The two men outside had no idea the occupants inside were awake, and began picking at the door once more.
A series of rustling sounds echoed near the entrance.
Suzy and Mark exchanged a quick glance. The monitoring screen clearly showed both men lingering right by the RV’s side door.
"I’ll go," Suzy murmured, standing up to glide softly toward the doorway.
She placed her palm on the handle, ready to push the door open.
Before she could even register his movement, Mark suddenly materialized beside her, reaching out to rest his hand gently over the back of hers.
His fingertips were icy cold, yet his grip was remarkably steady.
When Suzy turned her head, he simply shook his head at her without a word. Releasing his grip, he squeezed past her and eased the door open himself.
On the screen, the two scavengers had already wandered over toward the driver-side door, likely moving on after failing to pry open the main entrance.
Consequently, they heard nothing as Mark stepped out; his movements were impossibly quiet.
Once outside, he pulled the door shut behind him.
Instead of following, Suzy quickly picked up her tablet to watch the live surveillance feeds, curious to see how he intended to handle things.
On the monitor, Mark closed the distance between himself and the two men with slow, effortless strides. He looked completely recovered—no different from a healthy person, showing no residual weakness from his recent agonizing fever.
In a flash, he was standing right behind them.
With their focus pinned entirely on picking the lock, the men failed to notice his approach until Mark lightly tapped both of their shoulders. They froze, turning their heads around stiffly.
What met their eyes in the dark was a pale, expressionless face.
The sudden appearance of an emotionless figure in the pitch-black night frightened them half to death.
Surprised and enraged, one of the men squeezed out a muffled "What the—" from his throat. Before he could utter another word, Mark’s hand had already closed around his neck.
The movement was deceptively light and lightning-fast. In the next breath, Mark snapped his wrist.
A sharp crack echoed distinctly through the night air, sending a chill down the spine.
The man’s body immediately went limp, collapsing into unconsciousness without even managing a groan.
The other man’s pupils shrank in terror. He opened his mouth to scream, but Mark was already in front of him.
Same precision. Same speed. Same absolute silence.
As the second body hit the ground, Mark didn’t even spare them a glance. He simply bent over, grabbed each man by the collar, and dragged both bodies away from the RV into the deeper shadows by the roadside.
Straightening up, he casually brushed nonexistent dust off his palms and turned back toward the vehicle.
Inside the RV, Suzy stared at the monitor, rendered utterly speechless.
That... was fast.
Impossibly fast.
She had never expected someone who looked so harmless and fragile to be such a ruthless predator—snapping necks without so much as a second thought or a blink of an eye.
And truth be told, his physical strength was terrifying.
To snap a neck with his bare hands like that... Suzy swallowed hard, a sudden chill creeping up her spine.
"It’s me."
A light knock sounded at the door. Suzy quickly stepped forward and pulled it open to find Mark standing right outside.
A soft smile curved up his pale lips as he looked at her.
"Come on in," she said, stepping aside to make way.
Mark stepped back onto the RV. The moment he did, his breathing suddenly grew heavy and ragged, his entire body swaying dangerously as if he were about to collapse.
Wait, where did all that energy go just now?
This guy was snapping necks like dry twigs a second ago! How did he turn back into a fragile mess the moment he stepped into the RV? Is my vehicle toxic or something?
Suzy complained internally, but she still reached out to steady him.
"Careful," she cautioned, helping him over to the couch.
She stared at him for a moment. The pain writhed across his face was clearly no act. Softening her tone, she asked, "How are you feeling now?"
Mark glanced up at her, his eyes unfocused. "Awful."
"Awful?" she muttered under her breath. "If you felt that terrible, why were you trying to play the hero out there?"
Mark pressed his lips together without responding, propping one hand on the table as he breathed heavily.
Uncertain of what was actually going on with him, Suzy locked the door before turning back. She reached out and pressed her palm against his forehead.
Mark caught her off guard and froze instantly.
"No fever," she murmured, puzzled. His forehead was cool to the touch—the earlier high fever had completely broken. What on earth was wrong with him?
"Drink some water." She turned toward the counter and poured a glass of diluted spiritual spring water.
"Thank you."
Surprisingly obedient, Mark accepted the glass, voiced his thanks, and downed it in two large gulps. Setting the glass back on the table, he let out a long sigh. "Feeling a bit better now."
"Want some more?" she asked.
He paused for a beat, then nodded politely. "If it’s not too much trouble."
"Not at all."
As Suzy turned her back to pour another glass, Mark traced her figure with a thoughtful gaze. The moment she began to turn back, he instantly snapped his eyes toward the dark window.
The RV’s interior was bathed in a warm yellow glow, making the pitch-black night outside look completely opaque. All he saw reflected in the glass was his own face—a face both familiar and strange.
So... this is my new body.
It bore a seventy-to-eighty percent resemblance to his previous appearance. While he was pondering this internally, Suzy handed over the fresh glass.
"Here."
Nodding in thanks, he took the glass and emptied it again in a few mouthfuls. The liquid washed through him, bringing a swift, tangible wave of relief.
He looked back up, his eyes locking onto Suzy.
Though he didn’t utter a word, she instantly caught his unspoken hint. She let out a helpless chuckle. "Alright, one more."
Mark offered her an obedient, perfectly sweet smile. "Thank you."
With two glasses of diluted spiritual spring water down, his condition noticeably improved, looking far better than when he’d first stumbled back into the RV.
Suzy set the third glass in front of him. This time, he paced himself, drinking with much more refinement. Taking smaller sips, he finished it off in no time.
Suzy raised an eyebrow. "More?"
"No need, thank you," he replied, looking slightly embarrassed.
She sat down across from him. "How do you feel now? Are you hungry? Want something to eat?"
Since she’d pulled him off the road, he hadn’t eaten a single bite aside from drinking water. She was starting to suspect his sudden weakness was just a severe case of low blood sugar.
"I’m not—"
Before he could finish his refusal, his stomach betrayed him with a loud, unmistakable rumble.
Without asking further, Suzy stood up and retrieved a bucket of instant noodles and a tin of canned meat from a kitchen drawer. Using the hot water ready on board, she prepped the noodles and popped open the tin, setting both down in front of him.
"You can start with this," she said, pointing at the meat. "The noodles need another two minutes."
Mark looked at her with a complex glint in his eyes. He hadn’t expected her to be this warmhearted—not only rescuing him, but offering food without hesitation.
Is this woman like this with everyone?