Forging!

What?! The bald man's face contorted with fury, his head whipping around to confront the audacious interloper. However, his outrage quickly transformed into speechlessness as his gaze fell upon the figure illuminated by the flickering flames in the darkness. Even amidst the chaos, Su Chen's disheveled appearance and the razor-sharp Flowing Knife in his hand were enough to instill fear in the hearts of the three individuals.

Su Chen, despite his tattered clothing, exuded an aura of fierce determination that altered the demeanor of the trio. Emerging from the nightmarish battlefield, his eyes burned with a piercing intensity, his very presence exuding a palpable intent to kill.

The bald man's countenance underwent a rapid transformation, his mind weighing the gravity of Su Chen's menacing words. In a split second, he made a decision, promptly dropping to his knees with a resounding thud. His voice trembled as he directed his plea to Xia Chuwei, "Forgive us, esteemed sir and madam. We were ignorant and stumbled upon a grave mistake. Please spare our lives...please spare us."

The bald man's fear did not stem solely from Su Chen's physical appearance, but rather from the genuine dread evoked by Su Chen's words. He understood that these were not idle threats; there was a genuine possibility that Su Chen would unleash a torrent of violence upon them.

Life before the apocalypse had its challenges, but the current era, plagued by dwindling supplies and an increasing monster population, had bred desperation and ruthlessness among the survivors. Verbal altercations over limited resources had become commonplace, and acts of violence were no longer shocking occurrences.

Having narrowly escaped the clutches of pursuing monsters, the bald man had no desire to meet an untimely demise due to his own arrogance. He knelt before Su Chen, accompanied by his two younger companions who mirrored his actions without a moment's hesitation. Their collective apologies reverberated through the air, while other survivors nearby, sensing the tense atmosphere, cautiously distanced themselves from the scene, their gazes fixed on Su Chen's fiery blade-like weapon.

Xia Chuwei, taken aback by the unfolding events, struggled to comprehend the extent of brutality and despair that had permeated the post-apocalyptic world. As a denizen of the Cloud City store, she had largely been shielded from the harsh realities of survival. The behavior of the bald man and his cohorts was foreign to her, leaving her at a loss.

Meanwhile, Su Chen drew a deep breath, his voice chillingly cold as he uttered, "Leave."

With a collective sigh of relief, the three individuals ecstatically bolted away, their bodies tumbling in their haste. Astonishingly, even the bald leader managed to muster a heartfelt "thank you" before disappearing into the shadows.

As the trio reached the safety of another corner, Xia Chuwei remained visibly shaken. She stole a quick glance at Su Chen before regaining her composure and mustering the courage to speak, "You... you've been gone for quite a while this time... Those people, they're newcomers from the outside. When I rushed in, there was gunfire everywhere. What on earth is happening?"

Su Chen knelt down, meticulously inspecting Mark 45, and spoke in a measured tone, "The military is locked in a relentless battle with the monstrous hordes."

Xia Chuwei's voice trembled with anxiety, "Is the situation under control?"

"Not quite," Su Chen replied candidly, his gaze momentarily drifting towards the group of survivors nearby. After a brief contemplation, he reached for a pistol hanging from his waist, deftly loading it with a fresh magazine of bullets. Passing it to Xia Chuwei, he pointed towards the discarded Mark 45 on the ground. "I need to take care of something in a secluded spot where no one can witness. In the meantime, hold onto this firearm to defend yourself. Rest assured, the black scale monsters shouldn't be able to track it."

Though Xia Chuwei couldn't unleash the true potential of the enchanted pistol, she could still wield it effectively as a conventional firearm. Remembering the moment when the group had aggressively coveted her battle attire, she gratefully accepted the weapon from Su Chen. Her nervousness and anxiety, amplified by the news of the military's struggle, were evident. Taking Su Chen's words seriously, she replied, "I trust you. As long as the danger isn't overwhelming, I'll carefully consider whether to abandon you. Will I be able to handle this gun?"

Su Chen smiled, observing Xia Chuwei's anxiety mixed with determination. It was a rare sight to witness her vulnerability. He reassured her, "Fear not. I'll honor the promise I made to you, to the best of my ability."

Leaving those words hanging in the air, Su Chen picked up Mark 45 and prepared to venture into the supermarket's depths, in search of an unoccupied area to initiate his mystical transformation.

The lower levels of the hypermarket housed vast expanses, with survivors hesitating to venture too far into the encroaching darkness. Thus, finding a secluded spot away from prying eyes proved relatively straightforward.

Xia Chuwei's gaze shifted from Su Chen's tattered garments to the lingering bloodstains on his body. Concern etched her face as she suggested, "Perhaps you should change your clothes and grab a bite to eat. You've been out for nearly fifteen hours this time."

"No need. I had some chocolate earlier," Su Chen replied curtly before disappearing into the shadows with Mark 45 in hand.

The situation was dire. The black scale monsters had decimated the military, and their relentless tide threatened to engulf everything. The gathering place for survivors, once a refuge, would likely succumb to turmoil. Time was of the essence for Su Chen to complete the transformation of his suit. With a limited reservoir of thirty energy units coursing through his body, he had been on the move for over ten hours without rest. Yet, against all odds, he felt an inexplicable surge of energy pulsating within him, as if infused with the vitality of a mighty dragon. It was almost as if he had been injected with a potent dose of adrenaline.

Gazing at Su Chen's retreating figure, Xia Chuwei couldn't help but feel a tinge of curiosity about the process he employed to modify Mark 45. However, she understood that Su Chen had no intention of divulging the secret, and so she refrained from asking.

As Su Chen ventured into the darkness, he caught sight of Lin Mo perched on a shelf in the corner. The imposing figure of the monstrous being remained concealed within the shadows. He silently glanced at Su Chen and spoke in a hushed tone, "Thanks for returning. It didn't take long. I may need to eliminate a threat."

Lin Mo was still adamant about concealing his monstrous form from others.

The trio hadn't engaged in extensive communication. Their interactions were limited to the moments when Xia Chuwei gathered them for the peculiar, yet necessary, meals she prepared. However, a subtle bond was forming between them. Though they were distinct individuals, they shared certain similarities, allowing their connection to deepen over time.

Su Chen smiled, patting Lin Mo on the shoulder. "Perhaps people wouldn't fear you so much, especially with the monsters wreaking havoc outside. In any case, I find solace in having you around."

Su Chen's intentions behind selling out his teammates were as follows: Lin Mo possessed formidable power and wasn't someone to be trifled with. If a monster were to intrude, having Lin Mo as an ally would ensure a thunderous battle.

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow, glancing at Su Chen. "So, you rely on me for a sense of security. Am I just your muscle?"

Su Chen's expression shifted to one of embarrassment. "Of course not."

Lin Mo cast a brief glance at him. "There are plenty of people outside, I'm here, drawn by something—a sound that my enhanced hearing detected..."

With those words, Lin Mo vanished into the darkness, leaving no trace behind.

Observing this, Su Chen didn't dwell on it and continued his sprint to the other side, clutching Mark 45 tightly. He arrived at the pungent seafood section of the supermarket—a forsaken area where the food had long turned rancid. Even the insatiable Lin Mo rarely ventured here, let alone other survivors. It was the perfect secluded spot for Su Chen to undertake his transformation.

Finding a suitable location, Su Chen carefully set down the battle suit and began disassembling it, making slight modifications to the final three modules.

Time ticked away, slowly but inexorably. Half an hour... an hour...

Front breastplate, helmet...

For a grueling two hours, Su Chen expended thirteen energy units in completing the final three components of the transformation. However, as the suit's metamorphosis reached its conclusion, the twelve modules transformed into small, enigmatic materials. The rhombus-shaped structures fused together, held by ethereal strands of dark energy that connected and suspended them in front of Su Chen. The armor seemed alive and pulsating, with its myriad diamond-shaped units shifting and interlocking, moving towards a more seamless and integrated state. Yet, this spontaneous assembly progressed agonizingly slowly, eventually hinting at stagnation. The meticulously joined diamond-shaped armor structures appeared to be on the verge of disintegration.

In that moment, Su Chen's realization struck him like a thunderbolt.

The suit lacked energy support.

Placing his hand on the suspended battle suit, Su Chen felt a gravitational pull. The suit demanded dark energy from him to complete this final step, as if pleading for his contribution.