[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-sequence-highway-survival-i-upgrade-supplies-in-":3,"chapter-sequence-highway-survival-i-upgrade-supplies-in--sequence-highway-survival-i-upgrade-supplies-in--chapter-3":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Sequence Highway Survival: I Upgrade Supplies in the Apocalypse",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},560806,811,"Chapter 3: Gathering Supplies","sequence-highway-survival-i-upgrade-supplies-in--chapter-3",3,"\u003Cp>What came into Chen Ye’s view was a large gate at the town entrance, with the words \"Welcome to Xinghua Town!\" painted on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flaking red paint on the gate made the place look desolate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the gate stretched a long street that extended into the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although it was three in the afternoon, the far end of the road felt like it hid endless darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On both sides of the street were rows of shops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their billboards all used a uniform black background with white characters, which felt unsettling to the eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Weeds grew rampant across the road, walls were mottled and crumbling, and even those black-and-white billboards were damaged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a few months had passed since the Anomalies broke out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this town looked like nobody had been here for decades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone in their right mind could see there was something wrong with Xinghua Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many people’s faces were deathly pale, calves already twitching, and they took involuntary steps backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye didn’t look good either; he had the hand crossbow at his waist in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the hand crossbow was useless against the Anomalies, at least it provided some psychological comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as everyone hesitated without moving forward,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a coarse voice rang out:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough dithering — I’m going first!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone turned toward the voice and saw a hulking man over two meters tall and weighing more than three hundred jin clambering off a modified SUV.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes — he was squeezing out of the vehicle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when the man stood on the ground did Chen Ye realize just how absurdly huge he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over two meters tall and massively built, his arms were about as thick as an average man’s waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring the stares, the hulking man charged like an elephant toward a distant supermarket billboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The direction he charged toward obviously marked a large supermarket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Supermarkets usually meant abundant supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, big idiot, wait up!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A curse came from the SUV; the vehicle started and followed the hulking man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others glanced at each other, and soon a second SUV also followed, targeting the supermarket under that huge billboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it, fortune favors the bold!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old man nearby started up his little motorized scooter and followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You young folks aren’t as tough as this old man!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait until I get out there — watch me feast and drink!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man tossed out that taunt before leaving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others’ faces flushed red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a while curses flew non-stop; many were provoked into following by that remark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still many people stood frozen in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye rode his tricycle following those people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his target wasn’t the distant supermarket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That supermarket was too deep into town; if anything went wrong, escape would be difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye’s goal was the shops lining the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those shops might not be as richly stocked as the supermarket, but they were safer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, there was sunlight on the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From survivors’ experience, when being hunted by Anomalies, getting to a sunlit area often made the Anomalies stop chasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t alone in thinking this — several others also eyed the storefronts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luckily there were plenty of shops here; everyone could take one without conflict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye stopped at a tobacco, alcohol, and grocery shop; through the glass door he could make out the interior layout, cigarettes laid bare in the glass counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a slightly darker corner stood rows of shelving with snacks, though the light was poor so details were unclear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although this small grocery store might not match a supermarket in supplies, it was still worth looting for Chen Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially those cigarettes in the glass display — they looked tempting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye had been smoking for over a decade; days without cigarettes were hard to endure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides food, cigarettes, alcohol, and medicine were scarce and valuable in the apocalypse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even those who didn’t smoke would grab cigarettes to trade for needed supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye was about to find a brick to smash the glass door when he noticed the lock had already corroded into a sorry mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a gentle pull he pushed the lock on the glass door open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door groaned “creak” in an unpleasant way; even the hinges were rusted and looked like they could break with a push.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye peered inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already past three and approaching four, the sun leaning westward, light pouring into the shop from the entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The area by the entrance was lit, shining directly on the cigarette counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other corners remained dim, creating a stark contrast between the entrance brightness and the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lifting the hand crossbow, Chen Ye inched into the shop, carefully surveying the interior and finding no sign of any Anomalies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sped up, swung his backpack around from his back to his front, and began sweeping food off the shelves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he wanted those cigarettes badly, he restrained himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the apocalypse, you don’t die from not smoking, but you do die without food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment rationality overcame craving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye’s hands moved fast; everything in sight went into the backpack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This backpack had been specially kept for times like this when he previously scavenged supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its capacity was large, but the food on the shelves was far less than he’d expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many shelves were empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small-town grocery like this could never compare to a city 24-hour convenience store in variety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since a supermarket had opened in Xinghua Town, business here had dwindled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the apocalypse hadn’t happened, this little shop might have been sold off soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing that caught Chen Ye’s eye escaped his sweep: spicy strips, instant noodles, jelly snacks — everything went into the bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, sunlight was slowly sliding west, and the sunlit area inside the shop was shrinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye emptied the shelves, and the backpack was only two-thirds full; he compressed it down, and what had been two-thirds became half again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did he set his sights on the cigarettes in the display case, swallowing hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time his speed increased further; his hands were like phantoms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only were there Ta zi-brand cigarettes, there were several packs of Hua zi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But most were cheaper brands; Hua zi was only a few packs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lotus-brand was even scarcer — only two or three packs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye didn’t turn up his nose; he shoved all the cigarettes into the backpack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even took the cabinet under the glass counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combined with the food, the fairly large backpack was quickly packed full.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anything he could carry, he stuffed in; daily items that weren’t essential were left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also grabbed two bottles of alcohol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a familiar chill crawled up his spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like the feeling he’d had at the town gate when he first saw the ruin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had encountered this sensation several times back in Jiangcheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone who survived knew what that feeling meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A face paler than a corpse lay pressed to the back of Chen Ye’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt the back of his neck go cold in waves; the hairs on the back of his hands stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could smell a damp, chilling stench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goosebumps spread from the backs of his hands across his whole body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like a cold snake crawling along his spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye slowly turned his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the face of a child of about seven or eight, very, very close to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pale skin, exaggerated rosy cheeks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eyes and mouth curved into an arc, forming an unnaturally grotesque smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whole child looked like it was made of paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Squatting in the dark like a monkey, the child stared at Chen Ye with curious eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between them formed a dividing line of light and dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One side still held lingering sunlight; the other was an extreme cold shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the paper child had been hiding in that dark corner when Chen Ye entered, or had just appeared, he couldn’t tell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye stumbled, knocking over a counter and trying to bolt out, only to find someone had jammed a wooden stick into the glass door from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door had been barricaded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was targeting me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Chen Ye saw through the glass that a man and a woman were standing in front of his tricycle outside the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recognized them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman was the yoga-pants girl he had previously rejected; her name was Jiajia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was the fitness coach Qiangzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They seemed to sense something and turned, their eyes meeting Chen Ye’s through the glass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The yoga-pants woman was about to spit out a smug taunt when she noticed the pale-faced child in the darkness behind Chen Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face instantly drained of color and she frantically urged Qiangzi to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hee hee…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A child’s giggle drifted out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lady Moon, watch over the coffin, brother waits for candy and cries his heart out~~~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice came and went, near yet far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a Paper Crying Child!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lullaby’s \"Lady Moon\" likely referred to the moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In some southern regions, the moon is often associated with the protection of children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Coffin\" referred to a burial box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Candy was a precious commodity in the old days, so in some places candy was given as a comfort after a child’s funeral.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye had encountered a Paper Crying Child back in Jiangcheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t expected to find one in Xinghua Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tingling numbness crawled across his scalp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crossbow bolt shot out, passing cleanly through the Paper Crying Child’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ye only wanted to curse right then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lady Moon, watch over the coffin, brother waits for candy and cries his heart out~~~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hee hee… I want candy! I want candy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1626,"2026-05-30T15:16:54.972Z","2026-06-01T04:31:34.172Z",1,"novelbin.me","aedc2c4ccb3e22a4b5c78006e9be0013260a7f1d61eb59fb652841cac2f313ad","sequence-highway-survival-i-upgrade-supplies-in--chapter-4","sequence-highway-survival-i-upgrade-supplies-in--chapter-2",465,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsequence-highway-survival-i-upgrade-supplies-in--cover.jpg"]