The More Classical the Method, the More Timeless It Is

Yu Lian shifted the muzzle of his rifle, ignoring the private who was almost paralyzed with fear. He pulled the trigger again, firing a burst that tore through the crowd, through two savages dancing in bloody jaws, and punched through the thorax of a Hydralisk.

"You... you still have this ability?" Ina looked at Yu Lian in surprise for the first time.

So, what kind of person is the owner of this body I'm inhabiting?

Yu Lian was filled with curiosity about his current "self." After all, a "Second Lieutenant" in the Commonwealth was actually an officer candidate, meaning a top student from a military academy who hadn't graduated yet. They were the favored sons who could look down on Guard Team Minions from on high, known in the military as the "elite bureaucratic group." Their promotions were like riding an express elevator. It would be considered a failure if they didn't retire with a general's star.

In contrast, the other two officers in the squad, the Lieutenant Swordsman and the Second Lieutenant who always wanted to abandon himself, were likely from the "regular group" or "non-professional group." Judging by their ages, one was at least in his early forties, and the other around thirty-five or thirty-six. They were typical realistic professional archetypes who would be grateful to retire with the rank of Colonel.

... Ugh, speaking of which, Lieutenant Mondsen is chopping bugs, but where is the Second Lieutenant who is also equipped with an exoskeleton?

Yu Lian quickly spotted the other man in the crowd. He wasn't at the front line but rather towards the back, standing in a place where he could easily escape at any moment.

"Second Lieutenant! What are you doing? You have an exoskeleton, why fear these beasts! If you don't go, you can't let the unarmored people go, can you?" Yu Lian's gaze lingered on the Power Hammer attached to the other man's gear, confirming that it was perfectly intact and could surely shake the excrement out of Zerglings and Hydralisks with a single blow.

And indeed, that was the case. The current bugs were clearly an unevolved, primitive version. Even with brute strength alone, they wouldn't be a match for human mobile infantry wearing exoskeletons. Even if they were using an old relic like the AS40, which had plenty of problems, with an exoskeleton, mobile infantry became like a humanoid tank. Not to mention Zerglings, even the massive Brave Claw Bugs could be fought.

The Second Lieutenant's face immediately turned red, and he retorted loudly, "Shut up! Second Lieutenant, you're still a student, what do you know? I'm cowardly, ah no, I need to be in command..."

His face flushed, veins bulging on his forehead, as if he wanted to say something profound like "A coward officer can't be called cowardly," or "I must ensure the command remains smooth," but Lieutenant Mondsen, who was busy chopping bugs, shouted, "Second Lieutenant Tang Russo! I need you in position!"

The Second Lieutenant flinched, let out a low "Oh," gritted his teeth, and finally picked up his Power Hammer, advancing to the front line as if walking to his execution. He sighed mournfully, looking like he was about to be killed at any second.

His exoskeleton would be more useful to anyone here than him, Yu Lian thought.

Of course, we must also understand Second Lieutenant Russo. Even with an exoskeleton, there were still dangers... For example, the AS40 exoskeleton didn't come with a helmet, or rather, its accompanying helmet lacked a fire control system, camera, and air conditioning. Wearing it severely obstructed vision and was extremely uncomfortable. Normal people wouldn't want to wear it and often didn't during missions, preferring to put on a bulletproof helmet instead, however mismatched.

But you couldn't expect the bugs to be so considerate as not to aim for your head, right?

However, to be fair, although this Second Lieutenant was a coward and always thought about abandoning the heavily wounded Yu Lian, his combat ability was still decent—after all, he was from the "non-professional group." If he didn't rely on his practical skills, could he rely on his academic qualifications?—he wielded his Power Hammer with considerable skill, smashing and smashing.

With Yu Lian and Ina, the two "specialty shooters," providing precise output, and the three MTs at the front holding the line valiantly, the other supporting troops, being proper soldiers, didn't do anything outrageous that would hinder the others. The corpses of the bugs quickly piled up. The strange smell, somewhere between insectoid fluids and beastly blood plasma, became even more pungent.

It could actually fertilize the fields, Yu Lian thought. Quite good organic fertilizer, if you can stand the smell.

Judging by the numbers, there were at least two to three hundred bugs in this wave, but eliminating them was not a problem. Even he felt a bit more relaxed.

Yes, the goal was "eliminate," not "repel."

However, soon, Yu Lian seemed to faintly hear a whistling sound cutting through the hot air, which then vanished. Then, the creatures that would later be called "Xenomorphs" suddenly stopped, as if controlled by puppets. They all turned their heads and retreated like a tide.

Just as they had surged forward like a tide. They moved and stopped with perfect coordination, without the slightest hesitation or panic.

Everyone was stunned, unaware of what had happened. No one had sensed the subtle fluctuation that had passed in an instant. Only Ina slightly raised her eyebrows, scanning the surroundings with suspicion.

Yu Lian cursed inwardly and pushed his body with all his might, finally managing to sit up a bit higher, gripping his rifle with one hand.

"Hoo..." Lieutenant Mondsen let out a long breath, lowering his Chainsaw Sword. He finally felt the soreness in his arm.

Even wearing an exoskeleton, the consumption from that battle had been immense.

He glanced at the Sergeant beside him, who was almost as tall as him even without armor. The Sergeant had been wielding a wheel-like Special Power Axe for several minutes and was still not out of breath, making him marvel at how the Bien Bearmen were truly born beasts.

Lieutenant Mondsen fumbled for a small aluminum flask from his exoskeleton's gear bag, took a swig, and handed it to the Sergeant beside him.

Second Lieutenant Russo, who had been watching from behind, turned bright red.

However, before the Sergeant, who had an honest and simple smile on his face, could take the flask, Yu Lian shouted, "Everyone, scatter!"

No one paid him any attention. Everyone was bewildered. Even Ina, who had been cooperating well with Yu Lian, looked confused.

"Second Lieutenant, mind your rank!" Second Lieutenant Russo shouted back even louder. He had finally found a reason to retort.

This weak body really is just a student! Yu Lian sighed inwardly, then raised his rifle and aimed it at Second Lieutenant Russo.

Hey? Even if you're enraged, you wouldn't shoot your superior on the spot, would you? I know you "Moonfolk" are arrogant favored sons, but I've never heard of such mentally unsound individuals!

Second Lieutenant Russo turned pale with shock. His first reaction wasn't to raise his weapon but to raise his hands.

Ina, however, was the fastest. She raised her gun and aimed it at the back of Yu Lian's head. Just as she was about to scold him, he pulled the trigger.

Should I fire? The Sergeant Major hesitated for a moment.

However, several bullets slid out of the barrel. They didn't hit Russo but grazed his waist and shot diagonally into the sandy ground.

Then, the sand, as if its calm surface had been broken, rippled. A low growl came from between the brownish-yellow rocks and red sand.

"There's an enemy in the ground!" The Lieutenant finally reacted. "But why aren't the sensors picking it up?"

Because a creature as big as a crocodile, a Spider Bug, crawling underground makes less noise than a marmot, so the old tactical sensors that haven't been upgraded would genuinely mistake it for a marmot, Yu Lian wanted to say.

"Everyone scatter!" Ina yelled loudly.

The Sergeant Major's authority was much higher than Yu Lian's, and the soldiers instinctively obeyed.

Second Lieutenant Russo remained bewildered. He still wasn't sure if Yu Lian had been trying to shoot him but missed. Ordinary people wouldn't have reacted in time, and they subconsciously blocked out the roar just inches away from them. It wasn't until a giant bug blade emerged from a crack in the earth and severed his neck from behind that Mr. Second Lieutenant's brain finally caught up.

His head fell to the ground, his expression frozen in bewilderment and confusion.

Useless gun! Can a gun that can't shoot through thick rock and sand be called a gun? If I didn't only have this C10, Yu Lian would have smashed it to the ground.

Everyone frantically poured fire towards where the bug blade had emerged, but there was nothing there but churning rocks.

Lieutenant Mondsen, enraged, didn't stop them. Instead, he picked up a comrade's Power Hammer and swung it wildly at the ground. In reality, he didn't know what orders to give, so he could only resort to brute force. The giant Sergeant, seeing this, also picked up his Power Axe and joined in the smashing.

This is just venting... Yu Lian sighed, took off his exoskeleton gloves, and slowly placed his hands on the ground.

"Second Lieutenant..." the plain-looking Medic, whose name he didn't even know, said with a worried expression. She was concerned that the heavily wounded Yu Lian might contract some alien parasites by touching the unprotected alien ground, thus increasing her workload.

Yeah, this damn planet looks like it's practically overflowing with parasites. Isn't it obvious?

"Cease fire," Yu Lian shouted to everyone.

No one listened.

"Cease fire!" Ina, who had been standing beside him, repeated with a volume more than nine times greater than Yu Lian's.

Everyone stopped firing, including Lieutenant Mondsen, who had been in a frenzy, and Sergeant Bien.

Yu Lian closed his eyes and silently felt the subtle rhythm of the ground's vibrations.

His past self certainly wouldn't have needed such a hassle. The extraordinary senses of a Seven Ring Saint could detect the movements of every bug deep underground from hundreds of kilometers away. But now, having become so weak, he had no choice but to resort to mortal means.

However, even though they were mortal means, they were still essential skills for a qualified pioneer and ranger.

The land has its own rhythm, and the crawling of Xenomorphs disrupts this rhythm.

This was a lesson taught by the mentor Yu Lian respected the most.

It sounded mystical, but in plain terms, it was the same principle as ancient scouts lying on the ground to listen for sounds. The only difference was that Yu Lian's accumulated experience was rich enough that his hands were sufficient.

The more classical methods are actually the ones that never go out of style. That's the principle.

As mentioned before, Spider Bugs, these sneak-attack Xenomorphs that burrow and hide, make even less noise than groundhogs, let alone human footsteps or horse hooves. Yet, even so, there was indeed a sound.

"17... 21... 25... 30!" Yu Lian mumbled to himself, reciting commands no one quite understood. After a few pauses, he suddenly yelled, "Ina! Three o'clock, two meters!"

The Sergeant Major, who had somehow gotten a Chainsaw Sword into her hands, turned and swung it without hesitation. The roar of the chainsaw was instantly drowned out by the sound of bones being torn and metal grinding against metal.

A behemoth, like a Carapace Spider, silently raised its upper body, but its massive bone pincers missed their target this time, instead being severed by the Chainsaw Sword on the spot.

It didn't let out a cry of pain, merely attempting to burrow and hide again. But Ina pressed down on her rifle and fired a burst of bullets at its carapace.

The giant spider was blasted back a few steps. By this time, Sergeant Bearman and Sergeant Big Black Guy had also charged forward. The former, with his natural strength, was still wielding his large Exoskeleton Axe; the latter, as the second strongest man on the team, although without an Exoskeleton, was swinging a War Hammer made of high-carbon crystal. The two surrounded the giant bug and began smashing it relentlessly. At first glance, one might think they were pounding mochi.

The giant spider's flesh and blood flew everywhere. It twitched a few times and then died.

Only then did the Medic, who had been watching with her mouth agape the entire time, let out a gasp, "Ah," and then exhaled a sigh of relief. She looked at Yu Lian, her face inexplicably flushing red. Just as she was about to say something, he grabbed her hand and pulled.

The Medic was pulled down, landing flat on the sandy ground, just as she dodged a parasitic limb extending from behind her.

Another Spider Bug had, at some unknown time, revealed half of its body on the ground. Seeing its attack miss, it prepared to retract.

But before that could happen, Yu Lian opened fire.

He emptied half a magazine, severing its mouthparts, piercing the carapace of its head, and finally shattering its central nervous system.

He was glad these two Spider Bugs were unevolved larvae. If they had been the adult infiltrators capable of extending their Stingers hundreds of meters to pierce a tank's chassis, everyone would have perished this time.

Yes, just as the Commonwealth's regular army was using "antiques," the swarm disaster that would later cast a terrifying shadow over all civilized societies in the galaxy was currently in its nascent stages.

Yu Lian propped himself up and looked seriously at the Lieutenant, who had finally snapped back to reality, and said gravely, "Sir, this place is too exposed. We must relocate immediately!"

The desert wind blew, and Second Lieutenant Russo's head rolled several meters away, its bloody features unrecognizable.