The aide said, "This pseudo-divine artifact was obtained by Major Mu through Heart of Steel from Honma. The moment he got it, Major Mu arranged to send it to you."
Wei Huan looked at him silently.
The aide explained, "Honma initially refused, but Major Mu can unlock any discarded phone, so he had to comply. Commander Chai believes this is your spoil of war, rightfully yours."
Wei Huan hadn't even seen Honma during the Haisang operation; his capture wasn't Wei Huan's doing.
Still, his significant contributions to the mission were undeniable, and Commander Chai's decision to give him such a valuable item was clearly deliberate.
Wei Huan ultimately pressed the button to accept the item.
He couldn't refuse. Despite already owning two pseudo-divine artifacts, knowing their immense boost made rejection impossible.
Seeing Wei Huan accept it, the aide hurriedly checked his device, sighing in relief.
Previous gifts hadn't sparked Wei Huan's interest, his expression always neutral. This time, with Wei Huan engaged, Chai could rest easy.
The aide nodded to Liu Chengzhi nearby, about to leave, then added, "We're still investigating Dou Lin's origins, starting with his parents, but he has no memories, and no one around knows anything. It'll be slow. The best approach is through the War Clan."
Pausing, he continued, "Also, any suggestions for the new teacher, let me know. We have plenty of candidates—university professors, child psychologists, top-tier elementary teachers. We'll arrange for them and other experts to join you in the Fourth-Level World."
Since Wei Huan's return, his vehicle's slots became highly sought-after. Legions inquired, but besides the reserved 36 slots, Wei Huan's vehicle had 30 more. Who wouldn't want a spot?
Yet, Wei Huan announced all 30 would go to non-combat roles—scholars, professors, experts in child psychology, biology, chemistry, and more. As long as they were industry leaders and dared enter the Challenge World, he'd accept them until slots ran out.
This stunned everyone but made sense.
These minds were humanity's treasures, carrying entire knowledge systems. Losing them for lacking combat skills would be humanity's loss.
Other vehicles might lack the capacity, but Wei Huan could protect these bearers of true civilization.
If humanity ever fell, becoming a buried remnant, Wei Huan would ensure these people survived, sealed deep, perhaps finding a way out.
"Wei Huan's thinking is profound, beyond us old folks. This is where we should focus," someone remarked.
"This burden can't fall on him alone. We must act too."
"He's a contradiction—brave yet cautious, forward-looking yet preparing fallbacks, hopeful yet despairing. Charging ahead while planning retreats—it's hard to imagine a 20-year-old doing this."
"Maybe that's the difference between genius and ordinary."
Wei Huan's actions puzzled, but his brilliance led people to attribute confusion to their own limits, accepting without question.
"Acceptance" rationalized his every move, shielding his rebirth secret.
The requested expert scholars were invited, but the nanny-teacher for Dou Lin wasn't satisfactory to Liu Chengzhi—or rather, to Dou Lin.
Dou Lin couldn't return to Blue Star, staying in the vehicle in a spatial rift.
Liu Chengzhi, caring for him, handled these matters, but Dou Lin rejected every teacher's profile.
He didn't say it, but Liu Chengzhi knew he wanted Aunt Peng.
Despite her mental issues, Aunt Peng raised Dou Lin, and though he knew she wasn't his mother, he saw her as one.
Before entering the Fourth-Level Assessment Highway, Aunt Peng was taken to Blue Star for treatment. Since then, Dou Lin often mentioned earning medical fees for her.
For someone like Aunt Peng, even with War Clan ties, Daxia offered free treatment upon return.
Mu Zhong told Dou Lin about medical fees to console him, as he couldn't return to Blue Star.
Liu Chengzhi took the new nanny's profile and asked, "How's Aunt Peng?"
The aide replied, "Stable with medication but can't handle stress. The war vehicle heads to the frontlines, and her condition makes it unsuitable."
"Understood." Liu Chengzhi nodded, shaking the aide's hand. "Thank you."
After seeing the aide off, Liu Chengzhi boarded the vehicle, spotting Wei Huan toying with a stone.
Roughly basketball-sized, irregularly shaped, and dull gray, it seemed ordinary, but Liu Chengzhi, having been present, knew it was special.
Another pseudo-divine artifact.
With only one piece, its final form was unclear, offering just a 25% attribute boost for now.
Wei Huan puzzled over where to place it.
The Challenge World lacked an equipment slot. The closest-worn item granted attributes; additional items offered no boost and hindered movement.
Shoes, pants, headbands, earrings—challengers wore anything, jewelry normal for men.
But carrying a stone this big?
How was it used?
After fiddling, Wei Huan beckoned Liu Chengzhi. "Where should this go?"
Liu Chengzhi rubbed his hands, taking it. "Not heavy."
He tried balancing it on his head, stared at Wei Huan for seconds, then placed it on the ground and sat on it, hands on knees, looking up.
Wei Huan's silver glasses showed data, leaving him speechless.
Whether on Liu Chengzhi's head or under his rear, it boosted attributes. Did mere contact work?
Did Haisang's Druid carry it into battle?
"Any change?" Liu Chengzhi read Wei Huan's expression, then suggested, "Easy fix. Put it on an armrest by your seat. In battle, sit, hand on it, legs crossed—perfect!"
Wei Huan: "…"
But it seemed the only way.
Named "Colossus," it reminded Wei Huan of the Druid's Sequence Eight "Colossus" and Shamans' statue worship, likely a nature-based artifact.
He'd check with Mu Zhong for special effects.
Liu Chengzhi arranged the artifact, with Dou Lin helping. He mentioned the new nanny candidate.
Dou Lin, silent and unhappy, didn't know what he wanted.
Liu Chengzhi, frustrated after no response, said, "Speak! If you don't express yourself, how can we help? Say what you want."
Wei Huan interjected, "Let it go. Keep him for now. Once the professors board, they're capable enough to guide him."
He asked Dou Lin, "That okay?"
Dou Lin nodded eagerly, eyes brighter.
Liu Chengzhi ruffled Dou Lin's cheek. "Little punk."
Both laughed.
Blushing, Liu Chengzhi requested to move upstairs.
After visiting his grandma, who analyzed his role, he realized his importance as the first crew member, deeply trusted by Wei Huan and Mu Zhong. Leaving due to combat inadequacy would hurt them.
So, he resolved to stay, learning to improve, determined to follow his leaders to the end.
Wei Huan, unexpectedly pleased, nodded. "Good. The upstairs rooms are spacious. You and Dou Lin can share comfortably. Tell the veteran about any renovations."
"Got it." Liu Chengzhi grinned, nodding.
After chatting, Mu Zhong approached. Liu Chengzhi greeted him, scooped up Dou Lin, laughing, "Let's decorate!"
Dou Lin, delighted, hair bouncing, smiled brightly.
Mu Zhong watched them go, then turned to Wei Huan, eyeing the basketball-sized Colossus under his arm. "The complete version might be huge, a passive amplification artifact, not wearable, but its range grows with completion."
He touched it, confirming his attributes rose. "Right now, it needs contact, but the next stage might cover meters. Perfect for ranged use—both of us can benefit."
Wei Huan, surprised it worked for multiple users, said, "Stronger than the Ring of Mofidi?"
Mu Zhong replied, "Seems so now, but Mofidi's Ring, upgraded, boosts dark dominion. You know how strong one point is. A complete artifact might give 100—making demon gods bow."
Wei Huan raised a brow. "Bold guess."
Mu Zhong shook his head. "Mofidi's a god-tier beast. To complete its ring, you'll face it. If you can kill it, making gods bow isn't far-fetched."
Wei Huan was convinced. "And Colossus?"
"Likely an amplification totem, boosting all within range, fitting god-tier gear. But it's immobile, not surpassing Mofidi's Ring."
Wei Huan agreed.
The Colossus was placed by his seat as an armrest.
Liu Chengzhi's simple design was refined by Mu Zhong's piloting expertise.
Gold filigree encircled Wei Huan's seat and the Colossus's semicircular base, blending seamlessly.
Mu Zhong added a staff holder. In battle, Wei Huan could, as Liu Chengzhi envisioned, hold the Colossus, staff in hand, legs crossed.
"Very cool," Mu Zhong said, eyeing Wei Huan testing the seat. "Chengzhi's idea has style."
"…" Wei Huan lowered his crossed legs. Style meant showing off.
Mu Zhong genuinely liked it, kissing Wei Huan's cheek, circling the seat. "I'll add a mechanism for safety—a hidden storage portal below. Normally stowed, summonable in battle."
"Good idea," Wei Huan said, adding, "Put a chair on the left." Under Mu Zhong's puzzled look, he teased, "Or sit on my lap?"
Mu Zhong's eyes widened. "Can't I stand?"
"Then my lap it is."
"Fine, I'll add a retractable chair."
Wei Huan looked visibly disappointed.
…
Time passed quietly. Though Daxia's actions against Haisang and capturing 233 Aosham troops stirred tensions, with nations taking sides, it stayed within Daxia's control. Wei Huan didn't need to worry.
Soon, it was time for their rank conferment.
Wei Huan expected a promotion to lieutenant colonel but received a colonel's epaulet instead.
A rare leap, yet no one objected.
It was a decision by multiple Daxia legions.
Beyond his merits, Wei Huan faced peers like Colonel Yake. As Daxia's top rookie, his rank couldn't lag.
Rank wasn't everything, but it mattered in some contexts.
Daxia wouldn't hold back its prodigy.
Mu Zhong became a lieutenant colonel, Xu Qingqiang a major, and other veterans rose within officer ranks.
New members from the legion stayed as is, but Mu Zirui and his team, joining Azure Dragon, started as second lieutenants.
Wei Huan's growing crew demanded more resources. Azure Dragon supplied them regularly, especially for Tier Three challengers, ensuring materials for Tier Four upgrades for hundreds.
Now, personal cultivation was the bottleneck.
After this, Wei Huan prepared to return to the Challenge World.
The War Clan was a thorn in his side, keeping him sleepless until eradicated.
After crushing them, he'd rush to the Fifth-Level World, a goal since his rebirth—to catch the main force.
The Fifth-Level World, "Archipelago," was islands in an endless ocean, contested fiercely. Humans died not to dark beasts but to each other, a painful truth.
There, Wei Huan could face dark beast lords, gauge his strength, and identify weaknesses.
He wouldn't linger long in the Fourth-Level World.
While dismantling the War Clan, he'd await his crew's scholars.
Most hadn't returned to the Challenge World since surviving one round.
Bringing them was simple: send people to the Second-Level World with vehicle-upgrade materials.
Advanced vehicles could reach the Third-Level World, then top vehicles could ferry them to the Fourth.
This took about two months—time for Wei Huan to eliminate the War Clan.
He kept his plans private, letting others assume they'd stay in Azure Dragon City. To justify targeting the War Clan, he requested treasure maps from Commander Chai.
Numerous treasure fragments were traded to Wei Huan's phone. Fourth-Level maps were pricier than Third-Level ones, as higher difficulty reduced fragment drops.
After the trade, Chai personally saw them off in the challenge room.
Thirty-four returned to the vehicle.
The AI butler's voice sounded, "Welcome back, Captain Wei, Captain Mu, and crew. Time to depart?"
Wei Huan nodded. "Prepare to go."
"Understood, Captain," the AI said. "Please take your positions. Three minutes to the Challenge World."
The cockpit's 20 seats weren't full, adding only Team Xue and Mu Zirui, leaving seven for future captains.
Other crew could move freely or rest, but combatants gathered at the War Platform and first-floor plaza, ready for the frontlines.
Non-combatants—Mu's cousin, Liu Chengzhi, Dou Lin, and the veteran—returned to work areas. The veteran, a Sequence Four pilot, excelled in vehicle maintenance, upgrades, and crafting Sequence Five mechas.
Time ticked by. The vehicle trembled, shaking lightly, transitioning from chaotic gray space to the Challenge World.
A white glow filled their vision, and in a blink, they entered a snowy world.
The Fourth-Level World was icy, with plains, highlands, and peaks.
Exiting the Assessment Highway, they appeared on a plain, where many vehicles waited.
Humanity lingered longest in the Fourth-Level World, with 300 million challengers from Blue Star.
Inter-nation conflicts caused more harm than monsters.
Knowing Wei Huan's return, Azure Dragon sent ten vehicles.
Each had passed the Fourth-Level assessment with Wei Huan, both protecting him to deter attacks and relying on his protection to reach this world.
Wei Huan didn't know these captains or crews, but they knew him well. Seeing his white minivan, they erupted in excitement.
"He's here!"
"Major Wei's arrived."
"Now Colonel Wei—well-deserved! I was annoyed seeing that Aosham kid as a colonel."
"The nation considered it, so he's promoted."
"Others jumping ranks would bother me, but Colonel Wei? No issue. General next."
"Definitely."
The welcoming convoy lined up, captains saluting by their vehicles, then escorting Wei Huan to Azure Dragon City.
On the way, they spotted a passing adventure vehicle, nationality unknown, speeding off at their sight.
"They say the Fourth-Level World's crowded, and it's true. We didn't see a single vehicle heading to Azure Dragon City in the Third-Level," Liu Chengzhi chatted relaxedly with Xu Qingqiang.
Xu, cigarette in mouth, mumbled, "Plains are nice, so everyone's here."
Wei Huan, listening, recalled the Fourth-Level World.
The plains were ideal—milder temperatures, weaker monsters, perfect for city-building.
Nations restrained themselves, holding a UN meeting to divide territories.
Unable to co-build, they used this clumsy method. Daxia claimed four regions, building cities in the plains' four corners for challengers to rest and adventure.
Daehan and Aosham also had four cities each.
Three-city nations included Stick, Tula, Fence, and others.
Haisang and Stick had no cities. In "cake-dividing," only strong sovereigns sat at the table; dependent nations paid fees to share their patron's city.
Daxia's four cities were open. Non-Daxia challengers paid fees for protection, and many friendly small nations' challengers resided there.
Daxia challengers bought homes and land cheaply in their cities, with low business taxes.
A strong homeland sparked envy—Daxia's people started ahead from birth.
Heading east, they saw five more vehicles. Liu Chengzhi, about to comment on the traffic, heard Mu's cousin say, "Captain, it's Black Tortoise City's people."