Chapter 48: Chapter 48: One Slash, One Kill

Vincent Lawrence lifted his gaze, his tone calm. "Every little bit helps. Even if we only manage to make one in the end, it could be a lifesaver when it counts."

Anything that could withstand a zombie’s bite was a good thing.

"All right." After finishing with the spider silk, Vincent Lawrence began assigning tasks. "Elliot, first, call and order a batch of protective suits. Then, go to the municipal government to handle the follow-up for the asset donation. I’m going to the office today. The cold-weather supplies we ordered have arrived, and I need to arrange for their distribution. I’ll also pick up the generators we ordered previously. The rest of you at home..."

Once the arrangements were settled, they all immediately split up to get to work.

Vivian Young, Jenny Norris, and Leo Lawrence, who stayed home, were far from idle. The kitchen was filled with steam as the three of them worked together, busy making dumplings, steaming buns, wrapping wontons, and pressing noodles. They wanted to prepare every kind of food that could be stored; the larger their stockpile, the more secure they would feel.

Sue Lawrence, meanwhile, went with Vincent Lawrence to the Lawrence Group headquarters.

She first went to the warehouse to pick up some supplies. Then, carrying two large boxes, she hurriedly left the company, heading for Mia Keller’s place.

Her friend Mia might have seemed easygoing and carefree, but she was very particular about not blurring lines with people.

Sue had told her long ago to come to her if she was in trouble, but Mia hadn’t said a peep.

In this extreme cold, with temperatures low enough to freeze straight through the walls, it was far too dangerous for Mia to be living alone in her apartment with no one to look out for her.

Sue borrowed a small pushcart from the old man at the complex gate, loaded the two large boxes of supplies onto it, and wheeled it into the elevator. Arriving at Mia’s apartment on the sixteenth floor, she raised her hand and rang the doorbell. "Mia? Mia, it’s me! Open up!"

The apartment was silent. There was no response.

Sue grew puzzled. ’Strange, where could she have gone? The company’s sold and the money’s been distributed. Why wouldn’t she be at home resting? Why would she go out in this freezing weather?’

She rang the doorbell a few more times while pulling out her phone to call Mia.

But just as her fingertip was about to touch the screen, a sudden, extremely faint noise came from inside the apartment.

Sue’s nerves tightened instantly, and almost by instinct, she activated her Superpower: [Cat’s Hearing].

The next second, Mia’s cry for help, choked with sobs and faint as a dying breath, reached her ears. "Sue... help me..."

The last word was so broken it was nearly swallowed by the air, thick with the despair of imminent death and utter terror.

’Mia’s in danger!’

Sue’s expression darkened instantly.

[C Level Professional Sanda] activated instantly. A surge of power spread from her bones through her limbs. She whipped her body to the side, raised her leg, and kicked viciously at the door!

THUD!

The heavy impact shook dust from the walls. The door shuddered violently but was held fast by the jammed lock, showing no sign of budging.

"Damn it!"

’The lock is jammed. Kicking it down will take too long. Every second I waste puts Mia in more danger.’

She had to switch tactics, quickly activating the [C Level Ice Control Skill] she had just acquired.

’This Skill might not be a top-tier offensive ability, but Ice Control is still incredibly useful.’

Sue quickly grabbed a bottle of water from a supply box, twisted off the cap, and poured it into the keyhole. She immediately focused and activated her Superpower. A faint, blue, frosty mist coiled around her fingertips. Inside the lock, the water began to visibly freeze, and layers of ice solidified, completely filling and freezing the lock cylinder from the inside out.

’She remembered clearly that metal and plastic become brittle at low temperatures. The ice-encased lock cylinder would have already lost its original toughness.’

Sue took a deep breath, stepped back, then violently kicked the spot right next to the lock!

THUD! On the first kick, a faint cracking sound came from the lock.

THUD! On the second kick, the sharp sound of shattering ice mingled with the groan of bending metal. The door shuddered again.

THUD! On the third kick, Sue put all her strength into it. With a loud CRACK, the frozen lock cylinder shattered completely, and the lock gave way!

CRASH!

The heavy door was kicked open, slamming against the wall. Sue rushed inside without a moment’s hesitation.

The living room was in complete disarray. The sofa was overturned, drawers were pulled out, and clothes and other items were scattered across the floor. A cell phone, bank cards, and a few bags of supplies were piled haphazardly in the middle of it all. It was clearly the scene of a home invasion.

Sue’s eyes scanned the living room, but she didn’t see Mia. Her heart leaped into her throat. It was only then that she remembered to activate her Perception, but as she did, she sensed a sudden rush of air from behind! 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the cold glint of a blade swinging toward the back of her neck—a meat cleaver held high by an attacker.

In that life-or-death moment, Sue activated the Skill [cricket’s jumping power] without a second thought!

Her leg muscles erupted with astonishing Jumping Power. Her body shot forward as if launched by a spring, leaping a full three meters from the entryway to the far wall of the living room. Before she could fall, she slapped her palms against the wall. [Gecko’s Climbing Ability] activated instantly, and she stuck fast to the surface.

The entire sequence was unnaturally fluid. To the attacker, it looked as though Sue had simply leaped from the entryway to the opposite wall and stuck there, not falling back down at all.

As the attacker stared, dumbfounded, Sue’s body moved like a phantom, scrambling up the vertical wall and then crawling at high speed across the ceiling toward him. Her movements were swift and unnerving, possessing a preternatural agility. In an instant, she was right above him.

The attacker was scared out of his mind. The hand holding the cleaver trembled uncontrollably, his pupils blown wide with terror. An incoherent shriek escaped his lips. "M-monster! You’re a monster!"

There wasn’t a trace of warmth in Sue’s eyes. As she dropped, she channeled [C Level Professional Sanda] and kicked her right foot viciously into the attacker’s wrist.

With a sickening CRACK, the man’s wrist snapped. The cleaver fell to the floor with a loud CLANG.

"ARGH!!" The intense pain wrung a piercing scream from the man, and he turned to run for the door.

As if Sue would give him the chance. She blurred, appearing at the doorway as if she had used Instant Teleportation, blocking his escape.

The attacker looked at the woman who could scale walls, his soul nearly leaving his body in fright. Forgetting the cleaver, he spun around and sprinted for the balcony, trying to scream for help. "There’s a monst—Ugh!!"

His cry for help was cut short as Sue shadowed his every move, instantly closing the distance.

She bent down, snatched up the cleaver, and with a flick of her wrist, the blade glinted. As the man fumbled with the balcony door, she plunged the weapon viciously into his back.

Sue lowered her gaze and activated the Skill: [Yours is mine!]

[Skill successfully activated: Yours is mine! Acquired Skills: B Level Lock Picking Skill, C Level Weapon Threat, B Level Rope Binding, A Level Light Foot Stealth, C Level Quick Search, B Level Thick Skin Resistance. Acquired Luck: 100% (77)]