Chapter Eleven: The Feather Duster

She was worried that if she went out, she might not make it back at just the right time, and if she left the snacks here, they’d be finished off in no time, leaving him unable to eat lunch later. With that in mind, Jiang Huan simply gnawed her way through two chicken sandwiches and washed them down with a cup of jujube tea.

The garbage that had accumulated over the past few days had already been secretly disposed of while chopping wood. Now, with a moment to spare, Jiang Huan glanced at the hardware in her storage and began tinkering with the elliptical machine and the batteries, trying to cobble together a device that could generate and store electricity through human power.

Perhaps it was the harshness of her previous life—she simply couldn’t bear the thought of sitting idle and watching her resources dwindle.

She had only just managed to assemble a makeshift frame when the door was pounded on violently from outside, accompanied by a barrage of curses and a demand that she come out and accept her fate.

The commotion was no less than a vendetta.

Wu Gang frowned. “Ms. Lin Lili, we didn’t come up here to pick a fight with you. If you’re going to have that attitude, then argue it out one-on-one with her yourself.”

Lin Lili immediately stifled her curses, her nostrils flaring with rage.

One-on-one?

With Jiang Huan’s unnatural strength, wouldn’t she get herself killed? But she had brought weapons as well—perhaps she wouldn’t lose.

Countless thoughts whirled through her mind as the door opened.

Jiang Huan took stock of the group: the foul-mouthed woman she’d slapped earlier, Wu Gang, two remaining members of the property management, and two burly men.

“Miss Jiang, is it? We have some matters to discuss with you. Let’s go inside,” said Chunmei, the property manager, her tone lofty and her gaze brimming with disdain.

“Yes, it’s too cold out here.”

“You’re finished, let me tell you! You bullied me before, but now that there are so many of us, let’s see how arrogant you dare to be!”

Six of them crowded by the door, facing Jiang Huan alone, yet she showed no sign of panic.

“I’m not close with any of you, so I won’t be inviting you in. If you have something to say, make it quick. I just did some heavy labor and I’m tired; all I want is to sleep,” Jiang Huan said, refusing them entry and forcing them to stand in the corridor, shivering in the cold.

“You little—”

“Lin Lili!”

Wu Gang cut her off with a sharp word and, seeing Lin Lili glaring daggers at Jiang Huan but saying nothing, turned to Jiang Huan. “Ms. Lin Lili claims you assaulted them without cause. Now her husband can’t walk on his own. If he never recovers, do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“Hah? What should I say? The two of them blocked my way with a thirty or forty pound wooden barrel, ordered me to haul it from the tenth floor to the rooftop. When I refused, she spread rumors that I was someone’s mistress and then tried to attack me together with her husband. You tell me—did she not have it coming?”

She deftly tossed the problem back.

Wu Gang’s brow furrowed even deeper. He’d seen Jiang Huan chopping wood with diligence—she didn’t seem like someone who went looking for trouble. On the contrary, Lin Lili never helped with wood chopping and was always gossiping about others.

“You’re lying! Look at the mark you left on my face. You claim we attacked you, but where’s your injury?”

“You tried to bully me but couldn’t—so you call that my fault? If there’s nothing serious, I’m closing the door. It’s cold,” Jiang Huan replied, unmoved.

“What’s with your attitude? We’re trying to resolve this, and you’re still acting like this? It’s wrong to hit people!”

Chunmei, irritated by Jiang Huan’s healthy, radiant face, stepped forward to wedge herself in the doorway, preventing Jiang Huan from closing it, and craned her neck to peer inside the apartment.

“…” At some point, Jiang Xi had appeared beside Jiang Huan and asked, “Bad people?” He then fetched a feather duster, perhaps something he’d found while cleaning.

Everyone: …

Jiang Huan: Pfft.

“You idiot—” Lin Lili, emboldened by her supporters, started spewing insults.

Smack! Jiang Huan slapped Lin Lili in front of everyone, then shoved her aside and revealed a knife, brandishing it near Chunmei’s leg, which was blocking the door.

Chunmei’s leg snapped back like a spring.

“Ah! She has a knife! She’s going to kill us!”

Lin Lili shrieked and fled, leaving the others rooted in place. The rest shuffled back several steps. Chunmei trembled in disbelief—if she hadn’t moved fast enough, would Jiang Huan really have stabbed her?

Wu Gang raised his stun baton in defense but, seeing that Jiang Huan had no intention of harming anyone else, spoke up, “We’re only here to understand what happened, not to take sides. The world is frozen over, and too many have died already. We’re all survivors in the same building—if possible, let’s minimize conflict. This incident was our oversight. We shouldn’t have brought only one party involved. Chunmei, your actions were also problematic. You can’t only listen to one side. Apologize to Miss Jiang.”

Chunmei opened her mouth, glancing warily at Jiang Huan’s knife, and finally muttered, “Sorry, we misunderstood. But I hope you won’t resort to violence.”

Jiang Huan snorted, fixing Wu Gang with her gaze. “This time, for your sake, I’ll let it go. But if I hear any more slander, or anyone spreading rumors about me and my brother, I won’t tolerate it for a second.”

Wu Gang forced a laugh and agreed, “Then we won’t bother you any further, Miss Jiang. If you need anything, you know where to find us.”

The last words came out with less certainty.

Jiang Huan gave a brief nod and closed the door.

Wu Gang waved for everyone to head downstairs. As soon as they were out of earshot, Chunmei began to complain, “Why is it that every woman here is either carrying a cleaver or a knife? What did she do before all this? People like her are dangerous. If we let her stay, who knows when she’ll brandish that knife again over some argument? I say we kick her out for everyone’s safety.”

Wu Gang stroked his chin, weighing the pros and cons, then asked Chunmei a single question: “You want to be the one to throw her out?”

Chunmei’s face purpled with frustration.

“There are so many men—why should we be scared of just one woman?”

“And what of it? This is the apocalypse. Anyone who survived those freezing days is a survivor.” Wu Gang slapped the table, ending the discussion. “Enough. In a bit, you’ll go represent management and warn Lin Lili and her husband not to cause any more trouble for the twentieth floor.”

“So you’re just going to let Jiang Huan do whatever she wants?”

Wu Gang sighed. “You saw her chopping wood last time. Of all the capable people we have left, Jiang Huan is at the top. In times like these, people with strength are the ones who make the best partners.”

Chunmei pouted, but didn’t dispute Jiang Huan’s abilities.

After closing the door, Jiang Huan pulled her brother to sit on the sofa.

Looking at her brother’s innocent, bewildered face, she wondered how to explain it all. The apocalypse had come; unreasonable and deranged people would only become more common. Even those who seemed close to you might betray you in the next moment for their own reasons.

She would likely have to do even more ruthless things in the future.

After a moment’s careful thought, she finally spoke.