Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

’Here’s my chance!’

Li Chang’an seized the moment. Revving the Saw Chain Sword to its maximum, he leaped into the air, aiming straight for the command-type’s head.

VMMMM—

The Saw Chain Sword sliced through the air, cleaving viciously into the open, fleshy petals.

The blade plunged directly into the core of the petals. The Insect Race creature let out a piercing shriek, its massive body convulsing violently as its tentacles thrashed wildly, trying to throw Li Chang’an off.

”It’s over!”

Li Chang’an put all his strength into driving the Saw Chain Sword deeper. The red glow within the creature’s body vanished, and its movements grew sluggish. Finally, the behemoth crashed to the ground.

The cavern fell silent, with only the sound of everyone’s ragged breathing echoing in the air.

”Is it over?”

Sun Yang stared blankly at the enormous corpse, asking in disbelief.

”Yes, it’s over!”

Li Chang’an slowly got to his feet, his Saw Chain Sword still dripping with green fluid.

His gaze swept over his squad mates as he said in a low voice,

”Check the wounded and pull out of here, fast.

Remnants of the swarm are still around. We can’t stay here for long!”

Han Ruoxi let out a sigh of relief and slumped to the ground.

”I really don’t want another mission like this... Killing something on this level once is more than enough!”

”Don’t get your hopes up!”

Shen Qiuyue said coldly, wiping the blood from her sword.

”There will only be more of these Insect Race creatures. Future missions will only get harder!”

”Sister Shen, do you have to be so brutally honest and twist the knife?”

Sun Yang looked completely helpless but still got up and started organizing his gear.

A few minutes later, the two squads took their wounded and quickly departed the underground cavern.

Mission complete. Everyone returned successfully.

「Time flew by, and soon, another period had passed.」

”Li Chang’an! Hurry up! It’s time for formation!”

Sun Yang shouted toward the room at the end of the hall while polishing his Pulse Gun.

”Captain, don’t dawdle this time! I’m telling you, Instructor Wei Zhuang is doing some ’extreme physical conditioning’ thing again today, and I’ve got a bad feeling about it!”

”What are you shouting about? If you’re scared, then don’t go. The instructor’s not going to force you!”

Li Chang’an’s lazy voice drifted out from the room.

”You think everyone’s like you, trying to slack off all day?”

”Hey! Now that’s not fair!”

Sun Yang looked indignant and slung the gun over his back.

”I’m telling you, Captain, you can’t just accuse people like that. What kind of person am I, Sun Yang? I’m always the first one charging on the battlefield! Don’t deny it—I took out that elite Insect Race creature with one shot last time. Who dares say I’m not up to the task?”

”Alright, alright, that’s enough nonsense!”

Han Ruoxi walked past, nibbling on a piece of bread she was holding.

”Stop blowing your own horn. Let’s get to formation. If the instructor hears you, he’ll probably add extra training!”

Sun Yang slapped his thigh, his eyes wide.

”I knew it! Han Ruoxi, can we not do this every single time? I say two words, and you have to shoot me down. Can’t we try a different routine?”

”Nope!”

Han Ruoxi took a bite of her bread and replied casually.

”Maybe if you weren’t so cocky all the time, I might even give you a round of applause!”

”Are you guys done arguing yet?”

Shen Qiuyue’s voice came from the other end of the hall. She had already changed into her training uniform and was walking over, cradling her Dueling Sword, her tone impatient.

”Is the instructor’s training really that terrifying? Sun Yang, are you still scared from the last time you got chewed out? You’re whining and groaning all day like a grade-schooler!”

”Sister Qiuyue!”

Sun Yang yelled at her.

”That’s going too far! This is called being optimistic, okay? You know, optimistic? Full of passion for life! Unlike some people who are cold as ice all day long!”

”Try saying one more word.”

Shen Qiuyue glanced at him.

Sun Yang immediately shut his mouth and turned to look at Li Chang’an.

”Captain, do something! She’s always so fierce, how am I supposed to survive in this squad? Can’t we have a little democracy around here?”

”I think she’s right!”

Li Chang’an had already walked out of his room, casually hooking the Saw Chain Sword to his waist.

”That mouth of yours really does need to be kept in check!”

”Captain, you’ve changed!”

Sun Yang wore an expression of utter betrayal.

”We used to be so tight! Now you’re ganging up on me with them? That’s not cool!”

”Let’s just go. If we make the instructor wait any longer, we’re all screwed!”

Li Chang’an ignored him and just walked ahead.

On the training ground, Instructor Wei Zhuang was already standing in the center of the field, holding a timer. He did not look like he was in a good mood.

”You lot sure do talk a lot of nonsense!”

Wei Zhuang frowned, his gaze sweeping over each of them.

”I just don’t get it. You only have a limited time for training each day. Do you think you’re so special that you can just dilly-dally?”

”Instructor, we were wrong!”

Sun Yang immediately stepped forward, raised his hand, and put on a fawning smile.

”We definitely won’t dawdle today! We’ll cooperate fully! I’ve already reflected deeply on my mistakes from last time!”

”Alright, spare me the useless excuses!”

Wei Zhuang waved his hand dismissively.

”Today’s training is simple—a fifty-kilogram pack, twenty laps around the base. If you don’t finish, you don’t eat!”

”Huh?”

Sun Yang almost jumped out of his skin when he heard that.

”Instructor, isn’t that a bit too harsh? Last time I only ran ten laps, and my legs were sore for three days! Fifty kilograms today? Twenty laps? That’s a death sentence!”

”If it’s a death sentence, then don’t run!”

Wei Zhuang shot him a cold look.

”Perfect. I can’t be bothered to watch you dawdle anyway!”

”I... I’ll run, okay?”

Sun Yang looked utterly aggrieved.

”It would be an honor to run myself to death!”

”Less talk, more action. Go get your gear!”

Wei Zhuang waved his hand impatiently.

”And Li Chang’an, you lead the way. Show them how it’s done!”

”No problem!”

Li Chang’an agreed calmly and turned to get his weighted gear.

”Captain, you’re really going all out!”

Sun Yang grumbled as he followed to get his own gear.

”This won’t work. We need to be strategic. I think we can take it slow, not push so hard!”

”You can take it slow, then!”

Li Chang’an replied without turning his head.

”I’ll run my own race!”

”Hey, hey, hey, Captain, that’s not very team-spirited! We’re supposed to be a squad, aren’t we?”

Sun Yang trailed behind him, his mouth still running.

”My suggestion is really for the long-term development of the squad! We can’t just rely on brute force...”

”One more word of nonsense and you can run forty laps by yourself!”

Li Chang’an glared at him.

Sun Yang instantly shut up.

One lap, two laps... ten laps.

Sun Yang was already gasping for breath, but he was still complaining as he ran.

”Captain, how did you train your stamina? It’s been ten laps, and you’re not even breaking a sweat! Are you secretly cheating?”

”Shut up and run!”

Li Chang’an glanced at him, his voice laced with impatience.

”Stop wasting your energy!”

”Captain, I’m just trying to build some camaraderie...” Sun Yang muttered, but he didn’t stop running.

”Cut the crap, just finish the run and stop dragging us down!”

Shen Qiuyue ran up from behind, easily overtaking Sun Yang.

”If you keep holding us back, don’t talk to me when we get back!”

”I’m not holding anyone back!”

Sun Yang shouted, looking wronged.

”Sister Qiuyue, you have to be reasonable! I’m already running pretty fast!”

”Just shut up already!”

Han Ruoxi said as she passed him.

”Keep arguing and you’ll really have to run forty laps!”

”Han Ruoxi, I suspect this entire squad is ganging up on me!”

Sun Yang wore a look of Despair.

”I can’t live like this anymore! Can’t I just stop running?!”

”Don’t stop!”

Li Chang’an’s voice called out.

”If you stop again, I’ll really make you run forty laps!”

Sun Yang immediately gritted his teeth and kept running.

”You’re the cruelest one, Captain!”

When the twenty laps were finally over, Sun Yang collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.

”I can’t live like this... I’m never complaining again, for real!”

”Actions speak louder than words!”

Shen Qiuyue glanced at him impassively.

”There’s more training tomorrow!”

”Tomorrow?”

Sun Yang looked devastated.

”I haven’t even recovered yet...”

”Alright, that’s enough nonsense!”

Li Chang’an stood up and put his weighted gear back.

”Let’s go eat. After we eat, there’s tactical training this afternoon!”

”Captain, how are you not tired?”

Sun Yang looked at Li Chang’an, his face a picture of shock.