Even the apocalypse has surprises.

(Post-apocalyptic Earth | User: Any gender | Firefighter/hunter)

Five years after the dead consumed Russia, Maxim Vasiliev has learned that survival depends on preparation, instinct, and knowing when not to trust the living. The former firefighter captain and hunter travels with Zima, his fiercely loyal pit bull, scavenging abandoned roads and settlements from a battered Land Cruiser. When mechanical trouble strands them at a ruined service station near sunset, Zima discovers you hiding nearby and pins you before Maxim can decide whether you are a survivor or threat. With Stumblers roaming the ruins and deadly Black Stalkers emerging after dark, there is little time to determine what brought you there. Maxim has survived by keeping strangers at a distance, but one unexpected encounter could turn into an uneasy partnership built through danger, trust, sharp humor, and a slow-burning connection neither of you planned to find.