Chapter 166: Storm

Warm steam trailed behind Leo as he stepped out of the bathroom, drops of water still clinging to his hair. On his bed rested a neatly folded set of clean clothes.

He stared at the dark fabric, trying to jog his memory. He had no idea where they had come from and couldn’t recall owning a spare set like this. They must have been among the junk I hauled in during the early days, he reasoned.

Turning his head toward the kitchen area, he caught sight of a smooth metallic arm hanging from the ceiling. Its mechanical fingers gripped a ladle, stirring a thick, steaming stew inside a metal pot.

Leo raised an eyebrow. "So this is how it cooks and handles everything?"

He ran his hand along the smooth walls of the upgraded compartment. "I have to admit... the Apocalypse Truck has become quite magical after the upgrade."

He picked up the clean shirt and pants, pulling them on over his damp skin. They fit perfectly. With his new clothes on, he slid off the casual jacket he had been wearing earlier. The second the fabric left his fingers, it folded in on itself, transforming back into the Robe of Shroud’s card form before fading straight into his inventory.

A soft hum vibrated through the floorboards. Metal panels slid apart, and a small dining table smoothly rose into place. Right after, multiple mechanical arms stretched out from the kitchen counter, carefully setting down plates of hot food.

The rich scent of spices and roasted meat hit his nose, making his empty stomach growl loudly. He took a seat and dug right in.

The first bite flooded his mouth with flavor, making his eyes light up. "Smart AI, this is good."

[The smart AI is glad that the meal suits your taste, Master.]

Leo let the response hang in the air, keeping his focus entirely on his plate. Every mouthful tasted better than the last. After all the fighting and surviving he had done over the past few days, leaving even a single grain of rice behind felt like a sin.

Ten minutes passed in near silence. Every plate sat scraped clean. Leo leaned back against the sturdy chair, letting out a long breath as he closed his eyes. This was his first real, satisfying meal since arriving in this strange world.

He sat there, savoring the lingering spices on his tongue, before opening his eyes to look back at the kitchen.

"Smart AI, are you and the Apocalypse Truck the same entity, or are you two different?"

[Replying to Master. You may think of the Apocalypse Truck as the body and the smart AI as the soul, at least in simple terms.]

Leo nodded slowly, tapping his finger against the table. "I understand." He glanced around the polished metal walls of the compartment. "I’m sorry. I haven’t been taking proper care of your body."

[There is no need for Master to apologize. Master has many important things to accomplish. The smart AI is grateful that Master gave it the opportunity to be born into this world.]

Leo raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk appearing on his face. "Definitely better than the system."

The system gave no response, retreating into dead silence.

Leo ignored the quiet system and kept his attention on the truck. "Since you consider yourself the soul of the Apocalypse Truck, I should treat you like a person."

"It’s inconvenient to keep calling you ’Smart AI’ all the time." He rubbed his chin, turning a few ideas over in his mind. "From today onward, you—"

Leo cut himself off.

"No. The truck has helped me a lot. It’s my home in this world." He traced the rim of his empty cup, a soft smile breaking through. "From today onward, both you and the truck will be called Storm."

The AI quieted down the exact second the name left his lips. A strange weight settled in the air. Leo felt a shift deep within his mind, like an invisible string pulling tight. His connection with the Apocalypse Truck grew heavy and solid, shifting from a simple link between owner and machine into a real, breathing bond.

Quiet seconds ticked by before the voice returned.

[The smart AI... correction.]

[Master, Storm is grateful to have been bestowed a name by you.]

Leo nodded. "Alright. Since you’re showing me so much respect, you deserve a little care in return."

He pulled out his Origin Card, letting the light project his current resources.

Zen Points: 1,023,000

Nucleus Crystals: 87,000

Leo stared at the glowing numbers. "Wow. When did my Zen Points reach this amount?"

[Host, the blood monster was composed of pure essence. After you killed it, all of that essence was converted into Zen Points.]

Leo nodded in understanding. "Alright. That explains it."

He pulled up the System Store screen, scrolling past rows of flashing items. A few moments passed before he spotted the exact thing he wanted.

Rare Card – Complete Vehicle Care Kit

Includes engine oil, grease, replacement parts, and other essential maintenance supplies.

Cost: 8,000 Zen Points

Leo bought it without a second thought. A digital chime rang out, and a solid card rested in his palm. With a simple push of his mind, the card broke apart into particles of light, forming into heavy jugs of oil, fresh gears, and stacked toolboxes across the truck floor.

Leo stepped over the new supplies and headed toward the driver’s cabin.

"Storm, how much damage did the truck suffer during the last battle?"

[Master, Storm did not suffer significant damage. However, restocking the cannon ammunition and repairing the remaining damage will require 350 Nucleus Crystals.]

Leo brought out his Origin Card again, pressing it flat against the glowing resource panel on the dashboard. He fed one thousand Nucleus Crystals into the system.

"Use whatever you need for repairs and ammunition."

"Keep the rest for emergencies."

"Inform me if you run out."

[As you command, Master.]

Deep within the truck, heavy gears began to turn as the vehicle consumed and processed the new materials. Knowing his home was in good hands, Leo pushed the door open and stepped outside into the open air.

Leo stepped down onto the hard dirt, taking a breath of the open air before a thought paused his movement.

"Storm, how is the water supply?"

[Master, the truck currently has approximately one thousand liters of water stored.]

Leo raised his eyebrows and turned around, his eyes scanning the solid exterior walls and heavy armor plating.

"One thousand liters?"

He patted the side panel, trying to figure out where that much volume could fit.

"Where do you store all that water?"

[Master, the water is stored inside a separate pocket dimension. Therefore, it is not visible from the outside.]

Leo nodded, accepting the answer with a slight shrug.

"Alright. Then hand me a scrubber."

A narrow panel on the vehicle’s side slid open, and a jointed metal arm crept out without a sound, extending outward to place a stiff brush straight into his palm.

Leo turned the brush over in his hands, feeling its rigid bristles.

"So, how do I use the water?"

Before the AI could respond, a slender steel pipe flared out from the roof seam. It curved down toward him, dripping a neat, controlled stream of clear water over the pad of the brush.

Leo nodded in approval.

"Convenient."

He reached down to his card belt, his thumb sliding across the textured edges until he pulled two cards from their slots. One was the Complete Vehicle Care Kit he had bought earlier; the other held several packets of heavy-duty soap. He channeled a pulse of energy to release both items.

The air flickered, and a dense iron chest thudded onto the ground, accompanied by five plastic-wrapped packages of detergent. Leo unclasped the heavy iron latches on the trunk and threw back the lid. Inside, neat foam inserts held dark glass bottles of fluid, tubes of grease, polished wrenches, spare belts, and fresh air filters.

He reached in, pulled out a thick jug of dark oil, and twisted off the cap.

Reading his movement, the truck’s front hood unlocked and glided open on pneumatic hinges. Surrounding side panels swung loose, exposing the dark, oily recesses of the internal machinery where maintenance was overdue.

Leo poured the thick oil straight into the open fill cap, watching the golden liquid drain into the motor. Once the reservoir was filled, he squatted down by the massive treaded tires, wiping away dried mud, picking stuck gravel out of the rubber, and using a heavy wrench to turn loose bolts until they clicked tight. He pulled out a grease gun, squeezing slick paste onto the dry metal joints and exposed gears.

The work was tedious and took time, dirtying his hands and leaving streaks of oil on his clothes. He was fully aware that Storm could handle every bit of this maintenance in a fraction of the time, with far better precision, without him lifting a finger. But doing it himself mattered.

This truck had smashed through hordes of walking corpses, absorbed thick rounds of gunfire, and carried him safely across lands where everything else had died. It was the only real home he had left. Taking care of the vehicle with his own two hands was the least he could do to pay it back.

Storm seemed to sense this. The AI did not offer reminders about efficiency or suggest that its internal systems could take over. Instead, it moved silently alongside his work—tilting hatch doors just enough so Leo didn’t have to bend uncomfortably, and angling external lights toward dark gearboxes so he could see what he was doing.

For the first time since its latest upgrade, Storm simply stood still and allowed its master to take care of it. And beneath the bright warmth of the afternoon sun, Leo kept working, content with the simple quiet of metal, oil, and sweat.