Self-Preservation

Even though Alice knew that saying anything at this point would be futile, she still posted a message in the group.

"In the East Zone, there has been heavy rain for half a month, and our supplies at home are depleted. Right now, we're like a mud Bodhisattva trying to cross the river, unable to help you."

The entire East Zone building has sixteen floors. Except for their top floor with only one household, the other floors have six households each, and there's not enough food for everyone.

After Alice sent this message, nobody believed it. Almost everyone directed their anger towards her, hurling insults.

People from other buildings also joined in, instigating a conflict among the residents of the East Zone, proposing various malicious ideas.

Alice directly exited the software, choosing not to read their messages.

However, those who were hungry wouldn't just stop with a few insults in the group. Wave after wave of people surged from downstairs.

The first to arrive were people from the fourteenth and fifteenth floors. As expected, they were blocked outside the large iron gate.

Just as Alice was about to go out to deal with it, Arnold gently pressed her shoulder. He smiled like a breeze and said, "You can't always be the one to step forward every time someone causes trouble. Let me handle it this time."

Alice raised an eyebrow, sat down generously, and said, "Sure, go ahead."

Alexander looked at him skeptically, "Big brother, are you sure?"

Arnold replied, "...Absolutely."

Alice muttered, "..."

After saying this, Arnold turned and walked into the kitchen. He took a kitchen knife and went out.

A handsome man with a charming smile, holding a kitchen knife – quite an unusual sight.

After Arnold walked out, gently wiping the reflective surface of the knife, he smiled and asked the people standing outside the iron gate, "We've already made it clear in the group. Does anyone have any further questions?"

Everyone: "..."

Clearly, Arnold was so elegant, refined, and polite. Why did they feel a chill down their spine?

The three men at the front were from the fifteenth floor. With some courage, they asked, "Someone in the group leaked that you have food. Is it true?"

Arnold's gaze deepened, he smirked, and in a clean voice, he said, "If I say it's false, you won't believe it. Why don't you come to my house and check?"

Normally, they should be happy to hear this news, but everyone's gaze was fixed on the kitchen knife in Arnold's hand.

In a testing tone, someone suggested, "You open the door first. We'll take a look inside for everyone. If your house also has no food, we won't bother you in the future."

"Sure." Arnold took out the key and opened the large iron gate.

Everyone was stunned again. They thought the other side was just bluffing, but they didn't expect him to actually open the door.

As the crowd was about to rush in, jostling and pushing each other like Allen family was a golden mountain, a cold light flashed.

Arnold's kitchen knife was aimed at the first person rushing forward. His face remained gentle, and his voice was calm, "You can go in if you want, but the premise is to crawl under my kitchen knife."

The footsteps of everyone rushing upstairs stopped. At this moment, Alice walked out from the house, holding a shiny Tang knife in her hand, looking sinister and frightening.

"Little sister, didn't I say let big brother handle it? Do you not trust my abilities?" Arnold looked at her with gentle eyes, but in the next moment, his gaze fell on her Tang knife, and he wanted one too.

"They have a large group,

I'm worried you won't be able to handle it alone," Alice said.

Today, if these people are not given a lesson, they will think that the Allen family siblings are easy to bully.

"Ignore them, let's go up quickly," someone in the crowd shouted.

They didn't believe that the Allen family siblings would actually dare to use knives.

Others thought the same, believing that they were just using knives to scare people.

Alice squinted. These people didn't seem to realize that the apocalypse had come, and the law no longer restrained anyone.

Just as Arnold was about to take action, Alice had already rushed forward. She kicked the first person down and knocked down a whole group behind him. Then, with a swift motion, she swung her Tang knife.

"Ah~" Three screams rang out in succession.

Three men clutched their injured arms, howling. Their clothes were stained with blood, impacting everyone's eyes.

The people who were restless just a moment ago dared not move now. Everyone's eyes were filled with astonishment, as if they didn't expect Alice to actually harm someone.

With just one swing, Alice injured three people. This was still a situation where Alice showed mercy. If she had gone all out...

This realization instilled fear in everyone. They quickly stepped back a few steps until they were outside the large iron gate.

Alice went to lock the gate, giving them a cold warning: "If you don't want to die, don't provoke us. If you dare to rob us, my knife won't show mercy."

Arnold added, "Still not leaving?"

After the crowd reacted, they scurried away, fearing that Alice would catch up if they fell behind.

"Is 1601 inhabited by demons? Too terrifying!"

Alice's actions also frightened off other people who were sneaking up. They had originally wanted to follow behind and take advantage, but now they completely changed their minds.

Others didn't dare to confront the Allen family siblings directly, so they resorted to accusing them in the group.

The injured individuals demanded medical expenses and posted pictures of their injuries.

Even the property management thought the Allen family siblings' reaction was excessive and tried to advise them.

"@Property, is it only allowed for the authorities to set fire, and the common people can't light a lamp? They came to my house to rob, and I was just acting in self-defense to protect my interests."

Two days later, when Alice woke up, she didn't hear the sound of rain. The world was calm.

She pulled open the curtains and saw that the heavy rain outside had indeed stopped, but the sky remained overcast.

Half an hour later, cheers erupted throughout the entire building. People who had been shouting about being too weak from hunger in the group chat were now shouting loudly, "The rain has stopped!"

In the hoarse voices, there was a deep sense of joy.

The rain had stopped, but the accumulated water remained.

Some people chose to take the risk and go out to buy food. They had elderly people and children at home and couldn't afford not to go out.

Alice counted the remaining supplies at home, enough to last for more than ten days, but they still had to go out to buy food.

"I saw online that the floodwaters are starting to recede, and there are no shops open now. Let's wait for two more days," Alice said.

They had a generator, and their phones were functioning normally. Some people took pictures of the outside situation and posted them online.

Low-lying areas had turned into a vast expanse of water. Streets, trees, and cars parked on the roadside were all submerged.

Even the outside shops were almost completely flooded. In this situation, even if they went out, they wouldn't be able to buy food.

Perhaps...