The vetting process for Alfonso had failed at her great-grandfather's generation.
It turned out her ancestor had once come to Daxia with a gun in hand, committing unforgivable crimes. That alone was enough to disqualify her. Furthermore, the vetting department noted that the vehicle Alfonso served had followed Wei Huan under highly suspicious circumstances. In short, the situation was murky, and the department issued a formal recommendation of "Non-Approval."
Of course, it was only a "recommendation." Because Wei Huan held full authority over his vehicle, no person or department could force his hand.
Back in the day, Xu Qingqiang was a legitimate villain from a criminal sequence, yet he had boarded the ship and was now a high-level manager. Given Wei Huan's status on Blue Star, his core circle consisted of figures whose every move made the world tremble. Who would dare to truly stop him?
However, this "recommendation" had indeed delayed Alfonso's boarding for several days as Mu Zhong weighed the pros and cons.
"Xia Yu asked about it?" Mu Zhong asked. "Does she want to come back?"
Xu Qingqiang shook his head. "Probably. Her vehicle has no crew; the people she rescued left after they were healed. It's just the two of them. It's natural they'd be bored."
Mu Zhong nodded. "Tell Xia Yu to return. Have Alfonso stand by on Blue Star for now. I need to think more on this."
"Fine, I'll tell her." Xu Qingqiang lit a cigarette, his expression turning somewhat strange, but he swallowed whatever he was about to say.
---
At dinner time, a communication request came in from Xia Yu.
"Leader Mu," Xia Yu said, "Brother Qiang told me the news. I want to ask: what can Alfonso do to earn your trust? I will act as her guarantor. I am certain she isn't a problem. I'll watch her every second and have her live in my room. If she betrays Leader or you, I'll be the first to deal with her."
Mu Zhong frowned. "You're vouching for her?"
"Yes. She can't go back to Blue Star. With her identity and that Job Training Ground, she'll lose her freedom the moment she lands. The Kangaroo Country will turn her into a tool for the elite to amass wealth and power." Xia Yu paused. "If she passes your test over time, I'd also like to trouble you to have someone retrieve her Beacon."
Mu Zhong understood. He had overlooked that. Not every country was as inclusive as Daxia. With only twelve Training Grounds in existence, owning one without a powerful backing was a disaster for an individual. Alfonso was an orphan with no background; she was easy prey for the powerful.
"Fine, I agree," Mu Zhong said, trusting Xia Yu's judgment. "Bring her back."
---
When Wei Huan heard about this during dinner, he recalled a fragment of a gossip news story from years ago and smiled knowingly.
"What is it?" Mu Zhong asked.
"Nothing," Wei Huan shook his head. "If Xia Yu is vouching for her, let her on. We have many Sages on the vehicle who need to upgrade their sequences."
"That reminds me," Mu Zhong laughed, "my cousin Mu Zirui was a top student, and the Teng twins were in the national youth talent program. It seems a high IQ is a prerequisite for awakening as a Sage. I hear the knowledge in the Mage Tower is incredibly cryptic and hard to master."
Wei Huan thought to himself: 'Studying even in the apocalypse? How miserable.'
After dinner, Wei Huan decided to skip the Class Temple for a night to recover his energy and observe the World Tree with Mu Zhong. As they headed to the parking lot, they ran into Xia Yu and Alfonso.
Xia Yu was a Life Angel, but her aura was aggressive and sharp, more like a sorceress. Alfonso, by contrast, looked more like an angel—shorter than Xia Yu, with soft light-brown hair and a round, youthful face.
As the two women walked together, they drew many eyes. Mu Zhong noted, "They seem very close."
Wei Huan watched Xia Yu's protective stance toward Alfonso and smirked. He took Mu Zhong's hand, lacing their fingers together, and led him out of the vehicle.
---
Outside, the deep sea was brilliantly lit by the Grade 8 headlights. With the Plant Remnants gone, the water felt clear and serene. Wei Huan summoned Dot Mom, who created an air bubble around them as they stepped onto her back. Dot Mom had shrunk her size to accommodate just the two of them, swimming elegantly forward.
To others watching from nearby vehicles, the sight of the two leaders escorted by a rhythmic army of undead—Burrow Beasts dancing and Hidden Demons acting as thunderous guards—was both romantic and terrifying. In this world where strength was everything, gender didn't matter; power did.
They arrived at the World Tree. Its bark was a pale grey, almost silver, and it grew straight up with horizontal branches like a massive banyan. Translucent vines hung from the leaves, purifying the water as they drifted.
Dot Mom landed on a "small" leaf near a branch tip. Even this young leaf was nearly a thousand square meters in size.
"I want to see the top," Wei Huan said.
"I'm with you," Mu Zhong replied.
Dot Mom swam upward. As the light grew stronger, they broke through the surface of the sea with a gentle splash.
Wei Huan looked at the sky. It wasn't the blue of Blue Star, but a pale grey mist.
"This grey mist is the restriction of this world," Mu Zhong explained. "We can't penetrate it."
"What's behind it? The truth of the world? Or just void?"
"Steel Heart said the World Tree can break world limits," Mu Zhong said. "But that's different from breaking the world barrier."
Wei Huan squeezed Mu Zhong's hand. "Don't let the 'doom-and-gloom' thoughts take over. The challenge world exists for evolution, not destruction." He tapped Mu Zhong's forehead playfully.
They eventually stepped onto a leaf to test its texture. It felt like walking on a thick, plush carpet. Though it looked tender, it was incredibly resilient.
"The headquarters can't be at the very top," Mu Zhong mused. "If the tree breaks the limit, the top will be the first to be hit. There's a fork further down with an area of 20,000 square kilometers. I plan to build our 'Heavy City' there."
They sat cross-legged on the leaf, looking out over the endless sea. This was a Grade 6 world, yet it no longer felt dangerous. They had conquered it.
---
Returning from the tree, Wei Huan took a new batch of Grade 6 undead into the second Great Tomb.
He was cautious. A Dark Beast King with a long-developed consciousness would be far more dangerous than a newborn one. He didn't want to fall into a trap.
However, the reality was a one-sided slaughter. His 2,500 Grade 6 Twin-Headed Hidden Demons tore through the enemy's defensive lines like they were made of paper. The "tactical" commands of the enemy's Mind-Thinking Beasts were useless against such overwhelming power.
Wei Huan found the "mud" hiding in the depths, entered its consciousness, and ignited its death fire. The mud dissolved, and a second fierce-looking white Bichon Frise puppy hopped over to his side.
Wei Huan looked at his two successfully recruited Dark Beast Kings and raised an eyebrow.
'If it's this easy to kill them,' he thought, 'I could take down a hundred tombs a day.' The image of a hundred Dark Beast King avatars taking the field at once made even him feel a chill of excitement.