Chapter 153: The Insectoid Swarm

"Report!" A loud, clear voice came from behind the closed door as the colonel gave three polite knocks.

"Come in!"

The voice from within was firm and commanding. The door opened automatically, and Feng Mo, followed closely by the colonel, entered. Gu Jun sat upright in his command chair, a hint of a smile in his eyes as he saw Feng Mo.

"I knew you'd come. Feeling curious about the insectoids' home turf?"

Feng Mo nodded obediently. He was indeed curious and wanted to learn about the brood's core structure, especially to see what rank their Mother Nest might hold. If he could get his hands on a slave chip, maybe he'd even find a way to control these beings one day.

Of course, he didn't expect to achieve such a feat on this trip. It was just an opportunity to gather experience and insights.

"Good. Rest up today, and be ready to set out tomorrow morning. Make sure you stay close to the Yunshan flagship this time. Anything can happen, and I might not be able to keep an eye on you if you wander off. Got it?"

"Understood, Uncle Gu. I'll stay close and follow your orders."

Feng Mo nodded dutifully, accepting Gu Jun's advice and fatherly concern without question.

"Xiao Li, show this rascal to his room so he can rest."

"Yes, sir!" The colonel saluted and led Feng Mo and Han Peipei to their quarters. Opening the door, he gestured inside and said, "Your room, sir. An internal line is available for direct contact with reception for any needs, such as ordering meals or requesting supplies. This entire floor operates without an AI system and still uses traditional communication lines. I'll take my leave."

Xiao Li gave a slight bow and left. Meanwhile, Han Peipei stared at the room's entrance, her cheeks flushed as she let her imagination run wild.

Oh no, staying in the same room as the Commander... She wondered, panicking inwardly. Is there only one bed? Should I be more forward tonight? I am his secretary, after all…

Han Peipei's thoughts drifted to Hua Qin's stories about Feng Mo's stamina and how anyone with him would be well taken care of. Just then, Feng Mo entered the room, breaking her reverie.

"Han Peipei! You'll take the room on the left, and I'll be on the right," he said with a gentle laugh, seeing her stunned look. "If you're not hungry, get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be an important day."

His words jolted Han Peipei back to reality, and she realized she'd been daydreaming. Her face turned a deep red as she quickly darted into her room, slamming the door behind her.

Shaking his head with a chuckle, Feng Mo was amused to see this usually serious and professional aide turn out to have such a romantic streak. He went into his own room, glancing at his Spark System interface and the three active temporary missions as he drifted off to sleep.

---

The next morning, Feng Mo emerged well-dressed to see Han Peipei waiting, though slightly bleary-eyed. Knowing today's trip to the insectoid nest was no small task, he refrained from any teasing. They left the room and found Xiao Li waiting for them.

After breakfast in the mess hall, Xiao Li escorted Feng Mo back to the starport, where he boarded the Hurricane and took his place in the command center. Gu Jun's video call came through shortly after.

"Xiao Mo, the coordinates have been sent to you. Once you reach the Yunshan Fleet's location, synchronize with our intelligent warp navigation system, and we'll show you around the insectoid nest."

"Understood, Uncle Gu."

Feng Mo joined the Yunshan Fleet's video communications room to listen in on Gu Jun's orders in real time, making the Hurricane an honorary member of the fleet.

Upon entering, he saw the full strength of the Yunshan Fleet: 430 ships, including 264 T5-class vessels and 166 quasi-T5 ships. The Hurricane rounded out the fleet as the 167th.

As the Hurricane reached the designated coordinates, an automated announcement sounded.

"Coordinate lock established. Course plotted. Power levels optimal. The fleet is now entering synchronized warp mode. Level-2 and below gene warriors should enter deep-sea mode."

This was Feng Mo's first experience with a level-5 warp engine. The pressure was noticeable, but the structural integrity field of the Hurricane held firm, absorbing most of the impact. He imagined a T2-class starship would likely be torn apart at this speed, or if towed by a T5 vessel's tractor beam during warp.

Feng Mo estimated that the Hurricane could likely handle warp speeds up to level 6 or 7 before reaching its limit. Beyond that, the strain would compromise the structural field and risk disintegration.

A level-5 warp engine was remarkably fast. According to Gu Jun's brief, reaching the insectoid Mother Nest required crossing two asteroid-belt systems. Without using a star gate, the journey would take three hours at this speed, making it five times faster than a level-4 warp engine. Feng Mo felt his desire to acquire a T5 starship grow even stronger.

"Yunshan Fleet has reached its designated coordinates. All personnel in deep-sea mode are to report to their stations within one minute. Fleet entering level-one battle readiness."

Arriving at the coordinates, Feng Mo could see the area using Yunshan Fleet's radar system, noting the barren surroundings. His immediate impression was one of desolation—this star system was devoid of any energy, light, or signs of life, much like a barren asteroid belt.

This was the aftermath of the insectoid invasion. They had stripped the system of all energy, consuming every resource to create more, stronger insectoids in a relentless cycle of expansion and consumption.

Through Yunshan's perspective, Feng Mo spotted other T5 fleets nearby. The Lion King Fleet, Yunshan Empire's second elite force, was positioned just to their left. The Lion King Fleet's commander was actually Feng Mo's uncle, whom he had met during an escort mission. However, they were not in the same faction as Gu Jun, and Feng Mo hadn't been in touch with him for some time.

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