Chapter 400: Arrival

Wilson immediately slapped his mouth as he was worried that he would jinx it...

Nonetheless, he felt that since they were already close, the guards of the shelter patrolling the area should’ve cleared any enemies around here...

"Still... Sir Kai mentioned it’s close to that hill... But where is it?" Wilson muttered as he still couldn’t see the shelter despite being told that it was near the hill.

***

Meanwhile, the motorbike riders had spread out around the convoy.

Kai had made sure that the riders understood their responsibilities before they departed. They were not supposed to chase every movement they noticed or engage enemies without a good reason. Their primary task was to identify potential threats and warn the others before anything could approach the trucks.

The riders traveled in pairs whenever possible, maintaining enough distance to observe the road without becoming separated from the main group.

Kai himself remained near the front of the convoy.

He had access to far more advanced equipment than the others, but he did not intend to rely entirely on his own strength. The road was long, and the machine civilization had already demonstrated that it could deploy powerful forces over considerable distances.

There was no guarantee that they would not encounter another patrol.

Chamber, however, continuously monitored the surrounding area, using available information to identify unusual energy signatures and potential threats.

[ Monitoring the surrounding area. ]

[ No immediate threats detected. ]

Kai glanced at the notification before looking back at the road.

"Keep monitoring the area. Pay particular attention to mechanical energy signatures."

[ Confirmed. ]

The machines had lost a Floating Citadel, and Kai doubted they would simply ignore the destruction of such a valuable asset. Even if the remaining Ascendant Units had escaped, the machine civilization would eventually investigate what had happened.

He could not afford to become careless just because the convoy had encountered no powerful enemies since leaving Cameron City.

Beside him, Farrah adjusted her position on the motorbike and glanced toward the trucks behind them.

"Do you think everyone will be able to adjust in our shelter?" she asked.

"It should be easy... Don’t worry... Did you forget about the Superhuman Guild? We can ask Aaron for help." Kai replied confidently.

"Ahh! You’re right! I already forgot about them." Farrah muttered in shock. She didn’t really make contact with the Superhuman Guild, but she heard a lot of things about this allied guild from Claire.

She had seen the condition of the rescued survivors firsthand. Some had recovered enough to move around, but others were still struggling with injuries and the consequences of their genetic modifications.

A long journey would not be easy for them, especially if they were going to a completely different place to live...

Perhaps the presence of the members of the Superhuman Guild would ease their adjustment in their new home.

At least they now had enough food, water, and medical supplies to keep everyone going.

Farrah glanced at Kai again.

"You really prepared a lot of weapons for them."

"Better to have them and not need them than to need them and have nothing," Kai replied.

"That’s true."

Farrah looked toward the trucks once more.

"Some of them have probably never held a gun before."

"Then they’ll have to learn. I don’t expect them to fight machines immediately, but everyone should at least know how to defend themselves."

Kai briefly looked at the riders following the convoy.

"Besides, weapons aren’t just for fighting. Knowing that you can protect yourself makes a difference, especially for people who have spent years being completely powerless."

Farrah understood what he meant.

For the rescued survivors, receiving weapons was more than simply obtaining equipment. It was the first step toward regaining control over their own lives.

***

Further back in the convoy, a different kind of conversation was taking place.

Xian sat inside one of the trucks with Xinyi beside him. Both children had received new clothes and protective equipment before the group departed, and Kai had made sure that they had everything they needed for the journey.

Xian held a small weapon in his hands, examining it with considerable interest.

He had not been given anything too complicated, but he was still fascinated by the equipment. Before the apocalypse, he had been a child who had to worry about surviving with whatever scraps he could find. Now, he was traveling in a truck surrounded by armed survivors, carrying supplies that would have seemed impossible to obtain not long ago.

He turned the weapon over in his hands before looking toward the open rear door.

"How much longer do you think it’ll take?" he asked.

Xinyi glanced at him.

"How should I know?"

"You could guess."

"Then I guess we’ll arrive when we arrive."

Xian frowned.

"That’s not a guess!"

Xinyi smiled faintly.

"You asked a stupid question."

"Hey!"

Their exchange was interrupted by a survivor sitting across from them, who chuckled at their conversation.

The two children had been through a great deal, but they were still children. They could argue over small things one moment and forget about them the next.

Still, they were certainly the most adjusted ones around here since they were able to work with Farrah in Kai’s Shop for weeks.

"Ahem... How’s your arm?" Xian softly asked as he looked at his sister...

Xinyi’s damaged arm had been replaced with an adaptive mechanical implant that could adjust as she grew. She had also received an Alpha Gene Enhancement Serum, giving her a better foundation for future development.

Although she was still young and physically weaker than most survivors, her strong Spirit and adaptive arm gave her considerable potential.

Still, it took her quite some time to fully adjust to her new arm...

"I’m fine now... Miss Farrah mentioned I won’t have to worry about the recoil if I shoot a gun. I really want to try it." Xinyi replied...

Xian frowned after hearing this. However, it wasn’t because of what she just said. Instead, it was because of the strange hill in front of them that seemed to be changing its appearance!

"W-wait... Illusion?! Isn’t that the shelter?! We’re already here?!"