Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

”Right, right, let’s save Ruo Xi first!” Sun Yang nodded hurriedly.

”But how do we save her?” Li Chang’an frowned, looking at the Crystal Ball. ”This thing... it doesn’t seem like we can just open it.”

”Let me try.” Shen Qiuyue walked up to the Crystal Ball, raised her Dueling Sword, and was about to strike.

”Wait!” Bai Lin suddenly shouted. ”Don’t use brute force. The material this Crystal Ball is made of is very unusual. It won’t be that easy to destroy.”

”Then what do we do?” Shen Qiuyue asked.

”Let me think...” Bai Lin said, beginning to work on his Light Computer.

”Got it!” After a moment, Bai Lin said, ”This Crystal Ball can be opened using Energy Resonance!”

”Energy Resonance? How do we do that?” Li Chang’an asked.

”We need a specific energy frequency that can resonate with the Crystal Ball’s own frequency to open it,” Bai Lin explained.

”A specific energy frequency? What is it?” Sun Yang asked.

”I don’t know, but I can try using my Light Computer to simulate various energy frequencies and see which one resonates with the Crystal Ball,” Bai Lin said.

”Okay, then hurry up and try!” Li Chang’an said.

Bai Lin nodded and began working on his Light Computer.

He continuously adjusted the Light Computer’s output frequency, testing all sorts of different energy bands.

Time ticked by, second by second. Tiny beads of sweat appeared on Bai Lin’s forehead.

”Found it!” Bai Lin suddenly shouted in excitement. ”This is the frequency!”

He adjusted the Light Computer’s output frequency to a specific value and aimed it at the Crystal Ball.

The Light Computer emitted an invisible wave of energy toward the Crystal Ball.

The Crystal Ball began to vibrate faintly, its light growing brighter and brighter.

”It’s working!” Sun Yang said excitedly.

”Keep going!” Li Chang’an said.

Bai Lin nodded and continued to fire the energy wave from his Light Computer at the Crystal Ball.

The Crystal Ball’s vibrations grew more violent, and its light became so dazzling it looked like it might explode at any moment.

”Almost there! Just a little longer!” Bai Lin said.

Finally, thanks to Bai Lin’s efforts, the Crystal Ball let out a crisp CRACK and a fissure split across its surface.

”It worked!” Han Ruoxi’s voice came from inside the Crystal Ball.

The Crystal Ball shattered completely, and Han Ruoxi walked out from within.

”Ruo Xi!” Li Chang’an hurried forward to support her. ”Are you all right?”

”I’m fine, Captain. Thank you for saving me!” Han Ruoxi said gratefully.

”As long as you’re okay.” Li Chang’an breathed a sigh of relief.

”Captain, we should leave this place quickly. I have a bad feeling about it,” Han Ruoxi said.

”Right, let’s go!” Li Chang’an nodded.

They left the core area, heading back the way they came.

Along the way, they encountered no further dangers and returned to the surface smoothly.

”Phew, we’re finally out!” Sun Yang let out a long breath. ”That ruin was terrifying!”

”Yeah, we almost didn’t make it out,” Han Ruoxi added, still shaken.

”All right, the mission’s complete. Let’s head back,” Li Chang’an said.

The team boarded the transport ship and left the Kars Mine Area.

The transport ship flew steadily through the skies of Lion’s Fang Star, heading toward the Interstellar Warrior Base.

Inside the ship’s cabin, the atmosphere was a bit heavy.

”Captain, do you think Zhou Ze... is he really dead?” Han Ruoxi broke the silence, asking softly.

”I don’t know. Let’s hope he’s okay,” Li Chang’an sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness.

”Serves him right if he’s dead. Who told him to be so arrogant!” Sun Yang muttered, a hint of schadenfreude in his voice.

”Sun Yang, don’t say that. It was still a person’s life,” Shen Qiuyue said with a frown.

”Qiuyue, you’re just too kind!” Sun Yang shook his head. ”For someone like him, dying is a public service!”

”Alright, that’s enough!” Li Chang’an cut off their argument. ”We’ll report what happened with Zhou Ze to the Commander when we get back and see how the Combat Group wants to handle it.”

The team members nodded and fell silent.

The transport ship continued on its way, soon arriving back at the Interstellar Warrior Base.

Li Chang’an led his team members to the command center to report the details of the mission to Liu Na.

”What? Zhou Ze is missing?” Liu Na asked in astonishment after hearing Li Chang’an’s report.

”Yes, Commander. He was sucked into the Crystal Ball. His fate is unknown,” Li Chang’an said.

”This... What are we going to do?” Liu Na frowned. ”Zhou Ze is the second son of the Galaxy Group. If anything happens to him, the Galaxy Group definitely won’t let this go!”

”Commander, it’s not our fault. Zhou Ze wouldn’t listen to our warnings and insisted on touching the Crystal Ball. That’s why he got sucked in,” Sun Yang said.

”I know that, but the people from the Galaxy Group won’t listen to your explanation,” Liu Na sighed. ”This is big trouble.”

”Commander, what do we do now?” Li Chang’an asked.

”I’ll report to the Battle Commander first and see what he says,” Liu Na said, activating her communicator to contact him.

A moment later, Liu Na ended the call, her expression grim.

”What did the Battle Commander say?” Li Chang’an asked.

”The Battle Commander said not to spread this around for now. He’ll personally negotiate with the people from the Galaxy Group,” Liu Na said.

”So you’re saying that even you don’t know if Zhou Ze is dead or alive right now?”

「In the Battle Commander’s office.」

The atmosphere was so tense you could cut it with a knife. The Battle Commander was a burly, resolute-looking middle-aged man. Right now, his brow was deeply furrowed as he stared at the holographic projection before him. In the projection, Liu Na was giving a detailed report on the Kars Mine Area mission.

”That’s right, Battle Commander,” Liu Na’s voice was a bit low. ”We tried everything we could, but we couldn’t open that Crystal Ball. After Zhou Ze was sucked inside, there’s been no news of him.”

”Dammit!” The Battle Commander slammed his fist on the desk, and the solid wood tabletop cracked under the force. ”A living person just vanished right under your noses? Is this how your Insect Hunter Squad carries out its missions?”

Li Chang’an stood to one side, his expression calm, and said nothing. Shen Qiuyue and Sun Yang hung their heads, looking remorseful. Han Ruoxi bit her lip, a flash of worry in her eyes.

”Battle Commander, the Insect Hunter Squad is not to blame for this,” Liu Na tried to explain. ”Zhou Ze acted on his own against our advice, which led to this outcome.”

”I don’t want to hear excuses!” the Battle Commander cut Liu Na off rudely. ”The most important thing right now is how we’re going to answer to the Galaxy Group! Zhou Ze is the second son of the Zhou Family! If something happens to him here on Lion’s Fang Star, the entire 42 Combat Group will be in for it!”

”Battle Commander, how do you plan to handle this?” Li Chang’an finally spoke up.

”Handle it? How else can we handle it?” The Battle Commander glared at Li Chang’an irritably. ”We report the truth to the Galaxy Group, of course! Were you thinking of hiding it?”

”That’s not what I meant.” Li Chang’an shook his head. ”I mean, we should prepare for the worst.”

”The worst?” The Battle Commander paused. ”What are you referring to?”

”The Galaxy Group won’t let this go. They will definitely send people to investigate, and they might even retaliate against us,” Li Chang’an said in a calm tone. ”We must be prepared to respond.”

”Respond? How? Are you planning to go to war with the Galaxy Group?” the Battle Commander sneered. ”Li Chang’an, are you getting ahead of yourself? Do you think your little squad can take on the entire Galaxy Group?”

”That’s not what I meant,” Li Chang’an shook his head again. ”I just think we can’t be sitting ducks. We have to make some preparations.”

”Prepare for what? To run away?” the Battle Commander scoffed.