By the time Chen Ye rolled into camp, he was physically shattered.

His tricycle was groaning under the abuse. The cargo bed was slightly warped, crushed under the weight of the four massive all-terrain tires and the engine block. Behind him, the ‘Chili Fish Head’ Mini EV—tethered by a strained rope—had bumped into his rear bumper with a dull thud as he finally braked.

The commotion drew eyes. Envious stares pricked his skin from every corner of the camp. Whispers rippled through the survivors.

Among the onlookers stood a woman with a figure that demanded attention. She bit her lower lip, her gaze fixed on Chen Ye with a predatory shimmer.

She was known as the “Camp Siren.” Not quite as stunning as the Zhou sisters, but she had a seductive charm that left many men drooling. She had spent the last few weeks trying to sink her claws into Captain Chu Che, but the disciplined soldier had been an iron wall.

Now, seeing Chen Ye return with a haul of high-value loot, she seemed to recalculate her targets. She chewed on her fingernail, her eyes flickering with a dangerous, calculating ambition.

Chen Ye ignored them all. This migration had been a brutal slog. Using the Smoke Apostle ability twice to drag his convoy had drained him to the marrow.

He leaned back in the driver’s seat and fished a Tazi cigarette from his pocket. The flame flared, and he inhaled deeply. The acrid, mellow smoke filled his lungs, the nicotine hitting his bloodstream like a warm blanket.

For an old smoker, fatigue didn’t call for sleep—it called for tobacco.

In the old world, he might have worried about lung cancer. But after awakening as a Sequence Beyonder, his enhanced metabolism scrubbed the toxins before they could stick. The only downside was the supply; at this rate, his stash wouldn’t last a month.

“Yezi! You made it.”

Iron Lion lumbered over, his massive frame casting a long shadow.

Chen Ye extended the pack. “Smoke?”

“Nah, never touch the stuff.” Iron Lion waved a hand, then tossed a red carton onto Chen Ye’s lap.

It was a full carton of Tazi.

Chen Ye raised an eyebrow. “What’s this?”

Iron Lion scratched his head, grinning sheepishly. “Heh, well… Yezi, if you have time, could you look at my bus?”

“Already having trouble?”

Iron Lion sighed, looking frustrated. “Yeah. The old coach was garbage, so I grabbed this school bus thinking it was solid. Turns out, it’s got issues too. My guys have been crawling under it for an hour, but they can’t figure it out.”

Chen Ye glanced toward Iron Lion’s camp. A few legs were sticking out from under the yellow bus, a flashlight beam dancing erratically in the undercarriage.

“Since you’re a Mechanic Sequence,” Iron Lion continued, “I figured you’d know what’s up.”

Iron Lion wasn’t stupid. He knew professional skills cost money. The carton of cigarettes was the retainer fee.

“Is it dead?” Chen Ye asked.

“Won’t start. And even when it coughs to life, it has no power. You’ll see.”

Chen Ye tapped the ash from his cigarette. “I can look at it, but not tonight. You saw my rig. I need to upgrade this mess before we move tomorrow, or I’m walking.”

Iron Lion nodded vigorously. “Of course. You do you first. We can hold out.”

“Alright. Do me a favor then,” Chen Ye said, pointing to the loot. “Bring that Wrangler engine over to my tent. I’m going to need it.”

“Done!”

Iron Lion grabbed the heavy engine block as if it were a bag of rice and trotted off.

Chen Ye finished his smoke, then forced his aching body to cook a meal. He shoveled food into his mouth, knowing he needed the calories. Using the System for a major overhaul wasn’t just a mental command; it taxed the body’s stamina reserves heavily.

Belly full, he sat before his pile of scrap.

He had just over 4,000 Slaughter Points left from his previous 7,000. It felt light.

“System, initiate upgrade mode.”

He visualized the components:

The Tricycle: Base chassis (to be sacrificed).

‘Chili Fish Head’ Mini EV: The cabin and tech base.

2.0T Wrangler Engine: The muscle.

4x All-Terrain Tires: The shoes.

His plan was ambitious: A hybrid beast. The Mini EV provided electric drive and comfort, while the combustion engine provided raw torque and range extension. With a solar panel upgrade later, he’d achieve energy independence.

The System processed his intent and projected a holographic blueprint.

Chen Ye stared, and he could practically feel the drool pooling in his mouth.

It was magnificent.

The cute, rounded front of the ‘Chili Fish Head’ had been elongated and squared off to house the roaring 2.0T engine, giving it an aggressive, snouted look. The tricycle’s flimsy rear end was gone, replaced by a reinforced cargo bed integrated seamlessly into the cab.

To accommodate the massive all-terrain tires, the suspension was lifted high, giving it the stance of a monster truck.

But the genius was in the rear axle. The System hadn’t discarded the Mini EV’s original small wheels. Instead, it had moved them to the rear, creating a tandem-axle setup beneath the cargo bed to support extreme weight.

Eight wheels total. Four massive off-roaders for traction, four smaller heavy-duty rollers for load-bearing.

It didn’t look like a frankenstein monster. It looked like a war rig born for the wasteland. The “mom’s grocery getter” vibe was obliterated, replaced by hard lines, steel plating, and a stance that screamed violence.

[Blueprint: Apocalypse Pickup (Hybrid Type)]

If he drove this thing, the “Fairness” SUV and Nana’s jeep would look like toys in comparison.

Chen Ye’s heart raced. He looked at the bottom of the blueprint for the price tag.

His face fell.

[Cost: 23,500 Slaughter Points]

“You have got to be kidding me…”

Depression hit him like a physical blow. Over twenty thousand points? He was short by… well, almost everything.

He paced around the scrap pile, his mind racing. He couldn’t downgrade. He needed this truck.

Suddenly, a thought struck him.

“System,” he whispered, a spark of hope in his eyes. “What’s my credit limit?”

He had borrowed 300 points before and paid it back on time. In the banking world, that meant he was a good risk. Maybe his credit score had gone up?

[Querying Loan Status…]

A small spinning circle appeared in his vision, analyzing his repayment history and asset value.