At first light the following day, a substantial column moved out.

Great Vajra. Five Eastern Theater Command armored vehicles. Three armed vehicles from New Hefei. Nine iron person vehicles in total, moving together.

A single day's operation, two objectives. The code name was straightforward: Operation Swat — sweep the Dragon Hornets, swat the flies.

Two phases: Phase One targeted the Dragon Hornets at Luoer Ridge Town in Huoshan County. Phase Two, on the return route, would encircle and destroy the Pox Fly colony at Xinqiao Airport. Both major threats to the settlement eliminated in one engagement.

The column carried three senior officers — Major General Zhou Aoxuan, Senior Colonel Zhu Li, and Colonel Shen Cong — but the operational commander was Major Li Kun. Shen Cong operated independently throughout; he neither accepted being commanded nor commanded others. Zhou Aoxuan and Zhu Li were present as senior leadership showing front-line presence — functional symbols rather than tacticians.

The first light touched the road as they moved out, following National Highway 206 onto the Huyong Expressway, then accelerating through the push toward Lu'an City.

Lu'an in the early morning: bird calls, animal sounds, insect noise from every direction. Nothing approached the column. The moving mass of nine vehicles projected something that the local jin beast population correctly read as not worth testing.

Yesterday's route-clearing work paid off — no delays through Lu'an. The column transferred directly onto the Jiguang Expressway and continued southwest toward Huoshan County.

They arrived at ten o'clock.

The column ran a final reconnaissance of the operational area, reviewed the tactical plan, conducted equipment checks, confirmed the route. At ten twenty-five:

"Proceed to Hengshan Town without slowing. Continue directly to Heishidu Town. If Dragon Hornets appear on radar, immediately deploy incendiaries and smoke. Do not stop for any reason — full speed to Luoer Ridge Town, then concentrate howitzer and field gun fire on the identified queen chamber sections. One massed strike, maximum effect."

Acknowledgments from every unit. Shen Cong raised no objections.

"Execute."

The armored vehicles took point. Great Vajra followed. Shen Cong had been running at elevated…