Chapter 39: Stink Bomb
Mira was incensed at the sight of Peng, drenched in urine, attempting to sit on her beloved sofa. He had been the main target of Phoenix's crude defense and bore the brunt of it.
"Don't you dare sit on my sofa!" she shrieked at Peng, who was visibly distressed.
He had only followed Mira's instructions to confront Phoenix and now, soaked and freezing, he faced her wrath. Yet, despite the indignity, Peng's loyalty didn't waver.
Realizing his misstep, he apologized profusely, "Sorry, Mira, it's all my fault. Please, don't be angry!"
Mira and Iris were desperate to rid themselves of the urine's stench, so they dismissed him with a wave, "Get out, we need to change!"
Peng left hastily, leaving Mira and Iris to peel off their soiled clothes. Yet, the odor lingered, clinging to their hair and skin. With the cold weather, a bath was out of the question, so they suffered in silence.
Their botched attempt only deepened their loathing for Phoenix. "We must find a way to outsmart him and take his house!" they plotted, their minds racing for a strategy.
As they schemed, Phoenix taunted Mira with a message: "This one's urine, next time it'll be feces! (✺ω✺)" He boasted that if he had been prepared, they would have been doused with something far worse.
The thought of being covered in feces was too much for Mira and Iris, turning their faces green with disgust. Phoenix, amused, blocked Mira's messages, the unread count climbing rapidly with her furious replies.
Turning his attention to the neighborhood chat group, Phoenix found a spectacle unfolding. Auntie Lin, having lost her grasp on reality since being robbed by Alexander, was now demanding supplies from the residents.
"I'm the committee head! Obey or face the consequences!" she threatened, but her words held no weight anymore. The neighbors, having realized the severity of the situation, were unforgiving.
The group erupted with accusations, blaming her for discouraging them from stockpiling supplies earlier. "Because of you, we're in this mess!" they raged, the community's fragile unity unraveling.
Into this chaos stepped the affluent Benjamin, desperate enough to offer thousands for basic necessities. "I'll buy supplies at any cost," he declared, his money burning a hole in his pocket.
Phoenix watched, bemused. "What use is money now?" he mused. Yet, there were always those, driven by greed or hope, ready to trade.
He knew something they didn't: the snowstorm was far from over, and after it, the world would be irrevocably changed. Money would be worthless, toilet paper more valuable.
He considered the stockpile of toilet paper in his storage. The others would soon face a dire shortage, but he dismissed the thought with a chuckle. "If they're not eating, they won't need much, anyway."
The next day, Mira and Iris returned to Phoenix's door, pleading for entry, claiming they were close to freezing. Phoenix ignored their cries; their deaths would be a relief from their constant harassment.
Through his surveillance, he saw their umbrellas, a clear sign of their fear of another dousing. But he knew better than to open the door to their hidden knives and desperate plans.
In his vast storage, among the now-useless trinkets, Phoenix found two stink bombs—childish toys that could emit a foul odor when lit. A cruel smile crept onto his face as he approached the door, bombs in hand, ready to teach Mira and Iris another lesson they wouldn't forget.