The meal was pleasant. Once finished, Wei Huan, Mu Zhong, and Liu Chengzhi headed downstairs together. They parted ways at the elevator: Liu returned to the kitchen, Mu Zhong headed to the cockpit, and Wei Huan made his way toward Old Ju's quarters.
Every so often, whenever Wei Huan gained a new insight, he would seek out Old Ju. The old man possessed immense wisdom; speaking with him often brought Wei Huan clarity and a broader perspective. Although Old Ju never referred to himself as a teacher, Wei Huan already regarded him as one. Even without specific questions, a simple conversation with him was revitalizing.
Wei Huan stayed for over two hours, briefing Old Ju on everything he could disclose about recent events. After a long discussion, Old Ju finally remarked, "...That Heart of Life can help the World Tree break the current status quo. I find myself somewhat concerned."
"What do you take it for, Old Ju?"
"A path leading out of the fish tank."
Wei Huan looked at Old Ju's furrowed brow, puzzled. "Isn't having a path a good thing?"
"But how is a fish supposed to live in the open air?"
Wei Huan found himself speechless, unable to answer for a long time.
Upon leaving, Wei Huan didn't dwell too much on the potential perils of the road ahead, and neither did Old Ju. They already had one great path to walk; now that they had two options, why should it become a worry? Having choices was a blessing; they would simply pick the better one when the time came.
Afterward, Wei Huan conducted a final inspection of the vehicle. Once satisfied, he immersed himself back into cultivation.
---
On the surface, Wei Huan's venture to the divine corpse on the seabed had been a success. He had looted tens of thousands of treasure chests and secured the "Heart of Life," a god-tier item capable of shattering the world's framework.
In reality, his losses were significant. The Divine Surge was a special energy capable of directly extinguishing the Fires of Death and purifying the undead. In the chaos of battle, Wei Huan hadn't had the luxury of mourning his losses, but a recent tally showed his overall combat strength had been weakened by about a quarter.
Specifically, the large number of Twin-Headed Hidden Demons he had painstakingly leveled to Grade 6 had been decimated; he now had fewer than 200 remaining. If a similar battle occurred now, he wouldn't be able to handle it with such composure.
If he suffered such losses while holding an overwhelming advantage, a clash against an equal opponent would likely leave him "destitute."
Wei Huan suffered from a severe case of Firepower Deficiency Phobia—a lingering historical trauma that made him terrified of running out of ammunition and troops. Realizing he needed to replenish his forces urgently, he began a frenzied recruitment of Twin-Headed Hidden Demons. He would exhaust his spiritual power in the Professional Temple, then spend his recovery time in the Undead Pasture to avoid wasting a single second of his daily temple allowance.
---
Just as his dark energy recovered once more and he prepared to head back to the Temple, the AI Butler's voice chimed overhead: "Captain, Vice-Captain Mu requested an hour ago that I inform you the Highway Assessment period is ending. He asks that you pause your cultivation. He also notes that your presence is mandatory to welcome the main army."
Wei Huan snapped out of his trance. He hadn't realized a day had passed so quickly. "Understood. Tell him I'm coming down."
He splashed some water on his face. With a tap on his chest, a beam of light flowed over him, forming his Legion Uniform. The cap brim sat low over his sharp, resolute eyes as he strode toward the cockpit.
In the cockpit, everyone was present, wearing the insignia of the Blue Star Alliance's Pioneer Army. These insignias had a mimetic effect, unifying their diverse gear into a cohesive uniform. Usually, the combat teams stored their insignias during missions to prevent damage, but seeing the entire command center unified today—even Xu Qingqiang—Wei Huan realized why the military insisted on it. It was visually striking and deeply impactful.
Mu Zhong was waiting, looking every bit the extraordinary Major General in his lead-gray uniform, complete with epaulets, medals, and a flowing cape. A black belt cinched his narrow waist, accentuating his long, straight legs.
As Wei Huan appraised Mu Zhong, Mu Zhong returned the gaze. In the eyes of a lover, Wei Huan looked magnificent; Mu Zhong's eyes sparked with pride.
"The timing is perfect," Mu Zhong said, stepping forward. "They'll be out in five minutes."
"Everything went smoothly?" Wei Huan asked.
"Losses are within the expected range. It's confirmed the Dark Beasts didn't interfere. The Grade 6 assessment is difficult enough as it is. It's a shame we didn't get the resources to them a bit earlier."
They moved to the very front of the cockpit—Mu Zhong's station. Despite the vehicle's massive upgrades, there was still a "windshield" that allowed direct visual contact with the outside. The Grade 8 headlights pierced the pitch-black water, making it look as clear as a shallow tropical reef.
Through the glass, they saw the portal floating in the sea. Unlike Wei Huan's eerie undead portals, the World Portal was elegantly "framed" and hummed with a higher-quality energy. White light pulsed from its center.
One by one, flashes of light erupted like stars in a summer sky.
The Human Army had arrived.
Over 3,000 vehicles emerged: 30 Grade 6 vehicles, nearly 500 Grade 5 vehicles, and the rest Grade 4. A total of 280,000 people. More than half of humanity's top combat power was here—a massive gamble reflecting the importance of the Grade 6 world.
Leading the fleet was Captain Fang's "World Tree Escort Force" and the Pioneer Construction Army led by Mu Dehao.
Though Mu Dehao was the elder, Wei Huan now officially held the rank of Commander-in-Chief of the Blue Star Alliance Pioneer Army, placing Mu Dehao under his command. Even Mu Zhong's position outranked his father's. Mu Dehao didn't mind; he was delighted to see the next generation surpass the old.
---
The handover of the World Tree was broadcast live to all vehicles and recorded to be sent back to Blue Star. It was a historic moment.
The World Tree would serve as a sanctuary, solving the problem of displacement in the submerged Grade 6 world. Humanity planned to build its strongest base here—a "Citadel City" that would serve as the final bastion before further exploration.
On Blue Star, news anchors explained: "A 'Citadel City' means the Alliance will pour its greatest resources here to build an indestructible fortress. It will house research institutes, barracks, and training centers for elite talents. While our exploration won't stop, this will be our deepest anchor in the Challenge World—a springboard for our soldiers and a cradle for our future."
The public slowly began to understand. When experts were asked why they chose the dangerous Grade 6 world instead of the relatively safe Grade 5, one specialist from Daxia explained:
"Commander Wei is growing too fast. His vehicle is already Grade 7. While he can venture into high-level worlds, the average challenger cannot. We haven't even finished building in Grade 5, and Grade 7 is already opening up. So, the Commander pushes forward, and the rest of us develop steadily—one world at a time. Furthermore, the World Tree will absorb the seawater to grow, creating a habitable environment where cultivation speed is increased and health is bolstered. It is the greatest gift given to humanity, and we have Commander Wei's courage and wisdom to thank for it."
---
Wei Huan didn't plant the World Tree immediately. Daxia tradition demanded an auspicious day. After the diviners finished their calculations, the date was set for 21 days later—a day supposedly perfect for ensuring the eternal prosperity of the human race.
Wei Huan didn't waste those 21 days. His "Firepower Deficiency Phobia" wasn't cured yet. He left the logistics and troop integration to Mu Zhong and returned to the Undead Pasture to hoard his army.
Even after 21 days of single-minded focus, he hadn't fully recovered to his peak strength from a month ago. His recovery was throttled by his Dark Energy regeneration and the cooldowns on his Pasture. However, he didn't regret the battle; clearing the threat beneath the sea was better than having it blow up during the planting ceremony.
Thanks to the Grade 8 shields and a new pair of high-recovery boots he looted, his recruitment speed was significantly faster. Once his numbers reached a "comfortable" level, he turned his gaze toward the neighboring Great Tomb.
His predatory gaze sent the Dark Beast Royal Family next door into fits of terror. The tomb practically shook with their anxiety.
"I'll have to wait until next time to 'take a stroll' over there," Wei Huan thought, pulling his gaze away.
The day before the planting, Wei Huan finally emerged. He had provided the Grade 7 materials to Captain Fang rather than a Pioneer officer. This was because Fang was a "Garrison Commander." When Wei Huan moved on to the next world, Fang would remain behind to guard the Citadel.
As for the Grade 6 materials and the massive haul from the treasure chests, Wei Huan kept those as the "Pioneer Army Startup Fund." Mu Dehao acted as the logistics chief, managing the lower-grade materials to build the base.
When Wei Huan walked through his Grade 7 Fortress, he noticed it felt more like a community. With a capacity of 10,000, it now housed scholars, environmental engineers, psychologists, and even artists. Mu Dehao had insisted on this to provide mental solace for the soldiers.
In the cockpit, Wei Huan met the new third Vice-Captain: General Klitov.
Klitov and a small portion of his crew had passed Daxia's rigorous five-stage vetting process to join Wei Huan's vehicle. A brilliant strategist, Klitov filled the gap in Wei Huan's large-scale battlefield command experience. His inclusion was also a political move to show that Blue Star was moving past national boundaries toward a "United Humanity."
Wei Huan respected Klitov. In his previous life, the General had been one of the "Pillars" who sacrificed everything for humanity. As long as a person's moral baseline was high enough, Wei Huan was happy to have them by his side.