tactical strikes to ensure the base’s defense line isn’t breached.

The rest can be left to the other Combat Groups to handle.”

”Heh, that sounds easy enough, but I bet it won’t be so simple when we’re actually doing it,” Sun Yang grinned. ”I just hope we can complete the mission smoothly this time. As long as it doesn’t get too ugly!”

Shen Qiuyue shot Sun Yang a cold glance. ”Missions are never easy. It’s best to prepare for the worst.”

Sun Yang scratched his head, looking exasperated. ”I know, I know. Missy, you’re always so cold!”

”Just stating a fact,” Shen Qiuyue said flatly, continuing to check her weapon.

Watching Sun Yang and Shen Qiuyue bicker, Han Ruoxi smiled, then turned to Li Chang’an. ”Brother Chang’an, when will we get our specific orders?”

”Should be soon.” Li Chang’an put down the documents in his hand and glanced at the clock on the wall. ”Base command is drawing up an emergency response strategy. We just need to be ready to move out at a moment’s notice.”

Sun Yang nodded. ”Alright then. I’ll rest for a few more minutes. We’ll probably be running around all day again soon.”

The team members all began to adjust their readiness, an invisible tension filling the air.

Although the mission hadn’t officially begun, everyone knew that the real battle could break out at any moment.

Before long, Li Chang’an’s terminal chimed. He picked it up and saw it was a mission briefing from Commander Liu Na.

He opened it immediately, scanned through it, then stood up and said to the team, ”The mission’s here. Everyone get ready, we’re moving out!”

Han Ruoxi and Shen Qiuyue stood up at once, grabbing their weapons. Sun Yang was no longer slacking, either, and quickly adjusted his gear.

Li Chang’an briefly explained the mission. ”According to the latest intelligence, the main forces of the Insect Race and the Rebel Army have begun to assemble on the outskirts of the base.

Our task is to infiltrate the enemy’s assembly area, obtain their combat deployment and tactical plans, and most importantly, confirm their specific route of attack.”

Sun Yang grinned. ”Well now, this is right up my alley again. Infiltration and reconnaissance, that’s my specialty!”

”Don’t get cocky,” Li Chang’an shot him a mild glance. ”This time, the enemies we’re infiltrating include not only the Insect Race, but also the Rebel Army and Alien Martial Artists.

Their equipment and technology are not to be underestimated. Any rash move will expose our operation.”

Han Ruoxi nodded. ”We have to stay hidden. We can’t afford to be careless for even a second.”

”That’s right,” Shen Qiuyue interjected. ”The Rebel Army’s tactics are flexible and unpredictable, and the Alien Martial Artists’ technology is quite advanced. It’s highly likely they’ve set up a tight surveillance network.”

Li Chang’an said in a low, serious voice, ”Therefore, we must remain vigilant at all times. Any single action could determine the success or failure of this mission.”

The playful smile vanished from Sun Yang’s face, his expression turning serious. ”Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

The group quickly organized their gear. The Insect Hunter Squad once again boarded the flyer, preparing to head to the mission area.

The flyer took off quickly, rising above the base. The Insect Hunter Squad sat quietly in their seats. No one was joking anymore; the mood had grown tense for everyone.

”Do you guys think the Rebel Army might have already discovered our operation?” Han Ruoxi asked softly, gazing out the window.

”Hard to say.” Bai Lin’s eyes remained fixed on his terminal screen. ”But based on current intel, they haven’t fully caught on to our movements yet. However, that could change at any moment.”

Li Chang’an was resting with his eyes closed, but he remained on high alert. He opened his eyes, looked at his teammates, and said slowly, ”Whether they’ve discovered us or not, we have to complete this mission.”

Sun Yang leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. ”I, Sun Yang, am not afraid of these guys. Whether it’s the Rebel Army or the Insect Race, if they dare to get in our way, I’ll blow them away with one shot!”

Han Ruoxi chuckled softly. ”Oh, stop bragging. If you really ran into a huge swarm of the Insect Race, how many minutes would your Pulse Gun last?”

Sun Yang raised his gun, feigning a relaxed tone. ”Heh, well, that just depends on how many I can take down.

As long as they dare to get close, I’ll show them what my marksmanship can do!”

Shen Qiuyue watched him coldly. ”It’s best not to underestimate the enemy.”

Sun Yang muttered, ”I know, I know. Missy, don’t be so serious all the time!”

The flyer circled in the air before finally landing on the outskirts of the designated area.

The Insect Hunter Squad quickly disembarked and went into stealth mode.

”The enemy’s assembly area is up ahead,” Li Chang’an said in a low voice, opening his tactical map. ”We need to bypass the scouts on the perimeter and infiltrate the core area.”

Bai Lin quickly scanned the surroundings and looked up. ”The scouts are pretty spread out. We should have a chance to get around them.”

”Good.” Li Chang’an waved his hand. ”Everyone spread out, stay hidden, and move forward quickly!”

The Insect Hunter Squad immediately entered tactical mode, each member silently melting into the darkness of the night.

Han Ruoxi was still at the front, the Electric Energy Ball in her hand shimmering faintly, ready to deal with any sudden developments.

Sun Yang followed close behind, his Pulse Gun ready to fire at a moment’s notice.