Madness After the Apocalypse-Chapter 14: Begging at the door

After the power was cut, the neighborhood was engulfed in darkness, yet voices could be heard rising in a cacophony.

The dwindling battery life of phones and the severed signal pushed the collective anxiety of the residents to its breaking point.

Without a word, everyone opened their doors, engaging in hushed, urgent conversations.

"Neighbors, I have this feeling as if the sky is falling!"

"The emergency calls won't even go through, and now the internet is down too!"

"Do you have any food left?"

"Surely, this rain can't continue forever, can it?"

The voices of confusion and worry filled the hallway, spiraling into chaos.

Finally, someone shouted:

"Quick, gather water! If the water supply cuts off, we'll be left with nothing but rainwater to drink."

In an instant, the crowd dispersed like frightened birds, each rushing back to their homes to collect any containers that could hold water.

By this time, the water had already reached the floors of the sixth story.

The residents of the fifth and sixth floors, with no place left to seek refuge, were the most desperate.

They crowded the hallways, filled with regret for not leaving earlier, alongside resentment toward their neighbors, who, in their eyes, lacked compassion.

Meanwhile, on the eighth floor, Qian Ying'er had moved into the apartment of her brother, Bai Wenbin, from apartment 801.

In the darkness, the siblings gathered the remaining food and found they had only a bowl of rice and two packets of instant noodles.

"Wenbin, we won't last more than a few days at this rate," Qian Ying'er said, her voice tinged with fear.

Bai Wenbin, after a moment of thought, suggested, "Why don't we ask Annan for help? She loves cooking, and her house is always stocked with supplies."

Qian Ying'er hesitated, biting her lip. "But she treated you so badly before..."

"Even if she holds a grudge against me, we've known each other for years. She wouldn't let us starve, would she?" Bai Wenbin replied.

Qian Ying'er considered this. "You're right. And with the water rising, soon it'll reach our floor. We should just move into her place. The 14th floor is safer."

After a brief discussion, they decided to go upstairs.

Upon arriving, they discovered that Annan had locked the stainless steel door on the 14th floor, and they could not even reach apartment 1402.

With no other choice, they knocked on the hallway door.

They knocked for a long time, but there was no response.

Suddenly, Qian Ying'er had an idea. "Brother, didn't she add an armored door behind this one?"

An armored door? Bai Wenbin frowned.

"She probably can't hear us. Let's knock harder."

The two of them summoned all their strength and knocked with force.

"Annan, open the door, it's Ying'er!"

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"Annan, open the door, I know you're home!"

They continued for what felt like an eternity, their hands aching and their voices hoarse, until Annan finally appeared.

In truth, Annan had heard the knocking long before, but she had been engrossed in reading the user manual for her generator.

The power outage had caused many inconveniences, and the prolonged darkness was beginning to dampen the spirits of the residents.

For the sake of herself and Fu Gui, Annan had made sure that her home would not be affected by the blackout.

She had already set up the generator and installed the cooking gas canisters in the kitchen. Once everything was in order, she calmly picked up a kitchen knife and slowly opened the door.

When Bai Wenbin and Qian Ying'er saw the door open, they were overjoyed.

But when their eyes fell on the kitchen knife in Annan's hand, their happiness faltered.

"Annan, are you... cooking?"

They were elated. Of course! A food lover like her would certainly have a well-stocked pantry. While they were surviving on porridge, she was still preparing meals.

"Annan, our food is gone, and we've come to ask for some help," Bai Wenbin pleaded.

"Or, if it's possible, can we stay with you for a while? I can take care of all the housework."

Annan surveyed the earnest Bai Wenbin and the pitiful Qian Ying'er before letting out a cold laugh.

In the past life, when they had severed my hands and butchered my flesh, their expressions weren't so sincere.

"You want to move in?" Annan asked, raising an eyebrow.

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Qian Ying'er immediately nodded vigorously.

"Sure," Annan said after a long pause, eyeing them up and down. "But you'll need to pay some rent."

Bai Wenbin was taken aback. "She's so materialistic!"

They had known each other for a long time, yet she was charging them for a favor? Her home was in perfect condition—why was she acting like a gold-digger?

His face remained calm, but his voice betrayed his confusion. "We don't have cash on hand, but name your price. As soon as the signal's restored, I'll transfer the money to you."

"No, that won't do," Annan shook her head. "What if you decide to stiff me later?"

"At that point, you'll have eaten and stayed here, but I won't be able to do anything if you refuse to pay," Annan continued, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Qian Ying'er, her intentions revealed, awkwardly forced a smile.

"How could you say that? We've been classmates for so many years. Don't you trust me?"

When Annan remained silent, she added, "Annan, if you don't help me, I'll starve to death. Can you really stand by and watch me perish?"

Annan looked at her coldly. "Fine, I'll let you stay."

The siblings breathed a sigh of relief.

"But my food supply is running low as well. If you insist on staying, you'll have to provide some food."

Qian Ying'er's face dropped. "Annan, we don't have any food left. If we had something to eat, we wouldn't have come to you for help!"

"You do have food," Annan said, her voice suddenly sharp.

Each word struck with startling force.

"You have something I want. Give me one of your hands, and I'll let you in."

The two siblings stared at her, disbelief written all over their faces.

Annan's face twisted into a sinister smile.

"Didn't you know? I absolutely love braised pig's feet. Yours are so tender and fresh. After blanching, with a few seasonings, they'll taste just perfect..."

With that, she raised her knife and swung it towards Bai Wenbin.

He was so startled by her words that he couldn't react in time, and his arm was cut with a swift slash.

He instinctively pressed his hand to the wound.

Looking at Annan's face, now stained with his blood, a cold chill ran down his spine. She seemed like a vengeful spirit from hell.

Annan paid no attention to his thoughts. She raised the knife again, aiming at Qian Ying'er.

Screaming in terror, Qian Ying'er fled instinctively, not caring for her injured cousin.

Seeing this, Bai Wenbin too turned and ran toward the stairs.

Annan didn't chase them. Watching their frantic flight, a gleam of amusement danced in her eyes.

She wasn't going to kill them—not yet.

She only intended to frighten them, perhaps wound them a little.

In the apocalypse, living with nothing was the true torment.

Killing them outright would be a mercy.

Once they had experienced enough of the apocalypse's agony, then she would send them to meet their end. Only then would she have repaid the debt from her past life!

With thoughts of their pitiful expressions, Annan happily made her way home.

Meanwhile, Bai Wenbin and Qian Ying'er stumbled back to their apartment, hearts still pounding with fear.

They had intended to freeload off Annan, but now, they hadn't even reached her door before fleeing for their lives—barely escaping with their lives.

Qian Ying'er screeched in fury.

"That bitch must be out of her mind! How dare she try to kill us with a knife!"

Bai Wenbin, his nerve shattered, clutched his wound. "Quick, help me stop the bleeding!"

After clumsily bandaging his arm, the siblings collapsed on the sofa, deflated.

After a while, Qian Ying'er suddenly sat up straight, her face contorting in rage.

"That ungrateful bitch! She must be taught a lesson!"