Aosam ultimately dared not proceed rashly.
After the initial video footage was exposed, Aosam sent more convoys to find ways to send flying cameras into the base, which captured even more horrifying images. After that, they didn't dare send anyone to the island to kill the monster, fearing they might attract the parasites. The current limits of the island and the number of people on it serve as a natural barrier to the monster. No one knows whether letting those parasitic things escape would lead to the infection of the entire Pioneer Corps.
"What exactly is an anchor point?" Aosam, no longer daring to act recklessly, finally turned to Mu Dehao for help.
Mu Dehao replied: "A pair of eyes that allows you to see the truth."
"What's the difference between that and a camera?"
"The camera can see, but your soldiers cannot see what is attacking them. That is the key."
"What is attacking them?"
"A Gold-tier monster. I don't know the specifics, but you already know the power of the parasitism. You need to handle the situation with caution from now on."
The Aosam general takes a deep breath, resting his head in his hands for a long time before saying: "You just said there might still be people alive in the base?"
"Yes, there is a strong possibility."
"So, we just need to kill the Gold-tier monster, is that right?"
"What we can confirm is that as soon as the monster's main body dies, the parasites will die with it."
"Thank you, one last question." The Aosam general looks deeply at Mu Dehao, a hint of awkwardness in his eyes, and asks, "Can Daxia send troops to help us?"
This is the second time Aosam has sought help from Daxia in a short period. In the past, they consistently believed they were equal to Daxia, or even stronger. This notion is now fading; reality has shown them that things are different from the past, and they are indeed far behind Daxia.
The Aosam official currently communicating with Mu Dehao is a member of the moderate faction, a pragmatic man who can adapt to circumstances. Compared to the hardliners, he does not mind cooperating with Daxia or pursuing win-win cooperation. In his view, finding Daxia for help with something they cannot handle themselves is the most correct decision. A country as large as theirs, with a hundred thousand Challenger corps, shouldn't be blocked by one Gold monster. Cooperating with Daxia to quickly improve themselves is the right approach.
Mu Dehao accepts the request. He lacks anchor points, but it doesn't matter. Having fought a Platinum-tier Remnant Tribe's member, Wei Huan knows that while the red root parasitism is terrifying, it is not difficult to defend against. As long as the soldiers know of its existence, melee fighters just need to maintain a circle of inner energy around themselves at all times. Although they may not be able to fully defend without sight, as long as the main body is killed in the shortest possible time, the parasites will die with it.
Of course, this little trick cannot be shared. If it were, how would Daxia earn money by taking advantage of the time gap? They must negotiate for something in return for helping Aosam this time; they can't work for free. Mu Dehao does not make an outrageous demand, simply asking for a larger piece of land as territory around the already constructed White Tiger City on Five Star Island. Resources that refresh within this territory will belong to Daxia.
Even this moderate Aosam official's face darkens at the mention of Wei Huan forcibly landing on the island, but circumstances are stronger than people. Since their own development is lagging, he makes the decision to directly agree to Mu Dehao's proposal. Aosam's control over Five Star Island has already been shattered by Daxia's "combination of punches," and their grip is severely weakened. Furthermore, if Daxia truly wants to expand, they probably couldn't stop them anyway. Given the formal transaction and a base waiting to be rescued, it is not considered a loss.
Mu Dehao says: "Don't look like you're losing out. You and I both know that what we're giving up here doesn't really amount to a profit. The reason I agree to this is, firstly, I estimate that out of those twenty thousand people, at least ten thousand can still be saved, and human lives are paramount. Secondly, you came to the right place. I have absolute control over the Remnant Tribe matter, which is why I'm discussing terms with you as a half-sale, half-gift. I repeat, the human race should stick together and overcome difficulties together."
The Aosam official nods, respect in his eyes, and says: "You are right. We are both human, and we should stick together and overcome difficulties together."
The Azure Dragon Legion has fought the Remnant Tribe once and has experience. Now, with more accurate intelligence from Wei Huan, even without an "anchor point," it is not difficult to kill a Gold-tier Remnant Tribe's deceiver remnant by concentrating the power of the entire army.
Captain Zhou, Captain Wang, and their teams set out, accompanied by familiar faces like Liu Xiaotian. Although this battle is virtually guaranteed to succeed, the better they understand the monster's true face, the more they realize how terrible failure could be, leaving them with a sense of lingering fear. Even Mu Zhong connects with Captain Wang, explaining the techniques for fighting the Remnant Tribe in as much detail as possible.
This battle is completed without much excitement or danger. When official forces act, especially with such detailed intelligence, they operate with a clear plan, coordinating their offense and defense perfectly. There is absolutely no pressure. After the Gold Boss dies, the Azure Dragon Special Forces team and the Aosam military proceed to the base together.
"Is it safe to go in now?" Aosam is twice shy.
Mu Dehao confirms with certainty: "Yes, it is." He adds, "My people can go in first." His trust is not in anything else, but in Wei Huan. If Wei Huan says killing the main body makes it safe, then it is safe.
Nearly a hundred war vehicles easily break the defensive perimeter of the city wall and drive into the base. The sight is horrific, but better than imagined.
Captain Zhou, Captain Wang, and the others walk through the base, carefully scanning their surroundings. This is a rare, firsthand intelligence opportunity. After Wei Huan mentioned the [Parasitic] ability, Daxia had been guessing how high the threat of [Parasitism] was, how much time it took, and how many people it could kill. Aosam unintentionally provided an experiment, and the results are now clear.
Out of the approximately twenty thousand people in the base, almost all were parasitized, but research confirms that parasitism has different levels.
The small squad that first entered the ruins and came into contact with the tribe's main body suffered the most severe infection, classified as "Level One Invasion." After the parasites in their bodies disappeared, they collapsed on the ground like rotting flesh. The terrifying thing is that they were not dead after being freed from control. Their eyes were clear, and for a very brief period, they even tried to call for help. But within three minutes, all hundred or so of them died.
The second batch consists of those who met the first squad at the entrance to the ruins, classified as "Level Two Invasion." There are about 300 of them. Some were severely affected, dying before they could be treated, just like those with a Level One Invasion. Others received aid from Angels, sustaining their lives, but ultimately succumbed within about three days. Six people in this batch were in relatively lighter condition. They were high-Spirit Power magical professions, whose physical strength allowed them to resist the invasion of the red worms, greatly slowing the speed of their control. They still require a long period of recovery and are incapable of combat in the short term.
Later analysis suggests that these red worms, or tiny red roots, are likely the tribe's dispersed "base stations." Only their existence allows the main body, which cannot physically move, to expand its influence. High-Spirit Power professions affected by a "Level Two Invasion" naturally have brains that can shield some of the tribe's signals, which is why they were spared.
As for "Level Three Invasion," this applies to the people within the base. The twenty-kilometer distance seems to be the limit of the Gold-tier tribe's expansion, so the signal projected here is very weak, retaining only the function of "maintaining the illusion." Illusion attack is the core skill of the Remnant Tribe. Its dispersed "red root system" has an offline function to maintain the illusion.
"Level Three Invasion," or "Level Four Invasion," and so on, is easily solved. Once the main body dies, they return to normal, and upon seeing the "zombies" across from them with fallen eyeballs still chattering away, they scream in terror and wet themselves. Furthermore, some see half-eaten rotten meat in the cafeteria and drinking water with swollen arms soaking in it—a full-blown horror movie brought to life. A portion of the Aosam Challengers who did not die from the tribe's parasitism developed psychological illnesses of varying severity. One female Challenger was sent back to Earth, rumored to have gone insane because her lover was one of those who suffered a Level One Invasion. They had been intimate more than once after his return, but when she regained consciousness, all she saw was her lover's decaying flesh and flattened head.
These reports about the results of the [Parasitism] were sent to Wei Huan intermittently over the next ten days. Daxia, having helped rescue the base, naturally had to share the intelligence on the aftermath of the parasitism.
Seeing that out of a base of over twenty thousand people, only 542 died after being out of contact for five days, and the existence of classifications like Level One, Two, and Three, Wei Huan finally understands why, in the previous life, humanity was able to operate normally in the Tier 5 world and even enter the Tier 6 world despite being completely unprepared for the Remnant Tribe.
First, although the Remnant Tribe clearly possesses the ability to propagate and expand, their tier naturally limits the extent of their expansion. Gold-tier is about 20 kilometers, Platinum-tier is 50 kilometers, and Diamond-tier exceeds 100 kilometers. This size is likely related to the distance over which the tribe's body can grow at its peak. Once they exceed the distance they can fully control, the threat level decreases. This explains why, when they were completely unaware, their teammates helping on the periphery during the fight against the Diamond-tier remnant were unaffected—the distance was too great for the tribe to maintain full control.
As for the battle in the core area, due to the presence of the "anchor point," even though they were unaware of the capabilities of these tiny red roots at the time, everyone instinctively prevented them from getting close. The red roots can be killed by a slight burst of inner energy. Even if a small number were not avoided, the anchor point constantly stabilized the brain, and once the main body was killed, these red roots died with it, allowing them to unknowingly escape danger.
Wei Huan speculates that in the previous life, when Aosam first opened the first Remnant Tribe chest, a portion of the people likely suffered Level One or Two Invasions, but most people, due to their distance from the Gold Chest, were not truly harmed. That is why the majority of people could move normally between the two worlds. When they chose to leave, the red worms automatically detached. When they returned, since the entire area was permeated with red worms, merely coming into contact with a few instantly subjected them to the illusion, leaving them unaware of the true situation.
Aosam's trust in the Remnant Tribe led other countries to also start contacting them. Consequently, the Remnant Tribe began to proliferate everywhere, increasing the prevalence of red worms in the Tier 5 world, trapping people in illusions wherever they went. Moreover, the Remnant Tribe had a long-term plan for humanity. They chose not to consume humans in the Tier 5 world, which led to a long "honeymoon period" between humanity and the tribe due to their ignorance.
As for why they attacked in the Tier 6 world? That is not hard to guess. It was simply to fatten them up for the slaughter.
The failed previous life, though long past, compels Wei Huan to reflect. Being reborn is his chance. If he doesn't think deeply and continues to make the same mistakes, what is the meaning of his return?
After basically completing the collection of data on the Remnant Tribe, Wei Huan is emotionally down for a considerable time. Only when new news arrives does a smile return to his face.
The fact that Aosam was defeated by the Remnant Tribe, resulting in the deaths of over five hundred people and the injury and incapacitation of over two thousand, could not be concealed. News of the terrifying parasitic ability of the Remnant Tribe quickly spread throughout the world.
Upon receiving the news, the Great Bear nation immediately contacts Mu Dehao again, securing an additional 40 slots for the Criminal Sequence. Mu Dehao does not hold back on this point; the transaction proceeds as a major deal. Furthermore, other countries that were previously very indifferent also begin to heavily increase their orders for Criminal Sequence slots. Aosam even wants to order 50 slots, just like the Great Bear nation.
Fifty slots are certainly available, but the Great Bear nation is Daxia's strategic ally. What is your relationship with us? Can the price be the same? Aosam is displeased but has no choice but to pay the price.
Moreover, upon careful consideration, cultivating the Criminal Sequence is not a loss. The Criminal Sequence are tanky, hard-hitting Berserkers. With a high-tier, stable Criminal Sequence user, opening chests in the ruins will become much easier in the future. A table with 12 legs, even if one is missing, can still stand, but it will always be unstable. Besides, Daxia holds so many professional training grounds. After paying for access enough times, everyone will gradually get used to it, won't they?
Since Aosam has suffered such a massive defeat in front of Daxia, there is even less need for other countries to actively oppose them.
The biggest beneficiary of this continuous sale of Criminal Sequence slots is the Azure Dragon Legion, and personally, it is naturally Wei Huan. Under Mu Dehao's deliberate manipulation, Wei Huan receives a large amount of Tier 6 war vehicle materials. Before he continues sweeping the uninhabited zone, the final blueprint for his Tier 6 war vehicle arrives.
The [Tier 6 External Anti-Collision Bar] transaction is complete.
The final blueprint is traded from Mu Dehao to Wei Huan. As soon as he receives it, it lights up, ready for upgrade. Wei Huan clicks the upgrade button, and it shows a requirement of 24 hours. This means that after completing the final component upgrade, he can upgrade to a Tier 6 war vehicle. A Tier 6 war vehicle can fly, and in the Tier 6 world, it can freely roam the deep-sea, no longer needing to rely on the seabed.
Most importantly, only with a Tier 6 war vehicle can he upgrade to Tier 7 components. Tier 7 components! Fighting Tier 6 world monsters will be a complete level suppression, and on the main battlefield, he can completely overpower the Dark Beast Lords.
Although he knows it's impossible, Wei Huan is already envisioning whether he can end this civilizational war ahead of time once he upgrades to a Tier 6 war vehicle. That's right, if he completely defeats the Dark Beast Lords on the main battlefield, will this challenge end? Or will they be forced to continue entering higher-tier worlds? They surely won't introduce new opponents, will they?
With 24 hours left until he can upgrade his Tier 6 war vehicle, Wei Huan's mind is a tangle of thoughts, and he simply gets up and leaves the driver's seat.
He walks out onto the plaza and sees Mu Zhong and Xu Qingqiang standing in the center. Before them stands a line of nearly a hundred people. A quick check with a data-goggles reveals they are all Tier 4 and Tier 5 Criminal Sequence users. Tier 4 of the Criminal Sequence is "Berserker," and Tier 5 is "Demon Apostle." Even after "Twisting," the Criminal Sequence users gradually learn to control their sanity, but they can still lose control if the excitement of killing takes over.
Yet, despite the risk of losing control, various countries have brought many Criminal Sequence users to the Tier 5 world. Conversely, Daxia has the fewest. Firstly, Daxia's power is strong enough that not bringing them doesn't affect the world development progress, and they worry that bringing Criminals might affect team operations. Secondly... it is widely known that the Criminal Sequence, due to their tendency to lose control, are often not bound by rules. If something goes wrong, they can simply blame it on their lack of self-control. Therefore, Criminal Sequence users in some countries are often assigned to do "dirty work."
So, as Wei Huan scans the nearly hundred Criminal Sequence users in the plaza, he can feel the stench of blood on them from afar. These people have likely taken lives. Wei Huan is only slightly displeased by this, but he doesn't interfere. After all, he is well aware of what kind of people these deployed Criminal Sequence users are. He knows well that the world is not just light, black, and white; there are always those who walk the gray areas, always those who must do things that are not fit for the light.
Fortunately, the "Endless Prison" acquired by Xu Qingqiang can use the hierarchical relationship to manage this group of people. Managed Criminals, when powerful, can enhance the overall strength of humanity. As long as it can lead to humanity winning the civilizational competition, Wei Huan does not mind dancing with the devil. Besides, Criminal Sequence users are also members of the human race; there is no need to look down upon them.
Thinking this, Wei Huan reaches the center of the plaza and understands what Mu Zhong is doing—assigning prison ownership.
[One-Star Warden]
Subordinates: None
[Two-Star Warden]
Subordinates: 5 One-Star Wardens
[Three-Star Warden]
Subordinates: 5 Two-Star Wardens
And so on. Every time Xu Qingqiang levels up, he can appoint 5 Wardens of the next lower tier. Crucially, these Wardens can also recruit 5 Wardens of the tier below them. Combined with the word "Endless" in the "Endless Prison," it is clear that the Warden's tier is also endless. Therefore, as long as Xu Qingqiang continues to upgrade his Warden level, he can continuously expand the team of Wardens and appoint different ones. These Wardens can also throw items into their prisons. Although this won't upgrade the "Endless Prison," the attributes of the thrown items will be enhanced based on the tier of the Warden appointing them.
The most ingenious part of this is that the Warden appointment is not a one-time deal. As Xu Qingqiang continues to level up, he can appoint higher-tier Wardens, ensuring a constant flow of business. The "Endless Prison" is essentially an "Endless Money Bag."
For appointing a Warden, not only does Daxia receive money, but Wei Huan and Xu Qingqiang also get a share of the income. Of course, currently, they haven't divided things so clearly. Xu Qingqiang and Mu Dehao share the same attitude: first, get the war vehicle upgraded to Tier 6.
Right now, Mu Zhong is assigning the five Two-Star Warden slots to the countries that paid the highest price. There is no dispute about this. Mu Dehao made it clear before the transaction that the highest bidder wins, and the names of the five Two-Star Wardens are already written down.
The five named Criminals step out from the formation. Xu Qingqiang doesn't say much, laughing menacingly. He raises a hand and points, and a door of unknown black material appears on his index fingertip. The door is exquisite, only the size of a palm, and slowly rotates. Outsiders feel nothing, but in the eyes of the criminals, it holds a strange allure.
The criminals, who were standing still, subconsciously take two steps forward. What are criminals? They are a sequence whose emotions are already unstable, and they become even more unstable when provoked. There is a subtle trend toward rampaging.
Wei Huan notices the anomaly and is about to activate his Portals, but before he can act, several people leap down from the third and fourth floors with a whoosh-whoosh-whoosh. Wei Huan looks closely: they are all core melee members of the war vehicle. Additionally, Mu Zirui stands on the balcony with a group of ranged units, silently warning them with an intimidating presence.
The criminals, whose eyes were just flashing with greed, immediately clear up. Of course, many can't help but look toward Wei Huan, watching him turn and sit on the white bone throne constructed from Facehuggers. This move has a serious element of showing off, but reputation precedes the man. With Wei Huan sitting there and looking down, he successfully suppresses the fluctuating thoughts of the criminals.
There is no scene of defiance. Defying Wei Huan would mean certain death. No one has forgotten that Wei Huan killed over three hundred Aosam Challengers just over half a month ago, and even the third son of Aosam's highest councilor died at Wei Huan's hands. The councilor, who had been arrogant in Aosam his entire life, dared not even voice a demand for revenge.
Everyone also knows that Wei Huan single-handedly purged the government of the Haisang Tree nation. Even if it is a third-rate minor country, the key is that Wei Huan truly dares to act. Not only does Wei Huan dare to act, but he also has the fiercely protective Daxia, and the Azure Dragon Legion guards him like the apple of their eye. Who dares to provoke him?
This councilor only has certain power within Aosam; it doesn't mean he can control the entire nation. Regarding the death of his own son, the most common advice the councilor received was, "Patience brings peace."
So, which Challenger army on Earth dares to provoke Wei Huan now? Do they feel they aren't dying fast enough? Or do they not want a path to promotion anymore?
As for the fact that Wei Huan is strong enough that humanity might win the civilizational war, many people are now bringing this up. It's not because they finally trust Wei Huan, but because after confirming they cannot kill or suppress him, they have all compromised.
Wei Huan is not fully aware of the shift in external attitudes and evaluations of him. Right now, he simply dislikes anyone causing trouble on his war vehicle. Thus, the three-meter-high throne is conjured up, and he sits on it, looking down expressionlessly, wanting to see who dares to stick their head out.
The scene falls silent, and Mu Zhong's preparation is unnecessary. He looks at the criminals, who are now as quiet as a group of rabbits, and finally looks up at Wei Huan, unable to suppress a light chuckle. Wei Huan's eyes turn, catching Mu Zhong's smiling face, and his entire demeanor melts like thin ice enveloped by the rising sun, becoming warm.