Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

Sun Yang turned to look at him, an aggrieved expression on his face.

”I’m just being honest!”

Bai Lin lowered his head and continued fiddling with his wrist-mounted device, ignoring him.

The next morning, before the sky had lightened, the Insect Hunter Squad was already fully equipped and ready to deploy.

Li Chang’an stood before the squad, glancing over everyone’s gear.

”Everyone do a final check. Firearms, Superpower Tools, rations—you have everything?”

”We have everything!”

Sun Yang answered loudly.

”Han Ruoxi, any issues with the Electric Energy Container?”

Li Chang’an asked.

”No issues!”

Han Ruoxi nodded.

”I fully charged it last night!”

”Shen Qiuyue, does your Dueling Sword have enough Energy?”

”More than enough!”

”Bai Lin, is the reconnaissance equipment functioning normally?”

”Normal!”

After confirming everything, Li Chang’an waved his hand.

”Move out!”

The squad quickly entered the mission area, following the route marked by Bai Lin.

Their conversation was gradually drowned out by the sound of their footsteps, but the trust and rapport they shared had already become the squad’s greatest weapon.

As they marched on, Sun Yang kept looking back from time to time.

”Brother Chang’an, why does this path feel more and more desolate the further we go? Are we really going to find the Rebel Army?”

”Shut up and keep moving!”

Li Chang’an ignored his nonsense, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.

The team had been advancing through the dense forest for about two hours when Bai Lin suddenly stopped, raising a hand to signal for everyone to halt.

”We’ve got a situation up ahead!”

Bai Lin said in a low voice, simultaneously flipping the screen on his wrist-mounted device around for Li Chang’an to see.

”Here. Abnormal Energy fluctuations, about five hundred meters out. Could be a mechanical device, or it could be an Insect Hive entrance!”

Li Chang’an glanced at the screen and nodded.

”Han Ruoxi, scout ahead. Stay concealed!”

”Roger!”

Han Ruoxi moved forward swiftly, her figure weaving nimbly between the trees before disappearing into the dense forest moments later.

Sun Yang patted Bai Lin on the shoulder.

”Your gear is so advanced, can’t it just tell us what’s there? All this ’could be’ and ’about’ is really unsettling!”

”What do you want me to do, switch careers and become a Wizard to read your fortune?”

Bai Lin didn’t even glance at him, continuing to adjust his equipment.

Shen Qiuyue stood to one side, her gaze warily scanning the surroundings.

”Can you two cut the chatter? If there’s an ambush, running your mouths like this will attract trouble!”

”Sister Qiuyue, I’m just trying to lighten the mood. Don’t be so tense!”

Sun Yang said with a grin, waving his hand dismissively.

”But seriously, this place is a little creepy. If it is an Insect Hive, a bunch of bugs aren’t going to jump out at us, are they?”

Li Chang’an shot him a cold glance.

”One more word of nonsense and you’ll be the one scouting ahead!”

Sun Yang immediately shut his mouth and stood obediently.

A few minutes later, Han Ruoxi’s voice came through their earpieces.

”There’s a clearing up ahead. A few mechanical devices are running; they look like transport equipment.”

”No sign of bugs, and no trace of the Rebel Army!”

”Keep observing. Don’t make a move!”

Li Chang’an responded while waving his hand, signaling the team to follow.

The group cautiously approached the clearing, concealing themselves behind some tall grass to observe.

Just as Han Ruoxi had described, several large pieces of machinery were operating slowly in the center of the area, their conveyor belts piled with ore and mechanical parts.

”This doesn’t look like the Insect Race’s style. It’s more like the Rebel Army is mining!”

Shen Qiuyue said in a low voice.

”The mining equipment isn’t the point. The point is, where are the people?”

Li Chang’an’s eyes scanned the surroundings.

”Bai Lin, have you detected any life signs?”

Bai Lin nodded and quickly operated his device.

”Approximately in the seven o’clock direction, there are three to four active lifeforms at a distance of about three hundred meters. It should be a small Rebel Army patrol!”

”No wonder this place was unguarded,” Sun Yang muttered. ”So they’re patrolling the perimeter!”

”Don’t talk nonsense. Stay quiet!”

Li Chang’an lowered his voice, then looked toward Han Ruoxi.

”You’re in charge of staying here to monitor the machinery. Report any anomalies immediately.”

”Bai Lin, you continue monitoring lifeform activity in the vicinity.”

”Sun Yang, Shen Qiuyue, you’re with me. We’re taking care of the patrol!”

The three of them quickly moved around the clearing, approaching the position Bai Lin had marked.

Before long, they stopped behind a thicket of bushes. Ahead of them were indeed four Rebel Army soldiers, pacing back and forth, seemingly unaware of the Insect Hunter Squad’s arrival.

Sun Yang said in a hushed voice.

”Brother Chang’an, these guys look pretty lax. Should we just take them out?”

”We can’t afford to make any noise.”

Li Chang’an drew the Saw Chain Sword from his waist and gestured to his left and right.

”Shen Qiuyue, you take the right. Sun Yang, the left. I’ll handle the ones in the middle. Be quick!”

The two of them nodded and silently fanned out.

Li Chang’an took a deep breath. Once all three were in position, he slowly raised his hand and gave a sharp wave.

Like a phantom, Shen Qiuyue approached the rebel on the right. A single, clean thrust of her sword pierced his back through the heart, and the soldier collapsed without a sound.

Sun Yang, meanwhile, simply slit the throat of the enemy on the left with his dagger. While his movements weren’t as fluid as Shen Qiuyue’s, they were brutally effective.

Li Chang’an leaped out, his Saw Chain Sword slicing through the air to precisely decapitate the two rebel soldiers in front of him. Blood splattered on the ground, but his movements were perfectly fluid and without a hint of hesitation.

”Done!”

Sun Yang flicked the blood from his dagger.

”These guys are even weaker than bugs!”

”Less talk. Grab the bodies!”

Li Chang’an quickly cleaned up the scene, and then the three of them returned to the clearing with the bodies of the rebel soldiers.

Seeing them return, Han Ruoxi hurriedly asked.

”All taken care of?”

”All taken care of.”

Li Chang’an threw the bodies on the ground.