123: Chapter 123 Dream Permission Level 4 Ability, Combination of Soul Series Devices

"600 coins?!" Zhao Hu's voice spiked instantly as he subconsciously counted the difference on his fingers. "We only have 22 coins left. How many hundreds of zombies do we have to kill to make up that amount?"

Lin Wan frowned, the three-colored flower bud in her palm trembling slightly, her tone full of concern: "It's not just a matter of dream coins... Since we haven't encountered any other teams for so long, it's very likely there are forks in the highway. If we run into a hostile team on the road, it'll be trouble."

The [Thousand Faces] at Chen Rui's fingertips stopped spinning, and his calm eyes grew a bit more solemn: "The highway extends infinitely; we can only go forward. What if we encounter a team with an invisibility Talent?"

Everyone's gaze fell on Li Mubai—Li Mubai's A-rank Talent [Star Orbit Deduction] could predict energy fluctuations and was skilled in spatial scanning and target detection. Combined with the assistance of his Dream Spirit [Star Rail], he could expand the coverage of real-time detection, making him the team's only source of confidence against 'unknown risks.'

Li Mubai did not hesitate. The faint light of [Star Orbit Deduction] slowly lit up at the corner of his eyes, and pale silver light patterns followed his gaze, connecting in the air to the Dream Spirit [Star Rail] floating by his shoulder—that spirit, its whole body shimmering with soft starlight, flickered in sync with the light patterns of [Star Orbit Deduction], scanning the surroundings in real-time. "[Star Rail]'s detection can cover a 5-kilometer radius. As long as another team approaches, [Star Rail] will immediately manifest red warning patterns. Even if an enemy is invisible, as long as they have an energy reaction, I can detect them."

These words put everyone slightly at ease—at least they could sense danger in advance.

"Wait," Zhang Hao suddenly spoke up, interrupting everyone's anxiety. He took a step forward and lightly touched the blue light screen. "There's no need to kill zombies to gather dream coins. I'll cover the difference."

Zhao Hu's eyes widened: "You'll cover it? How? We only have 22 coins left!"

Zhang Hao raised his hand and patted [Silver Star]'s head, and [Silver Star]'s Chaos-colored pupils shimmered: "My [dream permission rank] has reached LV5. At LV4, I unlocked the 'Convert Dream Power into dream coins' ability—100 Dream Power for 1 coin. It's exactly enough to cover the 578 dream coins difference."

Before he finished speaking, a faint blue light appeared at Zhang Hao's fingertips and flowed along his wrist onto [Silver Star]. [Silver Star]'s light patterns flared, and a slender stream of data merged into the light screen—the "Remaining dream coins" digits skipped rapidly: 22→100→300→500→600.

[Obtained 578 dream coins, current balance: 600 dream coins]

"Holy crap! This ability is way too overpowered!" Zhao Hu leaned in close to the light screen to confirm repeatedly. "If I'd known you had this move, I wouldn't have been so nervous earlier!"

Lin Wan breathed a sigh of relief, the flower bud in her palm stopping its trembling: "With the devices, we can collect Souls, earn dream coins, and rely on the President's real-time detection. I finally feel a bit more grounded."

Li Mubai withdrew some of the [Star Rail] light patterns, keeping only the basic detection range, and said to Zhang Hao: "Buy the devices as quickly as possible. The longer we stay at the supply station, the higher the probability of being detected by other teams."

"Purchase [Soul Detection Device], [Soul Absorption Device], and [soul containment device]. Equip them all to the 'dream chaser's' truck bed," Zhang Hao ordered the blue eyeball robot.

[Weapon Equipment - Soul Detection Device - Consumes 200 dream coins, in progress]

[Weapon Equipment - Soul Absorption Device - Consumes 200 dream coins, in progress]

[Weapon Equipment - soul containment device - Consumes 200 dream coins, in progress]

The small silver robot appeared again, its overhead storage box containing three devices: a bright silver radar-like detection device, a transparent funnel-shaped absorption device, and a one-cubic-meter cube storage device. They slid along the edge of the truck bed, precisely placing the devices next to the Incinerator—the detection device pointed toward the highway, the storage device was placed in the middle, and the absorption device stood temporarily to one side, their movements as fluid as a pre-set program.

Just then, the blue eyeball robot's light sensors flickered, and a faint blue light flashed: [Detected that the Soul series devices can be combined for free. Combination will optimize detection precision and absorption efficiency. Execute?]

"Execute!" Zhang Hao replied without hesitation.

The small robots acted quickly: two robots lifted the detection device and slowly embedded it into the groove on the front of the storage device. With a soft "click," the blue patterns of the detection device and the storage device's screen lit up simultaneously. Another robot grabbed the absorption device and inserted it into the circular interface on top of the containment device. The faint white airflow inside the funnel instantly connected with the storage device, forming a complete chain of "detection → guidance → absorption → storage."

The combined device glowed with silver-blue light, standing quietly in the truck bed. It complemented the Mechanical Power Claws and Flamethrower, looking like a tailor-made "combat + Soul collection" System.

After the Soul series devices were combined, Zhang Hao saw strands of [fate trajectory] emerge from the Void Realm, pass through the Soul series devices, and then merge back into the Void Realm.

The group gathered around the truck bed in wonder. Zhao Hu reached out, wanting to touch the airflow in the funnel, but was stopped by Chen Rui just in time.

Zhang Hao smiled and patted [Silver Star]'s head. [Silver Star] gently rubbed against his palm: "Next, it's zombie harvesting time!"

"We're leaving the supply station," Li Mubai said to the blue eyeball robot, while simultaneously reactivating [Star Rail], letting the Dream Spirit float to the supply station entrance to scan the road conditions outside in advance.

[Closing zero-gravity System, please move away from the blue ring.] The robot's electronic voice fell, and the light of the blue ring gradually dimmed. The 'dream chaser' slowly descended onto the glass floor. The tires made a slight friction sound as they contacted the ground—this was the first time it touched the ground after the upgrade, and it was far smoother than the old pickup.

Everyone boarded the vehicle one after another: Lin Wan carefully checked the Zombie Virus Suppressant in the cockpit and placed it into a locked storage compartment to avoid collisions during bumps; Chen Rui climbed onto the roof and tested the Flamethrower's switch—faint red flames briefly spurted out and then quickly extinguished, the heat making him nod in satisfaction; Zhao Hu fiddled with the Mechanical Power Claws by the truck bed, watching the claws open and close flexibly, unable to help but grin; Li Mubai sat in the passenger seat, his eyes always locked onto the light patterns fed back by [Star Rail], reporting in real-time: "Currently within 5 kilometers, there are only dense zombie energy signals 3 kilometers ahead. No reactions from other teams detected."

This was their only "route planning"—only to drive forward.

Zhang Hao sat in the driver's seat, both hands gripping the steering wheel, and pressed the engine start button. The 'dream chaser's' new engine emitted a steady and powerful roar; the scream of the old pickup was gone, replaced only by the sound of smooth power transmission. The glass doors dissolved into a smooth passage again, and the vehicle slowly drove out. Behind them came the electronic voice of the blue eyeball robot: [Welcome back next time!]

As the 'dream chaser' drove further away, the floating glass building gradually became transparent, finally turning into a faint blue light pattern and disappearing under the dark red sky, as if it had never existed.

Outside the car window, the magma light dyed the highway dark red. On the charred wilderness, a few scattered zombies were staggering toward the center of the road. The light patterns revealed when Li Mubai's Talent [Star Orbit Deduction] was active always flickered at the corner of his eyes. The Dream Spirit [Star Rail] floated on the roof, its starlight flickering as it remained alert for unknown risks.

"First, let's head to the zombie zone 3 kilometers away to test the new devices and weapons." Zhang Hao gripped the steering wheel, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. "President, sorry to trouble you to keep a close eye on the detection. Tell me if anything comes up."

"Don't worry." Li Mubai nodded, his eyes fixed on the red light cluster representing zombies in [Star Rail]—on this Doomsday Highway, his Talent and Dream Spirit were the team's most reliable 'detection radar.'

The Flamethrower on the roof slowly rotated, its nozzle pointing forward; the Mechanical Power Claws on both sides of the truck bed opened, their metal blades glinting with a cold light; the screen of the combined Soul device lit up, the radar spinning constantly, scanning for upcoming Soul signals—a journey of 'real-time detection + lawn-mowing combat' officially began.

[Item Type] Vehicle

[Name] dream chaser (Pickup)

[Attack] D (Incinerator, Mechanical Power Claws, Flamethrower, Soul Series Devices)

[Defense] D (One Defense Reinforcement)

[Speed] 75km/h (One Power Reinforcement)

[Power] Gasoline, Corpse Oil (Fuel)

[Consumables] Gasoline, Corpse Oil, Incendiary Bombs (No Fuel)