Captain Chu Che knew exactly what Chen Ye had been up to with Iron Lion.

Possessing the Eavesdropping Radio meant very little in the convoy escaped his attention. He heard the whispers, the deals, and the complaints—including the restless muttering of Xu Jiaojiao.

However, Captain Chu didn't bother himself with her.

Punishing her without an overt provocation would violate the convoy's principles of fairness. As the captain, he had set the rules, and he wouldn't break them lightly. Besides, the woman was delusional enough to believe Chen Ye was the weakest link in the group.

Hah... interesting.

"Haa..."

Chu Che took a delicate sip of the Pu'er tea in his cup, a wave of comfort washing over him.

He missed the days when he could drink tea freely. In his old life, he had a dedicated tea room, shelves lined with aged cakes and loose leaf. In the apocalypse, scavenging tea was harder than finding ammo. Every cup he drank was one cup closer to running out.

He flinched, remembering the last time he’d shared a pot. Nana had downed the exquisite brew like a donkey guzzling ditch water. It was a waste of heavenly resources.

Chu Che wasn't interested in the convoy's beauties. Even the stunning Zhou sisters didn't warrant a second glance from him. His only true mistress was the amber liquid in his cup.

It was pure, earthly pleasure.

"Haa..."

He took another sip, feeling his soul ascend, the day's fatigue dissolving into the steam.

"Captain! Captain Chu!"

A familiar voice barked from outside the tent.

Chu Che jumped, his heart skipping a beat. Panic seized him. He scrambled to shove the tea set into a nearby crate.

Just as he grabbed the teapot, the heavy canvas flap was thrown open.

A handsome, albeit unshaven and gritty face appeared in the opening.

Chen Ye.

Chen Ye froze. He hadn't expected to walk in on a crime scene. Captain Chu was hunched over, looking guilty, trying to stuff a steaming teapot into a wooden box.

Chen Ye’s eyes locked onto the contraband. His eyebrows shot up.

"Captain, that’s cold. Drinking tea alone and not inviting me?"

"Ah... well..." Chu Che straightened up, feigning nonchalance. "I just remembered I haven't had tea in days."

Chen Ye didn't wait for an invitation. He stepped inside, rubbing his hands together like a fly spotting a feast. He had come to trade for the solar panel, but stumbling upon a tea session in the middle of the desert was a jackpot.

Water was liquid gold out here. Even Chen Ye rationed his intake strictly. Tea? That was a fantasy. To save water, he hadn't brushed his teeth in months. His last bath had been that rainy night leaving Longevity Village. He still regretted not bottling some of that storm water.

"You really are a miser, Captain," Chen Ye chuckled, dragging a folding moon chair over and planting himself directly opposite the desk.

Chu Che’s mouth twitched. "You..." He sighed, defeated. "Fine."

Caught red-handed, he had no choice. He poured hot water into the pot, decanted the brew into the fairness cup, and the tent filled with the rich, earthy aroma of aged Pu'er.

While Chu Che poured, Chen Ye scanned the tent.

The Captain knew how to live. A proper cot, a battery-powered camping lantern... and there, carelessly tossed on the floor, was the solar charging panel Chen Ye coveted. Compared to the back of Chen Ye’s pickup, this was a five-star hotel.

"So," Chu Che grumbled, pushing a cup toward him. "Is Iron Lion's bus fixed?"

"Fixed. No major issues."

"As expected of a Mechanic Sequence. Though, you’re ruthless. You fleeced him for a whole carton of cigarettes for a few minutes of work."

"Hey, supply and demand. Besides, Iron Lion and I are tight. Even without the smokes, I would have helped him."

That wasn't a lie. Iron Lion had helped tow his truck out of the sand without hesitation. Chen Ye believed in transactional relationships, but he also believed in repaying debts. Of course, if Iron Lion offered payment, Chen Ye wasn't going to say no.

"Mechanic Sequence... truly impressive," Chu Che mused, eyeing him over the rim of his cup. "But support Sequences are easily underestimated. You're keeping too low of a profile, Chen Ye."

Chen Ye downed the tea in one gulp, savoring the bitter aftertaste. He ignored the probe.

"Captain, you know I don't visit without a reason. Let's cut to the chase. I'm here for business." He pointed to the solar panel on the floor. "I want that. What's the price?"

Chu Che glanced at the panel. He had expected this.

"I can trade it. But it won't be cheap."

"Name it."

"22 pounds of flour and 22 pounds of rice."

"You're out of your mind!" Chen Ye nearly choked.

He thought he was stingy, but Chu Che was a bandit.

Chu Che took a slow, deliberate sip of tea. "Expensive? You could go ask Old Man Zhang. He has plenty of panels. But be warned, he's far greedier than I am. If you want a panel from him, expect to pay double."

Chen Ye grit his teeth. He actually believed that.

Old Man Zhang drove that ridiculous Elderly Mobility Scooter. The man was a creep. He would spend the entire night with that voluptuous woman, and in the morning, pay her with a single, small bread roll.

For a man that tight-fisted, a solar panel would cost a fortune. Plus, Chen Ye got a bad vibe from the old geezer. There was something off about him. Until Chen Ye knew the man's cards, he preferred to keep his distance.

In this world, emulating Old Demon Han—staying paranoid and cautious—was the only way to live a long life.

"Captain, that price is robbery," Chen Ye countered.

"It's fair. You have a stockpile just for yourself. I have to feed a whole team," Chu Che said smoothly. "My logistics are tighter than yours. Besides... don't you still owe me four gallons of gasoline?"

Chen Ye stiffened. He only had about 16 gallons left in his tank. Paying back the debt now would drop him to 12.

"Cough... Captain, you're swimming in gas. Let's talk about that later. Much later." Chen Ye waved his hand dismissively. "Let's stick to the panel. 22 pounds of rice and flour? No discount?"

"Non-negotiable."

"You black-hearted Scrooge."

"Sticks and stones," Chu Che smirked, clearly enjoying Chen Ye’s pain. He took another satisfied sip. "However... if you're feeling poor, I do have another set. It's damaged, but for a Mechanic like you, it shouldn't be an issue. I can give it to you for half the price."

"Half?" Chen Ye sat up straighter. "Let me see it."

11 pounds of rice and flour was a price he could stomach.

"Wait a moment."

Chu Che stood up and walked over to a large, hard-shell suitcase in the corner. It was a 30-inch behemoth he used for his personal stash.

Chen Ye watched closely. Anything Chu Che kept in that case had to be valuable.

As the Captain rummaged, he pulled out a folded piece of red leather and set it aside to reach the panel.

Chen Ye’s eyes narrowed.

He had seen that leather before at the convoy trading session. Back then, it had just looked odd—strange texture, weird color. But seeing it here, in the Captain's private stash...

It has to be an Artifact material.

Chen Ye focused on the red skin.

"System, scan that object."

[Alert: Appraisal requires 100 Slaughter Points.]

What the hell?

Chen Ye nearly jumped. 100 points just to look at it? The System had never charged for a simple appraisal before.

This wasn't just junk. This was something extraordinary.