Nadia was more than happy with the trade. Her dog loved the freeze-dried pet food. So, over 100 pounds of fish were exchanged for 20 cans of freeze-dried food. Andy was equally pleased with the fish the Hadids had caught. They'd long grown tired of the dog food. Even though 1,600 pounds seemed like a lot, there were many people in the neighborhood, and after distributing it, there was hardly any left. "George, do you have any more?" Andy asked. George eyed him warily. "How much do you need?" "What do you think about trading every three days? We can exchange 2,000 pounds each time." "That won't work," George replied firmly. "If you want more, you'll have to come tomorrow or the next day. Otherwise, the deal's off."The reservoir was overflowing, and many of the fish had been swept away by the flood. Plus, there was no telling when someone would find the reservoir. It was better to strike now while they still had the chance. The whole neighborhood could eat fish without needing to hide it. After a brief discussion, Andy and his group agreed to continue trading. "Tomorrow night, at the same spot. We'll take as much as you can give." Daylight would make them too visible; nighttime was the safest. After the trade, everyone withdrew. Nadia and her group took extra care to make sure no one was following them as they headed back to the neighborhood. They had 500 pounds of dog food and some goods traded with Sharp Moron. It had been a good haul. But after the excitement died down, Nadia realized there was a big problem. They'd been so focused on the trade that they'd forgotten to charge the fishing gear. "What now?" George muttered in frustration. "We promised Andy we'd have it ready." There was no way they could back out of the dog food trade now. Caleb suggested, "Maybe we could ask Sharp Moron to charge it for us?" The problem with that was they were ruthless. They'd want 200 pounds of fish just to charge the equipment. It would be fine if they gave the fish, but the real issue was if they saw the fishing gear. They could steal it and figure out the location of the reservoir. Though Sharp Moron had been reliable so far, in the apocalypse, people's loyalties could change in an instant. They hadn't made a move yet, but maybe they were just waiting for the right moment. Nadia had plenty of ways to charge the equipment, but none that she could use right now.Harrison spoke up with an unexpected suggestion. "I'll handle the charging. You all don't need to worry about it." His tone left no room for questions. No one dared ask how he planned to charge it. It wasn't just the Hadids; even the people from Unit 1803 wouldn't dare ask. Even if they did, Harrison wouldn't answer. People were naturally wary of what they didn't understand. Harrison was an enigma. Everyone knew better than to push their curiosity too far. If they did, the friendly relationship they had might just shatter—and who knew what would happen then? Though Unit 1803 usually joked around, they knew the rules when it came to Harrison. They weren't treated the same way Nadia was. So, not only did they refrain from asking questions, but they also helped keep things quiet.Thus, the weighty task of handling the charging fell to Harrison. It was already late at night, but no one let their guard down. Barefoot and quiet, they carried the supplies upstairs. The biggest winner of the night was the Hadid family. They had more than 100 pounds of dog food, plus dozens of pounds of rice and crispy fried fish. If the family rationed their food, it could last for months. Elizabeth, Austin's grandmother, listened intently for any sounds outside, then quietly opened the door for her son and daughter-in-law. When she found out they had received a fifth of the share, she whispered, "The people on the 18th floor are really something. We must remember their kindness. We can't forget who helped us." "Don't worry, Mom, we won't forget." The family didn't rest. They worked through the night, packing the goods into several bundles and hiding them in the wardrobe compartments, ceiling, and even the range hood. People could be as heartless as a tiger when it came to survival. These supplies were their lifeline, and they couldn't afford to be careless. Nadia, however, had it easier. She simply tossed everything into the domain, her makeshift storage space, without a second thought. Jasmine spoke up and said, "Nadia, the three of us still have some food. When Colby's dog food runs out, feel free to come over and take what you need." Nadia didn't hesitate. "Sure, I'll trade you for something when the time comes." After closing the door, she led her dog into the domain for a hot shower. The smell of fish was unbearable. The dog had already been in the domain a few times and was now completely unfazed. She found the spot where she stored the fish, and her dog's eyes lit up. There was so much food that it looked like a mountain of supplies. It couldn't count, of course, but the pile seemed like a mountain—a supply that could last it and its human forever. Nadia, just as pleased, decided to leave the sorting for another day. Today had been exhausting. After their shower, both Nadia and her dog sipped on hot chicken soup, grinning at each other. Snowball waddled over with its round belly and sat quietly beside Nadia. She rubbed its big belly, guessing it might have a lot of pups next time. Colby watched jealously, baring its teeth in a silent warning to Snowball—once those pups were born, they'd all be on the menu! Exhausted, they slept in a little the next morning. Levi took Caleb's place, and Jasmine stayed at home with the kids, feeling left out. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was freeloading.Nadia wasn't sure how Harrison had managed it, but the fishing gear was fully charged. Everyone was curious, but no one dared to ask. In the apocalypse, the best way to stay alive was to keep your mouth shut. Andy's group had announced that they would take as much as they could. Today, they planned to work hard and gather a lot. Worried Harrison wouldn't be able to keep up, Nadia decided to take her own inflatable boat along. The boat had a motor, and George was concerned that Nadia couldn't carry it alone, so he offered to help her carry it up the mountain. Nadia didn't refuse, and soon, George and his son, Austin, along with Levi, were taking turns carrying it over the rough terrain. When they reached the reservoir, it seemed the water level had risen even more since yesterday. The hard labor didn't go to waste. Everyone ate well to keep their energy up before starting work. The Hadids, especially, felt stronger after eating meat. As usual, everyone worked together. Harrison and Austin worked on the fishing gear while Nadia and the others spread out to catch fish. Austin had made two nets overnight, and their fishing efficiency skyrocketed. Colby, with a menacing stare, watched Austin. Whoops! My human is missing her chance to steal the fish! Austin froze under the dog's gaze, feeling a shiver down his spine. He turned to Harrison, asking, "Why is it staring at me?" Harrison, unbothered, replied, "If you don't stare back, how would you know it's watching you?" Austin was left speechless. Fine. Back to fishing.With the experience from yesterday, everyone was quick on their feet. In just two hours, they had gathered almost 2,000 pounds of fish. Just as they were about to continue, Colby suddenly went on high alert, barking viciously, "Woof!" It was staring into the distance, its posture tense and threatening. Nadia pulled out her binoculars. "This is bad. Someone's coming." A group of about twenty to thirty people was approaching. They had also spotted the reservoir. "There's someone fishing! They're taking the fish!" "What should we do?" Marilyn Hadid asked anxiously. "We've been spotted!" Nadia remained calm. "Let them fish. We'll keep doing our thing." With 2,000 pounds of fish, there was no way they could run. The group quickly approached the reservoir, not only in rubber shafts but also in two inflatable boats. After a quick count, they realized there were at least thirty of them. They must have been a team out searching for supplies. The lead inflatable boat came first, with more than a dozen armed men on board. A few of them had tattoos on their arms, and they looked menacing as they steered toward the center of the reservoir. Harrison's brow furrowed. "Tie the inflatable boat to the rubber shaft." An inflatable boat and a rubber shaft tied together would be much faster. He opened his backpack and tossed a nail gun to Nadia. "Catch." It was a close call—if she hadn't been quick enough, it would have fallen into the water.