Despite her young age, Nadia's heart held a darkness as deep as midnight. Her classmates from the eighth and twelfth floors had learned that lesson the hard way. One woman had walked away with broken ribs and hacked hair, while a man had suffered even worse—first mauled by a dog, then stabbed. By dawn, he'd been carried off to the hospital. She was not someone you'd want to cross. Meanwhile, Hunter and his team staggered back, exhausted and empty-handed, their haul amounting to nothing but a few sticks of firewood. Every spot they'd searched had already been ransacked, not even a moldy crust of bread left behind. When they looked up at the impressive bounty on the eighteenth floor, all they could do was sigh in envy. They were in the same building, yet the gulf between them felt vast. As soon as Nadia stepped onto the eighteenth floor, Colby burst out of Unit 1803, bounding over and pawing at her, letting out low, sorrowful whimpers. Her loyal companion seemed to say, How could you leave me? You promised you wouldn't abandon me! Lily followed closely, flinging her arms around Nadia's waist with a bright grin. "Miss, Colby and I were on our best behavior today!" Nadia chuckled, just about to compliment Lily's helpfulness when the little whirlwind dashed over to Unit 1801 instead, calling out, "Harry, I missed you so much!" As was the routine, everyone gathered in Unit 1803 to divvy up the day's haul. The excitement in the room grew when the others learned they'd managed to bring back an entire pig, though Jasmine voiced a practical concern. "The fridge isn't working… How are we going to keep the pork from spoiling?" Half a pig was far more than they could finish in just a few days, and letting it go to waste would be such a shame.Then, someone from Unit 1801 spoke up with a suggestion that startled everyone. "I've got a car cooler that runs on USB power. The meat should just about fit. It charges slowly because of the limited sunlight, but it should be enough to keep the pork cold." A car cooler? Nadia paused, remembering she had stashed a few of those in her storage. Jumping in, she said, "Actually, I think the landlord has one, too. I'll check his room and see if we can find it." With the storage issue solved, Caleb suggested they shouldn't let the fresh pork just sit and spoil in the cooler. "Why don't you two start by eating from our share for now?" Nadia agreed, though she knew there was too much to finish in a few days. "Cut off the fat and render it into lard. Tonight, we'll do a hot pot feast, and we can salt the leftovers to help it keep a bit longer." The rain had brought a coolness to the air, so it should last a few days at least. Caleb's mouth watered at the thought. "Can we start by noon?" "Go right ahead. I'm heading out again, see if I can track down some dog food or something for Colby." Levi offered, a hint of worry in his voice, "Want us to come along?" "No need. Just focus on taking care of that half-pig." Knowing the group's lack of kitchen skills, Nadia reminded them, "Separate the skin from the fat before you fry it, or it'll splatter everywhere…" Harrison, who seemed just as lost, watched her quietly, picking up tips with a focused gaze. Back in her apartment, she refueled with a plate of shredded pork in garlic sauce, treated Colby's wounds, and prepared to leave. Colby clung to her pant leg as if saying, Are you really leaving me again? She patted his head with a grin. "Be good and guard the house. I'm going to hunt down more meat for us." The pig had drifted downstream, and she remembered there was a large pig farm upstream. If it came from there, then there had to be more. Upstream, the river snaked through a range of hills, where more pigs might have found refuge on the slopes. Nadia didn't have much pork in storage, and now that Colby was with her, she needed more supplies. She decided to try her luck with the hunt. Just as she was about to set off, Colby stubbornly refused to let her leave without him. In the end, she had to bring him along. After all, when it came to tracking prey, a dog's instincts were unmatched. Without a raincoat for him, she improvised by cutting holes in a plastic bag, slipping it over his head like a makeshift rain cape, giving it a hilariously ridiculous appearance. Holding back her laughter, she snapped a picture of him in his "armor."And so, the girl and dog set off together, climbing into a speedboat and cutting through the misty river waters as they made their way toward the peaks of Firridge. The elevation of Firridge wasn't particularly high, and at its base stretched Phoenix Park, a once-vibrant space of sprawling lakes and scenic overlooks, now swallowed beneath the rising floodwaters. Nadia steered the boat toward a gentle slope along the shore, and, after confirming the coast was clear, swiftly tucked the raft away into her storage space. A winding path led up the mountain, with both stone steps and a concrete trail as options. Choosing to conserve her energy, she opted for the concrete and kept a vigilant eye on the brush and rocks along the path as she made her way up. Among the dense foliage by the roadside, she spotted pig droppings, still intact despite the heavy rain. Her lips curved slightly in satisfaction—she'd guessed right. They hadn't traveled much farther when Colby, her loyal dog, suddenly began to bark excitedly, pulling at his leash to rush ahead. Nadia quickly reached down, covering his muzzle. "We're sneaking into the village, not launching an ambush," she whispered with a smirk. Instantly, Colby went silent, his tail dropping while his sharp eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint as he trotted cautiously ahead. Not too far along, a pavilion came into view through the rain. Peering through her binoculars, Nadia spotted twelve pigs huddled under the pavilion's shelter, seeking refuge from the downpour. Pigs, being omnivores, could live off the grass if they had to, but these poor creatures seemed to have been stranded here for some time—their once-ample fat reserves were nearly gone. The pigs noticed her approaching and tried to move, but after a few sluggish grunts, they gave up the effort. Since her storage couldn't accommodate live animals, Nadia pulled out her high-powered stun rod—the kind that could deliver a fatal shock within seconds. She strode into the pavilion and aimed at the closest pig. Before it could even squeal, it collapsed with a dull thud. Startled by the sudden commotion, the other pigs scattered out of the pavilion in a panic. Colby darted forward, swiftly positioning himself to herd them, barking fiercely to keep them in line and snapping at any that dared to stray. Man, dog, and pig—caught in a lively chase through the rain. She gave chase, Colby blocked, and the pigs, with nowhere to turn, were soon penned in and at their mercy. In less than fifteen minutes, all twelve pigs were subdued, each one knocked unconscious by her stun rod. To ensure they wouldn't stir, Nadia gave each a final jolt, then tucked them away in her storage. She hadn't expected Colby to prove such a skilled hunting companion. As a reward, she tossed him a salted chicken leg. "Colby, let's keep it up! If we stockpile enough pork, we'll be feasting like kings for ages." "Woof!" Colby barked in eager agreement, eyes fixed on his treat. Together, they continued their hunt up the slope. Colby, sharp-eyed and quick-nosed, led the way, scouting for more signs of prey. Soon enough, they stumbled upon another group of pigs—this time nine, all close in size to the last bunch. As soon as the chase began, Colby sprang into action, flanking the pigs skillfully, while Nadia dashed through the underbrush in pursuit. Though the incline wasn't steep, the rain had made the path slick. Nadia slipped, and the pigs stumbled alongside her, but Colby, ever nimble, managed to steer them back in her direction with ease. One by one, all nine pigs were captured without a hitch. With twenty-one pigs now added to her haul, Nadia's step grew lighter and more confident. Group after group, they tracked down even more, picking off strays along the way. By the end, they'd claimed sixty-eight pigs—a bounty that would yield over ten thousand pounds of pork. After scouring Firridge twice, no more pigs were to be found. Satisfied, Nadia led Colby down the mountain as dusk settled in. As they descended, Colby suddenly bolted off like a flash, disappearing into the trees. Alarmed, Nadia sprinted after him. When she finally caught up, she found him frantically digging at the ground, barking fiercely, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination.