Of course, Wei Huan had not cut off contact with Mu Zhong.
Challenge technology was highly advanced, making it simple to set up signal arrays in this world. Although Wei Huan claimed to be out cultivating, he remained connected to Mu Zhong constantly; he knew everything happening at the headquarters. Occasionally, when he spotted a beautiful view, he would invite Mu Zhong to look—watching the mountains and rivers by day and the starry sky by night. Having been together for over three years, they were accustomed to seeing each other at all times; they didn't want to be apart, and they never grew tired of it.
In the blink of an eye, three days passed.
Wei Huan emerged from the Professional Temple, still on Dot Mom's back in the wild wilderness. Mu Zhong's screen suddenly popped up and enlarged. Seeing Wei Huan open his eyes, Mu Zhong said urgently, "Wei Huan, something has happened."
The smile that had just begun to grace the corners of Wei Huan's mouth turned cold.
Mu Zhong continued: "Last night, the Boundary Gate in the North Sea Abyss opened. As soon as Brother Hammer and the others entered, they were attacked. Six team members died on the spot, and the others retreated. They said the Heavenly Demon Race had already set up an ambush there. They might be launching an invasion war against us at any moment!"
"The Heavenly Demon Race..." Wei Huan repeated the name in his mind, his brow furrowing.
It wasn't entirely surprising that the Heavenly Demons knew about the spatial tunnel in that sea. That specific Heavenly Demon had ruled this world for so long that the local beasts had forgotten they were the original masters, honoring the Heavenly Demon as the Beast King. It wasn't shocking that it knew the world's secrets.
However, what Mu Zhong said next caught Wei Huan off guard.
"...The other side of that tunnel is a Dark Energy World, inhabited by demons from Western mythology. They have already amassed at the tunnel entrance and could attack at any time." Mu Zhong spoke rapidly. "I've already headed there with reinforcements. You need to get here immediately. Our main vehicles are all in the Rank 7 world; the time we can hold out is very short."
"Then don't go," Wei Huan said after listening.
Mu Zhong's anxious face froze, and then his expression softened with realization.
Wei Huan continued: "This isn't Blue Planet. What does it matter if we retreat temporarily? We can just fight our way back later. Don't let everyone throw their lives away for nothing. It's not worth it."
After a few seconds of silence, Mu Zhong smiled. "Only you could make a decision like that."
Of course, Mu Zhong wasn't planning on a suicide mission either; he would leave if the situation was untenable. He said: "The number of people a teleportation gate can handle at once is limited. If the layout is right, we should be able to hold them off for a while. They know your strength, so this operation won't be as simple as occupying the Beast World. I'm worried that if we retreat now, it will be difficult to reclaim the lost territory. You know we can't let ourselves get bogged down in a long-term war; the development in the 'Challenge World' is our priority. Once the cost of war is deemed too high, both you and I will choose to retreat to the Rank 7 world. But this world is of great use to us."
Wei Huan was silent for a few seconds, then nodded. "Act with caution. Prioritize preserving our strength. I will get there as quickly as possible."
"Understood."
Neither spoke further. Wei Huan traveled at full speed. To go faster, he even channeled his Nether Power, which allowed Dot Mom to pick up her pace. On Mu Zhong's side, he was mobilizing troops. Since most veteran crew members lacked vehicles, they had to send the newcomers to the battlefield. While vehicles were just tools and true cultivation depended on oneself, in war, every extra bit of help counted. Furthermore, the Heavenly Demons were also Challengers; they likely had gifts from the Challenge World and originated from a Rank 9 world. They could not be underestimated.
Wei Huan soon received data on the enemy. Brother Hammer's body camera had recorded everything after they passed through the Boundary Gate.
It was a world where the sky and earth were dim and lifeless, a desolate wasteland where lava flowed and the sun never shone—dark, as if buried deep underground. Volcanoes rose from the earth, and red lava meandered freely across the ground. Monsters gathered across the vast expanse, so densely packed that the end of the line was nowhere in sight.
These monsters varied in form, but most were a mix of black and red. Their skin had a texture similar to human flesh but was covered in various intricate and magnificent patterns. However, their appearance was entirely contrary to human aesthetics; their faces and forms were hideous. The large pairs of horns on their heads made them look exactly like the demons from movies and storybooks.
The video didn't just record the demons; it also captured three uniquely shaped figures flying in the air, only a few hundred meters from the gate. They were instantly distinguishable as Heavenly Demons. One was already familiar—the snail-like monster that had occupied the Beast World and called itself the Beast King. However, this time it wasn't alone; it was flanked by two other Heavenly Demons.
The physical characteristics of this race were easy to identify. They looked somewhat human, but their bald heads featured either two or six tentacles that flared out like Wi-Fi antennas. Their lower bodies were like those of snails or shellfish—mollusk-like. They emitted a faint fluorescence. Wei Huan hadn't understood it before, but after coming into contact with the Ancient God, he realized these Heavenly Demons might have a connection to the deity. That silver light flowed with divine power, exerting a faint pressure—a natural, high-and-mighty transcendence.
In the video, the three Heavenly Demons turned their heads, clearly surprised by the sudden appearance of Brother Hammer's team. Then, the Beast King Heavenly Demon struck. Technology could not capture high-level combat; the power that manipulated the laws of heaven and earth was invisible. Wei Huan only saw the demon wave a hand, and Brother Hammer was sent flying. Simultaneously, some of the accompanying Gambler team members perished on the spot.
"Retreat!"
Brother Hammer had given the command immediately. He likely activated his "NPC Talent," causing the Heavenly Demon to lose its target while protecting the survivors. However, the Heavenly Demon's strength far exceeded Brother Hammer's. Although it was momentarily disoriented, it quickly locked onto its targets again. With another strike, more team members fell.
The screen blurred, and the survivors returned to the Beast World. Their first reaction was: "Destroy the Boundary Gate!"
It was the correct judgment. Even if the gate had cost a fortune, nothing was more important than winning the war. Brother Hammer used his giant axe to destroy the gate on the spot, leaving the engineering and sentry teams staring in bewilderment. The group that escaped back had no time to mourn their companions; they looked with lingering fear at the spatial rift—which remained and grew even more distinct despite the gate's destruction—and reported back to headquarters with grim faces.
This had happened twenty minutes ago.
Although Wei Huan hadn't been at the gate, he had been tracking the time for the exploration. He had timed his exit from the Professional Temple to see them off. He hadn't expected them to leave slightly early; that ten-minute difference resulted in this catastrophe.
Looking at the video, all of Brother Hammer's decisions were correct, especially the timely destruction of the gate, which bought them time to mobilize. This was likely why Mu Zhong insisted on going—there was still a chance to stop the demon army led by the Heavenly Demons at the spatial rift.
However, those were Heavenly Demons—beings that had reached the end of the Challenge World's evolution. To the Heavenly Demons, the "Deceiver Remnants" who had once caused the extinction of the human race were like mere seaweed; they could be wiped out with a gesture. The Heavenly Demons' terror was branded into the DNA of the Deceiver Remnants, passed down through generations. Such a race would find gate technology basic; even if the gate was destroyed, crossing over would be easy for them.
This would be a tough fight, especially since it would take Wei Huan at least three days to arrive. To minimize human casualties, the best option would be to retreat to the headquarters and combine forces with the garrison sent by Commander Fang.
But as Mu Zhong said, doing so would force them into a meaningless war of attrition, wasting too much energy in this irrelevant world.
While analyzing the situation, Wei Huan connected with Brother Hammer and discussed the next steps with Mu Zhong. Soon, Commander Fang joined the call.
Commander Fang said: "I've already notified the Rank 6 world. Reinforcements will arrive soon. How is the strength of the demons?"
Brother Hammer shook his head: "We didn't engage the demons. The Heavenly Demons struck directly. Six of us died, and the rest of us retreated."
Mu Zhong said: "The ideal situation would be if the levels of these two connected worlds are similar. But the demon race has been preparing for a long time. They've likely gathered all their high-end combat power, plus those three Heavenly Demons. It won't be easy."
Wei Huan said: "Use Rank 7 Forbidden Curse scrolls first. Wait for me to get there."
The team had set out at 7:00 AM Challenge Time. They fled back at 7:02 AM. The gate was destroyed at 7:04 AM. Mu Zhong received the news at 7:05 AM and began deploying a line at the rift. By 7:10 AM, all engineering staff had been evacuated. At 7:15 AM, Mu Zhong finished organizing the vanguard and they set out.
Wei Huan woke up and received the news at 7:18 AM.
Wei Huan raced across the land, sparing no Nether Power. Dot Mom's body grew to a thousand meters; in this state, she consumed 10 points of Wei Huan's Nether Power per second, but her top speed reached 6,000 km/h. Wei Huan summoned Sister Crow and took out an Ancient God Crystal to refine. These methods helped him recover Nether Power, ensuring he would have enough combat strength upon arrival.
Less than half an hour later, the spatial rift began to pulse with energy—a sign that the spatial tunnel was in use. Yake acted decisively, launching a Rank 7 Forbidden Curse scroll from 10 kilometers away. With a thunderous boom, the spatial tunnel was disrupted, and the teleportation from the other side was cut off.
However, the power of a Rank 7 scroll was immense. It destroyed everything within a ten-kilometer radius of the rift—marine life, underwater volcanoes, and canyons—and triggered a tsunami exceeding magnitude 12. Half an hour later, the tsunami hit the nearest coast. Hundred-meter waves swallowed everything, killing countless creatures. Wei Huan didn't feel any pity; he commended Yake for his decisiveness.
Yet, less than an hour later, a second spatial vibration came from the other side of the rift. Wei Huan understood: the war had begun.
If they only tried to stop the enemy from teleporting, they would fall into an endless cycle of consumption. The enemy could trigger a pulse at will, but humans would be forced to drop a Rank 7 scroll every time because they couldn't afford the consequences of a successful teleportation.
The Heavenly Demons were also Challengers and intelligent beings. They understood the same tactics humans did—even the relatively dull Dark Beast Lords knew tactics—let alone the winners of this challenge competition who had already stepped into a Rank 9 world. It was a bluff, and the enemy was using it expertly. Even when Yake switched to Rank 6 scrolls, which were still effective at disrupting spatial teleportation, this stalemate couldn't last forever.
Commander Fang said: "I just had engineering run a test. If the Boundary Gate is opened to maximum power, it can completely ignore the disruption of the spatial tunnel and force a descent."
Mu Zhong frowned: "They can come through even if the tunnel is unstable?"
Commander Fang said: "If they are strong enough or possess spatial-type abilities, they definitely can."
Mu Zhong nodded. It seemed the enemy was primarily using harassment for now, but they could cross over at any moment. They only needed a few strong individuals to block Yake's deployments, and their army could descend easily.
"Passive defense is always restrictive. Can't this spatial tunnel be destroyed entirely?" Mu Zhong asked.
Commander Fang said: "It's destroyed on our side, but their technology is superior to ours. They can likely come through whenever they want."
"So, why haven't they come through yet? It's been half a day since they were exposed." Mu Zhong's last sentence hit the nail on the head.
Yes. If the enemy was so strong and had prepared for so long, with their army already at the gate, why hadn't they attacked after their secret was out? With the Heavenly Demons' intelligence, they would know that humanity would react immediately once exposed. Once the defense was set, the casualties of war would double.
"Perhaps they aren't ready yet," Mu Zhong suggested. "The exposure was sudden. But we can't pin our hopes on that. We must build our defense line as quickly as possible."
"That's all we can do."
"Have Yake continue monitoring. Don't stop the Rank 6 defense scrolls. Our main force hasn't arrived; we need to send a message that we are here."
"Understood."
Time ticked by. Another six hours passed. During this time, Wei Huan and the others remained in constant communication.
Mu Zhong didn't have many high-level vehicles on his end. The veteran crew members' high-level vehicles had gone with them to the Rank 7 world and couldn't return. The vehicles in the Beast World were now driven by newcomers; most were only Rank 5, with a few at Rank 6. This wasn't a major issue, as Wei Huan had plenty of resources; he could just provide upgrades when they needed to take the Rank 7 highway assessment. Upgrading twenty Rank 7 vehicles wouldn't be a problem, even if Rank 8 was difficult. However, no one had expected such an emergency. Even though Mu Zhong had selected ten vehicles for upgrades, it would take time. For now, they had to upgrade while on the move.
Night fell, and everyone worried if the Heavenly Demons would strike under the cover of darkness. Monsters of the Dark Energy World preferred the night; perhaps they were waiting for this moment. Mu Zhong specifically reminded Yake: "Keep a close watch tonight."
Yake nodded, his eyes glowing with golden light like a majestic eagle.
The long night was grueling. The challenge army and Wei Huan traveled through the night without a moment's rest. Yet, as dawn broke and the weak, unawakened beasts woke to forage, the world remained peaceful. The Heavenly Demons and their demon army had not arrived.
"It seems they really weren't ready," Mu Zhong said, breathing a slight sigh of relief as the sun rose.
"Boss Mu." A voice spoke up. It was then that everyone realized someone had been connected to their channel since yesterday: Brother Hammer. Brother Hammer said: "I don't think they weren't ready. Is the teleportation tunnel fixed? Only one entrance and exit? Is it possible there is another exit?"
Mu Zhong's expression turned to shock, then deep thought.
William Fang was also startled. "Why do you think they're ready?"
Brother Hammer said: "A feeling. They should be prepared for battle. Since they've been exposed but haven't launched an attack, it doesn't make sense. I heard Big Foot say that Void Bugs are like space termites; they can bore many holes in space, so..."
Mu Zhong understood and sighed, rubbing his forehead. "That makes it even more troublesome. If that's true, they must be gathering in a corner we can't see."
Commander Fang nodded: "That's likely. Given that our foundation in this world is shallow, we probably couldn't withstand an all-out assault. My suggestion is to stop our current movement. Send out reconnaissance units to gather intel, and have our two armies merge to ensure we aren't wiped out in one go."
Mu Zhong agreed: "Yes. Let's merge at your location, backed by the Rank 6 Boundary Gate. That gives us our best chance for reinforcements or retreat. Moreover, we can't gamble on whether the Heavenly Demons have a way into our Challenge World. We cannot afford to lose."
The two looked at Wei Huan, waiting for his final decision. "Wei Huan, what do you say?" Mu Zhong asked.
Wei Huan already had an answer. He nodded. "Fine. Stop your march immediately and turn toward Commander Fang's location to merge. Evacuate everyone from the headquarters. That place is just a meaningless symbol; it's not important and it's easy to surround. If that happens, no one gets out."
"Understood," Mu Zhong nodded. "We'll move now. See you at the garrison camp."
"I'm not going there," Wei Huan said.
Mu Zhong froze, but quickly understood Wei Huan's thoughts after meeting his gaze.
As expected, Wei Huan said: "Waiting passively to be hit isn't my style. That kind of defense only ensures we don't lose. If the enemy comes out through another tunnel, it means the North Sea tunnel is safe. I'll go through. You hold the line. Victory will be ours in the end."
Mu Zhong hesitated to speak.
Wei Huan said: "This is war. There is no 100% safety. My willingness to take this risk means the rewards are greatest. The Heavenly Demons are our enemies. If we can kill one or two while they underestimate us, things will be easier for us in the Rank 9 world. Success is found in the details; wealth is sought in danger. In this Challenge World, there is no such thing as calm waters."
Mu Zhong remained silent. Off-camera, his thumbnail dug into his palm, his knuckles white. After a moment, his hand relaxed. He said calmly: "You're right. Setting a fire in the backyard is a risky move, but if it's you, the probability of success is extremely high. This is the only way we can win easily."
Wei Huan's lips curled slightly as he nodded in approval at Mu Zhong. Then he turned his gaze to Brother Hammer. "You, Yake, and the others stand by. You're going back to the Demon World with me."
A proud smile appeared on Brother Hammer's face. He nodded. "Understood!"
The hasty response to the invasion had finally found its rhythm after a day of turmoil. Once the plan was set, it just needed to be executed. Everyone moved toward the garrison base at the Boundary Gate in an orderly fashion. Meanwhile, the defenses at the base were being continuously strengthened.
Another day passed. The fast-traveling Wei Huan reached the bottom of the East Sea and successfully merged with Yake and Brother Hammer. At the same time, the satellite signals Mu Zhong had deployed captured traces of suspected army movement in the swampy plains to the west. Their target was the Broken Peak Holy Mountain—where the reclamation army headquarters was located.
By now, however, the headquarters was empty; not even a hair was left behind.
Before they parted, Mu Zhong said: "I knew they would try to sneak attack the headquarters. The Heavenly Demons have been on top for too long; they won't allow themselves to be defeated by a human race they see as weak. Naturally, they want to stand up from where they fell. Since that's the case, I've played along. I buried plenty of 'goodies' there. I hope to blow those Heavenly Demons and demons straight to hell. It would be great if the war could end right there."
Mu Zhong looked deeply at Wei Huan. "Stay safe. I'll wait for you to return."
Wei Huan nodded.
Big Foot and five Gamblers stood on the balcony at the front of the vehicle, using the unique spatial abilities of the Void Bugs to stabilize the spatial tunnel. A moment ago, the tunnel had vibrated again, as if the other side was about to teleport through. Wei Huan ordered Yake to keep up the act, using another Rank 6 Forbidden Curse scroll to disrupt the enemy's teleportation. It was as if they had no idea the demon army was already rushing from the swampy plains toward their headquarters.
War is a game of deception. Before the fighting starts, it's a battle of layouts, of seeing the opportunity first—and having the courage to do what they were about to do. Until all judgments were proven, they were just guesses. It was possible that when they crossed over, they would face an ambush by hundreds of millions. Perhaps the demon army invading from the swamp was the distraction, and the real main force was right in front of them. Or perhaps, like their two-pronged approach, the Heavenly Demons had also gathered their high-end combat power on the other side of the gate.
No matter the guess, as Wei Huan had used to convince Mu Zhong: there is no 100% safety in war. While you are calculating against the enemy, the enemy is calculating against you. Risks must be taken. If they didn't want to hand this world over, they had to win this battle—and win it convincingly—to show the Heavenly Demons that while they were both human, there was a difference.
"Let's go."
Wei Huan nodded and gave the final order.