However, this was, after all, the bugs' planet. With the power of standard Federation weaponry, coupled with the reconnaissance squad numbering only a dozen or so, such a small force was hard-pressed to even protect themselves against the swarm. It was entirely thanks to Zhan Lan’s psychic scanning skill that Wang Xia managed to evade swarms of bugs ambushing them on several occasions. This success caused Wang Xia's prestige within the scout team to soar, and given that his military competence far surpassed anyone else in the reconnaissance unit, it wasn't long before those scouts were completely convinced of his abilities.

Aside from Wang Xia, Ba Wang encountered a similar situation within the heavy weapons squad he selected. Compared to the pampered soldiers of this era, the military training Wang Xia and Ba Wang had endured could be described as hellishly rigorous. Thus, even though this was a high-tech future era, it ironically elevated Ba Wang and Wang Xia to become standouts in their time, at least in certain aspects of warfare.

Furthermore, Chu Xuan was practically orchestrating the entire army’s arrangements and movements. Wang Xia, as the former reconnaissance team leader, continuously scouted, while Ba Wang led the heavy weapons squad in covering the rear assault. These three soldiers had now become indispensable members of the entire force. In contrast, Zheng Zha and the others currently held less utility. Of course, Zhan Lan's role remained significant; she constantly coordinated the decisions and movements among the members of the Returner team, effectively acting as a living information relay.

“... While that’s true, and I know this world certainly has many branching plotlines, but...” Zheng Zha said with a wry smile, “Don’t you think we’re a bit too conspicuous? The army already seems to regard us as saviors. Remember, even though the original plot didn't detail how they escaped, there certainly wasn't any appearance of such dazzling military saviors, right? Won't this attract the attention of another team?” Chu Xuan replied coolly, “There’s no other way. Our current situation is forced. First and foremost, we must survive. And to survive, we must integrate into the Federation's regular army, then travel with them aboard the rescue vessel back into space. This is what we are doing now. Moreover, based on the movie's plot, this specific unit is the most likely to return to the cosmos alive. We have no reason to remain hidden. At least until we are completely safe, we must direct the entire army in battle to secure our own safety...” Zheng Zha sighed deeply, “I know, I know what you mean. It’s because we miscalculated some things from the start—for instance, this army is no match for the bugs whatsoever. We initially thought we could safely return to space just by following the established plot, but in reality, if we did nothing, the only outcome would be dying alongside this army. If we acted alone, another few hundred flying bugs would be enough to wipe us out... There's no helping it. The 'Main God' has altered the original narrative. The only thing we can do is utilize every talent and strength our team possesses. This is truly... The 'Main God' calculates things well; it never lets us pass even one or two horror movies easily. Even though we have grown stronger, it can still change the movie plot to threaten us. Sigh... Speaking of which, when we return, we’ll have to face another team, won't we?” Chu Xuan, however, managed a slightly cunning smile, “Not necessarily. This might actually be beneficial. Since we are the strongest team among the three, the 'Zhongzhou Team,' once they know four of our members, they might hesitate to deal with us due to various concerns. After all, a horror movie mission requires at least seven members. Where are the other three? Are they strong? What are their enhancement attributes and skills? They have no idea. Therefore, before they can confirm all the members of the Zhongzhou Team, when we expose ourselves so openly, they will be even less likely to make a move.”

“And we can use the merits gained from this war to legitimately gain access to high-ranking military positions. From then on, we can take the initiative in any action, and even track down the other team through subtle clues. In short, when we were all mixed in with the crowd manually typing up scrolls in the bookstore, none of us could be entirely certain if the other party was a member of the Returner Team unless they abruptly broke the original movie plot. So... Once we return to space, before the next war against the bugs begins, this period will be the start of our battle of wits against the other team... Whoever finds the other side out completely first will be the victor!” (If it’s a battle of wits... aren't we guaranteed to win?) “... In short, the moment they return from that planet, the battle of wits between our two sides begins. Whoever fully uncovers the other first is the winner!” A fleet of brand-new, massive starships was cruising in faster-than-light mode. This was the support fleet awakened from the Earth's solar system. Within this fleet, in the officers' lounge of one colossal starship, nine men and women were seated casually on sofas, chairs, the floor, or half-reclining on bunks. A blond youth, while speaking, bit into a chocolate bar, snapping it sharply in half when he finished his thought. This blond youth had eyes that gleamed with ferocity.

The other eight men and women exchanged glances, and a wave of restrained laughter swept through them. A middle-aged, sturdy man patted the sofa seat next to him, saying, “So, Nios, if it comes down to a battle of wits, aren’t we guaranteed to win? Hahaha...” The blond youth named Nios sneered coldly, tore open the wrapper of a chocolate bar on the table, and bit off a piece viciously, “It’s not as simple as you imagine. Besides the four members confirmed to be from the Zhongzhou Team, what about the other team? If we take 'Nanyanzhou' literally, it should correspond to a region near South Africa. As the weakest of the three teams, where are they located? If we analyze this...”

“The third team is likely amidst the bug swarm. If we analyze it this way, things become interesting... Remember, in the movie plot, besides the bugs' main planet Klendathu, there is another major battleground, Planet Tango Ghost. So, how would the third team travel from one planet to another? The 'Main God' wouldn't allow one team to remain outside the team war. Therefore, continuing this line of reasoning, only one possibility emerges: there must be 'Bug Warships' capable of free movement in space. That’s probably the gist of it. Then my previous deduction can be confirmed...”

“We will be attacked by 'Bug Warships.' The specific time is unknown, but the result is that the three teams will certainly meet and fight to the death. Since entering this horror movie world until now, the 'Main God's' mission has yet to appear. Surviving? If we stayed on Earth, survival would be extremely easy. But doing so would likely violate the 'Main God's' rule of greater risk yielding greater reward. It might change the plot, causing something like a meteor to strike us on Earth, and then we’d truly be finished...”

“So, we wait slowly... The 'Main God's' mission will soon be issued along with the bug attack!”

“That’s basically the situation...” Chu Xuan’s voice was always so detached, as if he cared nothing for anything. He stated calmly, “Based on previous deductions, the bugs must possess a space-faring capability and likely considerable offensive power. Thus, when the bugs launch their attack, the real mission of this Starship Troopers horror world... will appear at that moment!” Zheng Zha, however, laughed heartily, “Relax, relax. There’s no point worrying about such things now. Let’s talk about more practical issues first... After you figure out how to find them all in the battle of wits, what do you think we should do next? Kill them for reward points and branch plotlines? Or coexist peacefully and exchange intelligence? I actually think...” Chu Xuan remained silent for a long time, a hint of weary frustration faintly echoing from his mind. After a considerable pause, he murmured, “It is unwise to contemplate the aftermath now. We cannot underestimate anyone. We must anticipate every possible scenario and face every difficulty with that mindset. If the opponent planned from the outset to secure high-ranking military officers, then their adaptability is at least not poor...” Zheng Zha continued laughing loudly, interrupting Chu Xuan, “Worrying about other aspects might be excusable, but if it’s a battle of wits, we are absolutely guaranteed to win. We have zero doubt about that... Hahaha. But what you said has merit too. Let’s wait until we find them all before deciding the next step. Actually, every team experiences many differences in their horror movies. Aside from our Zhongzhou Team fighting a team battle without even a captain, other teams must have experienced many horror movies to reach the point where they can engage in team battles. We should be able to gather much information about the horror movies from them...” Chu Xuan affirmed, “Yes. Compared to the reward points and branch plotlines gained from killing the enemy, obtaining information about legendary magic rules or plot items might yield greater profit than eliminating them... Look, that mountain pass...” Hearing this, Zheng Zha also looked far into the distance. Far, far away in the south, a high mountain passage was unfolding before him... Jump to