After a while, both of them stepped out of the vehicle. Then William approached Leo.

"Leo, I have decided to use the serum. Please instruct me on how to inject it."

Outwardly, Leo nodded, but inwardly he asked the system,

"System, how do we inject this thing?"

"Ding... Replying to the host, you directly inject it into the body. Any part of the body will do."

"Are there any side effects?"

"Host, the system’s products are all finished, top-of-the-line products. You won’t find any side effects. But if you are worried about any sudden mental illness, then the system regrets to inform you that the person was already mentally ill."

Leo ignored the system’s sarcastic monologue.

"William, let’s get inside the truck and I will help you inject it."

Elena came forward and said,

"You boys do your own work. I will go and check on Lily."

Saying this, she went inside the building, and Leo and William went inside the truck.

Once inside the truck, William sat on the bed, and Leo injected the serum into William’s arm.

After injecting the serum, they waited for a while, but nothing happened.

"How are you feeling, William? Is anything strange happening? Are you feeling weird?"

William shook his head.

"No, I am feeling okay. There is nothing weird. Did it fail?"

"I don’t know. But the instructions for the serum said that there is only a probability of awakening. It doesn’t guarantee anything. I think you will awaken sometime later. Let’s wait and see."

Hearing Leo’s response, William was neither disappointed nor excited. What was to come would eventually come. He could only hope for the best.

"So, Leo, where are you headed now?"

"Frankly, I don’t know. I didn’t have a set destination in mind. I only wanted to leave the town behind, search for some supplies, and kill some zombies along the way."

Hearing Leo’s answer, William pondered for a moment.

"Let’s go to Greendale City. There was a military garrison near the mountains there. If we are lucky, we can find weapons and some armoured vehicles there."

"Sounds like a plan. Do you know the way?"

William nodded.

"After the last zombie tide, I realized that we were terribly short on firepower. So I was planning to go there originally. But our supplies ran out, and the vehicle also broke down."

"It’s about 500 miles away from here. Before the apocalypse, it would probably take about three to four days to reach, but now, with the roadblocks and trouble along the way, I can’t say."

"It’s not a problem. Let’s head there."

Then William said,

"I have a good friend’s survivor base halfway there. We could contact them, and together we can find the military garrison. This way, there will be less risk for us."

"Yes, we can do that. The big cities contain a lot of danger. It’s best if we have as many hands as we can."

Then both Leo and William stepped out of the vehicle.

"So, do we head out today, or can we rest today and head out tomorrow?"

"Let me go and ask your sister-in-law. It’s best if we head out as soon as we can."

"Okay, you go and ask. I will keep watch here."

Then William went inside the building.

After William disappeared, Leo summoned an Upgrade Card from his belt.

Seeing that they were about to go on a long and perilous journey, Leo decided to upgrade his truck once.

Holding the card, Leo said,

"System, upgrade the truck."

"Initiating the host’s request... Upgrading the Apocalypse Truck."

The card in Leo’s hand turned into particles of light.

Suddenly, the entire truck trembled lightly.

Metallic creaks echoed from every direction as streams of light raced across the vehicle’s surface like glowing veins. The chassis expanded outward, and the armor plating thickened layer by layer. New steel panels emerged from beneath the old ones, locking into place with sharp mechanical clicks.

The compartment at the rear widened noticeably, providing more room inside. The reinforced walls became thicker and sturdier, while the tires grew larger and more rugged. Even the engine beneath the hood let out a deep growl, as if it had gained new strength.

A few seconds later, the light faded.

In front of Leo stood a completely transformed truck.

Although its overall shape remained the same, the vehicle now looked far more imposing. The dark armored body reflected a cold metallic sheen, and the reinforced frame gave it the appearance of a mobile fortress capable of charging through hordes of zombies without slowing down.

A system notification immediately appeared before Leo’s eyes.

[Upgrade Successful.]

[Truck Level increased from Level 1 to Level 2.]

[Durability +50]

[Storage Space +30%]

[Engine Performance +25%]

[Armor Strength +40%]

[Power Generation +50%]

[Fuel Capacity +30%]

While Leo was marveling at the truck’s improved performance, both Elena and William came out of the building.

Both of them were stunned for a moment by the truck’s somewhat changed appearance.

They looked at each other, but knowing better than to pry into Leo’s secrets, they didn’t ask him anything.

Elena stepped forward and asked Leo,

"Can we rest here today? Lily has taken the medicine but needs rest."

"Sister-in-law, no problem. It’s better to rest properly in order to avoid problems later."

"Leo, there is a village nearby. Why don’t you and I go there and search for some supplies?"

"I don’t mind. It could also help us coordinate better and improve our teamwork."

"Sister-in-law, I have some rice and meat inside the truck. Can you help prepare a hearty meal while we are outside?"

"Not a problem. There is still some gas left in the room we are staying in."

Saying this, William helped Elena take the rice, meat, and water from the truck into their room.

Soon, William came out, and both of them got into the truck.

"William, you drive the truck."

Saying this, Leo sat in the passenger seat. While upgrading the truck, Leo had instructed the system to grant permission so that William would also be able to drive it.

Soon the truck started with a low rumble, and they left town heading toward the nearby village.

After driving for a while, they reached the village entrance, but neither of them stepped out of the vehicle.

Even from the entrance, both of them realized that there was something very wrong with this village.