Colby darted around with agility, its movements unpredictable as it leaped and dodged, leaving its pursuers spinning in circles. The attackers weren't just after the dog—they were brutal enough to target Nadia as well. But instead of retreating, Nadia surged forward, accelerating on her ice skates. The speed she gained on the ice far outmatched the clumsy men in their padded winter boots, which struggled for traction on the slick surface. She streaked past one of them before he could even lift his steel pipe. Like a flash of lightning, she swung her golf club. Bam! The man went flying backward, his head colliding hard with the ground. Despite his thick hat, his skull split open, and blood poured freely. He lay on the ice, eyes wide and glassy, blood pooling from his mouth until he stopped breathing entirely.Nadia didn't hesitate. Whether they were after her or Colby, anyone who crossed her path with ill intent met the same fate: the golf club delivered swift, decisive justice. These scavengers only lived to prey on others; letting them go would just bring harm to someone else. She struck down several more of them before the remaining attackers realized something was wrong. By the time they pieced it together, the girl in the bright red polar coat had vanished from sight. Assuming their comrades had simply slipped and fallen, the group approached to check on them—only to find lifeless bodies with smashed skulls. They were stunned, incredulous that a seemingly harmless girl could be this vicious. However, the shock didn't last long. Those who remained alive began stripping the warm clothing off the corpses without hesitation, disregarding the faint warmth still clinging to the fabric. The hunger in their eyes turned to the bodies themselves, but after a long moment of swallowing their saliva, they resisted the final taboo and trudged away, struggling to maintain their last shred of humanity. Meanwhile, Colby was still full of energy, tongue lolling out in exhilaration as it darted down the icy street. Glancing back at Nadia, who was chasing after it, the dog skidded to a halt. Come on, catch me! As Nadia got closer, Colby took off running again, wild and carefree. The playful chase ended when they finally returned to the SOHO Community. By then, Colby's sleek, muscular frame practically glowed with vitality. Its every movement was powerful and fluid, a picture of canine perfection. Nadia rewarded it with a piece of jerky, gathered her things, and started upstairs. When she reached the 12th floor, a figure stumbled out from the shadows. Startled, Nadia nearly swung her knife before realizing it was Eva, whose face appeared deathly pale, almost chalky, like she'd been dusted with ash. Nadia could tell at a glance—Eva didn't have long to live. Her energy was completely drained, and her vitality was extinguished.Whether it was Wayne's manipulative sweet-talking or Eva's own desperation for what seemed like easy food, she had wrecked her body. For five pounds of grain, she'd allowed Hunter to brutalize her, leaving her with injuries that wouldn't heal. Even worse, the food she brought back had to support Wayne and the others. Nadia couldn't understand it. Maybe this was what they called a "fatal case of love." She couldn't imagine ever being in that position. If anything, she was grateful she'd snapped out of it in her previous life. Otherwise, she might've ended up worse off than Eva. "Please, Nadia, help me. I'm begging you." Eva's voice was hoarse, her body trembling as she leaned against the staircase for support. Her gray, lifeless eyes clung to the last glimmer of hope. Nadia asked coldly, "Help you how?" "I—I'm bleeding nonstop, and I've got a fever. Do you have any medicine? I don't want to die…" Eva swayed, barely able to stand. "Why come to me?" Nadia's expression was blank. "The food you earned—I didn't eat a single grain of it. Whoever ate it, go ask them for help. Even if I had medicine, why would I give it to you? What makes you think you deserve it? Is it because you're pitiful? Or because you're too stubborn to learn? I'm not your mother, and I didn't take anything from you. Whoever put you in this state, go to them. Playing the victim doesn't work on me." With that, Nadia turned and continued upstairs. "Wait," Eva called out, her teeth chattering as she gasped for breath. "I—I regret it. I'm so sorry. If I'd known it would end like this, I would've never given up my food. Please, Nadia, help me. I don't want to die and have them throw my body out the window." It was clear she knew her fate better than anyone. She'd been drained dry, left with nothing but regret. Nadia paused mid-step, then reached into her backpack. After rummaging around for a moment, she pulled out a small packet and handed it to Eva. Inside were a few powerful sleeping pills."Figure it out yourself," Nadia said flatly, then walked away. Eva gripped the packet of pills tightly, suppressing the pain coursing through her body as she hunched over and made her way back to Unit 1202. How ironic—this was her apartment, the place she had rented, yet now they were simply waiting for her to die. If she could go back in time, she would never have been foolish enough to reply to that group message, the one that brought this pack of wolves into her life. She thought of her family—her parents, grandparents, and the meals they used to make. But there was no going back. No second chances. Regret didn't come with a cure. Clutching the pills tightly, Eva made a decision. … Up on the 18th floor, the sound of rhythmic thuds echoed through the hallway. Jasmine was practicing her punches, her body drenched in sweat. Nearby, Levi and Caleb were sparring awkwardly with wooden sticks. While their efforts looked clumsy and comical, the determination to improve was admirable. When they saw Nadia return, the two men took the chance to slack off. "Nadia, you went out?" Levi asked. "Yeah," Nadia replied casually. "Took Colby for a walk." "How's it outside?" Caleb asked. Even though they were bundled up in thick mink coats, neither of them had ventured far since the extreme cold began. The furthest they had gone was to the rooftop to gather ice and snow. "It's lively," Nadia said with a smirk. "Plenty of roadblocks, muggings, and black-market dealings." Holy sh*t! We'll die if we go out! Levi and Caleb thought as they froze in stupefaction. "Nadia, you're kidding, right?"Nadia didn't sugarcoat the truth. She pulled out her bloodstained golf club and held it up. "What do you think?" Levi yelped and threw himself at Jasmine. "Honey, I'm scared!" Caleb had no one to cling to. His face turned serious instead. The apocalypse had turned ordinary people into monsters. Add in the already lawless criminals, and the danger multiplied. Elizabeth's concerns weren't baseless—it was only a matter of time before the 18th floor became a target. They needed to get stronger and stop dragging the team down. "Levi, let's keep practicing!" "We've got this, Caleb!" … After returning to her apartment, Nadia swapped her clothes. She had just taken off her bulletproof vest when the walkie-talkie crackled to life. "Nadia, are we sparring today?""Yes, I'll be there in a minute." Her outing had disrupted Colby's training schedule, but that wasn't an issue for Harrison. He had already dressed Lily in thick layers, complete with shoes, socks, and a windproof hat. "Lily, watch Colby run laps on the stairs, alright?" "Got it, Harry!" Having spent the day lying in bed, Lily was thrilled to finally play with Colby. … Two hours of intense sparring left Nadia drenched in sweat and gasping for air. The exhaustion was bone-deep, but it came with a sense of satisfaction—a thrilling, cathartic pain that made her feel alive. She also noticed something remarkable. As her physical stamina increased, so did her ability to manipulate her consciousness. The time she could spend plowing fields and planting seeds in her domain grew longer.It wasn't much progress—more like the slow crawl of a snail—but it was a step in the right direction. The future, she thought, looked promising.