The "Egg" emitted a peculiar halo that made observers feel slightly lightheaded. A power that couldn't be ignored lingered in their hearts, evoking a sense of awe—the kind one feels when their very level of existence is utterly suppressed.
However, unlike the beast Mofidi , this sensation wasn't malevolent. Instead, it felt comfortable, almost like being enveloped in a healing embrace.
"Is it Light-element?"
"No. It's not Nature-element either, and definitely not Dark. Perhaps it can't be described by a single element. Its aura is more... transcendent. It's incredibly complex and encompasses so much."
"So, we're back here, and the Heart of Steel is still silent? Does it require physical touch, or is this not what we were looking for?"
"It is exactly what we need!" Mu Zhong's voice suddenly rose as he began to chant: "The Heart of Life: A crystalline energy formed after the fall of a deity. It possesses the power to suppress the Divine Surge. When the World Tree is planted upon the Heart of Life, it gains the ability to absorb the power of divine corpses, providing a probability of breaking through the constraints of this world."
Wei Huan listened, turning the words over in his mind several times. When he looked up, his heart was steady. The grand strategy for this world was set. He had won.
Mu Zhong finished reading and looked at Wei Huan with admiration. "You managed to pull off such a complex achievement directly. I can hardly imagine how long humanity would have wandered in this world without you before finding a single clue to the truth."
"Perhaps until our extinction," Wei Huan murmured.
It was a statement that sounded arrogant, but Mu Zhong didn't laugh. He saw the flicker of painful emotions in Wei Huan's eyes. Since arriving in the Level 6 world, something unreadable had been flashing in Wei Huan's gaze; occasionally, Mu Zhong even suspected he saw traces of unshed tears. But he never asked. He knew Wei Huan was doing something incredible at this moment, and loving him was enough.
---
Wei Huan vented his pent-up emotions through combat. The battle lasted five days. His hundred-plus Super Energy Storage Tanks went through three full rotations, and he had to rebuild his Undead Royal Avatar six times before finally putting down the relentless treasure monsters for good.
During the slaughter, he fought his way back from the seabed, carving through the seaweed-choked zones controlled by the Divine Surge. His Level 8 Arrow Towers proved their worth again, mincing the seaweed into pig fodder while the challengers on the battle platform finished them off.
When clear seawater finally reappeared before them, Wei Huan let out a long breath, and his rigid spine finally relaxed.
"We're back!"
"It's over..."
"Hahaha! We actually lived!!"
The deep sea they once feared now felt intimate—like returning to the mortal realm from the depths of hell. The air felt clear.
Wei Huan watched the seaweed receding behind them, thrashing in impotent rage. He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. With 300% energy recovery and his storage tanks, he could have fought indefinitely, but the mental strain was real. The prolonged battle felt like a dull rasp filing away at the inside of his skull.
A hand reached out, gently moving his own to massage his forehead. Wei Huan relaxed into the touch. "Aren't you going to rest?" he asked with his eyes closed.
"You're the one who did all the hard work," Mu Zhong replied. "I don't get to rest before you do. You have dark circles under your eyes; this battle dragged on a bit too long."
"I just wanted to eliminate as much of the Surge and the spreading seaweed as possible. When the World Tree arrives, we can't just stand by while the environment needs clearing. It was on the way."
"I know. After this, we can rest for a long time. Do you want to go back and sleep first?"
Wei Huan nodded, then opened his eyes. "Many of the undead haven't reached Level 6 yet. During the fighting, I was upgrading them haphazardly. I need to go reorganize them."
He stood up, still holding Mu Zhong's hand, checking his partner's face before nodding. "I'll leave the rest to you. Be careful with General Josh. Handle everything, and we'll talk when I get back."
---
Wei Huan returned to his room, handled the Undead Pasture, and then went for a bath. He fell asleep in the tub, the warm water and white noise of the pipes soothing his frayed brain. Even a shallow nap restored much of his energy.
He stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, only to find Commander Dong Chujian sitting on his living room sofa, smiling at him.
The Commander stood up. "You did well. Because of you, the human race has survived its great tribulation. From here on, the horizon is wide and the blueprint is grand!"
Wei Huan's fists clenched, a vein throbbing in his temple. How was Commander Dong in his bedroom? He tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat.
Then, Captain Fang's laughter echoed behind him. A heavy palm slapped his shoulder. "Wei Huan, you're amazing. You finally cleared such a difficult hurdle. Seeing things so good now, I can finally rest in peace."
But the person who stepped into his view wasn't Fang—it was Jacques.
Jacques said, "Captain, thank you for your hard work. The human race has stepped away from its doomed fate. Thanks to you, I can finally be at ease."
Aglis stepped out from the other side, giggling. "I didn't see it coming, kid. You're the one who really changed our fate."
Behind her, a holy light shimmered as Jiang Yue appeared, her face now that of a smiling angel. "I can finally go now. Goodbye."
As those last two words hung in the air, Wei Huan felt as if he had been shoved. He fell backward, sinking deep into the warm water of the tub.
"'Gasp!'"
He snapped his eyes open. The bathroom was empty. Through the rising steam, he stared at the shimmering ripples on the water. After a long moment, he blinked hard and submerged his face. When the last trace of heat left the corners of his eyes, he pulled back and smiled.
In truth, Wei Huan barely remembered how he had survived the last half-month. He thought he had been calm, but looking back, he had been driven by an overwhelming panic—a desperate, frantic need to save everything.
It had been a period governed by instinct. But he had succeeded. The heroes etched into his deepest memories had come to say goodbye. As they left, the heavy weight he had been carrying seemed to depart with them.
'Being reborn was worth it. This is good.'
---
Wei Huan finally went to his bed and slept for a day and a half. He didn't visit the Professional Temple or check the Pasture. He slept through two visits from Mu Zhong, making up for two lifetimes of exhaustion.
When he finally woke, his body aching from the long rest, he croaked, "Butler, I'm hungry."
"Certainly, Captain. The head chef has been notified. Shall I inform Vice-Captain Mu?"
"Yes." Wei Huan missed Mu Zhong. He had resolved the regrets of his past life; now, it was just the two of them and the road ahead.
When Mu Zhong arrived, he found Wei Huan standing on the balcony, looking refreshed and gazing into the distance. The sunlight reflecting off the ocean illuminated his profile. When he turned to smile, Mu Zhong felt his heart skip.
'Thump-thump! Thump-thump!'
"You..." Mu Zhong started, his voice strangely raspy. He cleared his throat, feeling his ears grow warm. He had known Wei Huan was handsome, but today he looked... different.
There was a light, clear energy about him that Mu Zhong had never felt before. Previously, Wei Huan had been like a blood-stained blade—sharp, hard, and cold. Even in their most intimate moments, that coldness would return the moment they left the bed. Now, he realized he had never considered the simplest explanation: the man was only 21.
"What is it?" Wei Huan asked, noticing the odd look.
Mu Zhong walked over. "Open up."
Wei Huan complied, and something was popped into his mouth. A cool, honey-sweet flavor hit his senses. "Candy?"
"Peppermint candy," Mu Zhong said.
"Why?"
"Just eat it. Don't ask so many questions." Mu Zhong popped one into his own mouth and smiled.
---
Once the sugar settled, they got down to business.
"We rescued 14 people," Mu Zhong reported. "Two are still in comas and might not wake, but the other 12 are conscious. They're being quarantined on Mo Yu's chariot. Xu Qingqiang is staying there to help with treatment. No one enters the main chariot without your permission."
Wei Huan nodded.
"The Heart of Life hasn't been brought on board yet. Your undead have been guarding it in its original position. It's hostile to everything right now, so I couldn't bring it in for research. Now that you're awake, you can bring it back."
"Is it safe?"
"The Heart of Steel says so, but I'll handle it carefully."
Mu Zhong moved to the third point. "The Level 6 road assessment went smoothly. The Dark Beast Royal Family didn't interfere. Either they didn't expect us to move so fast, or the 'Moji' you left in their world is doing its job. The latest news is that the main force has reached the 80th line. They'll arrive in the Level 6 world by tomorrow noon."
Wei Huan chuckled. "I feel like I missed a lot during that nap. Anything else?"
"Plenty. Remember the blueprints? We have a full set for a Level 7 upgrade and seven sets for Level 6."
"Wasn't it six sets for Level 6?"
"You're sharp today," Mu Zhong laughed. "One of the survivors from the treasure room, a woman named Alfonso from the 'Kangaroo Nation' (Australia), was the sole survivor of her chariot. She's a Lightning Mage—a true natural talent. Even at Sequence 4, her output is higher than anyone else's. And... she happened to touch a Diamond chest."
Wei Huan's mind raced. "A Professional Training Ground?"
"Exactly. She unlocked the 'Mage Tower' for the Sage profession. She passed the test because it wasn't a combat trial; it was a knowledge exam, and she's a brilliant student. Her mana pool is now over 10,000—the highest we've seen besides yours."
"Alfonso... so it's her," Wei Huan whispered. He remembered her now—the
"First Great Lightning Mage" of Blue Star from his previous life, known as the
"God of Thunder."
He wasn't surprised. Geniuses are geniuses in any environment.
"Thinking of inviting her on board?" Mu Zhong asked.
"It's up to her," Wei Huan replied. He didn't feel the need to control everything. Humanity was merging into a single race; as long as she was strong and fighting for the right side, it didn't matter whose chariot she was on. He wasn't going to put all of humanity's eggs in his own basket.
"General Josh woke up once," Mu Zhong added, his tone shifting. "He seems unable to accept the loss of his crew. Xia Yu says he's lost the will to live. It might be best to send him back to Blue Star."
"Hmph," Wei Huan scoffed without sympathy. "An overconfident general who got his crew killed and wasted so many lives 'should' reflect on himself."
"Nearly five thousand people died. It's a heavy blow," Mu Zhong agreed. "But Josh has been a strong ally against Hodgson and helped us investigate the Xu family. We could bring him back easily with our resources, but it's your call."
"Let him reflect for a while," Wei Huan said. He wasn't entirely heartless, but he wanted the lesson to stick.
Finally, Liu Chengzhi arrived with his flying meal cart—an invention the veterans had made for him. He was beaming.
"Captain, you won't believe it!" Liu said as he served a feast. "I think there are 'sub-professions' in this world. The other day, while cooking, it felt like my meridians opened up. I was in the zone. When I finished, all my stats had jumped by a hundred points! I feel terrifyingly strong!"
Mu Zhong was intrigued. "Gaining stats through cooking? Perhaps the system rewards those who dedicate themselves to non-combat mastery."
"Maybe this is the true path to becoming a 'God of Cooking'?" Liu laughed.
Mu Zhong smiled. "Why not? In the past, we were limited by survival pressure. Now that we have some breathing room, we can explore the true wonders of this world. This..." he looked at Wei Huan, "...might just be the beginning."
Wei Huan nodded. The Challenge World was a civilization's competition, but it was also a path to self-evolution—and evolution wasn't just about the strength of one's sword.