Chapter 451: Chapter 451: Insect Star

"Well, I saw you jabbering away in the group chat for ages, and no one was willing to help. I just couldn’t stand to watch it anymore, so I accepted."

Long Ming said to Hopka with a grin.

"Hmph. I was wondering why you’d accept this mission. This whole time, I’ve been wondering if I misunderstood you, if you were actually a selfless person."

"’Selfless’ is a bit of a stretch, but I’m a decent guy. You, on the other hand, must have terrible people skills. Not a single person was willing to help you."

"Get lost. It’s not like you’re Mr. Popularity either."

Hopka cursed irritably.

"So why didn’t anyone want to help you?"

"You’ll know why once you see the mission details."

"So what exactly is the mission?"

Long Ming suddenly felt that something was wrong.

"The Military Department assigns ranks to its missions. The highest is SSS, then SS, S, A, B, C, D, E, and F."

"What rank is this mission?"

"A-minus. That search mission we did before was A-rank. I don’t need to tell you how dangerous that was, do I?"

"It was dangerous enough, but not so much that no one would dare to take it, right?"

"I’m not finished. This time, our mission is to rescue reconnaissance personnel. How much military merit do you think that’s worth?"

Hopka laid his cards on the table.

"Hiss... No way. You’re not kidding me, are you?"

Long Ming was stunned.

No wonder nobody wanted to accept this mission. It was a classic case of high risk, no reward.

"Why would I lie to you?"

"Who would want to do a mission like this?"

"That’s the point. No one wants to do it."

"Then why did you take it?"

"Let me ask you. If I don’t do it, and you don’t do it, what happens to the people calling for help?"

"Well..."

"We can’t just leave them to wait for death in despair, can we? What if you were one of those low-status personnel asking for help?"

Hopka looked at Long Ming seriously and demanded.

In fact, the reason Hopka was looking for someone in the group chat to do this mission with him was mainly because Woperi had been sacrificed. The mission was so dangerous that he was genuinely short-handed.

"Alright, you have a point. If I were one of those low-status personnel, I’d definitely want to be rescued and not abandoned. But reality is cruel."

Long Ming replied in full agreement.

"I can’t control what others do. I just have to have a clear conscience!"

Colonel Hopka replied calmly.

"Based on that alone, I’ll go on this mission with you."

Long Ming said to Hopka with a smile.

"That’s more like it."

Hopka was very happy to see Long Ming was willing to undertake the mission with him.

Although he was quite annoyed with Long Ming, he still acknowledged his strength.

"So, can you tell me the mission details now?"

Long Ming said to Colonel Hopka.

"Do you remember when we went to search for the Ocean?"

"I remember."

"That region was full of wormholes and crawling with a huge number of insects, right?"

"Right."

"When I handed in the mission report, I reported the situation to my superiors. The General then dispatched a specialized reconnaissance ship to investigate. Turns out, the ship ran into trouble. But luckily, they launched a drift rescue device and successfully sent back a distress signal."

Hopka gave Long Ming a brief explanation.

"Ahem, if you put it that way, you’re not entirely blameless for what happened to them."

"Bullshit! I was just filing a standard military report."

"Just kidding. But how long ago was this? Are you sure they’re still alive?"

"It happened a few days ago. I was supposed to set out as soon as I got the mission, but the Azure Blue was still under repair."

"Understood."

Long Ming nodded in acknowledgment.

...

「Two days later.」

The Azure Blue advanced silently through the pitch-black starry sky.

On the scanner’s display screen, red dots of all sizes were scattered everywhere.

"Everyone, stay sharp! We’re deep in enemy territory now. Any mistake will expose us!"

Fakadon’s nerves were stretched taut as he shouted to all the operators.

"Yes, sir!"

The numerous operators responded with great tension.

Long Ming frowned, gazing at the distorted wormholes and various flying insects in the distance as he asked Hopka a question.

"Hopka, are you sure we’re in the right area? Did those reconnaissance guys really go this deep into enemy territory?"

"Don’t worry. Unlike the search for the Ocean, this time we have a clear signal to lock onto, so there’s no way we’re mistaken."

Hopka replied with absolute certainty.

"Then can your Azure Blue handle it? Don’t get exposed like last time."

Seeing the ship venture deeper and deeper, Long Ming grew a little worried.

"Relax. Last time we were exposed because we ran into an advanced insect. As long as we don’t encounter any advanced insects, we’ll be fine."

Hopka assured Long Ming.

"Hn."

Long Ming didn’t say anything more.

Just then, Fakadon suddenly called out.

"Captain!"

"What is it?"

Hopka quickly responded.

Long Ming’s nerves tensed as well, and he looked toward Fakadon.

"I’ve confirmed the specific location of the signal source."

"Where?"

"It’s on the Insect Star behind that cluster of wormholes."

Fakadon displayed the image captured by the optical imaging device.

A huge, gray Insect Star came into view, with countless insects constantly flying in and out of the planet.

"Dammit, they ended up on the Insect Star."

Hopka felt the situation was becoming more and more troublesome.

"So what’s our move? Risk going in?"

Long Ming looked at Hopka calmly.

"We’re going in. Fakadon, find a location with less swarm traffic. We’ll risk it and sneak onto the Insect Star."

Hopka didn’t give up despite the danger.

"Right!"

Fakadon and the others quickly maneuvered the Azure Blue, adjusting its course toward the Insect Star.

Long Ming couldn’t help but spare a few extra glances at Fakadon and the others.

’Hopka’s subordinates are exceptionally brave. Not a single one of them questioned an act as dangerous as infiltrating an Insect Star.’

Soon, the Azure Blue bypassed the wormholes, entered an unstable region of space, and slowly approached the Insect Star.

"1,200 kilometers!"

"500 kilometers!"

"Entering the atmosphere!"

...

Long Ming and the others watched the various data points displayed on the operation screens with grim expressions.

Finally, the Azure Blue successfully broke through the atmosphere.

A boundless gray landscape came into view. The entire surface was dotted with insect burrows, with insects occasionally flying out from them.

The Azure Blue then moved cautiously toward the signal source.

A moment later, a circular insect burrow, five hundred kilometers in diameter, came into view. The entrance to the burrow was like the gaping maw of an endless abyss, with insects flying in and out from time to time.

"Hiss... Why is this burrow so huge?"

Fakadon said, horrified.

"Stay away from the burrow!"

Hopka said to Fakadon, his eyelids twitching wildly.

Although they hadn’t seen any high-level Insect Race monsters entering or exiting so far, it was obvious that a burrow this large was bound to contain some incredible monstrosities.

"Yes, sir!"

Fakadon quickly maneuvered the ship to land off to the side.

Soon, the Azure Blue successfully landed on a patch of barren, gray earth.

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