Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

Han Ruoxi retorted without looking up from adjusting her Electric Gloves, ”They could send more people, but they’d have to be people who can actually hold their own.

Do you think there’s anyone else at the base more suitable for this mission than us?”

”Fair enough!”

Sun Yang pursed his lips. ”But the thing is, we’re not Steel Warriors. We were lucky to get out of there alive today. I’d rather not check out for good tomorrow!”

”If you’re afraid to die, you shouldn’t have come,” Shen Qiuyue commented coolly from the corner, continuing to wipe her Dueling Sword.

”Sister Qiuyue, it’s not that I’m afraid of dying!”

Sun Yang quickly waved his hands in dismissal. ”Isn’t this a normal reaction? Besides, I’m not afraid of dying, I’m afraid of the pain! Can you imagine how much it would hurt to get bitten by one of those things?”

”Sun Yang, why don’t you go do guard duty in logistics!”

Han Ruoxi looked up, a smirk playing on her lips. ”That way, you won’t feel any pain, and you won’t have to be on the front lines.”

”Fine, Miss Han, you’ve got a sharp tongue!”

Sun Yang sighed in resignation. ”I give up, alright? I’ll be the first one to charge in tomorrow. Happy now?”

”Don’t start bragging yet.”

Li Chang’an, who was standing by the table carefully inspecting the gears of his Saw Chain Sword, spoke in a calm tone that held an undeniable authority. ”If you really drop the ball tomorrow, I’ll be the first one to throw you to the Insect Race.”

”Captain! That’s too harsh!”

Sun Yang cried out exaggeratedly. ”Can’t we have a little humanity within our team?”

”There’s no humanity on the battlefield.”

Li Chang’an glanced up at him and said coldly, ”If you can’t even accept that, then you truly have no right to be on the battlefield.”

Sun Yang immediately shut his mouth, obediently lowering his head to check his own equipment.

Bai Lin, who was adjusting his terminal device on the side, suddenly broke the brief silence. ”Captain, for tomorrow’s operation, I’ll need more time to complete the data analysis.

If there are too many unexpected situations during the mission, the accuracy of the collected samples will be affected!”

”I’ll buy you time.”

Li Chang’an nodded. ”But you also need to be as fast as possible. The Insect Race won’t give us unlimited time to operate.”

”Understood!”

Bai Lin replied quietly and went back to his work.

Han Ruoxi suddenly looked up and asked Li Chang’an a question. ”Captain, what do you think the Insect Race’s commander will be like? Do you think we’ll run into it?”

”It’s highly likely.”

Li Chang’an’s tone was calm. ”But no matter what it is, our objective won’t change.

Destroy the outer defensive line and ensure the research unit can enter safely.”

”I hope it’s not some super-sized monster!”

Sun Yang swallowed. ”I really don’t want to shoot at an insect the size of a mountain. My bit of firepower probably couldn’t even put a hole in it.”

”Then practice your marksmanship!”

Han Ruoxi glanced at him impatiently. ”Don’t drag us down at every critical moment!”

”Miss Han, you’re targeting me again!”

Sun Yang clutched his chest, a wounded expression on his face. ”I’m your teammate. Can’t you be a little nicer to me?”

”If I’m too nice to you, you’ll just push your luck,” Han Ruoxi replied coldly.

Shen Qiuyue put down her Dueling Sword and suddenly spoke up. ”Captain, is there any room to adjust tomorrow’s battle strategy? The Insect Race’s intelligence is evolving. They might have countermeasures for our previous tactics.”

”It’s possible,” Li Chang’an nodded. ”But we can’t completely predict the changes on the battlefield.

We can only adapt as we go and try to minimize mistakes.”

’Adapt as we go...’

Shen Qiuyue nodded thoughtfully. ”Okay, I understand.”

The barracks returned to a brief quiet, with only the faint sounds of equipment being adjusted.

After a while, Sun Yang couldn’t help but speak up again. ”Hey, shouldn’t we eat something good today? Tomorrow’s a life-or-death mission. Eating something good will boost morale!”

”Are you paying?” Han Ruoxi asked bluntly.

”Uh...”

Sun Yang scratched his head. ”Isn’t it tradition for us to split the bill?”

”Split it?”

Han Ruoxi sneered. ”Are you trying to eat the most expensive thing and pay the least again?”

”Miss Han, could you stop being so condescending?”

Sun Yang patted his chest. ”I’m a man of my word! Today, it’s my treat!”

”Really?”

Han Ruoxi raised an eyebrow. ”Don’t go back on your word later.”

”No way! I won’t back out!”

Sun Yang had a serious expression on his face. ”Captain, you have to come too! Our team needs unity. A good meal will give us more drive for tomorrow!”

”Alright.”

Li Chang’an stood up. ”But don’t waste time. Come back and rest immediately after eating.”

”No problem! Whatever the Captain says!”

Sun Yang immediately jumped up, excitedly calling everyone over. ”Let’s go, let’s go! Let’s head to the mess hall and have a good meal! It’s Sun Yang’s treat today, nobody better try to pay!”

The group went noisily to the mess hall. Although tomorrow’s mission was daunting, the atmosphere that night was unusually relaxed.

「The next morning.」

The Insect Hunter Squad was fully equipped and ready to go. Standing at the assembly point, everyone’s expression had turned serious.

Wei Zhuang appeared before them on time, his gaze sweeping over each of them like a blade.

”Today’s mission is more difficult and more dangerous.

But I believe you can complete it.”

His voice was deep and powerful. ”Don’t disappoint me, understand?”

”Understood!”

Li Chang’an stood at attention, his gaze firm.

Wei Zhuang nodded and handed the mission briefing to Li Chang’an. ”This is your operational route and target point. All the details are in here.

The combat vehicle is ready. You can depart.”

”Yes, sir!”

Li Chang’an took the briefing and led his team members aboard the combat vehicle.

The combat vehicle drove deep into the Vortex Zone. The Insect Hunter Squad sat silently in the cabin, the atmosphere oppressive and tense.

”Captain, this place looks even more off than yesterday!”

Sun Yang was the first to break the silence, pointing at the environment outside the vehicle. ”Look, those tracks on the ground... it looks like there was a massive movement of the Insect Race.”