The lower the floor, the darker the rooms became.

The purple mist blocked most of the sunlight, leaving the rooms dimly lit.

By the 10th floor, the outside light was as dim as a cloudy day, with ivy covering most of the windows, making the interiors pitch-black.

Below the 5th floor, the outdoor brightness resembled a moonlit night. Inside, with the windows completely covered, the rooms were plunged into total darkness unless a light was turned on. Coupled with the purple mist, visibility beyond 5 meters was nonexistent.

However, James Lone's perception remained unaffected.

Standing in an empty room on the 2nd floor, he gazed intently at the ground floor below.

Through his [Perception], the first-floor lobby appeared as a sea of plants, glowing faintly. Most emitted a neutral yellow light, while a few glowed red, indicating they were hostile to humans.

Among the plants, insects and animals moved about—a swarm of giant rats, cockroaches, and ants scurried around, while flies and dragonflies, as large as drones, hovered among the vegetation.

Most of the animals also emitted yellow light, suggesting they wouldn't actively attack humans.

This might be due to survival instincts inherited from their past. But as time passed and competition for survival intensified, there was no guarantee they wouldn't start seeing humans as prey.

James Lone also noticed something else: [Perception] allowed him to see beneath the ground.

The Sunshine Garden complex was an older development, with no underground parking. Beneath the surface lay only soil and foundations.

Through his perception, James Lone saw the soil teeming with life—mostly rats and earthworms, which posed little threat.

After observing for several minutes and confirming no immediate danger nearby, James Lon prepared himself.

To minimize exposed skin, he pulled a thick jacket and sturdy hiking boots from his spatial backpack.

Once ready, he activated Phasing!

Passing through the floor, James Lon landed softly on the first floor.

The room was unoccupied, though a window had been left ajar, allowing ivy to creep inside, covering the walls and ceiling.

Suddenly, through his [Perception], James Lon noticed a man and a woman cautiously approaching. They stopped outside the door.

The woman held a flashlight, while the man fiddled with the lock.

Click!

The door unlocked.

James Lone raised an eyebrow.

A locksmith, huh? Impressive.

For most people, opening a security door was nearly impossible. Even someone like Hawson Wer would need a hammer and a lot of effort to break through.

But this man managed it in a matter of minutes!

Turning to the woman, the man said smugly,

"See? I told you it was easy."

The man, Brond Push, had been an ordinary locksmith before the apocalypse, overlooked and undervalued. Now, he was thriving in this new world.

The woman, in a syrupy voice, replied,

"Brond, you're amazing!"

Brond grinned smugly.

"Cici, stick with me, and you'll never go hungry. That so-called Slave Collector is nothing. No matter how much food he has stored, it'll run out eventually. But with me? We'll go door to door, building to building. We could eat well for at least three years!"

James Lone chuckled silently.

Too bad you're late. I've already cleaned this place out!

Cici blushed, replying shyly,

"Brond, I'm not that kind of girl..."

Despite her words, the two quickly shut the door and began passionately making out, completely oblivious to the man standing in the purple mist nearby.

James Lone glanced at the woman, prompting a system alert:

[Cici]

[Age: 36]

[Quality: 7] (Seductive housewife)

[Virtue: 0]

[Overall Rating: 0]

[Ding! Does not meet system requirements!]

Zero points?!

Incredible. A true record-breaker.

Enjoy yourself, Mr. Locksmith.

Mourning for Brond Push's misfortune, James Lon phased into the ground.

He sank about 2 meters deep and began walking through the soil.

Moving underground in his phased state felt strange.

The surroundings were pitch-black, with nothing visible to the naked eye, but his perception provided perfect clarity.

He discovered that in his phased state, he could pass through not only soil and stone but also living creatures like earthworms.

"About 500 meters east, there's a Yida Mall with a supermarket," James Lon thought, orienting himself and heading toward the mall.

After their passionate interlude, Cici grew impatient and said sweetly,

"Brond, let's not stay out here."

Reluctantly, Brond agreed.

"Fine. Let's grab some food first and continue later."

"Okay," Cici replied coyly.

The two began searching the apartment.

But what they found shocked them.

The entire place was empty, as if a moving company had cleaned it out.

Not a single piece of food, not even furniture, remained.

Scratching his head, Brond muttered,

"Maybe the owners moved out? Let's try another unit."

Though disappointed, Cici said nothing. She knew this was just bad luck and resolved to keep Brond under her control. After all, in this new world, someone with his skills was a valuable asset.

"Shall we try another?" she suggested.

"Let's," Brond replied.

But the next unit was also completely bare.

And the one after that...

Brond was dumbfounded.

"What the hell is going on?!"

Cici's expression darkened.

"How can they all be empty?"

Growing desperate, Brond went back to a unit he had visited two days ago.

Opening the door, he was greeted by the same sight—completely empty.

A shiver ran down his spine.

Where did everything go? Did I encounter something... unnatural?

The eerie glow of the walls, illuminated by the purple mist, added to the oppressive atmosphere.

Forcing himself to stay calm, Brond began to panic inwardly.

Previously, he had taken his ability to unlock doors for granted, wasting much of the food he acquired. Now, with supplies running low, he realized how dire the situation had become.

"What do we do now?" Brond muttered in disbelief.

Cici's expression turned frosty.

Useless!

If someone had already cleaned out these units, Brond's locksmithing skills were suddenly far less valuable.

She considered leaving him but quickly realized she had no better options for the moment. Pretending to be anxious, she glanced at Brond and said in a trembling voice,

"Brond, what do we do without food?"

Embarrassed and flustered, Brond stammered,

"I... I don't know..."

Cici, feigning hesitation, suggested,

"Maybe... we could try other apartments tonight? Quietly?"

"Steal?" Brond exclaimed, horrified. "No way! What if the police catch us?"

Even in the apocalypse, Brond was a timid and law-abiding man, afraid of causing trouble.

Cici scowled internally.

Coward!

"Brond, do you really think the police are still around? Look at all the deaths today. Did anyone come to stop it? That convenience store clerk killed Hawson Wer in broad daylight—did the police show up?"

Brond hesitated.

"I... I don't know..."

Cici leaned into him, her voice soft and soothing.

"I know you're a good man, Brond. Forget I said anything. I just can't bear to see you starve."

She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"No matter what you decide, I'll stay with you until the end. I only regret not meeting you sooner. If I had, maybe I could have given you children. But... I guess we just have bad luck."

Brond's head spun.

In his 30-something years of life, no woman had ever treated him so gently. Especially not someone as voluptuous and beautiful as Cici.

This isn't the apocalypse—it's my springtime!

A wicked voice seemed to whisper in his ear.

She's right. The police aren't coming. If I quietly unlock a door at night and take just a little food, who would ever know?

Gritting his teeth, Brond finally said,

"Fine! Tonight, I'll find us some food. I know where to go."

Cici's lowered eyes gleamed with triumph, a faint smirk playing on her lips.

What an idiot. Men like this are so easy to manipulate.

...