Intimidation

Suddenly, a scrawny man dragged his wife forward and approached Cole with a flattering smile. "Cole, this is my wife. I'd like to trade her for two bottles of water."

As soon as he said it, the men standing nearby burst into laughter.

One of them pointed at the man's wife and sneered. "That ugly hag of yours? And you think she's worth two bottles of water? Get lost!"

"Okay, just one bottle then—just one! My wife's clean. No one's ever touched her," the man pleaded desperately, raising a trembling finger. His cracked lips quivered as he pulled his wife closer to Cole. The woman's hair was filthy and matted, giving off an unpleasant odor—it had been more than ten days since she'd last washed.

Cole's eyes hardened, and he barked, "Get the hell out of here! If you want food or water, go out and fight for it yourself!"

The scrawny man looked like the kind who wouldn't last five minutes outside before getting beaten to death.

"It's all your fault," the wife muttered under her breath. "Why didn't you go out to fight for supplies?"

The comment ignited a fury deep inside the man. He grabbed her by the hair and roared, "What use are you to me? You're not even worth a single bottle of water!"

"You're not a real man! I'll tear you apart!" she screamed, sinking her teeth into his arm. He yelped in pain and retaliated with a vicious kick, knocking her to the ground. But he wasn't done. He pounced on her and began savagely kicking her in the head.

"You dare say I'm heartless? You still worry about washing your damn face when we're starving? Fine, I'll let you wash your face—with your own blood!" His rage knew no bounds. Blood smeared across her face as the woman's body went limp. Moments later, she lay still—beaten to death right in front of him.

The man stared at his wife's pale face, suddenly snapping out of his blind rage. Realization hit him hard, and he dropped to his knees beside her corpse. "Wife… No! I didn't mean it… I was wrong… I'm so sorry!"

But there wasn't a shred of sympathy from the crowd. After everything they had witnessed over the past few days, scenes like this had become disturbingly common.

Meanwhile, inside the metal gate of Building Four, a group of over twenty able-bodied men gathered around Mallory. Most of them were residents, and they stood smoking casually, biding their time. Lying next to them were a set of heavy-duty bolt cutters, ready for action. All it would take was one word from Mallory, and they'd storm Building Three, slaughter Cole's group, and seize all their supplies.

But there was a risk. If they made a move, the fragile balance of the community would collapse. Other buildings would become hostile and barricade themselves. Worse, they'd lose any chance of driving out of the complex alive when the time came.

"Alright, let me say a few words." Cole jumped down from the hood of the car, addressing the crowd. Neither Mick nor Cassius was present, so it was up to him to take charge.

Just as he finished speaking, a sudden ding echoed from the elevator. The crowd turned their heads as the doors slowly slid open.

Cassius stepped out, dressed casually in a simple outfit. Cole had never really sized him up before, but now he took a moment to scrutinize him. Cassius looked like just an average young guy—someone who didn't seem capable of killing anyone.

Then Cole's gaze shifted, and his expression froze. Cassius wasn't alone.

What happened next left everyone in shock. Dry, cracked lips parted slightly, and some men even rubbed their eyes in disbelief, thinking they must be hallucinating.

Two stunning women in high heels stepped out of the elevator behind Cassius. Their beauty was almost surreal. Their faces were radiant and full of life, their skin glowing with a healthy, delicate pink hue. Their flawless bodies looked like they were regularly pampered and bathed, as if they had just emerged from a luxury spa—ripe and supple like perfectly fresh peaches.

The men in the crowd swallowed hard, their throats suddenly parched.

Both women wore playful cat-themed accessories on their heads and outfits from a seductive "cat-girl" fashion line. Their hourglass figures and hypnotic movements sent shockwaves through every man's senses. White thigh-high stockings hugged their long, slender legs, accentuating every curve with tantalizing perfection.

In a world that had long since descended into chaos, such breathtaking women appearing out of nowhere was almost too much to process. The atmosphere turned deathly silent.

Every other woman present seemed to pale in comparison, their dull and unkempt appearances utterly eclipsed. They couldn't even dream of standing on the same level as these two.

Yet, despite their goddess-like beauty, Maisie and Angela—yes, these women had names—were casually following behind… a guy who used to deliver food for a living.

It was a brutal reality check, a crushing blow to everyone's perceptions—a complete dimensional collapse.

The men instinctively glanced at their own women, comparing them to Maisie and Angela. It was like comparing night to day. Look at the silky, shiny hair those two had. Look at the smooth, radiant glow of their skin. Meanwhile, their own partners were dirty and rough-looking, barely holding it together.

Today, Maisie and Angela were absolutely mesmerizing. Maisie, dressed in an elegant white version of the outfit, stood tall at 168 centimeters with legs that could stop traffic. Angela, in a delicate pink version, wasn't far behind at 169 centimeters, her endlessly long and silky legs on full display.

The men could only stare, overwhelmed by the sensory overload.

Especially with the two of them walking like they were on a catwalk, it was a sight that would've drawn a crowd even before the apocalypse. But in this world, it still drew a crowd—just not the kind you'd want.

Maisie strutted with confidence, showing off her stunning figure as if she were basking in the men's envious and desperate stares. She enjoyed the way they looked—hungry, greedy, knowing full well they had no chance. Angela, on the other hand, was much more timid. Her nervous eyes darted around, filled with fear and uncertainty. But that vulnerable, delicate expression only made the men even more frenzied, as if they were on the verge of losing control.

"Hey… isn't that the streamer chick? She's with that delivery guy now?"

"Damn, that delivery dude must've stockpiled a ton of supplies. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Wait, isn't that the flight attendant? Yeah, that's her! Bet her rich boyfriend didn't make it."

The murmurs grew louder as the crowd pieced together the situation. They finally realized that the most attractive women in their entire building had been hidden away by this one guy—and now he was parading them around like trophies.

Cole watched Cassius approach, chuckling under his breath. "Man, you really kept these two under wraps, huh? If you hadn't brought them out, no one would've known. But flexing like this... Have you thought about the consequences?"

"Consequences?" Cassius grinned back. "Why don't you show me what consequences you mean?"

By now, people from the surrounding buildings were gathering to watch the spectacle. A chorus of wolf whistles echoed through the air, and some men began shouting crude remarks.

"Hey! How much for the women? Three bottles of water—deal or not?"

"Three bottles? Hell no! I'll pay a whole case of water. Give me both of them!"

Suddenly, a sleazy-looking man swaggered over to Maisie, his filthy face twisted into a playful smirk. Without a second thought, he reached out, his grubby hand aiming for her smooth, delicate arm.

The moment his hand moved, Cassius's smile remained, but his hand shot to his waist, drawing a zhàn mǎ dāo—a brutal, horse-cutting saber. In one swift motion, he brought it down in a deadly arc, the blade gleaming in the fading light.

A single slash, clean and decisive.

The filthy, dark hand that had dared to offend fell to the ground with a dull thud. Moments later, the man's body followed, sliding apart from the waist as if in slow motion. His severed torso crumpled, and intestines and other organs spilled out in a grotesque heap.

The crowd froze, eyes wide in horror and disbelief. Cassius had just cut a man clean in half with a single strike. The sheer power it took to pull that off left everyone stunned.

Damn… That's some serious strength. No wonder he's confident enough to walk around flaunting two goddesses like that.

Cassius calmly flicked his wrist, sending the blood on the saber's blade splattering onto the ground in a perfect line. His expression turned cold and deadly serious as he spoke, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "If you mess with my supplies, you're cutting off my survival. The only end for you… is death."

The men exchanged glances, nervous but unwilling to give up so easily. Their gazes eventually shifted toward Cole. Thoughts of rebellion flickered in their minds, wild and reckless. If we take this delivery guy out… maybe we can have a taste of those two women. Even if it means dying after, at least we'll go out as legends. Better to die a playboy than starve as a nobody.

Maisie exhaled softly, relieved. She knew Cassius wasn't the type to flex for no reason. If he were, he would've paraded her around long before now. Still, her stomach turned at the sight of the dismembered corpse. The scattered, bloody mess of flesh and organs lying on the ground was enough to make anyone gag.