Wei Huan completed his cultivation as usual. Just as he withdrew from the Profession Temple, the AI butler spoke: "Captain, Captain Mu has an urgent matter. He requested that I inform you he is waiting for you in the cockpit."
Wei Huan rose from the Dark Source Crystal and noticed that the crowd of Criminal-sequence challengers usually gathered here had vanished. Detecting his confusion, the AI explained: "Captain Mu has ordered everyone back to their stations. The vehicle is about to leave the Chaos Space. We are only waiting for your final command."
Wei Huan's brow furrowed. Mu Zhong wouldn't issue such an order unless something serious had happened. "What occurred?"
"Intelligence personnel traveling to and from Blue Star received a distress call from Aosam. Their leader's vehicle is in crisis, and they hope we can stage a rescue."
"A Sequence 6 vehicle? General Josh Meyer's vehicle?"
"Yes, Captain. Precisely. Because we delayed our return, General Meyer attempted to explore the Sequence 6 world on his own, resulting in him becoming trapped. The Alliance Pioneer Army has already set out to rescue him, but report indicates the operation went poorly, leading to more vehicles being lost. They eventually sent a plea to us."
Wei Huan was already flying out of the Dark Source Room. The upgrade had one downside: the space was now so large that travel time within the vehicle had increased. He felt a brief surge of nostalgia for the Level 2 or 3 days when the vehicle was like an RV where every zone was just a few steps away.
Reaching the cockpit, he found Mu Zhong waiting for him. "Did I interrupt your cultivation?" Mu Zhong asked immediately.
Wei Huan shook his head.
"I had the butler wait until you were finished. I've handled the pre-departure preparations in the meantime," Mu Zhong said with a sigh of relief. "The gist is that General Meyer and his vehicle vanished within a sudden proliferation of undersea matter. Others are trapped as well."
"You mean the jelly-like substance covering the seabed?" Wei Huan asked, surprised.
"Exactly. We discussed the seabed being the 'Remnant' nest before. Meyer wouldn't risk himself recklessly; this 'proliferation' is the issue. We've been gone for nearly two months, and the Remnants haven't been idle. They are hunting us in ways we didn't imagine. They've floated up from the bottom. We might enter combat the moment we transition back. But don't worry, the staff and I have planned thoroughly. Most importantly, we upgraded our Level 8 weapons first—that will be the key to winning this."
They walked toward the command center. Along the way, hundreds of crew members stood at attention the moment Wei Huan appeared. At this moment, Wei Huan was not just the Captain of this vehicle; he was the Commander-in-Chief of the Blue Star Alliance Pioneer Army. This would be his first battle since taking office.
Wei Huan stopped before the command center doors and looked back at the crew. "vehicle, move out!"
"Yes, sir!"
The engines roared. A moment later, the screen showed the mist of the Chaos Space being torn asunder as the vehicle plunged into the black void ahead.
Spatial Transition!
They were back in the Sequence 6 world: [The Deep Sea World].
Upon returning, the difference was immediate. The seawater appeared bright and crystal clear. The oppressive, freezing darkness of the deep sea had vanished.
"It's because we upgraded the Level 8 headlights, isn't it?" someone remarked.
"Must be. Level 7 lights are beyond this world's tier, but Level 8 makes the seabed look like the surface. You can see forever. Once the level is high enough, restrictions are no longer restrictions."
Wei Huan looked at the screens and his expression turned grave. He finally understood what Mu Zhong meant by "proliferation." The world portal was in the center of this sea. Before, the distance to the surface and the seabed was roughly equal. Now, as they emerged from the portal, the seabed felt noticeably closer—as if the darkness from the depths was a giant mouth slowly rising to swallow them.
He knew General Meyer wasn't a fool, but without a high-level vehicle like Wei Huan's, the Aosam general was essentially blind. Being "captured" by the Remnants was a high probability.
"Wei Huan," Mu Zhong's voice came through their private link. "Wait five minutes. The 'Heart of Steel' is establishing contact with the other vehicles. We need a situational report."
In less than a minute, portraits appeared on the wall. The first was the General from the Great Bear Nation. "Greetings, Commander-in-Chief," he said respectfully. Despite being thirty years Wei Huan's senior, he was fully convinced by the young leader's capability.
By the five-minute mark, Mu Zhong reported: "We've contacted 13 captains. Nine vehicles are missing. Most of the 'Euro-American-Asian Alliance' led by Aosam and the Fence Nation have fallen into the Remnant trap."
Wei Huan noticed several captains who were close to Daxia sneering at the mention of Aosam's failure. His expression chilled. The Alliance was newly formed, and if these people brought their old Blue Star geopolitical squabbles into the Pioneer Army, they wouldn't last long. Sensing his displeasure, the captains immediately straightened up.
"I have sent the coordinates for the rendezvous point," Wei Huan said. "Arrive as quickly as possible, or you will be left to handle this operation alone."
The captain from the Desert Kingdom spoke up: "I see the point, but we are quite far. We cannot travel there alone safely."
"Contact me if you encounter danger; I will dispatch a unit. Any other questions?"
"Won't you come to pick us up? We might be attacked before we reach you."
"How did you get to where you are now?" Wei Huan countered. "I am going to save lives. I will not dispatch a pickup unless you are under fire. Find your own way there."
Mu Zhong chuckled on the private channel. "You're the Commander-in-Chief, not a babysitter. Some people still don't get it."
Wei Huan arrived at the rendezvous point in an hour. He was now deep enough that the rising darkness of the seabed looked like a gaping maw. Four vehicles were already waiting.
The captain from the Portuguese nation asked: "Commander, your vehicle has reached Level 7, hasn't it? The coming battle is dangerous. Can my crew and I request temporary boarding on your ship?"
The Desert Kingdom captain reacted instantly: "Oh no, that's unfair! We are two hours away. If slots are limited, we'll miss out!"
Soon, several captains were requesting temporary boarding. The news of a Level 7 vehicle was a magnetic lure. "Commander, can we board early?" "I'll pay 30 billion Daxia coins for temporary boarding rights!"
The Desert captain shouted: "Money still has value! The transition to a non-oil economy isn't complete yet. Please consider my offer!"
"Money isn't everything anymore," the Portuguese captain mocked. "Do you think the Commander lacks money?"
Wei Huan finally spoke, cutting through the noise: "Daxia is currently auditing the manifests. Once finished, I will receive a list. I hope all of you here will be on it."
In other words: if you aren't on the list, you have issues and aren't getting on the ship. Wei Huan trusted the vetting process of the Mu family and General Dong. He had no interest in "bringing wolves into the house" before the investigation was complete.
The argument died down, replaced by a sense of wounded pride. The Desert captain left the camera's view immediately. The Great Bear captain nodded to Wei Huan in silent understanding of the decision, though the rejection stung everyone.
One captain messaged Mu Zhong privately, complaining: "This isn't the Pioneer Army I wanted. This lack of trust is painful. If this is the future, I'd rather withdraw my application. If the Army remains this cold, it won't be a lighthouse for Blue Star."
Mu Zhong listened patiently, then smiled. "So, may I ask—what have you done to earn our trust? You followed us through the highway challenge and explored this world under our protection. What decision have you made to prove your reliability? Captain, if you cannot earn trust, the Army cannot keep you."
"You... young man, don't be so arrogant," the captain hissed before storming off.
On a private line, Wei Huan and Mu Zhong discussed the interaction. "They think complaining to me will work?" Mu Zhong said. "They don't realize that if you and I aren't in total alignment, the vehicle will collapse from internal friction."
"Children raised on lies will doubt the whole world," Wei Huan remarked. "Scratch that captain and his crew from the list. We don't need people who only know how to scheme."
As the deadline approached, four vehicles—including the Desert Kingdom's—were still missing. Wei Huan didn't wait a second longer.
"Move out," he commanded the nine vehicles present. "Stay close. I am opening the defensive shields to allow you inside my perimeter. We are heading directly to General Meyer's last known signal."
He chose to leave. He was now commanding 23 vehicles in total (including his own): 9 were trapped, 4 had effectively refused the mission through passive-aggressive delay, and 9 were now following him into the depths.
Mu Zhong cut the communications to the four missing ships. One tried to argue, while the other three immediately retreated into the void—the Sequence 6 world was too dangerous to stay in while playing power games with a leader like Wei Huan.
The Desert captain remained on the line with Mu Zhong, venting his frustration. Mu Zhong sighed; he hadn't realized until now that the man was actually just a bit of a fool.