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The rest of the night passed in relative calm. The pungent smell of smoke and burning flesh began to slowly dissipate, swept away by the cool dawn breeze. The flames from the gasoline trap, which Jhon hadn't even needed to use fully, gradually diminished, transforming into crackling embers that cast a dying reddish light over the asphalt. Jhon, though his body cried out for rest, maintained a light, fitful sleep, his Predatory Sense acting as a constant sentinel, monitoring the few signs of life that dared to move in the darkness.
The darkness of the night began to fade, gradually giving way to the first rays of pinkish-golden dawn. The sky, once a blanket of ebony, was now tinged with the soft colors of sunrise, and the ethereal clouds floated like brushstrokes on a divine canvas. The air, once heavy with the scent of smoke, began to be purified by the morning breeze, bringing back the scent of earth and dew. Birdsong, previously drowned out by howls and roars, began to resurface, a soft, melodious sound heralding the new day.
As the sun rose, the view around the bus unfolded in its fullness. The previous night's battlefield was marked by dark stains on the asphalt and grass where the creatures had disintegrated. The smell of ash and charcoal still lingered in the air, a vivid reminder of the carnage.
Jhon stepped off the bus, his muscles a little stiff from the vigil, but his mind as sharp as ever. He walked around the vehicle, inspecting the damage. The claw marks were deep, and the bodywork was dented in several places, but the bus had held up. The engine worked perfectly, and the windows, though scratched, were intact. The original armor had suffered, but he had the means to drastically improve it.
Opening the rear cargo compartment door, Jhon was met with an almost surreal sight. The bus was, indeed, a supermarket on wheels. Stacks of rice and bean packets, dozens of bottles of water, hundreds of cans of food, stacked toilet paper rolls, soaps, toothpaste—all arranged surprisingly neatly, considering the quantity. And there, scattered across the floor, were dozens of unused gas cans, which he hadn't used in the trap. He'd multiplied them by 50, too, and had a considerable reserve.
"Wow, John! What an impressive stockpile!" Loli's voice rang out, a touch of admiration. "You've really prepared for the long haul, haven't you?"
Jhon returned to the driver's seat. With so many car parts (1,250 for armor alone, plus the remaining 90 for the engine), he knew he could transform the bus into a veritable fortress on wheels. He thought of one priority: the armor.
"Loli, I want to upgrade the bus's armor," Jhon thought. "I want to use the Raging Beast Adaptive Skins and as many Car Parts (Armor) as I can."
"Understood, Jhon!" Loli replied enthusiastically. "For full armor, you'll need 5 Adaptive Raging Beast Skins and 100 armored car parts. This will make your bus virtually impenetrable to standard attacks and resistant to major impacts. Confirmed?"
"I confirm," Jhon thought.
A golden and blue light enveloped the bus again. The metal of the bodywork began to thicken, the windows strengthened, and the fur of the enraged beast fused with the vehicle's structure, creating an extra layer of protection. The bus appeared more robust, more imposing. The damage icon on the vehicle's HUD disappeared, replaced by a new golden shield icon.
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Vehicle: Tourist Bus
Engine Status: Improved (Level 1)
Armor Status: Enhanced (Maximum Level)
Current Top Speed: 50-60 km/h
Fuel Consumption: +20%
Car Parts (Engine - Insignia): 90
Car Parts (Armor - Insignia): 1150
"Congratulations, Jhon! Your bus is now a mobile fortress!" Loli exclaimed, her voice vibrating with satisfaction. "You can be sure that few monsters will be able to scratch this beauty!"
Jhon felt a slight, almost imperceptible shift in the steering wheel's weight, a sense of solidity that hadn't existed before. He started the engine, and the bus rumbled with a new depth, an imposing, armored machine. The sun was already high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the asphalt. The road stretched endlessly ahead, beckoning him to the next challenge.
He thought about what Loli had said about the Trading Posts. With so many resources, especially the 500 gold coins, he could acquire what he needed, like cooking pots, and perhaps trade some of his multiplied items. The idea of meeting other players, of a group chat that spanned 200km, was an intriguing thought. He wasn't sure he would trust other players, but the possibility of trading was appealing.
"Loli, can I use the Store or the System Auction to search for pots?" Jhon asked in his mind, as he turned the bus back onto the main road.
"Yes, Jhon! The System Store always has some basic items, and the Auction is where players can place their offers and bids. But remember, the System Store sells items at fixed prices, and in the Auction, the price is dictated by player supply and demand. It's a risk, but it might be worth it!" Loli replied.
Jhon accessed the System Store tab on his HUD. There was a variety of basic items, including some kitchen utensils, but no pots large enough for what he envisioned. He then accessed the Auction tab. The flow of offers and bids was constant. He typed "pot" into the search bar. No active offers for pots at the moment. He sighed mentally, expressionless.
"John, you can make a bid on the Auction if you want!" Loli suggested. "Tell me what you're offering and what item you want!"
"Okay," John thought. "I'll offer 10 Armored Car Parts for a large metal pot with a lid."
The offer appeared in the Auction, visible to other players. It was a generous offer, considering the value of the car parts. Now it was just a matter of waiting.
The scent of clean earth and dew filled the air now, with no trace of smoke or decay. The beauty of the surroundings was renewed, with sunlight shining on the leaves of the bushes and the distant hills. It was a new day, and a new chapter in their game of survival.
The journey continued, with each kilometer a new discovery, with each challenge a new opportunity to grow stronger. Jhon, the emotionless man, was adapting to this new world, transforming it into his own field of operations, an unstoppable survival machine. What awaited him around the next bend? A trading post, a group of gamblers, or an even more terrifying monster? The answer lay somewhere in the vastness of the endless road.