[Upgrade complete!]

His tricycle shimmered with a faint, dull light, and when the glow faded, the vehicle before him was unrecognizable.

It was no longer a bicycle. It was a Frankenstein’s monster of a motorized trike.

The front half was the abandoned motorcycle Chen Ye had dragged over the previous night—handlebars, cushioned seat, and a bulbous fuel tank. If you ignored everything behind the rider, it looked like a standard motorbike.

The rear cargo bed had also transformed. The side railings were raised significantly higher. If he lowered the tailgate and added a cushion, it would be spacious enough to serve as a bed. No more sleeping on the cold ground; he could now rest directly in his vehicle.

The loading capacity had increased again.

While it was a far cry from the “complete form” he had designed in the system’s 3D interface, achieving this level of functionality with his limited resources was a miracle.

Of course, there were compromises.

The front wheel was the motorcycle’s original tire, robust and road-worthy. However, the two rear wheels were still the original bicycle tires—a necessary sacrifice to save Slaughter Points. The driver’s seat lacked a sunshade or cabin, meaning he would be exposed to the elements. Even the main chassis frame hadn’t been reinforced.

It was still rear-wheel drive, which might spell trouble on rough terrain.

But for a cost of only 900 Slaughter Points, it was a bargain.

Chen Ye mounted the seat to test it. In manual mode, even with the Power-Assist System, pedaling was significantly harder due to the increased weight of the engine and frame. Without gasoline, this beast would be a burden rather than an asset.

But Chen Ye’s mindset had shifted.

If he faced another situation like yesterday’s flight from Apricot Blossom Town, a slow vehicle would get him left behind. And being left behind meant death.

This engine might be underpowered, and its top speed might be laughable compared to a real car, but it was still leagues faster than his legs. The hassle of finding fuel was a price he was willing to pay.

Chen Ye looked toward the head of the convoy.

Two off-road vehicles, a sedan, and a bus were parked there. They definitely had gasoline. With his surplus of supplies, perhaps he could trade for some.

As the camp stirred, Chen Ye’s motorized tricycle quickly drew attention.

Many gazes were envious. Others were openly mocking.

“His old bicycle was fine. Why change it into this four-unlike monstrosity? He’s just asking for trouble. Now he has to scavenge for gas!”

“Yeah, his old bike was better. Maybe we should ask him where he dumped it? If we could grab it…”

“Heh, are you blind? Can’t you see this thing is modified from his old trike?”

“Wait… doesn’t that seem weird to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“He turned a bicycle into this overnight. Alone. How… how is that possible?”

“Hiss…”

As realization spread, the atmosphere shifted. Everyone turned to stare at Chen Ye.

They were right.

How could a normal person perform such a complex modification in a single night? It should have taken a team of mechanics days to weld and assemble something like this. But he had done it alone, in the dark, in a few hours.

Was he… an Anomaly?

The looks directed at him changed from mockery to fear, suspicion, and hostility. Some of them had seen him ruthlessly shoot Qiangzi yesterday. They knew he was dangerous.

Seeing their reactions, Chen Ye’s heart sank. This wasn’t good.

The commotion attracted attention from the front of the convoy.

“What’s going on over here?”

A crisp, clear voice cut through the murmurs.

A girl with long legs and a high ponytail walked over. She wore a pair of Air Jordans, denim hot pants, and a cartoon-print t-shirt. A long sword hung at her waist, looking incongruous with her modern attire.

Chen Ye recognized her. During the escape from Apricot Blossom Town, she was the one he had seen leaping across rooftops, moving with the agility of a wuxia master.

A Sequence Beyonder.

The other survivors instinctively backed away, their eyes filled with awe and fear.

The girl looked left and right, her gaze sweeping over the crowd before landing on Chen Ye. Finally, her eyes settled on the motorized tricycle.

A strange glint flashed in her eyes.

Chen Ye’s hand drifted to his Hand Crossbow. He knew he was likely no match for a superhuman, but he wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“Is this motorcycle yours?” the girl asked. Her voice was pleasant, carrying a natural authority.

“It is.”

“Impressive. Yesterday it was a pedal-trike, today it’s a motorbike. Really impressive.”

She circled the vehicle, then turned to face him, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Have you awakened a Sequence?”

The question hit the crowd like a bomb.

Chen Ye paused, stunned.

Sequence Beyonder? Me?

The survivors erupted into whispers. Before yesterday, Sequences were just rumors. Now, after seeing the giant and the sword-girl, everyone knew they were real. But to hear that the guy with the tricycle might be one of them?

Impossible.

The disdain in their eyes instantly evaporated, replaced by intense envy and jealousy.

“Hmm… Mechanic Sequence?” the girl mused, answering her own question. “Otherwise, you couldn’t possibly build something like this overnight without tools.”

She didn’t wait for a confirmation. “Never mind. Come with me.”

She gestured for him to follow her toward the lead vehicles.

Chen Ye understood. She had mistaken his system for a “Mechanic Sequence” ability. It was a convenient misunderstanding.

He didn’t correct her. He simply followed, leaving the drooling crowd of survivors behind.

The class divide in this convoy was stark.

At the top were the people in the lead vehicles. Based on Chen Ye’s observations, there were at least two Sequence Beyonders among them. This group was small, maybe a few dozen people originally, though they had lost half their numbers in the town. Their clothes were cleaner, their spirits higher. Rumor had it there was even a celebrity among them.

At the bottom were the stragglers on bicycles and foot. As yesterday proved, they were expendable.

As the girl led Chen Ye into the inner circle, everyone looked up in surprise.

Chen Ye noticed a barefoot young man staring at him. The man’s aura was unique, calm and grounding amidst the chaos.

“Nana… who is this?” the barefoot man asked.