Nadia was caught off guard. Harrison had been a special forces officer—could she really hold her own against him? But that wasn't her way. She knew that only by challenging someone stronger could she sharpen her own skills. "Alright, let's do this," she said, determined. Truth be told, Jasmine had wanted to test herself against him for some time but hadn't found the right opportunity. Now, fate had finally given her one. After a brief exchange of words, Nadia wasted no time and plunged into the sparring match, her fists flying in rapid succession. With the boldness of someone new to the fight, she attacked fiercely, her strikes quick and relentless. In comparison, Harrison moved like a seasoned master, his every motion a graceful evasion. He didn't need brute force—he used just enough to counter her attacks, turning her strength against her. No matter how fast or how powerful her blows, he seemed to sidestep everyone, effortlessly striking back and pushing Nadia into a defensive retreat. Three years of survival in the apocalypse had honed her instincts, and her fierce, competitive nature only fueled her drive to win. Her moves became wilder, more desperate. She had taught herself dirty tricks over the years—crude techniques that, though far from refined, had been necessary for survival in such brutal times. Just then, a sudden interruption threw off the rhythm of their sparring. Colby, the dog, lunged from behind and grabbed hold of Harrison's shirt, tugging it backward. Taken by surprise, Harrison couldn't react in time. In that brief moment of distraction, Nadia landed a blow where it hurt—hard. His body stiffened, and his usually composed, handsome face flushed a deep red.Nadia, equally stunned by her own move, felt a rush of unwanted memories. The strike brought back the haunting, desperate days of the apocalypse when she had been forced to fight dirty to escape from traps. In that instant, her instincts had taken over, and she'd relied on the very tactics she had once used to survive. The room fell silent. The tension hung heavy in the air. Nadia quickly stepped back, her face burning with embarrassment. "Sorry," she murmured, her eyes falling to the floor. Harrison stood still for a moment, as though contemplating what had just happened. Then, his voice, steady and calm, broke the silence. "That was a good move. Just don't use it on me again." He had evaded the blow, but not entirely. The sting of pain was sharp, and there was something else—a quiet, burning shame that was impossible to put into words. Nadia's cheeks flushed with mortification as she stood frozen. The move had worked for her in the past—during the chaos of the apocalypse, it had been one of the tricks she'd relied on to survive and turn the tables. But she hadn't expected to find herself using it on Harrison. Colby, still watching from the sidelines, looked perplexed. He seemed to wonder why they had stopped fighting. Harrison, without a word, stepped out of the living room and called, "Colby." The dog tilted his head at Nadia, then glanced up at his owner for permission. Once he received it, Colby grabbed his food bowl and trotted off. "You did well back there. When you encounter a bad guy, protect your master," Harrison said, ruffling Colby's head in approval. "But remember, I'm not the bad guy. I'm your teammate." Nadia, still feeling the warmth on her face, buried her hands in her palms. How could she face him again after this? Harrison said nothing more and left. Sometime later, he returned, this time with Lily in tow. He had locked the door behind him, having taken Colby out for a walk.At that moment, Elizabeth arrived for her scheduled treatment. Nadia left Lily to play inside as she settled into the acupuncture session. Halfway through, Harrison came back, Colby following him. He carried a bundle of bamboo in his arms. With outsiders present, he didn't offer any pleasantries, storming past with a scowl, likely still simmering from their earlier sparring match. Once Elizabeth had left, Harrison returned to fetch Lily, a black plastic bag in his hand. "This is what Colby caught," he explained, handing her the bag. Nadia opened it, revealing a fresh fish weighing around three or four pounds. Its scales caught the light, shimmering with freshness. In the suburban outskirts of Phoenix City, vast mullet-breeding ponds dotted the landscape, so it was no surprise to find fish swimming through the floodwaters. What truly left everyone in awe, however, was how Colby had managed to catch them. This dog was becoming more impressive by the day. "You prefer sauerkraut fish or water-boiled fish?" Nadia asked, trying to break the tension. She wanted to apologize for her earlier recklessness. "Um, I didn't mean it, I'm sorry." Her words made the atmosphere awkward. The moment she spoke, Harrison's face flushed again, and he looked visibly uncomfortable. "It's fine. Really, I'm fine," he quickly reassured her. After a brief pause, he added, "Lily and Colby can't handle spicy food, so the sauerkraut fish would be better." Upon hearing about Colby's extraordinary skill, Caleb and the others exchanged impressed looks and gave the dog a thumbs-up. "You're amazing, Colby! From now on, whether we're drinking soup or eating meat, it's all up to you." Colby wagged his tail proudly, his joy clear as day. "Woof!" It had been a while since they'd shared a meal together, and Harrison, whose culinary talents left much to be desired, had brought out three pounds of pork belly. They couldn't risk cooking in Unit 1803; the smell would only draw unwanted attention. Nadia couldn't cook there either, so she suggested they move to Unit 1801 instead. To express her sincere apology, Nadia took it a step further—she not only cooked the meal herself but also brought along some sauerkraut and fresh bean sprouts. Cutting the fish fillets was a bit tricky, but for Nadia, it was no challenge at all. The others, of course, wouldn't have minded, especially since the fish were freshly caught—how many families these days could boast of eating live fish? True to form, Colby's reputation soared to new heights, and Caleb and Levi nearly began treating the dog like royalty. "Why don't we take Colby out for walks more often? Who knows, we might catch even more fish." Nadia wasn't keen on that idea. With those two around, they'd likely need Colby's protection more than ever. Life outside was tough, and if the neighbors spotted Colby, wouldn't they all start eyeing him like he was some kind of treasure? But Colby, undeterred by such worries, was visibly excited at the prospect of an outing, his tail wagging with uncontained enthusiasm. While Nadia concentrated on slicing the fish, Harrison was busy washing the pork belly. "Lily loves pork belly. I didn't cook it well last time, and it upset her stomach. This time, I'll make it myself. Could you guide me through it?" "Sure, no problem," she replied, curious to see how his cooking attempt would turn out. This wasn't the first time Lily had suffered from one of his culinary mishaps. Once she finished slicing the fish and cleaned the cutting board, she handed it over to him. She watched as he took the knife, pausing uncertainly, clearly unsure of where to start. "Cut it horizontally, into small squares," she instructed. With her clear guidance, he quickly found his rhythm and managed to cut the pieces evenly. Despite his lack of skill, Harrison had everything prepared—garlic, ginger, and all the seasonings were lined up, ready to go. Nadia stood beside him, patiently guiding him through each step. Jasmine peeked into the kitchen, intending to offer help, but seeing the peaceful and almost intimate scene, she thought better of it. She couldn't help but wonder if there was more to this than just cooking; Harrison was usually so aloof, yet here he was, softening toward Nadia and showing a particular fondness for Colby. With a knowing smile, she decided not to interrupt. After the pork belly was cut and cleaned, Harrison blanched it briefly in hot water to remove impurities. Then, they fried it in a pan with oil until the pieces turned golden brown, filling the kitchen with a rich, savory aroma. Nadia stood by his side, guiding him, but she couldn't help noticing how he seemed tense, his hands gripping the spatula a little too tightly. If he wasn't afraid to face danger head-on, why did the stovetop make him so uneasy? Catching her surprised look, Harrison offered a quiet explanation. "When I was a kid, I was always getting into trouble and wanted to help in the kitchen. I ended up spilling hot oil on my arm, and after that, I avoided cooking. I only started again because I needed to take care of Lily." His less-than-stellar skills suddenly made sense—he carried the weight of that childhood accident, a painful memory every time he approached the stove. With the sugar caramelizing to a rich color, Harrison added cinnamon, star anise, and chili, followed by a splash of cooking wine and soy sauce. The dish simmered on low heat, filling the room with a warm, spiced fragrance. Remembering the awkward moments from earlier, Nadia went beyond just teaching him how to make the pork belly, sharing tips on a few other home-cooked dishes. Harrison listened intently to her instructions, but just then, Lily darted into the kitchen and interrupted, "He can't remember anything! He always messes up, even with a recipe right in front of him!" Her bluntness left Harrison momentarily speechless, a blank look settling on his face. Lily, however, wrapped her arms around Nadia, clinging tightly. "Your cooking is amazing! Harry and I want to eat your food every day!" Harrison was resigned yet amused. He reached over and patted her head. "Don't worry, Lily, I'll learn," he said gently, though they both knew his talent in the kitchen was limited. Vague recipe terms like "a little" or "an appropriate amount" always tripped him up. Nadia chuckled softly. "Lily has become so lively these days—it's wonderful to see," she remarked, her smile warm as she watched the child's joyful energy. Once Lily had dashed off to play with Colby, Harrison turned to Nadia with a rare, earnest look. "I'm not the best at cooking or at taking care of kids. Is there anything I should pay more attention to with Lily? You can tell me." Nadia paused thoughtfully, realizing it was a conversation she'd wanted to have for a while. Since he'd brought it up, she didn't hold back. "Lily's wonderful in so many ways, but… there might be some things about her personality to keep an eye on."