After a grueling day of travel, the survivors in the convoy were pushed to the brink of collapse.

Before, the asphalt road had guided them, offering a psychological crutch—a line connecting them to civilization.

But now…

Looking out the windows, there was nothing but endless, shifting sand. They had no idea where they were.

Faint sobbing echoed through the camp. Not far away, Old Man Zhang’s Elderly Mobility Scooter was rocking violently, accompanied by rhythmic, crude sounds that left little to the imagination.

Desperation manifested in many forms.

Fortunately, the convoy’s food supplies were still relatively sufficient, though water was becoming a concern. Even while cooking, Chen Ye didn’t dare use an extra drop.

Compared to the crushing pessimism of the ordinary survivors, the Sequence Beyonders remained composed.

Nana had already drunk herself into a stupor, collapsed in her seat like a puddle of pink mud, oblivious to the world.

Iron Lion sat by the fire, his massive frame silent and imposing as a boulder.

Captain Chu was nowhere to be seen, likely hiding in his tent to sip his tea in peace.

Chen Ye watched the block of solid alcohol burn with a steady orange flame. A slight curve lifted the corner of his mouth as the countdown in his vision reached zero.

[Upgrade Complete!]

The air around the Heavy Machete shimmered. The bag of Black Dog Blood and the Resentment-Binding Willow Branch vanished into the distortion.

Then, gravity returned.

His hand sank slightly under the weight. The familiar grip gave Chen Ye a sense of solidity.

He raised the weapon to inspect it under the light of the Blood Moon. A faint, crimson energy flowed through the steel like liquid veins, visible only when the light hit it just right.

The weapon’s form had shifted.

The spine was forty centimeters long and thick, radiating durability. The edge gleamed with a cold, bloody light.

The handle, slightly curved and twenty centimeters long, was perfect for two-handed chopping. It was wrapped in what looked like hemp rope for grip.

Wait.

Chen Ye brought the handle closer to his eyes.

That wasn’t hemp rope.

It was the Resentment-Binding Willow Branch.

As soon as he recognized the texture, a tender green sprout burst from the pommel of the handle.

Chen Ye started, but before he could react, the living wood surged forward. It coiled around his wrist like a snake, locking him to the weapon.

Once the link was established, the movement stopped.

This…

Information flooded his mind.

[Artifact Name: Blood Resentment Machete] [Serial Number: 04879]

Chen Ye wasn’t disappointed by the ranking. It was forged from ordinary materials, after all. Having a serial number at all was a victory, and breaking into the top 5,000 was a solid start.

[Properties:] [1. Exorcism: The blade possesses a suppressive effect against Anomalies.] [2. Willow Bond: When thrown, the willow branch acts as a tether, allowing the user to guide and retrieve the weapon. (Effect enhanced under a Blood Moon).] [3. Resentment Absorption: The blade can absorb resentment to evolve. Accumulating enough resentment may trigger a qualitative transformation.]

Chen Ye’s heart raced.

The first ability inherited the Black Dog Blood’s anti-ghost properties.

The second came from the Willow. He remembered the corpses in Longevity Village flying freely on their branches—now, his blade could do the same. A controllable, flying guillotine.

The third ability was the kicker. Evolution. Just as the parent tree grew stronger with every corpse it claimed, this blade could grow.

He pushed aside the chilling memory of the tree and read the costs.

[Cost: Requires daily feeding of the Host’s blood.]

Daily feeding?

That was manageable. A few drops a day wouldn’t kill him, especially with his enhanced physique. For an Artifact ranked near 5,000, the price was reasonable.

[Taboo: Do not unsheathe in the presence of blood relatives. The blade will turn on them.]

Blood relatives?

Chen Ye almost laughed. In this apocalypse, everyone he shared blood with was likely dead or ash. This taboo was effectively nonexistent.

It did make him wonder, though… what was the Taboo for Captain Chu’s ‘Eavesdropping Radio’? An Artifact ranked in the top 2,000 must have a terrifying drawback.

[Comment: If the handle were crafted from the main trunk of the Resentment-Binding Willow, the ranking would be significantly higher.]

Chen Ye noted the comment. Someday, when he was strong enough, he would return to Longevity Village and chop that tree down.

He toyed with the weapon, testing its balance.

With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the machete. It shot out like a crimson streak under the moonlight. The willow branch elongated effortlessly, stretching into the darkness.

He could feel it—a tactile connection. He could steer the blade mid-air.

Under the Blood Moon, the weapon seemed to vibrate with excitement.

Another flick, and the branch retracted instantly, snapping the heavy handle back into his palm with a satisfying thud.

Incredible.

With his smoke ability obscuring vision, a flying, guided machete would be a nightmare for any enemy. He tested the range—about twenty meters.

Chen Ye was satisfied.

He drew the edge across his fingertip. A drop of bright red blood beaded up and fell onto the steel.

The metal seemed to come alive, drinking the droplet greedily. Even the willow wrappings on the handle loosened, looking lusher.

Chen Ye pressed his cut finger against the blade. He wanted to test its appetite.

He let it drink until a faint wave of dizziness hit him, then pulled away. The blade stopped absorbing immediately. The willow branch shivered, radiating a sense of satiety and pleasure.

Manageable, he thought. The cost isn’t ruinous.

It made him wonder about the top 100 Artifacts. How strong were they? And what terrible price did they demand?

Suddenly, a smell of burning assaulted his nose.

“Crap! My rice!”

The pot was a blackened disaster, emitting acrid smoke.

That night, Chen Ye ate a meal of scorched rice. He scraped every burnt grain from the pot; wasting food was a sin he couldn’t afford.

Despite the terrible dinner, his mood remained high. He had his first true Artifact.

A breeze blew through the camp, bringing with it an unusual, dry heat.

Chen Ye looked up. The Blood Moon hung low on the horizon, a baleful eye watching the desert. The stars, usually so bright out here, had vanished completely.

He turned his attention to his next project: the solar panel.

He had 60 liters of gas left. That sounded like a lot, but for a heavy truck in sand, it wouldn’t last. He needed to charge the electric battery.

He spent 100 Slaughter Points to repair the broken solar panel he’d looted from Chu.

It pained him to spend the points, but it was an investment.

The next morning, the repair was complete.

Chen Ye immediately tried to upgrade the panel.

As it stood, the panel was designed for charging phones or power banks. Trying to charge a truck battery with it would take weeks.

He opened the Upgrade System.

His enthusiasm deflated instantly.

To achieve a true rapid-charger capable of refilling the truck in a few hours, the System demanded 50,000 Slaughter Points. It involved technology far beyond the current era.

Chen Ye was broke.

He simplified the request. Just increase the surface area and conversion efficiency. Make it capable of a full charge in 50 hours of sunlight.

The System recalculated: 5,000 Slaughter Points.

Chen Ye stared at the number, stumped.

He didn’t have 5,000.

What now? Another loan?

He hadn’t even paid off the first one. Would the System even entertain a second request?

Just as he was about to open the loan interface, a scream tore through the morning silence.

It was a sound of pure, primal terror.

“That’s… that’s… a sandstorm!”

“SANDSTORM! A SANDSTORM IS COMING!”