"Team Hawk's Claw, assemble!" Ye Ying calmly spoke into her communication bracelet.
After more than two months of peaceful life, a new combat mission finally arrived.
An hour later, all team members gathered in the hangar.
Ye Ying glanced at Li Fang and Tao Na, feeling they had been acting strange lately, especially Li Fang, who finally seemed more human. She was unaware that the two had fallen in love.
"A new member has been transferred from higher command to fill Gu Ya's vacancy," Ye Ying stated calmly.
As soon as she finished speaking, a young man walked in from the entrance.
His calm eyes, paired with slightly curly black hair, gave him a cool aura.
"Lan Jing?" Li Fang and Tao Na exclaimed simultaneously.
Lan Jing said coldly, "Former team member of Hound Five, Lan Jing, Elite Level Two Mech Warrior, known as Falcon Three. Piloting a Peregrine-type light close-combat mech, reporting for duty."
Ye Ying nodded calmly, gesturing for Lan Jing to take a seat.
"Earlier today, we received battle reports that a three-thousand-mech joint force from the nation of Baideba has invaded the Yonggu Zhi Lan war zone's coastal defense. Command requires us to intercept. If necessary, we may advance into Baideba territory." Ye Ying stated calmly.
Li Fang scoffed, "So they want us to raid their homeland. I really don't understand. Tens of thousands of Black Star troops were decimated by Xianxia, how dare such a small island nation invade Xianxia at this time."
Tao Na analyzed, "Perhaps they want to test our defenses. Black Star is likely pulling the strings from behind."
Liu Feng shook his head, saying, "Unlikely. The Gu Lang Group recently succeeded in developing an anti-类体 (lei ti) drug. Although still in the experimental stage, over a hundred countries worldwide are actively seeking cooperation with Xianxia. This includes the Black Star Empire."
"If Black Star were to secretly fund Baideba's invasion of Xianxia at this juncture, it would be like shooting themselves in the foot."
"After all, the two countries with the highest incidence of 類體症 (lei ti zheng) are Xianxia and Black Star."
"To obtain the anti-類體 drug, Black Star is currently in negotiations with Xianxia, seeking a temporary peace."
Qiao Weiwei, displaying a childlike shrewdness, said, "I think Baideba is just sour grapes, aren't they? After all, it wasn't included in Xianxia's list of cooperative countries for the anti-類體 drug."
Liu Feng nodded, "Over eighty years ago, Baideba invaded Xianxia and massacred 330,000 Xianxia citizens. Xianxia will not forget this debt. It's only right that they don't get it!"
Qiao Weiwei laughed, "Ah, do you guys know? Baideba's original meaning is 'beautiful, perpetually victorious,' but in Xianxia, it means 'stink bug,' heehee, stink bug nation, that's quite fitting."
"Alright," Ye Ying frowned slightly, interrupting their chatter, "we will cooperate with the Yonggu Zhi Lan joint forces, flanking them to the rear and annihilating the enemy in the outer sea."
Li Fang grinned dismissively, saying loudly, "Captain Ye! Baideba is our neighbor, just a few hundred kilometers outside the Yonggu Zhi Lan war zone. A short flight and we're at their border! Command wants us to raid their homeland!"
Ye Ying looked at Li Fang, her gaze sharp, with a hint of anger.
Tao Na quickly kicked Li Fang discreetly and whispered, "Shut up! Captain Ye definitely knows, why do you need to remind her?"
Ye Ying stood up steadily and calmly said, "Specific tactics will be announced separately upon arrival at the target operational area. Carry three days' worth of combat supplies, and depart in half an hour!"
After everyone left the conference room.
Li Fang and Tao Na approached Lan Jing.
These three former teammates were reuniting after two years.
Lan Jing nodded politely to Li Fang, then turned to Tao Na and said, "Tao Na, how have you been? Hawk's Claw Third Team is renowned for its victories. It is my honor to join you. By the way, where is Li Fang?"
"Hey!!" Li Fang shouted, his eyes angry, "There's a living person right in front of you! Are you blind!"
Lan Jing looked at the man standing tall and straight with a puzzled expression, blinked, and then suddenly exclaimed, "Li Fang?? What happened to you!"
Li Fang proudly put his arm around Tao Na's shoulder and said, "The power of love!"
Lan Jing's face formed a large exclamation mark, and he asked Tao Na, "Didn't you have a marriage engagement in Wuhe City? How did you end up with Li Fang?"
Tao Na also put her arm around Li Fang's slender waist and laughed cheerfully, "Command announced that deliberately for a mission. There's no such thing, heehee."
"Alright then, congratulations to you both..."
Half an hour later, all six mechs of Hawk's Claw Third Team were on hot standby.
As the ground crew gave the signal, the runway lights illuminated, and all mechs ignited their thrusters, flying out in formation towards the sky.
The long-lost azure sea soon appeared before them. The cloudless sky met the ocean, a vast expanse of blue as far as the eye could see.
"We have reached the designated combat zone. Changing course now to proceed to the target city, Baideba's capital, Nihong City." Ye Ying's calm voice reached everyone's ears.
Li Fang's joy was palpable. He shouted into the communicator with elation, "Haha! I knew it! Why would they send an elite special operations team to intercept a mere three thousand enemy mechs! They must be raiding their homeland! I guessed right!"
"Li Fang!" Tao Na scolded him sternly.
Li Fang quickly shut his mouth.
Ye Ying said to Qiao Weiwei, "This is your new mech's first combat. Upon reaching the target area, unleash your full ammunition capacity. Show no mercy."
Qiao Weiwei sneered and said, "Received, Captain Ye! Let the stink bugs taste Xianxia's artillery. For daring to massacre Xianxia citizens, we won't just settle this debt once! I think we can occasionally raid their homeland and bomb them however we please, until we turn the stink bug nation into a subordinate state of Xianxia."
After Qiao Weiwei finished her rambling, Ye Ying continued to address everyone, "Any enemy mechs encountered attempting to block us are to be executed without fail."
"Yes!!!"
The six-person team flew at full speed into Baideba territory. Shortly after entering, hundreds of enemy mechs appeared, flying towards them.
Green爵 swung its great saber, charging forward first, flying directly into the heart of the enemy formation. Facing the surrounding enemy mechs, Green爵's body suddenly spun, transforming its saber into a large green spinning disk.
The spinning Green爵, like a meat grinder, tore through and slaughtered the incoming enemies, countless mech fragments falling like scattered rain onto the sea.
Over a hundred enemy mechs on the periphery retreated, opening their dorsal weapon bays, preparing to strike Green爵 with long-range artillery.
Suddenly, a blue light shot across the sky, an impossibly fast shadow making its silhouette indistinguishable.
The Peregrine-type mech's characteristic was its streamlined outer armor, scientifically designed to minimize wind resistance and concentrate airflow at the rear, forming a surging current to propel the fuselage at high speeds.
The Peregrine transformed into a fleeting shadow, weaving through the enemy formation, directly slicing incoming mechs in half.
"Hahaha! Lan Jing is still as reliable as ever!!" Li Fang laughed heartily.
"And me!!"
Liu Feng roared, swinging two great hammers with his Red Beast, charging into the enemy ranks.
The red heavy hammers, with the explosive power of millions of tons, mercilessly struck the enemy mechs, one per blow, all exploding into fragments.
Seeing the bulky yet powerful Red Beast, which was much easier to target than the Peregrine or Green爵, many enemy mechs charged towards it.
Liu Feng calmly raised his right hand and reached for the control panel.
Although he had only completed fifty thousand repetitions of a few dozen basic mech movements, the muscle memory formed long ago allowed Liu Feng's hand to operate without conscious thought.
The Red Beast's fuselage instantly erupted with red steam, like a giant beast exuding blood-red killing intent, its massive jaws opening as it charged forward!
"This is my first ultimate skill!!!" Liu Feng roared!
"Annihilation Star Devourer!!"
The Red Beast charged into the enemy swarm with unparalleled momentum, its left and right hammers striking wildly.
The seemingly chaotic swings of the war hammers were, in reality, a perfect fusion of Xianxia piloting skills, ancient martial arts mech movements, and Black Star piloting techniques.
The Red Beast transformed into a blast drummer, rapidly striking the incoming enemy mechs, a series of explosive fireballs erupting around the Red Beast's body.
Li Fang burst into laughter, exclaiming, "Liu Feng is a polymath!!"
Under the cover of Nightingale and Peach Stream, Qiao Weiwei's new mech, without delay, flew forward rapidly from the side of the battlefield.
"They're all just small fry. Doesn't Baideba have any high-level combat mechs?" Qiao Weiwei scoffed.
As soon as she spoke, Tao Na suddenly shouted, "Watch out!!"
Immediately afterward, numerous metallic tentacles shot out from around Tao Na's mech, firmly grasping a curved samurai sword that had been fired. The sword had nearly pierced the new mech's head.
The samurai sword abruptly turned in the air, severing the tentacles and rapidly flying back.
"Clang!" With a sound, a large, crimson medium-sized combat mech clad in heavy ancient Baideba samurai armor firmly caught the returning samurai sword.
With the twin samurai swords held ready, it assumed an offensive stance.
"The renowned Hawk's Claw Third Team of Xianxia! I've heard Captain Gu Ya possesses the ability to destroy ten thousand enemy mechs with a single shot. Will you fight me!"
Ye Ying narrowed her eyes, dispensing with any pleasantries, and quickly manipulated the control panel.
Before the opponent could react,
The Nightingale mech suddenly surged forward with high-power acceleration, its cold beam sword already ignited.