Chapter 58: Killing the Pest and Collecting the Eggs
The modified Bluebird gently descended towards the ground.
Heavy rain battered the surface, already strained by enormous geological shifts, leaving deep cracks in its wake. With each volley from the machine guns, these fissures widened, extending further into the terrain.
No wonder the Azure Dragon issued a warning—landing here was risky.
They were less than two hundred meters from the edge of a deep pit, and at any moment, a collapse could occur.
Tian Xiao didn't hesitate.
Even before the Bluebird could fully stabilize, he had already leapt from the hatch and landed beside the lifeless body of the Black Jiao Insect Beast. His combat suit quickly extended a sharp knife, and without any pause, he plunged it into the creature's chest.
The Black Jiao Insect Beast's body was incredibly aggressive!
Its surface was covered with small compartments, each containing a corrosive liquid. Any attack that breached its defenses would be met with a retaliatory spray of corrosive fluid.
A slight miscalculation could result in being sprayed with the lethal liquid, but Tian Xiao's precision was flawless. The knife slid perfectly into the compartment, and with a few swift movements, he removed two outer shells, exposing the beast's internal organs.
With a smooth motion, Tian Xiao sheathed his knife, and in an instant, his right hand shot into the exposed cavity. He swiftly yanked out a red, sweet potato-shaped organ—the pancreas of the Black Jiao Insect Beast.
With the prize in hand, Tian Xiao considered grabbing a piece of the creature's tail as a trophy. However, after a moment of hesitation, he refrained.
He swiftly returned to the Bluebird.
His face expressionless, Tian Xiao piloted the ship upward and fired two shell rounds from the machine cannon toward the now-hidden corpse beneath him.
The collapse of G46 District accelerated immediately.
The modified Bluebird flew out of the area.
A series of resounding crashes echoed from G46 District, the ground trembling violently even amidst the torrential rain.
The Black Jiao Insect Beast's body was buried beneath the ruins.
The Bluebird shot out of the G46 District, and finally, Azure Dragon received a transmission from the control center:
"What's going on?"
"Tian Xiao! Hold on!"
"Zhu Xiaotian, where is your team leader?"
Luo Fei's voice grew increasingly anxious.
"028, are you there?"
"D*mn it!"
"..."
Tian Xiao listened in silence to the static-filled transmission, realizing that the information had been automatically recorded after he launched the ejection sequence but had not been delivered to him immediately. It was clear how shocked and terrified the others must have been when they learned that the pilot of the Bluebird (number 02) had ejected in an emergency.
Luo Fei was visibly shaken.
Zhu Xiaotian had retreated from the G46 District after her energy reserves were depleted, and Chen Wuling and the others in the Bluebird had failed to arrive in time.
No one knew what had really happened in G46 District.
Everyone assumed the vice-captain was in grave danger.
It wasn't until Tian Xiao reconnected the modified Bluebird to the control center that they received updated information.
On the main screen, Luo Fei's face was pale, his hands gripping the control panel, and his head bowed low. It wasn't until someone behind him shouted, "The vice-captain is fine!" that he looked up, stunned.
Confusion clouded Luo Fei's mind at first.
Hadn't the pilot of the Bluebird been ejected? How was Tian Xiao still alive and standing in the cockpit?
It was the first time he had ever seen someone standing in the cockpit and locking eyes with him. After a brief pause, he regained his composure. "Number 02, report the situation."
Luo Fei hadn't forgotten his duty.
He was the head of security, and his mission was to ensure the safety of the base.
He needed to understand where the insect beast had gone.
Tian Xiao responded calmly:
"Unknown insect beast. After falling from high altitude, it was struck by machine guns and heavy machine fire. Then, G46 District collapsed severely, and the creature was s*ck*d in. Its current whereabouts are unknown. The outer shell of Bluebird number 02 is damaged, and the cockpit seat needs realignment. Machine gun and heavy machine ammo need to be replenished. Number 38's energy reserves are depleted. I request to exit the battle."
"Permission granted!"
Luo Fei exhaled in relief.
"Number 02, Bluebird 38 should return to base for repairs! We will wait for the rain to stop before sending the security team for further search operations."
It was clear that the Bluebird had engaged in a fierce battle with the insect beast.
Since the creature had fallen into the collapsed area, the chances of survival were minimal in the face of nature's overwhelming force.
Moreover, given the current weather conditions, it was impossible to continue the search.
"Yes," Tian Xiao responded calmly.
"Number 38, form up. We're heading back."
"Number 38 has joined the formation," Zhu Xiaotian replied.
Two Bluebirds flew out of the rain-soaked zone.
One was almost unscathed; the other was battered and severely damaged.
Zhu Xiaotian, seeing the wreckage of the modified Bluebird, also noticed the vice-captain sitting cross-legged on the cockpit floor, his hands trembling subtly in the pilot seat.
As a participant in the battle, she knew how dangerous it had been. Yet, she also realized that she couldn't fully grasp the weight of the pressure Tian Xiao had borne.
In such a dire situation, he had fought back with everything he had.
Staring at the blue sky outside, Zhu Xiaotian felt a heavy weight on her heart.
She had always thought that by joining the security team, she was no longer a mere decoration.
But after this battle, she felt like nothing more than a flower vase—utterly useless.
She remained silent throughout the journey back to base.
Once they returned, Zhu Xiaotian immediately ran to the training ground.
Tian Xiao, meanwhile, met with Luo Fei, Old Lu, and the rest of the crew in the maintenance department. Everyone had heard about the ejection and came to check if he was injured.
When Tian Xiao appeared unharmed, they all let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness."
"Glad you're alright."
"You kid…"
"You actually survived the ejection? And in such harsh conditions?"
"You're like a cockroach that can't be killed!"
"Come on, let's touch you for good luck!"
Everyone gathered around, offering their own unique form of comfort.
Tian Xiao walked up to Luo Fei and said seriously:
"I didn't fail the mission. At least I didn't disgrace the security team."
"Good that you made it back," Luo Fei said, his calm demeanor betraying the storm of emotions swirling inside him.
He had just received the detailed report from Tian Xiao and had finally seen the true nature of the insect beast. It was a Grade G insect beast… not particularly rare on resource planets controlled by the major groups, but every appearance brought significant casualties.
The surprise attack and close combat ability of a Grade G insect beast far exceeded that of the H series, making it a massive threat to regular flying vessels.
The fact that Tian Xiao had survived was already miraculous.
What truly impressed Luo Fei was the way Tian Xiao had handled the Black Jiao Insect Beast. His ruthless precision was awe-inspiring.
The assault rifle had wounded the Grade G insect beast, and his relentless pursuit afterward—carried out in such dire circumstances—was something even a textbook wouldn't dare to describe.
Luo Fei didn't know how to put it into words.
The storm and rain made everything blurry, yet each moment was a punch to the gut.
The one thing he couldn't understand was why Tian Xiao had risked his life to personally eliminate the Black Jiao Insect Beast.
Unlike the Scaled Claw Insect, the Black Jiao Insect Beast had no edible flesh or fat. Its body was composed of a tough outer shell, corrosive liquid, and extremely toxic organs—there was no real value in recovering it.