1 After college graduation, my parents suggested I go on a road trip with all the students my family’s foundation had sponsored. Driving through No Man's Land, the fuel gauges on our three SUVs were hitting empty. That’s when Sarah piped up with a brilliant idea: pour water into the gas tanks. "Just add some water, the gas will last longer," she chirped. My boyfriend, Liam, smiled and agreed. The other sponsored students nodded along like bobbleheads. I shut it down immediately. Water in the gas tank? That’s a one-way ticket to a wrecked engine. I couldn't let everyone die out there. I took a hard line, siphoning gas from two vehicles into one, and risked my life driving out alone to get help. When my car ran dry, I hiked for a day and a night until I found a rescue team and brought them back. On the return trip, Sarah claimed I looked down on her. She ran off crying and stumbled straight into a wolf pack. They tore off both her legs. She sobbed that I had led her into the wolves. Liam, furious, threw me out of the car. The wolves tore me apart. Not even a bone was left. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the moment Sarah suggested watering down the gas. I smiled. "Sure, go ahead. Water makes the car go faster." "Gas stations water down their fuel anyway. If we add water to the tank, we can definitely save some gas." Sarah's voice buzzed in my ear. I pinched my own face. Ouch! I’m reborn? "Zoe, stop being stubborn. Just listen to everyone. Maybe this method can help us get out of No Man's Land." Sarah looked at me with wide, fearful eyes, like I was about to eat her. Liam and the other sponsored students stared at me. If I dared refuse Sarah's suggestion, they’d gang up on me. I’d been through this scenario a thousand times. I smiled. "Sarah, you're so smart to think of such a great idea." "Do it. Water in the tank makes it go faster." Standing nearby, Liam finally gave a satisfied smile. "For once, you actually know your place." I didn't want to waste breath on them. My brain was already calculating my escape plan from this wasteland. There were eleven of us in three cars. Originally, I was in the same car as Liam, but Sarah insisted on riding with him. So, I’ve been driving one car solo this whole trip. In my last life, my car had the most gas. To give everyone a fighting chance, I left them all the supplies and drove alone into the endless desert to find help. In this life? I’m not lifting a finger for these idiots. I’m getting myself out. Based on my past life, heading west for sixty miles gets you out of this desert. My tank has enough for forty miles. Luckily, I’ve always been into extreme sports. My stamina is solid. I can hike the remaining twenty miles before dark. The supplies in my car are more than enough. With a detailed plan in mind, I started to relax. Just to be safe, I pulled a watch out of the trunk. It was a birthday gift from him. In my last life, he found this watch where the wolves killed me. He broke down, slapping himself, blaming himself for not telling me sooner that this watch had a satellite GPS. If I had turned it on, he could have found me anywhere. I smirked, fiddled with the settings, and activated the GPS. This time, I hope he finds me. Seeing the luxury watch on my wrist, jealousy flashed in Sarah’s eyes. "Zoe, doesn't your car have a case of water? Bring it out for us." My heart sank. They want to use my drinking water to fill their gas tanks? 2 "You have four cases in your car. Why don't you use yours?" I shot back. Sarah pouted, acting self-righteous. "Zoe, we're in a desert. Water is precious. You can't hoard it all for yourself." I laughed. Just moments ago, she was using bottled water to wash her face. Now water is precious? Liam stepped forward, staring me down. "Bring it out." His tone left no room for argument. I took a deep breath, suppressing my rage, trying to reason with him. "I bought that water..." "We're in a crisis, and you're still talking about 'yours' and 'mine'?" Sarah interrupted, looking like a saint. "We need to unite in the face of difficulty. If everyone was as selfish as you, how would we ever get out of here?" The other students immediately chimed in, looking at me with disdain: "You can't drink a whole case by yourself. Bring it out for distribution." "Zoe, bring the water! Don't make us take it." "Capitalist daughters are so selfish. Not sensible like Sarah at all." ... Selfish? If my family hadn't sponsored your education, you'd be hauling cement at a construction site right now, not going to college or getting jobs at our company. I finally understood why my parents wanted me to go on this trip. Crisis reveals character. This was their final test. Seeing I wouldn't budge, they opened my trunk and started unloading supplies. I tried to stop them, but they pinned me to the ground. I watched helplessly as they poured my drinking water into their gas tanks. Without water, driving in this heat would mean dehydration and passing out. "Give me back my water..." I struggled to get up. Sarah grabbed a handful of sand and shoved it into my mouth, snarling, "Shut up! Say another word and I'll fill your stomach with sand." I gagged, coughing as sand filled my nose and throat. Snot and tears ran down my face. I was pathetic, lying in the dirt. The students laughed, clutching their stomachs. "Is this the heiress of the Ling family? Looks more like a dog to me! Hahaha..." I gritted my teeth and stood up, raising my hand to slap Sarah. The next second, my wrist was caught in a vice grip. Sarah reacted instantly and slapped me. Smack! Liam froze, instinctively letting go. I collapsed, my face burning. Sarah hid behind Liam, trembling. "I'm sorry, Zoe. You tried to hit me first. It was just self-defense." Liam reached a hand out to me, looking disgusted. "Get up. Stop embarrassing yourself." I forced the tears back and looked up into his eyes. "Liam, let's break up." "Sarah was just reacting, she didn't mean it. Why are you throwing a tantrum again?" Liam shielded Sarah, looking at me warily, like I was going to snap his little white flower in half. A wave of exhaustion hit me. Throwing a tantrum? From the moment we started dating, any time I didn't go along with his decisions, I was "throwing a tantrum." Not going to the same college as him? Tantrum. Studying abroad? Tantrum. Sarah cries? My tantrum. ... "Liam, we're not on the same path. Breaking up is best for both of us." Time had corroded the man I loved beyond recognition. When I was twelve, I snuck out to eat street food and saw Liam huddled in a corner washing dishes. His hands moved mechanically, scrubbing greasy plates, but his eyes looked enviously at the students in uniforms. 3 I felt sorry for him and asked my dad to sponsor his education. Liam worked hard, got into high school with top grades, and ended up at my school. At the opening ceremony, a stage light fell. He shielded me with his body, getting a concussion that hospitalized him for a month. Blood blurred his vision, but he smiled and comforted me: "Don't be scared. I'll protect you." Later, we naturally became a couple. I don't know when his gaze started drifting to Sarah. She was a charity case like him. Sarah, the delicate little flower, always made him feel soft, made him want to take care of her. Eventually, his heart completely tilted her way. I staggered up, snatched my keys from Sarah, and started the car. As I hit the gas, I felt a weight lift. Finally escaping. The next moment, Liam blocked the car with his body. I slammed the brakes, hitting my head on the steering wheel. A flash of pain crossed Liam's eyes, and his tone softened. "Stop this. It's dangerous to go alone." Sarah walked up, linked arms with Liam, and smirked at me. "Zoe, stop with the princess attitude. Your car has the most gas. If you waste it, what about us?" Her words rallied the others. "Yeah, it's safer if we all stick together." "Siphon the gas from her car. That gives us more hope." I sneered. "This car is mine. Why should I give you my gas?" Not just this one. All three cars were mine. One guy shouted indignantly: "We need to work together to get out of the desert. There is no 'yours' and 'mine' right now." I rolled my eyes. "Your two cars are full. Where am I supposed to sit? You giving up your seat?" He shut up. Sarah tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Zoe, don't you love convertibles? You can sit on the roof! It's way more exciting than a convertible." Everyone agreed instantly. "Exactly! The roof is great. She loves freedom, let her feel the wind." "Don't worry, we have ropes. We can tie you down so you won't fall." "Money can't buy this kind of thrill. Miss Heiress can brag about this when we get back." Liam sighed. Just as I thought he would shut down this ridiculous idea, his next words froze my blood. "You like extreme sports. You're physically stronger than them. Sitting on the roof is fine." I gave up hope. I slammed the gas pedal. Sarah screamed, "She's running! Grab her!" They swarmed the car. The door was ripped open, and I was dragged out. I thrashed, trying to break free. "Ah!" Sarah cried out, clutching her stomach and crouching on the ground. "Zoe, why did you kick me?" Liam shoved me aside and held her. I froze, instinctively arguing, "I didn't even touch her..." Sarah shrank into Liam's arms, looking at me with terror. "Zoe, I shouldn't have blocked your way. Please don't kick me again... it hurts..." Liam frowned, his voice cold. "Apologize!" "I didn't do anything! Why should I apologize?" The others started accusing me: "You were struggling so hard, you definitely kicked Sarah." "Sarah is so kind, she wouldn't lie. You have to apologize!" 4 Sarah was sweating, breathing fast. "Sand got into my wound..." She showed Liam a one-inch scratch on her arm. Liam glared at me. "Zoe! Look what you did." I smirked. "Any later and the wound would have healed itself." Sarah forced a pained smile. "Zoe, I don't need an apology. Can I borrow your sun jacket? Just to block the sand, my wound hurts..." My jacket was custom-made, designed by my mom with high-tech fabric. Sun-proof, wind-proof, breathable. You couldn't buy it. I refused immediately. "I'm allergic to UV rays. No." Sarah moaned in pain. "Forget it. My life isn't worth as much as the princess's delicate skin." Liam's face went ice cold. "UV allergy? That's just an excuse because you don't want to get tan." "I'm counting to three. Take it off yourself!" "One, two..." Before three, Liam lost patience. He grabbed my wrist and stripped the jacket off me. I was left in a tank top. My skin, exposed to the brutal sun, started to burn immediately. My face stung. Liam gently put the jacket on Sarah, carefully blowing away the sand on her skin. Looking at them made me sick. I turned to leave. Just as I reached for the car door, Liam grabbed my hand. "It's just a jacket. Why are you throwing a tantrum again?" "Throwing a tantrum." Those words lit a fuse. I slapped Liam across the face. Hard. "I don't throw tantrums. I throw hands!" Liam's face swelled instantly. Sarah screamed. "Are you crazy? How dare you hit Liam!" Liam pressed his tongue against his cheek, his face dark as a storm. "Zoe, you mess up and refuse to repent. Looks like you need a lesson." My heart sank. "Since you don't want the roof, take the bumper." I gasped. "Liam, are you insane?!" Two muscular guys grabbed me, tied my hands, and tied the other end of the rope to the back of the car. "We'll let you down when you admit you're wrong." With that, he got into the driver's seat. The engine roared. I was yanked forward. The car picked up speed. I couldn't keep up. I fell, dragged for dozens of yards. Rocks and sand tore my skin apart. Blood flowed. I screamed in panic. "Stop! Please stop!" Laughter came from inside the car. They couldn't hear me. The car drifted around a rock. My head slammed into it. Stars exploded in my vision. Blood blurred my eyes. Terror flooded me. Survival instinct took over. I begged, "I'm sorry... I was wrong..." The roar of the engine drowned me out. The car didn't stop. I was going to die here. My consciousness faded. Through the blur, I saw a helicopter approaching. A man's desperate voice shouted: "Let her go!" Smoke poured from the two cars ahead. They had to stop. One student yelled: "Bad news! The cars broke down!" 5 Before the helicopter even landed, the man in the pilot's seat jumped out and sprinted toward me. He cut the rope with a knife and crushed me into a hug, his voice trembling. "Moon, I'm late." "Brother..." As soon as I spoke, my nose stung and tears poured out. I choked, unable to form a sentence. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you." I shook my head slightly, trying to smile. "I'm happy to see you." "Ethan! Let go of my girlfriend!" Liam got out of the car. Seeing me in Ethan's arms, anger washed over his face. Ethan set me down gently, turned, and punched Liam square in the jaw. Liam hit the dirt. Ethan, eyes red, pounded him again and again. The students were stunned. "What are you waiting for? Help him!" Sarah shrieked. They snapped out of it and pulled them apart. Liam wiped blood from his lip, veins popping. "Ethan, you're a psycho!" Ethan's eyes were bloodshot, chest heaving. "I'm a psycho? You're an animal!" "Zoe loves you, and you tried to kill her!" Liam finally saw my state. Covered in wounds, forehead bleeding. His face paled. "I just wanted her to apologize... I didn't think she'd get hurt this bad..." "Apologize?" Ethan sneered. "Looks like you're not just stupid, you're blind." Liam shot back, "You're just the Ling family's adopted son. What right do you have to interfere with me and Zoe?" Ethan's gaze shifted to me, gentle as water. "From now on, I'll protect her for the rest of my life." I froze. I didn't expect him to say that. Ethan was the son of my dad's best friend. His parents died in a car crash when he was young, and my dad adopted him. We were close as kids. I followed him around calling him "Brother." But in high school, he turned cold. He forbade me from calling him Brother. When I started dating Liam, he went abroad. He only came back a year ago. He brought a first aid kit and bandaged me. "Just a quick fix. I'm taking you to the hospital." I nodded. Sarah whined, "How can we all fit in that tiny helicopter?" She was already planning to grab the best seat for the view. Ethan laughed coldly. "What does your survival have to do with me?" "You!" Sarah fumed. Seeing me on the helicopter, she put on her innocent mask. "Zoe, you wouldn't be heartless enough to leave us, would you?" I smiled faintly. "Didn't you say water in the gas tank would get everyone out? I believe in you." Seeing the smoke pouring from the cars, the students started to panic. "Sarah, didn't you say water saves gas?" "The engines are blown! What now?!" Sarah's face twisted. She lost it. "It's not my car! How should I know? I don't even have a license! You guys are men, shouldn't you know cars better than me?" That enraged everyone. "Sarah, what the hell? We trusted you because you're the top student! Now the cars are wrecked and you're blaming us?" "I don't care! You have to get us out of here!" Sarah hid behind Liam, eyes darting with calculation. "Don't they have a helicopter? Go take it!"
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