Somewhere in a seemingly abandoned building, a dusty room lay undisturbed. But if one looked closely—just closely enough—they might notice an absence where dust should be, a faint outline in the grime. At its center, a jagged piece of torn concrete and broken rebar, as if something had been moved… or uncovered.

  Beneath this concrete was a tunnel extending to a large unfinished basement, here lay a survivor group of about two dozen men and women, they were discussing news that had recently caught their attention, being rapidly disseminated by other groups they were in contact within the area.

  “Our food will only last a few more days, we need a breaking point, this could be it.”

  Months had passed since the apocalypse began but prior to that the seven-day calamities had emptied stores and closed businesses. Even then, what they lived in was but a fragment of the former great city of Monvec.

  “How can we trust that fiend called Greyscale. The evil Grey Shadow he's called by some. He's maimed many for simply mouthing off to him and killed even more. How can we put our trust in someone who treats human life as no more than dirt? Maybe halfway through he'll think us an eyesore and chop off our heads. It's far too dangerous. Besides, even the notice says it's a dangerous job.”

  Although O’Brien wasn't the only superhuman they knew of, he was most certainly the most powerful. None of the other superhumans dared go against him. The corpses of all those who tried were a stark reminder of the terror known as O’Brien.

  “What are we to do then? All the nearby locations have been cleaned out. To get supplies and food we have to go out even farther. Before, that might have been an option but you've heard the stories, the worms and giant beetles are here but farther out there are unique monsters. The further we go the higher the probability we'll encounter them. There have been more and more sightings as of late. Several superhumans have already been killed by them.”

  Their group had also seen one of these beings, albeit from a distance. They were like destruction given form. Even far away their biological instincts screamed of terror. This primal instinct served as a warning — a promise. If they dared go closer, they would die.

  “This fucking world man. Why couldn't it have been a zombie apocalypse? I could handle zombies, a group of us can handle zombies, but these fucking things. Fuck me.”

  “The situation is getting worse yet. Before with proper planning, luck, and weapons, we managed to kill a handful of beetles or injure them to escape but now, they're even stronger. We can no longer handle them with our weapons, even if our pistols and rifles had enough ammo to weather the task.”

  “The time is ticking, and we can't wait until we have no food before we make sufficient plans. We need food and supplies, there's no going around it. But our options are limited.”

  “At least the worst hasn't happened yet, the small groups held up on the twentieth and fortieth floors of the old marketing building have both been wiped out. So have a lot of other groups in recent days. For some, it's starvation, others infighting. I've even heard rumors of cannibalism. We're still alive, and healthy that's enough to be thankful for.”

  “Thanks won't feed us when we are starving and we have no way to get food.”

  “Well it's not like we have no other options “

  The man saying this suddenly turned to a pretty brown-haired woman with a sizable chest. His shifty eyes filled with ill intentions.

  “Huh? What are you implying!” Feeling everyone's gaze gather on her, the pretty woman aggressively spat and glared at the man. Her bountiful bosom drew lingering gazes from the men, young and old alike.

  “You've been selling your body to those guys from the mall. Not just you but others as well. Don't think we don't know. Hah. To think I actually thought you a decent woman, you prance about like a lady but you're nothing but a slut.” A sneer formed on the man's face as his malicious gaze peeled onto the woman's face and her noteworthy chest. He made no attempt to hide his contempt and disdain. A shadow of regret hidden in his gaze.

  “I have no idea what you're talking about. You're just bitter I rejected your advances!” The pretty woman fiercely glared at the man accusing her as if to burn him alive with just her gaze.

  Indeed she had slept with a few men from the group based within the mall. They were the only group nearby with superhumans among them so their living conditions were quite comfortable, they didn't worry for food or security.

  Her body was her only weapon, this she had always known and she resigned herself to use it well to survive. To reunite with her fiance and her family.

  She was willing to make the necessary sacrifices, she was not unfaithful, it was merely a means to an end. Still, she never sold herself. They gave her those things as gifts! As thanks. She wasn't some cheap slut who sold her body like some of the whores here and in neighboring shelters.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  She wouldn't have her reputation ruined by this bitter man.

  The two exchanged a few insults before an older woman stepped in. She was a well-dressed career lady wearing a faded business suit, along with another old man she possessed the strongest voice in their survivor group. Her voice was low but commanded respect, the subtle crow’s feet at her eyes accentuated their hidden wisdom.

  “Let's just stop this pointless argument. It's unbecoming. Though Elena. We are in the midst of difficult times. If you and the others could share what you've gained from… your exploits, then it would really help the group.” The pretty woman Elena heard the old lady say something quite absurd and couldn't quite believe her ears.

  She clarified the meaning of the wise elder’s words not quite believing that someone dared to ask that of her before continuing. Realizing that this supposed selfless elder was no more than they, selfish to her core, looking out for only herself above all.

  “Are you positively mad? Why would I share food and supplies I've ear— gotten myself with you all.” The other women in the group who had done similar things also spoke out at this moment.

  Their barely disguised gloating at Elena’s expense quickly vanished when the gun was pointed at them as well.

  The unjust proposition rubbed them the wrong way.

  Why should they give away the food and luxuries they obtained through the sacrifice of their very bodies and dignities to this lot who didn't lift a finger to aid yet shamelessly hoped to benefit from their actions.

  They endured rampant humiliation, abuse, disgust, and much unpleasantness in earning their living supplies for a rainy day from those deplorable bastards. From all manner of disgusting and abusive men, and some women as well. It came at a great cost, so they valued their ‘wages’ even more.

  They wouldn't stand to be taken advantage of once more by something as flimsy and immaterial as morality or so fake as the false pretenses of companionship and togetherness preached by the two elders of the group.

  “Ladies, Ladies calm down. Not to pull from the past but we've shared our food with you on many occasions without asking anything in return, you stayed here while some of us ventured out into the danger for the sake of the group's welfare not to mention that it's our presence as a group that keeps you safe. I'm sure you've heard that a group has been going around kidnapping women and selling them to those who fancy buying them.” Another middle-aged man attempted to play intermediary but like all others in the argument he had clearly already picked a side.

  That said, clearly he had never argued against a flock of women before, each took the time, friend and foe alike to heap insults onto him before they were back at each other's throats.

  The group argued for a while before three youths stood up from the outskirts and walked over to the steaming group on the verge of getting physical.

  “Enough!”

  A blue-eyed youth with a bandaged hand spoke out at the head of the trio.

  “You're all so old yet here you are bickering like children. We'll step out and join Sir Greyscale's mission. When we return, we'll share our food with you all. We'll also return as men and women with superpowers. We'll have more choices then.”

  The group looked at them with shining eyes hearing the declaration, with three contributors willing to take the risk the situation changed drastically. They started to eagerly discuss among themselves how this could benefit them as if it wasn't them who were about to rip out each other's throats for the same benefits just moments ago.

  “Food! Based on the danger the mission spoke of, it must be a lot.”

  “Yes, whatever the type of wealth, Sir Greyscale is most certainly the richest out there.”

  “You've missed the forest for the tree woman. Superpowers, that's what's important.”

  The youth looked at them with cold eyes. Elena caught his eyes just then. His mind churned. The acts of the women and their hidden stashes were common knowledge for all in the group, they lived together in an enclosed space for so long after all.

  They didn't blame them and like an unspoken agreement avoided mentioning it or bringing it to their attention. Yet in their hearts, they still looked down on such loose behavior.

  ‘To think I once admired her. I thought she was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Until I saw Lady Lea and Lady Rose. They're like angels fallen to earth. Elena is not worthy of even holding their shoes! I'll definitely repay their grace and become even stronger!’

  Such scenes replayed across several other hidden survivor groups. But in some areas, it was already too late.

  For instance, in a bloody room that was once the lair of five men and women, only one man remained. A crazed look was within his eyes as he pushed down the pulsating pile of pinkish-red organic material, the innards of his former companions down his throat.

  “The voice, the voice it said, eat them all and I'll obtain great power. I must, hu~” His stomach felt repulsed from what he had swallowed, his gag reflex kept rejecting the human flesh and organs but he forced them down over and over again. Inside his pocket, a bloody card glowed ominously. Faint eerie sounds lower than a whisper echoed from its spine-chilling lights.

  In another area, the naked bruised bodies of several women lay to the side as a lanky fellow with sunken cheeks unleashed his desire, the team he led to explore waited nervously outside for him to finish, not daring to interrupt or go against him, various expressions painted on their faces. The most common fear.

  At another corner, in a well-hidden place, a fat man added to his hidden stash that could very well feed a team of seven for weeks or days but it was all his and he wasn't willing to share. He had gotten this stockpile by fair means and foul. It was his most prized possession. After covering up his stash he quickly returned to his survivor group before they grew suspicious of his disappearance.

  Somewhere on the streets, a battle had just ended and the fighting group lowered their guards and collected their spoils through magic cards and corpses, but suddenly one man killed his exhausted companion and took a card from his body before escaping to the shock of his comrades.