Morning arrived.

The two slave girls were thoroughly exhausted after being with James all night, finally collapsing into a deep sleep.

James, fully satisfied, gazed at the two women lying on the bed, still craving more.

He hadn't expected that the apocalypse would grant him the opportunity to enjoy such pleasures.

After consuming the Ability Fruits and increasing his physical attributes, he didn't feel tired at all, and his need for sleep had significantly decreased. A quick 30-minute nap was all he needed to feel fully refreshed.

The sun was up.

James Lone grabbed five cartons of milk and a dozen marinated eggs for breakfast.

His increased physical condition also meant a greater appetite.

For other survivors, this might have meant hunger, but for James Lon, it was no concern—he had an abundance of food.

After eating, he checked his phone. It took a while to connect, as the signal was worsening.

He had received dozens of private messages from women:

"Hey handsome, can we chat?"

"Slave Collector, do you think I'm good enough?"

"I'm fair-skinned, beautiful, and have long legs. As long as you give me a pack of instant noodles a day, I'll do anything you want!"

With food becoming increasingly scarce, many had broken their limits.

James Lone skimmed through the messages. All of them had low ratings and didn't meet the system's requirements, so he blocked them all.

After yesterday's killings, the Sunshine Garden group chat was noticeably quieter, with very few messages throughout the night.

The only exception was Aunt Green, who flooded the chat with over a hundred messages blaming Wot And for her grandson's death.

Wot And had tried to refute her at first but stopped responding after a while.

James Lone also noticed a new message from Catherine in the group chat, bidding for a black Nephelium.

"Catherine? Isn't she the trainer who was always with Hawson Wer?"

He frowned slightly.

"She must've guessed it after seeing Hawson Wer gain his ability from eating a black Nephelium."

James Lone had long expected that the secret of the black Nephelium wouldn't stay hidden forever.

After all, he'd learned about it from online rumors, so it was likely spreading everywhere.

Still, seeing someone openly competing with him left him feeling annoyed.

He used [Perception] to look into Room 1708.

Inside, a man and a woman were sleeping together. The woman was the fitness trainer who had been with Hawson Wer, her figure as impressive as ever.

The man looked familiar—it was the locksmith.

"How did these two end up together?"

James Lone pondered for a moment before dismissing it.

"If she buys it, I'll just take it from her. Saves me the trouble of searching."

With that thought, he ignored them and turned his attention back to his phone.

A message popped up automatically:

Building C, #2104, 'I'm Not a Fox': "Do you have any diarrhea medicine? I'd like to buy some."

Diarrhea?

James Lone focused on the 21st floor, where Lily was.

She lay curled up on her bed, her glow dim. Suddenly, she bolted upright and rushed to the bathroom.

Slave Collector: "You have diarrhea?"

I'm Not a Fox: "Yes."

James Lone frowned.

Can diarrhea even be treated now?

He wasn't sure.

Diarrhea used to be a minor issue, but things were different now. Viruses were mutating rapidly, and there was no guarantee that old medicines would still be effective.

Plus, how had she gotten diarrhea?

If it was due to some deadly virus, James Lon would leave without hesitation—he wasn't about to risk being infected.

Slave Collector: "What happened?"

I'm Not a Fox: "I ate half a pack of instant noodles I had left over and frozen. I thought it'd be fine, but after eating it..."

James Lone was speechless.

Slave Collector: "Wow. You're a genius."

Relieved that it wasn't a virus, he relaxed a little.

I'm Not a Fox: "Please, help me! You must have medicine, right?"

Lily, clutching her stomach, stumbled from the bathroom back to her bed, collapsing weakly. The continuous diarrhea had left her on the verge of dehydration.

Slave Collector: "I have norfloxacin and montmorillonite powder, but those are for kids."

Lily lit up with hope.

I'm Not a Fox: "I'll buy them! I have a diamond necklace I can trade."

James Lone sneered.

"A rock? That's worthless. Wait for me. I'll be there soon."

He pulled the medicines from his spatial backpack and phased through the floor.

Moments later, he dropped into Lily's room, landing by her window.

Seeing him phase through the floor, Lily froze in terror.

"You... You... You!"

James Lone ignored her and took out two boxes of medicine.

Lily quickly overcame her fear, ecstatic.

"Thank you, big brother!"

James Lone's tone was calm but firm.

"Don't waste your breath. Gratitude is worthless. If you want these, what will you offer in return?"

Lily was furious.

"You're taking advantage of me!"

James Lone smirked.

"Taking advantage? In a supermarket, a bottle of water costs one dollar. In a desert, it's worth a fortune.

Things have different values depending on time and place. I'm just fair. If you don't agree, I won't force you. But don't expect me to save you either."

Lily clutched her stomach, both furious and helpless.

"Lives shouldn't be treated as tradeable goods!"

James Lone's gaze turned cold.

"Don't try to guilt-trip me. That doesn't work. Medicine companies never lowered prices for poor patients. Did you criticize them then? Don't waste time—just give me an answer."

Lily was desperate.

"I... I..."

James Lone waited patiently, showing no urgency.

Another wave of pain hit her stomach, and Lily cried out in agony.

"Fine! I agree! Just give me the medicine!"

She reached out eagerly, but James Lone sneered.

"You think this is the right attitude for asking for help? Try again."

Lily's eyes turned red.

"Why are you like this? Don't you have any sympathy?"

James Lone laughed coldly.

"Sympathy? In this world, sympathy will get you killed.

Did you ever sympathize with beggars on the street? No? Then you have no right to judge. Now, to me, you're no different from one of those beggars."

Leaning closer, he stared into her eyes.

"I give you medicine, you live. I don't, you die. What leverage do you think you have to bargain with me?"

Lily broke down.

"Please, I'm begging you—just give me the medicine!"

"Hahaha." James Lone chuckled.

"Now you're being reasonable."

He tossed her the medicine.

Lily tore open the packages and swallowed the pills immediately.

A fresh wave of pain sent her rushing back to the bathroom.

Minutes later, she returned, weak and unsteady, leaning against the wall. It was clear her condition was severe.

James Lone wasn't sure if she would recover; it depended on her luck now.

Leaving behind some energy bars, cola, and purified water, he phased out of the room.

Watching him vanish into the floor, Lily felt a mix of gratitude and bitterness.

The day passed quietly.

James Lone stayed home, downloading offline maps and other vital information. With the internet on the verge of collapse, this data would become incredibly valuable.

He fed 'Byakuga n' twice, growing increasingly confident in taming the husky. Eventually, he brought it inside but confined it to his rental unit, forbidding it from entering Shirley lnr's room.

By 7:00 PM, James Lon noticed Lily's glow had mostly returned to normal. She seemed to have recovered from the diarrhea, with the medicine proving effective.

He decided to visit her.

Lily was eating an energy bar when James Lon suddenly phased into her room, startling her.

Seeing her improved complexion, James Lon nodded slightly.

Lily had replenished her energy and water and looked much better overall.

Without a word, James Lon stared at her expectantly.

Lily, understanding his meaning, sighed and said,

"Let me pack up."

James Lone's strength had terrified everyone, and Lily knew she couldn't resist him.

He said casually,

"No need. Take everything with you."

Walking through the room, James Lon waved his hand, causing items to vanish into his spatial storage.

Lily stared in disbelief.

"Is this... magic?"

James Lone glanced at her.

"This is my ability: spatial manipulation. Stick with me, and you'll never have to worry about food again. I've already gathered more than enough supplies."

Lily's resistance softened, her heart lifting with hope.

Together, they climbed the stairs back to Shirley lnr Won's apartment.