More and more survivors ventured out of their buildings, cautiously stepping into the outdoors.

Some even passed by the swimming pool, completely unaware of the terrifying mutant frog lying nearby.

James Lon observed the scene quietly:

"Strange... The mutant frog isn't attacking them."

He couldn't figure it out, but with survivors now scavenging for supplies, he knew he couldn't lag behind.

"Time to check the upper floors of Sam's Club and see if there's anything left to grab."

With so many survivors outside, the supermarket would likely be looted into chaos. The next outing might not yield as many good finds.

Making up his mind, James Lon phased underground.

Since encountering the mutant frog and the red giant birds, he had grown even more cautious, choosing to stay vigilant at all times.

Moving through the underground, James Lon passed many survivors. Everyone was taking advantage of this rare opportunity to search for supplies.

Every now and then, someone unlucky enough to brush against poisonous plants or get bitten by venomous snakes would collapse and be left behind.

"Sis! The plants are all dead!" Jackie Won said excitedly, his face pale from weeks of malnutrition.

"I saw lots of people going out!"

Anna Karenina, too weak to get out of bed, perked up at his words.

"Hurry! Let's go to Sam's Club and get something to eat."

Their building had lost power, cutting them off from the outside world.

Unable to contact James Lon, Anna Karenina had been despairing, thinking death was inevitable. But now, hope had appeared.

Jackie Won, having secretly saved two cans of food, had more strength to move around.

"Yes! It must mean the government has started rescue operations. If we're too late, there'll be nothing left!"

Anna Karenina struggled to stand, but even the slightest movement left her drenched in sweat and dizzy.

Her low blood sugar was a warning—she wouldn't last much longer.

"I'm coming with you!"

Jackie Won hesitated. He didn't want to bring his sister along as a burden, but considering the dangers outside, he thought it might be useful.

If we encounter a dangerous animal, I can throw her as bait... After all, she'd do anything to protect the family's only heir.

"Fine!"

Jackie Won helped Anna Karenina stand, and the two dressed in their heaviest clothing. Jackie Won also hid a kitchen knife in his bag before they left the apartment.

The plants were indeed dead, but the purple mist showed no signs of dissipating.

With Jackie's help, Anna Karenina moved slowly, both of them wary of others passing through the mist.

Their destination—Sam's Club—was only a few hundred meters away, but it took them nearly an hour to reach it.

Jackie Won was anxious, urging Anna Karenina to move faster, worried that the supplies would be gone before they arrived.

But Anna Karenina had no strength to pick up the pace and could only push herself forward with gritted teeth.

Finally, they reached Sam's Club. As they approached, more silhouettes appeared in the mist.

Everyone wore the same look of desperation, their faces gaunt with hunger.

The once-polished New Yorkers now looked disheveled and filthy, their thoughts consumed entirely by the need to find food.

Wot And stepped cautiously into the first-floor lobby.

Passersby, emboldened by the apparent improvement in conditions, greeted him warmly.

"Wot And, hello!"

"Wot And, aren't you heading out to get supplies?"

"The apocalypse is ending—Wot And will surely be an important figure!"

As a doctor, especially one with a prestigious title, Wot And had always been respected, even envied, by ordinary people.

During the apocalypse, people had been too focused on survival to bother with pleasantries. But now, with survival seeming less dire, they reverted to their old attitudes.

Wot And forced a bitter smile.

"Important figure? I'm just an old man trying to survive."

An older woman exaggerated,

"See? Wot And is so humble, much better than that arrogant fool from the convenience store!"

Wot And frowned slightly but said nothing.

Just then, Aunt Green appeared, glaring at him with undisguised hatred.

Not wanting to engage, Wot And turned and walked away.

The older woman, noticing the tension, also retreated awkwardly.

Aunt Green, however, stared at Wot And's back, her teeth grinding audibly:

"Wot And, you'll pay for my grandson's life!"

She had placed all the blame for her grandson's death squarely on Wot And.

Wot And cautiously observed the community, noting the widespread effect of the herbicide.

"It seems to be working..." he muttered.

But his relief was short-lived.

Beneath a pile of dead plants, a purple mushroom emerged.

Then another.

And another.

Wot And soon found himself surrounded by countless purple mushrooms.

With other plants dead, these survivors now thrived in the open space.

He also noticed a banyan tree that had been killed by the herbicide. Yet from its roots, vibrant green shoots had already sprouted, growing half a meter in just one night.

Sighing in disappointment, Wot And gazed at the blood-red surroundings.

"As I thought... it's not enough."

Carefully picking a few newly grown plants and some foul-smelling greens, he returned home.

In such dangerous times, he wouldn't risk staying outside for long. Even the worst-tasting greens were better than risking death.

At Sam's Club, the crowd continued to grow.

Many survivors had come with the intention of buying supplies, only to discover the supermarket wasn't open and had no management.

The area was already without power, and people relied on flashlights to scavenge the plaza for goods.

"Where's all the stuff from the supermarket? Did someone already take it?"

"Don't bother going downstairs. It's a waste of time—check somewhere else."

"Don't trust him! He's lying to keep us away!"

"Screw you! Believe what you want!"

Elsa Thomas, wielding a rolling pin, followed her roommate Ella and Ella's boyfriend, Strog, into the chaotic scene.

Seeing the mess before her, Elsa's heart sank.

"We're too late!"

Strog, sneaking glances at Elsa's graceful figure, tried to appear confident.

"No worries. Let's go upstairs. Most people are focused on the supermarket—there are food stores on the upper floors that might still have something left."

Elsa Thomas, a long-time dancer and fitness enthusiast, had a stunning figure.

She was curvaceous in all the right places, with an ideal body proportion often described as "fingertips to mid-thigh." Even in loose athletic wear, her perfect physique was impossible to hide.

Elsa noticed Strog's wandering eyes and felt disgusted.

"A broke athlete dares to ogle me? Hmph!"

But she had no choice. In this apocalypse, she had to rely on this strong athlete for protection, so she pretended not to notice.

Ella's eyes lit up.

"Babe, you're so smart! Let's go upstairs!"

"Of course!" Strog said smugly, feeling proud of his cleverness. He glanced at Elsa, confident that he had impressed her with his "brilliance."

Before the apocalypse, he wouldn't have dared to even consider someone of Elsa's caliber.

But now, trapped together in this new reality, he couldn't help but let thoughts creep into his mind.

"If I show my strength and resourcefulness, she'll fall for me eventually!"