Chapter 35: The Monstrous Mobile City

This time, a total of one common, one elite, two rare, and one legendary piece of intelligence were refreshed.

[1. There are 16 survivor communities in the city, the largest of which is called "Firefly," with a population of 372. (Intelligence Value: Common)]
[2. There is a train station occupied by monsters on the western edge of the city. (Intelligence Value: Elite)]
[3. On a commercial street 25 kilometers to the northwest, there is an overturned oil tanker containing a total of 543 units of petroleum. (Intelligence Value: Rare)]
[4. A monster-operated mobile city is patrolling the area; please be cautious. (Intelligence Value: Rare)]
[5. The Level 1 field boss, "Silent Lake Monster," has been subdued by the *Silence*. (Intelligence Value: Legendary)]

As usual, Li Ye began to analyze the information.

The first point was about communities. These were common survivor settlements in the city ruins. Compared to the wilderness, city ruins were more suitable for human survival for three main reasons:
First, plenty of supplies could be scavenged in the ruins.
Second, the abundance of skyscrapers and buildings provided hiding spots. When powerful monsters, hostile convoys, or mobile cities invaded, survivors could use the buildings and sewers to conduct guerrilla warfare.
Third, well-preserved small factories, power stations, and other infrastructure could be utilized by survivors to improve their quality of life.
Survivor communities were usually established by cordoning off an area, erecting high fences, and farming to achieve self-sufficiency. These communities typically consisted of families, including not only young people but also the elderly and children.

The second piece of intelligence piqued Li Ye's interest. A train station occupied by monsters might contain several trains; these carriages could be dismantled and smelted down into iron ore. This would be much easier than the painstaking labor of breaking up concrete for rebar.

The third piece of intelligence brought him some joy. An oil tanker with over 500 units of petroleum was nearby. Since his convoy had just been built, it was in desperate need of fuel. This would last him for quite some time.

The fourth piece of intelligence left him stunned. What on earth was a "monster mobile city"? Li Ye took a deep breath, rubbed his face hard, and tried to calm his nerves. If the name was literal, it meant a Level 1 mobile city driven by monsters. It would be just like the ones humans operated, equipped with city modules, heavy machine guns, artillery, and its own combat personnel and vehicles. It might even possess Level 1 artillery or heavy machine guns. Li Ye took another deep breath. Seeing a goblin pilot a helicopter was ridiculous enough; he had never imagined he would encounter monsters capable of operating a mobile city.

The fifth piece of intelligence caused his expression to shift. A field boss had appeared in the wasteland area, but it had been subdued by a mobile city named the *Silence*. Subdued—did this mean the field boss was now like a servant, following the *Silence*'s commands? Li Ye’s expression grew grave. He had witnessed the strength of field bosses firsthand. If the *Silence* could tame one, its power must be even more terrifying. A sense of insecurity deepened within him.

After recalling his personnel to the deck, Li Ye ordered the *Tomorrow* to head northwest. The street was remote and narrow, requiring a sharp turn to see it. At the end of the street, the overturned oil tanker lay waiting. Li Ye immediately sent men to collect the petroleum. At the same time, he dispatched two scouting parties: Team One to explore the outer periphery of the city ruins and Team Two to investigate the central zone. Li Ye commanded his team members to prioritize their own safety above all else; their mission was intelligence gathering, and they were only to open fire if absolutely necessary. They were to return by 6:00 AM the following morning, regardless of whether they had found anything.

The two teams departed. As for the *Tomorrow*, it remained stationed nearby to continue maintenance. Since they had time to spare, Li Ye sent the residents out to scavenge for more metal. Although the haul was small, every bit counted.

To Li Ye's surprise, despite this being the outer periphery of the city ruins, quite a few factions passed through: two bounty hunters, three survivor convoys, and one Level 1 mobile city. The bounty hunters and survivor convoys didn't dare provoke the *Tomorrow* and cautiously kept their distance before hurrying away. The Level 1 mobile city had shown signs of aggression from a distance, but upon noticing the *Tomorrow*'s Level 1 artillery, it quickly abandoned its intentions and fled in a panic. Only after the intruders were far away did Li Ye order the alert level to be lowered.

Time ticked by, and soon it was late at night. Li Ye, who had been sound asleep, was awakened by a series of slight vibrations. In fact, since his transmigration, he had been hypersensitive to movement. After all, as a leader, he carried the responsibility for the survival of everyone on the mobile city and dared not slack off. He put on his clothes, quickly left his room, and walked up the companionway toward the watchtower.

At that moment, the entire *Tomorrow* was shrouded in darkness; all searchlights and deck lights were extinguished. This was Li Ye’s arrangement. In the dead of night, the lights of a mobile city could easily attract enemies, whether monsters or humans. Although the lights were off, a combat squad was still patrolling the deck, and a helmsman remained on standby in the cockpit.

When Li Ye reached the watchtower, he was surprised to find Lin Xia still awake. "The sound is coming from the northeast, about a kilometer away. It's probably something big," she said, handing him a pair of binoculars.

Li Ye nodded and looked toward the northeast. The silhouette of the object was massive, standing several dozen meters tall, with one large light and dozens of small ones scattered across its body. Li Ye froze, then realization dawned on him. This was clearly a mobile city! The large light was its searchlight, and the small ones were the lights on its structure.

"Should we prepare for battle? No, the distance between us is too short... and there’s no time for the combat crew to get into position," he muttered. He quickly aimed his voice at the speaking tube. "Tang Fang, are you there?"

A-Bai’s voice came through the tube. "Tang Fang is asleep. Is there a situation, Brother Li?"

"Now, immediately activate the *Tomorrow*'s urban camouflage," Li Ye said softly.

"...Understood!"

As the camouflage activated, the *Tomorrow* instantly blended into the surrounding environment. The next second, the other city's searchlight swept over them, but it only illuminated a patch of old buildings.

"This thing is really useful," Li Ye sighed to himself. Once again, the *Tomorrow* had escaped disaster thanks to the camouflage. While feeling relieved, he watched the other city. Since there was "nothing to see" ahead, the mobile city didn't pay it any mind, turned, and headed into another nearby street.

Through the binoculars and the lights on the opponent's deck, Li Ye saw the appearance of the mobile city clearly. It was a mobile city operated by goblins!