"What do the Diviners and Drivers say?" Wei Huan asked again.
Fang William replied, "The team was only just formed when you returned."
Wei Huan nodded. "I will arrange for people to go along."
Fang William wanted to say more, but seeing the last group of vehicles arrive and the teleportation gate's lights dim, he said, "You've worked hard through consecutive battles. Will you rest here with me, or head back to your own place?"
"I'll take them back. There are 40,000 of them in total; they need to start training as soon as possible."
"Alright. If there's any news, I'll notify you immediately."
After a brief exchange, the two bid farewell, and Wei Huan returned to Chang Le's vehicle.
On his end, Chang Le followed Mu Zhong's orders and took over a vast amount of supplies—enough to sustain two legions of over 200,000 people. The goods were stored in over a hundred spatial warehouses. He could easily carry them alone, but once opened, they would fill over a dozen standard warehouses. Though the Challenge World was cruel, it had fundamentally changed human survival.
By the time the handover was finished, half an hour had passed. All the vehicles returned to the shell of the Empress, Dot Mom, leaving the base and advancing rapidly. During this time, Chang Le stayed on the balcony, tirelessly watching the alien scenery.
The majesty of the mountains was beyond imagination; the smallest was taller than Mount Everest, and some peaks reached heights of tens of thousands of meters, their grandeur visible from afar. Below were rolling hills where many low-tier beasts lived; they appeared on the vehicle's radar in clusters from time to time.
The arrival of humanity had been highly aggressive. In a short time, they had occupied this world, driven away the Beast King, killed high-tier beasts, and become the masters of this realm. However, they did not exterminate the low-tier beasts; instead, they implemented indigenous protection. This was especially true for the beasts in the "Hundred Thousand Mountains." Unless on a mission or permitted, challengers were forbidden from entering and killing them. Violators faced military law and expulsion.
This allowed the beasts to settle down quickly. Some humans even gained the trust of the beasts, earning their following. Striking the leadership with lightning force while governing with moderation to resolve conflicts—Wei Huan's approach was both bloody and decisive, and the results were surprisingly good. After all, the concept of "following the strong" applied to most intelligent species. Had Wei Huan held back and fought inch by inch, it would have only given the beasts the impression that he was "nothing special," leading to endless challenges. This way, it was settled once and for all.
The journey lasted a full day and night. At dawn, they entered a plain. Unlike the peaceful and scenic route they had traveled, this area was shrouded in dark clouds. Thick Nether Qi swirled constantly, causing the grass to wither and preventing beasts from venturing here.
Dot Mom's speed slowed slightly. Walking through the gray mist, Chang Le noticed flickering spots of light. Looking closely, he realized those shifting lights were actually individual spirits. He couldn't help but grow tense.
"Don't be nervous," Mu Zhong said, smiling beside him. "Forgot what your Boss's profession is? This is a battlefield he deliberately left behind to awe the Beast Race."
Chang Le realized the truth.
Mu Zhong continued, "Right here, two years ago—by this world's time flow—a bloody battle took place. The Beast Race was defeated. Two Grade 7 beasts fell on the spot, and the Beast King was forced to abandon this world and flee. Over ten million beasts died in that battle, including many mid-to-high-level ones. Their souls refused to dissipate, turning this place into a Ghost Domain. Leaving it this way showcases our power to deter the Beast Race, and your Boss needs it for his cultivation. As long as you stay inside the vehicle, it's harmless."
Chang Le nodded and looked down. He saw a massive, black, broken-horned bull walking slowly through the mist. Its frame was gargantuan, like a mountain. Even with a creature as large as Dot Mom flying past, it took three seconds to clear its silhouette. From its looming figure, Chang Le felt a pressure no less intense than Dot Mom herself.
"Is that the soul of a Great Demon?" Chang Le's pupils shook as he pointed at the behemoth in shock.
Mu Zhong looked in the direction he pointed but saw nothing. "What Great Demon? The souls of Great Demons were devoured and refined the moment they died. The souls left here should be around Grade 4. Though, if raised for a few decades, a Grade 5 Ghost-Beast might appear."
"But..." Chang Le pointed toward the giant bull. "Can't you see it?"
Mu Zhong's expression gradually became grave. He asked seriously, "What do you see? A giant bull with a broken horn?"
"Yes," Chang Le said. "It's gone now."
Mu Zhong remained silent, lost in thought.
---
It took half an hour to cross the gray mist—not because the area was large, but because Dot Mom slowed down as they neared the destination. As the mist cleared in the morning light, they saw the magnificent and imposing Pioneer Army Headquarters. Located on a majestic broken mountain, it was a city built in human style. High walls surrounded the city, with tall buildings peeking out from within.
As the vehicle landed on the platform, Dot Mom dissipated, turning into a small, exquisite jellyfish floating on Wei Huan's shoulder. The vehicles parked at the gate, and everyone disembarked for a final inspection before entering the city.
Once inside, Chang Le had his vice-captain organize the crew while he looked around curiously. The city was spacious, designed for a future population, but currently, few lived there. It was quiet, filled with vacant buildings topped with high-damage weaponry. There were no entertainment facilities; besides a few resource exchange points at the gate, every building served a military purpose. However, the parking lots were full of cars, and the foot traffic between vehicles was lively.
At this point, Chang Le parted ways with Commander Wei. The Commander's group headed for the headquarters building, while Chang Le led his crew to report to the main force. Watching Wei Huan's retreating back, Chang Le cheered himself on. He had to seize this opportunity to become a useful member of that vehicle.
"Alright, everyone gather here and listen to me."
The 40,000 newcomers gathered in the plaza. Chang Le stood in the front row, looking at the speaker. Kristov, as the vice-captain in charge of melee combat on Wei Huan's vehicle, was now responsible for training the newcomers.
"Next, you will operate without your vehicles. You will board the vehicles I assign, disembark at various drop points, and undergo trials in this world. That's right—no rest. You are the last to arrive, so you must race against time to improve. Report back in half a month, dead or alive. You may form teams. Remember, the strongest human vehicle has no room for trash!"
After the brief speech, they were sent to different vehicles. The only things they received were three days' worth of food, a basic manual on the Beast World, and an 'Abstention Signal Badge.'
Chang Le looked at the badge and, without a second thought, stuffed it into the bottom of his bag. He would never use it. Even if he died, he would die beside Commander Wei's vehicle rather than live out his life in shame.
His vice-captain approached. "Chang Le, let's organize the crew into teams. I've heard 3 to 5 people is the most reasonable."
Chang Le hesitated before saying, "Fine, I'll help everyone team up, but I won't be participating."
"What? You're going alone? This is the Beast World. Beasts of the same level are stronger than us. If you encounter a tribe or a Grade 5 beast alone, it's certain death."
"I know, but I want to try. I don't want to walk the path everyone else has taken."
"You have a direction?" his vice-captain asked, catching his drift.
Chang Le nodded. "Yes. I've found my Way."
---
Two days later, Mu Zhong checked the locations of the trainees out of curiosity. While most were training within bounds, some had ventured into dangerous territory. Some had already been killed, their beacons vanishing.
Mu Zhong's attention soon fell on a single signal located in a very peculiar spot. He had the 'Heart of Steel' access the source and saw Chang Le walking through the Nether Ghost Domain near the headquarters. He was puzzled.
Mu Zhong found Wei Huan. "This Chang Le might be coming across a great opportunity. When we arrived, he said he saw a giant, broken-horned bull-ghost in that domain."
Wei Huan raised an eyebrow. "You mean that Grade 7 Bull Demon?"
"Exactly. We both know the Bull Demon's soul was taken by you, and Big Bear became a Pseudo-God undead because of it. Its flesh and bones were used up. It shouldn't exist in this world anymore, yet Chang Le says he saw it."
Wei Huan closed his eyes in thought. When he opened them, he said, "Let's go see."
The graveyard was close to headquarters, but it was a place where Wei Huan deliberately locked in Nether Power. Shrouded in mist, anyone traversing it without a vehicle would be affected by the magnetic field, get lost, and die from Nether contamination. Wei Huan had never sent soldiers here; it was his private cultivation ground.
Wei Huan and Mu Zhong stood on Dot Mom's shell, protected by the Pseudo-God shield. Below, Chang Le was on his own. Having spent his fortune years ago on Silver-tier gauntlets, he had mastered boxing. Even at his current level, he used his points for Gold-tier gauntlets. His melee skills were formidable; he was as agile as a Gambler and his punches were just as heavy, but as a Warrior sequence, his defense was naturally higher.
Wei Huan and Mu Zhong watched from above. "It's been three days," Mu Zhong noted. "Chang Le hasn't been affected by the Nether Ghost Domain at all. That alone is extraordinary. And his food is mostly untouched, yet he shows no sign of hunger. Is he devouring the mist and turning it into energy?"
Wei Huan nodded. High-level challengers usually required meat to nourish their bodies, but they could survive on energy alone for a while. Chang Le, however, looked as fresh as if he had just started, maintaining a steady trot.
"Though he seems fine, the magnetic field is making him run in circles," Mu Zhong observed.
Wei Huan used Dot Mom to fly to the area where Chang Le claimed to have seen the bull, but found nothing. "If even you can't find it, it really must be his destiny."
Wei Huan adjusted the chaotic magnetic field, opening a path. Chang Le immediately followed it. He looked around, sensing someone had intervened, but could see nothing through the gray mist.
Mu Zhong left to handle some work, but Wei Huan continued to follow Chang Le. Over the next day, Chang Le began to figure out the patterns of the magnetic field himself. He was indeed sensitive to Nether Power. He pushed forward until he reached the center of the domain.
"Is the bull he sees really an undead? If not, what is it?" Mu Zhong asked during a brief return.
Wei Huan shook his head. "I'm waiting."
Chang Le reached the spot and stood perfectly still.
"What does he see?" Mu Zhong asked. "He definitely sees something."
Wei Huan's eyes burned with green flame, but he saw nothing. He had refined every soul here. Even the ground 140 kilometers deep was clear. 'Is it deeper?'
Suddenly, Chang Le clutched his head and roared in agony, rolling on the ground. He began to bleed; his flesh tore from the inside, turning him into a bloody, unrecognizable mess.
"Oh no!" Mu Zhong started to move, but Wei Huan held him back.
Wei Huan's vision was better. Though Chang Le was being torn apart, his wounds were healing at an incredible rate. His body was growing stronger. Chang Le rolled in pain, screaming at first, but eventually grew quiet, perhaps out of habit or realizing no one was coming. He lay trembling on the ground but remained conscious, teeth clenched.
Eventually, Chang Le rolled over, his trembling subsiding. He was muttering something.
"What is he saying?" Mu Zhong asked.
Wei Huan, using the perspective of the Demon Eye Lord, caught the words and smirked.
Mu Zhong added, "He's almost through it. Did you find anything?"
Wei Huan shook his head. The fact that he couldn't find anything in his own domain meant there was still much for him to learn on the path of the Nether.
After a day of agony, Chang Le sat up. He began tearing at his clothes. His Gold-tier gear, which usually withstood battles with monsters, fell apart like wet paper.
"The power coming from inside him is tearing through Gold-tier equipment," Mu Zhong noted. "Is the power that high?" He paused, then gasped. "Wei Huan, look at his chest. Is that a bull?"
Wei Huan saw it clearly. Beneath the thick scabs, a vivid tattoo had appeared on Chang Le's left chest and arm: a lifelike black bull with a broken horn. It was the exact likeness of the Grade 7 Bull Demon.
Chang Le touched the burning tattoo. As the heat intensified, a plume of black smoke erupted from his chest, swirling until a hundred-meter-tall black bull manifested before him.
Chang Le stared up in a daze. Wei Huan and Mu Zhong were equally stunned. This time, they saw it too. They saw it emerge from his chest and take the form of the Grade 7 Bull Demon.
Wei Huan grew serious. He revealed his presence, and Dot Mom's long legs immediately lashed out to entwine the beast. The Bull Demon had died to Dot Mom's legs before; if it had any consciousness, it should have been terrified or enraged.
But the bull simply looked at Dot Mom, then at Wei Huan and Mu Zhong. Its eyes were clear and calm—exactly like the eyes of Chang Le, who sat paralyzed on the ground.