Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

”Mr. Zhou, please rest assured. We’ll absolutely do our best. Absolutely.” Lin Yuan could only offer repeated assurances.

”Do your best? I don’t want you to do your best—I want results!” Zhou Yuanshan roared. ”If you can’t find my son, I’ll make your entire 42 Combat Group pay with their lives!”

With that, Zhou Yuanshan and his entourage stormed off, leaving Lin Yuan and his men standing there dumbfounded.

”Now we’ve really stirred the hornet’s nest!” Lin Yuan said, scratching his head in distress as he watched Zhou Yuanshan’s retreating figure. ”The Galaxy Group won’t just let this go.”

”We’ll face whatever comes. What’s there to be afraid of?” Li Chang’an, however, was quite calm.

”Easy for you to say, kid. Do you have any idea how powerful the Galaxy Group is?” Lin Yuan shot Li Chang’an a glare. ”If they decide to come after us, we won’t even have a chance to fight back!”

”Then what should we do? Just roll over and take it?” Li Chang’an retorted.

”I... That’s not what I meant...” Lin Yuan sighed. ”Ah, forget it. There’s no point talking to you about this. You have no idea how serious the situation is.”

”I do,” Li Chang’an said with a nod. ”But I won’t back down.”

”You...” Looking at Li Chang’an’s resolute expression, Lin Yuan was momentarily at a loss for words.

”Alright, let’s head back,” Li Chang’an said, patting Lin Yuan on the shoulder. ”What’s meant to happen, will happen.”

With that, Li Chang’an led the Insect Hunter Squad back to the Interstellar Warrior Base.

The Galaxy Group’s retaliation came faster and was more brutal than Li Chang’an had ever imagined.

Barely two days had passed before the 42 Combat Group received an order from high command: Effective immediately, all missions for the 42 Combat Group were suspended. They were to stand by and await an investigation by the Galaxy Group.

Not only that, but the Galaxy Group also filed a lawsuit against the 42 Combat Group in the Interstellar Alliance Court. They demanded compensation for the loss of Zhou Ze and insisted that those responsible be held accountable.

This was a complete disaster for the 42 Combat Group. They had never faced a crisis of this magnitude.

Battle Commander Lin Yuan was frantic, like an ant on a hot griddle. He tried to call in favors everywhere, pulling every string he could, but it was all useless.

The Galaxy Group’s power was immense. Their reach extended into every corner of the Interstellar Alliance, and no one dared to cross them.

The soldiers of the 42 Combat Group were in a state of panic.

They didn’t know what the future held or if they would be thrown to the wolves as scapegoats.

An oppressive atmosphere descended upon the entire base.

The Insect Hunter Squad was not spared.

They were confined to the base and subjected to daily interrogations by investigators from the Galaxy Group.

”Do you think they’ll really arrest us? The people from the Galaxy Group, I mean,” Sun Yang asked, a hint of anxiety in his voice.

”I don’t know, but they certainly won’t let us off the hook easily,” Shen Qiuyue said.

”What’s there to be afraid of? If worst comes to worst, we’ll fight them to the death!” Sun Yang declared, shaking his fist.

”Don’t be rash, Sun Yang,” Li Chang’an said. ”We can’t go head-to-head with the Galaxy Group right now. That would only make matters worse.”

”Then what’s the plan? Are we just going to let them walk all over us?” Sun Yang asked, unwilling to accept it.

”Of course not,” Li Chang’an said, shaking his head. ”We have to find a way to save ourselves.”

”Save ourselves? How?” Han Ruoxi asked.

”Let’s wait and see for now. Figure out what the Galaxy Group is really after,” Li Chang’an said. ”Then we’ll play it by ear.”

...

The investigation by the Galaxy Group lasted for an entire week.

Over the course of that week, every member of the Insect Hunter Squad was interrogated repeatedly, countless times.

The investigators from the Galaxy Group were overbearing and their questioning was sharp. They were trying to find inconsistencies in their stories to pin the blame on them.

But the members of the Insect Hunter Squad all held firm to their accounts, giving their questioners no openings.

In the end, the Galaxy Group’s investigators failed to find any valuable leads.

They had no choice but to temporarily conclude the investigation and return to the Galaxy Group Headquarters.

”Whew, they’re finally gone!” Sun Yang let out a long sigh of relief. ”Those guys were a real pain in the ass!”

”Yeah, they were driving me crazy!” Han Ruoxi chimed in.

”Don’t celebrate just yet. This is far from over,” Shen Qiuyue said. ”The Galaxy Group won’t let this go so easily.”

”So what else can they do?” Sun Yang asked.

”I don’t know, but whatever it is, it won’t be good,” Shen Qiuyue replied.

”We’ll deal with whatever they throw at us. What’s there to fear?” Li Chang’an said calmly. ”The Insect Hunter Squad has been through worse, haven’t we?”

”The Captain’s right!” Sun Yang nodded. ”We’re not afraid of them!”

”Right!” Shen Qiuyue and Han Ruoxi nodded in agreement.

...

Just when the Insect Hunter Squad thought they had a moment’s peace, a new crisis quietly emerged.

One evening, as Li Chang’an was resting in his quarters, he suddenly received an urgent call from Liu Na.

”Li Chang’an, bad news!” Liu Na’s voice was frantic. ”The Battle Commander—people from the Galaxy Group took him!”

”What?” Li Chang’an was stunned. ”What happened?” he demanded.

”The Galaxy Group is accusing the Battle Commander of murdering Zhou Ze! They’ve taken him into custody!” Liu Na said.

”Murder? How is that possible?” Li Chang’an said, his voice laced with disbelief. ”Why would the Battle Commander murder Zhou Ze?”

”I don’t know, but that’s what the Galaxy Group is claiming,” Liu Na said. ”They also said that if the 42 Combat Group doesn’t cooperate with their investigation, they’ll take even stricter measures!”

”Stricter measures? What are they planning?” Li Chang’an asked.

”I don’t know, but it can’t be good,” Liu Na said. ”Li Chang’an, you have to think of something! Save the Battle Commander!”

”I understand. Don’t worry, I’m on my way,” Li Chang’an said.

After cutting the call, Li Chang’an immediately left his quarters and hurried to the command center.

Shen Qiuyue, Sun Yang, Han Ruoxi, and Bai Lin were already there.

”Captain, is it true? Was the Battle Commander really arrested?” Sun Yang asked.

”Yes.” Li Chang’an nodded. ”The Galaxy Group is accusing him of murdering Zhou Ze.”

”How is that possible? The Battle Commander has absolutely no reason to kill Zhou Ze!” Shen Qiuyue exclaimed.

”I know, but the Galaxy Group won’t listen to reason,” Li Chang’an said. ”They’re just looking for a pretext to come after us.”

”Then what’s the plan? How are we going to rescue the Battle Commander?” Han Ruoxi asked.

”We can’t just sit back and wait. We have to act,” Li Chang’an said. ”We’re going to the Galaxy Group Headquarters to get him back!”

”To the Galaxy Group Headquarters? Captain, are you insane?” Sun Yang cried out. ”That’s their main base! If we go there, we’ll be walking right into a trap!”

”I know. But we don’t have a choice,” Li Chang’an said. ”If we don’t go, the Battle Commander’s life will be in danger.”

”But—” Sun Yang started to say, but Li Chang’an cut him off.

”No buts. Time is short, we have to move now!” Li Chang’an ordered. ”Bai Lin, you’re in charge of contacting the other squads in the Combat Group. Tell them to be ready for a fight and to provide support on our signal.”

”Understood!” Bai Lin nodded.

”Shen Qiuyue, Sun Yang, Han Ruoxi, you’re with me. We’re going to the Galaxy Group Headquarters!” Li Chang’an declared. ”We will get the Battle Commander back!”

”Yes, sir!” Shen Qiuyue, Sun Yang, and Han Ruoxi responded in unison.

The four of them left the command center, boarded the transport ship *Hawke*, and headed for the Galaxy Group Headquarters.

The Galaxy Group Headquarters was a skyscraper hundreds of stories tall, located in the most bustling commercial district on Lion’s Fang Star.

The tower’s exterior walls were forged from a special alloy, making them incredibly durable and capable of withstanding any form of weapons fire.

The interior was even more formidable, riddled with traps and layered with various defense systems under heavy guard.

The *Hawke* touched down on the landing pad in front of the Galaxy Group Headquarters.

Li Chang’an led Shen Qiuyue, Sun Yang, and Han Ruoxi down the ramp of the transport.

”Halt! Who are you?”

Several guards in black uniforms immediately moved to surround them, blocking their path.

”We’re from the 42 Combat Group,” Li Chang’an said. ”We’re here to see the person in charge.”

”The 42 Combat Group? What’s your business here?” a guard asked warily.

”We’re here for a person,” Li Chang’an said. ”You took our Battle Commander. We’re taking him home.”

”Battle Commander? What Battle Commander? We don’t know what you’re talking about,” the guard said. ”Leave now, or we won’t be so polite.”

”So, you have no intention of letting him go?” Li Chang’an said, his voice cold.

”We have no idea what you’re talking about. Now, get lost!” the guard said, his patience wearing thin.

”In that case, don’t blame us for what happens next,” Li Chang’an said, drawing his Saw Chain Sword.