Wei Huan was already contemplating the problem of escape. He then realized that the fissure looked familiar. Looking at it this way, wasn't it the exact shape of the massive structure they were currently inside, diagonally plunged into the ground?
"Did you find anything?" Yake, who had looked around, noticed the anomaly on Wei Huan's face. Following Wei Huan's gaze to the ceiling, he seemed to notice the difference too.
Then Aglis also looked up: "You said the assessment world is round, so is this our map?"
Captain Fang William was still continuously healing the sapling. Although he didn't know if this was effective, he didn't stop, merely reminding them: "A map wouldn't appear for no reason. This must be a clear clue."
Wei Huan pointed to the two ends: "Therefore, these two sides are crucial."
"You mean those two giants?"
"I'm certain I didn't see them during the previous exploration, but without other clues, it's worth going back to check."
"I think so too, but how do we leave here?"
"The dome is about to break..."
"Crack!" As Yake's last sentence fell, a huge chunk of the dome fissured, and the branched cracks also increased. Some small, fragmented black stones rustled down.
"This place is going to collapse."
"If it collapses, we'll get out."
"Are you sure we'll get out alive?"
"If the four of us are together, and we can't survive even with our combined effort, this trial is destined for total annihilation."
"I, I can also contribute some strength," Jones spoke tentatively.
Fang William said: "Also, I have reason to believe this sapling is key. If it's a reward, we must ensure it survives the collapse. If protecting it is the goal of the assessment, then it's even more crucial to stay alive."
"Tsk!" Aglis thought of something and reminded them, "And those people who scattered. I don't want them to die again just after we saved them."
"I'll handle it!"
As Wei Huan spoke, a portal appeared behind him. With a sound like "Eeeh," Dot-Mom, towering over 320 meters high, walked out of the portal. Her enormous body acted like a giant umbrella, shielding them. Her eight long legs plunged deep into the ground.
Then, a massive number of Facehuggers and Burrow Beasts poured out of her abdominal cavity. They moved in an orderly fashion, like a construction crew, wrapping around Dot-Mom's body. In the blink of an eye, a gigantic, towering Bone Fortress was constructed.
The visibility darkened. Wei Huan and the others were protected beneath the Bone Fortress.
"What a cool ability," Aglis praised, then added, "I also have some defensive capabilities. Although not as strong as yours, I can add some cushioning power."
With that, blood mist emerged from Aglis again, quickly filling all the gaps in the framework of the Bone Fortress. The blood mist then rapidly became dense, transforming into a gelatinous filling, like concrete filling the steel frame, further reinforcing the Bone Fortress.
Yake wasn't idle either; he tried to dig a shelter downwards.
"Deeper underground might be safer... So hard." After digging down barely a meter, Yake spoke in surprise. His words attracted everyone's attention, and they soon realized that the ground was protected by demonic runes, preventing them from digging deeper.
Aglis was confused: "Do we have to dig down? Won't we be buried alive?"
Yake said: "It's a burial either way. We need to withstand the first wave before we can figure out a way out."
"Let me process this..." Aglis pointed at the sapling that Captain Fang was continuously purifying: "This place is about to collapse. We need to protect the sapling, so we have to forcibly endure an unknown amount of damage? And for that, we need to dig a hole for ourselves?"
Yake nodded.
Aglis said: "Who can guarantee this is correct? What if we get flattened..."
But before Aglis could say more, Wei Huan interjected: "It took us a long time to get here. We can't escape. The sapling also tells us that we must stay here."
Wei Huan then looked at Jones: "Help gather the others."
Jones nodded, immediately going to execute Wei Huan's order without a word.
Jones went outside the Bone Fortress, summoned his Snow Ape, climbed to the highest point of the Bone Fortress, and continuously waved his arms, guiding the challengers to come for shelter.
One after another, the scattered people regrouped.
During this time, the four of them discussed countermeasures, but Aglis still had doubts. Captain Fang had to speak up: "I believe everyone has seen equipment of Platinum-grade and above. From the suffix, it's clear that the Stars and the Titans are more like divine powers on our side. Therefore, I don't believe the original intention of a natural assessment possibly related to the Titans is to eliminate all of us. Don't forget, the core of the Challenge World is growth and confrontation, not deliberate slaughter of humans. If we cooperate well, there shouldn't be a problem."
Aglis sighed: "Fine, I know all that. I just want to remind you, is there no other way? Like, since you can't dig down, can you dig up?"
Wei Huan raised an eyebrow, looking at Captain Fang...
"Thud!"
Large chunks of black rock fell, slamming onto the Bone Fortress. A white mark was left on the Bone Fortress, and the rock was thrown far away. This was just the beginning. The sky seemed to be collapsing, and more large and small rocks fell.
Jones ran back, holding his head. His Snow Ape howled behind him, a large patch of its fur gone, dripping blood. Wei Huan quickly scanned the area. One person was still missing: Denton, the "immigrant."
"Thud, thud, thud!" More rocks slammed down, and the ground trembled.
Wei Huan decided not to wait any longer and completely sealed the entrance, making the Bone Fortress even more robust. However, Wei Huan was not completely certain that a Bone Fortress, even reinforced with flesh and blood, could withstand the pressure of a collapse spanning hundreds of kilometers.
"Everyone use your abilities, or we'll all die here!" someone shouted at a critical moment.
The panic-stricken crowd finally reacted. There were 14 people in total, with Druids being the most numerous, as this assessment exuded the power of nature, suggesting a Druid training ground. A Druid transformed into a Tree Man, rooting himself in the soil, then called out: "Help me, everyone."
The other four Druids cast the power of nature without being told. The Tree Man Druid received the energy, and its branches began to grow wildly, reaching a hundred meters high in a flash. The thick canopy filled the internal space of the Bone Fortress, giving them further cushioning. This form obviously consumed a lot of energy. Including the four Druids, they could no longer move, sitting cross-legged and continuously outputting the power of nature.
The remaining people, whose sequences couldn't directly help, were not idle either. They channeled their energy. If the Bone Fortress started to collapse, they would use their abilities to crush the massive rocks as much as possible.
But before that, Yake had already raised his pistol towards the sky. As his eyes turned gold, his finger pulled the trigger of the pistol. With a "bang," the bullet disappeared the second it left the barrel. Then, a "boom" explosion was heard far away. Yake used his ability to directly teleport the bullet outside, destroying some falling rocks that might have damaged the Bone Fortress.
'Cool!' Wei Huan even spared him a second glance.
Then. "Bang, bang, bang!" For a moment, all that could be heard was Yake's gunfire and the apocalyptic collapse outside.
The speed of the collapse was actually faster than expected. In less than a minute, Yake's face suddenly changed dramatically: "It's no use!"
As his words fell, the entire world seemed to darken. Then, the Bone Fortress made a "crackling" sound, like firecrackers igniting, shattering all the way down.
"Eeeh!" Wei Huan could feel Dot-Mom's pain and tension in that cry. But ultimately, even a giant like Dot-Mom could not withstand the pressure of hundreds of kilometers of falling rock. It completely shattered and returned to the Great Tomb.
Without the protection of the Bone Fortress, everyone realized how terrifying this huge rock was. The feeling was as if the entire planet was pressing down. The Tree Man's supposed protection failed completely, collapsing instantly.
Darkness enveloped them. The frightening power of nature sent chills down their spines.
"Ah!"
"Can't stop it!"
"Regret! Why did I come here?!"
Screams and unwilling roars sounded everywhere.
In the midst of the chaos, no one noticed that the faces of the four strongest individuals, including Wei Huan, were tense but devoid of despair in their eyes.
At their level, it was impossible not to have calculated a fallback. After all, even if it was hundreds of kilometers thick, it was just pure physical damage without the power of laws. Humanity had evolved to the point where they couldn't be killed by missiles; this was far from a hopeless situation. The reason the crowd panicked was simply that they didn't yet know how strong they truly were.
Just as the boundless giant rock was pressing down, a "clang" exploded in their ears just before it landed on their heads. A streak of golden light swept across, and the giant rock was actually blocked three meters away. Wei Huan turned to look at Captain Fang, whose expression was solemn, and then at the golden light.
This was Captain Fang's most terrifying move—the [Invincibility Halo]. A skill with a rule-based ability that can ignore any attack for ten seconds. This move is unsolvable for anyone who encounters it. Not to mention that the falling rock was just infinitely large. The rock had no power of laws and could be easily blocked by the Invincibility Halo!
However, it only lasted for ten seconds.
"Why are you still screaming?" Aglis looked at those who were scared stiff, rolling her eyes and commanding, "Attack upwards! Smash these rocks! The harder, the better!"
Although some didn't understand immediately, Aglis's prestige made them launch their full attacks without thinking.
The hands of the Arch-Mage launched fire spells. Passing through the Invincibility Halo, they struck the giant rock, instantly creating huge scorched cracks. The depth of the upward split was as if a mountain had been cleaved. Upon seeing how large the crack they created was, the Arch-Mage seemed to realize that the falling rocks above them were not as terrifying as they had imagined.
"Hurry up, Ranged! We can split it open!" the excited Arch-Mage shouted, launching one spell after another with his left and right hands.
Others didn't know why, but at this moment, if someone told them to do something, they did it. Hunters were shooting arrows outward. While the damage wasn't like shooting tofu, the falling rocks were indeed not as hard as expected.
For a time, gunfire, the sound of magical incantations, Warriors swinging greatswords to chop, and Druids turning into bears to ram the giant rock filled the air. Everyone thought this was how they would escape.
Of course, it was impossible. It wasn't that simple. Captain Fang's Invincibility Halo had a time limit. What could be done in ten seconds was limited. Moreover, even if these Sequence Five's could cause long cracks with one strike, they only went a few hundred meters deep at most, but who knew if this falling rock was still over 200 kilometers thick?
Therefore, the few people caught up in the excitement didn't notice the calm expressions of the four strongest people behind them, nor did they notice Wei Huan summoning small Kobolds who "gobbled up" the large and small shattered rocks before they could fall.
Of course, someone quickly realized this, but that only made them fight more enthusiastically. Some even wanted to leave the area covered by the Invincibility Halo to go outside, but this time they were stopped by Yake.
It was also at this time that Captain Fang's Invincibility Halo disappeared. Ten seconds was up.
The boundless giant rock falling from the sky, like a brick being slapped down, slammed down with a "bang," tightly adhering to the ground. However, the space they were in was carved out in the shortest time possible, creating an area just large enough for them to stand.
"We did it!"
When everyone confirmed that they were indeed alive, they all showed expressions of excitement at the same time. Wei Huan also quietly let out a sigh of relief.
They celebrated briefly, then quickly quieted down, looking at the four people here. Surviving the rockfall was only the first step. Escaping here was the second step. And after getting out, how to continue the subsequent assessment? No one knew if there were third or fourth steps...
In the unknown future, no one knew where the danger lay, but instinctively, everyone here knew that as long as they followed these four people closely, they would survive. Wei Huan felt the respectful and trusting gazes. Even though he was quite accustomed to such gazes falling upon him, at this moment, looking at Captain Fang, Yake, and Aglis on his left and right, he felt a unique and slight thrill inside.
"Wei Huan, we'll have to trouble you next," Captain Fang looked at Wei Huan.
Wei Huan nodded. Handing the next task to him was indeed the most suitable course of action. With a thought, a portal appeared behind him, and one after another, Facehuggers were summoned. The white Facehuggers were half a meter wide, with white bone shells and eight legs on each side. Two small pincers were near their heads, making them look like crabs walking upright.
After they came out, they crawled up along the cracks, then found a large fissure to drill into and never came out again. Facehuggers continuously came out of the portal and disappeared into the cracks, interspersed with some Crows flying out, occasionally cawing above Wei Huan's head.
After waiting for about ten minutes, someone said uneasily: "Colonel Wei, I can help."
Wei Huan looked at him and nodded slightly. Jones then realized and immediately jumped up: "I'll go too." Wei Huan also nodded.
With two people volunteering, others could not sit idle here and also got up and left. Out of the 14 people, only the four of them remained. They exchanged glances and all had an idea.
Wei Huan said: "Yake and I will stay here to protect Captain Fang."
Captain Fang nodded: "This sapling is the most unique item in this assessment and must be the most critical."
Aglis rubbed her nose: "Then I'll go check on the excavation progress."
Aglis flew out along the crack, and after about a hundred meters, she arrived in another space. This area should have been a complete part of the falling rock, but in just this short period, a spiral channel upward had been dug out. The channel was two meters wide and tall. Aglis flew up for over a minute, reaching the end of the channel, but the length of the channel had already exceeded three kilometers.
The Facehuggers were truly the best engineering team in the world—orderly and diligent. Just in the time Aglis watched, they had dug forward more than ten meters. In contrast, the challengers, whose individual strength was far greater than the Facehuggers, had nothing to do but act as hammers at the very front, helping the Facehuggers loosen the rocks in advance, reducing their digging time.
Aglis used her ability. The blood mist, under her control, transformed into a pair of giant hands. Grabbing left and right, a hundred-meter area ahead was cleared. Grabbing again left and right, another hundred-meter area was dug out. This casual display showed the gap between absolute powerhouses and ordinary powerhouses.
The upward excavation project to escape was in another location, not far from where Wei Huan was. Initially, some sounds were transmitted, but now there was no sound at all. Captain Fang's halo continuously emitted a faint golden light, illuminating the area of less than two hundred square meters. If one moved slightly further away, nothing could be seen. There was a strange oppressive feeling, like being deep in the ocean.
The three men did not speak, each sitting cross-legged as if resting their eyes. Wei Huan used the Facehuggers to make a low-profile seat this time, lying down on it as if asleep. However, the continuous stream of Facehuggers running out of the portal behind him indicated that he was not asleep.
However, during this time, Yake got up twice, and Aglis came back once, but Wei Huan never moved.
"Is he asleep?" Aglis was a little surprised and quietly asked Yake.
Yake also whispered: "He hasn't moved from this posture for a long time. Perhaps he's in the Profession Temple."
"Can he still control the Undead in the Profession Temple?"
Yake shook his head, confused: "I'm not sure, but don't disturb him."
"I know."
Captain Fang came back to his senses and heard the conversation between the two of them. He also looked at Wei Huan. The initial bone seat had somehow turned into a lounge chair, looking very comfortable. The digging work, however, never stopped, and he didn't know how it was being managed.
Captain Fang smiled and looked away, about to close his eyes again, when his pupils suddenly constricted. His gaze landed on the sapling, and he opened his eyes wide in surprise.
"One, two, three..." He counted again. It was correct. The Twelve-Leaf Sapling was missing one leaf. It was too obvious; he couldn't have been mistaken.
Captain Fang's anomaly immediately drew the attention of the other two. Aglis casually asked: "What's wrong, Captain Fang?"
Captain Fang didn't answer but said: "Come and see."
"A leaf is missing?"
"It's not on the ground either?"
"Did it just suddenly disappear?"
"Ah! Look!"
Before they could find the truth, right before the three of them, another leaf trembled, voluntarily falling from the sapling, then turning into a green light and disappearing. Aglis, sharp-eyed, pointed her finger in the direction the green light floated, and it landed on Wei Huan: "Ah, he, he, he did something?"
"Quiet," Captain Fang, realizing something, immediately cut off Aglis's noisy chattering.
Yake, meanwhile, said: "Did he gain some insight through this sapling?"
"Tsk!" Aglis reacted: "No way? How could the assessment reward be given to him?"
Captain Fang immediately retorted: "This may not be the assessment reward. Besides, the four of us are here. If he can grasp it, that's his ability."
Aglis rolled her eyes: "Are you protecting him? I can't even say a word when he takes the reward?"
"I already said, everyone relies on their own ability in this assessment, and this may not be the assessment reward." As he said this, Captain Fang, who hadn't moved since coming in, stood up and slowly walked in front of Wei Huan. Staring at Aglis, he said: "You can try too, but don't interrupt him."
Aglis bit her lower lip until it was red. Her eyes darted around, and finally, she sat down next to the sapling in a huff. As she watched, another leaf trembled slightly. She watched it fall and then transform into a green light, which also floated toward Wei Huan.
At this point, Aglis didn't care about being angry anymore. She quickly closed her eyes. Although she didn't know how Wei Huan did it, she had to try. Who knew what kind of boost this thing would bring?
Yake, on the side, was different from Aglis. He opened his eyes instead, staring intently at Wei Huan, lost in thought. Seeing Captain Fang watching him vigilantly, he quickly explained: "I owe Wei Huan a great favor. Rest assured, I won't disturb him. Besides, we've been here for so long and haven't gotten those leaves. It truly is Colonel Wei's ability to obtain them."
Aglis, squatting by the sapling, suddenly spoke: "Do you think it would be the same if I just picked it?"
"Aglis," Yake quickly stopped her: "You should know it wouldn't be the same."
Aglis's hand had already touched the leaf, but she pulled it back. She bit her fingertip, not speaking, her expression very complex. Ultimately, she did not forcefully act but closed her eyes again, trying to call upon the sapling for a response.
Watching Aglis calm down again, Yake also breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the stern-faced Captain Fang and then at Wei Huan, who seemed to be sleeping. With Captain Fang protecting him, no one could attack Wei Huan.
Once Wei Huan woke up normally, no one here would be his match. This was purely a combat strength assessment.
But even if the assessment result was that their side had a higher chance of winning, Yake would not act. If humanity continued to kill itself, it would be doomed. Especially the four human powerhouses—losing any one of them would tilt the balance of this war of civilization.
Of course, Yake still felt a little regretful. He wondered why the great encounter wasn't his, or Aglis's, for that matter. Was it destined that this was the era of Daxia? Everyone was here, so why was Wei Huan chosen? What exactly did Wei Huan do?