Olivia repeated the emergency steps again. But the second group of people outside still complained that they didn't have enough water. They begged to borrow some and even asked her to come with them. "My house is right next door," the man pleaded. "Doctor, please come take a look. He's having full-body convulsions, and we're too scared to move him!" Olivia didn't open the door, and she didn't hand over any water. Her supply was limited. It was just enough to keep her alive for a while, and every drop mattered. How could she give that away? Even if she gave them some today, what about tomorrow? Or the day after? With the temperature this high, more and more people were going to collapse from heat stroke. Was she supposed to pour out her water for every single one of them?That was impossible. Unless it was Natalie who needed it, Olivia wasn't going to part with her supply. Through the door she said calmly, "I've already told you the steps. That's all I can do. You should leave now and save your family." The man and the old woman, realizing they couldn't get what they wanted, quickly rushed home. But the second group still refused to give up. "You're a doctor!" one of them shouted. "Please, help us. Lend us some water!" Olivia stayed silent. As a doctor, her role was to explain what to do in an emergency. Whether people could carry it out or not wasn't in her hands. Even without the disaster, she was barely surviving. Even before the apocalypse, there had been patients who couldn't afford treatment and wanted to give up. She couldn't pay out of her pocket to save them all then, and she couldn't save everyone now. She was a doctor, yes—but she wasn't a savior. They begged and shouted for a long time. When Olivia didn't respond, their words turned sharp and cruel. "Some doctor you are! Heartless and selfish!" "Doctors are supposed to save lives! You don't even deserve to be a human being!" "Bah! Cold-blooded witch! One day your whole family will pay the price!" Olivia's fists clenched. That last line cut deep. Her parents had died early. After the apocalypse, she had lost her husband and the baby she'd been carrying. Now she was truly alone. Her voice turned icy."Instead of wasting time insulting me, you'd be smarter to go back and try to save your family. Or you just can't bear to use your water, so you'd rather stand here and guilt me into giving up mine? "The longer you stay here shouting, the more time your loved one loses. Maybe that's what you want. If that person dies, you won't have to wrestle with the choice of using up your water. And you can dump all the blame on me. Convenient, isn't it?" The moment Olivia exposed their true intentions, the people outside bristled with anger and shame. "You're talking nonsense! How could we ever think that way? You're a doctor—if you can't be selfless, fine—but why do you have to be so cruel with your words?" Olivia's reply was calm and sharp. "What's wrong with being a doctor? That's my job. But right now, I'm off duty. You didn't make an appointment, so I'm not seeing you." "You ... you nasty bitch! You—" Before the man could finish, Olivia slid open the firing slot and fired her nail gun. The shot hit the loudest one straight in the arm. "Ahhh!" The man screamed as the nail drove into his left arm. He clutched at the wound, blood soaking his sleeve. From behind the door came Olivia's icy voice. "Say one more word, and the next shot goes straight to your heart." The man shivered in fear. He stumbled back, clutching his bleeding arm, and fled down the staircase. The two others exchanged uneasy looks, unwilling to give up. They lingered, shifting from foot to foot. Olivia's tone cut through the silence. "What's the matter? You want to challenge me? I can make sure you reach the afterlife before your sick family does." The sharp crack of another shot split the air. That was enough. The two bolted.One yelped as a nail lodged squarely in his backside. He grabbed his rear and ran, shrieking down the stairs. Olivia gave a cold snort. You should be thankful you ran into me. If Nat were here, none of you would've made it out alive. She slid the firing slot shut and went back inside, returning to bed as if nothing had happened. Inside Unit 1402, Lucky's ears twitched at the sounds outside. Natalie had told her to bark if someone tries the door. But this? Does it count? Olivia seemed to have handled it already. The dog paced the living room for a while, uneasy. Finally, she padded to the bedroom. Her human was still sound asleep, breathing softly. Quietly, Lucky backed out and returned to her post at the front door.I'll make sure my humans know I'm useful and that I'm guarding this house. Natalie didn't wake until after five in the evening. Groggy, she stretched and looked around, but Lucky wasn't at her side. She climbed out of bed and searched, only to find the dog planted firmly at the entryway, sitting tall like a little soldier. When Lucky saw her awake, she didn't move, only wagged her tail while keeping her post. Natalie couldn't help but laugh. "Good girl! That's enough." At once, Lucky bounded over, tail whipping with joy. Natalie rubbed her head and filled her food bowl—this time adding two chicken drumsticks. Lucky dove in with delight, chomping away as if she'd won a prize. With a few hours of daylight left, Natalie freshened up and made herself a meal. She'd scored plenty the night before, and tonight she planned to keep scouring the city. High-energy food would keep her going. Natalie whipped up a beef-and-pasta skillet, a side of spicy macaroni and cheese, and got herself a glass of milk tea.