From the moment the Dark Beast Royal decided to flee in a different direction, to encountering Xu Qingqiang, having its spatial box shattered, and finally its death—the entire process took less than three minutes. It was faster and easier than slaughtering a chicken.
However, Xu Qingqiang's fury was far from spent. He hadn't snapped out of his killing frenzy at all. Consumed by the rage of losing his last cigarette, he glared at the distant battlefield with bloodshot eyes, let out a thunderous roar, and charged back into the fray.
"Everyone, stay alert. Brother Qiang is coming through, and he's lost control," Mu Zhong's voice crackled through the earpieces. He had clearly been monitoring this sector and was warning the crew at the front. If someone accidentally got in Xu Qingqiang's way, they might be lucky to just take a stray claw to the face; if they were killed by mistake, it would be a tragedy, and Xu Qingqiang would eventually wake up to the crushing guilt of killing a teammate.
And all for a single cigarette?
Still, there was no need to forcibly snap him out of it. With the [Endless Prison] in place, they believed Xu Qingqiang's final shred of reason remained, ensuring he wouldn't turn on his own people. Given his current combat power—precisely what the battlefield needed—they decided to let him loose. He was the sharpest blade, and they would let him stab the enemy where it hurt most.
Xu Qingqiang's return did, indeed, shift the tide of the somewhat difficult battle. During the brief time he was occupied, the situation had changed; the Royals who were dead-set on escaping were hard to pin down, and ultimately, four of them managed to slip away.
Of the thirteen Dark Beast Royals, six were dead and four had fled. The remaining three were split across two battlefields—one isolated, two paired—and were being completely surrounded by the undead army.
The pair was being hunted by the five hundred Double-Headed Hidden Demons, who were systematically grinding down their strength. The lone survivor was currently roaring in a state of impotent fury, resisting with a suicidal, frenzied intensity, as if it had been driven past its breaking point.
Wei Huan had been focused on Xu Qingqiang and didn't know exactly what had triggered the main battlefield's desperation. He surmised that this Royal had likely been "sold out" by its kin. In the face of certain death, it seemed that even a hive-like civilization couldn't maintain perfect coordination. Furthermore, while the Royals had absolute control over lower beasts, they were too equal in status to one another; when no one could command the other, internal strife was inevitable.
A cornered beast is dangerous. However, it was hard to say who was more vicious: the cornered Royal, or the "chain-smoker" who had lost his last treasure.
Initially, the crew had been kiting the beast, cautiously looking for an opening. The moment Xu Qingqiang arrived, he dove into the center of the fray without hesitation, tearing into the Royal, which was covered in sea-anemone-like tentacles.
The man and the beast both fought with total disregard for their lives. The Royal's tentacles blurred with speed, and Xu Qingqiang moved too fast for the naked eye to track. One second, he might be knocked back by a heavy blow; the next, he would charge back in screaming, "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! Jie-jie-jie!"—severing whatever tentacle had dared to touch him.
He hated the Royals, but he hated tentacles most of all.
"Jie-jie-jie—!"
"Smoke, smoke, smoke—!"
Before long, the Royal Lord was completely suppressed. The berserk Xu Qingqiang was already more than it could handle, let alone the other humans and Wei Huan's chilling undead legions. Once it was left behind by its comrades, its fate was sealed.
Soon, another Dark Beast Royal became a cold statistic on Wei Huan's glasses.
Side Quest 2: The number of Royals slain jumped to 10.
Seeing the double digits was immensely satisfying. The corners of Wei Huan's mouth curled up; he couldn't suppress his smile. He had no complaints. With only a hundred-odd people entering the Dark Beast's home base, with neither the terrain nor the environment on their side, and without even a single war vehicle, killing ten Royals was a testament to their true capability.
A sense of deep-seated pride welled up within him. Finally, through everyone's hard work, humanity had stood up! From this day forward, they would no longer fear the Dark Beast race. They would trample the monsters that once oppressed them and use their flesh and bone to pave the path for humanity's ascent!
---
Once this Royal fell, the remaining two stood no chance of escape. In fact, even if the main battlefield hadn't concluded, those two were already at the end of their ropes under the assault of the five hundred Hidden Demons and the massive undead army. Had Wei Huan not held back half his army from the "Blessing" as a safety precaution, the battle might have ended even sooner, and perhaps those four wouldn't have escaped.
But Wei Huan had no regrets. No one knew what other tricks the Dark Beast King might have; perhaps a higher-intensity battle awaited them later, in which case he would be glad for today's caution. For now, it was enough.
The quest counter on his data-glasses jumped to 12.
They had killed twelve Royals here, which, combined with the thirty-four killed in the Opening Battle, brought the total to forty-six. Out of 321 Royals, over one-tenth had died in less than a year. If it was one-tenth now, it would be one-fifth next time. As Wei Huan grew stronger, killing them would only become easier.
"One critically injured, six with minor injuries. Captain Fang is treating the critical case, and Liu Chengzhi has sent food over. The injured man is from the Criminal sequence; as long as he has food, he'll be fine."
After the battle, everyone engaged in a brief cleanup while Mu Zhong gave his report. "Initially, the coordination was perfect, but it got a bit messy at the end. I'll hold a meeting later to address the specific issues exposed."
Mu Zhong's voice then turned light. "I found some Sky-Orbit Red Suns on the battlefield that aren't completely damaged. I can make a few spatial warehouses. However, the quality isn't great and the quantity is low. These warehouses will only be entry-level and won't hold much."
Wei Huan frowned. "How much?"
"About half of what we are currently carrying manually," Mu Zhong replied.
The tension in Wei Huan's brow relaxed. "That's enough."
"It's only temporary," Mu Zhong said with a smile. "There are bound to be more ahead. It's only a matter of time before we have enough space for everything. Also... this Royal's nest was built on something incredible. If we can take it back, we've hit the jackpot."
"What is it?"
Mu Zhong chuckled. "A Dark Source. It's of immense benefit to the cultivation of Dark Energy Challengers like you!"
---
Soon, Wei Huan saw the "Dark Source." It was a peculiar resource—not a physical object, but more like a vortex, a passage to another dimension. Dark energy gushed from it, condensing into a precious Dark Crystal nearly ten meters tall. It stood in the center of the undersea nest like a cluster of radiant black crystal.
The Dark Beast Royals obviously knew its value, or they wouldn't have built their territory here. Wei Huan touched the crystal; it felt smooth and comfortable, though he didn't feel an immediate, massive surge in power. However, it was a fact that the dark energy in this area was far denser.
"How do we take it?" Wei Huan asked. No matter how small the boost, there was no reason to leave behind useful loot—especially his spoils of war.
Mu Zhong, whose attributes were relatively tolerant of dark energy though he didn't "like" it, withdrew his hand after some study.
"An amateur would just haul the crystal away. But 'Iron Heart' tells me that the thing 'generating' the crystal is the real treasure. It can produce dark energy indefinitely. However, it involves the power of Laws; harvesting it is very difficult, and the container for it cannot be an ordinary item."
Wei Huan frowned. "Do we need more materials? Is there time?"
"There's time." Mu Zhong smiled. "I like to do things the best way possible. 'Iron Heart' gave me several plans, and I chose the hardest one, which is why I haven't finished it yet. But if I succeed, the storage capacity will be massive, and this Dark Source can be tucked inside."
Wei Huan breathed a sigh of relief. "So we just need more Sky-Orbit Red Suns?"
"High-quality ones. To hold the Dark Source, we need the highest quality, which is difficult."
"We'll look. If we can't find them, we'll take the crystal first and come back for the Source later."
"You're really treating this place like your own backyard, aren't you?" Mu Zhong was amused.
"Sooner or later, it will be," Wei Huan said confidently.
Mu Zhong then added, "Sky-Orbit Red Sun isn't particularly rare in the Dark Beast Plane, especially in energy-rich areas of the seabed. The Royals wouldn't miss those spots. I have enough materials now to make an energy detector. By following its pings, we can find materials for the warehouse 'and' find more Royals to kill."
"Let's do it," Wei Huan nodded. Everything was finally falling into place.
---
After the looting—no, "spoils collection"—was complete, Wei Huan left some undead to stand guard and led the team back to shore.
Captain Fang's protective shield was still active, covering over two kilometers like a translucent golden glass bowl inverted over the ground. As a defensive specialist, Fang had pushed this to the limit; the shield's strength likely reached Sequence 6. While it lacked the counter-attack capabilities of a war vehicle's shield, its pure defensive power might even surpass one. Wei Huan wasn't sure if a full stack of his Nether Flame Bombs could break it.
Wei Huan felt secure leaving the logistics and materials with Captain Fang. By then, Mu Zhong had teleported back to Wei Huan via a small Kobold. They had taken everything except the Source and the main crystal.
They emerged from the sea on the backs of Burrow Beasts. Captain Fang sat in the center of the shield but did not open it immediately. This wasn't just because his senses were dampened by the world; it was a precaution against the "Deceiver Tribes" of higher-level worlds. They had established a code beforehand.
The code was simple but direct: teleport back using a small Kobold. This was Wei Huan's unique ability as a Necromancer. No one—not even the Deceiver Tribes—could mimic the specific talents of his summons, like the Kobold's teleport, the Flying Monkey's kite, or the Hidden Demon's mimicry.
Wei Huan teleported directly to Fang's side. Fang had watched the battle through the data-link and saw them return, but he only lowered the defense once the teleport was confirmed.
He smiled. "It seems the Dark Beast race is no longer a match for us."
Wei Huan, however, cautioned, "No one has fought the Dark Beast King yet. We don't know its true strength. To be the King of a whole plane, it must be very difficult to deal with."
"The Royals are restricted by the Challenge World to defend their own territories, but now that we are in the Dark Beast Plane, why hasn't the King made a move?"
"It can't be because of a lack of strength."
"Indeed. If it mobilized all the Royals to hunt us, we would be forced to flee. The fact that the King stays hidden and the Royals flee without a fight is... thought-provoking."
"We don't understand the race well enough yet."
"There are five days left in the Hero's Challenge. Perhaps we can uncover something."
"The priority is making the warehouse," Wei Huan said. "As long as we take these resources back, whatever secrets the King has won't matter in the face of absolute strength."
"True. Shall we depart now?"
"Not yet. Half my army is about to enter the weakened state. We depart tomorrow."
---
Wei Huan went to check on Moji. The creature was still "usurping." With its foal-like body and youthful face, it stood tall and proud, looking increasingly majestic—like a little crown prince. The quality of the "loyalty" it had seized this time was very high; these were powerful Lords that would become its greatest assets in the plane.
Wei Huan informed Moji that 46 Royals had died so far (including the Opening Battle). The beasts formerly controlled by those Royals were now power vacuums for Moji to fill. Its main task after they left was to traverse every corner of the plane and seize that power. These forces would be the ultimate lever to topple the Dark Beast race when the humans returned.
The only pity was that Wei Huan was only Sequence 5, and so was Moji. Wei Huan had hit the ceiling of Sequence 5 and would soon become a [Plague Spreader], but he couldn't advance here. If Moji reached Level 6, this operation would be even more secure.
Wei Huan sat cross-legged near Captain Fang and changed the subject. "Captain Fang, what do you think about 'potential'?"
Fang thought for a moment. "You're talking about Xu Qingqiang, aren't you?"
"Yes," Wei Huan nodded, still puzzled. "The ten-fold attribute boost from Bloodlust is terrifying. If I had ten times my Mana, I could end a battle instantly with giant Burrow Beasts. I thought Xu Qingqiang was strong enough in Bloodlust, but he managed to surge even higher."
Fang smiled, remembering Xu Qingqiang's "breakdown." "Potential is a complex thing. A status panel is just a panel; whether you can exert all that combat power is a different matter. The authorities have always studied this. We can confirm two things: a small gap in stats can be bridged by skill, but once the gap is too wide, it's insurmountable. Second, extreme environments can trigger a burst of potential. However, that isn't always good—it places a massive strain on the body. If Xu Qingqiang didn't have the ability to recover by eating, he would have collapsed long ago. We still need to monitor him for any long-term hidden dangers."
Wei Huan nodded. Xia Yu, the highest-level Prayer in Daxia and a Second-Heaven Angel, should be able to check his condition eventually.
---
While Wei Huan's group rested, the Dark Beast King was trembling with rage. It never imagined it would lose nine Royals in such a short time. Now, only 275 Royals remained—a number dangerously close to a critical threshold. The thought of the "consequences" made its soul shudder.
Only five days left until the humans departed. Should it continue to hide? Or take this chance to kill them? It knew that if it didn't fear the "cost," it could surely wipe out these humans.
The King looked at the "Second Generation Royals" gathered before its throne, including Beast King Crack. Its eyes met Crack's. It could read Crack's thoughts—the creature was always the most rational, and it had advocated for killing the human from the start.
Unfortunately, even the cleverest didn't know everything. Yes, at any cost, it could kill the human Necromancer. But it was that "cost" that terrified the King.
The number of Dark Beast Royals was fixed; one could only be born when one died. This had been a constant law for millions of years. Every Royal had a purpose, and their number at any given period could not fall below a specific threshold. This was a supreme secret known only to the Kings. If the number fell too low, a "Great Horror" would occur.
Under Crack's clear, almost pleading gaze, the King looked away. This creature was becoming less like a Royal every day—it didn't just fear the King; it had 'emotions' in its eyes. The King found it strange, but not unpleasant. In fact, it had begun to pay more attention to Crack.
Seeing the King look away, Crack looked dejected. It was a pity, but some secrets were for the King alone. Only then would one understand the Great Horror they lived upon.
"Avoid the humans. Stay far away. Do not let them catch you again. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, My King!" The Royals' voices echoed in unison.
Only Beast King Crack let out a deep sigh, thinking the King wouldn't notice. This had truly been the last chance.
---
After that day, Wei Huan never saw another Dark Beast Royal.
Four days before departure, the undead army's weakened state vanished. With full strength restored, the team set out once more. Thanks to the new entry-level spatial warehouses, the manual transport line shrank from ten 'li' to five. Everyone was happy.
Everyone except Xu Qingqiang. His last cigarette was gone. He had rifled through everyone's bags but found nothing. Smokeless, he lay depressed on the back of a Burrow Beast, motionless for hours.
With three days left, they successfully found the high-quality Sky-Orbit Red Suns they needed. It was another Royal territory, now abandoned. The resources were left for the taking. They found several high-grade ones and one perfect specimen—ideal for a spatial box to hold the Dark Source.
Mu Zhong said, "Technically, these blueprints are for higher-level drivers, but 'Iron Heart' has everything in its database. Without this specific box, the Dark Source couldn't be moved. It's a form of formless Law, a root of energy. By taking it and building a Dark Energy cultivation room on the vehicle, it will generate energy indefinitely. It will benefit you and all other dark-energy users on the crew."
After collecting the resources, Mu Zhong spent a full day crafting the box. They then hurried back to the Source. By the time they successfully placed the Dark Source into the box, only two days remained before their departure from the Dark Beast Plane.
Mu Zhong called a meeting. "We have two days left. I want to know your thoughts. Do we stay here and rest until we leave? Or do we search further for more resources? We have storage tools now and plenty of space. We can take all the things we previously had to abandon."
Before he could finish, several voices chimed in. "Keep going, obviously!"
"I support moving forward. Leaving these treasures for beasts who don't even know how to use them is a waste."
"Agreed. These beasts use rare resources just to decorate their nests. I thought their Lords took math and science exams?"
"What's there to understand? They are beasts. You expect them to start inventing things? When they won the Opening Battle in the past, their rewards were Gene Fruits and magical beasts they could eat for stats—things that fit their nature. To them, resources that require smelting and crafting are just shiny glass beads."
"Their loss, our gain."
"Beasts will be beasts."
Everyone was relaxed. Mu Zhong didn't enforce strict discipline, seeing their thoughts were aligned. He looked at Wei Huan. "Then let's set out. It'll be a busy last two days."
Wei Huan smiled. "Picking up free rare resources makes me quite happy."
"Indeed," Mu Zhong laughed. "We all feel the same."