After dinner, they didn't let the leftover hot pot broth go to waste, planning to cook noodles in it the next day. In times like these, any meal with flavor was a blessing, and no one had the luxury of worrying about things like nitrate levels. The lard had already been rendered, leaving behind crispy, golden pork cracklings. They had about five or six pounds of them, enough to last for quite a while. Jasmine took out the remaining meat, still wrapped in layers. "Nadia, how much salt should I use to preserve this?" Salt was precious and scarce. If they rationed carefully, they might have just enough to last the year. Using too much would be wasteful, but not enough could lead to spoilage. Scoring a pig had been nothing short of a stroke of luck—without it, fresh meat would have been out of the question in this post-apocalyptic world. Still, they couldn't afford to indulge too much. They had to think ahead. Seeing the three of them eager to store the meat, Nadia finally spoke up. "The landlord has a pretty large car fridge. I'll head back soon, render my fat, and should be able to fit some of yours in there as well." She briefly considered pulling out an older fridge from her inventory to lend them but then remembered their solar charger wouldn't be able to power it. Caleb and the others brightened at the thought, eager to help with cutting the fat and rendering it. Though they weren't exactly experts, each of them tried to lend a hand, not wanting to come off as lazy. But Nadia shook her head. "No need. I'll take care of it. You all should get cleaned up and rest—you've got the smell of grease all over you." Back at her place, she tossed the meat into her storage space and then pulled out a large multifunctional hot water massage tub. Hooking it up to the solar power bank, she started it up. As soothing music filled the air, she closed her eyes, letting the peaceful ambiance wash over her. Meanwhile, Colby dragged over a bowl piled high with bones and settled beside her, happily gnawing away. Perhaps it was the praise from the others that made him so excited. With each bite, he chewed the bones with joyful, crunchy enthusiasm. Though dogs were instinctively protective of their food, Colby had a soft spot for Nadia. He even left half of his bones for her, looking up with bright, eager eyes. "Woof!" Nadia smiled. "Thanks, buddy. You can have it all." She tossed him a sausage, his eyes lighting up in delight. The next morning, Nadia woke up naturally to the peaceful silence of the house. Unit 1801 had already left, Caleb and Levi heading out to trade rice scraps at the department store without bothering to call her for such a simple task. After sharing a breakfast of crispy pan-fried dumplings with Colby, Nadia not only brushed her teeth but also took a brush to the dog's teeth, giving him a proper clean. Then, carrying a bucket of pork offal, she made her way to Unit 1803. Once there, she set up a stool and began assisting Jasmine with cleaning and prepping the offal. Lily, ever curious, wandered over, eager to join in. "Miss, I'll help!" Not wanting Lily to get her hands dirty, Nadia gently nudged her away with a smile. "Why don't you go play with Colby instead?" Ever since Colby's arrival, the atmosphere on the 18th floor had lightened considerably. His sharp ears never missed a sound—any stir below, and he would instantly be on high alert. What comforted Nadia even more was Colby's strong sense of principle. Lily often tried to sneak him a piece of crackling. Though Colby would drool at the sight, he wouldn't touch it. Instead, he'd look up at her with large, pleading eyes and let out a soft whimper.Feigning seriousness, Nadia teased, "It's poisoned!" Colby immediately spat out the crackling, his expression one of pure horror. Unable to suppress her laughter, Nadia grinned. "I was joking! It's safe; go ahead and eat." Still slightly annoyed at the trick, Colby sniffed the crackling carefully, then, after a long moment of hesitation, finally ate it. Jasmine, laughing so hard her stomach ached, chimed in, "Colby's really smart. No matter how tempting it is, he always waits for your approval before taking a bite." It was a survival instinct honed by hardship. As a stray, Colby had faced not just human hostility but animal control officers, and even dog thieves with all sorts of tricks to catch him. If he hadn't been clever, he'd have been lost long ago. Colby was sharp—more alert than ever, it seemed. He understood nearly every word and had even taken it upon himself to manage discipline.Dusty and Snowball, on the other hand, were less intelligent, ate a lot, and made a mess wherever they went, constantly testing Nadia's patience. But Colby kept them in line. One sharp nip and a firm press of his paw, and he'd drag them to the bathroom. "You want to relieve yourself? Do it right here, in front of me!" After a few rounds of Colby's strict training, Dusty and Snowball finally started behaving. Perhaps animals were easier to teach than people realized. After Colby's stern scolding, they had learned their lesson well. This morning, when Nadia woke up, she found them using the bathroom. There were still ten rabbit pups, and Colby had his own way of dealing with them. No matter who left their mess, Colby would catch Dusty and Snowball, give them a swift smack, and bare his teeth as a warning, growling, "You going to clean this up? If not, I'll make a meal out of you!" Colby would scold the rabbits, and in turn, the rabbits would scold the little pups. It seemed there was nothing they couldn't teach one another. In the blink of an eye, the fierce dog had become the undisputed leader of the territory, commanding twelve little followers at his feet. By midday, the team from Unit 1801 finally returned. Nadia and Jasmine had already cleaned the pig offal, preparing the intestines, liver, and some lean meat, marinating it all into a hearty mix. The fatty intestines had been braised and cut into chunks, ready to be served. She had planned out the meals for the day with care. For lunch, everyone would enjoy a bowl of pig offal soup, with stir-fried braised intestines and pickled vegetables on the side. Dinner would feature stir-fried pig hearts with onions and a black pepper pig stomach stew. The leftovers would be saved for the next day.The greens and onions were Nadia's responsibility, while rice, flour, and oil came from the people of Unit 1803. Unit 1801, however, was not stingy. Each time they came to share a meal, they always brought more than enough. There was an unspoken understanding among them all. None of them were the type to argue over the small things or keep score, which was why they had such a harmonious bond. Caleb ate with a satisfied smile, his stomach content. "Nadia, you might as well take over the cooking from now on. Whenever we try, we just end up ruining the food." Nadia firmly shook her head. "I'm not about to become your housekeeper. I don't mind cooking every now and then, but that's it." Jasmine, her brow furrowing with concern, asked, "Why were you all so late coming back from the grain swap? Nadia and I were starting to worry something had happened." "The swap went smoothly," Caleb explained. "But when we had some extra time, we checked out a nearby office building. Didn't find a thing." He continued, recounting their day. "The rice prices at the department store went up again, and the supply's getting even tighter. The group we trade with, the Sharp Morons, didn't try to take advantage of us. They didn't even send anyone to follow us. Seems like they've still got some honor left." "Two thousand bucks a pound for rice," Nadia added, her voice heavy with the reality of it. "Even if people wanted to buy, they couldn't afford it. They can't be selling much, and they're risking getting caught. We're probably their biggest customers." Nadia examined the bags they'd brought back. The quality seemed about the same as the day before. None of them were familiar with this kind of rice, and uncertainty clouded their thoughts. "Nadia," Levi asked, "how should we even eat this?" They'd pulled it out of the riverbed, and none of them felt entirely safe about consuming it. For a moment, no one knew what to do. "Seal it up in bags," Nadia suggested. "We'll save it for when we're desperate. In the meantime, we'll keep an eye on anyone else who's eating this kind of rice. If they're fine, then we can mix a little into our meals from time to time." Levi nodded thoughtfully. "You're always so thorough, Nadia." "Oh, and that group we trade with isn't just selling food," Nadia added casually. "They're also buying up things. Tea, cigarettes, alcohol, even medicine. They'll trade for anything." They had managed to collect quite a stash, especially medicine. Word had it that hospitals were running out, and even what little they had was being sold by the pill at sky-high prices. Having essential supplies in hand gave them a much-needed lifeline, which eased Levi and the others. "Why don't we trade some of it for better rice?" Levi suggested. Nadia shook her head. "Fifty thousand was already enough to draw attention. Let's not attract more trouble. There's a food shortage, but medicine will be even harder to find. We can trade it for more food later if we need to. No need to rush." Once the meal was finished, Nadia and the others from Unit 1801 got up to leave. As they walked, Harrison couldn't help but ask, "Do you think it's time for us to trade yet?" It was clear—he could hardly wait to start training Colby. Nadia had no objections. She crouched down beside Colby and asked softly, "How about it, Colby? Would you like him to train you every day from now on?" Colby's eyes narrowed, filled with suspicion and resistance, and he took a few cautious steps back with a low grumble. It was a clash of alphas, and Colby just couldn't warm up to the powerful presence of Unit 1801.