The excitement gradually faded. The people on the war vehicle were already used to Gold-grade equipment; they had seen too much of it. The excitement was more of a delayed display of the thrill and high excitement of arriving in the Tier 6 world.
Once the initial burst of excitement passed, everyone returned to their posts—those who needed training trained, and those on rotation rested.
Xu Qingqiang gathered his two hundred criminal Challengers, held a meeting to summarize, and invited Instructor Xing and the strategists to assist him. He was managing his subordinates in a proper manner.
When Wei Huan saw this, he suddenly recalled Xu Qingqiang's background. His father was an anti-drug police officer, working undercover and anonymously for years. His mother raised him at home. Although he was never a quiet child, being a little mischievous was fine. If he didn't have any major flaws, and grew up to be excellent in all aspects, he would likely have pursued a career in the military or police. The sudden arrival of the Challenger World disrupted everything. Many children became orphans overnight. Although the country quickly established welfare homes, Xu Qingqiang's intended future was completely shattered.
Was this now a rectification of disorder? He had finally reached this position, inheriting his father's legacy.
Wei Huan smiled, looking at Xu Qingqiang, who was trying to be serious and establish his authority, and then shifted his gaze elsewhere. He saw Mu Zirui and Yake together, talking in low voices. Mu Zirui's expression was respectful, occasionally showing sudden realization. And Yake, thanks to his conversation with Mu Zirui, shed more of his faint melancholy, speaking with a modest smile and a graceful demeanor.
***
After surveying the scene, Wei Huan remembered that eight hours had passed since he entered the Tier 6 world. Usually, by this time, he should be cultivating in the Professional Temple. Not today. The highway assessment was a process of adapting to the new world beforehand. Furthermore, since he had lost his precognitive ability, he had to be extra cautious in this assessment.
Temporarily free, Wei Huan simply relaxed, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes to rest. He inadvertently drifted into a light sleep.
He was awakened by the AI Butler.
"Hello, Captain. We are approaching the edge of the world. The sea waves here are highly volatile. Vice Captain Mu asked me to inquire if you wish for the team to continue advancing."
Wei Huan was already alert upon hearing this. After sitting up straight, he didn't answer the AI but directly contacted Mu Zhong. Mu Zhong was in the driving cabin, in his driver's seat. His seat was at the very front of the war vehicle, and Wei Huan could no longer see him directly from his current position.
Mu Zhong said, "We should be fine at the edge of the world, but the other war vehicles might struggle greatly. However, if we leave them behind to gather and wait, monster clusters might refresh."
Wei Huan realized that Mu Zhong wanted to achieve both safety and progress, but that would only complicate things for himself. Unwilling to make things difficult for Mu Zhong, Wei Huan said, "The monsters have already been intercepted by us. Can't they even drive?"
Wei Huan didn't want to make things difficult for Mu Zhong, nor for himself, so the difficulty naturally fell to the others. They weren't infants in swaddling clothes; they couldn't expect to take no risks and be taken care of in every aspect. Besides, if it was just a harsh environment, a Tier 5 war vehicle might struggle but wouldn't be destroyed. Since they didn't have to fight world monsters, why couldn't they follow?
Mu Zhong actually shared this thought, but he always felt the need to ask. He was indeed somewhat indecisive, mainly because he always wanted to achieve a perfect outcome. But reality rarely offers such perfection. Wei Huan's decisiveness was what he envied most; this ability to shoulder everything was the most beautiful quality in a leader.
Mu Zhong received his answer and turned back to his work.
Wei Huan naturally couldn't fall back asleep, so he simply got up, left his room, and headed to the driving cabin.
After upgrading to Tier 7, the driving cabin had only 30 driver seats. Now, those stationed here were mostly talents from the Driver Sequence. Their profession meant their talents were better suited for handling this work. As for the veterans and combat/management staff who originally had seats there, their seats were in the combat conference room, but few were sitting there now. The presence of those seats was more a symbol of position and status.
Wei Huan walked past the drivers and came to Mu Zhong's side. Mu Zhong had already seen Wei Huan's reflection in the glass and smiled before he got close, "Why did you come over?"
"Just to see." Wei Huan walked to Mu Zhong's seat, placing one hand on the armrest and leaning close to Mu Zhong. He then bent slightly and asked in a low voice, "Tired?"
Mu Zhong's ear was brushed by the warm air, and his earlobe fluttered slightly, tinged with a faint blush. He looked at Wei Huan and smiled, "Not tired. Were you just sleeping?"
"Did you come over?"
"Mmm. It wasn't anything important, so I didn't wake you when I saw you sleeping."
"Since you knew, I'll take over the shift. You should rest."
"It's not that I'm insistent; I also want to see what the boundary of this world looks like."
"I have a guess."
"Me too. That makes me even more eager for the answer."
"Alright, I'll keep you company here." There was a hint of doting helplessness in Wei Huan's eyes. His hand, which had been resting on the chair back, fell, hooking a strand of Mu Zhong's hair and slowly, intimately twining it.
Wei Huan's war vehicle was Tier 6, and a large portion of its vehicle components had been upgraded over the past few months. Unfortunately, their luck was poor; they had collected enough materials for the Tier 7 shield, but the blueprint had never dropped. They couldn't acquire it even by purchasing globally.
If they had the Tier 7 shield, expanding it to protect the war vehicles trailing behind them, this journey to the world boundary would be no different from a tourist trip. But with the current Tier 6 shield, expanding it too much would consume far more energy, and it could be broken by the undercurrents at any moment.
Mu Zhong's final method was to have the war vehicles with Tier 6 shields protect those without, shrinking the shields as much as possible to better resist the strength of the wind and waves. Yake's and Xu Qingqiang's vehicles were both deployed. Although Wei Huan couldn't activate the Tier 7 shield, he continuously deployed the Tier 6 shield. He kept two upgraded Challenger vehicles for his crew and handed the rest over to Mu Dehao and the state.
These two vehicles, plus the war vehicles from the major powers that had mostly upgraded to Tier 6 shields, could generally achieve a one-on-one protection ratio. The three remaining vehicles were brought inside Wei Huan's war vehicle's shield.
After this brief reorganization, setting off again became much smoother.
***
Although most of the followers didn't understand why Wei Huan insisted on risking going to the world boundary, they had no right to object and could only grit their teeth and follow.
There were monsters in the waves, and relatively more high-grade treasure chests. Within slightly over an hour, they opened three Silver Chests. The monsters seemed highly adapted to the turbulent environment, which made them a bit harder to kill due to the shifting conditions. Of course, no matter how hard they were to kill, they couldn't stop Wei Huan's progress, and they all returned to the darkness of the Challenger World, contributing materials and equipment to Wei Huan.
Finally, three hours later, they reached the world boundary. In truth, reaching here left them all somewhat battered. A Tier 6 shield battling the Tier 6 world's waves would quickly deplete its energy and shatter. Everyone had to time their maneuvers precisely to enter the protective range of other war vehicles. After all, the shield needed about three minutes to recharge and reactivate. If a Tier 5 war vehicle were exposed to the impact during that time, it would likely explode after only a few hits. Furthermore, the energy consumption was exceptionally high.
Fortunately, with increasingly seamless cooperation, the journey was safe, though not without danger. The war vehicles now stopped at the world's edge. This was a place almost no one had ever been to, and they couldn't help but look around with wide eyes.
"Record everything. This is crucial intelligence."
"What was the purpose of coming here? Just to look?"
"My god, I feel like I'm inside a fish tank full of water, and the barrier in front of us is like a transparent glass."
"So, this world really only has water, no sky? No land? Only endless deep sea?"
"This world is utterly suffocating."
Faced with this result, Wei Huan and Mu Zhong exchanged knowing looks that confirmed their suspicions. They often traveled to the world boundaries, as the harsher the environment, the more good things there tended to be. So, they had initially suspected that this world might truly consist only of seawater.
Mu Zhong said, "I wonder if the assessment highway is the same as the Tier 6 world."
Wei Huan shook his head, "We'll find out when we get there."
Mu Zhong nodded, then changed the subject, "Oh, right. I had Orange Juice tap a pipe and pull the seawater here directly into the World Tree sapling. So far, everything looks good. And it clearly prefers this complex seawater composition over purified water."
Wei Huan was a bit surprised that Mu Zhong would try such an experiment.
Mu Zhong said, "So, if everything goes well, when Captain Fang brings the World Tree over... the final result might be even better than we imagined."
Wei Huan nodded. That was indeed the case.
After a brief chat, they prepared to head back. Since they had seen it and knew the answer, it was time to return to the normal adventuring environment. This place was too energy-consuming, and the assessment world had a time limit.
However, Wei Huan said, "This time, we're going down."
Mu Zhong raised an eyebrow. Wei Huan had fewer and fewer future clues he could control, but he knew that, apart from a few floating ruins, the true relics were on the seabed. To find good things, they had to go to the seabed.
Wei Huan didn't explain, and Mu Zhong didn't ask. Once Wei Huan decided, Mu Zhong only needed to execute the plan. Mu Zhong was a very astute person. He knew exactly what to ask and what not to ask. Even though their relationship was intimate, it was precisely because he cherished this bond that he was careful to nurture it and avoid stepping on forbidden ground.
The happiest ones to leave were, of course, the other accompanying war vehicles. Most of them had zero interest in exploring the world's edge, nor were they keen on figuring out how humanity could establish a base in the deep-sea world. In short, the tall people would deal with the falling sky; it wasn't their concern.
***
However, the captain of the Aosam war vehicle chatted with his second-in-command on the way back: "Wei Huan advocated bringing the World Tree sapling to the Tier 6 world. During that time, almost all countries opposed it, and there was a strong voice demanding that the World Tree be planted immediately to benefit humanity. But now I understand why Daxia insisted on Wei Huan's proposal. The horror of the deep-sea world exceeds human imagination. Without the World Tree, the natural environment alone in this world will destroy us."
His second-in-command also sighed with emotion, "Colonel Wei is a great man. His emergence changed the fate of humanity on Blue Star. If humanity ultimately prevails in the future, the greatest credit belongs to Colonel Wei."
"Extreme individual worship?" The captain said this, and seeing the sudden look of apprehension in his deputy's eyes, he smiled reassuringly, "I also greatly admire Wei Huan, and I trust him more than I trust myself. That is why I am here, even having signed a life-and-death agreement. I believe all of you are. We trust that Wei Huan can lead us to victory and ultimately build a new world in the Tier 6 world."
Wei Huan, of course, was unaware of such conversations. He didn't know that the people inside the war vehicles from these various major powers actually greatly admired him and had voluntarily signed up to follow him.
The return journey was very lucky; they encountered another Gold Treasure Chest. Wei Huan chose to kill it on the spot. This was a two-headed Western giant dragon, even longer than the Subterranean Mother Beast. When it appeared, it cast a huge shadow like a mountain range. Being locked onto by its cold, ruthless eyes enveloped them in an intense sense of powerlessness and fear. Furthermore, one head could control water and the other could control wind. Coupled with its tough body, it was incredibly difficult to kill.
Wei Huan fought this battle for a full half hour, shaking the ground and raising enormous waves before finally killing it with difficulty.
These two consecutive encounters with Gold-grade monsters led everyone to a speculation about the Tier 7 world.
"They look like mythical creatures."
"Yes, they bear the shadows of some Blue Star myths, but those are divine beasts."
"A Hydra and a Two-Headed Evil Dragon are not divine beasts. At most, they are legendary magic beasts. I just never expected legendary magic beasts from human folklore to appear in the Challenger World."
"Legends arise from imagination, and some come from oral traditions spanning from ancient times to the present. Perhaps the ancients truly saw these magic beasts?"
"If that's the case, many countries' myths and legends mention that this world is vast, hundreds or tens of thousands of times bigger than it is now. Could this also be true? Legends becoming reality?"
"It's highly possible. Look, every time there's a major battlefield victory or defeat, Blue Star gains or loses a piece of land, and the added areas seamlessly connect with Blue Star's original land. Perhaps Blue Star was actually folded up?"
"The Challenger World... perhaps the process of our challenge is gradually unraveling these mysteries."
During the battle with the two-headed dragon, the twins carefully observed. This battle greatly impacted them. After a period of practice afterward, they pushed their ice and fire combination skill to a new level. In terms of both damage and sustained combat ability, their combined combat power established them among the top tier of the ranged group.
With the battle over, the melee classes returned, and the ranged classes also retreated from the combat platform. The vast ocean was once again left with only 18 war vehicles, floating under their blue-purple shields. After waiting a few minutes, the Ghost Crows returned to their positions, once again forming a 60-kilometer diameter "plowing zone" around the war vehicle.
This time, they headed diagonally downwards.
***
Another day passed. Their total progress was less than 20%, but they had once again reached the world boundary. This time, it was the seabed.
Everyone was now accustomed to the situation. Since they couldn't resist, they could only enjoy the journey. So, when they saw the seabed, everyone discussed it enthusiastically.
"So there is a seabed after all?"
"I thought the seabed would be blocked by invisible matter, just like the surface. It turns out there is soil. But this soil looks dead; no marine life seems to survive on it."
"The soil is pale. From a scientific perspective, this soil has virtually no nutrients."
"A dead sea. It's hard to imagine how we humans can gain a foothold in such an environment. The seabed environment is too harsh."
The more they learned, the more they understood the difficulty of the plight humanity faced. At this moment, even some short-sighted people began to grasp why Wei Huan was so stubbornly searching this highway.
"All I can say is that the perspective of a leader is different from ours. Every day I wake up, I only think about how to earn DKP for equipment, while some people are already thinking about the future of humanity."
"This is a highway assessment, and there's a time limit. Should we call this boldness due to superior skill?"
"I was quite afraid of timing out at first, but now I don't know why I'm not afraid anymore. Wei Huan has already mastered his own destiny; he won't let himself fall into genuine danger."
"Exactly. Before entering the Tier 6 world, he acquired another artifact shard. He must be close to collecting the complete artifact, right? With a powerhouse like that, we just follow and don't ask too many questions."
"I wish I had an artifact too..."
"I've given up on the artifact. I just wish I could get on the powerhouse's vehicle someday."
"The Captain should interact more with the powerhouse. Too bad our Captain is a woman."
"Even a man wouldn't work. Look at Grandmaster Mu; is he an ordinary person? A hundred of you and me wouldn't measure up to him—his ability, his looks, and his family background. I heard their love blossomed in adversity; if it weren't for the powerhouse, Grandmaster Mu would have died in the beginner assessment."
"Grandmaster Mu is a Dual Sequence, and he holds a Driver professional training ground. Now, all of Blue Star's mecha are supplied by Grandmaster Mu. I heard he had to stop production for half a month for this assessment. All the countries are weeping and praying for Grandmaster Mu to pass the assessment."
"Both husband and wife are formidable people, so don't even think about a honey trap."
"Hahaha..."
The seabed didn't seem to reach the very edge of the world, so there were fewer undercurrents and ocean currents, but there were far more world monsters hidden in the silt than elsewhere. These monsters not only lurked but also organized joint actions with their kind, forming encirclement rings ahead, only attacking after the war vehicles had fully entered the trap. Logically, there shouldn't be life in this dead seabed, but perhaps these monsters had adapted to the environment, or they were monsters temporarily placed there for the assessment.
But whatever they were, they couldn't stop Wei Huan and his team. Wei Huan didn't even bother to kill these world monsters, which could be called small fries; he simply rammed them with the war vehicle. Monsters scattered throughout the world don't have a definitive killing grudge, so they only pursue for a distance before disengaging and returning.
***
Treasure chests were scarce on the seabed, replaced by an increase in various ruins. Wei Huan had delayed some time exploring the world boundaries over the past two days, so he decided to explore only Gold-grade and higher ruins. Since they rarely encountered even one or two Gold-grade ruins a day, their travel speed greatly increased.
Everything went smoothly. With no Dark Beasts blocking their path, Wei Huan's strength made him feel completely at home in this world. Opening chests, killing monsters—seven days passed in the blink of an eye. Half an hour ago, they had crossed the 80% line, ensuring a base-level success, and they were now heading for the final boss. Once they killed the final boss, they would officially enter the Tier 6 world, and the Dark Beast race would be notified that the Tier 6 opening battle was about to begin.
Ignoring the expected dismay of the Dark Beast race, which would delight all of humanity, Wei Huan's side also had a fruitful time these past few days. They averaged one Gold Treasure Chest a day, and opened Silver Treasure Chests until their hands were numb, though low-grade chests were fewer. Furthermore, they hadn't encountered any Platinum or Diamond Chests along the way. Wei Huan speculated that this was because they had been too disciplined this time, avoiding dangerous routes along the edges, which resulted in missing out on high-grade supplies. It was a great pity. Wei Huan had always felt that the supplies in the highway assessment were essentially free, and high-grade chests were bound to appear. Finding one Platinum Chest in ten days would be a huge gain, let alone the fact that there was certainly more than one Platinum Chest on this highway, perhaps even a Diamond-grade Chest hidden in a secret corner.
Since they hadn't encountered any of these and had already passed the 80% line, the probability of encountering high-grade chests later had significantly decreased.
"Don't dwell on it. What do you think the final boss will be?"
"It must be a monster reaching the high-level combat standard of the current world."
Wei Huan and Mu Zhong discussed this. Since not opening high-grade chests was already in the past, they had to let it go. They couldn't turn back to search now. Successfully passing the final boss was the priority.
"In the past, Dark Beasts sent King-grade leaders to build cities at the final barrier, and the Challenger World defaulted to them being the final boss," Mu Zhong analyzed for Wei Huan. "This time, we are ahead, and the Dark Beast leader hasn't entered. The final boss might just be a single Gold-grade or higher-than-Gold-grade boss. While this won't yield as many materials as a treasure chest, it will drop Tier 7 core materials."
Wei Huan nodded, "Calculated this way, it's not a loss. Tier 7 core materials are always extremely valuable."
"But if it's just one boss, it'll be simple for us to kill. With our strength, the difficulty lies in finding high-grade chests, so this final boss is simply a reward delivered to our doorstep."
"Exactly."
After this conversation, the small amount of gloom they felt dissipated. There was still plenty of time. Once they entered the Tier 6 world and the time limit was removed, they could explore freely. They would find high-grade supplies eventually. Most critically, at present, they were the only ones who could open high-grade chests. Even if the Pioneering Army came in six months later and discovered high-grade chests, they would have to inform Wei Huan, otherwise, it would take forever for Wei Huan to come and open them himself. Wei Huan also paid a substantial intelligence fee for opening chests.
"In short, we'll take it slow," Mu Zhong finished the discussion, then abruptly changed the topic. "How is your cultivation going? Is it smoother now?"
At the mention of this, Wei Huan's face furrowed, and a hint of distress appeared in his eyes.