The tip of the blade stopped just half an inch from his chest. Natalie had died during the Frostfall. She knew everything about the first four years of the apocalypse, but after her death, she had no idea what came next. Braxton was right—he actually had some value. Knowing what type of disaster came next, and when, was almost as powerful as her secret storage space. Natalie looked down at him from above. "Talk." Braxton wouldn't spill it out so easily. He knew that once he lost his use, Natalie could kill him right away. He frowned and said weakly, "I'm really sick; give me some water. Help me to bandage my wound."Natalie smirked coldly. So, just because he had one piece of information, he thought he could bargain for his life? Delusional. She pulled a chair out from her storage space, sat down at ease, and then laid out a table full of food. Pork knuckle, honey-glazed ham, Cajun crawfish boil, Southern fried catfish, smoked beef brisket, and crispy fried chicken drumsticks. Every dish looked mouthwatering, was strongly seasoned, and was bursting with flavor. Braxton's eyes went wide. He sniffed greedily, trying to breathe in every bit of the aroma. He hadn't eaten real food for five years. He had survived on dirt, bark, and scraps. Now, faced with the foods of the world before the apocalypse, all he wanted was to eat until his stomach finally felt full. Natalie picked up her fork and started eating slowly, savoring every bite. Braxton leaned forward desperately, but his body was too weak to lift itself. He begged, "Give me some! Please, give me some food! I'll tell you everything once I eat!" Natalie was unmoved; her face remained cold. "Speak. Then you eat." Braxton fell silent. If he gave away the secret too easily, what if she went back on her word and refused to feed him? Natalie wasn't in a hurry. She smiled lightly and pulled out a bottle of mineral water. She didn't drink straight from it but poured it into a glass slowly, letting the stream of water sparkle in the air with a loud splash. Braxton's eyes went wide as he locked onto it. Natalie lifted the glass and took a large gulp, the sound of her swallowing echoing in the quiet room. Then she held the glass up."Tell me. What comes after Frostfall? Tell me, and the rest of this water is yours." Braxton licked his cracked lips. His body was beyond thirsty, too dry to resist any longer. "Evernight!" He croaked at last. "After Frostfall comes Evernight—a world with no sun!" Evernight? Natalie's chest tightened. Just the name alone carried suffocating dread. So it was true—no disaster in this apocalypse would ever be easy. Her face, however, stayed calm. "Explain it. In detail." Braxton didn't continue. His eyes stayed locked on the glass in her hand, his throat working as he swallowed hard. Natalie knew he was desperate, but she had no intention of handing the water over yet. Once his body felt relief, he might grow bold and stubborn again.Better to let him stay hungry and thirsty, with his mind focused on nothing but food and water. That way, he wouldn't have energy to argue with her. Natalie took another long sip of water, then picked up a rib and chewed it slowly. She glanced at Braxton, whose eyes were glued to the food, and said, "Spit it out already! I only brought out this much. If you keep stalling, I'll eat it all before you open your mouth." Braxton grew anxious. "I already told you what the next apocalypse is! Doesn't that earn me at least a little food and water?" He straightened up a bit, trying to sound tough. "If you refused, I won't say another word." Natalie dabbed her mouth with a napkin, calm and graceful, then stood. Her voice turned sharp. "Seems you still don't understand your situation. I have a storage space filled with supplies. Even if you tell me nothing, I'll be fine. But you? You won't last. If you won't talk, then I'll just shut your mouth forever." She raised the bayonet again. Braxton went pale, terror flooding his face. "No, no, no! I'll talk! Don't kill me, please!" Natalie sneered. "That depends on how good your story is. If I'm happy, maybe I'll let you walk away." Braxton rushed to explain his experiences, his voice trembling. "Frostfall lasted for more than two years. Just when we were about to collapse, the temperature started to rise again. At first, it gave people hope. But after so many disasters, no one dared to believe it was finally over. "Sure enough, when the air warmed to about 73°F—the most comfortable temperature—the next horror began. That day, the sun set like normal. But the next morning, it never rose again. The world fell into endless darkness, 24 hours a day." At the memory, Braxton shivered hard, like something cold had brushed down his spine. Natalie grew impatient, so he kept going. "The darkness gave birth to more evil. Outside of the official bases, where the military barely managed to keep order, the rest of the world became a paradise for raiders. But calling them raiders wasn't quite right. They were people who had been broken by the endless disasters—driven insane, twisted in their minds. These maniacs formed gangs, hunted in packs, and killed anyone they came across. And then ... there were the animals. Terrifying creatures that should never have existed."