Chapter 1

The end of the world arrived, resources depleted, all of humanity living in cramped underground chambers.

I joined the dangerous surface search team, just to secure better resources for my wife Melody.

But her childhood sweetheart Faisal carelessly trampled precious food under his feet.

Melody only berated me, saying: "If you weren't so useless! Faisal wouldn't have to eat such disgusting canned food!"

During a search mission, Melody and her childhood sweetheart were caught in the act behind my back.

They even planned to abandon me outside the radiation-filled living pod, to let their illicit affair flourish.

But later Melody knelt before me, desperately begging and professing her love.

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1

Luck was on my side for this mission. Though I sustained some injuries, I discovered a plant that hadn't been contaminated by radiation yet.

After turning it in to the base, I was able to claim two bags of canned food.

Enough to eat for the next week.

I returned home with joy, only to find the house dark and empty.

My wife, Melody, wasn't home.

My mood instantly dampened a bit.

Just then, I heard Melody's silvery, flirtatious laughter coming from outside.

After applying medicine to my wounds, I went out to see Melody and Faisal sitting intimately together.

Sweet smiles adorned their faces as they fed each other.

Seeing me come out, they hesitated for a moment before giving a perfunctory greeting.

"Oh, Briar, you're back. Come and eat with us."

My gaze fell on her delicate face and the shopping bags strewn across the ground.

The women's items were obviously Melody's, while the men's style I could tell at a glance wasn't mine.

That could only mean they belonged to Melody's dear childhood sweetheart, Faisal.

I composed myself and turned to wash my hands in the bathroom first.

I knew Melody loved beauty, even in these times of human survival crisis.

I had never objected to her trading survival supplies for some useless clothing.Only her childhood sweetheart Faisal's emergence from the sixth underground level seemed to embolden Melody further.

By the time I returned to the table, the scarce meat had already been devoured.

All that remained was the coarse canned food.

I silently sat down, preparing to eat.

Just then, I saw Faisal take a bite of the canned food, his expression changing instantly.

Frowning, he spat the food onto the ground, then knocked over the bowl on the table.

He stomped on it, spitting viciously.

"Pah! What kind of crap is this? How dare they serve this pig slop for me to eat!"

Watching Faisal's actions, my eyes immediately welled up with tears.

To gather those uncontaminated greens, I had fallen down a hillside.

Luckily, I hadn't sustained any open wounds, or I'd have been sent to quarantine.

My shoulder still bore a terrifying bruise.

The food I had risked my life for.

Now, before I could take a single bite, Faisal had trampled it underfoot.

A surge of fury suddenly welled up inside me. I stepped forward and shoved Faisal aside.

Looking at the mashed canned food on the floor, I felt my heart bleeding.Faisal is a pretty boy with no real strength, just a handsome face.

He's no match for someone like me who goes on missions every day.

With just one push, Faisal fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

Melody was heartbroken and immediately rushed to help Faisal up.

She glared at me angrily and scolded:

"Briar, what's wrong with you? Why are you manhandling Faisal?"

My eyes were still fixed on the canned food on the ground. I only looked up when I heard Melody's voice and shouted:

"I'm the crazy one? This is food I risked my life to get, and he's just stomping on it and wasting it?!"

"Melody, do you have any idea how precious food is right now?!"

Ever since the apocalypse began, I've been the one supporting Melody.

She has no concept of how valuable food is, and just said dismissively:

"The top six floors underground all eat fresh rice! If you weren't so useless, Faisal wouldn't have to eat this disgusting canned food!"

As she spoke, she seemed to finally notice my injured shoulder. She wrinkled her nose and snapped:

"No wonder it stinks in here! You get injured on such a simple mission, no surprise you can only eat this slop!""Don't forget, if it weren't for Faisal, you'd still be crammed in that slum on the first floor!"

"Show some gratitude! Get your butt in gear and complete those missions, so we can move up to the sixth floor soon."

"I'm so sick of this!"

With that, she cast a disgusted look at the apartment before helping Faisal out the door.