Undead aren't Wei Huan's eyes; they don't think.
Without orders, they do nothing extra, unaware that the Challenge World has no rats.
Even the weakest bronze chest monster from initial assessments wouldn't be such harmless vermin.
The only reason Blue Star rats appear here: summoned and tamed for scouting.
The Facehugger killed the sneaky rat but didn't report it.
It lacked the ability to flag the anomaly.
The rat's death startled the Daxia middle-aged man—Xu Man's father, Xu Qinxue—face-blasted by the hugger.
He stepped back, blinked, then shifted vision to other rats.
This revealed opportunity.
Wei Huan's men captured headquarters leaders; resistance drew undead attention, moving opposite their direction.
"Now!!"
Xu Man pressed the button. Red lines etched the black alloy ceiling, like a machine cutting from above, glowing molten red.
The noise was significant, but chaos masked it—perfect escape cover.
The lines formed a huge oval. Connected, the section sank.
Below, men heaved the slab up.
A three-meter-thick iron chunk held a parked war vehicle.
"Quick! Board!"
Xu Qinxue shouted. Their commotion drew undead and curious War Clan civilians.
Now: race against time.
Faster!!
"Follow me!!"
Xu Qinxue leaped aboard, missile-firing a sealed wall. The explosion revealed a pre-dug secret tunnel behind smoke.
His vehicle plunged through the molten-red opening, thirty-plus following in the dark, narrow cave, speeding away, leaving the underground city behind.
"Safe?" Xu Man asked tensely.
Xu Qinxue eyed the nearby exit silently. No one knew; Wei Huan's omnipresence suffocated.
Finally, vehicles burst into light, snow spraying.
In a small valley amid rolling mountains, thirty-plus vehicles raced one direction, snow flying.
Wei Huan didn't pursue.
Luckily, he wasn't in this direction.
They escaped!!
Xu Man's eyes gleamed. "We did it!"
But rage followed. "Damn Wei Huan ruined everything, forcing us to flee. Dad, where now? Anywhere?"
Xu Qinxue paused, then initiated a video call.
Nagasaki President appeared, glasses sharp. "Hello, Mr. Xu. Thought we were done. New ideas?"
Xu Qinxue grimly: "You said Commander Omura runs an underground force in the Fifth-Level World?"
"Yes." Nagasaki smiled. "Interested? Wonderful. We welcome talent, including you and yours."
"My people answer only to me."
"Of course. Vice President is yours. But you'll need to pass the Fifth-Level assessment highway—I can't help now." Pausing, "One favor: bring someone to the Fifth-Level World…"
…
Wei Huan soon learned a convoy escaped via secret tunnel.
Unavoidable. His undead blanketed 7 km; entry/exit alerted instantly.
But the exit exceeded summoning range—even full 15 km safety net fell short.
His men reached it 50 km out—beyond super-AI radar.
Escapees became a thorn. Controlling the city, he ordered their files.
Xu Qinxue, Xu Man, key members— the "thorn" became a spear, infuriating him.
Good: past-life War Clan fugitives found.
Bad: they escaped.
True leaders—hard to beat or catch.
Born for villainy, endless backups; cunning prolongs life, enabling big moves.
Forcing their flight wasn't dismissible, but future unknown. Past tragedies repeatable?
Caution needed.
Azure Dragon Legion, receiving War Clan headquarters, was baffled.
Last year, they discovered this risky group needing persuasion, ideally disbandment. Blue Star bases kept surfacing.
Before Daxia acted, Wei Huan solo-ended their lair.
For humanity? War Clan wasn't urgent.
For Liu Chengzhi's revenge… Hiss! Thinking of leaderless Haisang as prey, all recognized Wei Huan's fierce loyalty and vengeance.
Ruthless—you step on me, I wipe your family.
Receiving team admired not just vengeance but pathfinding.
Finding a remote mountain headquarters—super tracker aboard?
Oh, War Clan kid aboard, a Prophet—makes sense.
Wei Huan's sudden action had inconsistencies.
But no explanations needed; others rationalized, never questioning, unable to expose past lies.
Mu Zhong, with the second convoy, asked nothing upon return—as if answered—marveling one vehicle sufficed.
Wei Huan reminded: "Johnny's Aosham—handle his Beast Pen fast."
Mu Zhong nodded, whisking Johnny away.
Wei Huan stayed: 100,000 people, undead suppression insufficient; life issues, surface shield, potential tides.
Harsh weather, Challenge mechanics—only strong ensure safety.
War Clan had villains and desperates; respect life as the bottom line. Talents could aid civilization war.
Over a month in mountains: Wei Huan sheltered, Azure Dragon screened, repatriated clean to Blue Star, recruited/trainable returned, heinous faced trial.
By others' reaction, Daxia controlled 100,000 fighters.
Yes.
"Combat power."
Fourth-Level arrivals: mostly Sequence Three minimum, excluding specials.
Far above most fearing Challenge return.
Many Sequence Four.
Absorbed into legions: free power boost.
Nations protested: multinational War Clan—return for home trials.
Aosham demanded Johnny extradition. Daxia agreed; they wanted gear too—obviously Beast Pen.
"…War Clan's scale backed by Aosham: secret bases in Aosham, Haisang, Korea, Mexico for Challenge access. Most leaders freely traveled worlds, legal Blue Star IDs—Aosham-provided. Cultivated Johnny for Beast Pen, aiming War Clan as Challenge dark piece."
Mu Zhong, post-Johnny interrogation, returned to Wei Huan.
Reporting in person—and missing him.
They spent a night in their top-floor home; Mu Zhong detailed everything.
Finally: "Surrendering Beast Pen—no regrets?"
Wei Huan shook head: "Johnny's failure: hoarding as personal gear, not sharing. Wasted in our hands. Priority use suffices."
Mu Zhong nodded: "Like War Tower—we gave Aosham slots, but they demand Beast Pen, increasingly rude."
Wei Huan raised brow: "233 soldiers forgotten?"
Mu Zhong bitter shrug: "To elites, Beast Pen worth more. No mention lately. Oh, and—" recalling, "Colonel Yake in trouble."
"?"
"Aosham accused him of treason, issued arrest. He got wind early, vanished."
Wei Huan shocked: "Treason? Warrant?"
"Yes." Mu Zhong watched Wei Huan. "Surprised."
Wei Huan nodded.
History altered vastly, beyond experience—but positive, rewriting doomed humanity.
But Yake, past-life shining for civilization, now derailed by him.
Guilt heavy.
"Yake in Challenge World?"
"No, nor Blue Star—likely Rest Space."
"Intel on him."
Mu Zhong raised brow at emphasis, then: "Post-Haisang, Yake home, deputy reported treason. Aosham legion hunted; he fled.
Our intel: Aglis likely warned him. Aglis left Fifth-Level World then, vanished awhile."
Wei Huan puzzled: "Aglis and Yake?"
Mu Zhong: "Aglis pursued Yake; no relationship. Now Yake gone, Aglis monitored."
Wei Huan nodded—unaware of romance. Aglis, Dark Mother·Fallen Witch·Heart of Darkness owner, immensely strong—far above Johnny.
Like another him: grasping upward branches, climbing madly. Discovered atop.
Globally, only "Knight: William Fang" matches—stalemate, no victory.
Including himself.
Strong now, but instinct: little edge against them.
State-nurtured, resource-rich, frontline veterans.
He's Sequence Four; compete only at their level—with super talent/luck.
Aglis aiding Yake: strange destiny overlap.
From leaderboard names to intersecting fates.
Catching frontrunners—nearly.
One more assessment: true forefront.
Five months since rebirth entry.
Miraculous to others; to him, anticipated from day one.
Deep breath, emotions adjusted: "Latest Yake intel—all."
Mu Zhong nodded, downed warm coffee, eyed incoming convoy outside balcony: "Let's go—they're here."
Wei Huan left his coffee, walked with Mu Zhong—door, elevator, ground-floor plaza.
Incoming convoy stopped before Wei Huan's vehicle; rear garage opened, toy-sized cars emerged.
Palm-sized initially, normalizing post-exit.
They lined before Wei Huan, doors opened, one challenger per—40-50s, frail, bespectacled, un-challenger-like—bookish, weak, mismatched.
Wei Huan and Mu Zhong disembarked, greeting nearest middle-aged woman: "Welcome, Academician Zhao."
Yes—long-awaited experts arrived.
Challenge World caused tragedies: families torn, orphans, civilization hit hardest—expert deaths halting inventions.
Blue Star tech regressed 30+ years.
Challenge tech emerged, but researcher shortage slowed progress; data often incomprehensible without experience.
State prioritized survival over R&D.
Wei Huan's expert transport aligned perfectly; arranged convoy delivery.
Now on Fourth-Level soil, under Level Six shield, world pressure paled Sequence Two Zhao.
Wei Huan scanned: not just Zhao—elder academician worse, likely Sequence One.
"Board." Ceremony pointless—treasures; harm regrettable.
Liu Chengzhi first assisted faltering elder: "Quick, board—great environment, tea and chat inside."
Mu Zhong lagged, smiling: "Academician Zhao, aboard."
As elders boarded, others followed; slow ones stayed in.
Led by Zhao, junior/Level Two vehicles entered Wei Huan's belly, vanishing.
Wei Huan and Mu Zhong stayed; Liu greeted academics.
They faced pre-lined legion warriors awaiting review.
Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, Baihu reported.
Reorganized: 12 per vehicle, all Sequence Four—elite anywhere—saluted uniformly.
"Report Colonel Wei: Former Vermilion Bird Legion Yu Lei, Captain, Vehicle Commander, Sequence Four Wind Grand Mage with 12 crew—present!"
"Report: Former Black Tortoise Mo Hongyu… Sequence Four Summoner…"
"Report: Former Baihu Jia Hu… Sequence Four Metal Grand Mage…"
Finally, powerful Warrior King: "Report: Azure Dragon Yan Bo completed escort—instructions!"
Wei Huan hugged: "Mission complete—well done."
Yan Bo relaxed, smiling first.
Wei Huan patted, saluting all escorts: "Hard work."
After 52 days, Wei Huan's vehicle full: 101, minus treating Aunt Peng—all present.
Voyage restarts—next destination.
Yan Bo: "Headquarters follow-up—leave to me, handled carefully, satisfying you and legion."
Wei Huan nodded, relieved.
100,000 underground: 20,000 repatriated monthly, 80,000 remain.
Managing tempts ambition; some reluctant to release.
But Wei Huan's vision beyond one city.
Month-long overtures—value displays, follow requests.
Even candidate Holy Maiden, seeing Dou Lin, feigned pity for asylum.
All ignored.
Everyone belongs somewhere.
Kids: school, learn humanity, values.
Criminals: prison, repent.
Talents: shine.
Wei Huan sails again—starry seas.
Fifth-Level World—[Archipelago].