After a dozen seconds, he asked again, "And in this life?" Natalie knew what he wanted to ask. She answered, "This life is different. She seems to have died in the earthquake." Not long after Natalie moved into Hillside Villas, a major earthquake struck—one that never happened in her last life. Later, Natalie paid special attention to that woman's house. It had already collapsed into ruins. She never saw the woman or those children again. They were likely gone. No matter how that woman's story ended, Natalie sighed and said, "I really thought someone like her—who didn't care about money, who was devout and kind—would hold on to her faith no matter what. I didn't expect her to change into something so frightening under the pressure of the apocalypse." As she spoke, she glanced at the rearview mirror. The white chapel was completely out of sight now. "That's why I think it's almost unbelievable for people to have faith in a world like this." Cassian was quiet for a moment, then said, "Maybe what these people believe in is something else entirely." When the world changes, what people pray for changes too. They kept talking as they drove into another neighborhood. This place was even busier than the last street. The road was packed with people. All the snow had been cleared to both sides and piled into neat, tall mounds. The piles were thick and dense. It was easy to imagine how much work this would take without snowplows. Sweeping just your own front yard—like Fiorella—could never achieve this.This kind of result needed a group effort, like when everyone shoveled snow together back in school days. Both sides of the road were lined with shops. Before the apocalypse, this must have been a shopping district. And clearly, even now, it was still a market. Because of the cold, all the doors and windows were shut tight. Goods were placed outside, like street stalls, for people to browse. The sellers sat inside by the windows, smiling, chatting with buyers through the glass. The items were simple but complete—basic survival supplies. Hot water bottles. Thick blankets. Instant noodles. Half-eaten boxes of hardtack crackers. Scarves knitted unevenly and a bit crooked. A little of everything. After agreeing on a trade, buyers would place their food on the stall, grab what they bought, and hurry away. The cold was dangerous. Staying outside too long could cost a life. Even so, as people came and went, the street never emptied. The crowd made the place feel warmer somehow. Even Cassian, who was usually calm, couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. In other places like Northlorn, if a seller dared to sit inside the house while leaving goods outside, everything would be stolen in minutes. Yet here, everything was orderly. The sellers looked kind. The buyers were unhurried. Some even chatted and laughed with friends while shopping, greeting people they knew as if this were any normal day. Over this stretch of their journey, Natalie and Cassian had passed through many cities. This was the first time they had seen a place that still felt so alive. It made Natalie wonder, was this really the same apocalypse they were living in?Normally, people should have been hiding at home. They should have been shaking from the cold, burning anything they could find for heat. They should have been clutching their supplies tight and locking their doors like fortresses. Yet this lively, friendly street made Natalie and Cassian feel as if they had somehow stepped back into the world before the apocalypse. The feeling was unreal. What surprised them even more was how the people on the street reacted to their armored vehicle. Their response was the same as the believers heading into the hall earlier—calm and natural. There was no curiosity. No greed. No desire. Some people even politely stepped aside. They pressed their palms together, bowing slightly in apology for blocking the road, and they made room for the vehicle to pass. Natalie looked out the window and couldn't help saying, "Wow, these people are incredibly polite." She suddenly remembered a morning before the apocalypse. She had been riding in a taxi when they passed a narrow road taken over by street vendors. It had turned into a temporary morning market. Carts, produce stalls, and older shoppers filled the street from end to end. Even though a long line of cars was stuck behind them, some women stood right in the middle of the road, bargaining loudly with vendors. They believed no one would dare to hit them. The driver had been cursing under his breath the whole time. Compared to that, the people here were actually more peaceful and respectful than before the apocalypse. After a brief look at each other, Natalie and Cassian decided to find a place to park the vehicle. Then they would come back on foot and ask around. They needed to understand what was really going on in this city.