Nightfall cloaked Black Bear City, but its glittering skyline pierced the darkness like a field of stars. Along the streets, daringly dressed young people strutted confidently, their energy adding a pulse to the evening.

Cassius sighed and lowered his phone as the traffic light ahead changed to red. Exhaustion tugged at his mind. Enough work for today—no more food deliveries. He needed a break.

Suddenly, the roar of a beast cut through the air. The Lamborghini beside him revved its engine like a predator staking its claim. Cassius glanced over, unimpressed. A stunning woman sat in the passenger seat, her bright smile lighting up the car's interior. The driver, a smug rich kid, waggled his eyebrows at Cassius like he was some kind of king.

"Tch. Look at this guy," Cassius muttered under his breath. "Flexing like it means something."

Before he could roll his eyes and move on, a cold, robotic voice crackled in his Bluetooth headset.

"Time until apocalypse: 3 hours, 31 minutes, 13 seconds.

Deploying Infinite Evolution System, Version 1.0."

Cassius froze. The hell was that? He glanced around. Was someone screwing with him? His phone screen lit up with a prompt:

Activate Infinite Evolution System 1.0?

"Yeah, right. Definitely a virus," he muttered, shaking his head.

BEEP! BEEP!

The impatient honking from the car behind startled him. In his rush, his thumb accidentally tapped the Accept button.

The voice returned, chilling and matter-of-fact.

"Infinite Resources acquired.

Enhanced Physical Strength acquired.

Weapons Arsenal, Version 1.0 acquired.

Note: Items can be summoned through mental commands.

To unlock Infinite Evolution System 2.0, upgrade your energy gauge."

A shiver ran down Cassius's spine. "This… this can't be real. No way."

He chuckled nervously. "Alright, System, let's see what you've got. Gimme an AK-47... something I can't control."

A flash of light. Cassius's eyes widened in horror as a battered AK-47 materialized across his lap. "Oh, shit!"

Panicking, he willed the weapon away. It disappeared instantly, leaving him breathless and rattled. His pulse thundered in his ears.

"Okay... this is insane," he whispered, clutching his chest. Without another thought, he made a sharp U-turn and sped toward his apartment.

Cassius's place wasn't much. The Apartments were located far from the city center, and the $2,000 monthly rent felt like daylight robbery. His electric scooter's battery was nearly drained, but he plugged it into the charger and hurried upstairs.

Fifty square meters of living space might have been small to some, but for Cassius, it was more than enough. He peeled off his helmet, revealing a bright, youthful face. At twenty-two, he'd already been grinding through life for years—security guard, waiter, delivery guy. He didn't have family, just himself and the hustle.

Cassius washed his face in the tiny bathroom, the cool water grounding him. He plopped onto the sofa, his mind racing with possibilities. "System... apocalypse... what the hell is going on?"

He grabbed his phone and opened a reading app, diving into post-apocalyptic survival stories. If the world was really ending, he needed to be ready. He wasn't going to be some helpless bystander. No, this time, he would thrive.

Two hours later, Cassius came to a simple yet brutal realization: in this world, your own survival is all that matters. Trust no one. Protect your interests. Be ruthless.

He mentally summoned his weapon cache, and a wide variety of firearms appeared in his mind—pistols, assault rifles, sniper rifles, and enough ammo to wage a small war. It was all light weaponry for now, though. No heavy artillery yet.

Curious about his enhanced strength, Cassius grabbed a kitchen knife. With minimal effort, he bent the blade as though it were made of tin. He pressed a finger against the concrete wall beside him and drove it in with ease, leaving a finger-sized hole. Dust crumbled from his hand as he withdrew it, a grin spreading across his face.

"Not bad," he muttered, pulling out a handgun and taking a deep breath. He gazed at the weapon, his mind sharpening with purpose.

"Alright, apocalypse. Bring it on. I'm done with this miserable grind. No more bottom-rung hustling. I'm not your errand boy anymore. I'm the one calling the shots now."

Midnight arrived. The gentle tapping of rain echoed outside his window, gradually intensifying. Cassius was just about to relax when a series of blood-curdling screams tore through the night.

"What the hell...?" he muttered, rushing to his balcony.

Below, several bodies lay sprawled across the rain-slicked street. Their skin bubbled and disintegrated as though melted by acid. A few bystanders, panicked but still compassionate, tried to help the fallen. Big mistake. The rain touched their skin, and within seconds, they were writhing in agony, their screams clawing at the night air.

Across the complex, lights flickered on as neighbors stepped onto their balconies, their faces pale with confusion and fear. Cassius's phone buzzed with an emergency alert:

"ATTENTION: ALL RESIDENTS MUST REMAIN INDOORS!!!

DO NOT GO OUT INTO THE RAIN!!!

WAIT FOR OFFICIAL RESCUE OPERATIONS!!!"

Cassius frowned, his eyes narrowing. He turned his head and noticed movement from the balcony next door. A familiar face stared back at him—a girl he recognized from the building. Of course he knew her. He'd been living here for a year, and she was hard to miss. A social media influencer with curves that could make heads turn, she was the type who loved flaunting her beauty—and her ego.

She caught him looking and sneered. "What are you staring at, loser?" she spat before turning on her heel and slamming her door shut.

Cassius chuckled softly. "Even in the apocalypse, she still thinks she's royalty."

In this new world, things were different. Women were assets. Resources to be traded and controlled. A loaf of bread could be enough to bend even the most arrogant to someone's will.

His stomach growled, reminding him of the surreal nature of his new power. 

Cassius leaned back on the sofa, savoring the rich, luxurious flavors. This was a dish only the elite could afford—yet here he was, casually eating like a king. As he scrolled through global news, the reality of the situation unfolded.

Panic was spreading like wildfire. Entire cities were falling into chaos. The water supply had been contaminated, leaving millions stranded without access to clean water. Cassius simply shrugged.

"Polluted water, huh? Guess that's bad news for everyone else. Doesn't bother me." He smirked, his mind already wandering to darker possibilities. How long before a single bottle of water could make that stuck-up neighbor beg on her knees?

"Loser, huh?" he murmured with a grin. "We'll see who's calling the shots soon enough."

I wonder… give it a few more days. Will a single bottle of water make that neighbor girl drop to her knees?

Cassius chuckled. "Heh, called me a loser, huh? Let's see who's laughing later."

Curiosity tugged at him, so he decided to head downstairs to see how things were unfolding. As soon as he reached the first floor, he was greeted by chaos. The entire area was packed with desperate residents crowding outside the convenience store, all trying to buy water. People trickled in from the stairwells, their faces painted with fear. Corpses from earlier incidents still lay outside, their presence an eerie reminder of the rain's deadly nature.

"Hey, stop pushing!" someone shouted.

"Who the hell's cutting in line?!" another man cursed.

The tension snapped like a brittle wire. Two men immediately started throwing punches, grappling each other in the middle of the crowd. Women screamed and backed away in fear. Taking advantage of the confusion, a group of men rushed inside the store, tearing through the shelves like locusts. The owner tried to stop them, but he was helpless against the mob.

Within minutes, the entire store was looted. The shelves were stripped bare, and women, who hadn't been able to compete in the frenzy, stood there stunned.

"Don't you men know about 'ladies first'?!" a middle-aged woman with glasses shrieked indignantly.

"Lady, shut the hell up," a burly man snapped, glaring at her. "Look around! There are bodies lying outside, and you still think this is the time to yap about that?"

The brutal truth was on full display: in the apocalypse, physical strength was king. Men had the advantage now, and they weren't wasting it.

Those who hadn't managed to grab supplies began brainstorming other options. Some considered driving out to find food and water, but the sight of the melted corpses outside made them hesitate. They could even see with their own eyes how the rain slowly ate away at the rubber tires of parked cars. Someone tested a theory by tossing an umbrella outside—it didn't dissolve immediately, but no one dared take the chance of getting hit by a single drop.

Leaning casually against the wall, Cassius observed the unraveling scene. It hadn't even been an hour, and the situation was already spiraling out of control. He exhaled slowly, his gaze cold and calculating.

"Yeah... this won't hold for long," he muttered to himself. The supplies won't last. The real nightmare begins when the food runs out. That's when people stop pretending to be civilized.

He turned to look outside, watching the steady drizzle with a growing sense of detachment. Plans began forming in his mind. But just as his thoughts drifted, a striking figure caught his attention.

She appeared almost like an illusion—a glimmer of beauty in the bleakness. Her eyes were bright and captivating, like twin gemstones, their sparkle enhanced by finely arched brows. Her lips, full and cherry-red, carried a subtle allure, as if they were made to tempt. Her slender, elegant neck rose gracefully from her shoulders, as delicate and regal as a sculpted masterpiece. She exuded an ethereal charm, reminiscent of a blooming lily in the rain.

Her body was a perfect balance of flowing curves and symmetry—her slim waist and full hips moving like the rhythm of a serene melody. Every detail about her figure was designed to command attention.

Cassius recognized her instantly. She was one of the top beauties in the apartment complex, probably ranking in the top three. He'd seen her a few times in the elevator, usually in her flight attendant uniform, dragging a small suitcase behind her. Of course, a delivery guy like him would never have had the chance to know someone like her in any other world.

But this wasn't the same world anymore. Cassius allowed himself a small, knowing smile. The rules have changed. Everything has a price now. Even her.