As Xu Qingqiang met Wei Huan's gaze, the crimson glow in his eyes slowly receded. Only when the demonic patterns on his face retreated beneath his collar did he look human again.
He glanced at the chaotic debris of the vehicle being blasted ahead, lit a cigarette, and said, "It's not that there's 'no' energy, but it feels like eating watery porridge. You know? Usually, I eat 'big fish and meat'—the kind you have to chew. This stuff just slides down your throat and gives you nothing. That's how it is.
"However!" Xu Qingqiang added, "I can feel energy inside those corpses. If I had waited a bit longer, I could have dug it out along their meridians. But... I find it a bit hard to strike my own kind. I'll eat anything, but I don't eat people."
He exhaled a cloud of smoke and looked up at the battle: "They're all dead."
Wei Huan realized it was likely like a seed planted in flesh; it had absorbed the residual power of the challengers and burst forth with terrifying strength. This was the nature of parasitism: the stronger the host, the stronger the parasite. This thought gave Wei Huan a sudden jolt.
Wait—was the Remnant of the Sequence 6 world truly the same race as the illusion-weaving liars from the Sequence 5 world? They were in the same lineage, but was it reasonable for them to be identical?
"Be careful," Wei Huan shared his theory. "Perhaps the Remnant of the Sequence 6 world is actually a new species parasitizing the bodies of the Sequence 5 Remnants."
As he spoke, he saw one of the controlled corpses suddenly twist and deform. It transformed into a massive, grotesque, deformed fish. Within its gaping maw was a row of rasp-like teeth—a mouth within a mouth. Its body was covered in bird-like feathers. It moved nimbly through the crossfire, using seagrass fragments as cover, and managed to escape into the distance.
Wei Huan added, "They don't just have the spiritual attacks of the Sequence 5 Remnants; after parasitizing our challengers, they gain their Sequence abilities. Furthermore, they might have parasitized more than just these two types."
"That's it!"
"Indeed, I've sensed something wrong as well."
"Be extremely careful; we have no absolute way to avoid parasitism yet."
"Commander Wei, your discovery is incredibly timely."
"Commander Wei, I have several biological experts on my vehicle. I hope to collect samples for research to find the true face of the parasite," one captain suggested.
"Objection!" another countered. "We don't know what they are, and now isn't the time for research. Rescuing people is the priority. Bringing corpses back to the vehicle is no different from inviting a wolf into the house."
"The most terrifying thing is facing an unknown enemy. As the Daxia proverb goes: 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.'"
"That's an ancient military maxim; it doesn't fully apply to the modern Challenge World."
"Coward!"
"You! I'm looking out for you!"
"I don't need it! I just want the truth!"
"Fine, do as you wish, just don't drag us down!"
The two generals, nearly fifty years old, bickered like children. Yet their argument presented Wei Huan with distinct choices. Mu Zhong looked at Wei Huan, unsure of what he would decide.
Wei Huan's attention remained on the deformed shark that had escaped. While the other parasitized challengers had been shredded by the bombardment, this shark had gotten away. By its strength alone, it shouldn't have escaped, but the element of surprise had favored it. To Wei Huan, this wasn't entirely bad—at least they had exposed their abilities, ensuring the team wouldn't be caught off guard later.
Amidst the bickering and Wei Huan's silence, a shattered vehicle appeared at the end of the sludge-filled passage. The sight of the wreckage silenced everyone.
Though the AI butler had scanned the wreckage earlier, seeing the physical remains of the camouflage-painted vehicle was vastly different from a virtual image. A sense of "grief for one's own kind" washed over them. A vehicle was a challenger's sanctuary, housing a thousand lives. When a vehicle fell, the combatants might at least go down fighting, but the logistics staff, workers, and families were simply erased in an instant.
As the vehicle's spatial laws failed, people and objects were scattered everywhere. Now, their bodies were occupied by monsters, denied even the peace of death.
Under Wei Huan's orders, the undead army swam to the wreckage. Facehugger entities crawled across the surfaces, searching every inch.
Wei Huan's vision shifted to the Heroic Evil-Eye Overlord. "The cracks are all protruding outward. The vehicle self-destructed, didn't it?" he muttered, but the others heard him.
A chill ran down their spines. A vehicle exploding from the inside? A traitor was impossible in a racial war. The only answer: someone was parasitized, and they blew up the vehicle from within, achieving victory without shedding a drop of blood. As for how they were parasitized? It wasn't hard to guess: the Remnants used their illusions to lure people out of the vehicle.
The enemy was becoming increasingly more treacherous, and humanity had only just realized their existence. Wei Huan agreed with the captain who sought the truth: one must not fear the unknown. However, he also held a faint hope that not all fallen vehicles were destroyed this way. He sensed that the greater the oppression, the stronger the resistance.
"Butler."
"I am here."
"Completely destroy this wreckage."
"Understood."
"Mu Zhong."
"I am here."
"Have the 'Heart of Steel' search for survivor signals at full power."
"Understood."
"Entire army!"
"Yes!"
"Stay alert. Move out!"
Wei Huan issued rapid-fire orders, leaving no room for further debate. These generals, who were giants in their own countries, followed his lead without hesitation.
As they moved forward, the environment remained grim. Massive clumps of Remnant debris blocked the path, requiring Level 6 cannons and long-range bombardment to clear the way. The 'Heart of Steel's' scanning range far exceeded the AI butler's and even the vehicle's attack range. Wei Huan suspected its actual coverage was even greater, likely restricted by his current authority.
With its help, they found three more vehicles destroyed from within. They were close together, destroyed in the same manner. This time, Wei Huan didn't use Level 8 weapons to shred everything, yet he saw no corpses at all. There was no way survivors had escaped into this environment on their own. The only possibility: the parasitized hosts had retreated before the fleet arrived.
By the fourth wreckage, the command channel was silent. The act of clearing the path became mechanical and numb. Many had lost hope of finding anyone alive. They were going deeper into a more hostile environment where the Remnants were physically larger—now posing a direct physical threat to the vehicles themselves. They also saw "parasites" floating freely in the water—black, worm-like creatures that made their skin crawl.
"Or perhaps they aren't parasites," Mu Zhong said, standing beside Wei Huan. "The Sequence 5 world had red roots. These black worms might be the mature form of those roots. Our 'parasite' theory might just be a guess; perhaps the enemy has been the same species all along."
Wei Huan replied, "Xu Qingqiang collected a sample for Xia Yu. The truth will be out soon. She manages the Second Heaven; even if she hasn't leveled up to Sequence 6, her strength is comparable."
"How long until you reach Sequence 6?" Mu Zhong asked.
"Soon," Wei Huan replied. "The feeling of a breakthrough is constant. It could be any moment—a meditation session or a spark during battle."
Mu Zhong wanted to suggest Wei Huan level up first, but Wei Huan shook his head. The current environment was too volatile for cultivation.
"Captain, Chef Liu asks if you would like to eat?" the AI interrupted.
"No," Wei Huan paused. "Have the others eat in shifts. Arrange combat rotations and maintain Grade 1 battle readiness."
---
Mu Zhong asked, "You think a fight is coming?"
"Inevitably. They won't just hide with those corpses. We are deep in their nest; they won't pass up this chance."
"Then we—"
"We can't retreat. Even if we don't save anyone, we must understand what this civilization is. Otherwise, even if the World Tree is planted, humanity will never know peace."
"Knock, knock, knock."
Liu Chengzhi entered, pushing a dining cart. He was a large man with a round, cheerful face that looked like a Maitreya Buddha. "Boss, if you won't eat, I can't let Brother Mu go hungry. I made his favorite dishes."
He pushed the cart over, revealing that its wheels were hovering in the air. "I had a veteran help me make this. A flying dining cart! It can grill, fry, and keep everything warm. And look at the storage space..."
Mu Zhong pulled Wei Huan to sit and placed utensils in his hand. Liu Chengzhi even produced chilled plum juice from a refrigerated compartment. After he left, Wei Huan felt the weight on his heart lift slightly. A good meal truly could solve many problems. Whether it was liars or parasites, he had a Level 7 vehicle with Level 8 parts. As long as he didn't get reckless, he could break through any horror.
Then, a stroke of luck occurred.
Mu Zhong's expression changed. He tapped the virtual map. "There's a signal! An intact vehicle! The 'Heart of Steel' is contacting them... They answered! We're connected!"
Four faces appeared on the screen—haggard, ecstatic, yet filled with a trembling suspicion. Having been tortured by the Remnants, they desperately wanted this rescue to be real but didn't dare believe it.
"We're connected?"
"Why that look in their eyes? Are they parasitized?"
"Could it be a Remnant trap?"
Wei Huan scanned them and asked, "Where is General Meyer?"
A captain from the Fence Country replied, "We don't know. When we woke up, there were only our four vehicles. The others are gone."
"How did you wake up?" someone asked.
"I don't know. It was like a dream, and suddenly we were awake."
"That's an irresponsible answer," a general scoffed. "How do we know you aren't being used? Or already parasitized?"
"Parasitized? What are you talking about?"
"Damn it, I really don't know... Ah! Commander Wei, we need resources! Our shield is about to collapse! Ten more minutes and we'll be gone!"
Wei Huan ordered, "Trade energy blocks to them."
"Commander, we haven't verified them yet!" someone protested.
"Oh God! I received the trade request! It's real! Commander Wei has come for us!"
As they drew closer, they realized how the four vehicles had survived. One of them had a Level 7 shield. It was the only reason they were still standing, but they were at their limit. Continuous operation for over a day had drained their energy.
The Fence Country vehicle was protecting the other three, huddled together. Massive seagrass—thicker than the vehicles—coiled around them like giant sea pythons, tightening their grip but not yet attacking, as if waiting for the shields to fail naturally.
Wei Huan's arrival provoked the sea-snakes. Countless seagrass heads lashed at the shields. Some split open like mouths filled with jagged teeth, biting down.
"Not good! If they continue, it will trigger our shield's defensive counter-attack!" the Fence Country captain warned. "Be careful! They're doing it on purpose!"
The plants were clever; they wanted to trigger the Level 7 shield's counter-attack to damage the allied fleet.
Wei Huan didn't want to fall into a passive position. He ordered his vehicle to fire. Level 8 ring-shaped weapons sliced through the water, shearing off the seagrass heads. However, as he circled the cluster to clear the perimeter, the trapped vehicle's shield finally gave out with a "pop" like a shattered lightbulb.
Immediately, a powerful force gathered at the center and sliced outward. It was a ring-shaped blast, similar to Wei Huan's own Level 8 attacks. Wei Huan, familiar with the pattern, ordered his vehicle to evade. But the Remnants didn't want him to move; they erupted from the depths in even greater numbers, seeking to entangle and pin him in place.
If Wei Huan still had a Level 6 vehicle, this would have been a dire struggle. But he had engaged knowing the trap was there, for one simple reason: he was strong.
Against absolute power, all schemes are merely useless ornaments.