Chen Ye

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Chen Ye (陈野)
Gender	Male
Species/Race	Human; later a Sequence Transcendent 45 46
Affiliation	Chu Che’s survivor convoy, later called the Fairness Convoy 11 47
Occupation/Role	Survivor, scavenger, and vehicle upgrader; accepted by the convoy as a Mechanic Sequence support specialist 10 11 20
Actual Sequence	Smoke Apostle, supernatural pathway 46 49
Sequence Rank	Sequence 1: Smoke Initiate 46
Status	Alive at the deserted vehicle pileup 50
First Appearance	Chapter 1 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Sequence awakening initiated	39	After accumulating over 7,000 Slaughter Points in Longevity Village, spends 3,000 points on an awakening method. The system supplies a Sequence Serum, which he injects privately; awakening does not finish immediately.
Smoke Apostle — Sequence 1: Smoke Initiate	45 46	Heightened senses emerge during awakening, followed by unusually precise smoke rings. The completed awakening grants Smoke Aura, Basic Smoke Shaping, Nicotine Tolerance, and an enhanced physique. Its cost is weakened left-eye vision and a white left pupil.

• The Mechanic Sequence is a mistaken identity, not a documented awakening. Nana attributes his system-produced vehicle upgrades to that Sequence, and Chen Ye accepts the explanation to conceal his system 10 11.
• He consequently presents Smoke Apostle as his “second sequence” when revealing it to Iron Lion and the convoy, although Mechanic was never his actual Sequence 48 49.

Background / History

Chen Ye escapes Jiang City and joins a convoy whose intended refuge, Shanghu, has fallen into a forbidden zone. Having seen people disappear after falling behind, he treats keeping pace and collecting supplies as essential to survival 1.

During the earlier escape from Jiang City, he breaks a dangerous thug’s arms and legs and throws him to a pursuing supernatural creature. Qiangzi witnesses this act and remains afraid of Chen Ye despite his outwardly easygoing manner 4.

Appearance

Chen Ye has a relatively refined-looking face, contrasting with the violence Qiangzi has seen him commit 4.

• White left pupil: Develops after his Smoke Apostle awakening, accompanied by rapidly deteriorating vision in that eye 46 48.
• Waist-carried weapons: Commonly keeps his Hand Crossbow and Woodcutter’s Knife within reach 14 44.
• Scavenged clothing: Changes into a salvaged quick-dry shirt and retains his dirty clothing rather than discarding usable supplies 9.

Personality

Chen Ye is cautious, resource-conscious, and strongly protective of his independence. He prioritizes food before cigarettes while scavenging, reuses empty drink bottles, and avoids washing rice because it would waste water. He refuses offers of greater communal comfort when they would mean giving up control over his supplies and private space 3 9 49.

His self-preservation can be brutally violent. He kills Qiangzi after the theft of his tricycle, severely injures Zhuangzhuang for attempting to take his food, and sacrifices Old Lady Zhao to approaching Corpse Puppets without guilt. Appeals based on age, childhood, or social obligation do not reliably restrain him 6 18 32.

He nevertheless cooperates when he sees practical value or mutual goodwill. He willingly spreads information about black dog blood’s effect on supernatural entities and risks helping Nana and Iron Lion escape Longevity Village because they are valuable allies who have treated him well 14 34.

His ambition centers on tangible improvements: stronger weapons, reliable transport, private shelter, and eventually an apocalypse-ready base vehicle. Even the loss of left-eye vision becomes something he accepts within fifteen minutes before returning to vehicle work 39 44 46.

Abilities & Skills

Upgrade System

A private system allows Chen Ye to improve objects by spending Slaughter Points. It also provides information and redeemable supplies 1 9.

• Point acquisition: Killing Qiangzi earns 1,000 points; damaging supernatural entities can also produce rewards, including 100 Slaughter Value for damage to the Hunchbacked Old Puppet 6 27.
• Custom designs: Accepts Chen Ye’s own modification plans, allowing him to remove optional features when their cost is excessive 8 39.
• Material substitution: Suitable salvaged parts reduce upgrade costs. An abandoned motorcycle lowers his motorization plan to 900 points 8.
• Component production: Converts dismantled bicycle material into steel tubes and clamps that Chen Ye installs himself 46 47.
• Information redemption: Provides the black-dog-blood method for 300 points and an awakening method for 3,000 points 9 39.
• Initial loan: Supplies 300 points for his first bicycle upgrade, with repayment due after one month 1.
• Limits: Upgrades require both points and time. Directly redeeming ordinary supplies is expensive enough that he reserves it for emergencies 8 9.
• Wonder creation: Can fuse his Hand Crossbow with a Big Willow Tree branch into a wondrous item, but the 5,000-point price prevents him from proceeding 48.

Smoke Aura

Produces a lingering cloud of smoke that Chen Ye can control as though it were an extension of his limbs 46.

• His first demonstration fills the space within approximately one meter of him 46.
• His figure becomes intermittently obscured within the haze 46.
• The ability does not directly increase his attack power; its strength can grow with his Sequence level 46.

Basic Smoke Shaping / Mimicry

Forms smoke into recognizable animals and objects 46 47.

• Familiarity improves accuracy: a cat resembles its model more convincingly than a rabbit because Chen Ye previously owned a cat 46.
• Creates a lifelike kitten for the convoy and convincing object imitations, including a hand crossbow 47 49.
• Constructs are not functional objects 47.
• Prolonged practice causes a severe, needle-like headache that requires rest 47.

Nicotine Tolerance

A passive Smoke Apostle ability that relieves the lung discomfort associated with his smoking habit 46.

• His longstanding cough and uncomfortable lungs improve after awakening 46.
• He considers it his favorite of the three initial abilities despite its lack of an evident combat advantage 46.

Enhanced Physique and Senses

Sequence awakening improves his physical condition and sensory perception 45 46.

• Can see much farther in darkness and hear distant conversations more clearly 45.
• Gains strength beyond that of an ordinary person, making bicycle dismantling easier 46.
• Withstands desert cold better than before, though extreme overnight temperatures still force him to pile on clothing 47 48.
• Permanent drawback shown: His left-eye vision weakens and its pupil turns white, creating a mismatch with his clearer right eye 46.

Crossbow Combat and Supernatural Countermeasures

Regular practice improves Chen Ye’s crossbow accuracy, while black dog blood gives his otherwise ordinary weapons limited effectiveness against supernatural enemies 14 23.

• Blood-coated bolts: Injure the Hunchbacked Old Puppet and repel Corpse Puppets 23 31 33.
• Blood-coated blade: Cuts through an attacking willow branch when his bolts run out 34.
• Limits: Untreated bolts fail against the Paper-Crying Child and do not harm the White-Clad Scissor Woman. Blood-coated bolts can drive Corpse Puppets back but do not kill them 3 6 33.
• Rule exploitation: Escapes the Paper-Crying Child by giving it sweets, then uses sunlight as a barrier against pursuing entities 6.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

Vehicle Development

Vehicle / Upgrade	Chapter	Cost and Features
Bicycle → cargo tricycle	1 2	Costs the full 300-point loan and takes five hours. Gains rugged tires, a large cargo bed, and easier pedaling.
Cargo tricycle → gasoline-powered Motor Tricycle	8 10	Costs 900 points using an abandoned motorcycle; takes six hours. Retains pedal power, increases carrying capacity, and raises the cargo-bed sides to accommodate sleeping.
Patchwork canopy	39 44	Costs 252 points and takes five hours. Repurposed clothing encloses the cargo bed for shade, shelter, storage, and privacy; the cheaper design sacrifices rain protection.
Reinforced canopy frame and roof rack	46 47	Costs 362 points. Upgraded bicycle parts form a sturdy frame and a roof rack capable of holding up to forty kilograms.

• Remaining vehicle weaknesses: The motorized conversion initially retains bicycle rear tires, an unreinforced frame, and rear-wheel drive. Later additions increase the strain on its underpowered engine and unstable chassis 10 49.
• Deferred plans: Postpones a detachable trailer because of its cost; an Apocalypse Base Vehicle is also beyond his means 39 47.

Other Equipment

• Hand Crossbow — Main ranged weapon throughout the early supply runs. Heavy use wears out its string; it snaps while he prepares for a possible confrontation near the vehicle pileup 23 48 50.
• Woodcutter’s Knife / outdoor machete — Obtained from Nana in exchange for information about black dog blood. Used to fashion bolts, cut willow branches, and replace the broken crossbow as his ready weapon 14 34 39 50.
• Black dog blood — Receives two bags after Chu Che obtains black dogs; uses it to coat homemade bolts and his blade 14 34.
• Vehicle repair tools — Acquired through a trade with Iron Lion and used to dismantle two bicycles 46.
• Big Willow Tree branch — A branch that clung to him during the Longevity Village escape. It remains unnaturally fresh and becomes the proposed material for a wondrous crossbow upgrade 47 48.
• Cooking supplies — Uses a portable gas stove and cookware early on, then solid alcohol fuel received through the supply distribution 9 45.

Relationships

• Chu Che — Convoy captain and source of Sequence knowledge. Welcomes Chen Ye as a presumed Mechanic, trades gasoline for his information, and grants him a twenty-percent expedition share. Their rapport becomes warmer after Longevity Village 11 14 20 41.
• Nana — Sword Immortal ally who first mistakes his system for the Mechanic Sequence. Trades him a machete, protects the supply distribution, and reassures him that Transcendents commonly have secrets; their private bargaining also prompts teasing and complaints 10 14 44 45 47.
• Iron Lion — Titan Sequence ally with mutual gratitude from the Apricot Blossom Town battle. Protects Chen Ye from a hostile survivor, carries him toward the Longevity Village exit, and later offers him a place on the bus 15 29 34 49.
• Zhou Lan — Former celebrity whose gasoline-for-protection arrangement is undone when Xiaoxiao retrieves the fuel. Later regrets their damaged relationship and looks to Chen Ye for safety 14 21 32.
• Zhou Xiaoxiao — Zhou Lan’s younger sister, initially disguised as a boy. Reclaims the gasoline, criticizes Chen Ye’s violence, and later begs him to save her sister during the Corpse Puppet attack 18 24 32 33.
• Qiangzi and Jiajia — Steal his tricycle and bar him inside a shop with the Paper-Crying Child. Chen Ye kills Qiangzi after escaping; Jiajia flees into the supermarket and is dragged into darkness while he ignores her pleas 4 6.
• Old Lady Zhao and Zhuangzhuang — Clash with Chen Ye over the boy’s attempt to take his food. Chen Ye later pushes Zhao into the path of Corpse Puppets to buy time for himself, resulting in her death 18 32.
• Xiao Fu — Trades two unneeded bicycles for alcohol fuel, providing material for Chen Ye’s next vehicle modifications 45 46.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Apricot Blossom Town

Chen Ye chooses nearby, partly sunlit shops rather than immediately following the crowd to the distant supermarket. Jiajia and Qiangzi steal his upgraded tricycle and trap him inside with the Paper-Crying Child. He breaks out, pursues them, and reaches the supermarket, where the White-Clad Scissor Woman begins slaughtering survivors 3 4 5.

He escapes while Iron Lion fights the Scissor Woman, satisfies the Paper-Crying Child with sweets, and recovers his vehicle by killing Qiangzi. The subsequent flight reveals that even his improved tricycle is too slow during an emergency, motivating its motorized conversion 6 7 8.

Acceptance as a Mechanic

The overnight motorization attracts suspicion until Nana identifies it as a Mechanic Sequence ability. Chen Ye lets the misunderstanding stand and gains access to the convoy’s better-equipped front group 10 11.

He purchases the black-dog-blood countermeasure from the system, then trades that knowledge for gasoline and a machete. Before the next expedition, he prepares blood-coated bolts and agrees to join Nana and Iron Lion under a fixed supply-sharing arrangement 9 14 20.

Longevity Village

Inside the village’s ghost domain, Chen Ye tests his blood-coated bolts against the Hunchbacked Old Puppet and notices inconsistencies surrounding an unfamiliar girl. Repeated escape attempts return the group to the Big Willow Tree, whose hanging corpses include people who tried to leave 22 23 24 29 30.

His bolts become the ordinary survivors’ main means of repelling the Corpse Puppets. He sacrifices Old Lady Zhao during the attack and does not commit to rescuing the Zhou sisters when they are subsequently surrounded 31 32 33.

After Nana wounds the tree, Chen Ye orders a retreat. At her request, he shoots the berserk Iron Lion to divert him from the tree; during the escape, his blood-coated knife frees him from a willow branch, and the recovered Iron Lion carries him toward the entrance 34.

Desert Survival and Genuine Awakening

After exhausting travel through rain and extreme heat, Chen Ye discovers that the village battle has earned him over 7,000 points. He uses a Sequence Serum, adds shelter to his vehicle, and eventually awakens as a Smoke Initiate 38 39 44 45 46.

He reveals Smoke Apostle to the convoy while preserving the supposed Mechanic identity. His plans for a wondrous crossbow remain unaffordable, and his heavily loaded tricycle becomes increasingly unreliable. At the deserted pileup, his crossbow breaks and he begins looking for a replacement vehicle 48 49 50.

Notable Quotes

“Some children are children. Others are animals!” 18

“Chen Ye, uh... Mechanic Sequence.” 11

Trivia

• Previously owned a cat; that familiarity directly helps his smoke mimicry 46.
• Had an interest in hiking before the apocalypse and recognizes the difficulty of carrying Nana’s ninety-liter pack 43.
• Becomes attached to the tricycle he has modified piece by piece, despite previously being willing to abandon it immediately for a small car 47.