Katherine clung fearfully to Hawson Wer's arm as the three of them climbed the stairs.

When they reached the 21st floor, the purple mist finally disappeared.

The three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

With their vision now clear, it felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from their chests.

In the hallway, more than a dozen people had already gathered.

Each looked pale and haggard, their expressions weary and desperate. Many had dark circles under their eyes, clearly not having slept well for some time.

They watched each other warily, clutching their backpacks tightly. Some held up signs:

"One chocolate bar for two loaves of bread."

"Six bottles of cola for meat—sausages or canned meat."

"Two bottles of Lafite. Food only."

"24K gold bracelet for a box of instant noodles."

The most unique was a doctor named Wot And.

With graying hair, he sat on a stair step with a large bag of stinking wild greens in front of him. His sign read:

"Wild shepherd's purse, edible. 10 pounds for 1 bottle of alcohol."

Everyone kept their distance, unwilling to touch the oversized greens. The leaves were larger than cabbages, and no one knew if they were mutated or poisonous.

Hawson Wer approached, picked up a bunch of the greens, and sniffed them.

Ugh—

A nauseating stench hit him, smelling exactly like feces.

"Damn!" Hawson Wer grimaced, tossing the greens aside.

"This smells like shit. How can anyone eat this?"

His bulging muscles caught the attention of the crowd, and several people looked at him with admiration, hoping to ingratiate themselves.

Wot And nodded earnestly.

"They're edible. I've eaten them myself."

Hawson Wer stared at Wot And in shock.

He actually ate this?

Wot And gave a bitter smile.

"When you're starving, taste doesn't matter anymore. The world is changing fast. Sooner or later, we'll all have to start eating wild plants."

Katherine sniffed the greens, then immediately dropped them and wiped her hands with tissues.

"I'd rather starve than eat shit!" she said in disgust.

Wot And shook his head and said nothing.

After another ten minutes, the hallway grew busier, with more than forty people gathered.

As the crowd grew, so did their courage. While trading, they began chatting and sharing news:

"This life is unbearable."

"My food's running out. Why hasn't the government sent help yet?"

"Who knows? Maybe the officials are all being protected first."

"Damn it, the officials have all run off, leaving us common folk to die. It's so unfair!"

"By the way, has that Slave Collector guy shown up? I want to trade my wife's diamond ring for some food."

"A diamond ring? Who would want that now?"

"He might not come. He's got plenty of food and already has two women as slaves. He's probably afraid of getting robbed."

"Damn! Shirley lnr ended up with that bastard!"

"Don't celebrate too soon. Once Director Won returns with reinforcements, that guy will be in for it."

"Do you think Director Won will really come back?"

"Of course he will! In a modern society with advanced technology, there's no way the government will lose to evolved plants and animals. Once they save the elites, it'll be our turn."

Hawson Wer instructed Katherine to set up a stall to sell protein powder, while he and Jason wandered around to scout the situation.

Their expressions darkened as they saw how bad things really were.

The items up for trade were mostly junk—cola, wine, and other things that couldn't stave off hunger.

Hawson Wer had initially planned to kill Jason and survive alone with a few women, but he changed his mind.

Food was too scarce, and trading wouldn't yield much.

If they were going to survive, they'd have to steal.

And to steal, he needed men.

What's the point of having so many women?

Jason whispered nervously,

"Boss, this isn't looking good."

Hawson Wer nodded grimly.

"Damn it! We have to get some food this time, no matter what."

Jason hesitated.

"The Slave Collector isn't here. What if he doesn't live in our building?"

Hawson Wer lowered his voice.

"He probably does. He's with Shirley lnr and that pretty store owner, and both of those women live here. That means the Slave Collector is likely in this building too. From the pictures he posted, his room has no purple mist, so he must be above the 21st floor."

Jason quickly flattered him:

"Boss, you're so smart!"

"Hmph! Being smart is the only way to survive!" Hawson Wer said smugly.

"We need to figure out how to get food from him..."

The two of them quietly plotted.

Nearby, a short, chubby man selling chocolate had three people crowded around him, eager to buy.

Chocolate, being easy to store long-term, was a critical survival item.

The chubby man wasn't stupid and immediately raised the price.

In the end, he sold a bar of chocolate for three loaves of bread and a pack of biscuits.

Satisfied with the trade, the man prepared to leave, but Hawson Wer stepped in front of him.

"Hey, buddy. You're not planning to leave just like that, are you?"

The chubby man clutched his bag of food tightly, nervously eyeing the muscular Hawson Wer and Jason.

"What... what do you want?"

The crowd turned to watch.

Hawson Wer grinned.

"This market was my idea, so I'm in charge. The outside world is dangerous, so I'm here to protect everyone. If you're benefiting from my protection, it's only fair to pay a management fee, right?"

The atmosphere changed immediately.

Damn it, Hawson Wer is up to no good!

Hiding in the crowd, Lily grew anxious.

Her current appearance was intentionally plain—heavy makeup to look older, oversized clothing to make her figure look unflattering. She had turned herself into a haggard woman with wrinkles to avoid attracting attention.

No one would look twice at her now, which gave her some safety.

"Hawson Wer's going to start robbing people!" she thought nervously.

"Where is Slave Collector? Why isn't he here yet?"

She clutched her handbag tightly. Inside was a single black Nephelium—her only hope for survival.

Sensing trouble, some smarter individuals began packing their things to leave.

But Hawson Wer roared, his glowing muscles intensifying.

"Anyone who tries to leave will be killed!"

The crowd froze, fear evident in their faces.

Hawson Wer turned back to the chubby man and sneered.

"Your management fee: two loaves of bread."

"Two?!" the man exclaimed angrily.

"Why don't you just rob me?"

Bang!

Hawson Wer punched him hard in the stomach.

Ugh!

The man doubled over, retching in pain.

Grabbing him by the collar, Hawson Wer lifted him off the ground with one hand, his muscles bulging.

The crowd gasped.

A 160- to 170-pound man lifted with one hand?

Hawson Wer gritted his teeth, maintaining the pose for two seconds before tossing the man several meters away.

The man screamed as he landed.

Without hesitation, Hawson Wer snatched the man's bag and growled,

"You resisted the law, so everything you have is confiscated!"

"No! My food!" the man cried, struggling to stand.

Hawson Wer steeled himself. If he let this slide, he'd lose his authority. He decided to use the chubby man as an example to instill fear in everyone.

He stepped forward and kicked the man hard in the chest.

Bang!

Crack!

The sound of bones breaking echoed through the hallway as the man slid several meters and collapsed against a wall, unconscious.

The crowd fell silent, staring at Hawson Wer in terror.

Even Jason was startled, glancing nervously at the battered man.

Hawson Wer raised his voice:

"You all know the outside world is dangerous, and the building won't be safe forever. We need to organize patrols to protect ourselves. Patrol members will guard the building day and night, alerting us to dangers and clearing out invasive plants. It's for everyone's safety!

"Now, who wants to join the patrol?"

The crowd remained silent, unwilling to believe his excuses.

Hawson Wer held up the confiscated bag and announced:

"This bag contains three loaves of bread and a pack of biscuits. They were confiscated for resisting management. These resources belong to the patrol, not me personally."

Hearing this, some people's opinions began to shift.

If they could benefit from the patrol, why care about a neighbor's misfortune?

But others hesitated, wondering if the government would eventually hold the patrol accountable for breaking the law.

Hawson Wer squinted and continued,

"When the purple mist descended, many apartments in our building were left empty because their owners didn't return. I'll organize patrol members to break into those units and collect supplies. These supplies will be prioritized for patrol members."

Breaking into apartments?

Hearing this, many people's eyes lit up, especially younger men or households with male members. They were secretly delighted.

"Maybe I should join the patrol!"

A patrol team would obviously favor young men, giving them an advantage.

However, single women and elderly individuals were not as pleased.

"The supplies from empty apartments belong to everyone! Why should the patrol take them?"

"Who gave the patrol the right to do that?"

"You say they get priority—why should we accept that?"

...