Semua Bab The Apocalypse Hoarder: Bab 81 - Bab 90

They reached Cyrus' door and stood under their umbrellas. Wyvern Security had installed extra pinhole cameras on this floor, covering every angle.On the live feed, Cyrus saw one man pull a set of shiny metal tools from his pocket and shove them into the keyhole."Picking the lock?" Cyrus raised an eyebrow, unconcerned.If his door were that easy to open, Wyvern Security might as well shut down. The door was built to bank-vault standards, with five layers of defense. Opening the outer lock alone would take a world-class locksmith.Inside, Cyrus had added mechanical levers of his own design. The more complex a system looked, the simpler its real solution often was—and brute force tended to beat clever tricks.He had never planned to leave. Behind the door, a four-inch steel bar was jammed into place. No human could break it. Maybe a car could.Cyrus had also prepared for lock-picking. He had installed a special countermeasure. Watching the monitor, he tapped his phone and opened t

They were right to be wary. People had started to notice Cyrus' odd behavior.During the Frostfall, everyone else starved and froze. Even families with stored supplies lived poorly. Yet he ate his fill and stayed warm. He had even installed a fireplace in Volaris City—something no one else dared to do. That alone made him stand out. Add the heavy security door, and it was clear he had prepared for this exact kind of disaster.Percy sneered, "If that's true, he's even worse. He knew the blizzard was coming and said nothing. Thought only of himself and never warned the neighbors."He spat on the floor. Percy despised Cyrus and never missed a chance to drag his name through the mud.Mindy and the others frowned but said nothing. If their positions were reversed, they would have protected themselves first too."The question is what we do next," Mindy said. "Lockpicking failed. Can we just smash the door down?"Her gaze moved to Percy, Andrew, and Gideon—the only men in the group. If

Diana, Mindy, Andrew, and the others fled like beaten dogs. When the door slammed shut behind them, everyone stood drenched in cold sweat, gasping for air.The injured men collapsed onto the couch, trembling and gritting their teeth in pain. Cyrus' arrows had struck Andrew, Percy, and Gideon—the first three who had rushed the door.Diana and Natalie, knowing how dangerous Cyrus could be, had hung back on purpose and escaped unharmed.Of the seven who had gone to attack him, four were on the verge of death or writhing from the tetanus-tipped bolts.At first, the icy sting numbed their nerves, dulling the pain. But when they got home and tore off their clothes despite the freezing air, the sight of their wounds drained the color from their faces.If the bolts had been ordinary arrows, they could have pulled them out, cleaned the wounds with alcohol, and taken antibiotics. But these tips were rusted. Without medicine, infection meant one thing—a slow, rotting death no one could stand

When Cyrus was said to have medicine, Mindy and Andrew went frantic. Facing death, anyone would cling to a lifeline.Andrew struggled to speak. "Is this true? He really has drugs?"Mindy glared at Diana. "Don't you lie. Because of you, so many of us are hurt."The name "Cyrus" still made her shudder.Diana said, "About a month ago. After that, he changed. He started hoarding like crazy. I saw trucks dropping off supplies almost every day."One time, a medical company truck came to the complex. Cyrus met it. They carried two big boxes into his place. They had to be medicine."Zoey nodded. "Antibiotics aren't rare. If he knew the disaster was coming and stocked up, he probably has plenty of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories."As a doctor, she was sure of it.Andrew's eyes lit up like a man who'd just glimpsed hope. "Then go get him. Tell him to bring the medicine and save my life. My wound is his fault. He has to save me."Mindy clenched her teeth. "But after what just happene

Cyrus asked casually, "What do you think?"Beside Diana, Mindy and the others urged her to speak.Diana sniffled, voice breaking between sobs. "Cyrus, Percy and the others were hit by your arrows. They're badly hurt. We have no medicine left. They'll die from infection."You bought plenty of medicine before, didn't you? Please, lend us some. I promise we won't bother you again."Cyrus froze mid-motion, his knife hovering above the pan. Her plea left him speechless for a moment. Then he laughed."Diana, do you know why I used rusted arrows?" he asked. "So they'd die slowly, in pain. That was the point. And now you're asking me for medicine? Are you brain-damaged?"He laughed again, the sound sharp and cruel.Of course Diana and the others already knew that. But if they didn't swallow their pride and beg, they would have to watch their companions die. Percy, Andrew, and Gideon were their only real strength—their last chance to survive.Diana sobbed harder."Cyrus, we were wrong.