Sunshine Apartment.

  Room 603.

  The air was filled with a pungent smell of baby waste. The sensible little girl Ph? Ph? also helped out as much as she could, carrying trash down the stairs again and again.

  Her mother and the two grannies were busy doing other things. The two grandpas were too old to help with such chores, so only she could handle it.

  Don't be fooled by the stench—she didn't mind it at all. Compared to studying, she actually preferred the stench.

  As for the naive young man Lam Phàm, even if he wanted to help, he didn't know where to start. He could only watch them hustle around and quietly learn on the side.

  No one is born knowing how to do everything. It's all learned, step by step.

  T? Qu? Phan applied some medicine as she spoke, "Luckily, we found out in time. If we'd been even a little late, the baby probably wouldn't have made it. But even now, the situation isn't great—her immune system is weak, and she has infections on her bottom and in a few other places. We have to take good care of her if she's going to recover."

  Babies surviving in the apocalypse were extremely rare. They cry when they're hungry, when they poop, or when they're uncomfortable—any sound might attract zombies.

  Most survivors, worn down by the apocalypse, wouldn't risk their lives for a baby that could be a walking time bomb. If Lam Phàm hadn't taken her in, she would've died a pitiful death like many others.

  But now, she was safe. Taken in by Lam Phàm, she no longer had to worry. The time they'd spent with him wasn't long, but they already knew what kind of person he was.

  "Little Phàm, what's the baby's name?" Grandpa V??ng asked. Even in the apocalypse, seeing this tiny new life brought a sense of hope and emotional release.

  "Manh Manh." Lam Phàm looked at the baby who had just finished her formula and fallen asleep, a smile forming on his lips. If she could survive, if she was easy to feed, then she'd surely grow up strong and healthy.

  This baby had no blood ties to him, but she was so pitiful. She'd lost her parents at birth, her mother dying to protect her. No matter what, she deserved a chance to live.

  "What's her surname?" Grandpa V??ng asked again.

  Lam Phàm shook his head. "I don't know. Her mother's diary only mentioned the name 'Manh Manh.'"

  "No surname... Since you're the one who saved her, why not let her take your surname, Lam?" Grandpa V??ng suggested.

  He had an old comrade who had adopted an orphan during a war, raising the child as his own and giving them his surname.

  But Lam Phàm refused. "No, just let her be called Manh Manh. Her life was given to her by her mother—her mother earned her this chance. When she grows up, I'll tell her everything, so she'll know she had a great mother who gave her everything."

  At that moment...

  Grandpa Chu didn't think there was anything wrong with Little Phàm.

  "I'll take care of the child from now on," Ly Mai offered. "I've raised Ph? Ph? for years—I have experience. You're still young, and the two grannies are too old to handle the stress, especially at night."

  Caring for a baby was no joke.

  Especially at night, when they wouldn't stop crying—it was the worst.

  "Sister Ly, I'll trouble you during the day, but at night I'll take care of her myself," Lam Phàm said. He didn't want to impose. Ly Mai was kind, but now that he had a child to care for, he needed to get serious about work.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  He knew taking care of a baby at night was tough. Ly Mai and Ph? Ph? needed good rest. The elders certainly couldn't handle it either.

  And besides, he was the one who brought the child back. How could he then push the responsibility onto others? Getting help during the day was already a favor—letting others take over at night too would be too much.

  He'd seen many movies where people brought back burdens out of sympathy and then tossed them onto others when they couldn't handle it, bringing danger to others in the process.

  He wouldn't be like that.

  He brought Manh Manh back because he believed in himself—his capability, his judgment, and his will.

  Then again...

  Belief often comes hand-in-hand with reckless choices. So, it's better to have real capability than just faith.

  Manh Manh was sound asleep.

  Before they knew it, it was already noon.

  Ly Mai invited Lam Phàm to her place for lunch. He initially declined, thinking he could just make something quick at home, but she insisted—after all, in the apocalypse, helping each other was necessary.

  It didn't feel right to reject her kindness.

  It was just a meal. No big deal.

  He could run errands and gather supplies for them in return. Once their stockpile ran low, he'd go out again.

  At the dining table...

  Ly Mai was a great host. Even Grandpa V??ng and the others were invited.

  "Little Phàm, is something on your mind?" Grandpa V??ng asked. He noticed that Lam Phàm seemed deep in thought, like something was bothering him.

  "A little," Lam Phàm admitted.

  "Tell us. Maybe we can help," Grandpa V??ng said with a smile.

  Everyone looked at Lam Phàm. Their current peaceful life had come thanks to him. But he never acted like he expected anything in return.

  Ly Mai understood—if you wanted protection in the apocalypse, the price was often steep. No matter if you were a glamorous star or a billionaire's daughter, safety came at a cost. Many who once lorded over others now bowed their heads, begging to be spared.

  She was lucky. For the sake of her daughter's survival, she had been willing to lower herself to dog-like submission—but she hadn't needed to. Because of Lam Phàm, she saw hope again. He treated them all kindly. Life at Sunshine Apartment felt... safe.

  "I was just thinking, I need to find a job. Manh Manh's young, and raising a baby costs money. I'll need to buy her lots of things," Lam Phàm said seriously.

  Everyone at the table stared at him, stunned.

  Not because they thought he was crazy.

  But because they needed a moment to digest what they'd just heard.

  Ph? Ph? buried her face in her rice. This has nothing to do with me. I'm a kid. Let the grown-ups talk.

  Ly Mai suddenly understood. Why would you even think like that? In the apocalypse, why bother using money? Just surviving is already enough.

  Grandpa Chu smiled kindly.

  The two grannies looked at Grandpa V??ng as if to say, You'd better talk some sense into him. In times like this, sticking to the old ways of paying for things isn't necessary. Sometimes, taking what you need isn't wrong. It's survival.

  "Ai, you're right," Grandpa V??ng said, "Prices are high, and raising a baby is expensive. If you don't find a job, it'll be hard to keep her fed."

  Everyone stared at him—except for Lam Phàm and Ph? Ph?.

  They didn't expect the old man to actually agree!

  You guys don't get it, Grandpa V??ng thought. When you do, you'll see things from my level. Right now, you're still a bit behind.

  "Exactly." Lam Phàm sighed. Money's hard to earn. Crap's hard to swallow. Even before the apocalypse, I was staying up late drawing designs at work and already feeling it.

  "How about this—what do you think about becoming the Sunshine Apartment's security guard?" Grandpa V??ng suggested.

  "Security?" Lam Phàm hadn't considered that. Being a guard came with serious responsibilities—protecting residents, having a sense of duty, and being professional.

  "Yes, exactly that."

  "Could I do that?"

  "Of course. We're all residents here—we can vote on it. I, V??ng Trung Qu?c, support you. Everyone else will too. No problem," Grandpa V??ng reassured him.

  Thinking it over...

  It did seem reasonable.

  "I think I'll give it a try," Lam Phàm said.

  "That's the spirit! Whether it's a good fit or not, you won't know until you try. These days, guards earn around ten thousand a month, right? Let's say ten thousand!" Grandpa V??ng laughed. Of course, that number was completely made up. If they had even three thousand, it would be a miracle.

  He knew Lam Phàm liked spending money when shopping, and to them old folks, money didn't mean much anymore. So why not give it to Lam Phàm?

  "Ten thousand?" Lam Phàm's mouth dropped open in shock. He shook his head. "When did security guards ever earn ten thousand? Back then, the ones watching over our building only made two thousand five a month."

  Old Man V??ng said, "You're different from them. You're young, responsible, and quite capable. You even help us buy things from time to time. All those little tasks would cost money if we hired someone else. Ten thousand really isn't that much."

  Right now, he still had several million in his bank account, money he could hardly spend all of.

  And Old Bro Chu had even more in his.

  So really, money wasn't a problem at all.

  Lam Phàm said, "Let's stick with five thousand. Holding onto ten thousand would make me uneasy. When a man works, there should be a balance between effort and reward. I know you all want to help me, but I'm still young, I've got all my limbs, and there's nothing wrong with me."

  And so...

  Under Lam Phàm's insistence, the first official security guard of the post-apocalyptic D??ng Quang apartment complex took up his post.

  Salary: five thousand.

  Totally badass.