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Chapter 52

Penulis: Memo Harbor
After Natalie's coaxing, Diana found herself reluctantly persuaded. But logic had little to do with it. Hunger ruled her decision.

The moment she remembered the photos Cyrus had once sent—steak, lobster, desserts, and fruit—her mouth watered uncontrollably. Her pride and stubborn dignity crumbled before the lure of food. Everything could wait.

She pulled out her phone, found Cyrus' contact, and tried to soften her tone as she recorded a voice message.

Meanwhile, Cyrus lounged on the sofa, watching television. Almost every major station worldwide had gone off-air, but he had pre-downloaded a trove of classic films and variety shows to fill the endless hours.

His phone buzzed. Seeing Diana's name, he smirked. "So her fragile pride has finally cracked."

He opened the message, and her syrupy, trembling voice filled the room.

"Hmph, Cyrus, you nasty brat! So many days and you didn't even check on me. You're terrible! It was just those few words the other day. I already regretted sayin
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    Jack ended up the prey more than the hunter. Being marked by Cyrus put a constant tremor under his skin. He slept with a gun in his hand and trusted no one, not even the men who ate from the same pot.Before long, his nerves began to unravel. After thinking hard, he figured out what he needed to do next.Cyrus watched everything on camera. Over the last few days people had moved into Jack's flat. They were young, strong, and mostly single. Some came willingly. Others arrived at gunpoint. Jack's crew swelled to ten men, giving him more muscle than before.Cyrus understood the logic. Jack felt terrified, so he gathered followers to shield himself from the bounty on his head.The move made sense, though it came from a small mind. It would only delay the end.Forty people had died around the building. Only about 70 residents remained. Most households had exhausted their stores. The next ration would be people. That truth hung in the stairwell like a heavy, ugly weight.Recruiting fig

  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 117

    Cyrus' flaunting drove the whole building mad. Even his trash scraps looked like gourmet food to them. The sight made them ache with envy.Andrew's apartment lay in ruins. Their raid had failed, and the antibiotics they needed were gone.Two days later the consequences hit. The three wounded men felt their injuries burn with a fierce, crawling itch. Their bandages darkened with a strange yellow seep.Andrew lost control and tore off the gauze. The wound had turned rotten. Thick, foul clumps of pus oozed out. The stench rose like rot and spoiled meat."No, no, no. Not like this. I'm not ready to die," Andrew sobbed as tears and snot ran together.Percy and Gideon stared in horror. They pulled back their own dressings and prayed the infection had spared them. Hope collapsed at once.Rusted bolts had driven deep into muscle. Infection had taken hold, and the lack of antibiotics or food sealed their fate. The pain pushed them close to madness. Their screams tore through the room.Di

  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 116

    Cyrus decided to livestream his meal in the group. He recorded himself eating and sent the video to them."Hello, residents," he said in the chat. "Tonight, I am making sirloin steak."He dropped a slab of belly at least two pounds onto the cutting board. The neighbors in the group went red-eyed.[Two pounds of sirloin? Don't waste it. Give it to me, give it to me!][Cyrus, you are not a human. You're a monster. You don't deserve that steak!][I haven't tasted real meat in a week. Please let me have a strip!][Just let me smell the fat. Please, Cyrus!]Hunger had stripped the neighbors of all dignity. They watched every move Cyrus made, and their imaginations supplied the smell as if it drifted through the screen.Cyrus moved with steady confidence, flipped the steak, basted it, and let the butter foam.Then he frowned. He cut off a small piece, tasted it, and spat it straight into the trash. "Too much salt. Damn it, this cut's ruined."He had cooked plenty of heavy meals bef

  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 115

    "Open the door! I am Jack. Swap us for this room. Open up, or I will shoot!"The young couple inside clung to each other in terror. "What do we do? They came to take our place. We might even lose the little food we have left."The wife stared at her husband with a pale, desperate look. He wore glasses and had the air of a mild office worker. He held her and forced a steady tone. "Don't be afraid. It will be okay. If they want the house, we will give it to them. Quick, hide the rest of the food on your body."They pushed the remaining rations into their clothes. Their hands shook as they unlocked the door.When the man saw Jack and the others waiting at the threshold he swallowed hard and bowed. "Jack, this place is yours. We will leave right now."They tried to walk away together, but one of Jack's lackeys snorted and swung a steel pipe.The man's knees buckled. Darkness rushed in. His vision dimmed on the tiled floor in a haze of disbelief. He had complied and given up the house

  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 114

    "I'd rather die," Zoey said, her brows knitting.Jack snorted. "I would not let you."He leaned in, his tone almost fond. "A doctor is priceless in this world."If Zoey had not treated his leg, he would not be alive now. He owed her that much. The thought steadied him."Don't worry," he added, eyes glinting. "If the day ever comes when I have to eat you, I will save you for last."His stare burned. He had wanted her for a long time. If she had been useless, he would have made his move much earlier. For now she still had value.Zoey stayed quiet and finished bandaging his wound. The dressing was crude but clean enough for the moment. She picked up her kit to leave, but one of Jack's lackeys stepped forward and blocked the door.Zoey froze. "What are you doing?""Nothing," Jack said. "You cannot leave until my wound is better."Fear sat heavy in his chest. He trusted no one now. Too many wanted him dead. With a doctor at his side he felt safer. He did not ask for her consent. He

  • The Apocalypse Hoarder   Chapter 113

    The next morning Cyrus heard gunshots echo through the stairwell. Two sharp cracks sounded like oversized firecrackers.He knew Jack had fired them. Jack's thoughts from the night before had hardened. Fear left a hollow space and something darker filled it. Desperation thinned the edges of shame. Cyrus' promise of a week of full meals had turned into poison for their judgment.Cyrus opened the feed and watched the fight unfold on the monitors. Two young men lay on the floor with a wrench and a cleaver beside them.Blood darkened the stairwell. Jack stood against the wall with his gun locked in both hands. Relief and shock flickered across his face.The dead men had tried to block access to the water. That blockade invited opportunistic attacks. Others had seized the moment and struck back.Jack's crew dragged the bodies away. Then Jack and the survivors hurried into their flat. The pistol clenched in his fist gave him the only sense of safety he had left.They dumped the corpses

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