Of course, this first clash with the Dark Beast Royalty was only the beginning. After a moment of intense celebration, the humans of Blue Star began to look forward to Wei Huan's next performance. Consequently, the number of viewers locking their perspective on Wei Huan increased even further.
Simultaneously, on the battlefield, the challenger warriors about to enter the fray received the good news.
"Colonel Wei killed a Dark Beast Royal?"
"I heard it was a brilliant battle. He anticipated every move of the Dark Beast Royal, leaving them with no ability to fight back."
"That's the advantage of seizing the initiative. We initiated this Opening Battle, we prepared in advance, and we have a deeper understanding of the new world. That's why it's been so smooth so far."
"Hahaha! I can't wait to kill some Dark Beasts! I'm going to vent all the frustration I've bottled up over the years."
"Kill the Dark Beasts! Avenge my son!"
"Kill the Dark Beasts! Avenge my parents!"
"Avenge our comrades!"
Wei Huan's victory significantly boosted morale throughout the theater. Inside the war vehicles advancing in massive army formations, there was a palpable, irrepressible killing intent. The leaders of the various corps saw this momentum and couldn't help but draw comparisons; in every previous Opening Battle, they had never possessed morale like this.
"Wei Huan's success has completely reversed the situation. I propose we further increase our marching speed to get our soldiers into combat faster. As the saying in Daxia goes: 'The first blow brings courage, the second wanes it, and the third exhausts it.' Before Wei Huan sets another record, our soldiers should have a chance to vent their fury."
"The troops are overly emotional; would increasing speed be unwise?"
"No! I agree with the previous statement. We should speed up. We must trust the discipline carved into our soldiers' bones and cherish this rare morale."
"I second that. Accelerate!"
"I second it as well. Speed up!"
After the national leaders reached a decision in a few words, the various army corps received new orders: increase marching speed by 300 kilometers per hour.
This decision was clearly the right one. Feeling the surge in speed, the soldiers were not nervous or confused; instead, they became even more impatient for combat, praising the decision as correct. It was the first time they had gone to war with such jubilation.
Amidst this anticipation, the first row of the human fleet finally made contact with the Dark Beast territories.
"On my command! All units, fire at will!"
"Long-range, ready! Attack!!"
"Long-range free fire! Maintain saturation bombardment!!"
"Charge, brothers! For humanity! For glory!!"
vehicles that were at least Tier 4 collided with territories that were only Tier 3; it was like an armored vehicle crushing a mud hut. The soldiers, who had been holding back the entire way, unleashed their first volley. Every Dark Beast territory encountered by the human vehicles was swept away like autumn leaves in a gale, stripped clean in an instant.
Those Tier 3 Dark Beast Lords tried their best to prepare for the sake of survival, but their levels were simply too low. They were no match for the advanced human vehicles. Some territories were bombarded into ruins by vehicles outside their own firing range before they could even launch a single shell.
With their overall strength significantly improved—to the point of vaguely suppressing the Dark Beast race—the human army was now unstoppable, pushing forward with overwhelming force.
"Blow those bastards to hell!"
"Hahaha! Did you see that? I just insta-killed a hero on the wall!"
"This winning streak is too damn satisfying! Not enough, not enough—another round! I didn't perform well enough just now; I can kill even more!"
"Let's push straight to the Dark Beast Royalty and kill a Royal ourselves! Hahaha!"
The human warriors were in high spirits, leveling Dark Beast territories as they chatted and joked. Inevitably, some began to act recklessly in an attempt to snatch more kills.
Commander Dong Chujian, as the General Commander of the Daxia Corps and one of the five Chief Commanders of the Blue Star Allied Forces, issued a warning to specific nations over the comms: "Do not overextend. High-tier territories are interspersed among the low-tier ones, and we haven't found a pattern for the Royal positions yet."
Today, the other four superpower Chief Commanders listened to his words. Daxia's fist was simply the hardest now—so hard that if Commander Dong so much as coughed, the others would reflect on whether they had said something wrong. Even the General Commander of Aosam expressed high agreement with Commander Dong's words.
"Yes, you are quite correct. I ask all commanders to restrain their soldiers. At this moment, humanity is a single entity. Only when we are condensed into one fist will our strike be heavier and harder."
The General Commander of the Great Bear Nation sneered: "Rushing ahead to kill more Dark Beasts brings no special merit, yet it exposes one to danger and disrupts the overall operation."
The General Commander of the Kangaroo Nation looked disgruntled, but he still turned to his adjutant to pass down the orders. A potential chaos of disorganized stragglers was nipped in the bud. Re-unified under a single command, the Blue Star soldiers moved like a monstrous tidal wave, devouring the Dark Beast Lords' domains with ease.
As Dark Beast territories vanished one by one, listening to the frantic screams of the system, the Dark Beast King fell into a long silence.
"King..."
The Thought-Sentience Beast standing beneath the throne hesitated, eventually saying, "Whatever your decision, your subjects will obey you unconditionally and revere you forever."
From the King's massive frame, a pair of eyes like the sun and moon looked down. The crimson eyes emitted a bloodthirsty glow, and a displeased "grumble" rumbled constantly. The Dark Beast King spoke in a voice like muffled thunder: "Are you guessing my thoughts?"
The black mist of the Thought-Sentience Beast surged; its emotional fluctuations were visible in that instant: "No, not at all, I didn't..."
"Bold." The Dark Beast King spoke flatly. Immediately, the Thought-Sentience Beast's body began to expand rapidly and irregularly. Bubbles bulged out from the black mist one after another, as if it were proliferating at high speed, until it turned into a giant mass of expanding black bubbles. Then, with a 'pop', it exploded.
The Dark Beast King, filled with rage, had killed his most useful subordinate. Instead of feeling relief, more anger welled up. He gazed down at all the Dark Beast Kings below, who were terrified into silence. Finally, his gaze landed on one spot.
It was a Dark Beast King that looked young and clever. While the other Kings worked hard to strengthen their bodies and manifest hideous, terrifying forms, this one stood among the Royalty transformed into a lifeform with slender limbs, resembling a swift beast. Its scales were hard, with one pair of eyes in front and another at the back of its head. If one didn't look specifically for it, it was almost impossible to find its trace.
"Lie."
But the Dark Beast King called its name. King Lie—the Dark Beast King who had twice encountered Wei Huan and successfully allowed him to escape—shuddered. This was an extremely intelligent Royal who knew how to assess the situation. Now, it had been called out by the King.
King Lie walked trembling from the hidden corner, pressing its body against the ground with utmost reverence, not daring to look at the King's face. The Dark Beast King looked at this scrawny King Lie, clearly not surprised that it had manifested such an "unambitious" form.
Facing this unique Royal, the Dark Beast King did not look down on it; instead, he cherished this flexible and opportunistic Royal. If not for King Lie's cleverness, they wouldn't have obtained information on this human so early. Even during the Tier 5 road assessment, it was its sharp escape that brought back updated news. "Running away" did not equal disobedience; King Lie's choices were correct every time and aligned with the Dark Beast King's own inclinations.
So, at this moment, the Dark Beast King called Lie's name because he needed a subordinate who could truly gauge the situation and provide honest, balanced advice, rather than a sycophantic answer born from trying to guess his mood.
"Tell me, do we fight this battle or not?" the Dark Beast King's low voice rumbled overhead like thunder.
The scene of the Thought-Sentience Beast being blown to bits still echoed in its mind. King Lie said tremulously, without lifting its head, "King, this battle must be fought."
The Dark Beast King fell silent. This choice was different from what he had imagined. He had originally intended to preserve his strength, reclaim the advantage through the Lord Challenge, and then strike back. He thought King Lie shared his view. He only wanted to hear a guy who still used his brain confirm that the reason for his retreat was correct—not this unexpected answer.
For a moment, the scent of blood began to surge, quickly filling the Lord's Hall.
"..."
The Dark Beast King's silence made King Lie even more afraid to breathe. It stammered: "That human has a Divine Artifact. Every time I see him, he is stronger. The Tier 6 world will not be his end. He is an existence that dares to provoke even Demon Gods; he will reach higher worlds at a faster speed. By then, humans will only be stronger."
Pausing, King Lie said: "Before the gap widens completely, this is our last chance. We must surround and kill him. If he dies, the human race is nothing to fear. Now he has penetrated deep into our territory alone, and look—he is too fast! So fast that the time for us to relocate our territories hasn't even passed yet. This is our opportunity!"
The final sentence was like an enlightenment, waking the Dark Beast King from his thoughts of retreat. His eyes opened wide, staring fixedly at the scrawny Royal. After a few seconds of pondering, he suddenly stood up.
"Everyone, return to your territories. Kill him! Kill him!!"
---
"Wei Huan, are you going to continue deeper? We've already killed one Royal; it must have enraged the Dark Beast race. They might be setting traps ahead."
When Mu Zhong spoke, Commander Dong and Commander Chai also looked over. Mu Zhong's words hit the mark; this was exactly what everyone was worried about. Wei Huan was too deep into the Dark Beast heartland; it was too dangerous.
"...Moreover," Mu Zhong said, looking deeply at Wei Huan, "the preparation time hasn't passed yet. I know what you want to do, but this is too risky. I hope you will reconsider carefully."
Commander Dong and Commander Chai both nodded, but they did not speak out rashly. It was their consensus to allow Wei Huan to judge the situation and act freely.
On the virtual screen before Wei Huan, the feeds of these three people were maximized, while others on the call were squeezed into the corners. His gaze swept across each face in turn, and then he spoke: "Before I came in, I made a grand vow that I would make the Dark Beast race pay in blood. Searching for the Royalty like this is no different from looking for a needle in a haystack. It's better to let them come to me."
Hearing Wei Huan say this, everyone wore expressions that said "as expected." Commander Dong's haggard face was full of worry: "The Dark Beast Lord levels are below Tier 6, so territory battles are nothing to fear. However, the Dark Beast Avatars are immensely powerful. Once two or more Avatars appear, the pressure increases exponentially. Besides, you won't be facing just two Royals then."
Wei Huan said: "Strictly speaking, I'll likely be fighting five or six simultaneously. The size of the Royal territories determines how many can besiege me, unless they abandon their territories and come to kill me alone."
"How can you be sure they won't do that?"
"On the contrary, I feel they definitely will."
"Oh?"
"But a Dark Beast Royal without territorial defense is just a turtle without a shell—the easiest time to kill them." Killing intent flared in Wei Huan's eyes, along with a touch of fierce determination. "This is a war of civilizations, a war for the survival of the species. Any risk is worth it. Furthermore..." Wei Huan turned his hand, holding a pile of items. With a slight smile at the surprised Commander Dong, he said, "We still have plenty of trump cards."
Commander Dong looked at the items in his hand and then burst into laughter: "Right, right! Using war to sustain war—that's how it should be. I overlooked this point."
Although Commander Chai had remained silent, the expression on his face changed visibly, from worry to sudden clarity. Looking at his slightly fierce face now, that gravity was clearly melted by a smile. Only Mu Zhong's expression remained largely unchanged. Being with Wei Huan, he naturally knew what Wei Huan had done, but even knowing that, he didn't want Wei Huan to take risks. Knowing he couldn't persuade him, he simply stopped speaking.
After the conversation ended, the advance of Wei Huan's war vehicle and the fleet he led into the Dark Beast heartland did not stop. However, the speed did slow down slightly, and this time as he moved forward, the path Wei Huan leveled was more than three times wider than before.
Although Wei Huan had the idea of "drawing the snake out of its hole," he couldn't let the snake actually kill him. He was a snake catcher; he had to leave a path of retreat. Additionally, widening the route by three times was, of course, for the purpose of sustaining the war through combat.
Actually, it was quite simple: use the points earned from killing these Dark Beasts to buy Forbidden Curse Scrolls. He leveled an average of three to five cities a minute. Except for the very beginning where there was only one Lord and he could only earn 1 point, the subsequent Lords would recruit other Dark Beast Lords to oppose him. The smaller ones yielded five or six points per city, while the large ones—like the Royal encountered recently—earned him 110,000 points directly.
Combined with what he had saved previously and the scrolls the Blue Star Allied Forces had traded for him, Wei Huan now had quite a few Forbidden Curse Scrolls in his possession. He wasn't afraid of the Dark Beast Royalty plotting against him; rather, this aimless searching was the real trouble.
Wei Huan traveled in a "Z-pattern" deeper into Dark Beast territory, unaware that the Dark Beast Lords around him were migrating on a large scale. Under the Dark Beast King's orders, the race was deploying its troops, weaving a giant web specifically for Wei Huan.
Of course, Wei Huan's ignorance was just that—simple lack of knowledge—not the "caution" and "careful planning" the Dark Beasts imagined themselves to have. The Dark Beast Royalty were deploying troops, while Wei Huan was playing the role of Jiang Taigong fishing. In the end, who was the bait and who was the fish would depend on this clash of wits.
While both sides were maneuvering, the human army had already pushed forward more than ten miles. The aggressive army corps, led by the highest Tier 6 vehicles, found the Tier 3 and 4 Lords they encountered to be utterly fragile. Occasionally, there were sacrifices. Cunning high-level Lords chose to pause their most representative outer walls at 99.99% upgrade completion. When the human vehicles arrived off-guard, they were greeted by Tier 5 walls or even Tier 6 weapons.
Alternatively, some high-level Lords possessed Pseudo-God heroes. Even though the humans were fully prepared, there were still instances of Tier 4 vehicles being destroyed by such heroes. Pseudo-God heroes dealt extreme damage and were not easily distinguished among other Lords. Some specialized in long-range, some in melee, and there were even mysterious assassin-type Pseudo-God heroes who were often invisible beforehand. By the time they appeared, a vehicle had already been blown apart by their long-accumulated ultra-high critical strikes. The crew members inside were scattered; some escaped luckily, while others were caught in the battlefield's meat grinder and buried on the spot.
[Rest in peace, heroes.]
[This is why I'm afraid to watch the livestream. It's too tragic—every one of them is a life. They could be children, parents, husbands, or wives.]
[Though comparisons shouldn't be made, I still want to say that this time is already much better. Since we started fighting the Dark Beasts, countless people have died. This loss ratio might be the lowest in history.]
[Yes. In the past, many times even if we lost many people, we still couldn't break through the Dark Beast Lords' walls. This time we have Tier 6 vehicles and many Tier 5 high-level vehicles. With the advantage in weaponry and equipment, sacrifices are already very few.]
[May the world be free of war.]
The viewers in the livestream spoke the truth of the current situation. Although many had died, compared to previous conflicts with Dark Beast Lords, this was indeed the smoothest battle. They only needed to push forward and kill the high-level Lords, because the King-class Lords were all drawn away by Wei Huan. This was a rare opportunity to drain the Dark Beast race's strength. That's how war is: "zero casualties" is a miraculous term. Real war is about who loses fewer lives and gains more victory points.
Of course, there were individuals with special missions. For instance, Captain Fang also led a fleet of a thousand vehicles, following the path Wei Huan had carved at full speed. Wei Huan was "fishing," and the generals in the rear had their own duties, but they also had to arrange support for Wei Huan to prevent any accidents.
An army of over ten million might seem massive and difficult to oversee in its entirety, but it was actually orderly. Even those fleets that seemed to move backward for no apparent reason had their own destinations. This was partly because the commanders were famous generals from various nations who had cooperated on large battlefields for years and possessed sufficient rapport.
Additionally, the disputes that occasionally occurred among top generals in previous years never appeared once during this campaign. Commander Dong was implicitly granted the highest authority; once he reached a decision, few opposed it. Because of this, even though less than three hours had passed since entering the battlefield, humanity had achieved results never before imagined.
Rough statistics: humanity lost 1 Tier 5 vehicle and 13 Tier 4 vehicles, with approximately 517 deaths. The Dark Beast race had 3,012 Tier 4 cities and 32 Tier 5 cities destroyed, plus one Dark Beast Royal killed solo by Wei Huan. High-level Lords could gather Dark Beasts to serve in their territories; based on the points gathered by the various corps, they had earned a total of 1.67 million points.
517 people versus 1.67 million Dark Beasts—no matter how you looked at it, this loss ratio constituted a grand victory for humanity!
The three hours were almost up. This was also the time allowed by the battlefield for both sides to deploy their troops.
Wei Huan encountered his second Royal territory since arriving. The reason he knew it was a Royal territory the moment he arrived was that before he could even get close, a tiger-shaped monster a thousand feet tall slapped down with its paw. It instantly killed over a thousand undead scouts, including the Ghost Crows Wei Huan was using for vision.
The range of this attack was immense, and the Dark Beast Royal's proactive nature was rare. By the time Wei Huan recovered, he realized he had no vision ahead of him. The Demon Eye Lords he had sent out were taken out in one go. This was not a good thing.
Wei Huan notified Yake: "Look at these coordinates. It seems we've encountered a Dark Beast Royal, and this Royal has moved out of the city."
"Yes."
As Yake went to execute the order, someone finally asked a question on Wei Huan's comms. Commander Chai asked: "Moved out of the city?"
Commander Dong also looked serious. In the past, Dark Beast Royals never left their shells. Even if their Avatars were powerful, they still preferred to rely on city walls to fight humans. A Dark Beast Royal that left its city and manifested its Avatar to attack Wei Huan proactively—even if it was just this one strike—revealed a great deal of information.
Mu Zhong said: "First point, our suspicion has come true. The Dark Beast Royalty has taken the bait; it seems they intend to keep us here. But at the same time, Royals moving out of the city represents their 'all-in' determination. We might be facing more than one Royal simultaneously, and the numbers have become unpredictable."
Pausing, Mu Zhong listened to the analysis from the staff connected to his line and then continued, "The Dark Beast Royals manifest Avatars. Because their own strength is insufficient, they need to drain the power of the population within the city and the Dark Beasts coming to their aid. The good news is that we only need to deal with these Royals manifested as Avatars, and if more Royals appear in the same city, their individual strength will only be weaker. So, we can fight."
After those final words, both Commander Dong and Commander Chai nodded. Clearly, they and their staff also agreed that the Dark Beast Royalty gathering together was not a particularly terrible thing. The more they gathered, the less power each would receive, making them easier to kill. If a Royal city only had one Royal, that would be even better.
This time, everyone truly felt the benefits of being powerful. No matter how the opponent plotted, they couldn't form a checkmate against Wei Huan.
"The Dark Beast race's killing intent is thick, but their assessment of our strength is not yet accurate enough. The goddess of luck has already leaned toward our side," Commander Chai spoke with confidence. "Captain Fang will arrive in your area in 20 minutes. Once you rendezvous, no amount of Dark Beast schemes will matter."
Commander Chai then asked: "Should we wait a bit before moving?"
Wei Huan didn't make a decision immediately. He turned to Yake instead and asked: "How is it?"
Yake said: "Directly ahead, outside the territory, three Dark Beast Royals. Inside the territory, two. The specifics still need to be verified one more time."
Wei Huan narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment before making a decision: "As for the Royals outside, send each of them a Dongfeng Express. I want to make sure that once they leave the city, they can never go back."
"Yes!"