Dreams

"How are things on your end today?" Hadden asked, his voice laced with concern.

"I'm fine, don't worry," Maggie replied softly. "What about you?"

"All good. I'm in a villa community—fewer people, plenty of supplies. The property management had a decent stockpile."

Maggie let out a quiet sigh of relief and shifted slightly on her bed. "What about Emma?"

"That little troublemaker? She's still got the energy to do yoga. What do you think?" Hadden chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Must be nice..." Maggie murmured, a hint of envy in her voice.

A brief silence fell between them before Hadden sighed. "Maggie, you need to find a way to get here. I don't feel safe knowing you're still there."

Maggie forced a bitter smile. Black Bear City was 400 kilometers from Sea City. Before, that distance was nothing. A few hours by car, a short flight. But now? It might as well be the other side of the world.

"I'll figure something out," she said, trying to sound optimistic. "Besides, my brother-in-law is still a big shot, you know."

Hadden hesitated, then spoke in a grim tone. "A friend told me… riots have broken out in a lot of communities. People are killing like it's nothing. Some sick freaks aren't even sparing the corpses of women."

"Ah!" Maggie gasped, horror flashing across her beautiful face.

Hadden immediately realized his mistake. Shit. He should have kept that to himself.

"Forget I said that," he said quickly, shifting the topic. "Let's talk about something better—like where we're going for our honeymoon. I was thinking maybe Greece? Or the Maldives? Can you imagine the sunsets there?"

He painted a picture of the future, a dream of blue skies, warm beaches, and a world where they weren't just surviving.

As their conversation stretched on, Maggie's phone battery started to dwindle. Reluctantly, she set it down to charge, gazing out at the rain. The wind was stronger tonight.

A deep exhaustion washed over her, and before she knew it—she was asleep.

The Nightmare

Maggie dreamed of death. Her own.

Her lifeless body lay on the ground, cold and motionless. Around her, countless men sat in a circle, watching her like she was a freshly grilled steak—their eyes filled with pure, animalistic hunger.

Then, they descended on her.

They defiled her corpse while tearing into her flesh with their teeth, gnawing and devouring until there was nothing left but bare, bloodied bones.

She wanted to scream. But corpses don't scream.

"AH!"

Maggie jolted awake, her body snapping upright, drenched in cold sweat. Her hair clung to her damp skin, and her face was pale, drained of all color.

She turned her head toward the window. Morning.

But the light brought no comfort.

A crushing sense of powerlessness welled up from deep inside her.

Would she ever leave this place? Would she ever escape?

Tears slipped silently from the corners of her eyes.

Compared to Maggie, Cassius was in high spirits. He stretched lazily, then glanced out the window. Another energized day.

Last night had been productive—he'd gained a solid chunk of experience. Now at 10%. Just 90% more to unlock Infinite Evolution System 2.0.

Looking at that painfully slow progress bar, Cassius rubbed his forehead. Even with double XP, this was still too damn slow.

At the door, three automatic rifles were rigged in place, all aimed directly at the entrance. A set of strings was carefully woven through the doorframe, connected to the triggers.

The moment the door was forced open—or even kicked down—the guns would unload their entire magazines, shredding anyone dumb enough to step inside.

After checking his setup, Cassius grabbed a bowl of ramen. The rich aroma filled the room, instantly drawing the attention of the two women, their sleepy eyes snapping open.

Naturally, Cassius had prepared a more balanced, nutrient-packed meal for them. After all, they were the source of his power.

Afternoon

Bored, Maisie sat on the balcony. Her black stockings rested on the railing, a blank sheet of paper on her lap, and a pencil in hand.

She idly sketched while watching the scene below. Brush, brush, brush.

Cassius, fresh out of the bedroom, walked over, intrigued. He peered over her shoulder.

"Not bad," he remarked.

On the paper was a pencil sketch—a pile of corpses lying below. The eerie precision in her strokes made it look almost unsettling.

Maisie jolted when she noticed him behind her. "Ah! You're up! Sorry, I didn't mean to—"

Cassius casually pressed her back down. "Relax. Keep drawing."

Maisie let out a small, embarrassed laugh.

"You studied art?" Cassius asked curiously.

"Yeah… I was an art student. As a kid, I dreamed of becoming a painter, hosting exhibitions all over the country…" Maisie sighed, twirling the pencil between her fingers. "But dreams are just dreams. Reality is brutal. A month's worth of my artwork didn't even make as much as a single dance stream."

She let out a bitter chuckle. The price she had to pay wasn't any different now—except now, it was just more… direct.

Angela, carrying a plate of freshly cut fruit, walked over and sighed. "My sister's artwork is actually really good. She just never met the right people."

Cassius plucked a peeled orange slice and popped it into his mouth.

"You know," he said casually, "I have a dream too."