Chapter 6

The lieutenant was a bit embarrassed, but fortunately, no one had the time to pay attention to him.

Perhaps because Yu Lian's previous steady movements like a seasoned criminal had put everyone at ease, the soldiers were relatively calm. Many had already started checking their weapons. Ina had long since chambered a round and raised her gun, watching Yu Lian and waiting for his orders.

"Stay focused," Yu Lian said. "Help me up, we're retreating into the cave! Sergeant You You, you lead the way."

The big black guy, who had just put on his power armor, held his gun and marched forward with the air of someone ready to face any danger.

"I'll cover the rear," Ina adjusted her gun, her face serious.

"No need."

"Then I'll—"

"Senior Sergeant Xiong, no need either. Why so tragic? Did I say anyone needs to sacrifice themselves?" Yu Lian was furious.

Everyone fell silent and hurried along.

The lieutenant, who had been so bold an hour ago, shook his head and carefully followed the group.

This cave was indeed quite deep, and the further in they went, the more difficult and winding the path became, but it was still passable. Just as they finally saw a light, the sound of the bugs' hisses came from behind.

To be honest, the biological structure of the bug swarm was more insect-like, and such creatures don't make sounds when hunting. However, perhaps it was the queen's whimsical idea from Yu Lian's past life, thinking that the oppressive sound of so many bugs roaring was quite intimidating, so she gave her bugs this ability—understandable, right? Just like how zombies in a city always "howl" even though their vocal cords are rotten.

Ina and Baka, who were at the rear, one with a gun and the other with an axe, looked at Yu Lian, who was being carried.

"Speed up! I tell you, if you try to be heroes, I'll dismantle this thing!" Yu Lian waved the "cluster" concussion bomb in his hand.

The two had no choice but to follow. Although they thought the warrant officer was a bit impulsive, they were also a bit moved. Everyone present probably felt the same way. The plain-looking, average-built, and average-tempered nurse even took out a handkerchief to wipe Yu Lian's sweat.

He was really in pain again. Before, he felt numb in his lower body and every bone ached, but now it felt like a red-hot steel bar had been inserted into his waist.

Everyone dragged him, a cripple, and finally saw the cave entrance. At this moment, the howls of the claw bugs seemed to be right next to their ears, making everyone's legs weak.

Well, the roars were useful, even in the space age. The more classical, the less outdated.

Ina had already started shooting. However, she didn't lose her mind and didn't stop covering the rear; she shot while moving.

"Aim between their mandibles! That's the central nervous system!" Yu Lian shouted.

Ina didn't doubt him and fired two three-round bursts, satisfied to see the two giant bugs at the front fall, blocking everyone's path.

Then, Senior Sergeant Baka pulled her and quickened his pace. They finally saw the exit, or rather, a cave entrance sloping into the rock wall.

"This is the exit you were talking about?" The sergeant major wanted to curse. It wasn't that they couldn't climb, but dragging a guy with a broken spine out at an angle would probably kill him.

Yu Lian indeed felt he was about to die. If he had just "felt" his bones break earlier, now they were really broken, and his internal organs were in turmoil, with black, yellow, red, purple, and green all surging to his nostrils, almost making him vomit.

Miss Belinda was wiping her tears, though it was a natural physiological reaction, Yu Lian still felt embarrassed.

Fortunately, everyone managed to crawl out of the cave. Ina was already halfway out, and Senior Sergeant Baka was pushing him out from the rear. He was the only one in the squad who could push someone in a hundred-pound power armor out.

Ina quickly stepped out of the cave and reached for Baka's hand. Yu Lian, holding his "cluster" bomb, closely watched the two at the entrance.

The claw bugs were a proper assault unit, looking large and difficult to pass through the narrow cave, but they had the ability to dig, and they could dig faster than groundhogs.

Yu Lian knew the cave wouldn't hold them back for long. Once they were out in the open, his group of wounded soldiers wouldn't last a round or two.

They had to take them out while they were bunched up!

Fortunately, as biological weapons, the leading intelligence was a simple-minded low-level AI, making it hard to understand the concept of a trap.

In a few years, they wouldn't be so easy to fool. At least in my time, they weren't easy to fool.

Yu Lian saw Ina pull the two-meter-tall giant bear man out of the cave.

He had also crawled to the entrance, one hand holding a pistol, the other the bomb. In the cave entrance, several claw bugs with their mandibles and claws were squeezing through. Behind them, more bugs were roaring, and a snake-like figure was moving swiftly through the gaps.

Yu Lian didn't hesitate, activated the bomb, and threw it into the bug swarm.

The flashing light from the battery made the bugs stiffen for a moment—yes, they were biological, but they needed energy. Genes, more diverse genes were their evolutionary elements; energy, more energy was their source of action.

A different sound came from the bug swarm, seemingly scolding their own kind, but it was too late. Yu Lian shot the manual trigger of the cluster bomb and rolled out.

This action was extremely painful for a half-crippled man with a broken spine, feeling like the red-hot steel bar in his waist was also broken.

A deafening explosion rose from the cave entrance. It sounded like a pressure cooker lid being flipped, but a hundred times louder.

Everyone felt like they were in the epicenter of an earthquake, struggling to maintain balance. Yu Lian, closest to the explosion, didn't need to struggle with his weak, crippled body; the rolling ground did the work for him.

Just as the red, black, green, and purple surged to his nostrils, and he thought he would be shaken to death, a giant steel hand grabbed him, lifted him up, and leaned him against its body.

It was Ina.

The stability device of the exoskeleton allowed the sergeant major to balance immediately, and the iron suit served as a chair.

"You're too reckless! Sir!"

"There's no choice. I don't trust anyone else's aim." Throwing the bomb into the bug swarm and then shooting it was difficult. The reason the security force was at the bottom of the hierarchy was understandable.

"I could have—"

"Then we would both be buried?"

Ina bit her lip and said nothing, determined to repay the favor.

However, Yu Lian felt a bit embarrassed. Although she was in a cold iron suit, he was now leaning on her.

"Want to relax a bit?" Ina asked.

... Miss, do you know how easily your words can be misinterpreted? Yu Lian was speechless, but the sergeant major had already opened the storage compartment on the right thigh of her exoskeleton, revealing energy bars, a cigarette box, a cigar tube, and a flask, gesturing for Yu Lian to take what he wanted.

I didn't expect you to be such a wild one!

"I don't have anything more stimulating. I don't like that."

"Who would want it? And from your tone, it seems quite common?"

The sergeant major realized her mistake and turned her head away, seeing Yu Lian staring at the silver metal tube on the rack, her cheeks twitching—she had worked hard to get it and hadn't had a chance to enjoy it yet. But if the savior wanted it, she couldn't refuse.

"Green Bay Torpedo! They stopped production 30 years ago!"

"Stopped? Weren't they rated one of the top ten cigars in the galaxy last year?"

"No, forget it."

Yu Lian trembled as he held the small torpedo-like metal tube, feeling a myriad of emotions. At least, being thrown back fifty years wasn't all bad. After the Green Bay tobacco fields on Fertile were destroyed by orbital bombardment, these famous cigars became rare collectibles.

The bigwigs of the Commonwealth thought high-end cigars were more valuable and prestigious, so they shut down Earth's metallurgy, chemical, energy, and military industries. But a single destroyer's intimidation bombing destroyed a century-old luxury brand.

Ironically.

Yu Lian pulled the cigar from the "torpedo tube" and decided to savor it, looking up to ask Ina for a light, but his eyes widened. It wasn't because of her dirty but pretty face, but because of the black shadow leaping from behind her.

The Thorned Serpent King, which should have died in the explosion!

It was severely injured, half its body mangled, its shell cracked, and brownish-yellow fluid oozing out. However, membranes were unfolding on its sides, glowing with a cold blue light.

It was about to evolve, already possessing a basic energy shield! That's how it survived the explosion.

Even with severe injuries, the Thorned Serpent King's movements were still fast, beyond the normal human eye's ability to track. These elite bugs often served as squad leaders and assassins.

However, Yu Lian could clearly see every movement, as if in slow motion, even the natural patterns on its head and the blade-like teeth in its mouth, and the six insect blades that shot out from its abdomen.

But seeing clearly didn't mean he could do anything. Yu Lian felt his veins and nerves filled with liquid lead, unable to move even a little.

The Thorned Serpent King raised its insect blades to strike Ina's unprotected back, but the sergeant major only showed surprise, unable to react.

Would Ina Nishika, the "Blazing-Eyed Witch," die here? The greatest sniper in galactic history, whose targets ranged from imperial princes and alliance tycoons to Titan beasts, would perish before she even left her village?

What about the Earth youth who followed your path because of you? What about your over a hundred videos teaching people how to make light spear cannons and train militias?

Is it because of my existence as a reborn? The butterfly effect?

In an instant, the red, green, black, purple, and yellow surged to Yu Lian's throat, and this time, he couldn't hold it back.

But what came out wasn't something indescribable, but a shockwave that rippled through the air, sliding past the sergeant major's shoulder and smashing into the Thorned Serpent King's face.

"Turns out, I'm a sensitive too!"