After closing the door, Liam didn’t leave right away. Instead, he went into the guest room and checked through all the supplies he had.

He knew the medicine was valuable, and he was willing to trade for it, even if it meant giving up everything he had.

He couldn’t take the risk.

He couldn’t gamble on what would happen if Noah’s wound continued to worsen.

Once he finished checking his supplies, Liam stepped out of the apartment.

He knew Suzy lived in the same building. He even knew she lived somewhere above him. But he didn’t know exactly which unit.

So he searched floor by floor.

Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen.

All the way up to the twentieth floor.

By studying the faint traces of dust and movement in the hallway, Liam finally narrowed it down to the right place.

There were only two units on this floor. It had to be one of them.

He took a slow breath and raised his hand, knocking on the door.

He waited.

No response.

He knocked again, this time more firmly.

A faint sound came from inside. Then the door opened just a crack.

Leonard’s face appeared in the gap. "It’s you. What do you want?"

Liam pressed his lips together, his voice slightly hoarse. "I’m looking for Suzy."

Leonard’s expression sharpened instantly. "What do you need her for?"

He still remembered that Liam had been with Wendy. That alone was enough to make him wary.

"It’s urgent... I need to see her."

Leonard studied him for a few seconds.

Liam looked pale, his eyes heavy with exhaustion and unmistakable anxiety. Whatever this was, it clearly wasn’t trivial.

"Wait here. I’ll go tell her," Leonard said, then shut the door.

Back in the living room, both Suzy and Thomas looked up at him.

"Who is it? Don’t tell me it’s Wendy," Suzy frowned.

Leonard shook his head. "It’s that guy Liam. He’s asking for you. Says it’s urgent. He didn’t look like he was lying."

"Liam?" Suzy blinked in surprise.

She would have never guessed he’d come looking for her on his own.

Did the sun rise in the west today?

"I’ll go take a look."

Suzy walked to the door and pulled it open.

Outside stood Liam, his face drawn and worn.

They had only been apart for a day, but he already looked far more haggard than when he had returned before.

Even so, it did nothing to diminish his looks.

Liam had always been handsome. The faint exhaustion etched into his features didn’t detract from that. If anything, it added a fragile edge to him, a kind of brokenness that stirred sympathy at first glance.

Right now, he looked as though he had been struck by something devastating. There were bloodshot streaks in his eyes, yet the moment he saw Suzy, they lit up.

As if she were his only salvation.

Suzy had to admit, she found that reaction extremely satisfying.

She finally understood why people in the past loved playing the hero.

Maybe this was what it felt like.

To be looked at as someone’s only hope... it was oddly gratifying.

Though inwardly pleased, she kept her expression calm and unreadable. "What are you doing here? What do you need?"

She was genuinely curious what could have driven someone like Liam to seek her out.

His brother?

Had something happened to him?

That was the only possibility she could think of.

"I need to ask you for a favor," Liam said, his voice rough.

Suzy nodded. "Go ahead."

Liam hesitated, glancing at her as if weighing his words. After a moment, he finally spoke. "Do you still have that medicine from the other day? I want to trade for it."

The medicine?

So that was why he came.

A flicker passed through Suzy’s eyes, but she didn’t answer right away.

The medicine was nothing more than diluted spirit spring water. Suzy had plenty of it, more than enough, but in a world like this, something so precious was not something she would trade away lightly. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"I do have some, but not much left," she said calmly. "What do you need it for?"

"My brother came into contact with the acid rain. His wound keeps getting worse. I thought... your medicine might help." Liam spoke quickly, urgency bleeding into his voice.

"Your brother? Isn’t he at home?" Suzy asked, surprised.

So she had guessed right. He really had come because of his brother.

It seemed that boy meant a great deal to him.

Which also meant...

If she could help his brother, even build a connection with him, Liam’s favorability toward her might increase as well.

After all, he wasn’t easy to win over.

The only way was to work through the people he cared about.

Suzy’s eyes flickered thoughtfully.

This was a rare opportunity.

Perfect timing.

Her mind was already moving, calculating, but none of it showed on her face.

"Yes, he’s at home, but..." Liam exhaled and briefly explained what had happened to Noah.

Suzy listened, and only one thought crossed her mind.

Unlucky kid.

"That’s why I want to trade with you. I can offer any amount of supplies."

Liam’s voice was firm, almost desperate.

Noah’s healing couldn’t be delayed any longer. If it continued like this, there was no telling how bad it would get.

If he lost him... Liam couldn’t even bear to imagine it.

Right now, the only thing he could rely on was Suzy’s medicine.

Under his hopeful gaze, Suzy hesitated before speaking. "I do want to help you, but I really don’t have much medicine left. And... I don’t even know if it’ll work on your brother’s condition."

At her words, Liam’s hand, hanging at his side, tightened slightly.

Suzy watched the subtle shifts in his expression, then smoothly changed her tone. "How about this? Let’s go take a look at your brother first."

"...Alright." Liam forced out a faint smile.

He knew full well how precious that medicine was. Before coming here, he had already prepared himself to be turned away.

But Suzy’s response... was better than he had expected.

He had assumed that something as miraculous as that medicine would be kept as a last resort, something she would never part with easily.

Yet she hadn’t refused him outright. She had only said she didn’t have much left, then suggested seeing Noah in person.

What did that mean?

Was it really that her supply was limited?

Or... was she willing to help, but needed to assess the situation first?