In other words, this is destined to be a Platinum-tier ruin, and there is a possibility of obtaining a fragment of a Divine Artifact?
Wei Huan simply says: "Record the coordinates."
Not now, but he will return eventually. Before he returns, he must have a significant increase in power. Thinking of this, Wei Huan lowers his gaze to the Colossus beside his hand. The natural power of the Colossus is consistently dense, and it constantly transmits a feeling that the assessment is about to begin. Yet, more than a month has passed, and it has never activated. What is it waiting for? What conditions have not yet been met?
Wei Huan urgently needs to grow stronger quickly. If he follows the established path of cultivation, he would probably have to stay in this world for one or two years to reach Sequence Five. The speed of cultivation will only get slower thereafter. Level has always been where Wei Huan lags behind. If his level could keep pace with the current world, he would not fear Mofidi seeking him out.
Mofidi wants him to break the seal, and he wants the Divine Artifact fragment from Mofidi to improve himself. At worst, they can have a decisive battle at the Forbidden Peak. He cannot give up growth just because of a predicted outcome, can he?
With these thoughts running through his mind, Wei Huan simultaneously monitors the progress of the side war vehicles' development. There are no issues until they reach the Gold Chest. The side war vehicles are incredibly fierce. A Tier 6 war vehicle will inevitably crush Tier 5 world monsters, and even Silver Chests can be dealt with easily. One must remember that Wei Huan's war vehicle shell is already Tier 7, which is two tiers higher than this world. If necessary, driving directly into the monster could kill it. In this case, the seemingly useless [External Sawteeth] and [External Anti-Collision Bar] become useful, turning into divine tools for crushing monsters.
However, after seeing the location of the Gold Chest, Wei Huan breaks out in a light sweat. It is clear that this Gold Chest does not contain the Deceiver Tribe remnants, which are now easy to kill. It likely holds a Tier 5 Gold monster with superior physical strength.
Zhou Yong's side war vehicle opens the chest. As the equipment appears simultaneously in the main war vehicle's warehouse, a large bird lets out a piercing cry and makes a dazzling entrance. The white bird, with a wingspan of ten meters, creates a roaring gale with just a flap of its wings. Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh! It is a hurricane strong enough to overturn a large truck.
But the side war vehicles remain steady as a mountain. Attacks are launched simultaneously from the Combat Platform, dealing damage from Forbidden Curse Mages. The four-times attack power immediately causes the Gold Chest monster to squawk in distress and its feathers to scatter. Stung, the Gold monster raises its wing to attack the side war vehicle, but instead lets out a shriek of pain. It has fractured its own bone and torn its flesh; the Tier 7 war vehicle shell is simply too hard. Finally, the Gold bird flies upwards, crashing a hole through the ceiling of the ruin and flying out.
It is certainly not trying to escape. As a Challenger monster captured and placed inside a chest, its brain has been washed by the Challenger World, leaving only hostility towards humans. It simply needs more space to fight in the confined ruin. The side war vehicles pursue it outside. The advantage of being able to fly is once again evident. The Gold monster waits for them in the air, and they fly up to meet it. The two sides battle above the island, locked in a fierce struggle, though the side war vehicles clearly have the upper hand.
In other words, if Wei Huan doesn't intervene now, his melee team can easily kill Gold-tier Remnants Tribe deceiver, and the side war vehicles can defeat other Gold monsters. His war vehicle crew members are truly getting stronger and stronger. Soon, anything below Gold-tier will no longer require his action. As a leader, the greatest taboo is to do everything yourself. Why else would he command so many subordinates? Is it to have them cling to him and suck his blood? Commanding subordinates should make things easier and easier. Now that even Gold-tier monsters don't require his intervention, things are even simpler.
The battle between the side war vehicles and the Gold monster is also witnessed by nearby alliance forces. Envy is a given, but the key is that the strength Wei Huan currently demonstrates is the level they could potentially reach in the future. By following Wei Huan, they can also upgrade to Tier 6 war vehicles, possess side war vehicles, and gain the advantage of exploring ruins without crew members having to disembark. Not to mention, if Wei Huan goes to the Tier 6 world, will he not have Tier 7 or Tier 8 war vehicles? Therefore, following the right leader is extremely important!
"Before, in the civilizational competition with the Dark Beasts, I was always confused, not knowing how we could possibly defeat them. My family is still on Earth, and my child is only in elementary school. I don't want to die, and I lived in agony every day. But now, it feels like I haven't felt that agony for a long time.
Every time I see Boss Wei plowing the land and opening chests, seeing him grow stronger every day, I feel an intense sense of security. I am certain that as long as I follow him, there is a future. So, for the next war, I will apply to participate in the main combat. I hope to form a strategic alliance with Boss Wei as quickly as possible." The excited Captain pauses, then says: "Also, Boss Wei's war vehicle now has 900 additional slots. Don't you all have any ideas?"
Regardless of how many alliance war vehicles following Wei Huan are spies sent by other countries, there are always some people who simply want to follow him. The process of Wei Huan becoming stronger continuously "adds weight" to their hearts. Unconsciously, they naturally want to do something genuine, to contribute, even at the cost of their lives.
Wei Huan has never needed to lecture or mobilize anyone; he simply goes about his own business. But this is the charisma of a leader; it naturally makes people want to follow him.
Just then! The commotion from the battle between the side war vehicles and the Gold monster ultimately alerts the Royal Tribe on the same island.
"Hoo-la-la!" "Roar! Roar! Roar!"
A monstrous horde exceeding a hundred thousand strong moves towards the battlefield under the command of their "King." Wei Huan simultaneously receives three requests from alliance war vehicles to participate in the main combat.
"Granted."
Wei Huan immediately agrees. This has nothing to do with trust. Whether the three war vehicles are sincere or not, if they truly cause trouble, Wei Huan has enough confidence to handle the situation and protect his own crew members from injury. Of course, if they are sincere, it is even better. Humanity needs unity, and it begins now.
Wei Huan's "trust" is exchanged for loyalty. These three war vehicles belong to small countries and even represent their national hope. Theoretically, they should not take risks easily. It would be difficult for these small countries, with populations under a million, to pool their resources to build a Tier 5 war vehicle again. But likewise, once they confirm their objective, they will fight hard and contribute because they believe Wei Huan can see their efforts, and they need his trust.
"It seems our upgrade to a Tier 6 war vehicle has stimulated many people," Mu Zhong says, having come to Wei Huan's Commander's Room instead of the main cockpit, talking to him while monitoring the battle.
Wei Huan replies: "It's still too early."
"What?" Mu Zhong is slightly distracted, then realizes, "Are you talking about trusting them? Yes, it's still too early. This is only the first battle, and it's a favorable one. We can't see their sincerity."
"Without going to the Tier 6 world, the possibility of a difficult battle is also small."
"Don't worry. Just display your strength. Leave the rest to me. I will make them follow us wholeheartedly. In time, they will become true comrades."
Wei Huan doesn't say anything, only raising his hand to touch the back of Mu Zhong's hand, grasping it.
Royal Tribes are both difficult and easy to kill. First, they usually gather in open areas and have their own territories. war vehicles can participate in the battle, and if they are losing, they only need to turn around and flee a certain distance to disengage, unlike the Chest monsters, which fight to the death. However, because they are in a "tribal" form and a King-tier, their numbers are very large, usually around a hundred thousand. Fighting them is like a territory battle, requiring a sufficient number of soldiers and tactical formations.
Additionally, King-tier Tribes do not drop miscellaneous equipment. They only drop high-tier materials related to their species. In the past, the Pioneer Corps preferred to kill King-tier Tribes. If they truly couldn't win, retreating allowed them to disengage and preserve their strength to fight again. Wei Huan is the opposite; he likes opening chests and exploring ruins because they yield more valuable items—equipment, weapons, potions, and blueprints—which contribute greatly to his improvement. It doesn't matter that the drop rate for core materials in Gold-tier Chests is very low; he can kill Platinum and Diamond-tier monsters, and none will escape once encountered.
But since this Royal Tribe has already initiated combat, he has no reason to avoid the fight. Time to engage. Who is afraid of a positional battle? Who is afraid of a horde battle? Hmph!
The Undead army, who had a rare break from fighting, is summoned by Wei Huan. Coordinating with the war vehicles, they rush towards the Royal Tribe in an overwhelming tide. The next second, the two sides collide fiercely.
"Boom!"
A large-scale battle, unseen for some time, commences. Wei Huan crosses his legs, the green flame lit in his left eye, a comfortable smile playing on his lips. His hand still holds Mu Zhong's, slowly squeezing the joint of his ring finger, where the perfectly sized ring rests.
A satisfying victory comes quickly. The captains of the alliance war vehicles, who experienced such a scene for the first time and achieved a great victory, are flushed with excitement, wishing they could do it a few more times. But not long after, the AI announces that Wei Huan's war vehicle has sent a message: all crews are to set off and return at full speed.
"Ah? We're going back already?"
"Did we find some materials?"
"This kind of fighting could continue indefinitely; it wasn't enough."
"Did Boss Wei say why?"
No explanation is given. Furthermore, once the notification is sent out, Wei Huan's war vehicle turns back and heads home, not even stopping to open chests on the way—focused solely on the return journey. The other accompanying alliance war vehicles are full of questions and continuous speculation but dare not inquire too much. They silently follow Wei Huan's war vehicle for a full week before leaving the uninhabited zone.
As soon as they leave the uninhabited zone, Wei Huan's war vehicle sends a message—this time a video call. Mu Zhong's face appears on the screen, smiling as he says: "Thank you all for your cooperation during this time. I will contact you before the next operation, and you can arrange your participation based on your circumstances. Now, farewell, and may we meet again."
Having said this, Mu Zhong unilaterally closes the communication before anyone else can ask questions. Subsequently, the white side war vehicle, which had been accompanying the other war vehicles, suddenly increases its altitude until it reaches a thousand meters in the sky. With a whoosh, it vanishes from everyone's sight, moving at a speed far exceeding 3000 kilometers per hour.
After completing the farewell, Mu Zhong looks at the screen, which is once again black, the smile on his face gone. He looks at his reflection on the screen, frowning slightly.
"Boss Mu, it's been over a week. When do you think the Boss will be back?" Liu Chengzhi, who has lingered after bringing coffee, asks worriedly.
Mu Zhong turns his head, the habitual smile returning to his face, saying: "He'll be back when the assessment is complete. Don't worry. I haven't seen anything in this world that can stump your Boss."
"I just don't know what the Colossus's assessment is. I'm just worried about the nature power. Will the Boss be unsuited to the environment during the assessment?" Liu Chengzhi frowns deeply.
Mu Zhong sighs, falling silent. Just eight days ago, shortly after the battle with the Royal Tribe ended, as they were about to continue, the Colossus, which had been flickering with light for days, finally seemed to have reached its limit. Its light flared intensely, and the aura of natural power filled the Commander's Room. A portal appeared before the two of them. Wei Huan walked into it and hasn't returned since. The portal also disappeared.
Mu Zhong had no choice but to choose to return. Without Wei Huan, their war vehicle, although capable of opening Gold Chests, had too low a risk tolerance. Rather than risking further advance, it was better to return and recuperate.
After being comforted by Mu Zhong, Liu Chengzhi finally temporarily sets aside his worries and leaves. Once Mu Zhong is alone in the Commander's Room again, he looks at the empty room and the equally empty feeling inside. Mu Zhong never imagined that one person could occupy so much space in his life. Losing Wei Huan has left him completely hollow.
"It will be fine," he tells himself. That is Wei Huan, after all.
*
This is an endless forest. The trees are tall and dense, each over a hundred meters high. The lush green branches grow to the highest point, fiercely absorbing the light, which leaves the base of the trees dark and rotting, never seeing the sun year-round.
Wei Huan has been walking in this forest for over half an hour. He does not know where the other participants in the assessment are, or if they are in the same environment as him. However, for him, it has been a rare outdoor excursion so far.
Dot-Mom is summoned as his mount. The three-hundred-meter-tall Dot-Mom, with legs alone being 280 meters, walks through this seemingly tall forest as if strolling through slightly overgrown grasslands. Wei Huan, sitting on Dot-Mom's back, takes in the beautiful scenery. The Ghost Crows has long been released to guard a 15-kilometer perimeter. Since no news has come from it during this time, it indicates safety. Gut-Bro leads the Wolves through the ground.
Although the ground environment is not ideal, it does not affect the light and agile wolves. The ground swamp is useless against the lightweight skeletons. If the ground space is filled by the Wolves army, then the safety in the air is managed by Doggo, leading the Burrow Beast Mother and the Facehuggers.
In short, since being teleported in, apart from having no clear objective, Wei Huan has not felt any difficulty. In this world, apart from plants, no other life forms can be seen. There are not even earthworms or similar insects in the soil.
Wei Huan thinks of something and summons Moji to confirm that there is indeed no anomaly in the surroundings before stopping his Undead Hand. Moji, finally free, jolts up and, without looking at Wei Huan, jumps off Dot-Mom's back, quickly disappearing into the forest. Moji has suffered during this time. For a child with ADHD, being restricted from moving every day is indeed a form of torture.
After Moji leaves, Wei Huan, having nothing to do for a moment, turns his attention to the Colossus that accompanied him here. The volleyball-sized round stone emits the power of nature and floats lightly beside him like a balloon, showing no obvious abnormality. Wei Huan recalls how he obtained the Colossus. It was after completing the Tier 4 Highway Assessment, from the hands of a General Gao Song of the Haisang Tree nation. At that time, he did not participate in the battle where Daxia deployed aircraft carriers to confront the Omura power group along the Haisang Tree coastline. Instead, upon receiving orders, he directly landed on the island to transfer intelligence, and by a strange coincidence, he captured 300 Aosam soldiers outside their base. He clearly remembers that one comrade died at that time.
Afterward, Mu Dehao gave him this Colossus. Originally, this Colossus belonged to General Gao Song. General Gao Song was a Druid and a master of natural power. The Colossus is also a source of natural power. Wei Huan initially wanted Mu Zhong to enter and undergo the assessment, but Mu Zhong is a support class, and participating in the assessment might be dangerous, so only he, a master of the power of death, could participate in the assessment. During this period, many people told him that the assessment is not tied to sequence; this Colossus is split into too many pieces, and many different sequence users have obtained the assessment qualification.
However, although it is called an assessment, what exactly is being assessed? Wei Huan frowns, about to summon the Colossus to his hand for further study, when he suddenly looks up sharply.
He sees an expanse of red light ignite in the extreme distance. The red light spreads rapidly, arriving over Wei Huan's head in just a few breaths. The scarlet color presses down on the originally azure sky, mixing to form an ominous purple. Immediately, a terrifying force presses downwards. White clouds scatter, all things are hushed, and Wei Huan cannot help but hold his breath.
Wei Huan can sense that this celestial phenomenon is not something that people at their current level can produce, let alone explore or confront. Without a doubt, this is a more powerful force that transcends them. Instead of being afraid upon discovering the anomaly, Wei Huan becomes excited. After more than half an hour of aimless wandering, he finally has a goal. There must be an anomaly in the direction the red light is spreading. Like a guide, he should go and see.
With a thought, the Undead army accelerates fiercely. Dot-Mom gently floats, taking to the air, flying directly towards the location of the anomaly. After Wei Huan leaves, the Wolves, unable to keep up on the ground, are recalled by the Undead Hand to the Great Tomb the instant they exceed the summoning range. Subsequently, Gut-Bro is summoned separately. He reappears and now rests on the left side of Wei Huan's throne, with the clumsy Big Bear on the right.
Dot-Mom's full-speed travel is faster than a Tier 4 war vehicle, approaching 2000 kilometers per hour. Despite her immense size, she still streaks across the sky as an afterimage. After speeding for a while, Wei Huan's eyes slowly open and close. A "caw, caw, caw" sound echoes above his head. He turns his gaze to the left. At an unknown number of kilometers away, the Ghost Crow has finally detected signs of humans and is heading in the same direction as them.
He doesn't know which country they are from, but it should not be Captain Fang. There are likely no humans on Earth who do not know his abilities now, let alone Captain Fang, who would definitely signal him to meet upon seeing the Ghost Crow. Since they are not his people, there is no need to pay attention to them. Who knows if this assessment is first-come, first-served? Wei Huan does not stop, quickly leaving the rarely-seen humans behind.
Subsequently, Wei Huan encounters three more people, one less than two kilometers away from him. The person seems to have detected his Undead early on. After climbing to the top of the highest tree to observe, he stands up and waves vigorously. Wei Huan sees his dark skin and looks away, not bothering to acknowledge him. Wei Huan was reborn to save humanity, but that doesn't mean he has to bring others along for an assessment that might yield benefits.
After passing this person, no other signs of humans appear ahead. Wei Huan's expression is a little grim upon realizing this. Could it be that because his strength is higher and his movement speed is fast, he was thrown to the furthest location? Unfortunately, since he still doesn't know what this assessment is, Wei Huan can only continue to press forward.
After pressing forward for over an hour, covering a straight-line distance of nearly three thousand kilometers, the surroundings finally show a difference. The red-purple color of the sky is disappearing, replaced by a dark, purplish hue that is more oppressive. Wei Huan calls a halt to Dot-Mom and cautiously observes the area. Finally, his gaze falls on the forest below.
Unbeknownst to him, the branches and leaves of these forests have developed faint purple spots. Although no abnormality can be seen yet, the faint, fluorescent purple spots give a bad feeling. Moreover, this purple color intensifies the further Wei Huan travels.
Wei Huan's brows are tightly furrowed, sensing a bad omen. With a thought, he asks Sister Crow: "What's the situation ahead?" Sister Crow's intelligence is still not high, but she can detect anomalies. She quickly appears before Wei Huan's face, making a "caw, caw, caw" sound.
Fifteen kilometers ahead, all the trees have turned purple. Although the purplish trees look normal, closer inspection reveals that the edges of the leaves are curled, like a kind of toxic pollution. This purple color should be harmful. Wei Huan lowers his eyes and thinks for a moment. The portal behind him opens. Moji, who had only recently gained freedom, is teleported out again.
A minute later, the Undead Hand restraining Moji disappears. Moji once again jumps off Dot-Mom's back shell, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye. Wei Huan closes his eyes, not issuing any new commands for a long time.
After a while, the Undead army begins to retreat, backing up over three hundred kilometers until no trace of purple can be seen in the forest anymore.
Yes, Wei Huan does not intend to rush in. This Colossus assessment was not part of his plan for growth; it was merely a heaven-sent opportunity. However, it is hard to say whether it is an opportunity for Wei Huan. The danger is equally significant. Wei Huan is always cautious, especially since he constantly remembers his mission of rebirth. While he dares not claim to be the son of destiny who can change the fate of humanity, it is undeniable that since his rebirth, humanity has slowly moved away from a destined defeat and gained the ability to resist the Dark Beast Lords.
Wei Huan dares not take risks easily. So, since this is an unknown change, what does it matter if he observes first? Furthermore, even if he takes a step back and does not participate in this assessment, not coveting any reward from the trial, only ensuring his own safety, what is the problem with that?