Stella Sterling didn’t go downstairs. After what happened last time, especially the words of that older woman, she had already figured out the situation. That last supply distribution was probably the final bit of help the authorities could offer the people. From now on, everyone was on their own.

She had anticipated this, so Stella Sterling hadn’t given it a second thought. Only when she saw people gathering downstairs again did she remember that, based on the past two times, today was supposed to be another supply distribution day. Yet, even by high noon, there was no news.

To be honest, these relief supplies made no difference to Stella Sterling. She had only gone out the last two times to avoid drawing attention.

’Otherwise, if I don’t even show up for food distributions, wouldn’t that just be telling everyone I have plenty of food at home? Am I just supposed to wait for them to come and rob me?’

But while it had little impact on her, for many others, these supplies were a lifeline—their only hope for survival.

As Stella Sterling was eating lunch, chaos erupted downstairs.

Some people started screaming curses, others burst into loud sobs, and a few, still clinging to hope, headed toward Solara Plaza to see what was going on.

"They’re leaving us for dead! They’ve completely abandoned us! How are we supposed to survive?!"

"My family ran out of food three days ago! We’ve been surviving on nothing but water, just holding on until we could get food today. What are we supposed to do now?!"

Two skeletally thin people sat in the snow, sobbing their hearts out. Both were gaunt with sallow complexions, the picture of malnourishment. They looked so frail a gust of wind could knock them over.

They had run out of food a long time ago. In the beginning, they could get by begging their neighbors for a mouthful of food, but as time dragged on, everyone was struggling to even fend for themselves. No one was willing to share anymore.

No matter how much they rationed, the meager relief supplies from last time couldn’t even be stretched to last ten days, and that was without ever eating their fill. They hadn’t eaten at all for the past few days, forcing themselves to hold on until today. Who could have known this would be the outcome?

The two grown men broke down completely, sobbing. It was one thing for them to go hungry, but their wives and children were starving at home. How could they possibly bear it?

And there were many others like them, all with faces full of misery, their expressions utterly devastated.

They had been excitedly preparing to collect their food, but now, all hope was gone. The discontent in their hearts swelled to a breaking point.

Just then, Bell spoke up from the crowd. "None of us can buy food anymore, and no one has any left at home! How can the country just ignore us? Are they trying to drive us to our deaths?"

"That’s right! The last distribution was half of the first one. Don’t tell me those people in charge got greedy and skimmed it off the top!"

"This is unacceptable! We need to demand an explanation!"

"Demand an explanation! Demand an explanation!"

Instigated by the three Bell brothers, a large group of people decided to go demand an explanation.

They marched out in a great, angry procession. Their hearts were filled with a rage that needed an outlet. This fury washed away all reason, and they paid no mind to the conditions outside. A single, burning anger consumed their thoughts.

However, not everyone joined them. One group of people stayed behind. The snow and wind were worse than usual today; they never would have left their homes if they hadn’t been expecting a food distribution.

Now that there was no food, they weren’t about to go looking for "justice." Those people were too naive. Where could you possibly find justice these days? It’s every man for himself!

"Everyone, let’s head back now. We don’t know the full situation. Perhaps the distribution has just been delayed. Don’t lose hope!"

Ms. Larkin from property management told the crowd. She also lived in the complex and had stockpiled a good amount of food at home. So even though there was no distribution today, her family’s supply would last for a long time. Consequently, she wasn’t as despairing as the others.

Seeing how crestfallen everyone looked, she tried to comfort them.

"It’s your fault! If there was nothing to get, why did you make us line up!" a woman suddenly shrieked, looking up and glaring at Ms. Larkin with bloodshot eyes.

The hatred in her eyes was astonishing.

"I—" Ms. Larkin’s eyes widened. ’What does this have to do with me?’

’It’s true I organized the line, but that’s all I did! They were already out here waiting before I even started.’

’It’s not like I was the one who called everyone out. I was just organizing them, same as last time.’

But before she could voice her rebuttal, she was hit with an overwhelming barrage of curses.

"That’s right! Making us wait out here for so long in this freezing weather!"

"I’ve been feeling sick from the cold for days. Now you’ve got me standing out in this freezing wind. You’re going to be the death of me!"

"Compensation!" The word was repeated over and over amid a flood of curses, drowning out anything Ms. Larkin might have said.

The people glared at her, their eyes filled with a predatory hunger, as if they wanted to eat her alive.

They didn’t dare go outside or cause trouble for anyone else, but they weren’t afraid of Ms. Larkin. Once one person started, everyone immediately turned on her.

Stella Sterling, back in her apartment, hadn’t expected to get such a good show right after her meal.

’As expected, human nature is the most unfathomable thing. You never know if you’re dealing with a person or a monster until a crisis hits.’

’Look at those crazed faces down there. Who would have guessed what they were really like on any other day?’

Stella Sterling smiled, but her expression was unreadable.

’Looking at these people...’ she thought, ’even if my house hadn’t been stolen in my past life, even if I had managed to stay home, my life probably wouldn’t have been much better than it was out on the streets.’

’It would have been safer at the beginning, sure, but there was no shortage of trouble within the community. Later on, it would have become even more dangerous than the outside world.’

’Besides, when the time came, the people cowering in their "safe" apartments would be far worse off in every respect than those outside who had already adapted to the laws of apocalyptic survival.’ 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

She smiled because, having realized this, she felt a sense of relief. ’It doesn’t matter where I am, it all comes down to strength. As long as I’m capable enough, I can survive anywhere.’

She turned to go back into her living room, but just as she did, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the air from outside.

She whipped her head back around to see a man downstairs who had produced a knife from somewhere. He was stabbing Ms. Larkin again and again, his expression utterly crazed. "Die! Just die!" he screamed.

The scream had come from Ms. Larkin. Most of the people in the crowd watched with cold indifference, some even sneering at the scene. Not a single person stepped forward to stop it.

Only a few showed expressions of pity, but they were too afraid to intervene.

"HAHAHA, die! Just die!" someone cackled, looking completely unhinged.

"Since no one else cares if we live or die, we have to save ourselves! I went looking for this property manager before... I saw she has a ton of food in her apartment. So why don’t we—"

"Loot her place! Loot it!"