Mu Zhong smiled at his father's side. "Rather than just talking to him, you should talk to me too. I want to participate in the quota allocation process—at least to understand the core mechanics of it."
Mu Dehao nodded kindly. "It's best if you want to learn. Eventually, these responsibilities will all be yours. I'll teach you everything. I'll be in touch."
"Thanks, Dad."
As they spoke, Xu Qingqiang had been waiting nearby for a while. Mu Dehao prepared to depart, patting the shoulders of both Mu Zhong and Wei Huan before leaving. "Don't be reckless. Stay safe," he said earnestly before turning away.
With Mu Dehao's departure, the two groups of Challengers separated. Before parting, they exchanged shouts of encouragement.
"Good luck!"
"Hahaha, don't go dying in some ruins!"
"I'll buy you a drink when we reach the Sequence 6 world next month."
"See you next month."
Wei Huan waited until the goodbyes were finished, then headed toward the Challenge Room. The crowd behind him grew larger; by the time he reached the destination, over four hundred people had gathered. Some of the crew remained on Blue Star to spend the final moments with family before the dawn deadline, while others had already returned.
As Wei Huan entered the Challenge Room, the others dispersed. Everyone was clearly eager to get back to the vehicle. Their status was unique; they couldn't move freely on Blue Star, so the environment inside the vehicle—which now resembled a small, high-tech community—was much more comfortable.
"Are we upgrading to Level 7 as soon as we get back?"
"The Level 7 upgrade takes a week. I wonder how big the interior space will be."
"Level 7 is called the 'War Fortress.' It's a vehicle that can leave the planet and stay in deep space. We're finally heading for the stars."
"I can't wait to see it. Can we recruit more female Challengers? The thought of drifting through the universe with nothing but you guys makes me miserable."
"Hahaha! Tell that to Boss Mu. If it works, we'll give you top credit."
"Screw off! Why don't you say it? If I'm the only one who speaks up, I'll look like a total pervert. You guys sure love setting me up for a reputation hit."
"Hahaha..."
Amidst the laughter, the lights in the Challenge Room flashed and faded, leaving blue beacons floating gently on the floor.
Wei Huan lagged behind slightly. Passing the Deputy Captain's quarters, he noticed a beacon already floating in the room opposite Mu Zhong's. It was Yake' room and Yake' beacon. After being rescued from Aosam and promoted to Lieutenant General, Yake hadn't stayed long in Daxia. He found it difficult to settle in such a high-security base given his background, so he had returned to the vehicle where he felt more at ease.
This was temporary. Once the vehicle reached Level 7 and thousands of international Challengers—including Aosamians—joined, the boundaries between "foreigners" would blur until humanity stood as one. It would be a long process, but a hopeful one.
"Let's go," Mu Zhong called to Wei Huan. "Aren't you curious about your chest?"
Wei Huan smiled. "Fine. Let's go open the chest."
---
Inside the vehicle, it felt like stepping into a sci-fi world. Beyond the futuristic architecture and Challenge technology, hovercars were now standard transport. Near the cockpit, two ten-meter-tall white mechs stood against the plaza walls, pushing the cyber aesthetic to its limit.
Wei Huan appeared directly in the Captain's room. Before he could move, Mu Zhong pushed the door open, eager. "Come on, open it."
Wei Huan pulled the Diamond Treasure Chest from the Carnival rewards out of his storage. Before Wei Huan's rise, humanity hadn't opened a wild Diamond Chest in five years; the Carnival was the only source for such high-tier gear. Captain Fang's two-year streak had only brought two such chests to Daxia. They were incredibly precious.
To Wei Huan, however, they were just another resource. He placed the chest on the table and let Mu Zhong open it. Since this wasn't a Pseudo-God level chest, it didn't trigger a class training ground; it didn't matter who opened it.
"I'm opening it then," Mu Zhong laughed, placing his hand on the lid. "Two Diamond Chests in less than a week. When did these become so common?"
"If you didn't have a dual-class, you would have been on the Carnival rankings too," Wei Huan noted.
"True. Who knew the system wouldn't combine the scores but only count the strongest class? Oh well, at least the bonuses go to Qiang-ge and the others. You know Qiang-ge sponsors a city-wide orphanage, right? His pockets are always empty; for a while, he was even bumming cigarettes off people."
Wei Huan chuckled. "Brother Qiang is a righteous man."
"Everyone on our vehicle has good character..." As Mu Zhong spoke, a brilliant light flashed. His attention snapped to the storage manifest. "Diamond-tier Strength Potion added to the DKP list. A Diamond Strength Greatsword! Ha! Look at my 'Red Hand' luck! A strength weapon! We'll have to discuss whether to put this in the DKP or issue it as standard gear. Wait... holy crap, look at the next drop! Agility Dual Blades! I pulled two weapons! And a Super Energy Storage Tank! Tell me, is my hand lucky or what?"
Wei Huan watched Mu Zhong's excited dancing and nodded. "Very lucky. I rarely see two weapons in one chest, let alone two Diamond-tier ones. These will create two powerhouses." He paused, reaching out. "Let me see that 'Red Hand' of yours."
Mu Zhong, delighted by the teasing, circled the chair and hugged Wei Huan from behind, leaning over his back and presenting his hands. "Look. Vibrant, long, and powerful. Perfectly elegant hands. Wouldn't you say they're lucky?"
Wei Huan took those hands in his own, his thumbs grazing the palms intimately. He turned to look at Mu Zhong, only to be met with a kiss. Mu Zhong kissed his scarred face with eyes full of deep devotion—a love that transcended a damaged shell. It was this sincere, unmasked affection that had allowed Wei Huan to slowly stop caring about his injuries.
---
That night, the upgrade began. It took one day to install the Level 7 windshield, followed by seven days for the full vehicle upgrade. During this time, the vehicle remained in the Chaos Space. The crew lived their daily lives, training and cultivating.
Notably, Auntie Peng was brought in a few days prior. She and Dou Lin needed each other like a real mother and son; the smiles on Dou Lin's face multiplied instantly. Auntie Peng took a job in the kitchen; she would likely soon become the dining hall manager. With 10,000 people soon to be on board, dining logistics would require more than just cooks; they would need professional management.
Her return was a happy ending to the "Saint Race" and "Son of Saint" incident. Now, only the Xu father and son remained. Liu Chengzhi wouldn't let them go, and neither would Wei Huan. They were cunning and ambitious; leaving them to grow was a liability that had to be addressed.
The seven days felt long. During the upgrade, the interior of the vehicle was filled with a thick mist. Visibility outside of rooms was limited to about ten meters, especially near the edges where the space was undergoing a world-shaking transformation. Most crew members spent their time cultivating near the World Tree sprout, as did Wei Huan.
Seven days of focused cultivation brought Wei Huan, who was already in a state of "enlightenment," to the bottleneck of Sequence 6. It felt as though a few more days of effort would allow him to break through.
When the AI butler notified him that the upgrade was complete, Wei Huan stood up expectantly and walked out his door. His eyes brightened immediately.
It felt as though he had stepped outdoors. The plaza, now free of mist, was massive—roughly the size of five football fields. It looked like a vast plain. The surrounding buildings were now skyscrapers over a hundred meters tall, connected by skybridges leading to different departments.
Mu Zhong had already been busy. In the center of the plaza, he had designed a park. It was filled with lush greenery, blooming flowers, and symmetrical paths that felt both relaxing and disciplined. In the center of the park stood the World Tree sprout, protected by a barrier of branches and flowers, with dedicated cultivation spaces around it.
The barrier was symbolic for Challengers, but it served as a clear boundary. If anyone tried to force their way in, the vehicle's automated defenses would show no mercy.
The upgrade also added built-in entertainment: bars, cinemas, gyms, and more, located directly within the skyscrapers. This saved space in the central plaza and utilized futuristic technology provided by the Challenge World.
Wei Huan jumped from his high balcony, a cloud of black mist manifesting beneath his feet. He drifted down to the park, landing beside Mu Zhong.
"You missed the exact moment the mist cleared," Mu Zhong said with a bright smile. "How's my design? Satisfied?"
"Yes," Wei Huan nodded. They had discussed this design many times—using the massive central space for a park was a mutual decision.
The park attracted many crew members. The storage was full of plants and luxury goods pulled from chests over the months; decorating the space was easy. A Druid who specialized in nature power walked in and gasped. "The nature energy here is so dense!"
"Is it from the World Tree?" Mu Zhong asked.
"No, I'm certain it's different from before."
Mu Zhong looked at the newly planted trees thoughtfully. "It seems we can't underestimate anything from the chests, not even a cup of water. When these 'ordinary' trees are gathered in sufficient numbers, a quantitative change leads to a qualitative leap in energy density."
"It's because these items can't be taken out of the Challenge World," Wei Huan added. "Most vehicles don't have the space to reach that critical mass. We're only seeing the benefit now because of our size."
Xia Yu walked up and greeted them. "Boss Mu, let's plant all the remaining trees. I noticed the upgraded rooms have huge balconies. We can plant vines and shrubs there to further increase the nature energy. It's a universal element; any elementalist can use it to speed up their cultivation. This vehicle is becoming one giant cultivation spot."
Wei Huan agreed. The greenery wasn't just for energy; it helped people relax and improved morale. Soon, the streets were lined with poplars every five meters, and every balcony was lush with life.
"It's like a small city," Mu Zhong remarked as they walked down a street he had designed. "Level 7 holds 10,000 people. By Level 8—the Space Fortress—it'll be 100,000. That's a micro-metropolis."
Mu Zhong added, "And here's something incredible: after the Level 7 upgrade, we can immediately upgrade six components to Level 8. We've opened so many high-level chests and cleared so many ruins that we've bypassed the need for legion support. We're on the verge of a Level 8 vehicle already."
This didn't surprise Wei Huan. From his very first chest in the Rookie Challenge, he had been pulling Level 8 blueprints and materials. His "accumulation" was finally paying off.
They reached the cockpit. Due to the sheer size of the interior, they now used hovercars. The hovercar glided at 50 km/h toward the command center.
The command room was four times its previous size. The briefing room and conference rooms were now separated. Management seating had increased from 108 to 200. The holographic technology far surpassed anything on Blue Star.
The Captain's quarters had transformed from a small office into a 200-square-meter multi-functional suite, complete with a viewing area, a private reception room, and a lounge.
Mu Zhong laughed when he saw the lounge. "You sleep in your office? Are you a Captain or a corporate slave?"
Wei Huan was startled, then laughed along.
They inspected the cockpit, which now accommodated 100 people across four sectors: Piloting, Analysis, Navigation, and Logistics. Mu Zhong's pilot seat was at the very front, screened off for privacy if he chose. He even had a sofa in his area.
"I have to complain," Mu Zhong joked. "Was the designer a workaholic? Why put a break area in the workspace when we can just take an elevator to our rooms?"
"Continuous battle makes it useful," Wei Huan said fairly.
After checking the mech bays, armory, maintenance, and engine rooms, they spent half the day touring the ship. The Level 7 upgrade focused heavily on the hull and propulsion—essential for a "War Fortress" meant for outer space.
Wei Huan was satisfied. He decided to stay in the Chaos Space for a few more days to upgrade the six available Level 8 components: shock absorbers, tires, weapon platforms, crash bars, lights, and balconies.
Upgrading the weapon towers and balconies would provide the firepower needed to stop worrying about the "jelly matter" in the deep sea. Each component would take three days. By the time they were done, more than half a month would have passed, and the new Rookie Challenge would be well underway.
Wei Huan planned to use this time to break through to Sequence 6: [Plague Spreader], making their upcoming adventure in the Sequence 6 world even safer.
However, less than a week later, it wasn't the Rookie Challenge that brought news—it was an urgent distress call from Aosam.