Harrison led the way cautiously as they took a shortcut to get near Regal Residences. Instead of heading directly to the entrance, Harrison circled the area from a distance, scanning the perimeter before guiding Nadia into an office building. There, he pulled out binoculars and began observing. He wasn't watching the main gate but instead focused on the taller buildings inside the complex. "They have lookout and counter-surveillance posts," he said. Nadia froze. No wonder it had taken so many sacrifices and heavy losses to wipe out the Black Talon Brotherhood in her previous life. Their leaders weren't just ordinary criminals—they were calculating and well-organized. When it came to reconnaissance, Harrison was undoubtedly a professional. He identified several suspicious lookout points and avoided them while continuing to monitor the entrance.After watching him stay still for what felt like ages, Nadia finally asked, "What are you looking at?" "Their conversations." "Y-You can read lips?" "A little." Nadia instinctively covered her mouth, relieved she hadn't ever bad-mouthed him behind his back. But the more she thought about it, the more unsettled she became. SWAT officers didn't just read lips—they were often trained to interpret micro expressions and other nuanced details to make life-or-death decisions, like whether to shoot in a hostage situation. A chill ran down Nadia's spine. Did she have any secrets left in front of someone like him? Sensing her tension, Harrison lowered the binoculars and looked at her. "What's wrong?" "You…" Nadia stammered, her mind freezing for a moment before she quickly changed the subject. "What did they say?""Entry requires a pass and a passphrase." "What passphrase?" "I couldn't tell from here. I'll need to analyze it later." She didn't believe him for a second. He was clearly holding back. "The people entering mostly had their backs to us, so I couldn't clearly see their mouths," he added. "But based on their lip movements, I can estimate the number of syllables. Deciphering it will take some time." They stayed there until evening as the cold grew sharper. On their way back, Harrison suddenly remarked, "The brotherhood is likely planning something big in the next few days." Nadia looked at him in surprise. "What kind of event?" "Their boss has a birthday coming up. I saw several people preparing gifts—it looks like they're planning a big celebration."Nadia could only feel relieved that Harrison wasn't her enemy. Someone like him was terrifying to go up against. He was right, of course. The Black Talon Brotherhood's leader wasn't just planning a birthday party—it was a lavish, over-the-top affair. Nadia hadn't witnessed it herself, but from what she'd heard during their trial in her previous life, it was horrifying. Still, it also presented the perfect opportunity. … The next few days passed quietly. Nadia stayed inside, but Harrison occasionally went out. Late one evening, there was a knock on the stairwell door. Austin had returned and wanted to discuss something with the 18th-floor residents. After hearing about the recent events, he'd been so anxious he couldn't sleep and had taken a day off to come back. He brought with him a power storage box and had also built a custom inverter that could be attached to a bicycle to generate electricity through pedaling.The storage box could hold up to 20 kWh, but Austin wasn't focused on charging phones or providing light. "The stainless steel doors aren't enough to keep us safe. I want to electrify the three doors on the 17th floor. If anyone tries to break in, they'll get shocked." The 18th-floor residents exchanged looks. This guy has some talent! The thought of electrified doors made Caleb grin. Anyone trying to force their way in would end up with wobbly knees, possibly even fried like a rat in a trap. Still, Caleb voiced some skepticism. "Will it really generate enough power?" "It will, but it's going to be exhausting," Austin admitted. "My grandmother is too old, and my mom is busy during the day. Pedaling to generate electricity will be up to you guys." Austin calculated that if each person on the 18th floor pedaled the bike for an hour a day, they could generate enough electricity to keep the system running for 24 hours. Five hours of pedaling could store enough power for a full day, with some extra left to charge phones and flashlights. Although solar chargers existed, the extreme cold brought gray, sunless skies, rendering them practically useless. Sometimes, it took two or three days to charge, even partially. On top of that, the frigid weather caused phones to lag and drain their batteries rapidly. Austin's plan was simple: the Hadid Family would supply the equipment, the 18th floor would manage its operation, and together, they'd ensure the safety of both floors. Levi raised a concern. "What if the electric doors short-circuit and shock us instead?" "They won't," Austin assured him. "I'll install switches on both floors with indicator lights to show when the system is live. Just follow the procedures when entering or exiting, and you'll be fine." After confirming the setup, Austin got to work that same night with Caleb and Levi helping out. It was nearly midnight by the time they finished. They severed the staircase railings, connected the wires to the 18th floor, and installed switches with indicator lights. Caleb and Levi even threw bits of meat at the electrified doors as a test—and the resulting burnt smell confirmed the system worked. Out of a sense of "humanitarianism," they added warning signs next to the doors: 'Danger: Live Wire. Touch at Your Own Risk!' Back upstairs, Levi was eager to prove himself and volunteered to be the first to pedal the bike. The first ten minutes were easy. By twenty minutes, he was starting to sweat. At thirty minutes, he was desperate for a break. By the time he finished his hour, he collapsed onto the floor, gasping, "Caleb… I'm done for." Caleb couldn't resist a jab. "Levi, a real man can't whimper!" "Fine, you try!" Levi shot back.An hour later, Caleb joined Levi in lying sprawled on the floor. "Levi… You're right. I can't do it either." Austin, who had claimed pedaling would be "easy," was now on their hit list for lying. Jasmine, watching their pitiful state, rolled her eyes before taking her turn. She pedaled effortlessly for a full hour without breaking a sweat. "What's wrong with you two?" Levi and Caleb were speechless. Was the bike sexist or something?! When it was Nadia's turn, she casually carried the bike into her apartment. After estimating how much electricity the three of them could generate, she placed the storage battery into her domain and charged it for about twenty minutes. Unfortunately, she overcharged it, so she had to wait two hours before returning the bike. When Caleb saw the battery level, his jaw dropped. "How long were you pedaling?" Feigning exhaustion, Nadia leaned against the doorframe. "I accidentally went for two hours. Nearly killed me. That's enough power for two days, so don't bother me tomorrow." "Two hours?!" Caleb's jaw dropped. "Fine, I'll do an hour and a half tomorrow. I'm not letting you beat me!" It didn't sit right with them. That night, the two brothers huddled under the covers, sneaking drinks. Caleb let out a frustrated sigh. "Man, Jasmine doesn't even break a sweat, Nadia goes for two hours like it's nothing, and Harry? Three hours straight, not even blinking. Why are we always stuck at the bottom?" Levi lamented. Caleb took a swig of his drink, equally bitter. "Why is it that no matter how hard we work, we're always playing catch-up?" Was this their fate? Always being overshadowed? No way. It was time to step up! "How?" Caleb asked. "I try my best out there, but on this floor, I feel so weak!" It hadn't always been this bad. His wife used to love his vibe. But now… it felt like she was starting to look down on him. But his biceps were already beginning to show. The two flopped onto the bed in utter defeat. Caleb muttered, "Even Colby's beating us now. What's the point of this life?" Even with the electrified doors and Colby as added security, the 18th floor remained on high alert. Harrison, ever vigilant, presented a new concern. "We've electrified the doors, but have you thought about them climbing up through the windows or using the drainage pipes from the lower floors?" Levi and Caleb paled. "Are you saying they could even dig tunnels to get in?" "It's possible," Harrison said, his tone grave. At that moment, Levi and Caleb shared the same thought. That's it; I'm done with this! Just let the world end already!