Complaints aside, life had to go on. After venting their frustrations, everyone refocused as Harrison outlined potential breach strategies and their corresponding countermeasures. Once again, Nadia marveled at how tough it was to survive in the apocalypse. That evening, Elizabeth shouted from downstairs, announcing that the distribution of relief grain originally scheduled for two days later had been moved up to the next day. Jasmine and the others were puzzled. "Why the sudden change?" Nadia instinctively glanced at Harrison, only to find him looking back at her at the same time. Their eyes met briefly before they both looked away. "Jasmine," Nadia said casually, "I'm planning to pick up the grain in the morning and take Colby for a walk downstairs in the afternoon."Jasmine didn't think much of it. "Sure, we'll head out after you're back." That night, Nadia couldn't sleep. She couldn't help but reflect on her current life. Even with her domain, survival came with its own heavy price. She hoped the next day would go smoothly. The next morning, the distribution of relief grain was set to begin at 9 a.m., but Nadia and Harrison agreed over the walkie-talkie to leave at 7 a.m. When they stepped out early, they found Jasmine pedaling the bike in the hallway. Seeing Lily absent, Nadia asked offhandedly, "Is Lily not coming?" Harrison nodded. "She's still asleep." It was still hours before the relief grain would be handed out, and the pair were leaving early without Lily. Jasmine couldn't help but notice how suspiciously it looked like an excuse for alone time. Still, she kept her thoughts to herself, smirking as she waved them off. Outside the SOHO Community, Nadia and Harrison didn't join the line at the community council for the grain. Instead, they headed toward Regal Residences. It was the Black Talon Brotherhood leader's birthday that day, and Harrison had gathered intel that a grand celebration was planned. As they reached a street corner near the complex, Harrison suddenly paused. "What's wrong?" Nadia asked, confused. Without a word, Harrison reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist. Nadia's mind went blank for a moment, and a surge of irritation hit her—she almost pulled her knife. If she didn't trust his character, there would've been blood. "There's surveillance. Don't look around," Harrison said, his voice low as he held her close and walked forward slowly through the biting cold. "We're being watched?" "Regal Residences."A flicker of surprise crossed Nadia's face. Could it be that the police had acted on the letter she sent? Though she hated it when people spoke enigmatically, she clamped her mouth shut. If Regal Residences was under surveillance, it was possible someone there could also read lips. To avoid suspicion, Nadia leaned in closer to Harrison, overcoming her discomfort to play the part of an intimate couple. Harrison kept his arm around her as they walked around the perimeter of Regal Residences before finally ducking into an alley to leave. Once they were out of sight, he let go. "Sorry about that." "Is Regal Residences under surveillance?" "Not certain, but my gut tells me yes. All four entrances are being watched." Harrison's SWAT-trained instincts were far sharper than the average person's. Nadia had also been on high alert during their walk, and though not as sensitive as Harrison, she had sensed a faint but undeniable tension in the air.A thought struck her. "Could the relief grain distribution being moved up have something to do with Regal Residences?" "Possibly," Harrison replied. Harrison had spent days observing Regal Residences and noted that, in addition to housing a large number of Black Talon Brotherhood members, it also held many survivors. Moments earlier, they'd seen some of these survivors leaving the complex to pick up relief grain. These survivors might have been staying voluntarily for protection—or they might have been forced to stay as hostages. The change in the relief grain schedule was likely a move to lure survivors out of Regal Residences and reduce the risk of them being used as human shields during an operation. Regardless of the reason, Nadia felt a wave of relief. If the entire gang could be wiped out in one go, the area would enjoy a much-needed period of peace.When Nadia and Harrison returned to the community council, the area was already packed with a sea of survivors waiting in a long line for the relief grain. Nadia lowered her voice. "Since today's distribution is happening, those guys collecting protection supplies will probably come out, right?" Harrison nodded. "They will." The Black Talon Brotherhood had plenty of lackeys who didn't rank high enough to attend the boss' birthday bash. Only the gang's upper echelon had the honor of being part of the celebration. This meant that Regal Residences was temporarily weakened, with significantly reduced firepower—a clever move by whoever orchestrated the timing. It took two hours before they finally received their relief grain. With supplies in hand, they started back toward the SOHO Community. Halfway home, Harrison suddenly tensed. His hand shot out to grab Nadia's arm, and he quickly steered them down an alternate route."There! It's them!" A sharp, shrill voice called out behind them. "I'd recognize them anywhere, even if they turned to ash!" The voice felt familiar to Nadia, but she couldn't immediately place it. Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunfire erupted behind them as a hail of bullets tore through the air. Harrison yanked Nadia into a run, dodging through the streets with the gang of about a dozen men giving chase, their guns blazing. Bullets whizzed past, and the two ducked into an office building, racing up the stairwell without hesitation. As they ascended, Nadia reached into her pocket and stealthily retrieved a gun from her domain, finding a spot to take cover and prepare for an ambush. "Quick, they're upstairs!" One of the pursuers, covered in tattoos, shouted, "Rhad says to bring their heads as a gift for the boss' birthday!"Harrison used the stairs' cover to his advantage, firing two precise shots that landed bullseye. Two men went down instantly, but the gang retaliated with heavy fire, spraying bullets indiscriminately. In the ensuing chaos, Harrison managed to take out five more enemies. Nadia's aim wasn't as sharp, but she managed to wound two. Forced to retreat under the barrage, Nadia spotted a sturdy-looking office and ducked inside. It was, once again, a CEO's office. They locked the door behind them and fled into the adjacent private lounge, barricading the door as best as they could. This was Nadia's first real gunfight. During the heat of the moment, she hadn't felt fear, but now her head was drenched in sweat. The thought of the Black Talon Brotherhood swarming the area made her uneasy. Had something happened to Jasmine and the others on the 18th floor? What about Colby and Lily? If the building was under attack, they wouldn't stand a chance. She wiped the sweat from her brow, only to notice Harrison's pained expression. "You're hurt, aren't you?" she asked, her heart sinking. "I'm fine. I'm wearing a bulletproof vest." They had limited ammo; every shot fired had to hit its mark. While the vest had absorbed the impact, the force of the bullet against the vest's steel plating had left his shoulder bruised and sore. It would take time for him to recover. "Where are you hit?" His shoulder—his gun hand. Nadia's mind reeled. He pushed me earlier. Was that when he'd taken the hit? If so… Before she could think further, the sound of someone kicking the office door echoed loudly. Harrison didn't flinch. Instead, he shattered the lounge's glass window and pulled out a rappelling rope, anchoring it securely to a support beam. "Nadia, go down this way and get back to the SOHO Community." "What about you?" "I'm wearing a vest and still have bullets. I can hold them off." No, he didn't have enough bullets left. "Go!" Harrison's voice turned cold and firm. "I'll delay them. You need to get back to the 18th floor and protect Lily and the others." "How are you supposed to hold off so many people alone?" "They came prepared. If we both stay here, we're dead for sure." As if to emphasize his point, the gang broke into the office and started firing at the lounge door, the bullets ripping through the lock. "Leave now. I can handle this better on my own."The implication stung—was he calling her a liability? Nadia's chest tightened with frustration, but she couldn't deny his combat skills were superior. Without arguing, she handed him a few extra bullets. "Harrison, you have to come back alive. I'm not taking care of Lily for you. She's your sister, and you'll need to look after her yourself. Don't ever expect someone else to do it."