James Lone glanced at the two women and said, half-jokingly,

"I have a spatial backpack that only I can access. I've been prepared for this disaster for a long time, and the backpack is stocked with supplies. As long as you behave and stick with me, I guarantee you'll never lack food or clothes. So, be obedient. Got it?"

Monroe Anne wasn't sure if James was telling the truth, but her will to resist significantly weakened.

If he was being honest, following him was the smartest choice.

In this horrifying apocalypse, survival was the ultimate goal.

Shirley lnr, recalling the large quantities of food and the energy-enhancing fruits James Lone had produced, believed him almost entirely.

It matched her previous suspicions; she couldn't think of another explanation for how he was so well-prepared.

James noticed the blood-red hostility radiating from Monroe Anne fading, replaced by a faint yellow glow.

It was weak but entirely free of hostility.

"Good, I like smart slaves."

Satisfied, he patted Monroe Anne's cheek and smiled.

"Be good, and don't move. I'll take the tape off your mouth."

Rip.

Rip.

James Lone casually tore the tape from her face, pulling out several strands of her hair in the process. Monroe Anne flinched but didn't dare make a sound.

He then removed the black stocking from her mouth.

"Ugh... ugh..." Monroe Anne gagged and dry-heaved for a moment before she could catch her breath.

James Lone tossed a piece of bread next to her face.

"Eat. Once you're done, there's work for you to do."

Monroe Anne stared intently at the bread, not daring to ask what "work" meant.

"Could you untie my hands? I can't eat like this," she pleaded.

"Nope," James Lon replied indifferently. "Eat as you are."

Monroe Anne pouted.

"How am I supposed to eat like this? You're impossible!"

James Lon smirked coldly.

The tricks that worked on Fatty Eric were useless against him.

He stomped on the bread, crushing it, and flung it out the window.

"Okay, there goes your lunch."

Monroe Anne stared in shock.

She finally understood—James Lon was nothing like Fatty Eric.

Immediately, she adjusted her attitude, lowering herself to beg.

"James... brother, please, give me something to eat!"

This woman knew when to yield. James Lon produced another piece of bread with a flick of his wrist.

Monroe Anne's eyes lit up.

James Lone tossed the bread onto the ground and sneered.

"If you won't drink the toast, you'll drink the penalty wine. Here's another chance: kneel and eat it."

To his surprise, Monroe Anne didn't hesitate. She knelt down and quickly began eating.

[Ding! Monroe Anne consumed one piece of bread. 300 pieces have been added to your spatial backpack.]

James Lon also noticed that the yellow glow around Monroe Anne was fading, replaced by a faint green hue.

Smiling, he said,

"Good. Now you're being obedient."

With the threat of Fatty Eric resolved, James Lone felt the urgency of time.

The world was descending into chaos, and he needed to grow stronger.

He began doing push-ups.

Unfortunately, with his enhanced physical attributes, push-ups were far too easy and ineffective for training.

Switching to handstand push-ups, he still found them too simple.

Finally, he resorted to doing handstand push-ups on just two fingers.

This provided a small amount of resistance.

James Lone cranked out 100 reps effortlessly, barely breaking a sweat. Displeased, he muttered,

"I need some weights. This is pointless. Or better yet, I should learn martial arts or combat techniques. I also need weapons."

Shirley stared at him in awe.

She never expected this man to be so powerful.

Monroe Anne's eyes sparkled as she watched him.

This is the kind of man I deserve!

He's my best chance for survival!

I must secure him for myself.

James Lon noticed their expressions and smiled faintly.

After an hour of improvised training, he realized it was futile. Without proper guidance, his efforts were nearly worthless. Eating more physical enhancement fruits would be more effective.

He stepped onto the balcony to check on Fatty Eric.

Fatty Eric had passed out.

In just over an hour, the wound on his arm from the dog bite had already begun to rot, oozing pus and emitting a foul stench.

Before the apocalypse, such an infection would have taken 3–4 days to worsen. Now, it was happening at an alarming rate.

Not only had plants and animals evolved, but bacteria and viruses were evolving at breakneck speed too.

Shirley lnr Won cautiously approached from behind.

"Is he going to die?" she asked timidly.

"He's doomed without antibiotics," James Lon replied coolly. "Even if we had some, I'm not sure they'd work anymore. Everything's changing too quickly. These days, any injury is essentially a death sentence."

Shirley clung to James Lone's arm without realizing it.

In just two days, she had developed a strong dependence on him.

Monroe Anne, meanwhile, looked at Fatty Eric with a complex expression.

Her fiancé hung there like a dead dog while she knelt before his killer...

Biting her red lips, she thought,

I'm just a weak woman. I have to survive.

Though she felt a pang of guilt, it was quickly overshadowed by resentment toward Fatty Eric.

Why are you so useless?

You're pathetic!

This is all your fault!

James Lone inspected Fatty Eric's condition.

Despite hanging there for so long, the mutant frog hadn't appeared.

Could it not reach this high? Had it left? Or had it simply not noticed?

Aside from some large flies buzzing around, there were no other animals nearby.

Perhaps the 33rd floor was too high for most creatures.

Relieved, James Lone concluded that the 33rd floor was relatively safe for now.

Just as he was about to leave, something caught his eye: a climbing ivy vine was wrapped around Fatty Eric's left finger.

"Huh?" James was surprised.

"This thing climbed all the way to the 30th floor?"

He tugged on the vine and discovered it wasn't just wrapped around Fatty Eric's finger—it had burrowed into his skin.

Pulling harder, James Lon extracted a long section of the vine, which came out covered in blood and chunks of flesh.

As the vine was removed, Fatty Eric's left hand visibly deflated, leaving only loose skin behind. The flesh had been entirely devoured.

James Lone felt a chill run down his spine.

"Holy crap! This thing eats human flesh?!"