It was already early November, and the weather was turning cool.

Even riding on his motorized tricycle, Chen Ye could feel the bite of the autumn breeze on his face.

Next time he gathered supplies, he would need to prioritize finding cold-weather clothing. Otherwise, when true winter arrived, he might just freeze to death on the road.

His vehicle also needed modifications. He needed to find suitable materials to build a canopy over the cargo bed, turning it into an enclosed space, and add a windshield or cabin for the driver’s seat.

The misery of being soaked by rain a few days ago was an experience Chen Ye never wanted to repeat.

Calculating it out, the required Slaughter Points wouldn’t be a small number. Furthermore, the power of this hybrid tricycle was still insufficient for rough terrain. It would be ideal if he could modify it to three-wheel or even four-wheel drive.

Fortunately, this time Chen Ye had prepared enough crossbow bolts. Once they reached Longevity Village and the killing started, he should be able to harvest quite a few Slaughter Points.

Although Chen Ye’s tricycle couldn’t compare to the comfort of the off-road vehicles or the bus, it was still leagues better than what the majority of the survivors had.

Of the newcomers who had joined last night, only one had a car, and two had motorcycles. The rest had no transport at all, not even a bicycle. Thankfully, the convoy’s daily travel speed was slow enough for those on foot to keep up.

Iron Lion’s bus was full again. The casualties from Apricot Blossom Town had nearly halved the bus’s passengers, but the new arrivals had filled every seat. It had to be said, the big guy was dangerously soft-hearted.

As for Chu Che and Nana, their off-road vehicles remained exclusive, keeping their three-person teams intact.

Chen Ye’s tricycle attracted plenty of envious stares, but given his ruthless display earlier, most people were too wary to cause trouble.

The first day’s journey ended without incident.

It wasn’t until evening that Chu Che led the convoy to a safe shelter. A blood-red moon had quietly risen, dyeing the world in a crimson hue.

Dinner was the usual plain congee with pickles. However, tonight’s gruel was watery enough to see one’s reflection, sparking murmurs of discontent.

Chu Che responded with a single, calm sentence: “Anyone dissatisfied is free to leave at any time.”

Chen Ye used his clumsy cooking skills to make his own dinner. Even though it wasn’t gourmet, the sight of large chunks of cured meat and steaming white rice made the other survivors drool with envy.

Not far away, a pair of venomous eyes watched him. Whenever Chen Ye looked over, he saw only faces feigning indifference.

Chen Ye frowned. Apart from the grandmother and grandson pair, he shouldn’t have offended anyone else. Who could harbor such intense resentment towards him?

He slept in the cargo bed again, padded with piles of clothes, making it surprisingly comfortable.

Lighting a cigarette, he blew a smoke ring into the night air, letting the nicotine soothe his fatigue.

It had been days since he last bathed. He missed the feeling of hot water washing away the grime. In the apocalypse, hygiene was a luxury, and Chen Ye felt like his skin was developing a “patina” of dirt.

Before he could fall asleep, Uncle Abao arrived.

“Mr. Chen, Captain Chu invites you to a meeting.”

Chen Ye followed Uncle Abao to the largest tent in the camp.

Inside, Captain Chu Che, the young sword immortal Nana, and the two-meter-tall giant Iron Lion were waiting.

Iron Lion’s severed arm had completely regenerated.

Is this the innate ability of the Titan Sequence? Chen Ye marveled. Such powerful regeneration.

“Chen Ye, you’re here! Sit, sit!” Iron Lion patted the seat beside him with a simple, honest grin.

Perhaps because Chen Ye had fired that crossbow bolt when everyone else was fleeing in Apricot Blossom Town, the big guy had a very favorable impression of him.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the meeting began.

“Among the new survivors, there’s one named Xu Jiaojiao who is quite troublesome,” Chu Che said as he poured Chen Ye a cup of tea. “From what I know, she was an online ‘gender war’ blogger before the apocalypse. She has already connected with over a dozen people in the camp and seems to be planning something.”

Captain Chu’s tone was measured and deliberate, as if discussing the weather, his gentle expression unchanging.

Nana scowled. “I didn’t expect these people to still be causing trouble even now. It’s the apocalypse. The world has changed.”

“Iron Lion, Chen Ye, what do you think?”

Iron Lion scratched his head and chuckled. “Whatever you guys decide is fine. I’ll listen to you, hehe…”

Nana rolled her eyes and looked at Chen Ye.

Chen Ye grinned. “Just clowns jumping about. Without a Sequence, these people wouldn’t survive a day out there. But Captain Chu, you didn’t call us here just for this, did you?”

Chen Ye drank the tea in one gulp. In these times, even a sip of tea was a luxury, so he made sure to enjoy every drop. He noticed the other cups were empty too; supplies like tea leaves were scarce even for the captain.

“Indeed,” Chu Che said. “According to my estimate, we will reach Longevity Village tomorrow morning. I called you here to discuss the plan.”

Hearing they were approaching a resupply point, everyone’s expressions turned serious.

Pre-apocalypse settlements were now Forbidden Zones, filled with endless dangers. A single misstep could mean death, just like in Apricot Blossom Town where the convoy lost half its people.

Suddenly, Chu Che took out an old radio and began fiddling with the dials.

Chen Ye was confused. Weren’t we talking about the village? Why the radio?

Seeing his curiosity, Nana explained, “This is an Eavesdropping Radio, Artifact Number 01257. You can think of it as… an apocalypse Dharma Treasure.”

“Artifacts often possess incredible abilities,” she continued, eyeing the device enviously. “The Captain’s radio is very magical.”

“Numbered?” Chen Ye asked.

“Yes, the number indicates its rank. Artifacts in the top one hundred have god-like powers. The Captain’s is ranked below a thousand, but even so, it’s a remarkable treasure. You’ll understand in a moment.”