'Who could it be? A monster? Zombies?
Nah. If it were a monster, it wouldn't ring the bell, it would've crashed straight in.'
Mei tried to pull herself together, steadying her breath. She walked toward the main entrance, her eyes glued to the door, not even blinking, as if afraid that even a moment of distraction would invite disaster.
She grabbed an umbrella from the stand, holding it tightly as she took another cautious step forward. When she reached the door, she leaned closer and peered through the peephole.
"A person?"
The whisper barely left her lips.
Before she could reconsider, Mei dropped the umbrella and opened the door. The moment it cracked open, the man outside stumbled in without hesitation, slipping past her as if driven by pure instinct.
Mei quickly shut the door behind him.
The man collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily. His white shirt was soaked with sweat, clinging to him as if he'd been running for his life. One of his shoes was missing, and his chest rose and fell erratically as he gasped for air.
'I think I know him...' Mei thought. 'Now I remember. He's Liam the one who lives next door.'
Mei had seen him a few times before, but he rarely spoke to anyone. She remembered greeting him once when she first moved here. From what she'd heard, he worked as a coach at a boxing gym.
This was the first time she'd ever seen him like this.
Even now, despite the situation, it was hard for Mei not to notice his physique. His body was well-built, something forged through years of discipline and relentless training. His white shirt was completely soaked with sweat, every fold of fabric clinging tightly to his frame, outlining muscle beneath cloth as if it didn't exist at all.
"Are you okay?"
Mei asked from where she stood, not daring to move any closer.
Liam didn't answer immediately. He lay there for a moment longer, drawing in heavy breaths before finally speaking.
"I'm fine... huff... thanks."
He let out a shaky cough.
"What the hell is happening? A system apocalypse? What is this, some kind of novel?"
His words answered another question she hadn't even asked, so everyone had a system.
That at least saved her from having to explain anything. But one thought still lingered, sharp and unsettling in her mind, what was he running from?
She saw people running outside but it was unclear from that height.
Mei walked past him and returned with a bottle of water, holding it out to him.
"Here."
Liam took the bottle and slowly pushed himself up. He drank greedily, the water running down his throat as if it were bringing him back to life. For a while, he said nothing, only breathing steadily as the color slowly returned to his face he spoke.
"Go on. Speak."
His tone was calm, almost casual.
"I know you want to ask something. The fact that you're this calm means you already know about the sudden apocalypse."
Liam looked up at her, his expression relaxed, far too relaxed for someone who had just collapsed on her floor, drenched in sweat and missing a shoe.
His voice didn't match his appearance at all.
"So… you saw that system too?"
Mei asked as she sat down on a chair, keeping her eyes on him.
"Yeah, I did, A few people were freaking out on the ground floor as well. It wasn't clear at first, but after hearing you talk... yeah. Now it makes sense."
Mei opened her mouth to respond, then stopped.
She frowned slightly, realizing something obvious she hadn't asked yet.
"Why were you at my door? You could've gone to your own apartment."
Liam let out a tired sigh and glanced down at himself.
"As you can see, I dropped my bag while climbing the stairs."
Mei's gaze sharpened.
"What were you running from?"
She waited.
"I don't know, but..."
Liam replied slowly. Then he paused, as if something unpleasant had surfaced in his mind. His eyes flickered, and his jaw tightened.
"There was a man who transformed into something huge, like a bear. I can't describe it clearly. I only saw his silhouette. And he wasn't alone."
Liam clenched his fists slightly.
"So I ran. As fast as I could."
Mei tensed at his answer. She looked toward the door and was about to get up when Liam spoke again.
"Don't worry. It wouldn't be here. I realized it stopped around the seventh floor. If it were to come, it would have already."
Mei felt relief wash over her as she heard his words.
After that, they talked. Mei continued asking how much he knew about the apocalypse and the system. Liam asked his own questions, mostly out of concern. But one thing Mei found strange was that Liam said he wasn't a candidate of any god or goddess.
It might be true, as the system said it wasn't like everyone could receive blessings from celestial gods.
{Hello, Host}
'Huh? What now?'
She asks in her mind.
{The Goddess of Lust wants you to get intimate with this man.}
'Huh? What kind of bullshit is this? Didn't you say sex was optional?'
{It is. However, this is a request from the Goddess of Lust. You may decline it, but if you complete this request, you will receive a reward.}
That single word caught Mei's attention.
'A reward?'
Right now, she knew one thing clearly, if something went wrong, she would die instantly. She was weak, unprepared, and completely out of her depth. But a reward meant a chance. A way to increase her odds of surviving whatever nightmare this apocalypse truly was.
She still didn't fully understand what was happening in the outside world, and honestly, she didn't want to, not yet. Not until she was strong enough to run, fight, or at least stay alive.
'What kind of reward?'
{Skill}
"Skill…?"
Mei whispered under her breath.
Her gaze slowly drifted toward Liam. He was sitting there, finally steady, his breathing normal again. His soaked shirt still clung to his body, outlining years of disciplined training, broad shoulders, defined arms, a physique that spoke of strength and endurance.
A faint smirk curved her lips as her green eyes lingered just a second longer than necessary.
This system is really messed up.