When Caleb and Levi learned the sled was for Colby, they immediately got excited. They'd never built a sled before, but they'd seen pictures and figured they could cobble one together with a bit of effort. "Colby, you're a real champ—pulling a sled now, huh?" The dog blinked in confusion. Sled? What's that? But as long as it's human believed it could do it, then, of course, it could. Woof! Noticing the pile of thin, pre-cut steel sheets on the table, Nadia grew curious. "What are you guys doing with all that?" Levi smirked and teased, "Take a guess." "No thanks." She raised a fist. "Just spill it." Caleb laughed as he explained, "There's that gang outside the complex collecting 'protection supplies.' They've got weapons, and we're just flesh and blood—no way we can hold up against them. So, Levi and I figured we'd try making a few bulletproof vests."Nadia was genuinely impressed. She hadn't expected their survival instincts to be so sharp. Still, she couldn't help but point out, "Steel plates won't stop bullets." "Maybe not, but they can slow 'em down. Might just save our lives in a pinch." "Hey, don't jinx it!" Watching their determination to survive, Nadia felt a sense of relief. It was good to know they were actively preparing for danger. When Caleb and Levi heard she planned to go out with Harrison the next day to cut bamboo, they wanted to tag along. However, with the worsening situation outside, someone had to stay behind to guard the 18th floor. Jasmine alone wouldn't be enough. "Don't worry about us," Caleb assured her. "Whoever comes for our supplies will have to step over our dead bodies first." Nadia wanted to tell them to cut the melodrama, but she knew the truth—they wouldn't survive if the 18th floor was breached. The intruders wouldn't leave anyone alive. Jasmine added, "Nadia, make sure to knock on our door before you head out tomorrow." After chatting for a bit longer, Nadia returned to her apartment. With Wayne and Maya finally out of the picture, she decided to celebrate with a proper dinner—three dishes and a soup. She even cracked open a can of orange soda. Hmph. If those two hadn't been such a pain, I might've let them struggle through the apocalypse. Too bad for them! Setting her alarm for seven, Nadia slept soundly through the night. In the morning, remembering Jasmine's words, she knocked on the door of Unit 1803. To her surprise, Caleb and Levi had managed to finish the sled overnight. To make it lightweight and reduce friction, they'd welded aluminum tubes into a simple frame with curved ends, making it look almost like a small boat.Jasmine also handed her a set of long johns. More accurately, it was two sewn together with thin steel plates sandwiched in between. "Here, Nadia. It's dangerous outside. Wear this, and if something happens, at least it might absorb some of the impact." It felt surprisingly heavy in her hands, especially with extra plates added around the chest area for extra protection. Originally, they'd wanted to make one for Colby, too, but there hadn't been enough time. No rush, though—everyone on the 18th floor would eventually get one. The only problem was they didn't know Harrison's measurements. Jasmine hesitated before suggesting, "Can you ask him?" "Why me?" Nadia frowned. "You could just ask him yourself." Jasmine was speechless for a moment. Really? Does she not see what's right in front of her? Before Jasmine could reply, the door to Unit 1801 opened. Lily emerged, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "Miss, let's go."Nadia, pressed for time, didn't bother asking more questions. She hurried back to her room, changed clothes, and grabbed a few belts and ropes. Colby, worried about being left behind, stuck to her like glue. Not only did it follow her every move, but it even grabbed one of the ropes in its mouth and wagged its tail. Here, human, help me get leashed up. Since Harrison was taking Lily for a stroll, Nadia figured she had no excuse not to take Colby along. Without hesitation, she brought it along, too. On the 17th floor, they ran into Austin and George, both carrying machetes. The Hadid men were also headed to Firridge to chop firewood, so the group naturally decided to go together. Once they reached the ground floor, Nadia decided not to let Colby's natural talents go to waste. She fumbled with the sled, trying to attach it to it, but quickly realized she had no idea how. Austin stepped up. "Let me try."He didn't know much about sledding, but he understood physics well enough to figure out how to minimize friction and distribute the load more efficiently. After some trial and error, he looped the belts and ropes around Colby. "The sled could use a bit of tweaking," he said, demonstrating his adjustments to Nadia. "That way, it'll be even easier to pull, and Colby could carry more firewood." Watching the setup, George became intrigued. "When we get back, you should build one for us too. It'll make hauling wood a lot easier." They didn't have a dog at home, but they could put someone to work pulling it. Better than carrying loads on their backs. Austin had tried making a pulley, but it froze up in the cold and jammed. A dog-powered sled was clearly the superior solution. Once the harness was on, Colby, a Malinois with high stamina and explosive energy, took off like a rocket. "Colby, wait for me!" Lily squealed, running after the dog with tiny steps. At first, Colby wasn't used to the sled. Its steps were awkward as it tried to figure out what the strange thing was trailing behind it. It kept glancing back, tempted to snap at it, but stopped itself. No biting. This is for hauling wood. It stumbled a bit as it adjusted to the harness, zigzagging and stopping occasionally. But Malinois were intelligent, and Colby had undergone advanced training. It didn't take long for it to get the hang of it. It trotted back to Nadia, barking confidently. Human, hop on. I'll pull you! Worried about tiring it out, Nadia shook her head. But Colby was stubborn. It insisted on giving her a ride. Finally, she relented, placing Lily onto the sled instead. "Here, pull Lily around for fun." What? That's underestimating me! Colby barked in protest. Determined to prove itself, it pulled the sled with Lily aboard, leading the group out of the complex with proud strides. Several pairs of eyes from the neighborhood watched them leave, but no one dared approach the group from the 18th floor. Their reputation preceded them. The last time someone from Building Eight had crossed them, they'd been beaten with a spiked club and died of tetanus. And that wasn't even the worst of it. That poor soul had apparently been the weakest of the 18th-floor crew. Rumors said the knife-wielding woman was even deadlier, and there was a man among them with a knack for headshots. Better to leave them alone. No one wanted to provoke these demons. After a smooth start, Colby suddenly stopped and turned to look at Lily. Get off! Lily, thinking it was tired, quickly hopped off the sled. But the moment she did, Colby trotted over to Nadia and barked. Your turn now. Unable to refuse his enthusiasm and decide to test the dog, Nadia stepped onto the sled. Colby wasted no time, digging in with his powerful legs and launching forward in a sprint.Nadia barely managed to grab the harness to keep from flying off. Harrison and the others stood frozen, watching as Colby vanished into the distance with Nadia, leaving nothing but a cloud of snow in their wake. Lily's jaw dropped. Feeling abandoned, she tugged at Harrison's hand anxiously. "Harry, we've got to catch up!"