Chapter 37: The Front Line

Zhao Bohan and Tang Long were both looking at Yang Yuning with curiosity, while Yang Yuning was watching Qi An.

The control headset was unsightly, but Yang Yuning completely ignored that, his eyes fixed on the scratches on her face caused by blades of grass. Qi An’s skin was strange, seemingly impervious to the ravages of wind and frost; even after two missions, her face remained as smooth and fair as tofu, neither tanned nor roughened. Yet, after rolling through the mud and grass clippings, that delicate skin now bore several fine, red scratches.

Yang Yuning reached for the ointment on his person, but as he pulled it out, he realized the finest scratch on the tip of Qi An’s nose had already healed. Qi An herself paid it no mind—her healing ability had always been strong, and she had never really fallen ill, otherwise, she could never have survived alone in the wilderness. She was still operating the spy drone; by now, the cyst on that fallen insect had returned to normal, and the intelligence had already been transmitted. She directed the drone to fly straight toward Yuli Village.

"What’s the next step? Give us some commander’s instructions," Yu Shuang said. The tone was somewhat abrasive, but no one bothered to call him out on it.

"Reconnoiter Yuli Village..." Li Yi finally spoke after a long pause.

Qi An said, "It’s already being scouted; it will arrive momentarily. Additionally, the twelve insects two kilometers away are still stationary; they are waiting."

"There’s a high probability that Yuli Village is a stronghold for the fallen insects. If there truly is one, should we detour? Head further south?" Yang Yuning asked, then rapped on the door of the lead vehicle, signaling Li Yi to get out and discuss.

Li Yi had no choice but to emerge. He was tall and imposing, yet his entire presence seemed introverted and condensed, cold as ice. Qin Tianshu also stepped out. He was handsome, his hair pulled back into a short ponytail, and despite being in field combat gear, he carried an inexplicable air of flashiness.

Yu Shuang finally managed to join the tactical discussion, speaking first: "If we detour further south, can you guarantee there are no fallen insects there?"

This great plain had been one of the most densely populated regions in China before the apocalypse; the terms "dense" and "sparse" regarding towns were merely relative.

"So you’re saying you want to fight?" Qin Tianshu crossed his arms. He almost blurted out, "What kind of combat power could a team from a small place like that possibly have?" but having just been taught a lesson, he held his tongue. He glanced at Qi An—not with a disdainful snort this time, but with a gaze that was earnest, careful, and perplexed.

Yu Shuang admitted, "I believe we should fight." It wasn’t certain they could outrun them, and even if they did, wouldn't the fallen insects in Yuli Village follow the scent of their insect oil and pass the news south? They would be hunted down then, whereas now, they could seize the initiative.

"Are you certain there are fallen insects in Yuli Village?" asked Jia Wenxuan, Li Yi’s deputy.

"Certain. I have seen them. They are gathering, and at a glance, the scale is not small—about sixty or seventy," Qi An said.

Jia Wenxuan fell silent. Li Yi stared at Yu Shuang with a dark expression: "Since Team Leader Yu is so eager to fight, does that mean your team has the strength to take them on?"

Everything this man said was infuriating! Yu Shuang narrowed his eyes and countered immediately: "Does the commander want us to take the vanguard, while your team and the comrades from North 2 sit back and rest?"

"Of course not, but I wonder if the comrades from Central 3 have the courage to serve as the vanguard." Li Yi’s expression softened as he said this, returning to his condescending, top-down perspective.

Yu Shuang’s chest swelled with anger again! Zhao Bohan asked, "Is this an order?"

"If you find it difficult, you may refuse," Li Yi said.

"We act as the first line of defense to intercept the main force from Yuli Village, while your two teams guard the convoy in the rear?" Zhao Bohan continued, his voice low.

"Correct."

Qin Tianshu shouted in disbelief, "Is this arrangement a joke? Letting them block the front? Our team will take the vanguard!"

"We should select the best coordination from the three teams and arrange the front line!" Yang Yuning argued angrily.

"I said, if you find it difficult, you may refuse," Li Yi said flatly. He did not believe Team 2 would dare to accept this mission. Of course, if Team 2 accepted, they were fools who couldn't handle a taunt; if they refused, they would obediently shrink back, becoming obedient and less provocative. Either outcome was to his liking.

But Yu Shuang’s angry retort and refusal did not come as expected. Yu Shuang looked at Qi An. Everyone in Team 2 looked at Qi An. In the middle of the crowd, like a valley floor, the petite, delicate girl who seemed so out of place in the harsh environment glanced at Li Yi once, then nodded gently to her teammates.

She was their ears and eyes, and more importantly, their anchor in battle. The confusion and unease vanished instantly; smiles appeared on the faces of the members of Team 2—it was absolute trust and the excitement of impending conflict!

"We accept," Yu Shuang said.

Qi An whispered something to Zhao Bohan, and Zhao Bohan immediately said to Li Yi: "We only need one heavy combat drone and a crate of airdrop bombs for rear support; that’s not too much to ask, is it?"

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Li Yi. He couldn't bring himself to say, "If you’re so capable, why do you need equipment?" He tilted his head, and Jia Wenxuan brought over two crates.

Zhao Bohan inspected and test-flew the equipment on the spot. Yu Shuang pulled Qi An as they strode toward their own vehicle, leaving behind a parting shot: "The commander and the rest of you can feel free to sit in the back and wait for death!"

Yang Yuning followed. Li Yi frowned and moved to call him back, but Yang Yuning turned his head: "I will report your command performance today exactly as it happened."

Li Yi froze, his expression turning ugly instantly!

Back at their team, Qi An was still connected to the spy drone, having observed that the swarm of fallen insects was already moving out of the village, and they were fast. "It looks like about seventy, with at least two Wisdom Insects."

"We can't fight them one by one; we have to rely on explosives," Yu Shuang said. "Good thing we dragged the vehicle out; our own combat drone shells are all on it."

"It’s six kilometers as the crow flies from here to Yuli Village. We don't know where the ground might sink, so we’ll go on foot," Zhao Bohan said.

Qi An said, "I’ll be operating the Morning Star combat drone. If you move fast, I might need someone to carry me."

Just as Tang Long was about to speak, Yang Yuning said, "Me!"

Qi An said, "I choose Tang Long."

Yang Yuning insisted, "My strength enhancement is level 9, speed enhancement level 8."

Tang Long, who had been holding his head high, lowered it. Qi An held her breath and said, "...Fine."

Yang Yuning beamed with radiant confidence and offered his tactical advice: "Since we have the precise location of the insects, we absolutely cannot stupidly set up an arc formation to intercept. We can use the tall grass for cover and conduct a decentralized, encirclement-style assault."

"Old Yang is right. Everyone carries a tracker; the signals will be aggregated to me, Old Zhao, and Little Qi. We’ll follow commands to move positions and coordinate the strikes," Yu Shuang said.

"Yes!"

In three minutes of preparation, the team members moved swiftly, busy but orderly. The members of the other two teams watched them, and the truck drivers looked on as well, whispering in their private channels.

Qin Tianshu had been watching Team 2 with a sour look on his face. Suddenly, he spat on the ground: "North 2, gear up! We’ll form the second line behind the Central team and intercept any fallen insects that leak through!" He was also prepared to support those idiots from Central at any moment; he couldn't just watch them go to their deaths.

His team members’ spirits lifted, but Li Yi stopped Qin Tianshu: "We will guard the second line together. Both teams will pick their own people, and I will dispatch the Purifiers from my side."

Qin Tianshu was stunned. Li Yi’s tone toward him was normal, even gentler than before. The Morning Star Team 1’s Purifiers had a mental enhancement of 8, while theirs was only 7; such an arrangement would indeed better ensure the safety of those people from Central 3. The awkwardness in Qin Tianshu’s heart was smoothed over quite a bit, and he answered, "Yes," and began selecting his people.

Li Yi turned away, the gentleness on his face vanishing. He whispered to his Purifier, Liu Weiyun: "Make those Central people learn to bow their heads. If they don't bow, don't save them!"

Liu Weiyun lowered her eyes and nodded gently.

Over there, the members of Team 2, joined by Yang Yuning, were fully prepared. Under the cover of the vehicles, they moved like fish into water, slipping into the dense grass.