The Dark Beast ambush failed to achieve its goal, easily neutralized by Captain Fang's ability. However, this was no time to relax; the Dark Beasts knew they were coming. Now that the humans had reached their base, there was no way the enemy would let Wei Huan return easily.
Wei Huan soon discovered a group of hidden Double-Headed Hidden Demons. Each was a Level 5 Dark Beast Lord; though they lacked the home-field advantage of a territory, their high levels and high-star bloodlines made them lethal when attacking in a swarm. Compared to the thermal weapons the Dark Beasts were so unskilled with, this concentrated sneak attack caused Wei Huan and his group a fair amount of trouble.
Without the boost of his vehicle or the territory bonuses for his undead, Wei Huan—at Sequence 5—found that a battlefield relying purely on individual capability was far less comfortable than fighting from his command deck. If not for the protection of Captain Fang's shield, his undead would never have dared to charge so recklessly, tearing through the enemy lines until they reached the Royal Tent of this Dark Beast clan.
After slaughtering a massive number of blocking Dark Beast Lords, Wei Huan finally saw what a Royal's nest looked like for the first time.
It was a hollowed-out mountain, over 7,000 meters high, standing like Mount Everest. Within the rolling mountain range, there were many peaks of varying heights, but the Royal nest was built inside the highest one. They fought their way close enough to see countless caves pockmarking the cliff face—some large, some small, appearing disorganized. But Wei Huan knew that inside this mountain, the Dark Beasts had their own set of rules.
At this moment, not a single beast could be seen on the cliff. The dark, gaping entrances looked like mouths full of fangs, smiling maliciously as if inviting them into a trap.
"Be careful," Mu Zhong warned.
Wei Huan nodded. From the teleportation gate behind him, more Dark Beasts emerged—this time, a dense cloud of Ghost Crows. Their mist-like bodies flickered between illusion and reality, flying with near-teleportation speeds. But the most eye-catching part was the flickering green sparks within the black mist, drifting toward the Royal base like seeds in spring or a gentle rain.
"Nether Flame Bombs," Mu Zhong noted, then smiled. "Right, this isn't a preservation mission; this is a battle against a mortal enemy. Destruction is the most satisfying way to handle it."
As if in response to his words, a mountain-shaking explosion erupted before them. Using flying rocks as pens and rising dust as ink, a "flower" of blood was painted across the landscape. The earth-shattering roar echoed through the sky as the towering mountain collapsed in on itself, eventually turning into a pile of rubble.
This was a massive peak comparable to the Himalayas, yet under the power of the Nether Flame Bombs, it didn't last a minute before becoming debris. Level 5 Nether Flame Bombs might have trouble with high-level city walls or high-rank beasts, but for environmental destruction, they were the ultimate "Super Demolition Crew."
The bombs had exploded and the mountain had fallen, but Wei Huan stared at "Side Quest 2"—the number of Dark Beast Royals killed had not changed.
Even after the smoke cleared and the undead hunted down the few wounded beasts attempting to flee, the number remained static.
Wei Huan frowned. "Is it because it's not detected that it's not showing up?"
Mu Zhong replied, "Other data is changing; only the Royal count is static. It didn't die?"
"Did it turn into something small and flee? Abandoning the fight?" Wei Huan asked.
"If it refuses to come out, then obviously," Mu Zhong said.
Wei Huan pursed his lips in displeasure. He thought he could kill a Royal by rushing here, but the creature had fled without even showing its face. These loathsome Royals were quick to order their subjects to die, but cowardly when their own lives were on the line. Wei Huan didn't know how far it had run, but when it came to digging three feet deep, he was a professional. One way or another, he needed to see a body.
---
The undead army quickly switched roles to become a "Demolition Crew" while the others rested. Captain Fang maintained his shield, providing a safe haven for everyone.
Nearby, Chef Liu showcased his grilling skills. The foul, toxic meat of the Running Wolf was transformed in his hands into a delicacy. Everyone ate until they were satisfied, consuming over ten wolves, yet still wanting more. Most importantly, after the full meal, everyone received a 2 to 3-point boost in Agility.
"You're a treasure~~" Xu Qingqiang looked at Liu Chengzhi like a man looking at a lover. "How can I live without you!"
Liu Chengzhi: "..."
Even though Captain Fang and his men had eaten Liu Chengzhi's food before during joint operations, receiving attribute boosts was usually a rare, occasional occurrence. Now, acting alongside Wei Huan's team, they realized these people could eat this delicious food every day and gain stats just by eating. They were so envious they felt like they were going through cellular plasmolysis.
"Chef Liu, when are you going to take an apprentice?"
"Exactly! Any apprentice you train, we'll protect them like the apple of our eye on our vehicle."
"Or why don't you just join us? Hahaha, your skill is the best."
"Just a meal and you get two points of Agility. Terrifying."
"Back off, back off! Liu Chengzhi is one of the three high-ranking executives on our vehicle. Aside from the Captains, he's the boss," one of Wei Huan's crew barked. "Could you trust an apprentice with the sapling of the World Tree? That's the level of trust our Chef Liu has."
The two groups bickered over Liu Chengzhi, but to his ears, it was all "rainbow farts". Beaming with joy, he dragged back three more wolves to skin and debone for the next course. Good food lightened the mood and helped everyone step out of their grief, even Wei Huan took a few extra bites.
However, Mu Zhong didn't touch a single bite. Since they arrived, he had been buried in work, "grinding" his Driver proficiency. He was about to level up.
Wei Huan held a piece of hot grilled meat to his mouth and asked, "How much more do you need?"
Mu Zhong took a distracted bite, said he was full, and muttered without looking up, "Soon... soon..."
Wei Huan leaned in to hear his whispering, only to feel a surge of energy—the aura of an advancement. Mu Zhong kept muttering "soon," unaware he was already advancing; his hands were moving so fast while tinkering with parts that they left afterimages.
Knowing he had entered a state of self-transcendence, Wei Huan silently pulled back and stopped disturbing him. The aura of Mu Zhong's advancement spread through the area. Those chatting went quiet, lowering their voices and pausing their activities. Currently, there were no known cases of failing a sequence advancement after drinking the potion; it was usually a natural progression. However, being disturbed could certainly slow the process.
Mu Zhong advancing to Driver Sequence 4 was a huge boost for their survival in the Dark Beast world. Currently, every aspect of their lives—food, clothing, shelter, and transport—relied on Driver assistance. Even the metal skewers for the meat were hand-crafted by him. Without a Driver, Liu Chengzhi had no oven; without a Driver, there were no lights for night travel or wind-shields for sleeping. Even the shells Yake "delivered" were hand-crafted by Mu Zhong.
The Driver sequence was often underestimated, but in this environment, they realized a Driver was a universal logistics god. Everyone looked forward to the higher quality of life Mu Zhong would bring as a [Senior Technician].
---
In less than 30 minutes, the aura around Mu Zhong surged as the final burst of energy descended. Once his strength reached the required level, the energy smoothed out like a calm sea.
Mu Zhong's Driver sequence had successfully reached Sequence 4: [Senior Technician].
Wei Huan waited for him to wake up. When Mu Zhong opened his eyes, Wei Huan said, "It seems that Royal escaped. We're heading to the next territory."
"Wait." Mu Zhong looked at the ruins of the mountain for a few seconds. "After reaching Sequence 4, I gained a Resource Warehouse. Wei Huan, look. Since the mountain was blown open, so many mineral resources are exposed. There are very precious metals in there. I was thinking..."
Wei Huan raised an eyebrow and pondered for a moment. "Fine. We fill it up before we leave."
They hadn't finished "digging three feet deep" anyway, so why not let Mu Zhong "pluck every feather"? As long as it widened the gap between humans and Dark Beasts, it was worth it—whether it was killing Royals or plundering resources. They had crossed dimensions; it would be a waste not to make a profit.
With Wei Huan's permission, Mu Zhong went down to find new materials. An hour later, he had hand-crafted over thirty resource detectors. Each detector was paired with a squad of undead, and the plunder began.
The detectors flew ahead, stopping when they found ore. Under their light, all useful resources changed color. Wei Huan ordered the Facehuggers to follow the detectors and mine. These tireless creatures became the perfect miners. As the ores were hauled back and piled before Mu Zhong, he grinned from ear to ear.
Wei Huan knew little about resources, and Captain Fang only slightly more. But Yake, who clearly had some knowledge, came over to inspect the pile and gasped. "Isn't this a rare resource? This piece is 'super' rare—it's an essential component for a Core Reactor. We don't have this on Blue Star; you only see it in the Challenge World, and usually, you can't bring it back."
Mu Zhong nodded. "There are many super-rare resources down here. The Royal hollowed out the mountain, removing the soil, but it kept these colorful ores to decorate its nest. We're basically just picking up super-rare supplies off the ground. How could I leave?"
"Indeed. These are within reach. Bringing them back could jumpstart Blue Star's technology by a hundred years. Especially this reactor material—we could build our own vehicle spaceships."
"And more—there are materials for engraving Law Runes. Once the Rune Department integrates these, we can manufacture our own combat suits and weapons."
"It's a pity the Dark Beasts have no idea how to use them. Even though their Lord challenges give them the wisdom to do so, they still trust their teeth and claws more."
"Nothing to be a pity about. If they knew their value, there would be nothing for us to pick up for free today."
Wei Huan looked at the pile of raw ore. It was now a colorful mountain of various shapes. Its value was undeniable; it was the fuel for a technological leap for humanity.
"We almost entered a treasure mountain and left empty-handed," Captain Fang said with emotion. He reached down to pick up a round, fist-sized purple stone. On the first try, he couldn't lift it. Surprised, he used more strength. "Something this small weighs nearly a ton. Incredible. Natural brewing over thousands of years produces such precious materials."
"They're all ours now," Xu Qingqiang said from the top of the ore pile. Agile as ever, he had climbed to the peak and sat there dangling his legs, a cigarette in his mouth, looking perfectly content.
"Stronger Brother, where did you get a cigarette?" Mu Zhong asked.
"Captain Fang found them for me. Want one? I've only got three, but I can share."
"No thanks," Mu Zhong waved him off. "Get down, I'm going to store the ore."
Xu Qingqiang stood up. "How much can your warehouse hold? We have to fill it before we go. If it's too small, we take the most precious stuff and leave the rest."
"I know, Stronger Brother," Mu Zhong said with a smile.
---
The resource detectors were linked to "Iron Heart." As an intelligence second only to the core mechanisms of the Challenge World, identifying the rarity of resources was easy. Although Mu Zhong's warehouse was only the size of a sports stadium (about 20 meters high), with Iron Heart's filtering, they ended up with a warehouse full of super-rare materials.
"We have to thank the Dark Beast Lord for doing the preliminary excavation and keeping the best stuff," Mu Zhong said. He picked up a small piece—a "Mineral Heart." "A mineral vein only produces about a hundred of these. They are many times more precious than the ore itself. High-level tech items require these."
"Iron Heart says that of the two super-mines granted to Daxia by the Challenge World, one is like this, and it only produced fewer than a hundred hearts. I have over four thousand here. And this isn't even all of them—I had to leave some to fit even rarer materials. This one mining trip is worth winning ten opening battles."
Wei Huan realized the magnitude of the harvest. Killing Royals was important to reduce enemy power, but plundering resources to develop human tech was equally vital. In fact, right now, these resources were more useful to humanity than killing a few more Royals.
Wei Huan tried to have the Facehuggers or Burrow Beasts swallow the stones to bring them back to the Great Tomb for storage, but it failed. The ores vanished during the spatial transit, lost to the spatial turbulence.
"Don't bother. Losing them to spatial turbulence is a waste. Leave them here; maybe we'll be back soon," Mu Zhong joked. "It's getting dark again. Do we leave at dawn or tonight?"
Wei Huan pushed aside his regret. "We've rested all day. We leave now."
---
They headed directly into the depths of the territory. Considering the Royal might flee without a fight again, they tried to proceed stealthily.
Infiltration was simple. Many of the "Stacked Explosives" crew members on the vehicle were skilled in stealth. They were organized into a squad to lead Kobolds forward. Once they reached the limit of Wei Huan's summoning range, everyone else would teleport through the Kobolds.
This was slow and dangerous for the scouts, but everyone—especially the "Gambler Squad"—voted in favor. Wei Huan's sheer power usually left his crew with nothing to do. Now that there was a mission that absolutely required their skills, they jumped at the chance.
The Gambler Squad held a small meeting. Wei Huan overheard them:
"It's my turn. You guys went last time."
"We agreed on rock-paper-scissors. Stick to the rules."
"My gambling luck has been bad since birth. If you don't change the rules, I'm complaining to the Boss."
"Fine, fine! We'll rotate. You still get DKP even if you don't go, right?"
"Is it about DKP? This is a chance to show our faces to the Boss! I want a spot today!"
They eventually settled on five going and three staying. Wei Huan also sent ten Double-Headed Hidden Demons to accompany them. "In an emergency, let the Hidden Demons cover the retreat."
The scouts moved out, and after an hour, they reached the 30-'li' summoning limit. It was slow, as they had to navigate through wild rocks and beast tribes to avoid detection. Once the vanguard arrived, the rest teleported through.
Slowly, over the course of the night, they arrived at the Royal Tent undetected. Unlike the previous Royal who lived in a cave, this one lived in the trees. It occupied the largest tree in the area, with a massive nest over 3,000 square meters.
"Are there resources here?" Wei Huan asked Mu Zhong.
"There are, but we can't get them yet."
Wei Huan assumed he'd come back for them later. "Are you sure?"
"Most likely. We'll know once we take it down."
Wei Huan stroked his chin. This would have to be a "preservation battle." This Royal lived high in the trees and clearly had wings; it would be a shame if it flew away. How could he have the best of both worlds?
His gaze fell on Dot Mom perched on his shoulder. He looked at the green silk-like patterns on her shell. It had been a long time since he used the Burrow Beast Mother's innate netting ability. He wondered how strong the nets of a Legendary Hero like Dot Mom would be.
After all, if you want to catch birds, you need a net...