Chapter 10: Save My Life
An upgrade card! And it was for a vehicle!
A flash of pure joy lit up Lin Huai’s eyes. During the beginner phase, a reward like this was truly priceless. Even though the upgrade path was random, any positive change would be a massive leap forward for a crude handcart carrying a coffin.
Without a second thought, she took the card and pressed it against the handle of her cart.
The white card melted into a bright stream of light that wrapped around the entire homemade coffin cart. Lin Huai had only hoped for basic improvements—perhaps wheels that rolled more smoothly—but that small expectation was instantly shattered by a sudden, deep, and powerful roar!
Vroom—rumble, rumble, rumble!
That was definitely not a sound a hand-pushed cart could ever make. It sounded like the beating heart of a real engine coming to life. Within the brilliant white glow, the dark outline of the cart began to expand, shift, and rebuild itself with incredible force! The steel frame stretched and twisted together like a living creature, making teeth-gritting screeches as metal locked into metal. The old wooden parts were replaced by much tougher composite materials, and all four wheels moved rapidly to new positions inside the glowing light.
Lin Huai took two steps back, her eyes wide with shock. She held her breath, watching a transformation that went far beyond anything she had imagined.
The light shone brightly for half a minute before it suddenly pulled inward and vanished.
What stood before her was no longer a crude wooden pushcart.
In its place was a van with sharp, square lines and a smooth, matte dark-gray finish!
The front end was boxy, featuring classic square headlights. The body stood taller than a normal car, with a standard sliding door on the side and double doors opening at the back. The overall look was simple and rugged, carrying the feel of an old industrial era. Yet it gave off a strong sense of weight, durability, and practical strength—as if it were built to carry anything. Most importantly, it was a real motorized vehicle with an engine!
Up on the roof and extending into the back, the willow wood coffin was still there, but it had transformed as well. Instead of simply resting on top of a frame, it was now completely built into the rear section of the vehicle. The coffin looked slightly smaller and fit tightly into place, its dark red wooden surface blending strangely with the van’s dark gray metal. The end of the coffin sat almost level with the back doors, looking like a custom-made compartment—or rather, a built-in “coffin trunk.”
The entire vehicle had an unsettling, eerie presence. It looked like a practical van meant for moving cargo and passengers, yet it carried an integrated coffin, looking as if the two had been born together.
A ghostly blue light screen popped up right away, text pouring down like a waterfall:
[Vehicle Name: ??? (Unnamed)]
[Urgent Notice: A naming conflict has been detected. The original name no longer fits. Please rename your vehicle!]
[Type: Special Vehicle (Coffin-Vehicle Integrated · Symbiotic Evolution Type)]
[Status: Bound (Soul-bound: Lin Huai), Engine Activated, Fuel: 0 / 100 (Unit: Spiritual Matter Unit. Can be refilled by absorbing special energy or consumables)]
[Durability: 300 / 300 (Nether-steel frame, willow wood soul. Cannot be harmed by ordinary metals)]
[Core Component: Nameless Willow Wood Coffin (Status: Level 1, deeply merged with the vehicle)]
[Current Model: Specialized Modified Van (Base template: “Wuling Hongguang” · Magic-modified version)]
[Basic Attributes:]
- Power: Equipped with a “Nether Whisper” psychic power core (currently idling). Requires fuel to drive.
- Speed: Cruising speed on the highway is greatly increased (exact speeds require real testing).
- Space: The cabin seats 1 to 2 people. The integrated coffin in the back functions as a completely secure storage area (an early form of spatial storage technology; current volume is about 2 cubic meters; can only be accessed by the bound owner).
- Defense: The body is far stronger than normal cars, offering good protection against physical strikes and low-level energy attacks. The integrated coffin section has extremely high defense.
- Traits: Enhanced evil-warding aura. Passively drives away weaker spirits and ghosts.
[Vehicle Traits:]
- Soul Symbiosis: (Details omitted; effects enhanced.)
- Weightless Load: (Because the vehicle is now motorized, this trait changes into very low fuel consumption. Heavy loads will barely slow the vehicle down.)
- Nether Whisper (New): When the engine runs, it lets out a low, deep rumble that intimidates and confuses undead and spirit creatures (though it may also catch the attention of rare, special beings). A silent driving mode can turn off this sound, but it uses extra energy.
- Coffin Storage Space (New): The space inside the built-in coffin creates a private storage area. The bound owner can open it by touching the coffin lid (which is now inside the rear doors). Items stored inside stay sealed, fresh, and protected from decay, and they cannot easily be sensed by outsiders.
- Growth Potential (New): The vehicle and the coffin share a symbiotic bond. They can absorb specific kinds of energy and materials, or clear special challenges, to unlock future upgrades and features.
[Warning: An unknown, high-ranking item is attempting to link with the vehicle’s core system… Verifying…]
[Verification successful. The item “Unknown Diamond-Shaped Jade Pendant” shares a deep bond with the core “Willow Wood Coffin” and the bound owner “Lin Huai.” Fusion requirements met. Would you like to deeply bind the “Unknown Diamond-Shaped Jade Pendant” to the vehicle and unlock its hidden powers? Yes / No]
Lin Huai stood there, slightly stunned by the flood of information.
A Wuling Hongguang? It really did look like that famous, reliable van from back home, but… a magic-modified version? Nether psychic power? A coffin for storage?
Wave after wave of pleasant shock washed over her. This was not just a small upgrade; it was a total transformation!
She had gone from pushing a cart with her bare hands to driving an engine-powered vehicle. She had moved from sitting exposed to the wind and rain to having a real cabin that kept out the weather—and could even protect her from monsters. On top of that, she now had a secure storage space!
Even though fuel was a new challenge—what was a “Spiritual Matter Unit,” anyway?—having a real car meant her chances of survival and travel range had improved beyond measure.
When she saw the prompt about the jade pendant, her heart beat even faster. The pendant really was tied to both the coffin and the van!
“Yes! Bind it now!” she answered without a second thought.
As soon as she spoke, the diamond-shaped jade pendant hanging against her chest floated up on its own. It turned into a streak of dark red light and shot forward into the van’s center dashboard, moving as if it were alive.
