Because they were limited by Wei Huan's current status at Sequence 5, the Two-Headed Phantom Demons could only fight with Sequence 5 strength against the Silver-tier monsters of this Tier 6 world. However, with ten of them besieging a single target, they could secure a kill in less than three minutes.
Wei Huan hadn't experienced such an effortless battle in a long time; he could now conclude a fight using only a few of his undead. The establishment of this Phantom Demon army was destined to become the most powerful force in his arsenal.
The first day passed. They continued to descend, yet even at their current speed, they had not yet reached the ocean floor. Along the way, they didn't encounter any chests above Silver rank. However, Silver chests were incredibly abundant—so much so that Bronze chests were becoming rare, and even Iron chests were thinning out.
This was a blessing. Silver-tier equipment from this world possessed attributes equivalent to Gold-tier items from lower worlds. The more they collected, the better; these could be sent to the rear to significantly empower many people.
Once the Pioneer Army upgraded their gear, they would pass their old equipment down through the ranks. In a month's time, when the new recruit assessments began, the newcomers of Daxia wouldn't just be receiving free energy blocks—they would likely be issued free high-tier equipment and weapons as well.
Wei Huan never entertained the thought of sharing these chests with the other six vehicles. Being under his protection was a gift they should already be grateful for; he wouldn't allow them to be insatiable. He had already established "Alliance Regulations"—if they wanted gear, they could trade for it through cooperation.
As for the Phantom Demons being so efficient that others had no chance to move? Wei Huan could only think: 'Is it a crime to be strong?'
Everything felt right. During his nightly cultivation, he entered the Great Tomb world and proactively captured another 11 Two-Headed Phantom Demons. By the next day, they had all reached Level 5 and were ready for deployment. The sensation of growing stronger every single day was intoxicating.
—
Around 10:00 AM on the second day, they encountered their first Royal Tribe. In a Tier 6 world, this corresponded to the "Deceiver Remnants" spawned from Gold Chests. A Royal Tribe didn't just consist of a Gold-tier King; it included over ten thousand "Little Seaweed" minions. This massive swarm created a larger, more realistic illusionary domain, and the number of "brains" that needed to be cleared was enough to cause a massive headache.
This was where the Alliance Army finally proved useful. When Wei Huan ordered them to strike, they charged into the fray with howling enthusiasm. However, the reality of the fight was a wake-up call. Watching Wei Huan handle it was one thing; when they stepped up, they found that even a common mob took a considerable amount of time to kill.
In this environment, captains were reluctant to let their crew leave the vehicles, so war vehicle attacks were the primary method. In contrast, the Criminal Legion led by Xu Qingqiang and the Martial King Legion (with Captain Xue as MT and Hammer Brother as main DPS) were exceptionally fierce. They coordinated perfectly, utilizing Kobold teleportation to strike across the battlefield in small squads.
To a casual observer, they looked scattered. But the captains here were all excellent generals; they could see the "ordered chaos"—the squads maintained a distance that allowed for independent combat while remaining close enough for immediate backup. With strength far exceeding the world average, they tore through the Royal Tribe with ease.
This was a Royal Tribe! The leader was guaranteed to drop Sequence materials for higher-tier worlds. This meant that by clearing this tribe, Wei Huan—and by extension, the humans of Blue Star—had secured a "promotion channel" to the Tier 7 world.
"Is this still a Challenger World? It feels like we're taking an elevator, just zooming straight to the top!"
Wei Huan knew there were still things that could stop him. He wouldn't open a Diamond Chest without absolute certainty of victory, nor would he enter a Platinum-tier treasure palace only to be hunted by Mofidi.
Currently, Wei Huan possessed three Artifact Shards, granting a total attribute boost of 75%. Percentage-based increases were the most terrifying. While others might gain 10 points of spiritual power through "Joint Cultivation," Wei Huan would receive 17.5. His progress was illogical. While the elite casters of the world averaged around 3,000 spiritual power, Wei Huan had already surpassed 11,000.
He was more powerful than everyone else combined. Yet, he wasn't invincible. In a Tier 7 world, he likely couldn't even crack a Gold Chest. He needed to stay here for at least six months to wait for the next highway assessment, the arrival of the World Tree sapling, and the establishment of the first city.
After the battle, Wei Huan called Mu Zhong into the captain's quarters to discuss intelligence gathering and the upcoming "Opening Battle." After a professional briefing, the atmosphere shifted.
"I'll be going now; the battle just ended, and there's a lot to—" Mu Zhong started, but Wei Huan grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him down into a kiss.
This was a kiss driven by desire. The effects of Joint Cultivation didn't just impact Mu Zhong. The kiss deepened until Mu Zhong was pressed against the table. His ears burned with heat; he wanted to refuse but couldn't bring himself to—he craved Wei Huan as much as Wei Huan craved him.
Wei Huan eventually pulled back, his forehead resting against Mu Zhong's, breathing heavily. "Have Cousin Mu stay on duty a little longer tonight."
"...Alright," Mu Zhong replied, lingering for a few more kisses before finally leaving.
---
After three days of descent, they finally neared the ocean floor. The environment was wretched—a "dust layer" of particles and red roots filled the jelly-like water, slowing the war vehicles by half.
"Without the World Tree, how would humans survive here?" Mu Zhong wondered. "Like drifting duckweed?"
They encountered a Gold-tier giant, and upon killing it, Wei Huan obtained five "Sea Beads."
[Sea Beads]: Consumption grants the abilities of a Merman. A gift from the stars.
Wei Huan swallowed one. It didn't melt; it lodged in his throat, feeling like a hard bead at first before the sensation faded. He teleported outside the vehicle to test it.
The effect was instantaneous: his vision cleared, the water pressure felt like air, and the freezing cold turned into a comfortable warmth. He could swim at nearly 100 km/h without effort—a melee class could likely hit 300 km/h.
As he played in the water, his AI butler spoke: "Vice-Captain Mu told me to tell you that you look very handsome swimming so freely."
Wei Huan stopped abruptly. "Are you being hacked?"
"The authority of Heart of Steel is higher," the AI butler replied, sounding slightly aggrieved.
Returning to the ship, Wei Huan realized the downside: the seawater smelled like rotting fish and stagnant death. The stench in the captain's quarters was revolting.
"I've already set up a shower and changing room at the entrance to deal with the smell, but you bypassed the whole procedure," Mu Zhong said, walking in and laughing at the stench.
Wei Huan hurriedly went to change, leaving the remaining beads for the core team. He distributed them to Xu Qingqiang, Captain Xue, and Hammer Brother.
"The advantage will snowball," Mu Zhong encouraged them. "The stronger we are, the more chests we open. Eventually, everyone will have a Sea Bead."