While the three vehicles were being refueled, Lin Wanqiu found several fuel cans somewhere and gave one to Shen Ye.
Her gesture surprised him a little.
He had thought she would be the first to scour the convenience store for supplies.
But someone seemed to have already looted the convenience store, leaving little food or water behind.
Since Shen Ye had contributed the most, he took nearly half the supplies.
The rest was split evenly among Song Shiya and the other two women, enough to feed them for a week.
"Since we've cleared out the Eldritch, why don't we rest here for the day?" After filling the vehicles and all the fuel cans, Song Shiya came over to Shen Ye again and asked.
Shen Ye nodded, raising no objections.
"Oh, and thank you for saving me again just now." As she spoke, Song Shiya felt her face grow inexplicably warm and turned her head away in embarrassment.
Shen Ye waved it off, not thinking much of it. As far as he was concerned, they had fought that battle together.
If she hadn't called out a warning, he might have been in trouble himself.
After eating, the three women took turns showering in the gas station's restroom.
Though most tap water had been contaminated since the apocalypse began, it wouldn't do much harm as long as they didn't drink it.
Lin Wanqiu came out first.
Her freshly washed face revealed its delicate contours, her wet, short black hair clinging to the sides of her face.
Her features were gentle, and she looked much more refreshed than before, as well as more pleasing to the eye.
Perhaps she had taken good care of herself. Though she was already in her thirties, her face showed no trace of age.
Most striking of all were the long legs exposed beneath her short skirt, straight and slender.
An Ning came out second.
She was short, with a small, palm-sized face that was fair and clear, her delicate features making her look like a porcelain doll.
Her eyes were bright, with a look that made people want to protect her.
Song Shiya came out last.
She had towel-dried her long, dark brown curls until they were half dry, leaving them loose and fluffy around her shoulders.
Her wispy bangs were still slightly damp, which only made her features look softer.
Her sweet, fresh oval face, paired with lively, round almond eyes, gave her an air of innocence.
When An Ning first saw her, she stared for quite a while before looking away.
Leaning against his car door, Shen Ye swept his gaze briefly over each of the women.
Now that they had washed thoroughly, all three had revealed their true appearances. Song Shiya was undoubtedly the prettiest. Even before the apocalypse, she would have ranked among the most stunning beauties.
No wonder she had always kept half her face covered.
Lin Wanqiu and An Ning were attractive too, just in different ways. One looked like a gentle, mature beauty, while the other resembled a cute young girl.
The only flaw was that all three still wore their old clothes. Their flight had left them covered in dirt and grime, and some garments even had tears that exposed the fair skin beneath.
Looking at the three freshly washed beauties, Shen Ye, a southerner, suddenly felt intensely sticky himself.
Only after all three women had returned to their vehicles to rest did he enter the shower room and wash himself too.
Though he couldn't change his clothes, he felt noticeably fresher after washing. After half a day of rest at the gas station, the sun outside had sunk toward the west, and the Red Moon was beginning to emerge faintly on the horizon, bringing a hint of night with it.
Just as everyone finished getting ready, Song Shiya approached Shen Ye's car, with Lin Wanqiu and An Ning following behind her.
Seeing that she seemed to have something to discuss, Shen Ye opened the door and stepped out.
"Anything else?" Shen Ye asked.
Song Shiya met his gaze and replied:
"The three of us were just talking. Since we've decided which direction to take from here, shouldn't we put the convoy back together?"
Hearing that the women wanted to form a convoy, Shen Ye nodded almost without hesitation.
"Sure."
"But have you decided who's going to lead it?"
At that question, all three women looked at him in perfect unison.
In the end, Lin Wanqiu spoke up. "You, of course."
"After all, you're the convoy's only fighter. The three of us will have to rely on you to protect us."
"I'm not suited to being the leader." Shen Ye refused outright, then explained his reasons.
"First, I don't know how to manage people, and I don't have the energy for it either. It's fine when there are only four of us, but we're bound to have more and more people later."
"Second, I don't think a good leader is defined by how strong they are, but by whether they can set the right course and make good decisions for the group. And when it comes to setting our course... An Ning, with her Guide Sequence, is naturally the best choice."
An Ning, who had been hiding in the back the whole time, immediately waved her hands when Shen Ye named her.
"Please don't joke about that, Shen Ye. I... I can't!"
Her little face flushed bright red, and the half usually hidden by her hair was filled with reluctance.
"Don't be so quick to refuse." Shen Ye instinctively rested a hand on her shoulder and spoke to her with a serious expression.
"You should know what authority the convoy leader has."
"Your word will carry the most weight. Wherever you say we should go, that's where we'll go."
"And the abilities your Guide Sequence has shown mean you're a natural leader. The survival of the entire convoy will depend almost entirely on your ability."
"Besides, this position will be both a responsibility and a chance for you to grow. You should understand that yourself. If you don't change, someone with your personality will have a hard time surviving in this apocalypse."
After hearing his explanation, An Ning's lips moved a few times, but no words came out.
Seeing that she had all but accepted, Shen Ye glanced at Song Shiya again and said, "Of course, An Ning's Sequence ability takes a lot out of her. She only needs to handle the convoy's overall direction."
"As for everything else, Song Shiya and I can serve as deputy leaders."
"I'll handle combat, and she'll handle smaller-scale planning and logistics. If there's something we really can't decide, the three of us can discuss it."
"Then... all right."
An Ning clenched her fists. Shen Ye's encouragement had stirred a spark of determination in her.
"I can be the leader, but let me make this clear first: I really don't know how to lead, so don't blame me later."
Once she agreed, Shen Ye inwardly relaxed and couldn't help thinking, This girl really is easy to talk into things.
But seeing how worried she still looked, he ran a hand over Ghost Head's blade and gave a cold smile. "Don't worry. If anyone refuses to listen to you, my blade will teach them what rules mean."
His words sent a chill through Song Shiya.
Others might not know, but she had seen how Shen Ye operated.
Over a single packet of instant noodles, he had not only kicked Liu Bing's son to death, but ultimately slaughtered the man's entire family. He was ruthless when it came to killing.
With the leader settled, the next thing was the convoy's name.
Lin Wanqiu thought for a moment. As the most educated member of the convoy, she spoke first. "How about 'Hope Convoy'? The meaning is simple, and it could lift people's spirits."
Without even raising his head, Shen Ye muttered, "Too corny."
Leaning against the door of her delivery van, Song Shiya suggested a few names. "Morning Light... Daybreak..."
Shen Ye looked up at the sky, and without realizing it, his thoughts drifted back to the moment he had parted with Qin Shuwen.
Dawn had been so close that day. If Qin Shuwen had held on just a little longer, perhaps he could have survived.
Yet he had fallen just before dawn.
"How about Dawn?" He straightened and swept his gaze over the three women.
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