Chapter 2467 - 246 - 255

Chapter 246: Fresh Blood

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

However, everyone was concerned that Li Ruoer and Ma Xiaoru would eventually become more of a hindrance than help. The two girls had limited experience on the battlefield, and they were not very good at following orders. It would take a full squad team just to keep them alive, much less expecting them to kill any Zergs.

The best option seemed to be keeping them on the ship and waiting for their feverish dream of becoming a heroine to cool down eventually. However, both of them had insisted on joining the ground force.

The two girls' requests had given the military a lot of pressure. However, the officers couldn't simply reject their requests while all eyes were on them. If they did, rumors of "special treatment" would sprout out and would deteriorate the Military's already eroding reputation. On the other hand, they couldn't afford to let the two girls get injured either.

Ma Sa had spent some time trying to figure out the situation. He was sent here with a different agenda, so he didn't want to invest too much time on unrelated matters. However, he became alert once he learned that Li Ruoer intended to hurt Wang Tong. Ma Sa happened to know about the temperament of both Li Ruoer and Wang Tong. So, he decided to keep the two separate to protect Wang Tong. Ma Sa really liked Wang Tong, not only because he believed that the latter had great potential in him, but also because of his approachable personality.

Ma Sa had decided to assign Li Ruoer to Li Shimin's battle unit, hoping that her brother would have greater control over her untamed spirit. Meanwhile, he had appointed Ma Xiaoru to Wang Tong's group, after having recalled their close relationship.

Ma Sa handed over the revised list to Lore, "Make sure you follow my orders."

Lore glanced over the list and nodded. It was a sticky situation for Lore, so he decided to do as he was told, and reasoned that should the sh*t hit the fans, he would blame everything on Ma Sa.

Wang Tong received a piece of level one METAL suit despite that his level was much higher. Supply shortage was the cruel reality faced by the military, and only a handful of the elites were able to wear higher tier METAL due to the dwindling funding. The poor equipment had undoubtedly hindered the soldiers' combat ability.

On the same night that Wang Tong had gotten his METAL, he was sent on the plane to district D. Everyone on the plane had a taut face; they were nervous as they were about to confront human's biggest enemy, the Zergs.

The ship landed inside a military base, and about a thousand soldiers were transported here together with Wang Tong. Humans no longer could wage large-scale assault. Instead, they decided to concentrate their forces on a few spots that they considered the possible locations of underground hives.

Wang Tong was a foot soldier in the ninth platoon, third regiment, the eighth brigade of the Norton Field Force. His platoon leader was second lieutenant Jansining, a forty-ish veteran soldier.

In the two days that followed, Wang Tong had experienced a unique atmosphere within the group. Jansining had left him only one order: think more and talk less. He was told to follow the group closely and not play hero under any circumstances. What real soldiers didn't like about heroes was that they were usually suicidally gloomy when sober, and homicidally insane when drunk, as an ancient wise man used to put it.

Jansining was well aware of Wang Tong's strength when he gave him the order. However, a battle was not won by one man. Rhe most efficient way to strike a blow to the enemy while staying safe was to work as a team. The danger would be more likely to sprout out if Wang Tong went off the grid and disrupted the team's strategy with his careless actions.

Within the next two days, Wang Tong had fought in four encounters. He struggled with the other eleven soldiers as a team regardless of the strength of enemies in front of them. Jansining was a fourth level soldier with a second tier METAL while the rest of the soldiers were in their third level and were wearing first tier METAL.

The battles had been intense, Wang Tong followed every single order, and there was no difficulty for him in understanding the intention in all of the orders. The twelve of them worked closely and covered each other's back. Jansining was right, should any one of them decide to fire a gun without following the order, they would only end up shooting themselves in the feet.

Jansining knew that these top-notch students possessed higher soul energy than himself. However, unlike the PA system that the students were familiar with, this was a real war, and soul energy was not the only factor in winning a real war.

Within the two days, Wang Tong had learned many things that he would never have learned from any textbook, and he recorded them in his field book.

'First, make sure I am ready before entering the battle. The Zergs had learned to sneak up on human soldiers, so I had to be always prepared.'

'Second, always keep my soul energy at a minimum level, and never turn if off completely. This was to reduce the reaction time during a sudden attack or ambush, and it was paramount to know the right amount of soul energy to maintain for myself since continually maintaining an unnecessarily high level of soul energy would tire me out pretty quickly.'

'Third, don't chase after a fleeting Zerg. There could only be more danger where that b*stard came from, but you got just one life.'

'Fourth, help each other. Saving my teammate is equal to saving myself.'

'Fifth, practice tactics every night. Regardless of the tactics I cultivate, always practice it before I go to bed. The stronger I am, the more likely I am to survive.'

'Sixth, take care of my METAL. Treat it like my high school sweetheart, regardless of she was pretty or not.'

Every day before Wang Tong went to bed, he would practice one round of tactics and clean his METAL meticulously.

Although those small insights he had learned were minor actions, Wang Tong had paid a costly price for every single one of them.

There are memory chips inside the METAL that covered the entire body to form the first layer of protection at only critical parts of the body. In other words, the METAL suit would not protect the soldier's entire body. In most cases, the best protection against oneself was to kill the Zerg as fast as possible.

After a day of Zerg-killing, Jansining called a meeting with everyone.

"Wang Tong, you have been on our team for over two days. How do you feel?" Jansining lit up a cigarette and asked calmly. Wang Tong's teammates appeared to be busying with their own work, but they were all listening to the conversion attentively.

"I wish I could be more involved." Wang Tong cracked a smile.

"Boss, this lad is quite a material. He didn't even flinch when he first saw those bugs. I say let him join us."

The one who was talking was called Third. He had two elder brothers, and they all died on the battlefield. No one knew his real name, so his teammates called him Third

After hearing Third's praise, the other teammates laughed agreeably. Third's observation was right, this 'burden' sent by the military had really exceeded their expectations. A worthy fresh blood would always be a welcoming sight.

"Seems like you get along pretty well. Tell you what, I will give you an actual duty tomorrow. Show us what you can do."

Jansining laughed. He had excluded Wang Tong in most of the team actions by ordering him to stand aside and watch. However, after two days of observation, Jansining had felt that Wang Tong seem to be more mature and experienced than he had thought.

"Hey you little sh*t, try to take on one of us first! Haha"

Everyone was instantly excited after hearing the promise of a brawl. Brawling might seem barbaric to peaceful civilians, but it was a simple team-building exercise for soldiers at the front line.

"Lieutenant, assign me an opponent please!"

"Hey! Be careful what you wish for. Haha. Fine, you can try a few punches on Big Head. See if his head gets any smaller. Haha"

"Big Head, be careful, this little prick is at the fourth level. If you lose, I'm going to make you clean up bug sh*t for a week! Haha"

"Oh, for f*ck's sake! I didn't sign up for this! Well lad, come at me then, show me what you got."

"Please"

"Save your courtesy for your mama, kiddo! "

Big Head hurled his fist at Wang Tong's chest. A lethal direct attack was a soldier's most used method, since they didn't have the luxury to think and plan their moves when the Zerg's claw was just an inch away from them. Their simple attacks were potent and deadly, to make sure that every strike would kill at least a Zerg. Otherwise, the human would be quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of Zergs.

During the battles on Norton, the humans had discovered a new kind of Zerg: the Hive Queen. It was harmless by itself, yet it was capable of producing a significant amount of Zerg offspring in a very short period. Therefore, these Hive Queens had become the main target of military's operations, and they ought to be eliminated first. The Hive Queen's death meant the demise of all Zergs in the same hive.

Researchers also found out that Zergs ate almost anything. They could quickly turn anything or, anyone, into pure energy to power their body. Some higher form of Zergs such as the Space Hive could directly absorb energy from lower form counterparts to quickly amass a significant amount of energy to perform unbelievable feats such as space warping.

Chapter 247: Call of Duty

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Big Head's strike was effective. However, he would not be able to even scratch Wang Tong.

Wang Tong blocked Big Head's fist with a palm and pushed his opponent; the tremendous GN force threw Big Head flying backward and then thudded heavily on the ground. Wang Tong had defeated Big Head without even delivering a strike.

"Balls! This little jerk is way overpowered. You guys must know it and wanted to make fun of me." Big Head complained loudly as he struggled to get back to his feet. Everyone laughed, their voice laced with a certain degree of respect.

Wang Tong pulled Big Head up. He didn't consider Big Head an unworthy opponent because he knew that on the battlefield, it was hundreds of opponents like Big Head he would have to deal with.

The glory belonged to only a few at the very top, but these foot soldiers were the real hero.

Big Head shook his head and glared at his comrades.

"Wang Tong, what exactly is your soul level?"

Jansining was very pleased with Wang Tong's performance. It was excellent news for the team to have such a capable new addition. What made Wang Tong even more likable was the lack of arrogance and self-importance. Jansining had seen so many kids from the ivory tower who played hero like a pompous idiot on the battlefield, making themselves the perfect formula for the doom of their entire squad.

Therefore, Jansining was not only impressed by Wang Tong's incredible power but more so by his ability to be a team player. Jansining had observed him over the two days, and he noticed that Wang Tong had been following his orders and never caused any extra burden to the team.

Jansining also noticed that Wang Tong didn't complain about the seemingly mundane orders, and he reasoned that it was because Wang Tong had understood his intention. Jansining figured that if all the students from the academies were like Wang Tong, the humans might have a chance in the war against the Zergs after all.

"I have just reached the fifth level. But please keep it between you and me. Not even my close friends knew about that yet." Wang Tong scratched his head and said.

Wang Tong's answer made Third choke on the water he was gulping down.

"Sh*t! How old are you? Your profile says you are in your first year at Ayrlarng, and you said are at the fifth level already?"

"I ...was lucky… Haha" Wang Tong answered. He could choose to omit the details, but he had to be honest about his strength with his comrades who shared the same fate with him.

"Haha, Lieutenant, we have picked up a life saver! If we have a fifth level as our vanguard, we would be invincible." Big Head laughed candidly; he was relieved that Wang Tong was much stronger than him, which explained his defeat.

"Given time, I believe this kiddo would be our company's best fighter" Big O announced.

"Ha ha, Big O, perhaps it would be safer to let little O follow behind this kid instead of you. I think our child soldier here could protect your younger brother better than you."

The Orien brothers were not identical twins; the big one was called big O, and the one with the smaller frame but no less muscular was called little O. Although Little O didn't want to admit it, he was not as tough as Big O, and therefore, Big O always protected him on the battlefield while Little O focused on dealing damage.

"Hey, you a*shole, I can protect my brother, alright?"

"Common bro, I had told you many times, I can protect myself! I am a soldier too, a veteran at that!" Little O bawled out at his brother. Wang Tong reckoned then that the Orien brothers were only 3 or 4 years older than him, but they had the bearings of being much older and experienced warriors.

"Wang Tong, would you like to be our vanguard?"

"Yea Sir!" Wang Tong answered without hesitation.

"Good lad!"

"Kiddo, tomorrow, we kill Zergs!"

Everyone encouraged Wang Tong in their own ways. They hoped that this young but robust soldier would be able to increase the team's damage output significantly.

The ninth platoon that Wang Tong was stationed at was fighting at the forefront of the army. They killed Zergs during the day and rested in the night. Depending on how far they had to travel into the hostile area, their mission could last a few days.

Human force dominated the air. However, when bombing failed to kill off all the Zergs, which happened a lot, the ground force would be put into use.

Most of Wang Tong's mission involved little skirmishes, and therefore, the ninth platoon wouldn't have the support of armored vehicles, since those were reserved for only large-scale assaults involving at least a dozen regiments. These massive battles had been becoming rare each day, thanks to the Zerg's guerrilla tactics.

The military kept a Bug Score for each platoon. However, the ninth platoon would not be on the top of the list, since platoons filled those positions with an average solider level of at least four.

Although Wang Tong had been accepted into the platoon, he wasn't as excited about killing Zergs as a fresh recruit would. After all, he had killed tons of Zergs before.

The district D covered a large area on a planet that was three times larger than Earth. The sheer size had increased the difficulty in the search for the enemy. The military researchers had concluded that the best method to eradicate an entire population of Zergs was to kill its queen. Although the rate of reproduction of normal Zergs was extremely rapid, the time it took for the queen to copy itself and become mature was very long.

Only while wearing the METAL could the soldiers withstand the 5G environment, but their steps were still cumbersome and laborious. They knew that killing all the Zergs on Norton was a wishful thinking of the government. So, their current focus had been to protect the human settlements. Not only the military lacked the resources to eradicate the Zerg completely, they also felt the lack of motivation in doing so, since the human world had no interest in this barren planet other than a few of the mines.

"Wang Tong, when we spot Zergs later, don't rush into action. Attack only on my mark. Do you understand? There would be plenty of Zergs for you to kill, I promise!" Jansining said.

The duty of the fourth regiment was to scout nearby areas of the human settlement to make sure that Zergs would not suddenly overrun the settlement. They were also permitted to actively find and kill any Zergs within the proximity of the settlement.

Their search covered a large area inside District D. Although they fought mostly in small skirmishes, they could never let their guard down. Those who did were already dead

"Aren't you excited kiddo? " Overbite laughed, displaying a row of gleaming teeth.

"Calm down Overbite. " Third laughed at Overbite and turned to Wang Tong as he said, "When this wimp killed his first Zergs, he puked for three days! Haha"

"Buzz off! I know we are friends and all, but watch what you are saying."

Overbite was in charge of the detection equipment that could sense any biological activities within a few hundred meters. However, every soldier would tell that he or she would never rely solely on machines; instead, they followed their sixth sense.

The vehicle had been running for about an hour when the alarm on the detection unit suddenly went off. Wang Tong jumped off the car with his teammates.

"How many?"

"Five at twelve o'clock and three at three o'clock," Overbite answered.

"Wang Tong, why don't you take a shot at this."

Jansining knew that as a fifth level fighter, Wang Tong would not have any difficulty finishing off at least a few dozen Zergs by himself in theory. But he wanted to make sure Wang Tong's mettle and bravery, so he had only assigned him five lower-tier Zergs.

Wang Tong's senses tingled and noticed that the machine was wrong: there were six Zergs in front of them instead of five. A Skulk was lurking quietly behind his five brothers.

Ever since Wang Tong arrived Norton, he had been feeling very energetic thanks to the 5G environment. His tactics had also improved by leaps and bounds. His quick adaptation to the gravity contrasted the experience of other students who struggled to get used to the extreme gravity.

Zergs were much more adaptive than their human counterparts, but no scientist had discovered why that was the case. The highest form of Zerg known to human was the Encephalon Zergs, but no one knew how or what was giving the orders to the Encephalon Zerg.

There were many mysteries around the race of Zerg: where did they come from? How did they build the hive? Where was their main base?

Before the Zergs were eradicated, the humans had to be vigilant. Some believed that to discover more secrets about the Zerg was useless in helping the war. Those people believed that humans only needed to know one thing about the Zergs: they meant death.

Chapter 248: New Backbone

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The other team members followed Wang Tong, as the latter stepped into the half circle formed by Zergs. Five sickle Zergs jumped at Wang Tong at the same time, each brandishing their pair of sharp and deadly arms.

Wang Tong stood still while holding the blade. His teammates thought Wang Tong had been stupefied by the terrible scene until they saw a glint from the curve of the blade. In a blink of eyes, the five Zergs had been chopped into pieces, their remains scattered all over the ground.

The air was suddenly filled with a thin mist of Zerg's blood, and it touched Wang Tong's skin like a thin veil of crimson silk as it fell through the air. The smell of the blood triggered Wang Tong's memories.

Wang Tong yanked his blade up and tightened his grip on the handle, whitening his knuckles, and then stabbed the ground under his feet with full force. A stream of black blood squirted out from where he had stabbed, accompanied by an agonizing shriek. The detection equipment also went off, indicating that there was a skulk right underneath Wang Tong.

Wang Tong held the blade with two hands and channeled his GN force to the tip of the blade buried under the earth. Then, he twisted the handle to make sure the skulk stood dead.

"Lieutenant! Mission complete!"

"Attaboy! Quick and clean! Have you done this before? You look...more proficient at it than us."Jansining said as he patted Wang Tong's shoulder heavily. He registered that Wang Tong's move and skills were unlike that of a new recruit, but instead of a veteran.

What really impressed Jansining was Wang Tong's control over his GN force based on the life force left in his enemy. He noticed that Wang Tong used only thirty percent of his GN force while delivering the killing blow, because the skulk was injured and using any more GN force would be a waste.

"Balls! How did you do that?" Overbite asked incredulously. He wondered how Wang Tong would be able to detect the skulk while the equipment had failed.

"Haha! I have been a survivor on Norton, and it wasn't my first time killing Zergs."

"I knew it! Finally, the military has sent us someone useful!" Jansining beamed with relief; he knew that with Wang Tong's help, his team's survival could be secured.

"Lieutenant, I think he is just lucky. I don't believe it for a second that the youngsters nowadays are able to handle six Zergs by themselves."

"I agree. There had been lessons in other platoons. Allegedly, a young boy from the S class Academy was assigned there, and he went nuts after killing a few Zergs. He couldn't handle it, and it was just too stressful, so he ran back to his mama's bosom… Haha." Little O laughed.

Little O was right, wartime life was not something that any student could stomach. The 5G gravity and the vicious Zergs were indifferent to the level of the academy where the student came from. The real challenge was not even in the mortal danger. Instead, it started when a young student had to witness his teammate being brutally murdered by grotesque creatures.

Wang Tong's power had brightened everyone's mood. They had been troubled by the thought of looking after a useless little prick. But instead of a worthless little prick, they had gotten a bug spray.

The members of the ninth platoon were genuinely in awe with Wang Tong after the latter told them about his survival story on Norton. After hearing the story, what they had witnessed suddenly made sense to them.

Jansining rearranged the team composition and positioned Wang Tong at the front center as the main damage dealer.

Jansining reasoned that with Wang Tong as the backbone of the team, the other team members ought to feel safer and fight more confidently. Wang Tong's detection ability could also provide extra safety to the team by reducing the chance of being ambushed.

Their current mission would last three days, and by the end of the first day, they had already reached their highest kill count per day. Thanks to Wang Tong's ability and power, the ninth platoon could face off at least a few dozen Zergs; it was a vast improvement compared to their previous capability.

As they continued their mission, everyone noticed that Wang Tong understood the Zergs better than most veterans. Not only Wang Tong had first-hand experience in dealing with the Zergs, but he had also learned a great deal from the textbooks. When Wang Tong combined the two elements together, he had become the know-it-all on Zergs. He had even given field lectures to a few veterans in his team about the most efficient way of killing certain types of Zergs.

In the night, while everyone was helping set up the camp, Overbite walked the perimeter of the camp and installed detection lines. Unlike the restless Zergs, the humans needed to sleep to recuperate. Every time a team was on an extended mission, they were given the necessary supplies for setting up a safe camp inside enemy lines. Thanks to the space crystal, this equipment could be carried around very conveniently.

"Come one bros, we shall toast to welcome our new addition! " Jansining raised his cup.

"Drink up, you pu**ies! For our good luck!"

Being surrounded by this groups of vigorous and boisterous comrades, Wang Tong felt like he had found the life he had been looking for. On the battlefield, everyone was willing to die for each other, and off the battlefield, they could freely throw banter at each other. This was not a platoon but a family, and this life was the life of real men and real soldiers.

Wang Tong still felt a slight disappointment whenever he thought about Turner, but he reminded himself that the military had more members than just an isolated case. Most of the soldiers he had met so far were selfless in devoting their lives to the greater good.

"Now, I'd like to announce that Wang Tong would be our second in command. He will assist me in my task when I am still alive, and if I get eaten by one of those b*stards out there, he should be your new platoon leader!" Jansining cracked a smile and announced loudly. His voice boomed inside the simple camp.

"What the hell is lieutenant talking about?"

"Yea, that's nonsense lieutenant. With Wang Tong on our side, we could finish off over a hundred Zergs unharmed."

"Hell yea!"

"That being said, I got no beef with Wang Tong's promotion. The lad knows the bugs so well, it's like he was one too! Haha. My sword is at your command, Wang Tong!"

"Aye!"

Wang Tong's poised moves during the battle had opened his teammates' eyes to a new level of efficiency in killing Zergs with precision and effortlessness. Wang Tong had also shown a solid understanding of the usage of battle formations.

It was clear then that Wang Tong was an intelligent and skilled fighter. But while everyone was rejoiced about gaining such a capable teammate, Wang Tong had noticed a hint of concern flash in Jansining's eyes.

"What's the matter, lieutenant?"

Jansining lit a cigarette and puffed a cloud of smoke before he replied slowly, "It's nothing. Take a rest, you had fought well today and must be tired now."

"This is nothing lieutenant. I'm still new to the team; you don't have to assign me as ..."

"Then why do you accept it?" Jansining cut Wang Tong short, his eyes glinting.

Wang Tong cracked a smile and said, "You all have already accepted me as part of your team. So, I decided to be honest with you guys. I know I am capable of leading a platoon, and you, too, need my help. Therefore, I thought there was no need to be overly courteous."

"Well said! During the time of war, I, as the platoon leader, have the rights to assign my second in command. I had considered Third, since, in addition to his solid performance, he also liked to kiss my ass and all. However, things seemed even more, simpler since you arrived. Your ability is well above any one of us here. But, tell me, why did you choose to come to us?" Jansining puffed smoke after he asked his question.

Base on Wang Tong's ability, he could have started as a higher ranking officer and would never need to walk this perilous path with the foot soldiers. So, it bade the questions of Wang Tong's real motivation in joining the ninth platoon.

Wang Tong felt slightly embarrassed by his answer: Samantha.

Jansining seemed to have seen thorough Wang Tong's sentiment. He patted on Wang Tong's shoulder and said, "There's no need to be embarrassed by your decision. We all had our fate, and now out fates are intertwined with each other. I hope you understand that and do all you can to protect your teammates."

"Yes, lieutenant. You can count on me!"

"Yes, I believe in you. You were born to be a soldier. The way you handled the blade, gosh... I really wish that I were you. You will do great things in the army, trust me. I am seldom wrong in reading a person."

"Lieutenant, what's our mission this time?"

"Nothing big. We are on our way to meet up with members of other platoons. They had discovered a hive from the space a couple of days ago and mobilized us to the AOI to finish off the Queen. It would be a large scale frontal assault, so there won't be as much coverage. You will see what I mean when you get there. "

Scouting missions on Norton were much less dangerous than assaults on Zerg's hives, as the sheer number of Zerg could completely overwhelm the soldiers, should the estimates of enemy force be slightly off.

The only viable strategy in carrying out a frontal assault was to push forward and kill the queen as soon as possible. That meant the soldiers would have to go underground into the labyrinth of deadly tunnels that were practically death traps prepared by the Zergs, and hope that they would find the Queen after the next turn. Despite the extreme danger, there had been no other better ways to kill a queen.

Chapter 249: Exchange of Fire

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

That was the real reason why Jansining would promote Wang Tong even though he was still a new member. If it were anyone else he had promoted, his comrades would have protested and recommended friends such as Third or Big Face. But they trusted Wang Tong and knew he was much stronger than any one of them. Therefore, they had agreed with Jansining's decision.

War was cruel, and it had no place for overwrought politeness.

Wang Tong felt a strange feeling that was a mixture of fear and motivation. He had gotten used to fighting alone, but right then, the had to protect a whole team, even though he knew that it was impossible for him to look after everyone.

"Kiddo, don't stress about it. We are not entirely useless." Jansining was a good leader; he could always read his team member's mind accurately.

Jansining had never studied psychology or mind reading classes. But ever since the first time he saw Wang Tong, he knew that this lad was very committed and trustworthy. He might talk like a lazy little prick, but through his actions, he was pulling more weight than anyone else.

"Lieutenant, I didn't mean to think that way." Wang Tong explained. He knew that it would be an insult to consider a soldier useless.

Jansining puffed a cloud of smoke and pulled out a picture from his inner pocket.

"Here, look, this is my baby girl. Isn't she cute? She is five now, learned to call me Papa just before I left… Haha. " There was a rare tenderness in his voice.

"The other one is my wife. A school teacher… fell in love with me because I am a tough soldier, haha!" Jansining laughed proudly.

Wang Tong saw a cute little girl and a beautiful woman in the picture. Jansining had a happy and comfortable family.

Wang Tong wondered why Jansining would choose to forsake his comfortable home and join the war. "Lieutenant, why did you decide to come to Norton? It's too dangerous...What if..." Wang Tong didn't finish what he was supposed to say. He was supposed to ask if Jansining had thought about what would happen to his wife and child should anything happen to him on Norton.

Jansining threw away his cigarette and squeezed it under his heel. Then, he turned to Wang Tong and said calmly, "I am a soldier."

The profoundness of this simple answer shocked Wang Tong.

Wang Tong felt ashamed when comparing himself to Jansining. On the battlefield, no one was fighting for the promotion, nor were they fighting for the future of the Confederation. They were fighting for their loved ones, protecting their family with their own sacrifices.

Although soldier was a profession that had started ever since the beginning of human civilization, not a lot of people had understood the real purpose of being a soldier.

Thanks to Jansining, Wang Tong finally understood it.

The next day, the ninth platoon kept on pushing forward. Since they had entered a jungle, they had to give up using their vehicle and walk their way out of the jungle. Overbite was in charge of carrying everyone's space crystals as he trailed after the team.

If they followed the planned route, the ninth platoon and other platoons would be able to form a stranglehold on the hive and maximize their chance of encountering Zergs on their way.

Although humans could not sieve through the entire planet, when hives popped out around the human settlement, the military would spare no expense to get rid of them. The mines had strategical importance to humans, since its production had become the primary source of funding for this war.

Just like the humans, Zergs were also an inhabitant of the planets. Therefore, the rhetoric of good verse evil seemed old and tired in describing this war. Instead, this war was all about establishing dominance on a resource-rich planet over another race.

Wang Tong looked around him and found his comrades much more relatable and likable than the flamboyant TV personalities who would only talk but never acted.

For a while, killing Zergs meant only survival to Wang Tong. But right then, he found his actions seemed to have gained a certain measure of profoundness.

"I got a reading here! About thirty of them, twelve o'clock. Overbite, let them taste some steel and attract them here."

"It's all on me, Lieutenant."

Overbite shot at the Zerg's ambush location and revealed the wave of deadly claws and fans rushing towards the ninth platoon.

"Everyone, get ready!"

It was not the first day that the ninth platoon was in the business of killing Zergs, so the soldiers were ready in a second and were eager to kill.

Wang Tong led his squad to engage the Zerg head on. He noticed that the enemy composition was more complicated than previous encounters, perhaps due to their proximity to the hive. There were a few higher level Zergs mixed in between a few dozen lower level ones. Seeing the new enemies, a newfound interest caught Wang Tong's mind, making him excited to test his tactics on these new Zergs.

A few seconds into their engagement, everything was under Wang Tong's control, and the number of Zergs dwindled rapidly. Wang Tong glanced at his comrades and saw everyone was holding their ground and making kills.

In a few more minutes, all the Zergs were killed.

"Little O, don't rush to the front next time. Stay close to me."

"Bother! How many times do I have to tell you? I am a soldier too. Plus, we have Wang Tong at the forefront of the line. I can handle a few more bugs."

Little O had killed two Zergs, and he was very proud of that record. Everyone had fought more aggressively thanks to having Wang Tong in the team. Therefore, it took the team a lot less time to finish off the group of enemies than they used to.

"You fool! Didn't you know that accidents do happen sometimes? And you are breaking the line. I repeat it, stay no more than within five meters from me!"

"No way, what's the fun in that?" Little O protested.

"Stop babbling, you two! Little O, your brother was right. It's not a bad idea to form a good habit on the battlefield." Jansining stopped the two brothers' bickering; it had been a familiar sight to the members of the ninth platoon.

"Lieutenant, the bugs are evolving as we get closer to the hive. We better watch out. The Kamikaze Zergs are real nasty f*ckers."

"Overbite is right, and we better be careful. Iron Tooth, can you handle those terrorists if they get in our way?"

"No problem." Iron Tooth nodded confidently. He was responsible for keeping an eye out for any sudden attacks while the platoon was doing its business.

Iron Tooth got his nickname for biting an eyeball off a Zerg once, although that had almost lost his life. He lived, and the name stuck too.

"That will be it for now. We have lots of time, but we should arrive there earlier so we can recon the area."

Jansining gestured everyone to move on. The sooner they got to their destination, the more time they could use to take a respite before the final battle.

As Wang Tong walked on, he was continually detecting Zergs around his vicinity. Suddenly Wang Tong sprinted upwards, and his teammates saw a bright flash in the air before two chunks of flesh that used to make up one Meganeura Zerg thudded onto the ground. Jansining's face became taut at the sight of the dead flying Zerg.

"They have found us. All guns ready."

Everyone suddenly tensed up their bodies as they started to get ready for a tough encounter.

Overbite's eyes were glued to the detection unit. A few seconds later, the detector went off followed by a humming noise from underground, suggesting something monstrous was on its way towards the soldiers.

"The Tank Zerg! Move ! Move! Find cover! NOW!" Jansining shouted at the top of his lungs. Before anyone was able to move a muscle, they saw a dozen dark dots zigzag toward them.

"Kamikaze Zergs!"

Wang Tong reacted much faster than his comrades. He unsheathed the blade and stopped the Kamikaze Zergs with a few sweep attacks.

Suddenly, the ground in front of them gave in, and a giant bug wiggled its way out from the depression. The Zerg was about ten meters long and was armored in hard and dark colored cretin. At one end that resembled a head were set a pair of horns that looked like fangs.

The Tank Zerg let out a howl which made the ground tremble. A dark red beam shot out from its mouth.

It was corrosive fire, and it could melt even METAL suite. Usually, the Tank Zergs were left for the armored vehicles, but the ninth platoon did not have one.

At the sight of the red beam, soldiers gave up their formation and scattered away. They watched as Spider Zergs crept out from the giant hole left by the Tank Zerg.

"What a day! Everyone spread out!"

Although the Tank Zerg had devastating firepower, it was very slow and cumbersome. Jansining wanted his soldiers to kill off the Spider Zergs fist before they could focus their fire on the larger creature.

Chapter 250: Detection Failure

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The ninth platoon spread out and retreated while the Spider Zergs were hot on their heels.

"Balls! Did this detector broke?"

Overbite knocked the handheld detector with a fist agitatedly. He was confused by what he saw: red dots all around them.

They heard another howling, and the rocks and earth around them started to tremble. Behind a piece of large boulder next to the team, another Tank Zerg emerged, accompanied by a wave of spider Zergs. The situation had gone beyond the control of a platoon.

"Retreat! Retreat!" Jansining shouted, but the shouts of the Zergs had drowned his voice.

It was then clear to Jansining that they had entered a hive. He lamented over the inaccurate information they had received from the higher-ups. They had missed the location of the hive by a day worth of travel.

But, there was no time for lamenting, Jansining figured that he should lead his team out of this hellhole as soon as possible.

"HQ, this is Jansining of the ninth platoon. District D, Area number 5991. Hostile activities. Requesting air aid! I repeat! Area number 5991, requesting air aid!"

Jansining didn't hear a reply; instead, he heard a constant white noise.

"WTF?"

"Sir, our signal is being intercepted."

Overbite's said it helplessly. The intervention of such a high tier Zerg confirmed Jansining's suspicion: they had walked right into a hive.

"Lieutenant, we are surrounded. What should we do now?"

"Pull back, get into that cave!"

Jansining watched as wave after wave of Zergs popped up from the ground around them. He thought today would be the day that he said goodbye to the world. He felt that it was a pity to have Wang Tong's life wasted by an erroneous information. The best thing he could do right now was to delay the inevitable as long as he could.

However, as soon as the platoon walked into the cave, the Zergs quietly surrounded them and didn't follow them in there.

"Curse these bugs. What are they gonna do now?"

Wang Tong studied the cave and noticed that this could be dug out by the Zergs. He suspected that the further they went into the cave, the more likely they would encounter another army of Zergs.

"They seem like they are waiting for something, or maybe they want to capture us alive." Wang Tong said solemnly. He conceded the fact that there was no way out of this situation.

"All we can do now was to hold our position and wait for the rescue team. Wang Tong and I would secure the entrance. Big Head, give us some cover. I want you two brothers to keep exploring the cave, but don't go too far. The rest of you stay put and wait for my further orders."

The Zergs waited a few more moments and started to charge at the cave entrance. Wang Tong and Jansining closed into the wave of enemies. The cave entrance was narrow enough to allow only a dozen or so Zergs to enter at the same time, so it became a choke point in the Zerg's advance, and helped the soldiers' defense.

In a blink of eyes, a dozen Zergs fell to the ground. Wang Tong knew that Jansining couldn't keep on going much longer, so he said: "I'll cover here, Lieutenant! You go inside and help them out! I have a feeling that the bugs want us alive. Otherwise, they would have just shot us with the Tank Zerg."

The entrance didn't have much space, so Jansining figured that he might as well leave more room to let Wang Tong do what he did best.

"Overbite, I don't care how you do it, but make sure to connect us with the HQ. I don't want to f*cking die here." Jansining shouted at the top of his lungs. Wang Tong was holding his ground firmly regardless of how ferociously the Zergs charged at him. He didn't stay inside the cave; instead, he moved slightly beyond the entrance to gain more space. But it was still confined enough so that the Zergs would not be able to gain an edge over him with their larger body.

"I know that, lieutenant!" Overbite repeated their coordinates over and over to the communication unit, trying to catch the moment when the interception signal was temporarily weakened. Besides, the longer they could hold out in this cave, the longer the Zergs had to release the disruption signals and the more likely the military would pick up the Zerg's signals and decide to investigate. After all, the Zerg's won't sent out disruption signals for no reasons.

A few moments later, the Orien Brothers returned from their scouting mission. "Lieutenant, this tunnel is a dead end. We are trapped."

Everyone's face turned black. They were hoping that this tunnel would lead them to a less defended hive and they would find the queen trapped inside, waiting to be slaughtered. But, the reality seemed to suggest that the joke was on them.

"Take a break, Wang Tong. I will take your shift." Big Head shouted at Wang Tong. As Big Head's voice slipped away, so did the life of half dozen Zergs. They were shredded into pieces, pilling on top of a mountain of Zerg carcasses. The blockade made out of Zerg's flesh wasn't able to stop the living ones, as they feverishly ate the remains of their own kind until they had cleared a new path to the cave entrance.

Wang Tong didn't refuse his comrade's assistance like some gallant knight in the fake fairy tales. This was a war where no pixies or fair godmothers would come down from the sky to rescue him.

As Wang Tong retreated to the inner cave, he watched as five of his comrades worked together, barely able to ward off wave after wave of Zerg's. Ten minutes later, Jansining took another five soldiers to take over the shift. The amount of Zergs seemed countless, but human's energy was limited. The team had been stretched pretty thin, yet, the amount of Zergs outside the cave seemed to be increasing.

Wang Tong watched as the Zergs outside the cave formed a dense blanket that covered the earth. He thought it was more claustrophobic outside than it was this tiny dark cave. He felt tired, but he reminded himself not to give up hope because that was the only thing his platoon had left.

"Dear master, you are in extreme danger."

Wang Tong heard a voice in his head. He looked around to see if anyone was talking to him. His teammates were either fighting Zergs or taking a rest; no one had paid him any attention.

"Charcoal, is that you?"

"Yes master, it is me. The number of Zergs outside the cave has reached the critical number. Please evacuate the cave ASAP! Otherwise, your life will be in danger."

"Well thank you for telling me the obvious. I would have gotten out if I could, wouldn't I?"

"Master, based on my calculations, you have a 100% chance breaking out of here should you wish to initialize your METAL. Plus, the other soldiers would slow the Zergs down for you, so... "

"That's nonsense. Any other ideas that won't get my friends killed?" Wang Tong would never leave his brothers to the death clutches of the Zergs.

It was Wang Tong's turn to take the shift. His teammates breathed heavily and said with a raspy voice to their leader, "We won't make it, Lieutenant."

Jansining half glanced at Wang Tong wh,o was killing Zergs with ease, and gritted his teeth. It had been only ten minutes. Even if the HQ somehow discovered their distress signal, it would still take them a while to get here. An air strike would be risky too since it would endanger the soldiers' lives as well.

It had seemed to Jansining that all hopes were lost.

The bugs were going to become tougher to fight once it turned dark outside. Most Zergs had compounded eyes that could see as good as in daylight in pitch darkness.

Unable to find a solution, Jansining led a few soldiers to take Wang Tong's shift.

Although Wang Tong breathed laboriously, he could still hold out for a while. However, he was worried for his teammates as they had been depleting their soul energy rapidly. Once their soul energy dropped to the point that they wouldn't be able to sustain their METAL suit, they wouldn't be able to fight back at all.

"Charcoal, think something. Help us out!"

Wang Tong closed his eyes as he focused on visualizing the image of Charcoal in his mind. Charcoal blinked but didn't respond.

Suddenly, a light flashed in Wang Tong's eyes. He then asked: "Goldie 2, is there any way out of here?"

A golden glow started from charcoals body and worked its way through Wang Tong's chest to his dantian.

"Master, there is a natural cave behind us that could lead us out of here."

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am your assistant Goldie 2. I had fulfilled your first wish: revive charcoal. I am now reconfiguring his weapon, so you would be able to command him on the battlefield."

"Are you sure there is a way deep in the cave?"

"Positive. There is a barrier, however, roughly 10 meters thick."

Upon hearing the information, Wang sprang to his feet and shouted out to Jansining, "Keep holding them off. I think I have found a way out." Wang Tong's announcement gave everyone a second wind.

Soon, Wang Tong arrived at the dead end. He fused his blade with GN force and started digging. Despite the fact that Wang Tong's blade was made out of military grade titanium, the tough rock on Norton had made the digging process painfully slow.

Suddenly, Wang Tong's eyes turned a golden color, and two rays of bright beams shot out from those two pools of molten gold. The rays cut through the rocks as if cutting through butter.

Chapter 251: Enter the Hive

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Lieutenant, I can take over from here. You need to take a rest!"

"Gosh! Wang Tong opened up the tunnel wall!" Overbite screamed with a raspy voice.

"Big Head, ready the nuke. Let's send these b*stards to their maker."

The ninth platoon filed through the hole that Wang Tong had just opened up at the other end of the tunnel. The opening was big enough for only one person through at a time, so it was too small for Zergs and would slow them down significantly. The rocks on the Norton were tough, and therefore, it would take the Zergs a lot of effort to get through.

It took Wang Tong only ten minutes to bore through the 10 meters thick wall. The edge of the opening was straight, and the cut face was smooth. However, no one had the time to ponder how Wang Tong had done it in such a short period as Zergs were still hot on their heels.

While Big Head was busy setting up the mini nuke, Wang Tong was holding off the Zergs at the entrance. Mini nuke was the most deadly weapon a platoon could get their hands on. Since it was meant for mass destruction, the ninth platoon usually wouldn't bring it with them on a regular scouting mission. But they happened to have one this time because they were about to partake in a large scale battle. Jansining had planned to use it at the last moment of their lives to take the lives of Zergs with them, yet he was elated to find out that they didn't have to die with the Zergs, thanks to the newly dug escape route.

"Thirty seconds until launch, we will leave as soon as it is detonated. " Jansining gestured Big Head to move on. He had decided to stay behind to help Wang Tong.

As soon as the Zergs noticed the mini nuke, they started to hiss and jitter, as if they knew the deadly power of the nukes in their shared memories.

"Wang Tong, hurry!" Jansining's palm was sweaty. He got only one shot at this. If he didn't launch the nuke far enough, he and Wang Tong would both die in the explosion.

"Lieutenant, leave everything to me! Go with the others!" Wang Tong shouted at Jansining, but he didn't listen. Wang Tong's GN force suddenly soared to level five, and in a blink of an eye, he shredded a few dozen Zergs into pieces and created an opening for retreat. As he pulled back, he saw a mini-nuke trace an arc in the air near him.

"Bullseye!" Jansining rejoiced at his true aim, but he had celebrated too early. A Zerg jumped nimbly out of his rank and sprinted upward with extraordinary speed, then grabbed onto the mini nuke.

Wang Tong's eyes locked onto the nuke as he fused his blade with GN force, and then threw the blade at his target.

Before the blade hit its target, Wang Tong turned on his heel and dragged Jansining into the tunnel. They heard a deafening blare and felt the earth tremble beneath their feet as soon as they stepped through the newly dug opening.

The nuke exploded in mid-air. A shock wave, carrying its immense power, trampled across the land. The Zergs were reduced into ashes before they had gotten a chance to even scream.

When the roar of the nuke ceased, the dust from the top of the cave had covered everyone's face. "HAHA, we LIVED!"

"Let's keep on going." Jansining laughed and hurried his teammates to move on. He never expected to come out of this devastating battle alive.

No one wasted time on celebrating their near escape; they followed Wang Tong into the cave, trying to get out of the underground cave as soon as possible. The cave was natural, and as they ventured further, the cave system started to become complicated. They felt like they were lost.

Everyone started to glance at Wang Tong from time to time. Wang Tong had been probing the cave with his soul energy. However, he was not able to locate the exit, nor was he able to pinpoint the direction they were currently heading, expect for the vague feeling that they were venturing further down into the deep.

"Goldie 2, please guide us."

"Yes master. There are two routes, one to the exit, and the other to the queen's lair. Which one would you like to take?"

Wang Tong felt the urge to pick the latter. He had never seen a Zerg queen, so his curiosity was piqued.

Wang Tong's teammates didn't dare disturb his soul-searching. They knew that only a fifth level soldier would be able to do that. As they marveled at Wang Tong's ability and experience, they became convinced that he would be quickly promoted into higher ranks.

Wang Tong explained the choices the platoon had right then.

"Since we are here, we should finish off the queen."

"Hell yeah! Even if we all die here today, it would still be worth it."

No one backed down from the dangerous mission. The humans had paid many lives in the battle against its enemies. They said that the foundation of human civilization was made out of the flesh and bones of the soldiers.

"Let's do it!" Jansining announced the team's final decision. They knew that if they were able to get rid of one queen, there would be ten thousand Zergs less on Norton, killing less human soldiers.

Everyone adjusted their soul energy to a minimum level, conserving most of their remaining soul energy for the encounter with the Queen. Following Goldie's lead, Wang Tong guided the platoon as they slowly approached their destination. Wang Tong had given up his searching using the soul energy entirely, since he felt it was depleting his soul energy too fast. He conceded that even at level 5, soul-searching a large and complicated terrain would still be an impossible task.

Overbite was overseeing the detection unit, but he had shut off the communication unit. The platoon figured that the odds of them returning back to the surface was very slim. So, there was no need for contacting the HQ any longer.

Wang Tong marveled at his teammates' courage. He had chosen this route out of sheer curiosity, with full confidence that he would be able to survive the encounter with the queen. However, his teammates had gotten ready to sacrifice their lives before they agreed to come this way. A certain measure of respect to these ordinary soldiers rose inside of Wang Tong.

These men were the real heroes, and it was an honor and bliss for Wang Tong to fight alongside them.

Everyone became cautious the closer they got to the queen's hive. The had walked for over two hours, and some soldiers wondered if Wang Tong had gotten lost.

Wang Tong didn't get lost, but it was the labyrinth-like tunnels that had given the soldiers the illusion of being lost. While studying the 3D map projected onto his brain by Goldie, Wang tong marveled at the intricate and sophisticated design of the tunnels, and realized that these Zergs were not as unintelligent as the human had proclaimed. The design of these tunnels fit Zerg's ergonomics perfectly, and even had a level of aesthetic appeal.

After a while, Wang Tong finally stopped walking as he saw a faint light glowing in front of him. The light was soft as the touch of a morning sunlight. But, it wasn't from the sun, it was from the Zergs' eggs.

They looked down from where they stood and saw an open field the size of a soccer field, covered with a thick blanket of Zerg eggs.

The scene made everyone's hair stand on their ends.

"Wang Tong, we need to finish them off. But we have used up our nuke. Any ideas?" By then, Jansining had installed full trust in this capable new member, and regarded him as the future of the ninth platoon.

No one knew how to destroy these eggs, but they knew that they better do it quickly before they hatched.

In the middle of the eggs sat an enormous caterpillar-like worm. Its body undulated unnaturally as eggs continuously popped out from its rear end.

Soldiers swore that they could hear the heartbeats of the tens of thousands of Zergs in their cocoons across the large field. The sound was irritating and disturbing to listen to.

Wang Tong was shocked by the sight of the Queen. It looked fat and meaty. Beside it were a few Were Kong Zergs, who were giving orders to the spider Zergs to carry the eggs around.

Wang Tong had learned about the Were Kong Zergs, and knew they were extremely deadly. The Were Kongs in this cave looked even more potent and vicious than the ones he saw in the textbook. Wang Tong reasoned that it would be a tough fight with these ugly monsters, and he might not even be able to kill the queen with their interference.

Suddenly, they heard a loud explosion above them, and the ground trembled, as dust flaked off from the cave ceiling.

The explosion seemed to have startled the Zergs. The queen let out an ear-splitting howl, and the Were Kongs went on their the way to scout the surroundings.

"That should be our reinforcements! Our troops are near! Let's do it! Kill that ugly mother*cker! "

Chapter 252: Deadly Battle

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Seeing the Zergs were distracted, Jansining didn't want to pass up the opportunity to kill the queen. Should the queen retreat into the labyrinth of caves, there would be zero chance of finding her again.

All of the Zergs' attention was on the ground troops; this was their only shot.

"Big Head, Iron Tooth, Big O and Third, did you see the four openings? I want you each to block one of those. I will distract the Were Kong." Jansining spoke with a raspy voice while half-leaning against the rock wall.

"Lieutenant, I can distract the Were Kong. You can go kill the queen."

"I am the leader, and I will handle it!" Jansining commanded.

"Lieutenant, I will do it. Wang Tong could kill the queen, and you could watch out for us!" Third announced.

"It won't work. I had run in with these Were Kongs before, so I can handle them better than anyone could. We only have one shot at this, Please, trust me, only I can do this!" Wang Tong pleaded. The other soldiers were too weak to face off the Were Kong, and therefore, they won't be able to distract them for longer than a second before they were killed.

"Alright, Kiddo! We all count on you now!" Jansining nodded and conceded that he would have to let Wang Tong take the risk.

"Let's do this brother! It's a GOOD DAY TO DIE!" Jansining shouted out to his comrades. "Wang Tong, tell us your plan."

"I will engage the Were Kongs first, luring them away from the queen. The others would try to hold off at the four entrances. Remember, no matter what happens, don't come near me. You should be able to finish off the queen after I have lured the Were Kongs out."

This was a very risky plan, but they could no longer back out. Reinforcement was here, but they wouldn't be able to reach the ninth platoon in time. So, the soldiers' only chance of survival was to kill the queen during the chaos.

Everyone nodded, and they tightened their grip on the blade, getting ready for a tough fight. Wang Tong took a deep breath, then darted out of the cover and threw his blade squarely at the queen. One of the largest Were Kong was the first to respond. It sprinted to cover the queen with his giant body. The blade penetrated the Were Kong's hide and through his body. The other Were Kongs let out heart-wrenching cries before they charged at Wang Tong. The largest Were Kong pulled the blade out of its body and joined the others, as if nothing had happened to it.

Time was ticking, as the massive Zerg Army rushed towards their queen. Wang Tong couldn't afford to waste precious time fighting the Were Kongs so close to the queen. He needed to lure them away as soon as possible. He opened up his sea of consciousness and cranked up his soul energy to the fifth level. Two Were Kongs were mere inches away from him, so he launched himself into the air while stepping on two eggs. The eggs popped open under Wang Tong's feet, and at the same moment, Wang Tong initiated the Tactics of the Blade and swung his blade at the two Were Kongs.

The blade cut through the Were Kongs like cutting through a cake. The two Were Kongs' dead bodies thudded heavily onto the ground. The other Were Kongs were shocked by the incredible power. At the command of their queen who was shrieking at them with a strange tune, the remainder of the Were Kongs threw themselves at Wang Tong. The queen didn't seem to be ruffled by the danger. Instead, it watched Wang Tong with a corrupt desire in its two bulgy lidless eyes, tracing Wang Tong's movements like a greedy vulture.

If the members of the ninth platoon were not veteran warriors, they would be stupefied by Wang Tong display of strength. Under their lieutenant's command, the rest of the soldiers rushed towards the four entrances to stop the flood of Zergs coming into the chamber.

Jansining waited patiently. As soon as Wang Tong lured the Were Kong a bit further, he would be able to finish off that defenseless queen. The Were Kongs were incredibly swift. If Jansining made the slightest mistake in estimating the distance, the Zergs would be able to turn back and reach him before he would be able to deliver a single blow at the queen.

Wang Tong's attack had killed two Were Kongs, but his palm was numb from the impact. He kept on stepping on and destroying the eggs, trying to infuriate his opponents.

At the corner of his eyes, Wang Tong noticed that Jansining had initiated his attack as he dashed towards the Queen. The Were Kongs also saw their queen was in danger, so they turned on their heels, but were intercepted right away by Wang Tong.

The Zergs outside the hive had also reached the entrance. The soldiers of the ninth platoon were fighting as hard as they could, trying to push them back. All hope was in the hands of Jansining right then.

However, Wang Tong realized that he had underestimated the Were Kong's wits as much as he had overestimated Jansining's speed. The Were Kongs ignored Wang Tong and rushed directly at Jansining, who was still making his way to the queen.

Wang Tong's heart sank. Recognition dawned on his face as he realized that he would have to do the impossible, to kill the queen himself while fighting against the Were Kongs.

Jansining was aware of his perilous situation. But no matter how hard he tried, he still seemed to be too slow. Jansining bit down his lower lips until it started to bleed. Suddenly, his soul energy increased a few folds.

Eyes bloodshot, Jansining gathered his last breath and released it in a heart-wrenching howl as he plunged into the pile of grotesque flesh in front of him.

Suddenly, the Zergs froze in mid-motion as the Queen screamed agonizingly at Jansining's near mindless hacks and slashes.

The Zergs paused less than a second before they started to attack with more ferociousness. Some had utterly lost their minds as they plunged towards the soldiers. The sudden development unnerved Wang Tong.

The soldiers' defense quickly crumbled under the frenetic assaults; however, none of the Zergs bothered even to scratch any of the soldiers, including Jansining. Instead, they all rushed towards Wang Tong.

"Big Head, get Lieutenant out of there. I will distract them!"

Wang Tong shouted at the Zergs and quickly attracted their attention. The Zergs rush towards Wang Tong like a tsunami wave about to engulf a strangled boat.

Wang Tong turned on his heels and started running. A few seconds later, Wang Tong turned his head so that he was half facing the Zergs behind him, and taunted them, "Come on you dirty bugs! I will let you taste BBQ Zerg meat if you can catch me!"

Wang Tong loved the BBQ Zerg meat when he was the first time on Norton.

"Goldie, where the hell are you? Help me! Otherwise, you are going to be a piece of antique and General Li might have to pick a Zerg as his successor." Seeing there was an intersection coming up, Wang Tong yelled at Goldie.

"Master, please input destination."

"Balls, the ground, of course!"

"Master, based on the energy signal, the ground level is very dangerous right now. The military is conducting an air raid."

"Then somewhere else that does not have any Zergs!"

"Turn left please."

Wang Tong darted to the left. He had thrown away his metal blade and picked up a smaller and lighter piece of Zerg's bone as his weapon.

The Zergs chasing after Wang Tong had gone nuts. They stomped over each other's body without following the unspoken order like they always did. The chaotic scene puzzled Wang Tong, as he had never seen Zergs move in such a frenzied motion before.

Zergs were very intelligent creatures; they strictly followed orders when they were on the battlefield. So, one would seldom see a group of Zergs charging without a formation, let along stomping on each other.

Meanwhile, on the ground, the air force had finished bombing, and the ground forces were in position, ready to kill off any remaining Zergs. Soldiers lined up behind rows of heavy tanks as the battle groups slowly pushed forward.

Wang Tong ran as fast as he could, and soon found that there were only a few Were Kongs left, still chasing after him closely.

Wang Tong felt the leader of the Were Kong looked strange, as if he had stolen some traits from other nightmarish creatures at some point during his evolution process.

Half an hour later, Wang Tong noticed that there was only the leader of the Were Kong behind him, while the rest couldn't keep up. Wang Tong stopped running and decided to finish the Were Kong off.

A smirk crept on to Wang Tong's face as he studied the empty surroundings. He was going to unleash the most badass move he could think of, and didn't have to worry about hurting anyone else in case his power went out of control.

Wang Tong waited until the Were Kong plunged towards him, and then punched at the Were Kong with a fiery fist.

Dark Fire Fist!

This was the strongest move Wang Tong had invented. It was inspired by Mr. Wannabe's palm technique, and Wang Tong added the elements of fire to the GN force.

The arm of the Were Kong, thick like a tree trunk, exploded as fire spout out from Wang Tong's fist and penetrated Were Kong's body, reducing it to ashes in an instance.

Wang Tong was shocked by the power he had delivered through the punch.

Wang Tong would never be able to use this technique in a PA system fight; it was too powerful. The ground started to shake, and Wang Tong figured that he had to leave the cave as soon as possible. Otherwise, he would be buried down here once the cave eventually collapsed.

The humans had two ways of dealing with the Queen Zerg hiding underground: one method was to send elite soldiers down the cave, and the other was to use GBD cannon to deliver a deathly blow through miles of rocks and dirt.

The battle on the ground ended soon after the ground force was dispatched. The soldiers started to clean up the mess and tend to the wounded.

High up in the space, a super battleship aimed its GBD cannon at the confirmed location. One direct shot from the GBD cannon would guarantee the death of the queen Zerg.

Chapter 253: Battle Achievements

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Once the military had located the queen, they would spare no expense at destroying it. They would use the mass destruction weapon such as GBD if they could. If they couldn't, such as at the areas where there were human settlements, they would send in the Expendables. In most cases, the team got sent in would never return, and only the luckiest ones would be able to kill the Zerg Queen at the cost of their lives.

However, this time was different. The soldiers held the Queen's pair of eyeballs while howling and cheering for the platoon that had entered the cave and came back alive,

"Captain, I request re-entering that cave, I got a kid down there."

"Lieutenant, I am afraid your soldier is already dead. You have done a good job; you should be proud of him!"

"Captain, he is a tough lad. It was he who distracted the most powerful Zergs. I think he is still alive."

"Corporal, let us go!"

All members of the ninth platoon had emerged except for one. But, all of them were injured. Big O's wound was the most serious; his belly was cut open, revealing the pink innards.

Captain Sun Li considered Jansining's request for a while and agreed. "Ender, dispatch two extermination squads to the hive. We got a boy down there."

"Yes, Sir!"

"Jansining, take a rest. We will handle the rest from here."

"Captain, I'm fine. Let me go down there with them, please!"

"Take it easy, son. You will only increase our risk down there." Ender pointed out the truth bluntly.

Meanwhile, Wang Tong had already found his way out of the cave and found the human force. He couldn't see his platoon until he saw a crowd of soldiers and heard them shout "Queen's eyeballs!". Wang Tong pushed the soldiers away and saw the familiar faces.

"Lieutenant, sorry I am late!"

Jansining was persuading Sun Li to allow him to go with the extermination team when he heard Wang Tong's voice. Jansining looked at Wang Tong in disbelief, "You...you...For f*ck sake! it IS you!"

Jansining rushed to Wang Tong and embraced him, and the rest of Wang Tong's teammates followed his lieutenant and lifted their hero up while cheering for his return. Although he couldn't join his teammates, Big O laid on a stretcher and laughed with them. The ninth platoon had made a miracle. They had entered the queen's hive and killed the queen without losing a single man.

"Captain, this is Wang Tong. He did it! He killed the Queen!" Jansining shouted at everyone. "Hey everyone, this boy is our hero. He killed the queen!"

Wang Tong's young age surprised Sun Li, as he shouted out. "Bothers and sisters, it looks like our future is brighter than we thought! Let's kick more Zerg asses and cheer for our hero!"

Wang Tong was caught off guard by the unwarranted credit and tried to explain what had happened, "No captain, I didn't kill the Queen. It was lieutenant, it was lieutenant!"

Wang Tong shouted, but the thunderous cheers drowned his voice. Soldiers stood on top of the tanks and the boulders as they waved their weapons and cheered for Wang Tong and the ninth platoon's perfect success.

Still unknown to the ninth platoon was that the initial coordinates of the hive they were given were correct. However, the Zergs had moved away since the soldiers were given the coordinates. The Zergs had incredible hole boring abilities, so they were able to relocate their hive quickly underground. The HQ eventually received Overbite's distress signal, and the military immediately mobilized the army to the correct location.

The military had achieved a total victory over the Zergs. Not only had they kill a Zerg Queen, but they had also obtained two eyeballs, which could prove to be precious specimen for the scientists.

The ninth platoon had finished a mission impossible. They were a relatively unknown team, but right then, they had become the paragon of bravery among the soldiers.

Each member of the ninth platoon would receive a third rank golden shield badge, and Wang Tong and Jansining were guaranteed a golden shield badge of the second rank since being able to kill a queen and be back alive was unprecedented in the history of the military.

Everyone fell asleep right way as soon as they got on the transport vehicle. They had overspent their energy during the battle, so their body desperately needed the recharge. They didn't let exhaustion and injury slow them down during the fight, all because their iron wills supported them.

Three days later, everyone had received their badges. Wang Tong counted himself lucky to have the aid of Goldie. Otherwise, the entire platoon might still be buried deep down in that cave.

Both Jansining and Sun Li also understood the vital role that luck had played in the outcome of the event. The ninth platoon's strength was not remotely close to that of the extermination teams. Yet, not one extermination team had come out of a queen's hive alive.

Although luck might have caused their success, the military could not deny their mettle and bravery. Therefore, no one had opposed to rewarding the soldiers with high ranking badges.

While the ninth platoon waited for Big O's return from the medical facility, they were ordered to rest and recuperate.

After the battle, everyone felt respect for Wang Tong for his strength and bravery. Soon, Wang Tong's comrades started to ask his opinion on their skills and techniques.

After a few days, Wang Tong gained a better understanding of everyone's training background. Everyone practiced the standard thirty-two node version tactics. However, their results varied from person to person based on their inborn talents. Jansining was the only fourth level warrior, and rest were in their third level expect for Overbite who was still a second level fighter.

Wang Tong reasoned that if the soldiers were given a better set of METAL suit, their combat strength could be boosted. However, higher tier METAL suits were reserved for only the elite teams such as the extermination squad. Although the ninth platoon had become the hero, they didn't get any special treatment regarding their METAL because the military knew that a lucky miracle did not amount to a leap in their actual combat abilities. When the platoon members received their new METAL in replacement of their old ones that were destroyed during the battle in the hive, they found out that they had gotten the same tier of METAL as they used to wear. Wang Tong, however, was the exception, as his METAL was upgraded to the second tier from the first tier.

Truth be told, the soldiers didn't expect too much from the military to begin with. So, they were quite content with receiving a brand new set of METAL suit.

The first tier METAL had greatly hindered Wang Tong's defensive ability. Wang Tong always considered the defense the most critical element in surviving a battle. So, Wang Tong was pleased with his upgrade to the second tier.

In the days that followed, Wang Tong focused his attention on improving his comrades' skills. He concluded that improving soul energy was what his teammates needed to focus on during their training.

The lack of reliable soul energy was a problem at all levels of the military. Most of the soldiers were in their second or the third level, but this amount of soul energy was not enough when they needed to face enemies outnumbered them by hundreds or thousands of times.

On the day of the final battle between humans led by General Li Feng and the Zergs, the battle created the highest record of human casualties, as it claimed 60 million souls. The battle, although costly, had put the Zerg's advance to a jarring halt. The Zergs were caught off guard by their defeat as they didn't expect to encounter such a great power on a planet inhabited by the soft and squishy human.

Perhaps humans were not the most physically capable opponent the Zergs had encountered along their path of destruction, but they definitely were the most belligerent and cunning.

General Li Feng had insisted on confronting the Zergs outside the solar system despite the voice of opposition which had argued that fighting outside of the familiar solar system was suicidal. Eventually, General Li Feng was able to persuade everyone that the day Zergs entered the solar system would be the start of human annihilation from this universe.

The population of the Zerg grew exponentially. Therefore, if the humans didn't reduce their number early on and allowed them to reproduce, the solar system could be quickly overwhelmed.

Although the battle was costly, it had taught the human race the importance of uniting together. Therefore, the alliance of the Earthling and the Kaedians was born soon after the battle was concluded.

Chapter 254: Princess Warrior

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Wang Tong learned that the thirty-two GN node tactics that his comrades were cultivating were called the Tactics of Steel Blade. It was an offense-focused tactics that transferred the soul energy to pure damage output. It dealt decent damage to lower tier Zergs, but quickly fell short when it was used against better armored higher tier Zergs such as the Were Kong.

It was almost impossible for Jansining and his platoon to switch to other tactics because they had spent a considerable amount of time on their current tactics. Not only was it difficult for them to adapt to other tactics successfully, but forcing different tactics into their system could also be deadly.

Wang Tong scratched his head as he struggled to come up with an effective method to improve his teammates' combat ability.

Members of the ninth platoon were down to the earth and not judgemental. To them, Wang Tong was as capable as any elite soldiers despite his young age.

After a day of training, soldiers were throwing banters at each other while cleaning up their new METAL suits. Jansining walked into the locker room and brought news to everyone.

HQ had assigned them another student.

Members of the ninth platoon hoorayed when they heard the news, hoping that it would be another badass addition to the team like Wang Tong.

However, their heart sank as soon as they heard more about this new student.

She was from one of the Great Houses.

"What? Are you sure? Is she here on tour or what? What's there to see on Norton anyways."

"Haha, we might as well change our job title to travel guides."

"Why would princess want to come to this sh*thole? Can you refuse the assignment, lieutenant?"

No one on the ninth platoon wanted a useless burden, let alone one that required 24/7 care and protection.

Wang Tong's mind reeled as he wondered if it was Li Ruoer who came after him for revenge. If it was true, he not only worried about his own life, but also those of the entire platoon. It would be effortless for the Li family to let the ninth platoon to 'disappear,' they just need to order them to go on a suicidal mission.

Frustrated and feeling helpless, Wang Tong finally regretted ever offended Li Ruoer.

"This is an order from the higher-ups. We got no choice."

"Lieutenant, do you think we should pull some tricks on her and scare her away?" Little O suggested.

"Little O, why don't you use your brain? This girl is from one of the Great Houses! My question is, why did she choose to join us?" Big Head scowled at Little O and then was immediately puzzled by his newfound question.

"Wang Tong, you two are of similar age. We will be counting on you to look after her. Don't let us down." Jansining quickly threw his best soldier under the bus. But unknown to him, he might as well have just sent Wang Tong to his doom.

"Could you please let someone else look after her? I... I... ouch.. my stomach hurts. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to carry out the mission. Iron Tooth, how about you take over my duty?"

Iron Tooth took a step back into the shadows. "No. I like busty mates, not interested in prickly little princesses. Choose someone else."

"Ah... Lieutenant, I need to do dishes."

"OH...right, I need to tidy up my room."

Soon all the members of the ninth platoon were gone, leaving Wang Tong and the lieutenant alone, staring at each other.

"Wang Tong, you are part of our team now. You are our most trusted comrades and the most capable fighter. I am the lieutenant, and I have too many things to deal with every day. So, I have made my final decision to leave the duty of looking after this new member to you. We appreciate your sacrifice!"

Jansining gave Wang Tong a look that was half pity and half relief before he walked out of the room.

Wang Tong wiped the bead size sweat off his forehead as he became worried about his safety at the hands of the new team member.

After Wang Tong mulled over this conundrum for a while, he conceded that he would not be able to avoid the consequences of his actions. He hoped that time would eventually wash away this old feud. However, judging from the current situation, Wang Tong figured that Li Ruoer would return every ounce of suffering she had endured back at him.

Wang Tong heaved a sigh and accepted the reality. He reasoned that if Li Ruoer dared to conspire against the platoon, he would let her pay a costly price.

As he regained some confidence, fear overtook him again. He shriveled and cursed at the air, "Damn you, crazy woman!"

The next morning, everyone had shaved their scruffy faces, styled their hair carefully and put on their cleanest uniform to show respect for the Great House. Although the new member was only a student, her ancestors had contributed to the founding of the confederation.

When Jansining appeared at the meeting hall, everyone's jaw dropped at the beauty of the girl following Jansining's lead.

"Everyone, this is Miss Ma Xiaoru from House Ma. She is the new member I told you guys about."

While studying the delicate features on Ma Xiaoru's face, soldiers of the ninth platoon felt a slight ache in their heart at the thought of this beautiful and tender girl fighting against the Zergs.

"Don't let her appearance fool you; Ma Xiaoru is a level five fighter. She can defeat anyone of you within seconds."

"Comrades, I am nothing but a youngster here. I will rely on your advice to make myself a better soldier."

Wang Tong was shocked by the sudden turn of event. He felt like being elevated into the heaven straight from hell.

Hundreds of different emotions rushed into Wang Tong's heart at the same moment. There were all shades of sadness, happiness, and everything in between, colliding with each other and forming a symphony of feelings, that eventually reduced into a wisp of fussy warmth in Wang Tong's heart. Watching the smile on Ma Xiaoru's face, Wang Tong felt genuinely happy for the first time in a long while.

Ma Xiaoru greeted every soldier and soon was standing face to face with Wang Tong. She extended her hand courteously and said, "Wang Tong, nice to see you again."

"Haha! You two know each other? That makes things much easier, doesn't it! Wang Tong is a hero; he had proved his mettle in the battle against a Zerg Queen!" Jansining praised Wang Tong generously, hoping to leave Ma Xiaoru with a good impression of Wang Tong. Being in the military for so many decades, Jansining knew that a good impression in the minds of the Great Houses was half the battle in climbing the ladders of military ranks.

"Congratulations Wang Tong. Yes, I have heard about Wang Tong. He had defeated Capth during our tournament."

"I thought you were from an A-class Academy… and you defeated Capth?"

"You little sh*t, we had underestimated you after all!"

Jansining was shocked by the revelation as well. He had heard about Ayrlarng, and knew that it used to be a top-notch S class school but had since fallen and was downgraded into an A class academy. As a student of an A class school, it was an incredible feat for Wang Tong to defeat opponents from the S class.

"Haha, we will learn from each other!" Wang Tong drew a deep breath and heaved a sigh of relief. 'Thank gods it wasn't the other princess.' He thought to himself.

"Lieutenant, Ma Xiaoru is at your command! "

"Good! Welcome aboard!"

Jansining was relived after finding Ma Xiaoru was very approachable, unlike other children of the Great Houses. The connection between Wang Tong and Ma Xiaoru should also make Wang Tong's task much more manageable. No matter what would happen, Jansining could not afford to let Ma Xiaoru get hurt, since the Ma family controlled all the equipment of the military, including the METAL suit Jansining was wearing right then.

Jansining started to announce the team tasks and new training routines, but Wang Tong didn't pay any attention to Jansining as he was troubled by the thought of Ma Xiaoru's amnesia. A strange feeling rose inside of Wang Tong as he shifted his eyes towards Ma Xiaoru to study her, 'Did she forget everything?" Wang Tong asked himself.

As if Ma Xiao felt his gaze, she turned her head back and locked her eyes with Wang Tong's, then a warm smile appeared on her face. Wang Tong looked away immediately, and his heart sank at the sight of the smile. He was convinced there and then that she had forgotten everything.

Wang Tong then thought perhaps it was for the better. He should treat her like a stranger from now on, which was what he should have done when they first met. It would only be fair for all three of them.

"Wang Tong, Wang Tong!"

"Yes, Sir! I will finish the task!"

"What task? I was only telling you to walk around the camp with Ma Xiaoru and help her to familiarize the environment on Norton. Can you do that without getting distracted?"

"Yes, Sir! I will finish the task!" Wang Tong repeated mechanically as his teammates snickered.

'Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t! Why would I agree to that?' Wang Tong screamed in his head.

Ma Xiaoru's approachable personality and good work ethics had made the soldiers rethink their stereotypes about members of the great houses. They conceded that those stereotypes might be wrong, at least it was in the case of Ma Xiaoru.

Wang Tong walked around the camp with Ma Xiaoru and explained a few things that were not described in the paper handout. Ma Xiaoru was not here for a show, and she wanted to follow Wang Tong's footstep to start from the bottom, fighting as a nameless soldier.

Chapter 255: The Familiar Stranger

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Ma Xiaoru had gotten a first tier METAL suite like everyone else. After two days of performing simple tasks, Ma Xiaoru had shown everyone her solid soul energy and ability to survive on a planet with the harsh environment using the Tactics of Enchantress.

Wang Tong had gotten along with Ma Xiaoru pretty well, pretending that he, too, had forgotten what happened between them while they were at Ayrlarng. There were very few Zergs they had encountered while performing the patrolling mission, but nothing dangerous. The number of Zergs was dwindling ever since their queen was killed. The military could simply move on to another district, but years of experience had taught them that they should not leave even a single Zerg alive while clearing an area. Otherwise, the Zergs would come back really quickly.

Despite the fact that Ma Xiaoru was much stronger than most of her teammates, her tender and soft voice made everyone want to protect her during missions. It was the effect of the Tactics of the Enchantress that had deceived the members of the ninth platoon.

Three days later, Ma Xiaoru was no longer a stranger to the team. She also started to get to know more from Wang Tong. She was always excited about any small details about this wild planet, and wore her charming smile every day.

God had completed the world with his final creation: women. Ever since Ma Xiaoru joined the ninth platoon, the soldiers' mood had brightened up a lot, as if Ma Xiaoru's appearance had relieved some of their stress.

What happened in the two days that followed had made the soldiers even more impressed with Ma Xiaoru's ability. Even Wang Tong was caught off guard by her considerable improvements in her tactics ever since last time he saw her use them. It always had been hard for anyone to have a complete grasp on Ma Xiaoru's real power, thanks to the deceiving nature of the Tactics of the Enchantress.

One day, during a regular field clearing mission, the ninth platoon nearly walked into an ambush.

A mutated Spider Zerg, a Skulk Zerg and four sickle Zergs were hiding inside the jungle, waiting for human soldiers to walk into the kill zone.

Tactics of the Enchantress was well known for its detection ability. Since Ma Xiaoru's cultivation had reach level five, she had detected these amateur ambushes from far away and signaled everyone to stop.

The team decided to circle the ambush and kill the skulk Zerg first before finishing off the rest of the Zergs. Ma Xiaoru further stated that the mutated Spider Zerg could be trouble. Based on Ma Xiaoru's probing using her soul energy, she could tell that the mutant was able to produce an invincible Zerg web and attach it to the tree branches. That would slow the soldiers down significantly once they got caught in the sticky web. Everyone was impressed by Ma Xiaoru's recon ability and her knowledge of the Zergs. They conceded that they had underestimated the real-life combat experience of the members of the Great Houses. Jansining was delighted by the addition of another capable soldier.

The ninth platoon was not the worst squad, but it was nevertheless far behind those elite extermination teams. Only the top five platoons in a battalion would be granted the title "Exterminator." The ranking of the platoons was based on the number of Zergs the team had killed, and it was every soldier's dream to be in an extermination team.

Jansining was aware that even with the recent success of killing the queen, the ninth platoon's kill score was still no match for that of other elite teams. However, Jansining reasoned that with the two new additions, their kill score should increase by leaps and bounds, and they might have a chance in getting that title he had been dreamed of.

The platoon finally returned to the camp after two days of battle. Some chatted with their families over the phone, some were playing poker, and some were resting on their bed. But no one heeded Wang Tong's advice of practicing tactics whenever they had the time. Everyone's talent and fate were different; no one on the ninth platoon would have to save the world in the future, so they would rather relax and take a rest during their downtime than training like a robot. Wartime life was very stressful and tiring, and resting well was essential for the future battles.

Wang Tong and Ma Xiaoru didn't feel tired, neither did they felt any stress on the battlefield, due to their superior power and endurance.

The two sat on top of an armored vehicle, watching the beautiful expanse of the wild planet. They felt that with some effort, humans would be able to call this place home after they have gotten rid of the Zergs. The thought gave the two a certain measure of motivation and lit up their eyes.

"Thank you." Ma Xiaoru said as she wisped a few strands of loose hair off her forehead, tugging them behind her delicate ears.

"For what?" Wang Tong lolled on the roof of the vehicle. The warm breeze brushed his cheek, making him feel sleepy. He dreaded revisiting this planet, but once he was here, he felt reluctant to leave.

Wong Tong wondered whether it was the scenery or the people he had met here that made him want to stay.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to prove myself in front of everyone. I know you had sensed those Zergs too." Ma Xiaoru said quietly.

"Me? I didn't notice anything. They like you because you are nice. You don't need to prove anything, you know." Wang Tong denied.

Ma Xioaru didn't argue with him. She simply sat right beside Wang Tong, enjoying the quiet moment that belonged only to the two of them.

Wang Tong closed his eyes and started to think about Samantha.

Wang Tong wanted to keep distance with Ma Xiaoru. However, they just got along very well naturally. After all, although Ma Xiaoru had lost her memories, she didn't lose her likable personality.

What troubled Wang Tong then was the other enchantress, Li Rouer. He was convinced that she would not forget about their feud, and would come after him soon.

The longer Wang Tong had to wait for Li Ruoer's revenge, the more uneasy Wang Tong became; he could feel that the intensity of Li Ruoer's rage was increasing by the day. Sometimes, Wang Tong wondered if Li Ruoer had already gone deranged while practicing the Tactics of the Enchantress.

The exact nature of the tactics of the enchantress remained elusive. Some experts thought that Ma Xiaoru's personality was too stable, and therefore she wouldn't go too far in her cultivation of the capricious tactics. However, Ma Xiaoru's soul energy had been increasing steadily after she broke through the fifth level, and her body had also been strengthening and remaining healthy. Even the masters from the Li family thought it was a miracle that Ma Xiaoru had done so well while so many elements had been working against her. Thus, the lesson was this: no one knew precisely how the Tactics of the Enchantress worked.

Li Ruoer was angry. She wanted to be assigned to the same team with Wang Tong so she could seek her revenge. But somehow, she was reassigned to the heavy armor squad. Someone had been messing with her plan.

After some probing, she quickly found out that it was Ma Sa behind the change in her reassignment. She could have done away with Ma Sa's career there and then. But Ma Sa was about to play a critical role in her father and brother's plan, so she hesitated.

Although she was wild, Li Ruoer was also very smart. She didn't put her revenge into action right after her arrival. Instead, she understood the importance of putting on a show as the daughter of an Einherjar. She quickly adopted her role and worked and trained hard during the day to show her apparent enthusiasm in front of the watchful eyes, while in the night, she continued brewing her toxic plan of revenge.

Despite the immense influence it had exerted across all levels of the Confederation, the Li family could not dictate the matters of the world, especially in recent years. With their transitional ally, the Ma's loyalty wavering, and the outburst of the insurgency led by the Golden Hawk, the Li family needed the public on their side more so than ever.

Quickly, Li Ruoer's strength and seemingly likable personality had won the hearts of thousands of young soldiers, just like her ancestor, General Zhou Zhi did in the past.

General Zhou Zhi had always been Li Rouer's model. Li Ruoer appeared to be an innocent and capable young girl, but under the facade made out of innocent smiles and benevolent gestures was a power-hungry monster spinning her web of influence. Li Ruoer didn't befriend Ma Xiaoru just because she wanted Ma Xiaoru to marry her brother, she also wanted to prove her ability to her brother and father. It was a reminder to her father that she, too, was an heir of the Li family and deserved his equal attention.

However, Wang Tong had spoiled her plan and humiliated her in the vault. Li Ruoer dreamed of the day of her revenge when Wang Tong would kneel in front of her, repenting his sins, while she delivered the killing blow.