Ethan Cross didn't take Linda's threats seriously.To him, her words were just noise.
Still, he was bored—so why not mess with the old hag a little?
"Oh wow, Linda! You've got guts. Why don't you go tell Tony Graves and Brandon Hale to come shovel snow, huh?"
He @-tagged both of them in the group chat, no filter, no mercy.
Tony Graves—aka "Gravesy"—was a known thug.He led the charge during the home invasions in Ethan's past life, swinging a fire axe.
Brandon Hale?Rich, arrogant, spoiled.He was the first to stab Ethan when the neighborhood turned on him.
Ethan remembered all of them.And he had no interest in protecting anyone's pride now.
In fact, he wanted them to squirm.
Linda stared at the names on her phone, her face going pale.
Ethan had cornered her.
If she didn't call out the tough guys now, everyone would see her for what she was—a coward who only bullied the weak.
With no way out, she reluctantly tagged both of them:
"Hey, neighbors! Our community is our shared home—let's all pitch in with snow shoveling when we can!"
Minutes later, Tony Graves replied.
Just three question marks.Then came a voice message.
"Shovel your damn snow yourself! Are you blind? It's still coming down like a blizzard out there!"
"You nuts or just dumb? Don't @ me again unless you're ready to get smacked!"
Graves tore into her with the force of a chainsaw.
Everyone in the group chat burst into silent laughter.
So much for 'authority.'
Linda's "power" only worked on regular folks.Guys like Graves?She was nothing to them.
Brandon Hale responded next.
His voice message oozed arrogance:
"Why the hell would I care about snow removal?"
"I don't work. I'm chillin' in bed with a girl. Life's great."
He even posted a photo—him, shirtless, under silk covers, arms around a sleeping woman.
This apartment?Just one of many he used to house his playthings.
Shoveling snow? That was beneath him.
Linda, still fuming from Tony's outburst, tried to hold her ground with Brandon:
"You're still a resident! This is part of your civic duty!"
Brandon scoffed:
"Civic duty? I pay more in HOA fees than your monthly salary."
"You people live off our money—acting like royalty. Clowns."
He finished with:
"I'm living the way I am because of my family. You think we're the same? Dream on."
"You all better hurry up and shovel the path. I might want to leave this dump later."
The arrogance made people furious—But also helpless.
Because unfortunately…He wasn't wrong.
After the beatdown from Tony and Brandon, the group chat fell silent.
Linda's so-called "leadership" evaporated.
And who did she blame?
Not the thugs.Not the rich boy.
She blamed Ethan.
She DM'd him in a fury:
"Ethan! Are you TRYING to make me look bad?"
"I was doing this for everyone's good. Now no one wants to help!"
"Do you WANT us all to be stuck inside forever?!"
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
Oh? You wanna get roasted again? Alright, lady.
He replied:
"Cut the crap, Linda. You're just a coward who bullies the quiet ones."
"Graves cursed you out and you went silent. Now you come barking at me?"
"Listen carefully. I'm not afraid of you. Try something, and you'll wish you hadn't."
His words hit hard—because they were true.
Linda was a classic bully. Loud when safe, silent when challenged.
She froze.
Literally and emotionally.
Just an old woman with a grandkid, clinging to her council badge for relevance.
If Ethan really snapped?
She'd lose. Badly.
So, she blocked him.
Hands trembling—whether from cold or fear, even she didn't know.
"That bastard! Total lunatic…"
But she didn't dare fight him now.
Instead, she schemed.
Just wait, you arrogant punk. The day will come when I make you regret this.
She imagined denying Ethan supplies during government handouts.
Or blacklisting him from future community events.
She pictured him begging at her door.
And her shutting it with a smirk.
"Didn't you used to be so tough, Ethan? Where's all that talk now?"
The fantasy made her smile.
"Heh… your day will come. You'll beg."
In the real world?
Linda ran back into the group chat, trying to rally others.
Despite everyone's disgust, some residents still stepped out to shovel—Terrified of being blacklisted from work once society restarted.
Ethan watched it all from his couch, amused.
Linda wasn't the only pest today.
His phone rang again.
It was Tony Graves.
The very thug Ethan had just roasted.
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
Good. Come at me, you bastard.
In this fortress?
Anyone stupid enough to knock on Ethan Cross's door…Would never walk away.
He picked up the call.