Chen Gu turned and walked away. Bai Yunpeng, growing anxious, remarked sarcastically, "The Bureau of Mystic Security really knows how to honor the talented—a third-class researcher, such an esteemed identity."

Aviloya turned and glared at him coldly. He's bargaining with me, she thought. If he truly wanted to leave, he would have simply used Quantum Teleportation and vanished. Why walk away so slowly?

But Aviloya couldn't let the negotiation break down. She sent an observation drone to intercept Chen Gu. The overzealous young combat strategist even programmed the drone to make a "pleading" gesture. However, the script for the gesture was from an electronic pet, so its attempt to make him stay had an unmistakably cloying, pet-like quality.

Aviloya nearly exploded with rage, wishing she could draw her sword and cut down the young combat strategist.

Chen Gu was visibly startled. He backed away a few steps and quickly wrote on the ground, "What do you want?!"

Aviloya took another deep breath, relying on her formidable self-control as a Professional to suppress her surging rage and impatience. The observation drone wrote on the ground, "The standard for a first-class researcher."

Chen Gu wrote back, "In the military, I'm the director of a research institute."

Bai Yunpeng nodded repeatedly, fanning the flames with his formal pronouncements. "It's one thing if the Bureau of Mystic Security doesn't value talent, but as the Director, you shouldn't disparage a master like this."

A vein throbbed twice on Aviloya's forehead. She finally conceded, and the drone wrote, "The compensation package for a lead researcher on a scientific project, plus a dedicated research fund."

That's more like it, Chen Gu thought. Then he wrote on the sand, "For this matter, I want Marshal Bai's guarantee."

Bai Yunpeng immediately thumped his chest. "Rest assured! As long as the examination proves you haven't mutated, if the Bureau of Mystic Security doesn't want you, the military does! If she dares to harm you, I'll lead my own attendants to storm their headquarters and bring you back!"

Chen Gu breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't trust Aviloya. It wasn't about her character; he simply didn't know what kind of person she was. It was merely because he had offended her before. However, he had some trust in Bai Yunpeng. After all, Bai Yunpeng had been upfront, telling him, "Aviloya thinks you should undergo a strict examination."

Chen Gu wrote again, "Give me command of the War Shepherd."

Aviloya instinctively objected, "No! The War Shepherd possesses immense destructive power. If he has mutated, giving it to him means the Roaring Mecha Regiment is finished!"

Bai Yunpeng, however, ignored her and replied, "Alright." Then he turned to Aviloya. "Without additional support, the Roaring Mecha Regiment will be annihilated sooner or later. That being the case, why not trust Chen Gu this once?"

Yustadak was shocked when he received Bai Yunpeng's orders. "You want me to hand over my flagship?"

Bai Yunpeng maintained a calm expression but was inwardly fuming. If it weren't for your recklessness, would the Roaring Mecha Regiment be in such a dire situation?

"Are you going to disobey a direct order?" Bai Yunpeng, displeased with him and disinclined to explain, asked coldly.

Yustadak gritted his teeth in humiliation but still said, "No, I'll hand it over!" But he added bitterly, "However, the Roar is deeply mired in sand. I can't go out to meet this person you mentioned. He'll have to cross the dangerous battlefield himself to take command."

Bai Yunpeng, knowing Yustadak's intentions, cut off the communication with a cold laugh.

Inside the Third-Rank War Shepherd, the adjutant looked helplessly at his commander. "Regiment Commander, in this situation, without reinforcements, what good would it do for anyone to come? What could they possibly use to turn the tide of this battle?"

Yustadak said coldly, "There are no reinforcements. Marshal Bai means someone is coming alone to take over my command!"

The adjutant was dumbfounded. "Th-this... changing commanders in the middle of a battle is a grave taboo! Besides, we're surrounded by the Insect Race. How could he possibly get in?"

Yustadak likely knew some secrets about Professionals, but he believed that in the current situation, even if one came, they wouldn't have the power to turn things around. He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Just watch. My command isn't so easily taken!"

As they spoke, someone was indeed approaching from beyond the vast battlefield.

The crew high up in the War Shepherd immediately noticed this figure, who was starkly out of place. The adjutant slapped his forehead. "He... he's not wearing a protective suit!"

This planet's environment was inhospitable: the temperature was extremely high, the air was toxic, and various radiation particles invisibly harmed living organisms. Yet, the person approaching from outside the battlefield wore only plain clothes—not even a protective suit, let alone an exoskeleton—just a mask over his face.

The adjutant felt a surge of panic. If it were me, I'd probably be dead out there already.

The man gradually neared the battlefield and was quickly spotted by the insects. A swarm of Ghost-Claw Insects roared and wheeled around to pounce on him. Yet, with no visible action from the man, there was a flash of fire, and those few Ghost-Claw Insects shattered into pieces, falling onto the desert. Flames still licked at their wounds.

Definitely a Professional, Yustadak muttered to himself. But so what? This is large-scale warfare. Unless he's above the Fifth Energy Level, he can't make much of an impact in a battle like this—at best, he's a powerful shock trooper, a 'Soldier King' type.

Ignoring his adjutant's astonishment, Yustadak still sneered. That flashy move only took out a few Ghost-Claw Insects. The swarm is enormous; he might not even make it to the Roar.

Then, under their watchful eyes, the man stepped onto the battlefield. Only then did the adjutant clearly see the ancient-looking longsword in the man's hand. A crimson blade of fire, visibly over twenty meters long, extended from it. The blade of fire blazed fiercely, releasing an invisible power that actually made the surrounding insects show a hint of fear!

The adjutant was astounded. These insects operate purely on an instinct to kill! Apart from powerful members of their own kind, they almost never show fear.

But the insects showed only that fleeting "fear" before recklessly charging forward once more, their roars ear-splitting as they swung sharp claws and opened grotesque, enormous maws.

Then the adjutant saw the man's hand move. The crimson blade of fire flashed past like thick red lightning, and a shower of severed insect claws, legs, and mandibles rained down before him. Dark green ichor splattered everywhere. The insects writhed and shrieked in agony, but the man walked past with calm composure, utterly unfazed by the chaos his single strike had wrought.

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