Desert

I don't know if Sean likes outdoor sports.

He hasn't tried it yet.

But running into his female neighbor Conina here was indeed "a coincidence."

This woman had arrived even before him.

He had started to suspect Conina was involved, yet she appeared directly in front of him, as if she had "I'm here to monitor you" written on her face. This made Sean feel that Conina wasn't someone from Floris Hospital or the police department.

It was strange.

A strong white man in the driver's seat got out of the car next. Seeing Conina greet Sean, he couldn't help but ask, "Do you two know each other?"

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"Of course, we're close friends. He even complimented my pipes when he helped me fix them before," Conina said with a charming smile, winking at Sean. "Isn't that right, Mr. Sean from next door?"

Sean: "..."

When he first moved in a few years ago, he had indeed gone to Conina's to help fix a pipe. At the time, Conina's first impression of him was a beautiful and enthusiastic neighbor. As a newcomer, he didn't refuse in order to maintain good neighborly relations. However, after entering the house, he discovered that the pipe wasn't broken at all, and Conina had tricked him.

That's why Sean said her pipes were clean.

This was also the only time Sean had been to Conina's house. Since then, no matter what excuse Conina used to invite him, even if she told him her cat could spin three and a half times, he resisted his curiosity and didn't go.

Hearing Conina's words, the white man looked Sean up and down, his gaze immediately filled with a hint of vigilance. But out of politeness, he still extended his hand to Sean and introduced himself simply.

"Hello, I'm Wilson, Conina's friend."

Sean also extended his hand and smiled, "Hello, I'm Sean, Conina's friend."

Wilson: "..."

For some reason, even though they were both Conina's friends, he felt like he had lost.

A young couple nearby exchanged glances and chuckled mischievously.

Whenever the club organized an outdoor trip, they would create a small group chat for communication before the trip.

There was also a larger group chat for older members of the club. They might not go out often, but they would definitely chat frequently in the group.

Even though some of them hadn't met offline, they were already very familiar online. For example, Wilson and Conina. Everyone knew that this fitness coach had a crush on Conina. Every time Conina posted in the group, Wilson would reply to her privately within three seconds.

He had asked Conina out many times, but she always refused, citing lack of time. This time, it was a rare opportunity for them to go out together, and Conina had even invited him. Wilson was overjoyed and vowed to ensure Conina's safety and give her a perfect adventure experience.

Who would have known that Conina's handsome neighbor would also be here? Judging by Conina's attitude, she was clearly more interested in Sean.

"Since you know each other, the three of you can share a car," Gennardo, the muscular man, said with a smile.

Putting aside personal preferences, his appearance was quite manly.

The back seat of the car driven by Gennardo was occupied by the young couple, the boy named Johnson and the girl named Jenny.

Both were university students.

Another car was mainly used for carrying supplies. It was piled high with tents, sleeping bags, ropes, hunting rifles, military knives, and other items, as well as gasoline for the journey. It looked dangerous no matter how you looked at it; a slight bump could cause problems.

So, riding in Wilson's car was the best option. They wouldn't have to listen to the young couple's mushy talk, and it would be relatively safe on the road.

Wilson was quite unhappy about it, but he couldn't say anything without seeming petty. He opened the car door and let out a light, dismissive hum, "Get in."

"Although I didn't expect you to come, you are Ms. Conina's friend, so I will treat you as a friend too. After all, I was invited by Ms. Conina, and everything is centered around her."

The implication was: I was invited by Conina, while you just happened to meet her. It was obvious who held more importance in Conina's heart.

He was trying to regain some ground.

Sean realized this guy was quite eloquent. While implying his own importance, he also found an excuse to follow Conina's lead, appearing extremely gentlemanly. As for Conina...

Sean's gaze was slightly odd: "You invited him?"

She wanted to invite him for milk, yet she also invited Wilson. What was this woman up to?

Conina didn't deny it and nodded, "I did invite him."

Wilson's face showed a hint of triumph. "Did you hear that?"

But before he could use this opportunity to get closer to Conina, he heard her say to Sean, "Didn't we talk about it when we were chatting before? You can't drive, and neither can I. Johnson and Jenny don't have their licenses either, so I had to find someone to help us."

Sean: "..."

Wilson: "?"

You invited me to be your driver??

Wilson's face instantly turned ashen.

The young couple next to him couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Wilson glared fiercely at the two of them.

However, what truly struck him was yet to come.

Sean refused Conina, just as Conina had refused him before.

Sean's suspicions about his beautiful female neighbor had never been lifted. Even though Conina's family had been living there before he moved to Biggs Apartment, who knew if Quill had arranged it in advance to allay his doubts? Or perhaps Conina had been bribed by the other party?

He didn't trust anyone now.

Between the three off-road vehicles, Sean chose the one with the hunting rifle, military knife, and gasoline.

He pulled open the rear door and squeezed himself in.

Jim, outside the car, was slightly taken aback. This guy actually got into my car?

He's choosing cold steel and firearms over a sexy beauty. Doesn't that hurt?

Sean rolled down the window. "If there's nothing else, shall we depart?"

To be honest, surrounded by tent frames and weapon bags, the ride was far from comfortable. There wasn't much space to even rest his feet, and no matter how he sat, it wouldn't be comfortable. But despite the discomfort, Sean felt a sense of security because there was plenty of firepower here.

Seeing him get into the "armory car," Conina wanted to follow. The weapons were cold, but her heart was warm. It would be a perfect experience of ice and fire merging. However, Sean, using the excuse that there wasn't enough space, refused her entry again, not opening the door for her.

Conina shot Sean a rather resentful glance.

This man is really tough to crack. He won't even give me face.

But it's fine.

She could still sit in the passenger seat.

Conina tossed the items on the seat into the back of Wilson's car and easily slid in.

Now, the driver who was specifically hired had become a lonely man.

Wilson: "???"

Can I curse?

Damn it, these two are too much.

"Alright, everyone get in," Gennardo said, smoothing things over. "It's a thousand-kilometer drive, so it'll take a long time. Let's hurry and aim to arrive at Black Berry Rainforest before tomorrow night."

Wilson was very unwilling.

But there was nothing he could do. Could he really go and snatch Jim's driver's seat too?

That would be too embarrassing.

He gritted his teeth and decided to endure it.

Anyway, Conina and Sean are in the front and back, they can't do anything. Once we get to Black Berry Rainforest, I'll definitely let Conina know who the truly reliable man is!

Inside the off-road vehicle.

Conina turned her head to strike up a conversation with Sean.

"Aren't you curious why I'm a member of this Wilderness Survival Club?"

"Because of Chris," Sean replied indifferently.

Before Chris went missing, he often visited Sean. Through their interactions, they got to know Conina. Chris loved outdoor adventures, and it was inevitable that he would mention it during their conversations. It was possible that Conina joined the club on Chris's recommendation.

This answer completely choked off what Conina was about to say. She complained, "Men who are too smart are no good."

Sean didn't respond. Looking into Conina's eyes, he suddenly asked, "Are you here to monitor me?"

Conina: "?"

The sudden leap in topic left her momentarily unable to react.

"Monitor?"

Conina was both amused and annoyed. "You don't seriously think I've been bought by the police, do you? Didn't you say you didn't commit any crimes?"

"Don't worry, even if there were, I wouldn't do that. If you get caught by them, who am I going to flirt with then?"

"Besides, I'm not a spy. Monitoring someone as hard to approach as you would be too difficult for me."

"I'll just look at you."

With that, Conina, without any hesitation, opened the car door and sat in Jim's driver's seat, gazing at Sean affectionately.

Sean: "..."

He couldn't be bothered with this woman.

Whether she was or wasn't didn't matter for now. While talking to Conina, he had been secretly holding two guns.

A hunting rifle and a handgun. If Conina dared to make any moves on him, he could blow her head off with either.

"Beep beep."

Gennardo honked the horn.

"Fasten your seatbelts, let's go," Jim reminded them.

The cars started, and the three off-road vehicles left the garage one after another, heading for the mountain road leading to Black Berry Rainforest.

Once the cars were out of the city, Conina became more subdued. After all, she couldn't keep twisting her neck to look at Sean the entire time; it would strain her neck and stiffen her muscles, making them uncomfortable to touch. So, after looking for a while, she turned her head back. Instead, she admired Sean's profile as he looked out the window in the rearview mirror, her eyes unconsciously curving into a smile.

She genuinely liked this young man. Even when she unconsciously fell asleep, a rosy blush graced her face. The road on the mountain wasn't smooth, and every time the car bumped, she would let out a soft "Mmmph," which made Sean's forehead crease. Who knew what kind of dream this woman was having.

Jim, however, didn't hear anything. He had deliberately left space for Sean and Conina. He put on his headphones and played country folk music at a high volume, swaying his hips as he gripped the steering wheel. Sean could feel his joy from the back seat.

He swayed for over an hour.

Perhaps it was contagious from Conina, but Sean felt that Jim's bobbing head increasingly resembled a large, swaying bell, which made him sleepy. He thought for a moment and kicked the back of Conina's seat.

"Bang."

Conina: "Mmm~"

Jim, who had just taken off his headphones to rest for a bit: "?"

"What are you doing?"

"Seeing if she's really asleep," Sean replied expressionlessly.

Jim: "..."

He subconsciously glanced at Conina. Not only was the woman asleep, but she was sleeping soundly. He just didn't know why her face was a little red?

"I'll sleep for a bit too." Seeing that Conina showed no signs of waking up, Sean finally let down his guard a little. He also hugged his shotgun and closed his eyes to rest.

Watching this made Jim's heart fill with suspicion. He still couldn't figure it out. Sean could sleep with a sexy beauty in his arms, but he refused, choosing to hug a gun instead. Was he too unrefined, or was Sean too clueless about romance?

In fact, Sean was quite good at dealing with women.

He was not only romantic but also skilled at unbuttoning clothes.

Sometimes he wondered why he was so proficient. Perhaps it was innate? Even the proud Saintess in his dreams would cling to him.

It was just a pity that this storyline had no follow-up for now. Sean hadn't had any dreams in the past few days, which was beyond his control. The timeline in his dreams was also completely random. The order of many stories was often deduced by Sean himself. He didn't know when he would dream of Oliya again.

Sean recalled the veiled face of the young woman in his mind, listened to the sound of the car speeding along, and gradually fell asleep.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a desert.

Looking around, all he saw was yellow sand. The sun beat down fiercely overhead, and the air was filled with dryness and heat.

Conina was gone.

Jim was gone.

The car was also gone.

He was left standing alone on the sand dune, like a lost lamb.

Sean: "?"

Wait, he just took a nap.

What the hell brought him here?