Nadia ignored them, her attention caught by a round stainless steel trinket lying on the ground. It must have fallen from one of the bodies. Picking it up, she realized it was a Regal Residences access pass, which Caleb and Levi had dismissed as useless during their loot and left behind, mistaking it for a simple backpack charm. Back upstairs, Jasmine opened the door as soon as she heard them approach. She paused, surprised to see Nadia and Harrison returning together. "Why are you back so late? Did you find anything out?" Harrison remained silent, so Nadia nodded and explained, "I barely made it out of the neighborhood before I spotted a group collecting protection supplies. I followed them and saw them enter Regal Residences." Jasmine's jaw dropped as Nadia recounted what she had seen. "You're saying their base is inside the complex?" Regal Residences was massive, with over twenty residential buildings. How many people were there? Was this gang formed by the neighborhood's original residents, or had they been taken over by outside criminal forces? If it was the latter, were any of the original residents still alive? Not only were they extorting protection supplies, but they were also pretending to gather resources while ransacking survivors' homes—explaining why the 18th floor had become a target. Caleb and Levi felt their heads spin. They had thought the gang was just a group of a few dozen thugs. But this… The 18th floor only had five fighters. Even if they were cut into pieces, it wouldn't be enough to fend off so many. Instinctively, they turned to Nadia and Harrison. "What do we do next?" What to do? At worst, nothing could be done. Nadia feigned ignorance and followed their gaze to Harrison. Under everyone's expectant stares, Harrison gave it some thought and said, "Let's not act rashly. I'll go scout the area tomorrow." While the 18th floor stayed restless, the 17th floor was paralyzed with fear.Marilyn was a bundle of nerves. "Mom, I nearly stepped on a corpse on the 16th floor when I came back earlier, and the door downstairs was smashed in! What happened?" She had been terrified that something had happened to their home. Thankfully, her mother-in-law was unharmed. Though they had escaped danger, for now, Elizabeth was still shaken. She sighed heavily. "Something big has happened." Hearing the full story from her mother-in-law, Marilyn was stunned. "Corbin's lost his mind! We all agreed to face difficulties together. He not only cowered like a chicken but stabbed us in the back?!" "And the Xerri Family in Unit 1702," Elizabeth added bitterly. "We misjudged them from the start." "Mom, what do we do now?" Marilyn's voice trembled. Her husband and son were both away at work, leaving only her and her mother-in-law at home. If the 18th floor decided to abandon them, how would they survive? Those two families had spoiled everything for everyone. "Fear won't solve anything. You've had a long day. Get some rest, and we'll figure it out tomorrow." While Marilyn finally drifted to sleep, Elizabeth quietly crept into the kitchen. She heated a kettle of water and carried it to Unit 1702. Opening her door slightly, she poured the steaming water into the gap beneath the Xerri Family's door. The extreme cold outside turned the water into ice almost instantly. Standing in the hallway, Elizabeth let out a deep sigh into the darkness. She didn't care about her own life anymore, but she refused to leave any threats for the young ones. She'd lived long enough—longer than many younger than her, especially Austin, who was just starting his life, freshly graduated, with dreams still unfulfilled. When will this disaster finally end? Once she calmed her thoughts, Elizabeth returned to her room and locked the door. Curling up in her bed, she didn't sleep a wink all night. … Nadia had slept soundly despite the banging and pounding from downstairs. Both she and Colby were used to it—unless someone was breaking down the 18th floor's doors, it wasn't worth their attention. She simply pulled the blanket over her head and went back to sleep. When she finally woke up, she heard noises in the hallway. Opening her door, she found Levi standing there, his ear pressed to the wall, listening to the sounds from below. "What's going on?" she asked. Levi smirked. "The Xerris—they wouldn't open the door for anything yesterday. But today, out of nowhere, they're moving out." Nadia quirked a brow. "Probably scared those guys will come back for revenge and don't want to get caught in the crossfire." "Good riddance. One less backstabber to worry about." Levi relayed more of what he'd overheard. "I heard Elizabeth talking to them. Sounds like they're moving to one of the new emergency shelters." That made sense. In response to the unprecedented cold wave in the south, the government had restructured emergency shelters to accommodate survivors. Southern homes lacked central heating, leaving people to rely on primitive methods of staying warm. Emergency shelters, though packed with survivors, provided some warmth simply through the sheer number of people crowded together. Unfortunately, they also came with cramped, unsanitary conditions—hardly any room to lie down, let alone stretch out. Forget about luxuries like hot showers or personal space. Sleeping was a necessity, but falling asleep in the shelters often meant waking up to find yourself robbed of everything but the clothes on your back. Resources were scarce, and the shelters operated on a transitional basis, offering a maximum of one month's stay to any survivor. Once their time was up, residents had to move to public heating zones, where heating was only available during the day. At night, temperatures plummeted, and people risked freezing to death. This was why many chose to collect relief supplies or chop wood for fuel rather than seek refuge in shelters. At least at home, they could burn firewood and sleep under blankets. "So now the Hadid Family is the only one left on the 17th floor. What should we do?" Levi asked Nadia. "We made it clear to them when they moved in," Nadia replied indifferently. "Nowhere is safe, and it's up to them to figure out how to survive. They shouldn't expect us to carry them." The 18th floor might be strong, but they weren't invincible. Who knew how long any of them could hold out? As they spoke, Harrison stepped out of his apartment. "Ready to go scouting today, Nadia?" Harrison wasn't a local of Phoenix City and didn't even know where Regal Residences was, but Nadia wanted to scout the area further anyway, so she agreed. They dressed down for the task, donning old clothes to blend in. However, no amount of low-key attire could disguise Harrison's towering height and striking proportions. His long legs made him stand out no matter what. Curious, Nadia asked, "How tall are you?" "Six-foot-two." That height was impressive even up north, let alone in the south. Nadia frowned slightly. "Maybe I should go alone." Harrison's lips twitched in a faint smile. "Don't worry. I won't slow you down." With that settled, they left Colby and Lily under Unit 1803's care while they were gone. By now, the survivors in the SOHO Community had developed sharp instincts. Despite Nadia and Harrison's efforts to keep a low profile, they were quickly recognized. However, no one dared approach them. News of the previous day's confrontation had already spread throughout the complex. Fearful yet united, the survivors secretly rooted for the 18th floor, even though they knew the odds were against them. The 18th floor had a fearsome reputation, but they didn't randomly attack people or extort protection supplies. If the gang collecting protection supplies could be eliminated, many residents were willing to contribute modestly to the 18th floor's efforts—after all, they were just a small group and wouldn't consume much. Of course, Nadia was completely unaware of their thoughts. And even if she knew, she wouldn't care. They were just opportunists seeking shelter under a stronger tree. Relying on them for anything was a pipe dream. Anyone who hoped otherwise might as well go to bed and pray for their dreams to come true.