Before the apocalypse, City A was one of the leading cities in economic development and was included in the first batch of cities to establish refugee shelters.

Once the news of the shelters being established spread, many people began inquiring about their locations. They packed up their belongings, gathered their families, and rushed toward the shelters, thinking that life there would be well-protected.

What they forgot was that City A had a population of nearly 600,000. Excluding those who died during the heavy rains or refused to go to the shelters, there were still many people heading to the shelters.

Additionally, the military would also bring refugees from nearby towns. With limited time and space to set up the shelters, there was no way to accommodate everyone. The conditions would be far from ideal.

What people could expect at the shelter were only the most basic necessities: enough to keep people from starving or freezing to death. The government simply didn’t have the energy or capacity to offer more than that.

When the news about the shelters reached their community, many oppressed residents saw a glimmer of hope. Over the course of half a month, more and more people left in small groups, and the entire neighborhood suddenly quieted down.

Shuxin and her group clearly noticed that the number of eyes watching them had reduced significantly during their last two trips outside. Those who remained were mostly elderly, unable to handle the constant movement, or those who had become accustomed to acting like little local tyrants in times of disaster. There were also a few who were still undecided.

“Bang—”

Lost in thought, Shuxin was suddenly thrown to the ground by Yan Mo, who executed a quick shoulder throw. The sound of her body colliding with the mat, combined with the pain in her body, snapped her back to reality.

“When fighting, the worst thing you can do is lose focus. If those you just faced had been your enemies, you’d probably be dead right now!” Yan Mo’s voice was stern, and his face, usually calm and gentle, now carried a serious expression.

This was the first time Shuxin had seen Yan Mo angry. She knew it was her fault and didn’t argue. Instead, she prepared to get up and calm him down.

As she reached back to push herself off the mat, a shadow fell in front of her, and Yan Mo’s heated breath brushed against her face. His scorching palm pressed against her waist through her clothes, effortlessly helping her to her feet and steadying her.

“I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have gotten distracted just now. I promise it won’t happen again. Please don’t be angry.”

Shuxin stood properly with her hands behind her back, looking down with sincerity, like a student who’d been caught daydreaming in class, standing in front of a strict teacher, afraid to even breathe, acknowledging her mistake with a serious attitude.

Yan Mo looked down at the top of her lowered head, and the anger in his chest dissipated a little. However, he didn’t let go easily. He needed Shuxin to understand the seriousness of the situation. Her apology was only because he was angry.

“Making mistakes and admitting them should happen as quickly as possible. You made a mistake. Are you going to do it again next time? Go stand against the wall in a military posture for one hour. Reflect on why you keep making mistakes during training. What’s the real reason?”

With that, Yan Mo turned and left the training room without looking back, leaving Shuxin alone in the room.

Having known Yan Mo for so long, this was the first time she had been treated so harshly by him.

Watching his retreating figure, Shuxin’s nose suddenly tingled, and a wave of grievance washed over her. She walked to the wall, stood in position, and began to sulk in frustration.

In another room, the three of them were watching the surveillance footage, observing Shuxin’s expression.

“Mo Ge, maybe you should try a different approach. Won’t this method make Sister-in-law misunderstand you? What if she can’t handle it?” Bu Xiangwen looked at Yan Mo with concern.

Mu Qimai didn’t say anything, but his expression conveyed similar thoughts.

Yan Mo sat on the sofa, watching the footage of Shuxin’s slightly red eyes, almost unable to stop himself from rushing over to embrace her and comfort her. But he couldn’t do that.

He could feel that Shuxin had become a bit lax in her attitude lately. He needed her to recognize this and make the necessary adjustments herself. Today was the perfect opportunity for that.

The harshness of the apocalypse left no room for distractions during combat. Every small detail could determine whether a battle would be won or lost.

Survival of the fittest.

It wasn’t just a saying.