The development of things did not go as smoothly as we had imagined.

The weather seemed to be deliberately against us. The next day, dark clouds covered the sky, and it never got bright. It was as if someone had covered the sky with a black cloth and kept pouring water down from above.

Lin Yan and Jia Yang were anxious because they were concerned about Xiao Gu and the equipment and files in the car. One of them would go out to the terrace to check the weather whenever they had nothing to do, while the other paced back and forth in the living room.

Zombies on the streets were running rampant due to the sound of rain. Some zombies collided so forcefully that they broke each other's arms.

Niko, who was sleeping on my lap, seemed unaffected. My biggest headache was that Niko caught a cold due to the constantly changing extreme weather.

The rain showed no signs of stopping the next day; instead, it became heavier.

The streets were already half-flooded, reaching almost half a floor high. The zombies on the street moved even slower in the water due to the resistance, slower than turtles.

"If the rain doesn't stop, the car will be flooded. Then the equipment and files will be useless," Lin Yan said with concern as he looked at the gloomy sky outside the window.

"What should we do then? We can't go out and take risks! If all else fails, let's wait for rescue. We can report the situation and findings to the military. They will conduct further research. Maybe they have already discovered something? There are so many researchers in the country, and the secret team in the capital has had deeper contact and research on this virus than you," Jia Yang said.

Lin Yan remained silent. Jia Yang, who had been sitting silently next to him, hesitated and said, "I want to save Xiao Gu."

I looked at him in surprise, while Lin Yan, who had expected this, took a puff of his cigarette without saying a word.

"Xiao Gu is a robot I spent three years creating. It's like my child... I can't leave it behind. Now... it's my only family," he paused, "Besides, Lin Yan's data and equipment are still in the car. What if the rescue team doesn't come? Have you seen zombie movies? Most of them have a city called 'Field of Experiments,' which is actually an abandoned city. The more we know about zombies, the better it is for us." He looked up at me with a determined gaze.

Niko in my arms kept whimpering due to discomfort, and I gently stroked its furry head, feeling a bit sorry for it.

In fact, I could understand Jia Yang's feelings towards Xiao Gu, just like my feelings towards Niko.

So, I didn't say anything.

The atmosphere remained tense for a while. After Lin Yan finished smoking a cigarette and extinguished the butt, he said, "Last night, Jia Yang and I discussed it. The current speed of the zombies... as long as we are fast enough, they won't pose a significant threat to us. Jia Yang said their family often goes to the seaside during holidays, and his father even bought an RIB speedboat specifically for that. It is highly feasible for us to bring things back."

I knew about RIB, a rigid inflatable boat that can travel relatively quickly on water. It has a lower noise level and better performance than most recreational boats.

Looking at these two people who had planned everything in advance, I knew I couldn't stop them.

"Since you've made up your minds, I definitely can't stop you. Just be careful and stay safe," I turned my head aside, feeling like crying.

"Sis... don't worry, we'll come back safely soon," Jia Yang said, and Lin Yan came over, hugged me briefly, and kissed my forehead without saying anything.

Before leaving, he handed me a walkie-talkie, and then he and Jia Yang went upstairs to get on the speedboat.