Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

See, Chu Xuan had already meticulously planned everything for the Nan Yan team before they even arrived. These identities of the Nan Yan team were exactly what Chu Xuan needed; he wanted to use them to complete his scheme, allowing him to directly interfere with the Earth Federation through these special identities bestowed by the main god. Three days was enough for him to deal with the Nan Yan team and, at least roughly, Earth. As for dealing with the Senzhou team, he would simply crush them with the overwhelming power of the entire Starship Troopers movie universe. Any further loss would only be attributed to the main god's bias.

—But why can't the supreme deity show favoritism?

“I need a slightly clearer explanation.” Patchouli’s tone became a little more urgent, emphasizing the importance she placed on the matter.

"I thought your intelligence was at least on par with ordinary people. Was I overestimating you?" Chu Xuan replied in the same calm tone. "Don't you and Alice know why you came to this world of reincarnation? Do you think it's just a coincidence?"

“…I know, but that’s not enough.” Patchouli hesitated for a long time before finally saying, “I know the Central Continent team…has great luck. But that doesn’t mean everything can be turned into a safe situation, or that everyone will survive.”

"Are you afraid of death?" Chu Xuan replied, "[Profound Luck] is a very interesting term. In Chinese culture, luck usually comes from the merits of one's past life and the achievements of this life. This term applies to you as well. Now that you understand this, you don't need to worry too much."

“I’m not like Alice.” Patchouli shook her head. “She’s a good ‘person,’ but I’m not. I’m not afraid to die, but I can’t leave Alice’s side right now.”

"So you need additional insurance?" Chu Xuan frowned. "This will cause some changes to the overall plan and increase my workload considerably."

“That’s why I’m going to continue this topic with you now. The plan needs to be revised, Chu Xuan. Your interference with the Supreme God is a bit too early for now.” Patchouli replied, her tone serious and sincere—she knew it wouldn’t do Chu Xuan any good, but something was better than nothing.

“I would like to make some minor adjustments to your plans again. Not just something as simple as installing a stellar extraction tower on the insect planet, but I want to make some arrangements that might reduce the profitability slightly.”

............................................................

Hours later, as daylight faded into night at the base, Zheng Zha, along with the large group he had gathered along the way and Alice, reunited at the base. He had brought a significant number of personnel, and orbital artillery fire from outer space began suppressing the surface swarms of insects. The defensive fortifications were thus further expanded, freeing the Reincarnators from positional warfare, allowing them to expend their energy on the large insectoids emerging from the ground.

The bugs didn't have much of an advantage. Their plasma bugs were firmly suppressed by the railgun bombardment, and their burrowing attacks were completely countered by Zhang Jie's mental scan and the Reincarnator fire brigade. Even though they weren't waterproof, they could only rely on their warrior bugs and flying bugs, which still needed to engage in close combat, to humiliate themselves by braving their thin chitinous shells. Although the Marine Corps' skinned version of the Star M16 wasn't much better, they still had more bullets than the bugs.

The battle gradually devolved into a stalemate. The insectoids attacked every minute, relentlessly like a tidal wave. But the Marines, having secured cover and positions, no longer fearing air raids or burrows, and with the added advantage of orbital artillery fire, stood firm like rocks.

They achieved victories, and those victories brought them courage. Courage then transformed into sturdy armor and sharp weapons, which in turn brought them even more victories. New recruits thus quickly matured into veterans, and veterans further developed into elites. Regardless of which category they belonged to, the figures of the reincarnators fighting on the battlefield were deeply etched into their minds.

Everything was proceeding according to plan. After reuniting with Alice, Zheng Zha happily relinquished his command duties and became the assault captain of his 'Groundhog Slapping Team.' He recklessly wasted energy, erecting a pair of red wings constructed from demonic blood energy and flying back and forth across the battlefield. He killed any large insects he saw, killed any medium-sized insects he saw, and as for small insects… well, they were all dead before he could even make a move.

He was the happiest, while Zhang Jie was slightly less so. But he could still sit in his air-conditioned private room, drinking fresh watermelon juice, smoking a special God-brand cigarette, and enjoying the gloomy climate and plasma clouds unique to Korenda. All he needed to do was report the location and scale of each swarm attack, inform the captain of the 'Goblin Slap Team' where new gopher burrows were about to appear, and then throw a psychic storm if necessary.

Apart from that, everyone else is doing well.

Ba Wang and Ming Yanwei went to the front lines to act as firepower providers and rack up points, while Cheng Xiao was busy with organization and coordination. Undeniably, his role in this camp was far more important than the other two. Of course, this was also because his qigong and Gu techniques were practically useless on this battlefield—the main god's judgment mechanism was rather strict. Insects not killed by the user didn't count, and having a veteran kill someone half-dead before collecting the kills meant no one benefited.

And so time gradually moved further into the distance. Day gradually turned into night, and night returned to day. The piles of corpses from the swarm of insects grew higher and higher, from one meter to two meters, two meters to five meters, five meters to... Alice felt they were obstructing her view, so she burned them all with artillery fire.

This war, which should have resulted in a crushing defeat for the expeditionary force, took a completely different turn from the original script, or rather, from the future records glimpsed by the witches—the insects were still insects, but those who killed them were far, far stronger. Therefore, the difficulty level was raised to easy, and starting the next day, transport ships began evacuating the wounded and the weak from the ground. Only the truly capable soldiers who had grown up and the journalists responsible for filming the documentary remained on this land—of course, they could only film what they were supposed to film.

And so the war gradually came to an end. Unsurprisingly, without any waves, everything proceeded according to Chu Xuan's script.

................................................

Luo Gandao crashed heavily to the ground. He felt as if his bones were about to shatter, every nerve screaming in protest. However, compared to anything other than the impact, this pain was insignificant. He instinctively dodged to the side, rolling and scrambling to avoid a claw strike that could have instantly disemboweled him, and then an even fiercer wind rushed towards him.

It was a Warrior Insect, an enhanced version. It was much larger and more ferocious than the original. Its deep black compound eyes gleamed with a mad light that even Logandau could see; ordinary Warrior Insects wouldn't last three seconds against it. Yet Logandau had to face three at the same time.

Moreover, they were unarmed.

“I think there were some problems with our previous training strategy. Perhaps you were too complacent because you thought I wouldn’t actually kill you, so I’ve decided to adopt some other strategies.” Alice floated quietly ten meters in the air, looking down at Logan, who was being attacked by three berserk warrior insects. She was currently in an underground cave beneath the forward base, and she had deliberately taken some time to see if this promising newcomer was worth continuing to train.

Beneath her feet, an invisible 'field' silently spread outwards, covering the ground, filling the air, and extending outwards to obscure most of the forward base area. Within this invisible 'field,' she could be certain that no unexpected events beyond her calculations would occur before her eyes.

This is an aura, or a kind of domain. It's the power that a soul with a strong will inevitably master after becoming a true demon. Alice, because she skipped levels too quickly, hasn't fully figured out what her aura is yet, but she's certain that it belongs to some kind of non-aggressive, supportive category.

It might be an amplitude, an encouragement, or even some kind of healing or random stuff. The only thing Alice was certain of was that after she unleashed this unknown aura, the combat effectiveness of her soldiers increased by almost two or three times compared to before—of course, this was because they had previously been a bunch of routed soldiers. She didn't know the specific details, as she had only just come into contact with this thing.

But that's not important; what's important is what's happening right now.

Fifteen minutes ago, she dragged Logandao out of a machine gun bunker on the front line and threw him into this well-lit underground cave with three berserk warrior insects inside. Logandao has been a recruit until now, and Alice can't find any reason to promote him because he hasn't made any contributions.

He didn't even dare to risk cheating on his score!

“Perhaps the real dangers can give you some motivation; the virtual world is far too gentle,” Alice said softly, making sure her voice reached Logandao’s ears clearly. “Don’t expect me to save you at the last second; I might not be able to react in time, and I don’t really care about the thousand reward points.”

Her voice received no response, for Logan had no time to speak. Having lost the weapon that could easily kill the insects, even with his superhuman physique and reflexes, the warrior insect's claws remained deadly to him.

And soon this fatal blow will become a reality.

Section Nine: Your Life is Precious

Luo Gandao felt that he was probably really going to die, not after, but about to die. He felt his strength was being rapidly depleted, his limbs were starting to go numb, and his lungs and throat were burning. However, the insects were still moving very quickly.

—What did that witch named Alice just say?

He didn't know; he couldn't see, he couldn't hear, and he didn't have the extra energy to listen. He could only feel the chill emanating from the insect's body, the slightly corrosive saliva dripping from its sharp teeth, and the death rushing towards him as its sharp claws sliced ​​through the air, tearing apart the fragile airflow.

death.

Death is a terrible thing.

Luo Gandao had never experienced death firsthand, but he had witnessed it. He remembered his friend lying in a pool of blood, his black eyes gradually turning gray, his ruddy face turning pale, his outstretched fingers yearning to grasp life but only able to watch it slip away, until finally his face contorted in a grimace before returning to silence.

He doesn't want to become like that, not at all.

Since he so desperately wanted to live, he had to face reality—face the deadly sharp edge.

He tried his best to think while dodging...

The warrior insect has six claws: four legs, two hands, and massive, pincer-like mandibles. The other threats can be postponed, but the two at the top are the most dangerous…

[...and are also relatively the most vulnerable.]

The warrior insect closest to Logan Road had a wound on its upper right forelimb. Although it had long since healed, it appeared smaller and more deformed than the rest of its body. Whether this was the witch's arrangement or its good fortune was unknown, but it was undoubtedly an opportunity.

I must be careful...

He tried his best to dodge inside the cave, using the natural rocks to create a favorable position for himself.

He quickly found a suitable spot. It was a small, open area, triangular in shape, with a closed apex—a dead end in the terrain. And as he found this place, his target also arrived at the right location.

He could almost hear the soft wriggling beneath the insect's carapace...

'laugh----'

The insect lunged at him, its sharp legs stabbing heavily into his abdomen, while the remaining two joined in—perhaps due to their berserk state, their abilities were enhanced, but their coordination and teamwork were completely gone. Although they didn't fight each other, their attacks created openings.

What is a gap? A gap is the difference in distance between two insects. If the first one leaps too far ahead of the second, the second insect's thrusting blade will be hindered. And in the gap created by this hindrance, Logando saw his chance of survival—or rather, his chance of victory.

He leaped diagonally forward, and as the limbs grazed his neck, every hair on his body stood on end—a spurt of blood appeared on his neck, but in that fleeting instant, he had moved behind the insects. He gripped a rock that could be held in one hand, just as the insects, having missed their target, collided in a blind spot. He leaped again!

I can't possibly handle three insects at the same time on the same plane...

He pondered, his blood boiling violently from the surge of hormones. In an instant, he pounced on the foremost giant worm. One hand gripped a limb, while the other, holding a stone, slammed down!

The muscles are working, and power is released as a result!

'laugh--!!!'

He heard the insect's characteristic shrill cry, and the cracking sound of its chitinous exoskeleton breaking. The insect beast beneath him began to thrash wildly. The force of the thrashing transformed into thrust, forcing him off!

—He had planned to leave all along.

As he leaped off the warrior insect's back using its wriggling motion, half of its sharp, bladed limb, covered in insect fluid, also flew away—he swiftly adjusted his body in mid-air to land steadily. And the instant he touched the ground, his mobilized strength burst forth at full power!

It is better to cut off one finger than to injure all ten.

The Zerg's sharp chitinous exoskeleton is not indestructible compared to their own claws.

He charged forward with all his might, adjusting his position as the other two berserk warrior insects pounced on him to ensure the damage was limited to less critical areas—lacerations, not fatal, and not immediately affecting his mobility. Just as he reached the warrior insect with a broken limb, the insect flipped its gaze towards him!

[Left arm, right leg, the wounds are not deep...]

The warrior bug's weakness is its face...

He felt time suddenly slow down, and his mind was focused to an unprecedented degree. He could feel his heart pounding, his blood flowing, the muscles beneath the insect beast's face writhing, and the crucial point where nerves converged in those two dark compound eyes!

【………………】

His mind went blank for a moment. By the time he came to his senses, the bladed limb in his hand had already pierced between the giant mandibles of the insect beast! The insect before him died instantly without even making a sound, while its limbs convulsed and danced wildly the instant its ganglia were pierced!

I did it!

A surge of joy welled up within Rodando, but it quickly turned to worry. He knew he was far from victorious, and a new crisis had arrived!

I can do it!

He thought to himself, straining every muscle in his body in an attempt to fight back!

The insects swarmed from behind, but the bladed limb piercing the first insect remained stuck. He steeled himself, and with a surge of immense strength, grabbed the pair of giant mandibles and hurled them behind him—he heard the impact and, out of the corner of his eye, saw an insect fall to the ground. And then…

...Another insect and its sharp claws had already come to him.

【No--】

His pupils contracted sharply, but the stance he had just taken from the insect body couldn't be reversed at will. He could only twist his body as much as he could to try and dodge the fatal blow. But no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't.

He could only watch helplessly as the sharp blade pierced through the gap in his stance and headed towards his chest. He clearly felt the skin on his chest being pierced, his ribs being cut open, and then, the sharp blade touched his heart.

No...no...

How could I...die here!

Something seemed to explode in his mind, accompanied by a sudden tremor that coursed through every nerve in his body; the shackles that had bound him shattered in an instant! He felt his arms surge with power once more, and his thoughts and reactions became incredibly swift. Then—

—That bladed limb still pierced his heart.

The sudden surge of power and intelligence vanished from him in an instant; he collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his face. The blade piercing his heart was brutally pulled out, only to be driven back in, shattering his lungs.

He didn't want to die, but death had already caught up with him.

His body was rapidly stiffening and growing cold, while another giant insect that had been knocked down lunged at him.

No...no...I don't want to die like this...I don't want to die here quietly and unnoticed!

Anyone... anyone will help me...

His gaze fell upon the top of the cave, looking pleadingly at Alice, who hovered above it. His lips moved slightly, emitting a soft cry.

"save……"

The next moment, two torches suddenly lit up, and the two berserk warrior insects in front of them were completely carbonized and disintegrated in an instant, turning into ashes scattered everywhere.

A smile appeared on Luo Gandao's lips.

I knew you wouldn't just stand by and watch me die.

I'm a newbie, and this is a team battle. Even if I say I don't care, the others won't let you take away a thousand points from them.

I won after all. As long as I can keep living... as long as I can keep living...

A smug glint appeared in his eyes, and even as his body grew weaker, the tension in his heart subtly eased. He squinted, watching Alice descend from the cave ceiling and slowly approach him. He calmly awaited the healing that was about to fall upon him… He knew Alice could do that.

one second...