"Gurgle..." Mu Zhong opened his mouth but couldn't speak. He quickly spat out the foam before saying, "You just woke up too? You've entered the Temple of Professions?"
Wei Huan nodded, stared at Mu Zhong for a few seconds, and then turned and left.
On the way, the smart assistant detected that he had gotten up and reported: "This morning, drivers Liu Chengzhi, Ding Qi, Teng Jiayang, and Teng Xiyang have all requested to return. Should we approve their requests?"
Wei Huan had no intention of answering it. With a cold face, he rushed into the public restroom on the first floor and slammed the door shut.
The world fell silent.
Unexpectedly, the smart assistant said to Mu Zhong the next second, "Good morning, Deputy Commander. The Commander ignored my question because his bladder was too full. According to the rules, I need to ask you again this morning..."
Mu Zhong spat out foam from his mouth and laughed so hard he couldn't straighten up.
After a long pause, he said, "Butler, there's no rush for the crew to return. We'll probably have to meet on Earth soon. What I want to teach you now is that if you encounter similar physiological problems, such as an overly distended bladder, I suggest you don't speak."
"Why?" The AI assistant's voice suddenly turned into a cute child's voice, "But when the drivers Liu Chengzhi, Teng Jiayang, and Lin Xu are processing undigested food, they specifically ask me to chat with them."
"..." It seems I accidentally overheard some strange information.
When Wei Huan returned, Mu Zhong pretended to know nothing, and after washing up, they went back to Blue Star together.
The sky above Blue Star was bright.
There's no one at the Mu family home. Commander Mu and Professor Zhou both have jobs, and Xixi has to go to kindergarten every day.
But a note was left on the table, telling them that breakfast for two people was prepared in the kitchen, and how to heat up different breakfasts. Professor Zhou's handwriting was elegant and graceful, and every stroke revealed his meticulousness and patience.
Mu Zhong went to heat up the breakfast, while Wei Huan took out his phone to check the WeChat group.
The team member who will arrive first is Ding Qi, who will be at Beijing Airport by noon. However, the one who will be the first to meet is Liu Chengzhi, since he is from Beijing.
Liu Chengzhi kept calling out in the WeChat group.
[Did you guys get back to the car? Let me go back too!!]
[When are you guys coming out, guys? Let's have breakfast together!]
[When are you guys coming out? Let's have lunch together!]
"[It's out.]" Wei Huan replied to Liu Chengzhi's message first.
Then he tagged Liu Chengzhi and Ding Qi, saying, "[We'll have lunch together when Ding Qi arrives.]"
Then he tagged Zhou Yong and Lin Xu, asking, "[How is Xu Qingqiang? Has he woken up?]"
After sending out three messages in a row, the group chat immediately became lively.
Liu Chengzhi said, "[Boss, I'm heading to the airport now. I'll pick up Ding Qi and then you guys. Let's go to a private restaurant for lunch. The food is a little worse than mine, hahaha.]"
Lin Xu said, "[Brother Qiang hasn't woken up yet, but I checked and he seems normal. He has some aura of rules about him, so he's probably about to advance to Sequence Four.]"
Wei Huan replied to Liu Chengzhi: [Okay.]
Then he called Lin Xu and said on the phone, "After he wakes up, have him contact me to apply for his return. There are fourth-tier core potions for criminals in the warehouse on the truck; they're a reward for his contributions in the great battle. The other materials are relatively easy to collect."
Let's talk about it when we meet.
After listening, Lin Xu excitedly said "good" many times, and finally said with a little moisture in his eyes, "Boss Wei, you are a fair and just boss. Brother Qiang is very strong but has never had the opportunity to show his abilities. You gave him the opportunity and also gave him such valuable core materials. Brother Qiang may not be good at speaking and may be rude, but I know he is really grateful to you for giving him a platform to show his abilities. These past few days have been the happiest I have ever seen him."
Wei Huan's eyes softened, though his tone remained firm: "Everyone is the same; there are rewards and punishments. Contributions will naturally be rewarded."
"Yes, I know. We will also try our best to improve ourselves, find our place on the bus, and integrate into the team as soon as possible."
After hanging up the phone, Mu Zhong had already come out at some point. Breakfast was laid out on the table, and he sat at the table smiling at him.
Mu Zhong said, "Brother Qiang's words are foul and unpleasant. I think you're not bad either. At such a good time to win people over, you cut the conversation off with a few harsh words."
Wei Huan: "..."
Mu Zhong then handed the chopsticks to Wei Huan and said, "Alright, I'll talk to Brother Qiang a bit more. We also need to plan out Lin Xu and Zhou Yong's positions in the car. I'll let you know when we've finalized things. Let's eat first."
Wei Huan nodded, picked up the first bun he had picked up, and put it into Mu Zhong's bowl.
Mu Chong's eyebrows curved into a smile: "Bribe me?"
"Hmm." Wei Huan served Mu Chong another bowl of porridge and placed it neatly beside him.
Mu Chong raised his eyebrows, his gaze falling on the pickled vegetables: "I want to eat that."
Wei Huan picked up the pickled vegetables and placed them in front of Mu Zhong. Leaning forward, his face drew close to Mu Zhong's, and the two smiled when their eyes met.
An ordinary breakfast, strange and funny moments, yet inexplicably, I was extremely happy.
Wei Huan suddenly understood something: what it means to be "satisfied even with just water."
Where Mu Zhong is, even the air temperature seems to subtly change.
Breakfast turned into lunch. After cleaning up the dishes, Mu Zhong called his parents and then they went out together.
Liu Chengzhi went to pick up Ding Qi and will be back in a while.
The two went out at this time because Brother Mu drove directly downstairs.
A brand new black SUV was parked downstairs, with new license plates and not a single scratch on it.
It was all because Liu Chengzhi mentioned in the group chat that he wanted to pick up Wei Huan that Mu Tangge remembered that Wei Huan didn't even have a means of transportation on Earth. So he applied for a car from the Mu family, and it was quickly allocated.
When Mu handed the car keys to Wei Huan, he said, "You can only buy small things with Daxia currency. Just take them. It's just a means of transportation."
Wei Huan thought for a moment, then took the car keys; he did indeed need a car.
Because of Mu Zhong, he did not reject the Mu family's overtures. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and the Mu family head's vision and the family's rules of unity filled him with goodwill.
He is willing to associate with such families.
As for this car and the two escort vehicles sent by the Mu family, he had already considered the value of the return.
Seeing Wei Huan get out of the car, Mu Tangge's tense face finally relaxed.
"I've already asked Liu Chengzhi where to eat. Let's go there first, and I'll drive."
...
It was an hour later when I saw Liu Chengzhi and Ding Qi again.
It was past lunchtime, but the kitchen staff were still there. They took the dishes when they saw them coming.
Although it was their first meeting on Earth, the two sides were not strangers at all, especially Liu Chengzhi, who was talkative and enthusiastic, and his voice could be heard throughout the entire meal.
But Wei Huan's attention was more focused on Ding Qi.
Ding Qi was one of his tank commanders in his previous life. For about half a year, he followed Ding Qi's orders, guarding a supply point on a third-level highway and occasionally exploring a ruin.
Ding Qi wasn't a talkative person, but with someone like Liu Chengzhi acting as a "lubricant" in the car, everyone got along very well.
But on an ordinary morning, they received orders from their superiors. Ding Qi and another teammate in the car were ordered to report to the supply point under the jurisdiction of the Northwest Army Corps, while the remaining three stayed behind to wait for the new captain.
After breakfast, they parted ways, unaware that it would be their last farewell.
Not long after, the obituaries of Ding Qi and another teammate arrived; they had died in the battle to defend the city.
Wei Huan clearly remembers that at that time, the situation of humans on Earth was already somewhat difficult.
After the Dark Beasts reached level five, their relentless pursuit of the Northeast Army played a crucial role in turning the tide of this civilization war.
The subsequent ancient battlefield further amplified the Dark Beasts' advantage.
After that, humanity became extremely passive on the battlefield. Large numbers of advanced tanks and warriors died, and even those who were only third-tier professionals were eventually deployed to the front lines, allowing him to witness a nightmarish future firsthand.
Every time Wei Huan sees Ding Qi, he is reminded of many things, even though he knows that many things have changed in this life and that the future will certainly not be like what he remembers.
Even so, he could not hide the sadness and anger deep in his eyes.
Finally, Wei Huan's turbulent emotions caught Mu Zhong's attention.
His gaze shifted back and forth between Wei Huan and Ding Qi's faces, his lips unconsciously tightening.
After lunch, everyone wanted to find a place to drink tea and chat to pass the time, but they found that nowhere was as comfortable as their own car.
Wei Huan then led everyone into the vehicle and granted the crew members the authority to freely enter and exit the vehicle.
In this way, Ding Qi no longer needed to find a place to stay. He could stay in the car for a few days, wait for the procedures with the army corps to be completed, and then go to the Northeast Army with Wei Huan and the others to report for duty.
Liu Chengzhi was the first to leave in the afternoon, saying he was going to visit his grandmother and had an appointment with a childhood friend that evening.
Wei Huan, Mu Zhong, and Mu's cousin didn't stay long either. They had promised to have dinner with the Mu family tonight, so they naturally had to go early.
Ding Qi was left alone in the car. She summoned her three pets to keep her company, waved to everyone, and seemed quite content.
Once back on Earth and in the car, Wei Huan noticed that Mu Zhong was a little silent.
But as a very typical straight man, he certainly wouldn't think too much about it.
The place where they met with the Mu family was a very famous club in the capital. When Wei Huan and his group arrived, the Mu family was already there.
The head of the Mu family was an elderly man nearing 70. Although he appeared to be in poor health, his eyes shone with wisdom, and he held Wei Huan in extremely high regard.
kind.
The other members of the Mu family also showed no airs. They acted like elders in the family, offering warm greetings and gentle guidance. When the conversation touched on anything inappropriate, they would repeatedly remind the other members.
Among the people brought by the Mu family was the fourth-level vehicle commander who had greatly helped Wei Huan during the third-level highway assessment.
His name was Mu Zirui. He was originally the highest-ranking person in charge of the Mu family on the secondary highway, responsible for the training and development of the family's members, as well as exploring the secondary highway and collecting resources for the Mu family.
At its peak, the Mu family controlled the mining rights of five highway ruins and sheltered more than 10,000 challengers. Every year, they signed a large number of talents to become the backbone of the Mu family group.
Mu Zirui was even a generation older than Mu Zhong, and was an outstanding descendant of Commander Mu's generation.
In order to help Wei Huan pass the test smoothly, the Mu family arranged for Mu Zirui and his car to be included in the highway test, which can be said to be a considerable price to pay.
Wei Huan was grateful. At the most opportune moment, everyone's cell phones suddenly started ringing.
This usually means that a message has been sent out by the World Challenge.
No one had time for casual conversation; everyone immediately picked up their phones to check.
It turns out the final results of the Class III highway assessment are out!
Last night, Wei Huan and his group killed the Dark Beast Lord and officially passed the third-tier assessment, which was half a day later than the normal completion time of the challenge world.
After all, we brought so many vehicles, and the expected goal was the last day, which was the 11 days of the challenge.
After clearing the level, the [Champion Ranking] was updated immediately, and a golden treasure chest was awarded as a reward.
The remaining lists will be awarded at 6 PM on the 11th night, after all the challengers have left after dark.
Now comes the exciting moment of the awards ceremony!
[Combat Power Ranking]
First place Wei Huan team
Second place: Qi Jialu's team
Third place: Mu Zirui Team
...
It's not surprising that Wei Huan topped the overall combat power rankings. Qi Jialu only has one platinum-level equipment so far, while even Xu Qingqiang, who just joined the team, has already upgraded to platinum-level equipment. Not to mention the dazzling array of gold-level equipment and the extremely rare pseudo-magical artifacts in the challenge world.
Not to mention comparing them to Tier IV vehicles, even compared to Tier V vehicles, Wei Huan is superior to them in terms of combat power and equipment.
This is also why Wei Huan was able to easily kill the Dark Beast, even though he was several levels higher.
The equipment is insane.
[Vehicle Performance Ranking]
First place: Qi Jialu's team
Second place Wei Huan team
Third place: Mu Zirui Team
...
They lost a golden treasure chest and were even outperformed by Qi Jialu in terms of vehicle performance.
Wei Huan and Mu Zhong looked at each other, and Mu Zhong smiled reassuringly at him.
There was nothing that could be done about it. Wei Huan's vehicle was upgraded from level three to level four, which was practically cheating. It relied on the resources of the Mu family and the Northeast Army, and it was only a basic level four vehicle.
If they hadn't opened a platinum treasure chest during the assessment and gotten a blueprint for a level 5 tire, they might not have even made it into the top three.
[Leadership Ranking]
First place Wei Huan team
Second place: Mu Zirui Team
Third place Qi Jialu Team
...
The leaderboard is based on accumulated points. The more than 10,000 points that Wei Huan earned from the random challenge are still very useful to this day.
This also demonstrates that, apart from challengers specially arranged by the military, no private forces or individuals are willing to take on random challenges and risks.
However, even for leaders of factions like Qi Jialu and Mu Zirui, accumulating points by killing dark beasts on ordinary roads is extremely difficult.
The "gods of death" who are famous on the leaderboard are 99% military personnel, including soldiers from Great Xia and foreign countries.
Containing the enemy's manpower is a strategic task, and no matter how dangerous it is, someone has to do it, and even more people will sacrifice themselves for it.
Finally, there's the lifestyle ranking.
Wei Huan's team still came in first place.
After all, the life rankings are closely related to the points rankings in some respects; without enough points, one cannot upgrade the micro-world.
The microscopic world is a very important part of the life ranking score.
In addition, Ding Qi's points, as well as the twins' and Sun Yiling's microcosms, are all counted on Wei Huan's car.
Developing the skills of the drivers is also one way to improve the overall performance of the vehicle.
Of the five gold chests on the leaderboards, I only got four this time.
Wei Huan wasn't exactly disappointed. Rather than staying put for a few treasure chests, he wanted to rush to the front as quickly as possible and contribute his strength to the battlefield.
Even so, this achievement made the Mu family as happy as if they had received a reward.
They all came over to toast and praise, saying, "Heroes have always emerged from among the young!"
"The Mu family is extremely fortunate to have you!"
"Alright, alright, let's have a drink first, wishing you success and great achievements!"
Mu Zirui also came over with a wine glass, clinked glasses with Wei Huan, and said with a smile, "This collaboration was very pleasant. When you upgrade your vehicle and want to expand your fleet, remember to contact me."
"You want to get in the car?" Wei Huan was a little surprised.
Mu Zirui nodded: "Is that okay?"
Wei Huan said, "Okay."
Once the lively scene had subsided slightly, Mu Zhong and Wei Huan exchanged a glance and communicated with each other.
Then Mu Chong went to the head of the Mu family and said, "Grandpa, Wei Huan said that we shouldn't come empty-handed on our first meeting, but you have everything on Blue Star, so we brought some things that can challenge the world. Where is your phone? I'll trade it to you."
"No need." The head of the Mu family laughed heartily, not refusing, after all, there was such a saying, and it was something he deserved.
As soon as the supplies were distributed, the Mu family patriarch's eyes bulged out.
One platinum-level resource, four gold-level equipment, plus a bunch of valuable materials.
A rough calculation shows that it's nearly 1 billion Xia coins worth of challenge materials.
so much!?
He knew that Wei Huan had a lot of good stuff, and he had also considered that he might be able to get one or two gold-level equipment.
But he didn't want more. He wasn't training Wei Huan to be a vampire and covet the supplies he offered, but rather hoping that once he truly grew up, he could protect the Mu family and ensure their safety in this chaotic world.
Now that Wei Huan has brought out such high-value supplies all at once, in the mind of the Mu family patriarch, this is not a good thing.
The more Wei Huan took, the more he wanted to...
Having repaid the favor, it's even more important to distance ourselves from the Mu family.
But the Mu family patriarch's gaze finally fell on the smiling Mu Zhong's face, and he realized that Wei Huan had brought these things out not just to repay a favor.
Although there were various reasons for their union and both of them were men, it is clear that there was genuine affection between them.
From this perspective, the supplies provided in the challenge are not simply a matter of repaying a favor.
"Hehehe, good! You've put your heart into it!"
The head of the Mu family immediately decided to accept these supplies, and even said in front of the most core members of the Mu family, "Platinum-grade materials and true stones are priceless, as are gold equipment that increases different attributes such as spiritual power, strength, agility and endurance. Finally, with the gold-grade supplies, these things are enough to double the resources of our Mu family."
As the head of the Mu family read out the supplies, the Mu family elders held their breath, some even wondering if they had misheard.
Can four pieces of gold equipment be given away at once?
And that platinum-grade gemstone, if I remember correctly, is the core material of the fifth sequence of the "Gambler Sequence"?
One of the "Warrior-Priest-Mage" trinity, and the fifth tier of the Rogue class! How long has the Mu family been waiting for this core material? They never expected it to be delivered right to their doorstep!
In this way, the Mu family finally had the foundation to enter the fifth-level highway.
For a large family, failing to keep up with the legion's pace and remain in the top tier is a sign of falling into the second tier.
Because of this, the atmosphere in the family has been somber lately, with many people suggesting that they should go all out to send Commander Mu back to the core of power.
Who could have imagined that today, right now, a young person who still needs their care and protection in their hearts would give them the most precious things?
For a moment, everyone looked at Wei Huan and Mu Zhong with the same fervent gaze one would give a lover.
Others admire the patriarch of the Mu family immensely because he adheres to the family rules and treats people with sincerity, which is why he has received such a great reward today.
The revival of the Mu family is not far off!
An elder from the Mu family, his eyes filled with envy, approached Wei Huan. Wei Huan recognized him; he was said to be a direct uncle from the Mu family's patriarchal lineage. Fueled by alcohol, the uncle took Wei Huan's hand and asked, "I heard that two people have left your car. My youngest son became a challenger last year and is now in Sequence Three..."
But before he could finish speaking, he was pulled away by someone nearby.
Three minutes later, this uncle was called over to the head of the Mu family and reprimanded.
The Mu family has already sent two people on the bus. Sending more would not be helping and could cause resentment. The Mu family must not send any more people on the bus in the near future.
This uncle was reprimanded, and he understood the patriarch's concerns, but he also had his own plans.
Wei Huan's car will eventually be upgraded to level 5 or 6, and it's only a matter of time before it can accommodate hundreds or thousands of people. At that time, there will definitely be a seat for the Mu family.
Arranging for their descendants to join the carriage was not an attempt to control Wei Huan; on the contrary, they hoped that their offspring would be highly valued by Wei Huan.
It seems that Wei Huan will eventually rise to the top and become a rare and important figure. Those who follow him are also destined for extraordinary achievements in the future.
The elders and uncles of the Mu family already valued Wei Huan highly enough, but their regard for him only increased after today's meeting.
Consequently, Commander Mu, who was already considered the "dragon horn" of the Mu family, also became a shining star today, surrounded by layers of people.
After the banquet ended and everyone dispersed, Commander Mu got into Wei Huan's car.
Slightly tipsy, he laughed and said, "I met Commander Chai today and was told that my car and I will be sent back soon. My suffering is finally over, all thanks to the two of you."
Mu Zhong asked curiously, "Just how much force was transferred away?"
"Four Tier 5 vehicles and 33 Tier 5 professionals—these are all challengers I personally trained. Once they return, I'm confident I can double that number before the Ancient Battlefield opens!"
Wei Huan did some calculations in his mind.
Doesn't that mean that after I handed over the Star Beast hides, Great Xia will have about 50 Level 5 vehicles?
This force is already enormous.
In the previous life, humanity withstood the Dark Beast Legion's attack for more than half a month with only 4 to 5 Tier 5 vehicles.
This time it's increased tenfold, or even more, so the results probably won't be too bad.
After thinking it over, Mu Zhong said, "I have an idea. Listen to it and see if it works. The Ancient Battlefield will open in ten days. Perhaps we can use this time to do something that affects the morale of the Dark Beasts."
For example, if we go to the newbie zone to slaughter them, this bad news will definitely have some impact on the Ancient Battlefield.
Wei Huan and Commander Mu both raised their eyebrows in admiration.
Zhou Xian covered Xi Xi's ears and whispered in her ear, but Xi Xi still pried her mother's hands away and listened intently, her bright eyes filled with hatred for the dark beast.
Zhou Xian sighed inwardly, thinking of something, but did not stop her.
Commander Mu sobered up considerably after hearing this suggestion: "Random battlefield? So you want to go in?"
Mu nodded: "We had this plan all along. We discussed it with Wei Huan during the highway assessment. There are too many things in our vehicle that need upgrading. The smart butler and the micro-world are the biggest upgrades. In addition, there are materials that the crew members need to exchange for with DKP, which we also need to exchange for with points. Slaughtering the Dark Beast region and putting psychological pressure on the Dark Beast's higher-ups is just killing two birds with one stone."
Commander Mu also had concerns: "What if it's a trigger? What if it makes them even more frenzied?"
Mu Zhong smiled and said, "That only means we didn't kill enough people or kill them ruthlessly enough, so we didn't leave any psychological scars."
Commander Mu was taken aback; that made sense.
"I know your strength, but I also know that Wei Huan suffered heavy losses this time. How about this, I'll apply for something for you. I've always felt that it's very suitable for Wei Huan."
"What? It removes the weakness cooldown? Or is it a divine artifact?" Mu Zhong joked.
Commander Mu glared at him and said, "Not long ago, I led my troops to open a platinum treasure chest, and an energy storage container dropped out of it... it can..."
"An energy tank!?" Mu Zhong exclaimed in surprise.
Even Wei Huan, who was driving, couldn't help but glance at Commander Mu in the rearview mirror.
"Do you know what it is?" Commander Mu asked again to confirm.
Mu Zhong nodded, his eyes shining: "Yes, we opened a platinum treasure chest too. For Wei Huan, it wasn't just useful, it was incredibly useful, practically a divine artifact. Without it, we probably wouldn't have been able to finish that final stage in such a short time."
The boss battle.
Upon hearing this, Commander Mu immediately took it seriously: "I only guessed it would be useful to you, I didn't expect it to be this useful. Alright, send me directly to the military headquarters later, I can't sleep until this is settled."
Mu nodded, also looking forward to it: "Shall I go with you?"
"Goodbye, go home and be with your mom and Xixi, they miss you too."
Mu Zhong stopped talking and met Xi Xi's gaze. As soon as he opened his arms, the little girl nimbly crawled over and snuggled into his embrace.
Wei Huan glanced at the scene a few more times. Looking at the smile on Mu Zhong's face and the dependence and admiration in the little girl's eyes, he finally felt a sense of family.
Wei Jinhong shattered his expectations of family, but now Mu Zhong is holding him back, preventing him from becoming even more broken.
The car circled around to the headquarters, dropped off Commander Mu first, and then returned to the compound.
At home, Mu Zhong played Lego with Xi Xi, while Zhou Xian cut fruit for Wei Huan and sat down next to him.
The group chatted idly for a while, well past the time when Commander Mu was supposed to return, so Zhou Xian picked up her phone and made a call.
Commander Mu answered the phone, his tone a little unpleasant: "Something came up, I might not be back tonight, you guys should get some rest."
Zhou Xian asked, "What's wrong?"
Commander Mu's silence indicates that this is a military matter, and even Zhou Xian shouldn't know about it.
Mu Zhong's smile faded, and he said, "Mom, give me the phone."
Mu Zhong took the phone and went into the bedroom, where he could hear muffled conversations.
After talking for a while, Mu Zhong came out looking rather unwell. He said to Zhou Xian and Xi Xi, "It's getting late. We still have training at the Temple of Professions today, so we'll head back now. We should get up normally tomorrow morning and have breakfast together then."
Zhou Xian nodded, picked up her daughter, and said, "Let's go, Xixi, brush your teeth and go to bed."
Wei Huan and Mu Zhong exchanged glances and then returned to their car.
"What happened?" Wei Huan had just returned to the car and hadn't even had time to open the treasure chest before looking at Mu Zhong with a serious expression.
He could tell that something terrible had happened!