Chapter 564: He Yayin
He stood his ground and waited, with no intention of entering the cavern.
As a rune master, his combat style was to use knowledge and preparation to achieve his goals at minimal cost.
Three minutes later, the Energy Fluctuation from deep within the cavern completely vanished.
Lu Wenquan put away the rune stone and turned to leave.
"The sixth."
...
「Ten hours after they split up.」
Xu Wuyi finished clearing out the seventh mother nest, which was the last one assigned to him.
It was a nest at the bottom of a chasm, sixty meters deep.
After piercing its core with his Water Drop technique, he didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he stood at the edge of the chasm, gazing at the distant, dark red sky.
A message came through on his combat terminal.
"Reinforcements have departed. ETA at X-24 Star Domain is six hours. The leader is Innate Martial Artist He Yayin, level 45, specializing in Sound Wave Martial Arts. The squad consists of eight members, all of whom are elite Martial Artists between levels 38 and 39."
He Yayin.
Xu Wuyi recognized the name.
She was a standout figure among the Federation Military Department’s new generation. Having broken through to the Innate realm at twenty-five, she was a true genius.
The "Sound Blade Squad" she led had an outstanding record on multiple frontline missions, known for their efficient teamwork and precise tactical execution.
’Perfect timing.’
Xu Wuyi shut off the terminal and sped toward the rendezvous point he had set with Tie Zhan and Lu Wenquan.
...
「Twenty hours after they split up.」
The trio reunited in a hilly area outside Resource Point No. 7.
Tie Zhan was covered in dark green insect blood, his warhammer still slick with gore, but he was in high spirits.
Lu Wenquan, on the other hand, was spotless—even his glasses were wiped clean. His face was slightly pale, however, a clear sign he had overused his Spiritual Power.
Xu Wuyi was in the best condition. His black combat suit only had a few minor tears.
"I took care of two," Tie Zhan said with a grin.
"Two, completed," Lu Wenquan said, pushing up his glasses.
"Two, completed," Xu Wuyi nodded.
With that, the remaining six mother nests had all been cleared out.
Including their work from the past three days, nineteen of the twenty-one confirmed mother nests in the X-24 Star Domain had now been destroyed.
Only the last two remained, located in the deepest part of the Star Domain near the edge of the Feathered People’s territory.
"Once reinforcements arrive, we’ll wipe them out in one go," said Tie Zhan. "Then let’s get the hell out of here. This damned place gives me the creeps."
Lu Wenquan pulled up the Star Domain map. "The last two mother nests are about one hundred and twenty kilometers from Resource Point No. 7. The terrain is complex, with numerous underground rivers. The alien insects have likely entered a state of high alert, which will make clearing them out more difficult."
Xu Wuyi looked at the two red markers on the map.
"He Yayin’s squad will arrive in six hours. We’ll use the time to rest and recover our strength."
The three of them entered Resource Point No. 7.
This was a forward base established by the 17th Division. It wasn’t large, but its defenses were solid.
The base commander, a lieutenant colonel in his forties, saw the trio and immediately came to greet them.
"Martial Artist Xu, Martial Artist Tie Zhan, Martial Artist Lu, thank you for your hard work." The lieutenant colonel saluted. "The base has prepared rest quarters and supplies. Please, get some rest."
"Thank you."
Xu Wuyi nodded and followed the lieutenant colonel deeper into the base.
...
「Six hours later.」
Three dark-gray VTOL transports landed on the tarmac at Resource Point No. 7.
The hatch opened, and nine figures emerged one by one.
In the lead was a woman who looked to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight. She was about 1.7 meters tall with an athletic build, clad in a suit of light, silver-gray Battle Armor. A pair of dark silver metal rings hung at her waist.
She had delicate features, but her eyes held the resolute air unique to a soldier. Her hair was cut short to her ears, and her gaze was sharp.
It was He Yayin.
The eight squad members behind her—four men and four women—were all in standard-issue combat suits and well-equipped. Their steps were perfectly synchronized, a clear sign they had been working together for a long time.
Xu Wuyi and the other two were already waiting on the tarmac.
He Yayin strode up to Xu Wuyi and gave him a standard military salute.
"He Yayin, Captain of the Sound Blade Squad. Under orders from the Federation Military Department, I am here to support you, Martial Artist Xu."
Her voice was clear and powerful, carrying a unique cadence.
Xu Wuyi returned the salute. "We appreciate you coming. I’m Xu Wuyi. These are Tie Zhan and Lu Wenquan."
He Yayin’s gaze swept over the trio. When it finally rested on Xu Wuyi, an almost imperceptible emotion flickered in her eyes.
’A twenty-two-year-old Quasi-Grandmaster. The Federation’s greatest genius in a century.’
’She’d heard the titles countless times, but seeing him in person, she could still feel his restrained yet powerful aura.’
"We’ve already reviewed the mission briefing," He Yayin said, getting straight to the point. "For the last two mother nests, my squad can handle clearing the perimeter and standing guard to ensure no stragglers interfere with the main assault."
Xu Wuyi nodded. "Sounds good. I’ll handle the nest cores. Master Tie Zhan and Master Lu will deal with any potential interference from the Feathered People."
Tie Zhan grinned. "Well, Yayin, haven’t seen you in years, and now you’re leading a squad. I remember when you first joined the military, you were just a reckless greenhorn."
A smile touched He Yayin’s face. "Master Tie Zhan, you haven’t changed a bit."
She and Tie Zhan had worked together on a joint mission before, so they were old acquaintances.
Lu Wenquan pushed up his glasses, cutting in. "Time is short. Let’s get straight to tactics. The location of the last two nests..."
The twelve of them gathered around a tactical tablet that projected a 3D terrain map.
He Yayin’s squad was clearly professional. They quickly grasped the mission’s key objectives and offered several suggestions of their own.
"In the area with the underground rivers, we can deploy a sonar detection grid for early warning of any large-scale insect movements."
"If the Feathered People show up again, they’ll likely set an ambush in this region. I suggest we split into two groups: one for the main assault, and one to stand watch."
After listening, Xu Wuyi made his decision. "Captain He, you take four of your squad members and form the security team. Master Tie Zhan and Master Lu will coordinate with you. I will take the other four members as the assault team and clear the nests directly."
"Understood."
He Yayin had no objections.
In times of war, the command of a Quasi-Grandmaster was absolute.
...
After an hour’s rest, the team set out.
The twelve of them boarded three military all-terrain vehicles and headed for the depths of the Star Domain.
In the vehicle, Xu Wuyi closed his eyes and began to regulate his breathing.
In his sea of consciousness, the great, dark-golden marsh breathed steadily. A Golden Crow Illusion hovered at its center, its flames burning quietly.
After the Heavy Water aspect of his cultivation reached the Great Success stage, he had been trying to "absorb" the Golden Crow.
But the process was more difficult than he had anticipated.
It wasn’t a question of power, but a conflict of their fundamental natures.
Heavy Water represented "sinking" and "enveloping," while the Golden Crow represented "incinerating" and "purifying."
To truly unify the two, he needed to find a point of balance.
"Martial Artist Xu."
He Yayin’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
Xu Wuyi opened his eyes.
He Yayin sat across from him, idly toying with the pair of metal rings as she struck up a conversation. "I heard you had a breakthrough in the Northern Lands. Did part of your Heart Image reach the Perfection stage?"
"Mhm."
"I also cultivate a water-element Heart Image, but mine follows the ’Sound Wave’ path," He Yayin said.