Sarah tugged gently at Brian's shirt, then suddenly noticed a fresh scratch on his neck. Her brow furrowed. Without thinking, her hand brushed over his clothes—and came away dusty. She looked up at him, concerned.
"What… happened to you?"
Seeing her expression, Brian knew she'd sensed something was off. He gave a wry smile.
"Ran into a bit of trouble outside today. Nothing serious—already dealt with."
He didn't want Sarah worrying over what had happened, so he kept it vague. Instead, he unzipped his bag and pulled out the promised items.
"Here's what I said I'd get you yesterday. I even brought coal—you'll need it in a couple of days. Find a spot to stash it."
"Alright."
Sarah didn't press further. Though she knew it couldn't have been "nothing serious," she trusted him enough not to pry. Still, a quiet disappointment flickered in her eyes. She took the items without a word, walked over to a storage cabinet, and put everything away with deliberate calm.
Brian instantly realized he'd upset her. Damn it. He watched her back, unsure what to say.
Thankfully, Alan stepped in. Sensing the tension, he hurried forward with an exaggerated grin.
"Sarah's moved in now—this is awesome! No more running back and forth between places!"
Sarah turned and shot him a glare. "It's two steps away, and you're already complaining? You're so lazy you'll never die."
"Yeah, lazy to the bone!" Brian chimed in immediately, giving Alan a light kick on the backside as the boy gave him a betrayed "How could you?!" look. Then Brian sidled up to Sarah, ready to smooth things over.
Just as the mood began to lighten, Chen Shi walked in.
Spotting a stranger in the room, he froze in the doorway and shot Brian a questioning glance. What's going on? I thought this guy lived alone—why does a new person show up every single day?
"Oh—Alan, meet someone new," Brian said, turning toward the door. He waved Chen Shi in. "This is the kid I brought in from outside the quarantine zone. I'm taking care of him until he's six. You two should get acquainted."
"What? You're actually adopting a kid?" Alan's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Huh?"
Brian stared at Alan—his expression mirroring Tracy's earlier reaction—and felt his patience fraying. His eye twitched, but he forced a strained smile.
"Is that so? Guess I've got a pretty lousy reputation with you, huh?"
"…"
Alan's eyes went wide. He clapped a hand over his mouth and shook his head furiously, realizing he'd just stepped into a trap.
"Hmph!" Sarah couldn't help but laugh, covering her mouth with her hand.
Though Chen Shi's English was still basic, he knew enough to greet people politely. After a brief, one-sided exchange from Alan, the two shook hands amiably.
"Hey, kid! Got some clothes for you—take a look," Brian said, placing the garment bag in front of Chen Shi.
"Yes!" Chen Shi's eyes lit up. He eagerly unzipped the bag and peered inside.
It was summer, and in this post-apocalyptic world, luxuries like air conditioning didn't exist—electric fans were rare treasures. Everyone was constantly drenched in sweat, reeking of body odor.
With resources so scarce, only government elites and their families could afford daily showers. For everyone else, a damp towel was the best they could manage.
But for Chen Shi—who'd only recently entered the quarantine zone and this world—putting his sweaty, stinking clothes back on after a wipe-down was unbearable. New clothes? This was a dream come true.
Yet the moment he rummaged through the bag, his expression froze. Slowly, he pulled out a pink, lace-trimmed dress—and stared at Brian in utter disbelief.
"This… why is there girls' clothing?!"
"…"
Brian blinked, equally stunned. He'd just grabbed whatever was available—saw mostly boys' clothes, never checked thoroughly. He hadn't specified gender when ordering, after all.
But then a mischievous glint sparked in his eyes.
"Don't worry. You're still young—no one can tell the difference yet. Just wear it for now. You'll outgrow it soon enough…"
Chen Shi's mind instantly conjured the phrase "cross-dressing otaku." A wave of revulsion washed over him. He shoved the dress back into the bag like it was radioactive.
Gritting his teeth, he hauled the heavy bag toward his room, shooting Brian a death glare as he went.
"Oof! Cooking today, huh?" Brian shrugged and strolled into the living area, eyeing the large pot set up in the center.
The wooden table that usually sat in front of the sofa had been moved aside. In its place, a square of red bricks formed a makeshift stove, with glowing coals inside. A cast-iron pot bubbled merrily over the flames, steam curling into the air.
"You're such a lucky guy," Brian said, plopping onto the sofa and glancing at Alan. "Every time I come back, Sarah's got a hot meal ready."
"You got a problem with that?" Sarah asked sharply, walking over with ingredients in hand.
"Me? Never!" Brian quickly slid off the couch onto the floor and started helping her add meat and mushrooms to the pot. "You're the boss at home."
Truthfully, if Brian weren't captain of the Search Team—if he didn't collaborate with smugglers to bring in extra supplies—and if Sarah weren't a doctor with generous monthly rations, they'd never dare eat like this.
As Sarah stirred the pot, adding a pinch of salt and waiting for the stew to simmer, Brian turned to Alan.
"You'll graduate in half a year. Got any plans?"
"Huh?" Alan, who'd been drooling over the aroma, snapped back to reality. He scratched his head sheepishly. "Where else would I go? My grades suck, but I've got some muscle. I'll just join the military training camp—take whatever assignment they give me."
"You little slacker—I should've known," Brian said, giving him a playful swat. But he understood: with Alan's situation, enlisting was really the only option. Manual labor wasn't viable long-term.
After a moment's thought—recalling his encounter in the black market—Brian spoke quietly.
"Since you've got no other ideas, apply to be a patrol soldier in Sector D. I've got some arrangements there. With your official status, you won't run into trouble. Plus, you can keep an eye on Tracy. Just… don't be an idiot. Don't let them isolate you."
"No worries!" Alan readily agreed. To him, one barracks was as good as another. Though part of him still dreamed of seeing the outside world, the urge wasn't strong enough to override practicality. He nodded firmly.
Since Alan now had direction, Brian—drawing from his own experience—spent the next half hour explaining life in the training camp, naming a few capable instructors he could turn to for help.
"Alright, time to eat!"
The two had been chatting so intently they hadn't even noticed Chen Shi reemerge and sit nearby—until Sarah called out, cutting their conversation short.
She set the ladle aside and beckoned them over. Then, one by one, she served generous portions of meat and mushrooms into bowls for Brian, Alan, and Chen Shi—before finally dishing some for herself.
She took a careful sip of the steaming broth. The rich, savory flavor flooded her mouth, reviving taste buds long numbed by dried rations. A look of pure bliss spread across her face.
She wasn't alone. Alan and Chen Shi—who'd endured days of nothing but tough meat strips—wore identical expressions of rapture.
Watching them, Brian shook his head with a quiet chuckle. Because he ate decent meals regularly during missions, he didn't feel the same euphoria—but he wasn't about to spoil their joy. He blew gently on his own bowl, then joined them in savoring the simple, precious luxury of a hot meal.