It took them about a week to finally reach Five Star Island.
They could have arrived faster, but along the way they stopped at the other legions to pick up full construction battalions and even met Captain Fang again for a quick drink.
Fang once more brought up the "Titan Trial," saying he had already secured qualification and that the two of them could tackle it together when the time came.
Wei Huan had no idea what the trial entailed, so he simply agreed for now and said they'd play it by ear.
After parting with Fang, he opened a few low-tier chests along the route so Xu Qingqiang could stock his prison.
Finally, the day they arrived at Five Star Island, Xu Qingqiang stared at the blinking gold-chest icon on the map and suddenly said, "If I can devour that gold-tier monster, Endless Prison might upgrade."
Wei Huan, who had been studying the island layout, immediately turned.
Mu Zhong, looking at the same map, asked, "Explain, Brother Qiang."
Xu Qingqiang smirked. "Nothing complicated. When the prison holds enough monsters—and high-quality ones at that—I can upgrade to a higher-tier warden."
"Higher-tier warden…" Mu Zhong's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "So once you upgrade, you can appoint lower-tier wardens beneath you… and share Endless Prison with others?"
"That's how I see it." Xu Qingqiang leaned back, legs crossed, cigarette dangling from his lips, peach-blossom eyes gleaming with smug pride.
Mu Zhong was quick on the uptake. "Then you'd become the absolute leader of the entire Criminal branch."
Xu Qingqiang's eyebrow arched higher, his grin turning outright triumphant.
Mu Zhong continued, "And once you control the sequence, even unofficial Criminals—the lone wolves and rogue teams in Tier-4 worlds—could be recruited. They're the strongest and hardest to manage, but they still want to grow stronger. They'd have to get their sub-warden rights from you. You'd hold the leash, and every new recruit would feed your own advancement."
Xu Qingqiang laughed. "The higher my level, the more attributes I gain, the stronger I get. And if someone disobeys? I just revoke their warden privileges anytime I want."
Mu Zhong closed his eyes for two seconds, then smiled genuinely. "Brother Qiang… you're about to take off."
Xu Qingqiang practically glowed with glee.
Wei Huan listened, fascinated. The more he thought about it, the more brilliant it seemed.
Unlike most profession training grounds that were "selfless," Endless Prison perfectly embodied the Criminal sequence's brutal hierarchy and oppression.
Using the "warden" position as layers of control, it turned the uncontrollable Criminals into a disciplined force.
Worthy of the challenge world's design—ruthless and absolute!
Finally, Wei Huan's gaze settled on the gold chest marker.
"So… one gold-tier monster is enough to upgrade you?"
Xu Qingqiang let out his signature cackle. "Pretty much. Upgrading needs a mountain of low-tier trash, but quality can substitute for quantity."
"Got it." Wei Huan's pale skin seemed even colder under the light, his eyes dark and predatory. "No problem. You'll upgrade very soon."
"Gya ha ha ha."
Mu Zhong glanced at Wei Huan's icy expression, then at Xu Qingqiang's twisted grin, and couldn't help but palm his forehead and laugh.
From any normal moral standpoint, their vehicle really didn't look like the good guys.
But that also meant they didn't have to play by good-guy rules.
Against Aosam—who loved nothing more than stalling—they would strike like lightning and give no time to react.
So Wei Huan made a bold call.
He formed a stealth squad from the Gambler-sequence members aboard.
Gambler Sequence 4 — [Shadowless] — were masters of stealth, kings of the dark.
The five-man team consisted of two Sequence-5 "Stackbursts" and three Sequence-4 "Shadowless." Their sole mission: slip past Aosam's blockade now, reach the depths of the ruins where the gold chest waited, and release several small kobolds.
Once that was done, the kobolds would become the breach in the dam. Aosam would no longer be able to hold the flood back.
"…Your mission is critical. Do not fail," Mu Zhong told them solemnly.
The Gamblers, rarely given special operations, were practically vibrating with excitement—eyes fierce, faces determined, thrilled to finally have a chance to shine.
The other Gamblers and professionals who hadn't been chosen watched with open envy.
Who would've thought, dear friends! They used to be elite operatives in their original legions, carrying out the most dangerous, pride-swelling missions. But on this vehicle, the captain was simply too strong—they barely got to do anything! Heroes with nowhere to use their skills felt suffocated!
And special ops paid triple DKP! High-tier gear was calling!
Triple DKP for a mission far less dangerous than their old ones—who wouldn't want that? A little risk was nothing. They just hoped missions like this would come every day!
Under envious eyes, the stealth squad cheerfully took three small kobolds and vanished into the shadows.
As they departed, Wei Huan's war vehicle activated full stealth cladding and slipped in quietly, staying within summoning range of both teams.
Ghost-crow reconnaissance showed Aosam had indeed set up tight defenses.
The first perimeter was eight kilometers out—constant patrol vehicles, clearly meant to watch for him.
Too bad for them: Wei Huan's actual summoning range was fifteen kilometers, and it would only grow at Sequence 5.
On the minimap, the blue iconsight icons of the stealth team blinked steadily forward. Captain Xue, remotely coordinating them, reported smooth progress.
Aosam's layered defenses, while thorough, had also cleared most monsters along the path. The squad only had to avoid human patrols.
Time ticked by.
Suddenly, Wei Huan's soul inside the grand tomb was tugged. His eyes snapped open.
Waiting in front of him was a large kobold, squinting respectfully, fingers hooked in greeting.
Then, with a little wiggle, a small kobold popped out of its shoulder like a nesting doll—same squint, same gesture.
Hammer Bro—the lowest-presence yet toughest tank—stepped forward first.
He had been assigned vanguard duty; stealth was key.
Face calm, warhammer in hand, he looked less like a warrior on a deadly mission and more like a woodsman off to chop firewood.
He stood before the small kobold. It opened its mouth.
Whoosh—he vanished inside.
The kobold swallowed, throat bobbing. Two seconds later, it looked expectantly at the next person.
Xu Qingqiang stepped up.
He stayed in human form—afraid his berserk state would ruin the plan—and was swallowed whole.
Before the kobold's cooldown finished, Captain Xue moved forward, but Wei Huan rose and stopped him.
"I'm going first."
Captain Xue frowned, worried for Wei Huan's safety, but it was an order. He stepped aside.
The kobold finished cooldown. At Wei Huan's command, it opened wide.
Vision blurred.
When Wei Huan opened his eyes again, he was in pitch darkness—humid, stifling air thick with a fishy stench.
Hammer Bro and Xu Qingqiang stood ahead of him, backs turned, guarding all directions.
Shwick!
Eight somber, swirling portals bloomed behind Wei Huan like a dark peacock tail.
From them leapt bone-white skeletons wreathed in shadow.
First came the elites: Gut-Bro, Big Bear, Sister Crow.
On Wei Huan's command, they instantly fanned out, replacing Hammer Bro and Xu Qingqiang on watch.
Then ordinary undead poured forth, rapidly filling the space.
Captain Xue leapt out of the kob injected-mouth, scanned warily, and finally exhaled.
By then, Wei Huan's gaze had locked onto the gold chest ten meters away—and the two "Stackburst" Gamblers who revealed themselves now that stealth was broken.
Only two of the five-man squad were present.
No casualties—Aosam's guard was simply too tight for the three Sequence-4 Shadowless to slip through.
In the end, they had used misdirection to create an opening for the two Sequence-5s.
But quiet time was running out.
Any abnormality here would trigger an immediate elite response from Aosam commanders—unless they were idiots.
They didn't have long.
So the next step was simple.
Wei Huan flung all eight portals wide.
Below, sprint-wolf legions—fastest army in existence—poured out.
Above, ghost-crow legions rained from the sky.
Under their respective hero units, they flooded outward in a suffocating tide, stacking layer upon layer, three or four deep, until the ruin passages were crammed solid.
Soon, this nightmarish white-bone tsunami collided with the first Aosam patrol sent to investigate.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—
"What the hell?!"
"Fall back!"
Vehicles couldn't enter the ruins. Though the patrol had several Sequence-5s, without their armored shells they were just flesh.
The moment they sensed something wrong inside, they had one thought: run.
Until they knew what they faced, running was the only option.
Out there were vehicles and reinforcements. Why stay and fight a few against… whatever that was?
What if the gold chest had already been opened?
Even a hundred of them wouldn't be enough!
The Aosam challengers turned and fled.
At the same moment, one of Wei Huan's portals paused its wolf flood.
A three-meter-long, pitch-black Shurima crab—sleeker and shinier than its kin—leapt out gracefully.
Unlike the others, the moment it appeared, countless pale phantom hands seized it, locking it in place.
It thrashed and let out frantic "heeheehee" cries.
Moji, of course.
Until Xu Qingqiang fully matured, humanity's only true "anchor."
How could they open a high-tier chest without it?
Preparations complete. All forces in position.
Right under Aosam's nose, speed was everything.
Wei Huan was about to order a unit to open the chest…
"Boss, wait!"
Captain Xue, Hammer Bro, and the two Stackbursts spoke at once.
Xu Qingqiang flashed in front of the chest, blocking Wei Huan.
Then, almost in unison: "You go back first."
Wei Huan: "…"
Touched and exasperated.
He finally nodded and obediently returned.
Before leaving, he left behind plenty of small kobolds and Demon Eye Lords for vision.
The moment he reappeared inside the vehicle, Mu Zhong grabbed his wrist.
"You okay?"
Wei Huan nodded.
What could possibly happen to him? Everyone treated him like fragile glass, ready to shield him with their lives. He didn't need it, but… he didn't exactly hate the feeling.
He turned, green flame dancing in his left eye.
Vision linked.
The gold chest opened.
A blinding flash.
The battle began!
…
"What?! Wei Huan is attacking the gold chest? How did he get inside? What the hell were you doing?!"
Aosam command received the news instantly.
A fountain of bones erupting from the ruins—those ferocious, unmistakable sprint-wolf skeletons—only one person in the world commanded such a force.
Under the sheer volume of the undead tide, Aosam forces were solidly pinned outside the ruins.
"Contact Daxia right now! I want to know what Mu Dehao thinks he's doing!"
"Push in! Whatever we can't have, they don't get either!"
"Open fire with the vehicles! Blast them! Since he dares do this, I'll bury him here today!"
"Kill him—now!"
Furious Aosam generals issued kill orders.
The fourteen war vehicles guarding the ruins mobilized instantly, forming a battle line and unleashing a storm of artillery on the undead blocking the entrance.
Wolves died in droves, but many—guided by Gut-Bro—slipped through the barrage like ghosts.
Perfectly obedient, they performed maneuvers any human commander would envy: flowing white serpents weaving through fire, some drawing aggro, others shielding, until—suddenly—a wolf pack was beneath a vehicle, leaping with jaws wide.
Shields blocked the bites, but more and more wolves circled each vehicle. No matter how many they killed, the swarm never thinned.
Captains broke into cold sweats, hearts pounding with dread.
That was the fear Wei Huan inspired.
Some die-hard Aosam loyalists kept firing—until ghost crows and Big Bear targeted them.
Crows rained like black hail, draining shields.
Big Bear roared, seized a vehicle in a crushing bear hug—shield flickering, then POP.
The naked hull was instantly swarmed.
External weapons fired desperately, but against an endless tide of undead, they couldn't keep up.
Hull integrity plummeted.
Fourteen vehicles advanced at a snail's pace, barely reaching the ruin entrance.
But the narrow passages stopped vehicles cold.
Send challengers inside? Who could survive that endless undead sea?
"We can't advance further! Disembark and fight on foot! My heroes—guardians of Aosam—this is the moment to fight for your nation!
Storm the ruins! Stop Wei Huan—if you can… kill him!"
Captains hastily formed assault teams, voices booming with fervor.
"For Aosam! For glory!! Charge!!"
Over a hundred melee professionals leapt from the vehicles.
The moment their feet hit the ground, fur sprouted, muscles swelled, and they dropped to all fours—transforming into massive, ferocious black bears.
"ROOAARR!"
Roaring, they crashed into the undead.
Behind them: steel-clad Martial Kings swinging giant axes; elusive Gamblers flickering behind enemies to strike; Angels surrounded by ranged support, holy light raining down—healing allies or purifying undead so thoroughly they couldn't even return to the tomb.
Hunters sent beasts to share the frontline burden, arrows whistling.
Sages hurled elemental barrages—ice, fire, earth dragons, vine storms.
Shaman priestesses danced wild, sensual rites under pounding drums, summoning primal blessings.
Miracle Workers seized starlight, voices soaring: "I decree—!"
But before the next word, the stars winked out.
Failure.
A Miracle Worker with prophecy had failed to foresee victory.
The entire assault force felt ice water poured over them.
The mood froze.
Unable to predict victory—did that mean defeat?
It made sense. Fighting Wei Huan outside their vehicles with only this many men? The man who killed a diamond-tier monster?
Losing was normal.
Morale plummeted.
This was why Diviners and Shamans (with their long cooldowns) were rarely welcome outside desperate battles.
With the prophecy failed, the advance slowed further.
The vanguard had just squeezed into the passage, debating whether to throw their lives away in a doomed fight, when someone noticed—the undead blocking the way had thinned dramatically.
"Did we… win?" a disbelieving voice asked.
"Wei Huan's follow-up forces are spent! Brothers, charge!!"
"But the prophecy—"
"Who says we can't defy fate? Would you kill yourself just because a prophet said you'd die?"
"…"
"Into the ruins! Move move move! This is our chance for glory!!"
A roar echoed through the passage.
The dispirited assault team reignited, hacking frantically through the remaining undead.
"Kill!"
"KILL!"
After another frenzied push, the panting warriors straightened, chests heaving, staring at the now-empty passage ahead.
Victory smiles spread.
"We won?"
One bear-transformed warrior bared thick lips in a wide grin, pride radiating. "I beat Wei Huan—haha—I actually beat Wei Huan!"
Laughing, he charged forward, afraid someone would steal his credit, and vanished into the darkness.
But the Aosam challengers packed behind him wore far less joy—some even frowned deeper, caution rising.
Wei Huan wouldn't fall this easily.
Just some wolves and crows—barely 20% of his true power.
So why had the undead vanished?
What was Wei Huan planning?
Or—?
Thump thump thump!
Heavy footsteps echoed as the axe-wielding brute sprinted, shouting, "Wei Huan, come out! I see you—don't hide! Face me like a man!!"
He barged into side chambers, even leapt fearlessly into an underground river when he spotted one.
Finally, he reached the deepest chamber—the place he had seen countless times in reconnaissance photos—where the gold chest should be.
Climbing soaked from the river, his eyes locked onto a spot and widened.
"Where's the chest? The gold chest is gone? Wei Huan's gone too?"
Indeed—the prominently placed gold chest had vanished.
No chest. No Wei Huan.
The warrior refused to believe his eyes, spinning in circles like a headless fly.
Only then did his cautious teammates carefully file in.
The moment they saw the empty space, every face changed.
Shock, disbelief, then—relief.
"How is this possible? Even for Wei Huan… silently opening a gold chest without a trace?"
Someone muttered what they were all thinking.
It was terrifying… but if anyone could kill a gold-tier monster that fast and clean, it was Wei Huan.
Thank the gods he was already gone. No need to throw their lives away—just report mission complete.
After one final sweep confirming neither Wei Huan nor the chest remained, the Aosam assault team withdrew.
The moment the last man stepped out, the ruin entrance shimmered and dissolved.
The entire ruin vanished, leaving only sheer cliffs and half a mountain face.
A sea breeze blew past, brushing their necks like ghostly fingers.
Countless men suddenly shivered, hair standing on end, a bone-deep chill settling in their hearts.