Back home, Su Li set down the drying pole, his mind filled with the image of that bloated female corpse gnawed to a bloody mess. His thoughts were chaotic, and it took a while before he calmed down again. "Now, should I stay here and wait for rescue, try to leave and find a way out, or are there other survivors like me in this city?" Su Li took off his soaked shoes and socks, which had gotten wet from stepping into the water earlier. He put on a clean pair of shoes, walked to the balcony window, and stood there in contemplation. Looking at the water outside the window, he could see a few tall buildings still protruding from the surface in the distance—all of them thirty stories or higher. Gazing at these structures, Su Li couldn't help but wonder if there were survivors like him inside them. If there were, finding them would be better than being alone. Of course, there were unknown risks along the way. The image of that gnawed corpse had left a shadow in Su Li's mind, filling him with unease. "Or maybe I should stay here for now and wait for rescue. Perhaps a rescue team will show up soon." The one thing Su Li felt grateful for was that, living alone and for convenience, he had stocked up on a few bags of instant noodles, some biscuits, and bread for breakfast, all stored in the fridge. On his own, he could stretch the food for about four or five days. After thinking it over, Su Li decided to prepare for two possibilities. First, he would stay here temporarily, hoping for a turn of events or the arrival of rescuers. Second, he would build a simple raft. If no rescuers showed up in the next few days, he would have to take the raft and risk leaving, actively seeking another way out. Having made his decision, Su Li felt a bit lighter. He took a bag of biscuits from the fridge, tore it open, and started eating while getting busy. The one thing he was thankful for was that the water hadn't stopped yet. He filled a kettle with water and lit the stove to boil it. He still used an old-fashioned bottled gas stove, though he rarely cooked. This month, he had only used it once, when Wang Lan and a few friends came over for a meal. When he was alone, he almost never used it. Now, he was grateful for that gas bottle. Otherwise, even getting a hot drink would be difficult. "I need to boil more water to store. Even though the water hasn't stopped yet, since the power's out, the water might go out at any time too." Su Li didn't know the exact reason—maybe it was due to different circuits—but despite the power outage, the water was still running for now. Besides preparing hot water, Su Li searched the house for various tools. He quickly found some nails, two screwdrivers, pliers, scissors, a lighter, and a hammer. He also gathered the kitchen knife and fruit knife from the kitchen, piling everything on the living room coffee table for easy access. After finishing the biscuits and drinking some water to fill his stomach, Su Li started working. His first plan was to go up to the rooftop and release thick smoke to attract the attention of any potential rescuers—if there were any. Then, he would build a simple raft for emergencies. He gathered some old clothes from home, including a quilt, a pair of plastic slippers, and a few plastic bags, wrapping them all together. He grabbed the lighter and prepared to head out. He planned to take these items to the rooftop and set them on fire, hoping to create a large amount of smoke. If there really was a rescue team, seeing the thick, man-made smoke rising from here would signal that there was a survivor, and he would be saved. Su Li opened the door, ready to carry the items out, but suddenly stopped, his eyes fixed on the corridor ahead. He saw wet footprints on the floor, stretching from the end of the corridor all the way to the door of the young couple's apartment. Su Li's heart pounded. Looking at the wet footprints, Su Li knew they weren't his. The footprints he had left earlier from his wet shoes had long since dried. These fresh wet prints on the corridor were clearly left by someone who had just passed by, and not long ago—otherwise, they would have dried quickly. "Could there be someone else here besides me? Did they come up the stairs just now and go into that couple's place? But the stairs outside are flooded—how did they get here?" Su Li stared at the slightly ajar door, wanting to rush in and see for himself, but deep down, he felt a creeping fear, as if something inexplicably strange was going on. He didn't act impulsively. Instead, he quickly retreated into his home, set down the quilt and clothes he was carrying, and grabbed the kitchen knife and hammer from the coffee table. With the knife and hammer in hand as weapons, he felt a bit more at ease and slightly braver. He took a deep breath to calm himself, then stepped out again to investigate. "If only there were other survivors," Su Li thought silently. Facing all these unknowns alone wasn't just lonely—it was the constant fear of the unknown that weighed on him, pressing down with an unbearable intensity. He was terrified that if this continued, he would soon break down. He longed to see other living people, companions—even a dog would be better than nothing. Soon, Su Li reached the doorway, looking at the slightly ajar security door and the wet footprints in front of it. Up close, Su Li noticed that beside the footprints, there were large puddles of water. Clearly, the person who left these prints hadn't just wet their shoes—they were soaked from head to toe. As they walked, they left not only a trail of wet footprints but also dripped water everywhere, leaving a mess on the floor. However, as time passed, the water marks were slowly evaporating. Su Li only noticed this now that he was close. Su Li tightened his grip on the hammer and knife but didn't immediately push the door open. He swallowed, his throat bobbing, and finally called out, "Is anyone there?" Apart from his voice, the corridor and the room were dead silent. Su Li paused for a few seconds, then asked again, while listening carefully for any sound from inside. Suddenly, he heard a noise from within—like the sound of a chair being moved. In this silent place, it was especially loud, as if someone had accidentally bumped into a chair while turning around. "There really is someone inside? But why aren't they answering?" Unable to hold back any longer, Su Li raised his right hand holding the hammer and pushed the slightly ajar door open.