Madness After the Apocalypse-Chapter 15: The lock is being picked

At this moment, the neighborhood was not only without electricity and internet, but even the water supply had been cut off.

Many people, desperate and at their wits' end, were left with no choice but to swim out in search of supplies.

Annan gazed out of the window, watching as people leapt into the water in droves, as if they were dumplings being dropped into a pot.

This water, however, was no swimming pool. The depth had surpassed 15 meters, and the floating debris and underwater currents posed significant dangers.

Many who entered the water were soon injured by floating objects, facing the risk of infection from contaminated water.

Yet, in the face of starvation, people continued to leap into the water, undeterred.

After just one day, corpses began to float in the water.

Annan was at home bathing the dog, when suddenly a chorus of screams pierced the air from outside the window.

Pulling back the curtain, she saw a body being carried by the current, gently swaying with the waves.

These were people who had grown up in a time of peace, and though they had been trapped by the heavy rain for days, they had never seen a corpse before. The sight sent waves of panic through the crowd, many too frightened to move.

Annan shook her head. "This is nothing compared to what's coming. Soon, death will be as common as a meal."

In time, people would grow accustomed to it, becoming cold and numb to the suffering around them.

Though the floating corpse was unsettling, survival still drove some to swim out in search of supplies.

For those who could not swim, they fashioned makeshift boats from large basins and bathtubs.

Of course, there were those who dared not enter the water, hoping to scavenge from others' efforts.

Old Mrs. Liu from apartment 701 went door to door:

"Good neighbors, do you have any food? This poor old woman hasn't eaten for two days!"

There was no response.

"How can you all be so heartless? My two children are starving to the point of withering away!"

"Oh, my poor children!"

No one opened their door, despite her relentless crying.

Some, exasperated by her constant pleading, shouted back through the door:

"Which children? Two grown men in their thirties?"

"With muscles the size of boulders! If they're hungry, why don't they swim out and find food themselves? We risked our lives for what we've gathered—why should we share it with you?"

Mrs. Liu glared at the door, furious. "How old my children are is none of your business! They're my babies, no matter their age!"

New n𝙤vel chapters are published on novelbuddy.cσ๓.

"What if they get into danger in the deep water?"

She cursed at them for a while before turning back toward her home, muttering to herself.

"These young people today have no respect for their elders!"

The next night.

At the stroke of midnight, two men slipped quietly out of apartment 7A.

They were none other than Mrs. Liu's two sons.

Sneaking out of their home, they made their way to the 14th floor.

On that floor lived a beautiful woman, one whom they had noticed for some time.

Unfortunately, they had never had a chance to approach her.

But tonight, the brother and sister from apartment 8 told them that the woman had plenty of food and lived alone.

After a brief exchange, the brothers made a plan: if they could break into her apartment, not only would their food problems be solved, but perhaps they could... indulge in other pleasures as well.

They exchanged sly smiles.

Residents from the 5th and 6th floors, seeing the brothers sneaking upstairs, immediately guessed their intentions.

But they didn't care.

None of these neighbors would ever let them into their homes; they were all selfish.

If the thieves were caught, it would serve them right!

Better yet, if a fight broke out, it would be dog eat dog, and that would bring them a sense of satisfaction.

With lock-picking tools in tow, the Liu brothers climbed to the 14th floor.

They were seasoned at petty crime—picking locks and sneaking in was second nature to them, and they easily unlocked the building's stainless steel door.

However, they found another armored door inside.

What was this? Why was the woman's door reinforced as well?

Reluctantly, they went back to work.

The armored door proved to be far more difficult to open, but the younger Liu had once worked as a professional locksmith. After several attempts and hours of effort, they finally managed to unlock it.

The brothers exchanged a victorious smile, but their joy was short-lived.

Why had she replaced the community's standard steel door with an explosion-proof one?

Teeth gritted, they reassured themselves: "Good things come to those who wait."

It took them another hour of tireless effort to finally open the door.

They yanked it open, only to be met with another door.

"Big brother, I'm tired. Why don't we try another place? This girl has set up a nesting doll of doors!"

"Quit complaining. We've already opened three doors—if we leave now, all this work is for nothing!"

The younger brother wiped the sweat from his brow. "True, we've invested so much time and energy, it would be a waste to quit now."

Grumbling, they continued.

It felt like they were being played by this door.

"Big brother, you think she hasn't woken up by now with all this noise?"

"What's to worry about? If she wakes up, so what? We're two strong men, we can handle one little girl!"

"True."

The brothers gritted their teeth and kept going, their hands shaking from exhaustion, until they finally unlocked the door.

The younger brother, grinning with glee, opened the door—but then froze, staring directly into a pair of eyes.

"Ahhh!" he screamed in shock.

"Shut up!" the older brother slapped him, then looked inside.

There, standing in the doorway, was the beautiful woman from the 14th floor, dressed in a pink bunny pajama, calmly watching them.

At her feet stood a small white dog, looking like a little pig, growling fiercely with its teeth bared.

Despite their intimidating appearance, the dog seemed harmless.

The older brother pulled a knife from his jacket.

"Little girl, don't scream. Just let us in."

Annan met his gaze, expression unchanged, and drew out a bayonet from behind her.

She had been practicing martial arts in recent days, and she was eager to test her skills on these two fools.

Seeing her draw a weapon without fear, the older brother's expression twisted into fury.

"Little girl, let me tell you—when faced with absolute strength, weapons only harm the wielder. How dare you challenge us men..."

Before he could finish, Annan swiftly yanked him forward and plunged the blade into his stomach.

"Disrespecting women?"

Annan sneered, twisting the knife, causing blood to gush out.

The dog at her feet, Fu Gui, looked up at her, eyes sparkling in admiration.

"South sister, you're amazing!" he thought, then ran to her side to keep out of the way, careful not to let the blood splatter onto his pristine white fur.

The older brother was in disbelief, then seething with rage.

He clutched his stomach with one hand, the other raised to strike Annan with his knife.

But she deftly sidestepped, grabbed his arm, and stabbed him repeatedly.

Each time she withdrew the knife, blood flowed from the wound, trickling down the blade.

After ten swift stabs, Annan finally released him.

The older brother's eyes widened, and he collapsed to the floor, lifeless within moments.

Meanwhile, the younger brother stood frozen in terror.

He had always been timid—stealing was one thing, but confrontation and violence were beyond his ability.

Seeing his older brother stabbed to death before his eyes, he screamed in terror and collapsed to the floor.

"D-Don't come any closer!"

"Help! Somebody help me!"

He looked up at the woman walking toward him.

Despite her cute bunny pajamas, she carried a bloodied knife, her expression as cold as ice.

Blood from his older brother stained her clothes, and the knife dripped with fresh blood.

Each drop hit the ground with a chilling "drip."

The terrifying sight made him wet himself in fear.

Slowly, Annan approached, holding the knife aloft.

"Fix the door back to how it was."