Fan Meiqin shuddered, the icy blade making her face turn deathly pale. She slumped back into her seat, momentarily too terrified to speak.
It was Ding Yan who suddenly spoke up instead: "Liu Erlong has rooms on the 11th, 14th, 21st, and 28th floors. He switches between them irregularly."
Lin Dong was taken aback and turned to Ding Yan. "There are that many empty rooms? Why haven't the people on the rooftop or in the connecting corridors moved in?"
Ding Yan replied, "Since the Great Rainstorm started, no one stays on the rooftop anymore. Only the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled are forced up there to collect rainwater. Most people are in the connecting corridors now."
"There are plenty of empty rooms below, but they're all controlled by Liu Erlong and his people. Only those they allow can stay."
Lin Dong raised an eyebrow. "No one resists?"
"They outnumber us."
Lin Dong's eyes flickered. "How much food do they have left?"
"Not much. They're planning to go door-to-door to loot soon. You've been hiding in your apartment, right? Be careful—they'll come for you before long."
Hearing this, Lin Dong studied Ding Yan more closely.
The woman was attractive but clearly malnourished—her face pale, lips chapped—far less well-off than Fan Meiqin beside her.
Lin Dong asked, "Are there many people downstairs?"
"Quite a few. Those with some skills curry favor with Liu Erlong and get rooms. The less fortunate stay in the stairwells. The worst off live in the connecting corridors—water covers the floor, and the wind drives the rain inside. Still, it's better than the rooftop."
Lin Dong asked a few more questions, getting a rough idea of the situation.
He didn't go further downstairs. According to Ding Yan, most people below were Liu Erlong's men. As a stranger, he'd be an easy target.
Instead, he headed to the connecting corridor. Sure enough, he found many people sheltering there.
With no proper shelter, most had rigged up tents from plastic bags to block the rain—barely livable.
Fortunately, each floor's connecting corridor was spacious enough for families to stay together. Typically, two or three families shared one corridor, sticking together for survival.
Lin Dong's arrival caught the attention of a man in the corridor, who immediately stood up, gripping a kitchen knife.
"Old Ma!" he barked.
From a nearby tarp shelter emerged a balding man in his fifties, clutching a fruit knife, eyeing Lin Dong warily.
"Who are you?" the kitchen knife man demanded coldly.
Lin Dong sized them up. The knife-wielder looked to be in his forties, with some muscle definition but thinned by hunger.
The balding man was familiar—Lin Dong had seen him in the elevator before. Compared to half a year ago, he had visibly lost weight, his once-prominent belly now only slightly rounded.
After a pause, Lin Dong said, "I'm from 3201 upstairs."
The two men froze, especially Old Ma, who blurted, "You're the tough guy from 3201?"
Lin Dong frowned. "What do you mean?"
Old Ma stayed silent, but the kitchen knife man answered, "Liu Erlong's men went up to your place this morning, didn't they? We heard the commotion. You hurt Wu Hua and the others. Liu Erlong won't let this slide."
Lin Dong frowned. "I've injured them before—we've been enemies for a long time."
The cleaver-wielding man shook his head. "This time is different. Liu Erlong and his men have already started sweeping the building. Yesterday they reached the 27th floor. This time, they'll probably sweep all the way to the 32nd. Hiding at home won't help you."
"If I were you, I'd hurry back and stash away whatever food you can."
Lin Dong's heart sank. "Does Liu Erlong have a lot of people?"
"Over twenty, mostly tenants from this building—strong, young men," Old Ma chimed in.
"You didn't join him?" Lin Dong asked.
Old Ma stayed silent, glancing toward the tents.
The cleaver-wielding man spoke up. "Liu Erlong only takes able-bodied men into his inner circle. He won't accept the weak or the sick."
"Aren't you strong enough?" Lin Dong pressed.
The man replied calmly, "I have a wife and kids."
That explained it. Liu Erlong was recruiting, but not just anyone. First, he wanted young, strong men. Second, he avoided those with families—likely to save on food. Feeding one person was far easier than feeding a whole family.
"Hey, kid, let's be friends. In times like these, going solo won't work. I'm Cai Zhi." Cai Zhi sheathed his cleaver and extended a hand.
Old Ma nodded beside him. "I'm Ma Guocai. The kid's right. If the rest of us don't stick together, Liu Erlong's gang will do whatever they want."
Lin Dong didn't shake their hands. Instead, he retreated toward the stairwell. "I'll be waiting for Liu Erlong."
He turned and headed upstairs, his mind sharp. These two weren't close friends—who knew how much of what they said was true? He wasn't about to take their words at face value. Still, the two men trying to break into his home this morning was real. He had to stay alert.
"Looks like I can't leave today. Liu Erlong..." A cold glint flashed in Lin Dong's eyes.
He quickly ascended to his floor, only to freeze when he spotted a thin figure lurking at his door, peering through the peephole.
"Li Zhiqiang!"
The figure jolted, whipping around. Seeing Lin Dong fully armed, his face paled, sweat beading on his forehead. Without a word, he bolted for his own door.
Before Lin Dong could react, a loud bang echoed as Li Zhiqiang vanished inside.
Lin Dong's expression darkened. He strode to his door and found a wire inserted into the peephole. Pulling it out, he saw the end bent into a hook.
Rage flared in his chest. This bastard was trying to pick my lock!
Furious, Lin Dong spun and kicked Li Zhiqiang's door with full force.
"Ah—!"
A woman's scream came from inside, startled by the impact.
Lin Dong snarled, "Li Zhiqiang, you motherfucker! I lent you a bag of rice, and now you're trying to rob me?"
No response came from within. If Lin Dong could see through the door, he'd find Li Zhiqiang trembling behind it, desperately gripping the handle.
Nearby, Yang Mei had collapsed to the floor, her face ghostly white with terror.
Lin Dong was seething with rage and kicked the security door several more times.
Li Zhiqiang inside didn't dare make a sound.
Lin Dong's gaze turned icy. Thankfully, he hadn't actually left—otherwise, his home would have been robbed.
That bastard Li Zhiqiang needed to be taught a lesson. Lin Dong couldn't swallow his anger otherwise.
He stared at the security door, his eyes shifting slightly.
Suddenly, the corner of his mouth curled into a grin. "Li Zhiqiang," he called out, "you and your wife are out of food, aren't you?"
"Heh, if you want food, why sneak around like a thief?"
"Here's the deal—open the door. I've got a little left, and I can spare some for you."
Inside, Li Zhiqiang's expression changed instantly, a mix of shock and delight. Forgetting his fear, he immediately shouted through the door, "Lin Dong, are you serious? You… you'd really lend us food?"
Lin Dong chuckled. "We're neighbors, aren't we? If we don't stick together, outsiders will take advantage of us."