The group headed to the nearby territories.

The sensor status hadn’t changed — it still displayed Fu Miaoxue’s holographic projection.

They then checked several other territories. All of them were unchanged.

“No one’s claimed the territories, and we haven’t seen anyone from the enemy side. Could they have given up on the match?” Chen Hui couldn’t help saying. “Is this battle game really a competition among three kings? Where is everyone?”

“This is very strange,” Leonid agreed. “What are those people even trying to do?”

Despite holding the dominant position in the game, the absence of Willard and his subjects left everyone uneasy.

Du Lai and Fu Miaoxue exchanged a few words, then he addressed the group: “Let’s keep claiming territories. There are thirty-six in total — they have to be somewhere we haven’t been yet. We’ll run into them sooner or later.”

They continued exploring the map.

Many of the sensors glowed an ownerless blue, and the sandy ground showed no extra footprints. This meant no king or subject had visited these locations at all.

Had the other side even abandoned basic environmental scouting?

“If no one’s been picking up territory behind us, we’ve now claimed thirty-two territories.” Yan Qingwen frowned, looking ahead. “Four left.”

Du Lai touched a sensor with his wristband. The blue light instantly turned red, and Fu Miaoxue’s holographic projection appeared.

“Three left.” Du Lai said. “Keep moving.”

The victory condition only required holding the most territories — but without knowing the enemy’s movements, no matter how many territories they currently led by, a counterattack was always possible.

Everyone followed Du Lai and Fu Miaoxue toward the final corner of the triangular map —

This time, they finally saw people!

Unlike what they had imagined, a cluster of people was huddled at the base of an earth mound — with none of the combat spirit one would expect. Instead, they were trembling, like a flock of startled birds, watching in terror as Du Lai’s group approached.

To call them subjects would be generous. Captives seemed more fitting.

“What in the world…?” Leonid, walking at the front, muttered under his breath. “Why is there a bunch of weaklings just sitting here?”

“Still be careful.” Yan Qingwen cautioned the group. “Could be a trap.”

This was far too abnormal.

Every king in a battle game carefully selected their subjects. So how did the opposing group end up looking like they’d fled from a refugee camp?

Without realizing it, everyone slowed their pace, staying alert to the surroundings, wary of any trap.

At about twenty meters away, Du Lai stopped.

“Only nine people.” Du Lai said with a furrowed brow. “Their king isn’t here.”

“You mean Willard?” Fu Miaoxue looked carefully. “…Strange. He’s really not among them.”

Before the battle began, Fu Miaoxue had seen the identity files of their opponents and knew what Willard looked like.

“What if he’s hiding nearby?” Fu Miaoxue waved over a few of her subjects. “You — go search behind those earth mounds over there.”

The terrain here was mostly flat, with a few small earth mounds and nothing else to hide behind.

The subjects returned quickly, all shaking their heads. “Nothing behind the mounds.”

“Should we go ask them?” someone suggested. “They must know where their own king went.”

Du Lai furrowed his brow, thinking it over. Asking was definitely necessary — but who should go?

His gaze swept over everyone present, and finally settled on Yan Qingwen.

Yan Qingwen stepped forward. “I’ll go.”

He glanced back at the steel puppet behind him and said evenly: “If I go to ask questions, it’ll be safer.”

The steel puppet couldn’t initiate attacks, but it could provide maximum defensive cover for Yan Qingwen. So he was the best choice.

Du Lai gave him a nod and said in a low voice, “Be careful.”

—