King of the dead

Su Chen located the girl, intending to provide an explanation for the recent events to ease any concerns on her part. Additionally, he had another motive for seeking her out—an alternate guise.

It wasn't that Su Chen lacked interest in women, but he hadn't reached a point of desperation. While the girl possessed a certain charm, she couldn't compare to Xia Chuwei's beauty. Furthermore, the timing wasn't right. Su Chen still resisted the notion of engaging in such "pick-up" antics.

Su Chen navigated through the chaotic corner of the convoy, eventually securing a van salvaged from survivors. He exchanged two packs of cigarettes and a small packet of biscuits as payment before instructing the girl to wait outside. Slipping through a gap, Su Chen entered the vehicle.

The girl felt a sense of confusion. She had prepared herself for anything, even expecting to accompany Su Chen. He had even found a secluded "location," so why hadn't he joined her in the van?

Naturally, Su Chen couldn't explain to her that the car he had acquired was equipped with reflective film, rendering the interior invisible from the outside. Utilizing this covert advantage, he utilized the idle time to channel a full 13 units of energy, converting the RPG launcher through a "Crack" magical transformation.

Upon completing the magic enhancement of the rocket launcher, its appearance hadn't altered significantly, but its size had diminished, making it lighter.

As Su Chen's energy reserves steadily depleted, he currently possessed only five units. However, all four of his energy-charging "treasures" were at full capacity, providing an additional 23 units of energy available for extraction at any moment.

Su Chen expended his energy resource with utmost efficiency, leaving no room for waste. He discreetly acquired Parkour skills while eluding the attention of the military's targeted monsters. Particularly with the team's expanding numbers, no one took notice of his actions. Within the backup support group, whispers of him being the "king of the dead" circulated, prompting some to question his motives. Yet, after observing him for a while, they found no evidence to support their suspicions and eventually abandoned their inquiries. Currently, everyone was preoccupied with leveraging their talent status within the backup support group to secure personal advantages. No one possessed the time or energy to scrutinize others.

Ma Hongbo remained watchful, marveling at Su Chen's agility.

With the completion of the magical transformation, a commotion arose from behind the convoy. It seemed that the group of survivors they had been waiting for had finally arrived. Su Chen wasted no time, opening the van's door. He glanced at the bewildered girl outside, offered her a reassuring smile, and hastily handed her a piece of white rabbit toffee before returning to his backup support group.

Ma Hongbo, who had overheard Qiao Zheng questioning Su Chen's activities, approached with a grin. "Alright! I'll take care of the 'baby' you've picked, okay?"

Su Chen's forehead creased with a hint of frustration.

Ma Hongbo didn't press further. Recognizing that Su Chen harbored some secrets, he understood it was of no concern to him and saw no need to delve deeper.

Moreover, Ma Hongbo consistently adhered to his principle of embracing enjoyment in the present moment, displaying a lack of concern for other matters. The backup support group was astounded by Ma Hongbo's ability to create an atmosphere of gossip and entertainment. As the convoy continued its journey, Ma Hongbo sustained a stream of conversation, sharing a myriad of rumors and anecdotes he had gathered over time. Not only did the talented individuals engage in endless chatter, but they also indulged in a game of poker for a brief respite.

Seizing the opportunity, Qiao Zheng finally found a chance to engage in a lengthy conversation with Su Chen. In truth, he had been shadowing Brother Su like a loyal protege. On one hand, he genuinely admired Su Chen's strength, and on the other, he yearned to discover a path towards personal growth.

Naturally, Su Chen's methods were beyond Qiao Zheng's reach. However, he shared Professor Chen's approach with Qiao Zheng.

Qiao Zheng wholeheartedly devoted himself to researching and attempting to comprehend dark energy. Unfortunately, he hadn't made any progress, yet his optimism remained surprisingly unshaken. He persisted in his efforts and spoke to Su Chen, "Brother Su, I, too, desire strength. I no longer wish to flee like a dog, constantly on the run. I aspire to be admired, just like you, Brother Su."

Su Chen didn't perceive himself as someone worthy of admiration, but within the expanded group of ten individuals in the backup support team, he had acquired a reputation as an eccentric figure.

Nevertheless, Su Chen's perspective on Qiao Zheng had undergone a slight shift.

Regardless, Qiao Zheng proved himself to be a diligent individual. Even in the absence of visible progress, he refused to surrender, carrying forth hope as he continued his arduous journey.

Su Chen comprehended that Qiao Zheng's decision to follow him stemmed not only from admiration for the strong but also from a desire to nurture his own aspirations. Perhaps, despite any initial misinterpretations, Qiao Zheng's purpose and life's hope now revolved around following Su Chen with unwavering determination.

Su Chen contemplated whether he could become such a person himself. He even regarded such individuals as somewhat foolish, yet he couldn't help but admire them.

At that moment, the convoy was abruptly assaulted by a horde of monsters. The long and cumbersome caravan screeched to a halt as gunfire erupted from all directions.

Instantly, the backup support team sprang into action, although their role had primarily served as a contingency plan.

This time, a few elongated specters had caught up to the convoy from behind, unleashing howls as they launched their attack. However, the military swiftly fought back, unleashing a barrage of heavy weapons fire. The dark fluid covering the monsters' bodies proved inadequate in protecting them, appearing strained under the intense assault. Soon, the ground was littered with lifeless corpses, reduced to a muddy mess.

There was no need for any recovery efforts for such grotesque remains.

Su Chen chose not to venture out into the fray, silently retreating with the backup support team.

In passing, he crossed paths with Professor Chen and Xia Chuwei, who were aboard their bus.

Upon spotting Su Chen, Xia Chuwei gleefully waved her arm in greeting.

The bald leader rolled down the window, brandishing a few loaves of bread in his hand, and cheerfully remarked, "Brother Su, Miss Xia, rest assured, we're taking good care of you!"

Su Chen nodded, about to respond when the soldier in the vehicle scolded the bald leader, prompting him to angrily close the window.

Su Chen found himself slightly dumbfounded. Nevertheless, at present, Professor Chen and their buses were indeed the safest vehicles within the entire convoy. Positioned at the heart of the protection formation, they received meticulous safeguarding during embarkation and disembarkation, leaving no room for compromise.

Returning to his own vehicle, Su Chen was intercepted. He turned to find Su Wenhao rushing over, clutching an explosion-proof shield of equal height. With a hurried breath, Su Wenhao extended the shield towards Su Chen, stating, "Mr. Su, an explosion-proof shield..."

Su Chen accepted the shield without hesitation, refraining from storing it within his Anowal ring. Given the watchful eyes around them and the cumbersome nature of the shield, it was impractical to conceal it. Seizing the opportunity, he inquired, "How is Commander Liu faring?"

"It's not looking good. Even if he manages to hold on, it will be... challenging," Su Wenhao replied, his voice laced with a heavy sigh.

Su Chen pressed further, "And what of Lin Mo? Any updates?"

"Not yet," Su Wenhao responded, his tone brimming with determination. "Mr. Su, please rest assured, regardless of our battalion leader's circumstances, we will honor our agreement and respect your decisions. As for Mr. Lin, I will spare no effort in attempting to establish contact and locate him."

"Thank you," Su Chen expressed his gratitude.

With a slight nod, Su Wenhao swiftly departed, the team poised to resume their advance. Time was of the essence, leaving little room for extended conversation.

Returning to his vehicle, Su Chen discovered that Ma Hongbo and the others had encircled him.

Ma Hongbo, ever the joker, quipped, "Brother Su, hiding away while the officers dote on you! They even personally deliver equipment to your doorstep. It's quite the spectacle... If you take care of a few of us brothers in the future, maybe I'll consider taking you along to hunt for treasures..."

Su Chen chuckled wryly, "Heh...hehe..."

As the convoy prepared to set off once more, darkness blanketed the sky. They drew closer to County Road 029, the surrounding structures gradually encroaching upon them.

Gunshots reverberated in the distance, growing in intensity like popping beans. Monstrous beings spilled forth from neighboring cities, engaging in fierce clashes with troops advancing from other directions.

Overhead, several military drones maintained a vigilant presence near the amalgamated 7th Battalion and the convoy of survivors.

The protracted fleet, carrying the collective hopes of countless individuals, stood on the precipice of departure from Yuanliao City.