Chapter 413

Chapter 413: Chapter 413

"Do you really have nothing you want to say?" Mark asked softly, a trace of disappointment flickering in the depth of his eyes.

Suzy looked up, her gaze sweeping across his face, when a sudden mental image of Rina and Mark together last night flashed through her mind.

Back then, she hadn’t felt much about it, but now, the memory suddenly felt like a glaring eyesore.

Suzy didn’t know what was wrong with her either.

Perhaps because she disliked Rina, she didn’t want Mark to be with her either.

Yet, at a moment like this, she couldn’t bring herself to speak her mind openly.

Suzy fell silent for a long moment, before finally uttering just a single line: "Then think it over carefully."

After an agonizing silence, Mark was the first to stand up and step out of the vehicle.

Suzy looked up, watching his back disappear without him looking back even once.

A heavy, suffocating feeling settled in her chest, an indescribable discomfort.

Suzy stared out the RV window. The sky had darkened completely.

In the distance, the streetlights flickered faintly. A few more vehicles had gathered nearby, and she could see people moving about, busy with their routines.

Lighting fires, cooking meals, drawing water.

Sitting on the sofa, Suzy remained frozen like a statue, completely motionless.

She didn’t know how long she had been sitting there until her body grew stiff and sore, prompting her to shift slightly.

Her mind had been completely blank, not thinking about anything, just zoning out.

Suzy felt that perhaps she ought to give some thought to certain things.

For instance, her feelings toward Mark.

"Sigh..."

Suzy let out a soft sigh.

She could actually sense her possessiveness over Mark growing increasingly intense.

She hadn’t realized it before, assuming they were just getting along normally; since Mark was younger than her, she had mostly viewed him as a younger brother.

But ever since Rina appeared, Suzy realized that wasn’t the case.

She didn’t want Mark to be with Rina.

But... what if it were someone else?

If Mark were with someone else, would she be able to accept it?

Suzy asked herself, but to be honest, she couldn’t even picture it.

She couldn’t imagine how she would react if Mark were with someone else.

Frustrating. It was really frustrating.

Could it be that she had fallen for Mark? Fallen for this younger brother who was so much younger than her?

Suzy didn’t really want to admit it.

She felt that the reason she developed these feelings toward Mark was mostly due to the suspension bridge effect.

Because on this entire journey, there had only been Mark.

Because on this entire journey, they had relied on each other.

Perhaps it was just that simple.

Forget it, she shouldn’t be dwelling on these things.

Suzy suppressed the tangled thoughts in her mind, planning to divert her attention back to the maps in front of her.

However, a beam of light not far away flashed across her eyes.

Suzy narrowed her eyes and looked out, noticing that the light was approaching in her direction.

Looking closely, she saw a figure holding a flashlight approaching.

Who would come here at this hour?

Their RV was the only vehicle parked in Section C, with no other cars around; the person was clearly heading straight for them.

As the figure drew closer, it fell right into the RV’s surveillance range.

Suzy checked the monitor and saw that the visitor was a woman.

Her specific features were hard to make out, but her frame clearly indicated she was a woman.

Once she stepped a bit closer, Suzy finally caught a clear look at her face.

She was a woman in her early twenties, dressed neatly, with her hair styled in a high bun—looking clean and sharp.

Judging by her outfit and grooming, it was obvious she was living quite well in this post-apocalyptic world.

Suzy double-checked and confirmed that she didn’t know this person.

She also noticed that besides the flashlight, the woman was carrying a small bag in her other hand.

Could she be here to deliver some kind of announcement or notice?

With that thought in mind, Suzy stepped out of the vehicle, intending to meet her.

She climbed down from the RV and closed the door, taking light steps as she walked toward the woman.

Suzy wasn’t entirely unprepared either; she was ready to retrieve a weapon from her spatial dimension at a moment’s notice.

However, when she turned her head, she noticed that the woman seemed to have discovered a pleasant surprise and was briskly heading toward Mark instead.

After leaving the RV, Mark hadn’t gone too far.

He had been idling nearby, sitting somewhere, lost in thought.

At this moment, the woman was approaching Mark with quick strides, her delight palpable even from a distance.

Was she here for Mark?

At this moment, Suzy’s emotions grew more complex than ever before.

One Rina had just left, and now another woman had arrived.

How had she never noticed before that Mark possessed such charm? Suzy thought to herself.

Her footsteps came to a complete stop, and she stood in place, watching the scene unfolding not far away.

Suzy was quite curious about what would happen next.

Under Suzy’s watchful gaze, the woman walked right up to Mark, a faint smile gracing her face.

"Hello," she took the initiative to greet Mark.

Mark looked up. Not recognizing her, a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes.

"Is there something you need?"

The woman smiled and shook her head. Her gaze swept over the surroundings before she spoke again, "Is yours the only vehicle parked near Section C?"

Mark offered a lukewarm response.

Undeterred by his cold demeanor, the woman’s smile grew even brighter.

"Do you mind if I sit next to you?" She was exceptionally proactive.

Mark remained silent, nor did the woman intend to wait for his answer; she sat down of her own accord.

The plastic bag in her hand rustled softly in the wind.

She turned off the flashlight as well.

Nearby, only a faint streetlight emitted a weak glow, enveloping the two of them in its dim light.

Mark didn’t say anything, turning his head slightly to look in Suzy’s direction.

Perhaps he had noticed her presence.

Seeing that Mark had no intention of speaking, the woman took the initiative to start a conversation: "Where did you guys come from?"

Mark glanced at her and said indifferently, "City X."

A look of pleasant surprise lit up the woman’s eyes. "I came from City X too! What a coincidence—looks like we’re fellow hometown folks!"

Mark’s attitude remained distant.

He had already averted his eyes, looking off into the distance.

Seeing his continued indifference and lack of interest in her, a trace of disappointment flickered across the woman’s face.

However, when her eyes landed back on Mark’s face, that disappointment quickly faded, replaced entirely by infatuation.

"I’ve noticed you since yesterday," the woman said softly. "I live in Section A, and I saw you passing through."

She recalled their encounter from yesterday, still feeling a flutter in her chest.

Her heart beat faster.

This was the first time since the apocalypse that she had seen such a handsome man.

Even before the apocalypse, a rare gem like him was hard to come by, let alone now. Most people were struggling just to survive, with no time or energy to groom themselves.

But Mark was different. He was naturally blessed with stunning looks, needing no embellishment at all; merely standing there, he radiated striking elegance.

The moment she caught sight of Mark yesterday, she felt as if her gray, gloomy world had instantly brightened up.

It really was that exaggerated.

Ever since then, her head had been filled with thoughts of Mark.

She couldn’t get him out of her mind.

Now that it was already the end of the world, she felt she should give it a shot and be brave.

If there were truly a chance for the two of them to develop a relationship... the mere thought sent a wave of excitement through her.

And so, gathering her courage, she had come over, simply wanting to get to know Mark and give herself an opportunity.

She had anticipated that Mark wouldn’t be overly enthusiastic toward her and was already mentally prepared.

"Can we get to know each other?"