Harvey Tang watched Evan Ran with narrowed eyes. When Evan didn't argue or question anything, Harvey assumed he had silently accepted the rules of this warehouse world. Satisfied with his imagined authority, he nodded as if he were the king of this tiny concrete kingdom.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Harvey Tang, procurement manager of this supermarket. The one next to me is Leo Strong, our warehouse security guard. He used to be a city boxing champion, so I suggest you behave. One hit from him and you're done."
Leo flexed his knuckles from behind Harvey, his expression cool and unreadable. He clearly enjoyed the intimidation.
Harvey gestured to the two young women standing a short distance away. "These two ladies are our employees. This is Lily May, and that is Molly Lin."
When he mentioned Molly, that greasy gaze of his shifted. It wasn't subtle. It wasn't respectful. It was the look of a man who had already crossed lines in his mind.
Molly Lin was a university intern who had only just started working here before the apocalypse hit. Small frame, soft round features, and a baby-doll face that made her look even younger than she was. But her chest… well… that was a whole other story. The contrast between her tiny frame and her… generous proportions… was startling enough to catch the eye of anyone with a pulse.
Even Sophie Yu, who had the figure of a model, had glanced more than once.
Harvey had been eyeing Molly for a while before the world fell apart. Marriage had been the only barrier stopping him from acting on his impulses. Then the apocalypse came, took his wife and child, and left him as the highest authority in this sealed warehouse.
With no consequences left, his mind had begun to drift toward the dark places he used to avoid.
But only two days had passed since the outbreak. Even he still had enough leftover morality not to force anything yet.
Then Evan and Sophie walked in.
Fresh survivors, exhausted, hungry, vulnerable.
Harvey immediately saw an opportunity.
To desperate people, food and safety mattered more than dignity. As long as he controlled the resources, he believed he could make anyone bend.
His plan was simple. Use his power to pressure Sophie first. Once he had her, Molly would follow. After all, a man who has already crossed one line can cross another even easier.
As for Evan… if the guy behaved, Harvey could use another laborer. If he resisted, Leo Strong could put him down without breaking a sweat.
"Molly," Harvey said, adopting a falsely gentle tone. "Show these two to a resting spot. Give them a day's worth of food and water. Not too much."
He waved them away. First he needed to talk to Leo about consolidating control.
"Yes, Manager," Molly said obediently.
She hurried over to Evan and Sophie, her ponytail bouncing with every step. "Sister, let me help you carry your suitcase."
But the moment she lifted Sophie's luggage, her arms trembled. Her small face went red. "Wow… this is really heavy…" She ended up dragging it instead of lifting it.
She guided them through the warehouse, weaving past towering shelves filled with electronics. Televisions, washing machines, microwaves. The place smelled faintly of cardboard and dust.
She stopped at the corner of the warehouse where unused appliances created a small enclosed space. "This area is the home electronics section. You can rest here for now," she said timidly.
The food storage area was far on the other side, clearly claimed by Harvey and his inner circle. Barriers of stacked boxes and crates marked the territory like a fortress.
It was not subtle. Harvey didn't trust Evan at all.
"Brother Evan, Sister Sophie, I'll go get your tent," Molly said. "Do you want one or… two?"
"One," Sophie replied instantly.
Of course she wanted to sleep with Evan. What if she got hungry in the middle of the night? Survival needs were survival needs.
Molly's eyes sparkled with understanding. "Alright, I'll be right back!"
She hopped away quickly, her twin mountains bouncing dramatically with every step. Even Evan had to look away to stay polite. Sophie pretended not to notice, though her expression was… complicated.
"Master, this place is perfect," Sophie whispered once Molly was gone. "So many resources. Should we kill those people later?"
"We will," Evan replied calmly. "Just not yet. I need to rest, and I need that cold-storage key."
As he sat down on the floor, Sophie crouched beside him. Her eyes glinted as she remembered Harvey's earlier ogling. "That bald creep kept staring at me. Later, don't stop me. I want to dig his eyes out."
Her cute pout contrasted with the violent words. Even as a zombie, Sophie kept certain very human temperaments.
"No problem. You can handle the interrogation," Evan said with a slight grin.
He had no intention of sparing Harvey. In the apocalypse, he trusted no outsider. Only himself and those close to him mattered.
A moment later, Molly ran back with a tent, blankets, and basic supplies. As she ran, her chest moved with a rhythm that seemed physically impossible for someone her size.
Sophie stared in disbelief. "How… is she staying balanced…?"
"Brother Evan, Sister Sophie, here is your tent," Molly said, panting slightly. Then she handed them their food rations: two small bottles of water and two packs of compressed biscuits.
In this warehouse full of abundant resources, this felt like scraps thrown to beggars.
Molly blushed. "I… I know it's not much. If Sister Sophie doesn't like the biscuits, I have a sandwich I saved earlier. You can have it."
Sophie waved her off gently. "It's alright. I don't eat much."
She actually felt touched. Molly's kindness was genuine, not calculated. A rare thing after the end of the world.
Molly pointed toward a colorful section of shelves. "I stay over there in the cosmetics area with Lily. We're only a few dozen meters away. If you need anything, just come find me. I'll be going now!"
She skipped away like a cheerful rabbit.
Sophie watched her leave and whispered, "Master, that girl is really nice. Can we not kill her later?"
"Sure," Evan agreed. "Having another girl around gives you someone to talk to. And…" He smirked. "You know. Helps me not die from exhaustion."
Sophie brightened. "Master, maybe you should take her in too. With her size… it must feel amazing."
Evan choked on his water. "Take another one? Do you want me dead?"
One Sophie already drained his stamina. Adding Molly… he'd probably need crutches.
Sophie shrugged with casual innocence. "Master, this tent is not soundproof. What do we do tonight? Shouldn't we take care of those people first so they don't hear anything?"
Evan flicked her forehead. "Can you think about something else for once? Will you die if you don't eat me?"
Sophie stuck out her tongue like a mischievous kitten. She couldn't help it. Becoming a zombie made her cravings worse.
But the way she looked at him… hunger and affection intertwined… told Evan that tonight would be exhausting no matter what.
And somewhere in the warehouse, Harvey Tang had no idea that the people he planned to exploit were already planning his downfall.