Xu Anran rode her bicycle into the city. Along the way, there were tall buildings and bustling crowds. She wore a mask and hat, which were essential for winter, and did not want anyone to notice her.

She found a car rental company and wanted to rent a motorhome so she would have more rest space on the road. However, the staff told her that they no longer had any motorhomes available for rent.

Xu Anran was somewhat disappointed, but she still walked around the store to see if there were any other suitable vehicles. Although sedans and jeeps were not expensive, they were too small for long-distance travel.

Finally, she decided to rent a minivan, which was not only cheap but also quite spacious and could be modified. She paid a deposit of 10,000 yuan and then drove the van away.

Xu Anran drove her van to a car repair shop and asked the workers to remove all the seats in the van, leaving only the driver's seat, and to weld a rack onto the roof to store luggage.

She also bought some basic car repair tools and a folding bed so she could sleep in the car if she needed to go to the countryside.

She stayed at a hotel for one night, and when she arrived at the repair shop the next day, she found that the car had been modified. So she paid and drove away.

While waiting at a traffic light at an intersection, Xu Anran casually glanced out the window and suddenly saw a familiar figure—Xu Liang.

He was wearing a hat, making him difficult to recognize unless one looked closely. But when Xu Anran noticed his robust physique, she couldn't help but take a second look before confirming it was him.

Xu Liang was seen hurrying across the road, seemingly having something urgent to attend to. Shortly after he crossed the traffic light, Xu Anran noticed two suspicious-looking men following him closely.

Xu Liang and his group came here from outside the city and were pursued by the police.

He checked into a small hotel last night and went out this morning to buy a set of protective clothing. But as he walked down a street, he suddenly felt someone watching him from behind. So he quickened his pace, but the person behind him also quickened their pace.

Xu Liang started running, with the people behind him following closely. Unfamiliar with the terrain, Xu Liang could only stumble around aimlessly.

Despite this, he still couldn't shake off his pursuers. Finally, he reached a corner where there was no road ahead. And by then, his pursuers were getting closer and closer.

Just as Xu Liang was about to escape by climbing over the wall, a hand reached out from the side and pulled him into a van parked by the roadside.

Once inside the car, Xu Liang discovered there was another person inside. That person told him to lie down and quickly covered him with various items.

Soon, the two pursuers arrived at the scene. They searched everywhere for Xu Liang, but to no avail. Finally, they approached the car and asked Xu Anran, who was sleeping in the driver's seat, if she had seen Xu Liang. One of them showed Xu Anran his identification and said, "Hello, comrade, we are police officers. Have you seen anyone suspicious?"

Xu Anran rubbed her eyes after taking off her eye mask and headphones, and replied lazily, "Hello, I was sleeping and wearing headphones, so I didn't see you coming."

One of the policemen frowned and asked, "Comrade, why are you sleeping here at noon?"

Xu Anran yawned, stretched, and explained, "I just finished eating and I'm a little sleepy, so I thought I'd take a nap here. I have things to do later."

Another policeman handed her a photo and said seriously, "Sir, if you spot the suspect in the photo, please call the police as soon as possible. This person is very dangerous."

Xu Anran looked at the photo carefully, shook her head, and said that she had never seen it before. She added that she would definitely call the police if she encountered it and would actively cooperate with the police.

After the two policemen left, Xu Liang tried to get up from the back of the car. Xu Anran saw his movement through the rearview mirror and quickly whispered to him, "Don't move! They might not be far away; they might be secretly observing us."

Upon hearing this, Xu Liang's heart tightened; he knew he couldn't act rashly. So, he immediately stopped all movement and obediently remained motionless in the back. Xu Anran started the car, the engine humming softly, and slowly drove away from the area.

The car drove smoothly along the road. Xu Anran, focused on driving, said to Xu Liang, "You suddenly disappeared in that dead end, and there's nowhere else to hide nearby. They'll definitely suspect me. So don't move around too much the whole way, just stay put." Xu Liang nodded that he understood. Then, he asked curiously, "Can I talk?"

Xu Anran replied, "You can talk while driving, but shut up when you stop." Her cold tone made Xu Liang afraid to ask any more questions. After a moment of silence, Xu Liang couldn't help but ask again, "We don't even know each other, why did you save me?"

Xu Anran kept her gaze fixed on the road ahead and said calmly, "You don't know me, but I know you. You helped me in the last world. It was on the way to the Pengcheng shelter that you helped me kill a monster."

Xu Liang's eyes widened in surprise; he hadn't expected such a coincidence. He smiled and said, "Hey, you're a good person, you know how to repay kindness."

Xu Anran smiled slightly but did not respond. Xu Liang continued to press, "Since you're a passenger, did you find a ticket?"

Xu Anran replied, "No, what about you?" Xu Liang said proudly, "I have one. I just came from the virus zone. I have two train tickets. I'll give you one." Hearing this, Xu Anran was surprised and said, "That's so kind of you?" Xu Liang smiled and explained, "Well, you helped me, so I have to show my appreciation." Xu Anran smiled and said, "Okay, then I won't be polite."

At this moment, Xu Liang spoke up somewhat shyly, "Um, girl, I want to talk to you about something." Xu Anran glanced at him curiously in the rearview mirror and said, "Go ahead." Xu Liang hesitated for a moment, then said, "Well... I see you're alone too. I'm a pretty good guy, and I'm also strong. How about we team up?" Xu Anran hadn't expected Xu Liang to make such a request and asked in surprise, "I remember you had teammates before. Aren't you teaming up with them?"

Xu Liang was silent for a moment, a trace of sadness flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "He's infected. He's afraid of infecting me, so he told me to leave. I don't know how he is now." After saying that, he sighed deeply. As he spoke, Xu Liang started crying again. Xu Anran didn't expect such a strong man to be so prone to tears. Wasn't it said that a real man bleeds but doesn't sweat? She quickly comforted him, "Maybe he can pull through. Don't cry."

Why do you want to team up with me?