Panic

Mick couldn't understand it. I did exactly what Cassius wanted—so why did he still kill me?

For Cassius, the reasoning was simple. He wasn't about to let any threats take root. It was better to crush them in the cradle.

The gunshot echoed through the complex, triggering panic once again.

This time, however, the sound was different. Those who had some familiarity with firearms recognized it immediately. Two different calibers…

Speculation spread quickly: Was it the same person using two guns? Or were there two shooters?

If there were two, and they worked together, it would mean the others in the building stood no chance.

Inside the apartment, Maisie remained calm. Angela, on the other hand, had fainted from fear. Cassius gave her a light shake, snapping her back to consciousness. The moment Angela came to, she bolted for the bathroom and vomited violently.

It took her a while to collect herself. When she finally emerged, her eyes fell on Mick's lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. Surprisingly, she felt… nothing. No sadness, no grief. Shouldn't I feel something? she wondered.

"Lend a hand," Maisie called out.

"Oh… okay," Angela responded mechanically.

Together, the two women dragged Mick's corpse to the window. With all the strength they could muster, they shoved the body out. It hit the ground below with a sickening thud.

Maisie panted heavily, then glanced over at Angela. "You holding up okay?"

Angela nodded, though her face was still pale. This was the first time she'd seen someone die right in front of her.

Cassius walked over with a glass of water, his smile deceptively warm. "I killed your boyfriend. You're not mad, are you?"

Angela took the water with trembling hands. Despite the seemingly gentle expression on Cassius's face, there was something deeply unsettling about him. His presence chilled her to the bone.

She shook her head silently.

"Good," Cassius replied, satisfied. "Take care of yourself. Getting your strength back is your top priority right now."

In his mind, Cassius was already calculating. With both women under his control, he could now alternate between them, effectively doubling his progress.

Still, something didn't sit right with him. It felt too slow. He had no interest in other cheap, mediocre women either. They simply weren't worth his time.

"Hey, do we have any other beauties in this complex?" Cassius asked curiously. He spent most of his time outside, so maybe there were hidden gems he hadn't noticed.

Maisie shook her head. "I wouldn't know. I was always home streaming. And Angela—she's a flight attendant. She's hardly ever around, and when she is, she just stays inside."

Cassius's question had been a waste of breath.

"You two, come here and massage my legs," he ordered lazily.

The women obediently sat on either side of him and began massaging. Cassius pulled out his phone, scrolling through the neighborhood group chat.

Building 5: "Shit! The gunman showed up and took my wife!"

Building 2: "Same here! Gunman appeared at my place and took my wife too!"

Building 1: "How many gunmen are there?!"

Building 3: "The gunman's in our building. You guys were tricked. Be careful!"

Building 5: "What?! So my wife got screwed for nothing?!"

Cassius raised an eyebrow in amusement. So, someone's been impersonating me to get women. Damn… He shook his head with a smirk. People would do anything in times like these.

Both women saw the messages but wisely kept quiet. Smart women knew when to stay silent—especially around someone like Cassius. Women with too many opinions didn't live long under men like him.

"Go wash some fruit," Cassius instructed without looking up from his phone.

Angela immediately got to her feet and hurried to the kitchen. Maisie blinked in surprise. Is she finally catching on?

It wasn't long before Angela returned with a beautifully arranged fruit platter. Cassius glanced at it and gave an approving nod. The presentation was top-notch. See? This is why you leave professional work to the professionals.

Cassius picked up a piece of fruit and spoke casually, "Looks like it's time for me to make an appearance."

The two women exchanged glances, both caught off guard.

Maisie hesitated, then voiced her concern. "There are a lot of people out there. It might be dangerous to go out alone."

She wasn't worried about Cassius out of kindness. If something happened to him, she knew she wouldn't fare any better.

Angela, however, remained silent, perhaps still oblivious to the severity of the situation.

By the next day, the rain had intensified. The bodies piling up in the complex's central courtyard told a grim story. Some were jumpers, others had been thrown out, but nearly half were naked women. The sight was horrific, an assault on the senses. Desperation was spreading, twisting the fragile threads of humanity.

Yet inside Cassius's apartment, it was like another world—calm, detached from the chaos outside.

Cassius sat at the dining table, savoring his meal in peace. Maisie and Angela knelt quietly on the floor beside him, waiting. They knew better than to eat before him; they only got what he left behind.

In this place, survival meant knowing your place. And the women understood that all too well.

Cassius let out a satisfied burp and chuckled. "Had a bit too much."

He grabbed the leftover food—which barely had a few bites taken from it—and divided it onto two plates.

"Here you go," he said, placing the plates in front of Maisie and Angela. He even gave each of them a gentle pat on the head, like pets.

While they quietly began to eat, Cassius checked his phone. A new message popped up—Cole had sent a mass text: "Meeting in the underground parking lot tonight. Everyone be there."

Cassius smiled mischievously. "Tonight, I'm taking you both out for a little fun."

Maisie's eyes widened in panic. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Cassius was just one man, bringing along two women—how could he possibly handle whatever was waiting out there?

Still, she didn't dare voice her concerns. Instead, she forced herself to respond with a soft, submissive "Meow," like a kitten. Angela glanced at Maisie, then mimicked her hesitantly.

Why is he doing this? Maisie wondered anxiously. Is he taking us out to show off or what?

In truth, Cassius was thinking exactly that—partly. But more importantly, he wanted to stir up trouble. In a world like this, walking around with two beautiful women was practically a death wish. I mean, I'm a good guy, right? If you don't provoke me, I won't have a reason to kill you… But if you do, well, that's a different story.

Night fell quickly, and the underground parking lot at Building 3 began to fill with people. The atmosphere was tense. No one spoke; instead, groups huddled quietly together, their eyes darting around warily. Everyone was on edge, especially those with Cole's crew.

Other buildings seemed to be holding meetings as well, adding to the uneasy buzz. But despite the number of people, the lot remained eerily quiet. The few who did talk stuck with close friends, occasionally casting suspicious glances at others nearby.

"That bastard Mick disappeared on me! And he took my deposit—a damn loaf of bread!" a middle-aged man with a receding hairline shouted angrily. He had hoped for some "fun" tonight, but now it was clear he'd been scammed.

"Yeah, that prick took a ham from me as a deposit!" another man chimed in. "If I see him, I'll cut him up myself!"

A chorus of curses erupted from the crowd, mostly from those Mick had tricked.

Cole, meanwhile, sat calmly on the hood of a car, cracking sunflower seeds between his teeth. Around him, his gang stood on guard, armed with kitchen knives and makeshift weapons. The most intimidating among them was a guy holding a large machete.

Cole wasn't focused on the grumbling crowd. His gaze was locked on the elevator doors. Mick… Is he the gunman? Or is it that delivery guy? Or maybe someone else entirely, hiding in the shadows?

One thing was for sure—someone was playing a dangerous game.