Maya's fantasies shattered instantly. Whatever fleeting illusions she'd entertained vanished in a blink. But having dared to lure Nadia out, she had already prepared her counterattack. "You've got so much stuff. What's the harm in sharing a little with me?" Maya said confidently. "It's better than letting others find out and swarm you for it. You'd be dead in no time." Hearing Maya's entitled tone, Nadia couldn't help but laugh. "No, you don't know me at all. I've got a temper—a bad one. I'm impulsive, reckless, and the kind of person who would rather break than bend. So, tell me, what exactly do you have that could threaten me, coming here alone and empty-handed?" Maya's stomach twisted, and she immediately grew wary. She forced herself to sound tough, warning, "I wouldn't have asked you to come here if I didn't have a backup plan. If you so much as lay a finger on me, you're not leaving this place alive!"However, Nadia only found her threat amusing, like a cat toying with a dying mouse. "You traded yourself for a pack of instant ramen—slept with two, maybe three guys for it. Are you really going to tell me you've hired a gang to ambush me? Do you even have the resources for that? Their fees aren't cheap. Even if you worked nonstop for a month, you couldn't afford their services." It wasn't that Nadia looked down on other women—she knew the cruel reality of this apocalyptic world. Women, physically weaker and often powerless, were forced to rely on men just to survive. Pride and dignity didn't matter when survival was at stake. She had seen it with her own eyes—a pack of crackers was enough to "buy" a school babe. The girl's beauty and youth became meaningless, reduced to a transaction, with her body "posed" in whatever way her buyer demanded. Did it fill Nadia with hatred? Yes. Did it hurt to see? Absolutely. But it was a choice, voluntary in its own tragic way. If the school babe refused, there was always someone else willing to take her place. Exposed by Nadia's blunt words, Maya's face twisted with rage. "What are you so smug about, Nadia? You're nothing without your domain. You'd probably be worse off than me! Don't act like you're some big deal. You're just cheating your way through this. Do you really think you're impressive? With your looks, you wouldn't even score a pack of ramen!" "Sorry, I'm not as skilled as you. Spreading my legs for anyone and everyone isn't exactly my thing." In her previous life, when her domain was stolen, Nadia would have rather starved than make deals with the devil. But Maya, even with the domain, had used her body to trade for resources and to steal from others. In this life, Maya had sunk even lower. This wasn't about cheating—it was about character. Nadia sneered. "Let's get one thing straight. Who's really holding the power here?" Maya clenched her teeth. "Fine, I didn't bring anyone with me. But if I don't return today, everyone will find out about your domain!" "Oh, really?" Nadia smirked, utterly unfazed. "Let me guess: you're going to tell me that you've already confided in Wayne or one of his buddies." Maya froze. "They don't just share you and Eva—they send you out to trade yourselves for food. If you truly trusted them, you wouldn't have come here alone today." If Maya had trusted them, she'd have brought them along to corner Nadia, threatening her to hand over the domain. But what Maya didn't understand was that the domain couldn't simply be taken. Unless Nadia entered it herself, no other living being could access it. Wayne was a parasite, and Maya was no better. She wanted to steal the domain, but she feared losing it to someone else even more. That was why she'd never share her plans with Wayne or his gang. Exposed and humiliated, Maya hit the roof. "Don't be so cocky, Nadia! You think I won't do it? Just wait and see!" "Go ahead," Nadia said with a smile. "Try me." Maya's expression turned feral. "Fine. We'll see who wins in the end!" She couldn't afford to back down now. Any sign of weakness would be a loss. Straightening her spine, she delivered a final warning. "You'll regret this!" With that, she spun on her heel and stormed off. Nadia didn't follow, simply watching as Maya disappeared into the distance. Maya clenched her teeth in frustration, seething with anger. If Nadia refused to accept her olive branch, she'd take the path of thorns. She'd make sure all of Phoenix City knew about Nadia's domain. Let's see how long she could survive once the whole city came for her. The audacity of possessing something so precious—it was a crime in itself. Maya vowed to reduce Nadia to a hunted fugitive, a stray dog with nowhere to turn.Resolved, she quickened her steps and headed for the stairs. But as she reached the landing, a shadow lunged at her out of nowhere. Woof! "Ahhh!" Already on edge, Maya shrieked and instinctively stepped back, only to be met with blinding pain. Thwack! A sharp pain shot through her chest, stealing her breath. She looked down in horror at the blade protruding through her chest from behind, slick with her blood. "Some nerve you have to threaten me?" The icy voice came from behind her. Maya's mouth opened in a silent scream, her eyes wide with disbelief. Nadia… killed her?! "I don't care if you've time-traveled, transmigrated, been reborn, quick-traveled, or are powered by some system. You've already ended up in this sorry state, yet you still think you're the chosen one or that you're a cat with nine lives?" Nadia gripped the knife's hilt, twisted it hard, then yanked it free. Blood dripped steadily from the blade, pooling on the frozen ground. Maya collapsed with a dull thud, gasping desperately for air. Her eyes bulged, and her skeletal hand reached feebly toward Nadia. "You... you..." "Heaven offered you a path, but you chose hell instead," Nadia said, her voice devoid of emotion. "In a world of catastrophe, everyone fights for survival. But you? You couldn't stop scheming to take what wasn't yours. The only place for you is hell." So what if Maya knew about the domain? Knowing didn't mean she could take it. And as for who Maya was or how she got here, Nadia couldn't care less. She had no interest in unmasking Maya's story; removing the threat was enough. The frigid air and severe blood loss quickly stiffened Maya's body. Her lifeless eyes remained wide open, filled with shock and regret, even in death. The sky darkened prematurely, heavy clouds smothering the last of the daylight. It wasn't even 5 p.m., yet the night was fast approaching. Nadia wasted no time. She summoned Colby, and the two made their way downstairs. The dog glanced back at the corpse, its hackles raised, reluctant to leave. But after a moment, it trotted after Nadia, its steps quick and sharp. Once outside, Nadia swapped her boots for ice skates and began gliding toward home. Colby, bursting with energy, dashed ahead, thrilled to stretch its legs. On ice, Nadia's two legs were no match for Colby's four. The dog shot forward like a bolt of lightning, leaving her in the dust. After Harrison's training, Colby was fast, steady, and exuded effortless cool. It was, without a doubt, the flashiest presence on the street. "Colby!" Nadia called out with a laugh. The dog skidded to a halt, turned, and raced back to her with an eager bark. It circled her joyfully before darting ahead again, its excitement undiminished. The day was nearing its most dangerous time—nightfall. Small groups of people loitered along the icy streets, their eyes filled with greed and malice as they sized up either Nadia or her dog. In a world where solitude equaled vulnerability, a lone figure—especially one accompanied by a robust and well-fed dog—was a tempting target. Colby's size and evident health only heightened their criminal instincts. A few people discreetly drew weapons from beneath their ragged clothing, spreading out to surround the dog. "Quick, grab it!" someone shouted.