Xu An did not relax her guard even after driving a long distance.
Listening to the receding explosions, Xu An's unease gradually subsided, but she remained tense.
She didn't know if the monster would chase after them.
Just as she thought this, Ze Yuan appeared at the opportune moment, "Don't worry, it can't catch up. Your bombs..."
As he spoke, Ze Yuan shivered, thinking of the tentacle monster being blown apart repeatedly and then quickly regrowing. The thought alone sent a chill down his spine.
The bombs Xu An and the others dropped weren't a one-time explosion; they would continue to detonate.
But the monster couldn't control its body. It could only mechanically repeat the process of growing, being blown apart, and regrowing.
Thinking about it made Ze Yuan feel a pang of pain.
But then he realized he didn't have a physical form, which somewhat eased his discomfort.
He couldn't help but think that it's still best not to provoke women.
Although Xu An's tactic couldn't kill the monster, it was too cruel.
After driving for half an hour, when Xu An saw no suspicious activity following them, she finally felt her heart relax.
Even Zhou Haimei, who had been on edge, felt her tension slightly ease as she saw Xu An relax.
It was as if her tightly wound heart had suddenly been released, and Zhou Haimei experienced a moment of disorientation, looking at Xu An with a sense of unfamiliarity.
Until a voice called out, rousing her from her daze.
"Mei jie, Mei jie, are you okay?"
Seeing Zhou Haimei still in a daze, Xu An slowed down the car and called out to her loudly.
Zhou Haimei heard Xu An's voice and then came back to her senses, "Ah, what is it?"
"I've been calling you for a while, and you haven't said anything. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I was just too nervous. When I relaxed, I felt a bit dazed."
Hearing this, Xu An muttered under her breath, "You're more than just a little dazed."
As Zhou Haimei regained clarity, some of the memories she had overlooked began to resurface.
Just then, a loud bark came from the trunk.
Xu An knew it was Goudan's voice. In the rush to get into the car, Xu An hadn't had time to bring Goudan into the driver's seat, so she had let him stay in the trunk.
Goudan must have known there was no longer any danger and was barking to be let out.
Xu An stopped the car helplessly, opened the door, and got out.
"Goudan."
Goudan obediently jumped out of the car and lunged into Xu An's arms, but due to his current large size, he didn't actually pounce on her.
It seemed he also knew that if he did, he would knock Xu An to the ground.
This Jeep had been acquired from bases in the previous few sectors and had been modified. The driver's cabin had seats for four people, and the rear cargo area had been converted into a cargo compartment for transporting goods.
Goudan's size was clearly too large.
Xu An surveyed the driver's seat and said helplessly, "Goudan, the cockpit is too small. If you go in, you'll have to keep your head down. Otherwise, you'd better stay in the cargo area?"
Zhou Haimei had seen Goudan before and had even taken him for many walks.
Her mind was filled with questions about where Goudan had come from.
But before she could voice this question, Xu An's conversation with Goudan, as if they were discussing matters, further astonished her.
She was about to say, "What are you talking about? How can Goudan understand you?"
But the words didn't come out because she saw Goudan shake his head at Xu An and wag his tail.
Not only that, as if to prove that he would obediently listen in the back seat, he voluntarily jumped into the driver's seat and lay down obediently on the back row of seats, curling his tail and head together.
As if to prove to Xu An that he would listen obediently.
Zhou Haimei's mouth fell open, watching the scene before her, she even forgot the questions she had.
Her mind was filled with only one thought.
"Xu An, your Goudan is going to become a spirit!"
Xu An looked at Zhou Haimei's shocked expression and immediately felt a headache.
She had been so focused on Goudan that she had forgotten Zhou Haimei was there. She racked her brain, trying to figure out how to explain Goudan's sudden appearance without sounding unbelievable.
But just as she was stammering, unsure how to explain, Zhou Haimei had already moved past Xu An.
She turned and threw herself into Goudan's embrace.
She buried her head in Goudan's soft fur, looking utterly content.
"Ah~ Goudan~ Auntie misses you so much!"
Goudan even acted smug, placing his paw gently on Zhou Haimei's head as if bestowing a favor.
His eyes seemed to say: Given how pathetic you are, I'll reluctantly allow you to hug me!
Leaving Xu An alone and bewildered in the wind.
She felt a little superfluous at that moment.
Well... just a little...
Looking at the heartwarming scene between the woman and the dog, Xu An could only smile wryly and walked towards the driver's seat, resigned to driving.
Halfway through the journey, the typically unobservant Zhou Haimei finally broke free from the joy of petting Goudan. Holding Goudan's head, she asked Xu An with a smile.
"How did Goudan get here?"
Before Xu An could speak, Zhou Haimei spoke again, "I know, you must have a spatial ring. But why can your spatial ring hold living creatures?"
Xu An's mouth had already opened halfway, but she was interrupted by Zhou Haimei.
"I know, you must have secretly bought it from the White Building... Goudan, don't lick Auntie, Auntie is dirty..."
Before she could finish her sentence, she was tickled by Goudan, rolling on the seat and laughing continuously.
However, from an angle Xu An couldn't see, Zhou Haimei quietly withdrew the suspicious look from her face.
Xu An had prepared a whole speech.
But Zhou Haimei's actions instead left Xu An at a loss.
She had seen people brainwash others, but never someone brainwashing themselves.
However, Zhou Haimei's self-inflicted "pua" made Xu An feel much more relaxed.
She followed along with Zhou Haimei's words, nodding repeatedly, agreeing with whatever she said, completely giving up the fight.
At the same time, she felt a glimmer of comfort.
After all, no one was foolish.
Since Zhou Haimei had found a way for both of them to save face, Xu An had no reason not to follow suit.
And so, the original team of two became a team of two and one dog.
"An'an, how much longer until we reach Nan Hai?"
Xu An looked at the map laid out beside her. They should arrive by evening at the latest.
"Do you think Qin Chuan will die?"
As Zhou Haimei said this, she clearly noticed Xu An's movements falter slightly.
It wasn't obvious, and Xu An quickly returned to her usual demeanor.
She couldn't see the expression Xu An was hiding behind her back, only hearing her reply, a calm response devoid of any emotion.
"Don't know."
PS: Cough cough... Sister Mei, who was hung in the sky for three days, has finally been rescued, and Goudan, who was locked in the space, is finally out, hahaha~