By the faint glimmer of light breaking on the horizon, Chen Ye saw that his “Old 28” Heavy Bike had undergone a radical transformation.

The original two wheels had become three.

The tires were significantly wider than before, sporting coarse, aggressive treads that screamed off-road capability. Even the spokes had thickened, reinforcing the structural integrity of the wheels. Most notably, a spacious cargo bed now sat at the rear of the vehicle.

With this cargo bed, his load-bearing capacity had increased exponentially compared to the standard “Old 28.”

The bicycle had evolved into a tricycle.

Chen Ye mounted the seat to test it out. To his surprise, this system-upgraded tricycle was even more effortless to ride than the original bike. The pedals offered almost no resistance. Upon closer inspection of the mechanical structure, a notification clarified the change: the system had installed a [Power-Assist System].

“Yezi, where did you get this rig?”

“Xiao Ye, did you go out scavenging for supplies in the middle of the night? You’ve got some serious guts!”

“Tsk tsk... this thing is no worse than those small cars!”

As the sun fully rose, Chen Ye’s tricycle became a magnet for attention.

The eyes of many survivors were filled with naked envy and jealousy. In this apocalypse, any form of supply or transport was precious, let alone a tricycle that clearly looked robust and modified.

More importantly, this vehicle required no gasoline.

Early on, people had joined the convoy in cars, only to abandon them by the roadside the moment their tanks ran dry. Gasoline was a luxury resource; only the elites in the two modified off-road vehicles at the front of the column had the means to secure it. Rumor had it there were formidable individuals in those lead vehicles—especially a young girl who carried a sword.

A woman wearing tight yoga pants approached Chen Ye.

“Brother Ye, could you let me ride in your cargo bed? My legs have been hurting so much from walking these past two days.”

As she spoke, she rubbed her calf in a deliberately coquettish manner, her posture suggestive. The display caused a group of lechers nearby to audibly swallow their saliva.

This woman had been rescued a few days prior while the convoy was scavenging. She had quickly realized her value, drawing many men to fawn over her. It wasn’t that she didn't want to hitch a ride in the off-road vehicles; she had simply been rejected by them. Consequently, she had lowered her standards and set her sights on Chen Ye’s tricycle.

Although it wasn't a car, with some padding in the cargo bed, the comfort level would be leagues ahead of hiking or sitting on the hard rack of a bicycle.

“No.”

Chen Ye refused without a second thought.

The woman froze. She hadn't expected such a blunt rejection, and her expression instantly turned ugly. Before the apocalypse, she had been considered a minor beauty. She had never been turned down so directly. Even after the world ended, she had survived this long by relying on her looks.

To think this man would shut her down so cold-heartedly?

“Chen Ye, you...”

“Jiajia, why don't you ride on my bike? My rear seat has padding too. Guaranteed to be comfortable!”

A burly man quickly stepped in to curry favor.

The woman’s expression softened slightly. She shot Chen Ye a fierce glare, then turned and walked toward the burly man’s bike like a proud princess.

The man was named Qiangzi. Before the end of the world, he had been a fitness trainer with a muscular build. He had originally ridden a motorcycle, but after running out of fuel, he had switched to a bicycle to keep up with the convoy.

The woman in yoga pants, Jiajia, sat on the rear rack of Qiangzi’s bike and immediately began to complain.

“Your bike is way too bumpy. Can’t you get a four-wheeled vehicle too?”

Qiangzi smiled ingratiatingly. “Four-wheelers are easy enough to find; they’re littered all over the streets. But refueling is a nightmare, and charging is impossible. Honestly, they aren't as good as our bikes right now.”

“Don't be fooled by how happily those guys are driving up front. It won’t be long before none of them can move.”

In truth, Qiangzi was just blowing hot air. He had tried to hotwire an unattended car by the roadside earlier but had spent half a day fiddling with it to no avail.

Jiajia rolled her eyes. “If you can't get a four-wheeler, don't you know how to get a three-wheeler? Look at Chen Ye...”

She leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper against Qiangzi’s ear. “Qiangzi, how about we snatch Chen Ye’s tricycle?”

Qiangzi glanced at the Hand Crossbow hanging at Chen Ye’s waist, his expression turning wary. “Jiajia, let’s forget it. Chen Ye isn't someone to mess with.”

“And... he has a Hand Crossbow.”

“Hmph! Look at how spineless you are!”

The woman snorted coldly and fell silent.

Chen Ye ignored the drama. He hooked the Hand Crossbow to his belt and tossed his large bundle into the cargo bed. Previously, strapping this bundle to the rear rack of the “Old 28” had been a precarious balancing act. Now, sitting in the tricycle’s bed, there was still plenty of extra space.

For some reason, the convoy’s travel speed was noticeably faster today than yesterday.

Fortunately, the tricycle had the [Power-Assist System] installed. Pedaling was effortless—easier, in fact, than riding the unmodified bicycle. While the cyclists around him were drenched in sweat, gasping for breath, Chen Ye looked leisurely, as if he were taking a stroll in the park.

Qiangzi pedaled furiously, his back completely soaked through. Jiajia, sitting behind him, stared at Chen Ye’s relaxed figure with an increasingly unkind gaze.

“Houses! There are houses up ahead!”

Someone in the convoy suddenly shouted.

The cry was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, sending ripples through the crowd. People who had been trudging with their heads down snapped them up, looking toward the horizon.

On their sallow, malnourished faces, expressions of greed and delight mixed with a trace of terror.

Chen Ye looked up. Rows of buildings stood by the roadside, forming what looked like a small town.

The entire convoy fixated on the cluster of structures.

A town meant supplies.

Many people in the convoy had already exhausted their food and water. Even Chen Ye didn't have much left in his backpack.

However, since the apocalypse began, most towns and cities had become Forbidden Zones for Humanity. The more populous the area, the more dangerous it was. International metropolises like Shanghu were death traps; one could only imagine the horrors residing there.

Those who had barely escaped Jiang City had no desire to face those terrifying Anomalies again. If it were night, the convoy would have given this town a wide berth, fleeing as far as possible.

But now... it was day.

During the daylight hours, Anomalies generally did not appear. This gave survivors a window of opportunity to enter towns or villages to scavenge.

The few off-road vehicles at the front noticeably accelerated.

Chen Ye adjusted the crossbow at his waist, stood up on the pedals, and accelerated the tricycle towards the town, leaving the struggling cyclists in his dust.

Many cast envious glances at his retreating form.

“That beast! How is he so fast?” someone behind him cursed resentfully.

“Damn it, heaven bless him to crash and die!!!”

“That... there might be Anomalies in that town!”

“Damn it, who cares if there are Anomalies? If I don't find food, I'll starve to death anyway!”

“The bold get stuffed, the timid go hungry!”

“Charge! First come, first served!”

It was as if the entire convoy had been injected with adrenaline. Even the exhausted survivors on foot caught the fever, surging forward with renewed desperation.

But as they neared the small town, the eerie aura radiating from it began to cool their overheated blood.

Before they even reached the perimeter, waves of hair-raising, spine-chilling danger washed over them. The town sat by the roadside like a dormant, ferocious beast waiting to wake.

Though it was broad daylight, the entire town felt as gloomy and cold as a deep winter night.

The lead modified off-road vehicle was moving the fastest. Just as it was about to cross the threshold into the town, it suddenly slammed on its brakes.

SCREEECH!

The tires locked, dragging two deep black marks across the pavement amidst a piercing shriek of rubber. The vehicles following behind also slammed on their brakes, a cacophony of screeching halts.

The noisy clamor of the convoy died instantly.

It was as if someone had pressed a mute button on reality.

It was eerily quiet.

Chen Ye slowed his tricycle, coasting up behind the four-wheeled vehicles at the town's entrance.

When he finally saw the town clearly, he felt an invisible hand clench his intestines and stomach. An icy chill of pure fear shot from the soles of his feet straight to the roots of his hair.