[Dubbed] Apocalypse Survival Guide Full Eng Sub (Chinese)

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Transcript

00:01I could never forget the pain when I died of starvation during my previous life.

00:05The temperature was negative 70 degrees Celsius.

00:07My family huddled together.

00:09My uncle and his family took the last bit of rations.

00:12My mom was an actuary and dealt with numbers her whole life.

00:15In order to spare me a warm drink, she froze to death in a negative 50 degrees Celsius warehouse.

00:19Hazel, wake up. Look at this set of data.

00:21A cold voice brought me back to my senses.

00:23I quickly raised my head and found myself behind the counter.

00:26The AC was blowing out a cool breeze.

00:28The sunlight poured through the windows.

00:31My mom, Martha Taylor, was wearing a white shirt.

00:34She frowned as she looked at an Excel table.

00:36It was 15 June, 2025.

00:38There were only 45 days before the ice ages.

00:41Mom, my voice was hoarse.

00:42Tears welled up in my eyes.

00:44Don't cry, honey. Listen to me.

00:45My mom kept her head down as her fingers tapped on the keyboard.

00:48Ever since last week, there's been a weird trend in global commodity trading.

00:52Shipments of food, fuel, and antibiotics have dropped by 85%.

00:56Yet prices are being stabilized through false transactions.

00:59That just doesn't make sense.

01:00Unless someone's cutting off global supply chains, social order will collapse due to the lack of supplies in the next

01:06two months.

01:07Mom, what if I told you the temperature will reach 50 degrees Celsius in 45 days, then drop rapidly to

01:11negative 70 degrees Celsius?

01:13Would you believe me?

01:13She stopped typing and turned to me.

01:15She didn't think I was crazy like the others.

01:16She pushed up her glasses and asked calmly,

01:19How long will the cold last?

01:20I don't know.

01:21I died after three months, and the temperature continued to drop.

01:24I see.

01:24My mom closed her laptop.

01:25A ruthless look appeared in her eyes.

01:27Everything makes sense now.

01:28If it's going to get cold, then our store will definitely be a target.

01:31The ground floor isn't safe.

01:32We must move.

01:33Hazel, according to your memories, we need a sealed, high-elevation, fortress-level shelter.

01:39We need to list every asset we own.

01:41I quickly got a pen and some paper, besides Taylor Mart, which we ran for 10 years.

01:45We also have an old downtown apartment, and there's my mom's investment products.

01:49The stocks we have are worth about $100K.

01:50The old apartment is worth about $200K.

01:52Investments and savings total about $400K.

01:55Plus, the credit cards and personal loans will have around $800K in cash.

01:58That's not enough.

01:59When order collapses, this is nowhere near enough.

02:02We need to liquidate all our assets.

02:03How, mom?

02:04Loans and mortgages.

02:05Go apply for every business loan we can before the banks notice there's a supply chain failure.

02:10We need to turn the money we have into supplies.

02:13My mom stood up and looked at the shelves in the store.

02:16From now on, the store is closed for inventory.

02:18We won't sell a thing.

02:20We need to move everything into our fortress.

02:22We got straight to work.

02:24My mom went to banks to gather loans, while I went to look for a fortress.

02:28I chose the best neighborhood in the city, the 32nd floor of Star Bay.

02:31It's the top floor, so there's only one apartment with a massive loft and a private rooftop deck.

02:35Most importantly, the developer installed a bulletproof door normally used in banks.

02:40The walls were 10 centimeters thicker than normal walls.

02:42My mom signed a three-year lease at a high price and gave the landlord a sum of money so

02:47that we could reinforce the walls.

02:49This will be our fortress.

02:51My mom stood on the balcony and looked at the city with a fixed stack of contracts in her hand.

02:55Hazel, we just received $500,000 in loans, plus our savings.

02:59That's $800,000.

03:00We must turn all the money into supplies within 15 days.

03:03The next couple of days were a race for survival.

03:06I drove our van to its limits.

03:08I didn't go to the big markets.

03:10Only fools would do that.

03:11My mom used her connections as an actuary to contact the major food factories and medical wholesalers.

03:16The first delivery was 3,000 boxes of pot noodles and 500 sacks of rice, each weighing 25 kilograms.

03:21When all these things arrived in the huge living room, the sight gave me goosebumps.

03:26The sacks of rice were piled up, leaving only a small gap to walk through.

03:29Only carbohydrates aren't enough.

03:31My mom held a notebook looking like a strict general.

03:33We need fat and protein.

03:35Go order 500 cases of luncheon meat, 1,000 cans of meat sauce, plus dehydrated vegetables.

03:40We shouldn't rely on fresh greens.

03:41Once the temperature drops, the dehydrated vegetables will be golden.

03:44My mom was even stricter about the medicine.

03:47She didn't just buy any random medicine.

03:48She used her connections to buy ibuprofen, antibiotics, and huge amounts of iodophor.

03:54Under extreme temperatures, even a small cold could be lethal.

03:57We also cleared out all our store's stock overnight.

04:00We didn't use the lift because we didn't want to raise any suspicions.

04:03I hired a dozen people who didn't know each other and said we were moving our boss's stuff

04:07and hauled everything up 32 floors in shifts.

04:09Every single room in the apartment, even the bathtub, was filled with goods.

04:16Seeing the large apartment filled with goods, I had an unusual feeling of security.

04:22These weren't just goods.

04:23These were our bargain gems in the upcoming apocalypse.

04:25Just when we were moving the last 50 gallons of water, an uninvited guest showed up at the

04:29store entrance.

04:30It was my ex-husband, Andy Burke.

04:31He was the guy who sold me for half a loaf of bread during my previous life.

04:35Andy was wearing a suit and was leaning against the car he bought with a car loan.

04:39He looked at the store disdainfully.

04:41Why did you close the store, Hazel?

04:42My mom was planning to come to buy some whiskey tomorrow.

04:44Go get some out of your stock.

04:46I looked at his arrogant face and nearly crushed the tape cutter in my hand.

04:50Memories of my previous life flashed in my mind.

04:52My mom went down on her knees in the snow to beg him to save me some water, but he

04:55just

04:55kicked her aside.

04:56We've been divorced for six months, Andy.

04:58I looked at him with cold eyes.

04:59Nothing in this store has anything to do with you.

05:02Hey, how could you say that?

05:03Are we not a family just because we're divorced?

05:05I'm only here because my mom speaks highly of you.

05:06By the way, why are the shelves empty?

05:08Are you trying to move your assets and dodge taxes?

05:10I'm warning you, my uncle works at the business bureau.

05:12Andy was just a leech.

05:14He didn't care about the unusual weather.

05:16He only cared about whether he could leech off others.

05:19My mom walked out of the store with a list of unpaid bills in her hand.

05:22Andy, you're here just in time.

05:24You borrowed $50,000 from Hazel when you divorced her, plus all the things your mom took from

05:28us over the past six months.

05:29It totals to $55,000.

05:31Sign here.

05:32If you don't pay us back, I'll take this to court and have your BMW confiscated.

05:35My mom's voice wasn't loud, but it was very authoritative.

05:39Andy was stunned.

05:41Mrs. Taylor, you must be joking, right?

05:43The money.

05:43Who's joking?

05:44Call the police, Hazel.

05:46Tell them that there's a thief.

05:48My mom picked up her phone indifferently.

05:50Andy started to feel afraid under my mom's cold gaze.

05:52He spat on the ground and cursed.

05:54You two are so unbelievable.

05:56You can keep all your crap.

05:58My mom was right.

05:59You're just a jinx.

06:00This store will definitely close down soon.

06:02I watched as he drove away.

06:02My mom breathed a sigh of relief.

06:04It's better to sever ties with someone like him.

06:06Now, we need to deal with our fortress.

06:08My mom found someone who designed bank vaults to add insulating layers to all the walls,

06:13making them 20 centimeters thick.

06:15The windows were switched to bulletproof glass.

06:17The most important thing was the heating system.

06:19Star Bay had underfloor heating, but under extreme weather, the power and gas supplies

06:22will definitely be cut off.

06:24My mom installed a small diesel generator in the loft and three 1,000 liter tanks.

06:29To not raise suspicion, the tanks were disguised as water tanks.

06:32They were slowly moved upstairs on pickup trucks.

06:35Remember, Hazel, in the apocalypse, heat means survival.

06:38My mom pointed to a corner in the living room.

06:40There were 500 sets of body warmers and countless thick duvets.

06:45By then, there were only one day's left before the apocalypse.

06:48The temperature outside was around 40 degrees Celsius.

06:50People were complaining about their electricity bills.

06:52What they didn't know was that this heat was the last bit of warmth they would experience.

06:5525 July 2025.

06:57The temperature reached 48 degrees Celsius.

06:59The asphalt streets were starting to melt.

07:01People outside looked dehydrated.

07:03Everyone was storming the markets for ice and bottled water.

07:06A bottle that used to cost 30 cents came to $1.40 on the black market.

07:10But mom, grandma, and I were holed up in our fortress at Star Bay.

07:14The A.C. hummed quietly, holding the room at a comfy 24 degrees Celsius.

07:17Grandma bustled around the big kitchen, tossing dried mushrooms from our stash and canned luncheon

07:21into a sizzling stir fry.

07:23It smelled amazing.

07:24Eat up, Hazel.

07:25It'd be a shame to let all this food go to waste.

07:28Grandma placed food in my bowl joyfully.

07:30She still didn't know about the apocalypse.

07:31She just thought that my mom and I made a fortune.

07:33Mom sat at the table, sipping a glass of Coke, while scrolling through the residence group chat.

07:37The Star Bay group chat was blowing up.

07:39Unit 302 resident.

07:40At management.

07:41What's going on?

07:42The elevator's out again.

07:43The ice I just bought melted before I even got home.

07:46Property manager.

07:47We're sorry.

07:47The usage is insane.

07:48Two transformers blew.

07:49We're on it.

07:50Unit 2501 resident.

07:51It's so hot.

07:52My kids already got heat stroke.

07:54I heard the residents on the top floor have generators.

07:55Can I borrow one?

07:56I can pay you.

07:57My mom sneered at her phone and just left the group chat.

08:01Borrow?

08:01I might never get the generator back.

08:03My mom said calmly.

08:04Right now, it's just the heat wave, and no one's stepped over the line.

08:07When the temperature drops, people will show their true colors.

08:10At that moment, the doorbell rang.

08:12The surveillance showed a woman in a silk nightgown standing outside.

08:15She lived on the 28th floor and claimed she was a KOL.

08:18She was always sending photos of her designer bags in the group chat.

08:21Anybody home?

08:22I know you've got water.

08:23She forced a smile at the camera.

08:25I don't have any water left.

08:26Can you spare me some?

08:27I can give you $100 for the water.

08:30I stood behind three layers of steel doors.

08:32My voice was cold.

08:33We don't have any.

08:34Get lost.

08:35What the hell's wrong with you?

08:35We're all neighbors here.

08:37Can't you help us out?

08:38I saw you moving all bottled water upstairs.

08:41Can't you spare me some?

08:42Do you know how many followers I have?

08:44One video and they'll overwhelm you.

08:46I pressed the mute button.

08:48My mom walked over and patted my head.

08:49You did the right thing.

08:51Remember, Hazel, the first rule of an actuary.

08:53When resources are limited, the core unit survives first.

08:57Everyone else is just expendable data.

08:59That night, we lost all signals.

09:02The city went dark.

09:03The only faint light was from our house.

09:06The diesel generator was idling.

09:08My mom pulled out a notebook.

09:10Its pages crammed with notes.

09:12Diesel stock.

09:133,000 L's.

09:14Estimated to last for 18 months.

09:16Fresh water.

09:165 tons.

09:17With recycler on.

09:18It's estimated to last for 24 months.

09:20Food.

09:20At 2,000 calories a day.

09:21It's estimated to last for 48 months.

09:23Let's get some rest, Hazel.

09:25My mom closed the notebook.

09:26The world's going to be different tomorrow.

09:28The cold woke me up.

09:29Even with the heating and thick duvet, I could still feel the cold.

09:34I jumped out of bed and ran to the balcony.

09:36Through layers of insulation and bulletproof glass, I saw something I would never forget.

09:41The city that was hot and muggy last night was now buried under a thick layer of frost.

09:45The sky wasn't dark blue, but a weird shade of dark gray.

09:48The thermometer outside had already frozen and shattered.

09:51But my mom installed a digital one indoors.

09:54Outdoor.

09:54Negative 72.5 degrees Celsius.

09:56Inside, 22 degrees Celsius.

09:58The once busy street below had vanished.

10:01Every car was frozen in the middle of the road, like rows of metal coffins.

10:04There were figures by the side of the road.

10:06They were people who tried to escape the heat outdoors.

10:08They didn't even have time to scream before they were frozen on the streets.

10:12Oh my god.

10:13Grandma stood behind me, staring out the window.

10:15The glass in her hand slipped and shattered on the floor.

10:17It's alright, Grandma.

10:18I said as I held her.

10:18We've got food and heating.

10:20My mom walked over with some hot tea.

10:23The first cold wave is the worst.

10:25The power, water, and gas systems all failed at 2 a.m.

10:29Right now, the whole city's a giant freezer.

10:31That was when a dull thud sounded at our door.

10:35Bang!

10:36Bang!

10:37Someone was trying to break in.

10:39The surveillance showed that the corridor was packed.

10:41The once elegant residents were now wearing curtains and carpets.

10:44Some even ripped apart their leather sofa.

10:46Their faces were pale and their eyes wild.

10:49Open up!

10:50Open up!

10:51We know you have a generator.

10:52You can't just stand by and do nothing.

10:54We're freezing out here.

10:55Let us inside.

10:56My mom walked over and pressed a button.

10:59It was the intercom that we had installed.

11:02Guys, this is a bank-level security door.

11:04All gaps are sealed using aerogel.

11:06If you keep this up, you'll all die of heat loss instead of opening the door.

11:11It's negative 70 out there right now.

11:13I'd suggest you all go home and put more clothes on.

11:16Maybe then you can survive a little longer.

11:19My mom's voice was indifferent like a machine.

11:22You bitch!

11:23You've got so many resources.

11:24What's wrong with sharing some?

11:26Andy's voice sounded from the crowd.

11:28He's here as well?

11:29Andy, if you're still yelling, then it's not that cold.

11:31Have you ever thought this would happen when you took my water in my previous life?

11:34What the hell are you talking about?

11:36Open the door!

11:37I'm your husband!

11:37My mom turned off the intercom.

11:39She turned to the kitchen and asked grandma,

11:41Mom, what do you want for lunch?

11:43That crate of Kobe beef is brand new.

11:45Let's make some steak and add more butter for extra calories.

11:48Outside, the wind roared like a chorus of wailing ghosts.

11:52Inside, steaks sizzled in the pan.

11:54And the smell of butter filled the room.

11:56It was the scent of life.

11:58Watching mom calmly flip the steaks, I suddenly understood something.

12:02The apocalypse wasn't about saving the world.

12:04It was about being able to have warm food in this cold weather and keeping my family safe.

12:08As long as this door remained closed, we would be the last survivors on this frozen planet.

12:12The blows on the bulletproof door were heavy and chaotic.

12:15Through the camera, I saw Andy panting as he swung a huge fire axe with both hands as he tried

12:21to bust open the door.

12:22Hazel, open up!

12:23I own half the house as well!

12:25But he ignored a basic law of physics.

12:26At negative 70 degrees Celsius, regular carbon steel would become brittle.

12:30On his 40th swing at the door,

12:33the axe shattered.

12:35A shard cut into Andy's thigh.

12:37Dark green fluid crystallized midair.

12:39Andy felt no pain at first.

12:41Not until his pant legs stiffened.

12:43A few neighbors crept closer.

12:45They had starved for three whole days.

12:47They had become hungry beasts.

12:49Andy's scream cut off.

12:51My mom covered grandma's eyes and walked her back to the warm bedroom.

12:54That's nature.

12:55My mom handed me a glass of Coke.

12:57When supplies are running out,

12:58only those who have basic knowledge and can keep calm will earn the right to survive.

13:02It was the fifth day of the extreme cold.

13:04Order downstairs had totally collapsed.

13:06Property manager Gary Wilson used the spare keys he had and the riot shields from the storage room

13:10to summon all the guards and control the ground floor.

13:12Residents of 3201, listen up!

13:14This is Gary Wilson from property management.

13:15Because you refused to share your supplies and caused other residents to be in danger,

13:19we've cut off your water supply.

13:20You either open the door or die of thirst.

13:23My mom's listening to the broadcast.

13:24As she peeled a hard-boiled egg for grandma,

13:26she pointed at the pressure chart on her phone.

13:28Mom, he's shut off the main valve.

13:29He knows nothing about physics or plumbing.

13:31Shutting off the valve to the top floor will only jack up the pressure on the lower floors.

13:35Our five-ton storage tank is an isolated system.

13:37The pump runs on the generator, totally off-grid.

13:39As for our excretion,

13:40my mom installed a biodegradable toilet.

13:42At that moment,

13:43Gary's scream came from the surveillance.

13:44He forced open the fire hydrant on the 31st floor.

13:46As he tried to spray water upward,

13:48the water froze instantly.

13:50Gary immediately became an ice statue.

13:52The guards were terrified.

13:53They dropped their shields and fled.

13:54The air in the corridor kept getting nastier.

13:57At negative 70,

13:58bacteria couldn't multiply.

13:59But a heavy,

14:00hopeless vibe

14:00was spreading through the building.

14:02Peaked through the peephole.

14:03A few frozen corpses

14:04were stacked in the corridor.

14:05These elites

14:06had become nothing but obstacles.

14:07The KOL on the 28th floor

14:09was wrapped in Hermes carpet.

14:10Kneeling pathetically

14:11at the neighbor's door,

14:11she pounded on the door

14:12with her cold hands.

14:13There was only silence.

14:14In the dead of night,

14:15some neighbors torched a leather sofa

14:17as they tried to warm themselves up.

14:18Black smoke went up the vent shaft.

14:20The smoke alarm screeched like crazy.

14:22Grandma was terrified.

14:23It's alright.

14:24Close the internal circulation.

14:26Hazel,

14:26switch on the pressure defense mode.

14:27I immediately pressed a button

14:28on the control panel.

14:29The variable speed motor roared to life.

14:31The airflow pushed the smoke

14:32back into the corridor.

14:33The arsonists almost choked

14:34on the smoke they created.

14:35Meanwhile,

14:35we were sitting in our living room,

14:37which was at 22 degrees Celsius

14:38as you flip through an old hook.

14:39To see how the people outside

14:40were holding up,

14:41my mom decided to do an experiment.

14:42She took out a drone

14:43fitted with a low-temp battery.

14:45I strapped a pack of expired hardtack

14:47to the landing gear

14:47and tied on a bright red ribbon

14:49so everyone could see it.

14:50Hazel,

14:50keep your eyes on the feet.

14:51Log every reaction at every window.

14:53The drone flew out the window

14:54and over the once luxurious community.

14:56Most of the French windows

14:56were already shattered,

14:57patched with soggy cardboard

14:58and grimy sheets.

15:00When the drone hovered

15:00outside a window on the 12th floor,

15:02a guy went nuts

15:03and lunged onto the balcony.

15:04He reached for the biscuits

15:05and forgot about the ice

15:07piled up along the edge.

15:08He went over

15:09and slammed into the snow

15:10ten stories down.

15:11The rest of the survivors

15:12went crazy after that.

15:13Some took out a slingshot

15:14and tried to shoot the drone down.

15:15Others waved frantically,

15:16screaming for help,

15:17losing every bit of that feedback.

15:18My mom calmly marked

15:19crosses and tickets

15:20on her spreadsheet.

15:211201,

15:21adult male,

15:22mid-level threat.

15:232005,

15:23gang cluster,

15:24high-risk threat.

15:25The food wasn't charity.

15:27That pack of biscuits

15:28was pure bait.

15:30Drawing out anyone

15:30who might endanger our fortress

15:31so we could tag them

15:32one by one.

15:33Frontal assault didn't work.

15:35The scavengers started

15:36looking for a way in

15:36from below.

15:37Late at night,

15:37a power drill

15:38whirred under the floor.

15:39Grandma was taking a nap,

15:41hugging a hot water sack.

15:41The sound was razor sharp.

15:43Mom,

15:43the people on the 31st floor

15:44are drooling their ceiling.

15:45I clenched my compound crossbow,

15:46palms slick with sweat.

15:48But my mom remained calm.

15:49She pointed to the

15:50renovation log we kept.

15:51I put manganese steel plates

15:52under the concrete

15:53and packed in high-density

15:54fire-retardant insulation.

15:56It would take them forever

15:57to break through.

15:58Still,

15:58my mom planned

15:59to fight back.

16:00She took out

16:01two big subwoofers,

16:02flipped them face down

16:03over the noise spot

16:04and played a custom track.

16:06It was a digitally warped

16:07horror soundtrack

16:08laced with infrasound

16:09that scrambled the heartbeat.

16:10She pressed play,

16:11sending the vibrations

16:12to the 31st floor.

16:14Within 10 minutes,

16:15the drilling stopped.

16:16It was replaced

16:17by something heavy

16:18falling to the ground

16:19and loud arguments.

16:20When people were starving

16:21and freezing,

16:22such mind tricks

16:23could kill them.

16:24Peeking through the periscope,

16:25I saw the crew downstairs

16:26beating each other up.

16:27Their alliance was ripped apart

16:28by sheer terror.

16:30Day 12 of the extreme cold.

16:31The intercom lights

16:32started flashing like crazy.

16:33On the screen,

16:34a guy wrapped in a thermal suit

16:36showed up.

16:36He was wearing snow goggles.

16:37His chin was covered in stubble.

16:38From his stance,

16:39I could tell he had

16:41military training.

16:41Owner of 3201,

16:43how about we make a deal?

16:43He took a heavy blue cloth

16:44pouch out of his coat

16:45and slowly opened it

16:46in front of the camera.

16:47Inside was a pile of gold jewelry.

16:49Gold won't keep you warm

16:49in the apocalypse.

16:50It actually takes the heat

16:51from you.

16:52If you're here to swap it

16:52for food,

16:53you're in the wrong place.

16:54The man pulled out

16:54a combat knife

16:55and a pistol from his belt.

16:57Gold might be worthless,

16:58but these aren't.

16:59The name's Clark,

17:00Unit 11,

17:00former special rescue member.

17:02My teammates got a fever.

17:03I need a bottle of amoxicillin.

17:04I don't want to use force.

17:05I'll trade the knife

17:06and make two promises

17:07for the meds.

17:07My mom studied Mr. Clark

17:08on the screen.

17:09She pushed up her glasses.

17:10Deal.

17:10The meds are in the pass-through box.

17:11Keep the knife.

17:12I want to see what you'll do next.

17:13The deal was made quite quickly.

17:15We used the one-way rail system

17:16under the door

17:17to give the man

17:18two boxes of antibiotics

17:19and a pack of vacuum-sealed rations.

17:21Once Mr. Clark received the goods,

17:22he gave a slight nod

17:23to the camera.

17:24He handled the bodies

17:25like a pro.

17:26He hooked their frozen ankles

17:27with an iron hook

17:28and dragged them

17:29into the elevator shaft.

17:30Broken pieces of a fire axe

17:31and the ashes

17:33and Mr. Clark pulled out

17:34a small bottle

17:34of industrial alcohol

17:35from his bag

17:36and sprayed it on the floor

17:37for disinfection.

17:38It evaporated fast,

17:39taking the stink with it.

17:40The corridor was icy

17:41but spotless again.

17:42Mr. Clark aced

17:43the first round of the trust test.

17:44My mom put a star

17:45next to his name.

17:46That night,

17:47we sat by the crackling fireplace

17:48watching the spotless corridor

17:49on the monitor.

17:50That long-lost sense of security

17:51caused me to sleep

17:52like a baby

17:52the first time.

17:53It was an ice age outside,

17:55but up in the attic,

17:56it was a completely different world.

17:58The once spacious attic

17:59was now painted

17:59in a mirror silver color.

18:00Rows of LED grow lights

18:01glowed pink and purple.

18:03Vegetable in foam boxes

18:04were growing like crazy.

18:05The lettuce was thick and green.

18:07Cherry tomatoes

18:07and dwarf wheat

18:08were thriving.

18:09Grandma's hands trembled

18:10as she held the scissors.

18:11She snipped a few tender leaves

18:12and dropped them

18:13into the soup.

18:14A light herbal scent

18:15filled the kitchen.

18:16Hazel, come quickly!

18:18These greens

18:18look way better

18:19than anything at the market.

18:20This bowl of soup

18:21was now more than just food.

18:22We sat under the warm glow

18:23of the lights,

18:23breathing in oxygen

18:24that plants had just produced.

18:26My mom looked at

18:26that tiny patch of green

18:27and added another line

18:28to her notebook.

18:29Resource recycling system

18:30operating normally.

18:31Psych eval.

18:32Family bonds

18:32getting stronger.

18:33Day 20 of the extreme cold.

18:35Thick layer of ice

18:36coated the generator's exhaust vent.

18:37It was the residue

18:38fused with frozen vapor.

18:39The RPM was dropping.

18:40We had to shut it down

18:41for four hours of maintenance.

18:42My mom looked at the gauges

18:43with a serious expression.

18:44We all scrambled

18:45into our cold weather gear.

18:46We wrapped ourselves

18:47in coats and sleeping bags.

18:49My mom fired up

18:49the backup smokeless coal stove.

18:50Such an old heating method.

18:52It wasn't very efficient,

18:52but it kept the core area

18:54above freezing.

18:55We curled up on the sofa

18:56and hugged each other.

18:58White mist could be seen

18:59with every breath.

19:00The temperature in the room

19:00soon dropped to zero.

19:02To calm grandma down,

19:03my mom told stories

19:04about her actuary days.

19:05As long as we calculate

19:06all angles,

19:07then nothing can be a threat to us.

19:08She squeezed my hand.

19:09Her grip was solid and confident.

19:10Four hours later,

19:11the generator roared back to life.

19:12Warm air flooded the room again.

19:14I felt the blood flowing

19:15in my veins again.

19:16It was the second month

19:17of the extreme cold.

19:18At dawn,

19:18I scanned the streets below

19:19with binoculars.

19:20The snow was over 10 feet deep.

19:22Huge white creatures

19:23had beard thick.

19:24Silver white fur

19:25covered them like armor.

19:26They had long limbs

19:27and their claws could be seen.

19:28Mom,

19:28those are no stray dogs.

19:30They move in packs

19:30across the snow.

19:32When they claw out

19:33a frozen body,

19:34their jaws could snap

19:35the bones like twigs.

19:36The lead giant wolf

19:37lifted its head.

19:38Its red eyes locked

19:39onto the vents

19:40on the 32nd floor.

19:41Heat from the generator

19:42formed a rising column.

19:44To these predators,

19:45it was a beacon.

19:45It jumped up.

19:46Its claws dug

19:47into the facade grooves.

19:49It climbed up slowly

19:50but determinedly.

19:51They can smell

19:51strangers.

19:52My mom stepped onto the balcony,

19:53gripping her compound crossbow.

19:54Hazel,

19:54double check every door

19:55and window.

19:56Humans are no longer

19:57our only enemies.

19:58We're now food

19:58to those monsters.

20:00I ran off

20:00to secure every door

20:01and window.

20:02The mutant wolves

20:02were climbing way faster

20:04than we thought.

20:04Their claws dug straight

20:05into the gaps

20:06in the insulation.

20:07When it reached

20:07the 15th floor,

20:08those blood red eyes

20:09burned with hunger.

20:10Hazel,

20:11treat it like a moving target

20:12from physics class.

20:13My mom took out

20:14a compound crossbow

20:15and handed it to me.

20:16It had a scope

20:16and carbon fiber bolts.

20:18She slid the window

20:18open a little.

20:19Gust of icy wind

20:20blew into the room.

20:21Range,

20:2282 meters.

20:23Elevation,

20:2362 degrees.

20:24Wind,

20:24moderate,

20:25northerly.

20:25Aim 2 centimeters

20:26above its nose.

20:27I held my breath,

20:28finger on the trigger.

20:29Through the scope,

20:30a giant wolf

20:30seemed to slow down.

20:32As my mom gave the order,

20:33the carbon bolt

20:34ripped through the air.

20:35It punched clean

20:36through the lead wolf's

20:37left eye.

20:37The force yanked it

20:38right off the wall.

20:39The rest of the wolves

20:40bolted in panic.

20:41The first threat

20:42is neutralized.

20:43One bolt used.

20:43Defensive premium equilibrium.

20:45Accurate calculations

20:45and clean executions

20:46is what we rely on

20:47to survive.

20:48Day 25 of the extreme cold.

20:49A burst of static

20:50crackled from the radio.

20:51Mr. Clark's voice

20:51was weak and strained.

20:53Martha,

20:53I need help.

20:54The frost wolves

20:55have eyes on my building.

20:56They've got explosives

20:57and I'm injured.

20:57I'm pulling back

20:58toward your place.

20:59I held the radio

21:00and turned to look at mom.

21:01She snatched a pen

21:01and started crunching numbers.

21:03Mr. Clark has provided

21:03effective intel three times.

21:05He has cleared 12 bodies.

21:06He can be trusted.

21:07Let's help him.

21:07Hazel,

21:08prep the rooftop basket.

21:09Mom,

21:09set out the iotaphore suture kit

21:11and cephoperazone,

21:12ran to the roof

21:13and fired up

21:13the industrial winch.

21:15The steel wire basket

21:16lowered into the blizzard.

21:17Three minutes later,

21:18the line suddenly lurched.

21:19Mr. Clark was inside,

21:20half conscious,

21:21drenched in dark green slime.

21:22A penetrating wound

21:23was on his left shoulder.

21:24I dragged him

21:25into the warmed quarantine room.

21:26We had rigged it

21:27into a mini operating room.

21:28This warm room

21:29was Mr. Clark's last shelter.

21:31When Mr. Clark woke up,

21:32it was already the afternoon

21:33of the next day.

21:34His first reaction

21:34was to grab his gun,

21:36but he found his wound

21:36had been neatly stitched up.

21:37A steaming bowl

21:38of plain rice porridge

21:39sat by the bed.

21:40This is the Taylor family's turf.

21:41You're safe now.

21:42She popped the mag,

21:44checked it,

21:44reloaded,

21:45and handed the gun

21:45back to Mr. Clark.

21:46Mr. Clark stared

21:47at the bowl of porridge.

21:48His Adam's apple bobbed.

21:50Ms. Taylor,

21:50from now on,

21:51my life belongs to you.

21:52My mom nodded

21:53and produced

21:53the Taylor's safe house rules

21:55she had drafted overnight.

21:56Mr. Clark,

21:57starting today,

21:57you're our head of security.

21:59Your duty is to guard

22:00the corridor and rooftop

22:01and watch for anything

22:02off within a three kilometer radius.

22:03We'll provide you with food,

22:05water,

22:05and meds,

22:06but you must obey

22:06my every command.

22:07Mr. Clark scanned

22:08the detailed rules,

22:09which even listed

22:10how many grams of food

22:11would be given per meal.

22:11A helpless smile

22:12appeared on his face.

22:13He knew that he had

22:13a better chance to survive

22:14if he stuck with us.

22:15It was the second month

22:16of the extreme cold.

22:17Diesel reserves

22:18were running low.

22:19We were burning through fuel

22:20faster than any model predicted.

22:21We had to do something.

22:22There's an industrial district.

22:23They would have a backup diesel stash.

22:25If we can bring back 500 L,

22:26we can last another three months.

22:27My mom sat at the control desk,

22:29giving us the bird's eye view.

22:30Before we headed out,

22:30Mr. Clark ran a check on my gear

22:32and on the custom trailer

22:32that could carry five drums.

22:34When we pushed open

22:35the heavy fire door

22:35and stepped outside,

22:37I felt like my lungs

22:38were filled with needles.

22:39I was no longer familiar

22:41with the city.

22:41Follow my footprints.

22:43Stay clear of manhole covers.

22:44With every step,

22:45Mr. Clark probed the snow

22:46with a crowbar.

22:47Mom's voice sounded

22:47in my Bluetooth earphones.

22:49Hazel, two o'clock.

22:50There's an overturned truck.

22:53Watch the glass shards.

22:54Wind's picking up.

22:55You've got a 45 minute window.

22:57Countdown starts now.

22:58In this white, silent world,

22:59every extra second out.

23:01Here was torture.

23:02We were about 200 meters

23:03from the gas station

23:03when Mr. Clark signaled

23:04for me to stop.

23:05He dropped into a crouch,

23:06half his body disappearing

23:07into the snow.

23:08I copied him instantly.

23:09The drone's overhead feed

23:10showed four thugs

23:12prying at the fuel tank lid.

23:13Ms. Taylor,

23:14they've got heavy crowbars.

23:15It's already halfway open.

23:16If we don't drop them now,

23:17they'll grab all the diesel.

23:19Don't go head to head with them.

23:20We can use our chemistry knowledge.

23:21Hazel, you've got potassium

23:22permanganate and glycerin

23:23in your bag.

23:23Use the ratio I taught you

23:24and whip up a smoke bomb.

23:26Toss it up, wind.

23:26Mr. Clark,

23:27take the leader out

23:28once chaos hits.

23:29I yanked two vials

23:30from my pack

23:30and mixed them

23:31with pinpoint accuracy.

23:32As I hurled it hard,

23:34a cloud of thick

23:35black smoke appeared.

23:36The thugs were swallowed

23:37by sudden darkness,

23:38choking,

23:38using the smoke as cover.

23:40Mr. Clark snuck

23:41behind a sentry

23:42and dropped him

23:43silently into the snow.

23:44The other three panicked,

23:45firing crossbow bolts

23:46everywhere.

23:47Soon,

23:47they all fled.

23:49Mr. Clark connected the hose,

23:50pumping the precious

23:51black fuel

23:51into the barrels.

23:52Killing was just a method

23:53to get the supplies

23:54we needed.

23:55By the time we brought

23:56500 L's of diesel

23:57back home,

23:58the sky had turned

23:59dark gray.

23:59The two massive drums

24:01left deep marks

24:02in the snow.

24:03Each breath frosted

24:04the inside of my mask.

24:06Wait.

24:07Mr. Clark yanked

24:07the tow rope,

24:08pointing at a mess

24:09of broad tire tracks

24:10by the main entrance.

24:11They were carved

24:12in deep,

24:12with clear stud marks

24:13for traction.

24:14No way those came

24:15from regular snowmobiles.

24:16These were heavily

24:17armored off-road rigs.

24:18Mr. Clark dropped

24:19to the snow

24:19for a closer look,

24:20face darkening.

24:21It's the Frost Wolves.

24:22At least five vehicles.

24:23They've started

24:23coordinated raids

24:24on upscale blocks.

24:25Miss Taylor

24:26looks like

24:26they've got their eyes

24:27on the luxury complex.

24:28My mom's voice

24:29crackled in my earpiece.

24:30Her voice was cold

24:30but serious.

24:31I've got them

24:32on the drone feed.

24:32They're sweeping

24:33floor by floor,

24:34grabbing every scrap

24:35of firewood

24:36and can of food.

24:37Hazel, Clark,

24:38fall back!

24:38Take the maintenance ladder

24:39in the elevator shaft.

24:40From now on,

24:41we're at DEFCON 1.

24:43We slipped in

24:44through the secret tunnel

24:44and hit the 32nd floor.

24:46The sudden warmth

24:46nearly made my knees buckle,

24:48but my mom

24:48didn't let me rest.

24:50She pointed

24:50at the live camera feeds.

24:51A squad of men

24:52in matching black parkas

24:53packed the lobby

24:54on the ground floor,

24:55hauling welders

24:56and explosives.

24:57They're no ordinary people.

24:59They're coordinated raiders.

25:00My mom highlighted

25:01the wolf head emblem

25:02on the leader's chest.

25:03They only believe

25:04in power.

25:06That mindset

25:06could endanger

25:07our fortress.

25:08If we go head to head,

25:09we've got maybe

25:10a 30% chance of winning.

25:12We need to use

25:12scarcity economics

25:13to fracture their ranks.

25:14I glanced at mom's

25:15calm, razor-sharp profile,

25:16realizing what lay ahead

25:17was a war for humanity itself,

25:19far harsher than the coal.

25:20The Frost Wolves

25:21didn't hit the 32nd floor

25:22right away.

25:23They first set up a base

25:24on the 20th floor.

25:25They had beaten everyone

25:26and stolen every last

25:27scrap of food.

25:28On the security feed,

25:28we saw those bastards

25:29were vicious,

25:30but their hierarchy

25:31was airtight.

25:31The bottom grunts

25:32got nothing but a dribble

25:33of watery rice porridge.

25:34Good, my mom uttered.

25:35She pushed her glasses

25:36and armed the drone's

25:37payload bay.

25:37We didn't drop bombs.

25:39We showered the 20th floor

25:40with flyers,

25:41scrawled in bright red marker.

25:42The pitch was simple.

25:44Rat out one member,

25:45bring his badge

25:45to the 32nd floor

25:47for two packs of food.

25:49Ms. Taylor,

25:50you sure this'll work?

25:51Mr. Clark frowned.

25:52They're all on the same team.

25:53When resources are scarce,

25:54alliances are nothing.

25:55It's called

25:55marginal cost baiting

25:57to a grunt at the bottom

25:58offing the boss

25:59who's been riding them

26:00will get them

26:00food and freedom.

26:02All it costs

26:03is a single treacherous thought.

26:05Soon,

26:05my mom's method worked.

26:06On camera,

26:07the 20th floor camp

26:08erupted into chaos,

26:09followed by dull thuds

26:10and shrieks.

26:11One member with frostbite

26:12all over his body

26:13waited until his leader

26:14was asleep,

26:14then caved his skull

26:15in with a wrench,

26:16snatched the metal wolfhead badge

26:17and bolted for the staircase

26:18like a lunatic.

26:19He dropped to his knees

26:20in front of the heavy steel door,

26:22howling and clawing at it.

26:23Through the slot,

26:24my mom passed him

26:25two packs of food.

26:28He grabbed them,

26:29didn't care they were rock hard,

26:30ripped one open

26:31and shoveled it

26:32straight into his mouth,

26:33eyes blazing

26:33with post-apocalypse mania.

26:34Just watch,

26:35my mom said coldly.

26:36Once he goes back,

26:37he'll be a walking billboard.

26:38The frost wolves' trust

26:39between members

26:40was no more.

26:40The battle at Star Bay

26:41slid into a weird stalemate.

26:43Because of our plan,

26:44the frost wolves

26:45had to waste their energy

26:47on purges

26:48and backstabbing.

26:49Meanwhile,

26:49grandma was also busy.

26:50She dug through

26:51those hundreds of boxes

26:52of old clothes

26:53we'd hoarded

26:53and salvaged piles

26:54of cashmere yarn

26:55and thermal batting.

26:56Sitting by the fireplace,

26:57her fingers flew like lightning,

26:58knitting a dozen thick

27:00wool knee pads

27:00and police gloves

27:01with grip dots.

27:02Hazel,

27:03you'll need knees

27:03when you go out.

27:04If you injure your knees,

27:05then you're crippled

27:06for life.

27:06She passed me

27:07a stack of knee pads.

27:08Her eyes were full of kindness.

27:10My mom looked over

27:11the pile of crafts

27:11and her eyes lit up.

27:13Mom,

27:13you did a great job.

27:14These are high value,

27:15handmade goods.

27:16That very day,

27:17we flew the drone again

27:18and dropped the gear

27:19to residents

27:20still in the building

27:20with a little note.

27:22Give us intel

27:23on frost wolf ammo

27:24and you'll get

27:24one pair of knee pads.

27:26The trade fired

27:26the survivors right up.

27:28Neighbors who'd been pissed

27:29but didn't dare speak up

27:30became our eyes

27:31and ears.

27:32Thanks to their tips,

27:33Mr. Clark rigged

27:34precise booby traps

27:35in the corridor

27:35blowing up two

27:36frost wolf scouts

27:37sneaking upstairs.

27:38Miss Taylor,

27:40what a great move.

27:40Now the whole building

27:41is watching those guys

27:42for us.

27:43The credit's not mine alone.

27:44Mom handed grandma

27:45a hot drink.

27:46It's a trade.

27:47In this world,

27:48brute force only lasts

27:49for so long.

27:50Only the people

27:50who bring essentials

27:51and warmth

27:52can really lay down order.

27:53Grandma's knee pads

27:54carry more warmth

27:55than bullets,

27:55which makes them deadlier.

27:56Day 45 of the extreme cold.

27:58Our old radio

27:59was hissing with static

28:00then suddenly

28:01snagged a faint

28:02government channel.

28:02This is the

28:03emergency shelter center.

28:04All surviving citizens

28:05proceed to the

28:06downtown underground city.

28:07Warmth and government

28:08rations are available.

28:09Abandon your private shelters.

28:10Grandma's face lit up.

28:11Hazel,

28:12the government's

28:12coming for us.

28:13Why don't we move there?

28:14There's safety in numbers.

28:15My mom remained on the sofa

28:16writing equations

28:18on a scrap of paper.

28:19Five minutes later,

28:20she looked up.

28:20There was no joy

28:21in her eyes,

28:22only seriousness.

28:23No,

28:23that place is a death trap.

28:24Why?

28:25I asked,

28:25baffled.

28:26The numbers don't add up.

28:27Mom turned the notebook

28:28for us to see.

28:29They say the shelter

28:30holds 500,000 people.

28:32At our city's

28:32survival rate,

28:33at least 3 million

28:34will flood in.

28:35The oxygen system,

28:36waste processing,

28:38the power supply,

28:39none of it

28:39can handle that load.

28:40Foods,

28:41the killer.

28:41With broken supply lines,

28:43everyone inside

28:44gets under 200 grams

28:45of starch blocks

28:46a day.

28:46That's not a rescue.

28:48It's hurting people together

28:49for a quiet massacre.

28:50My mom stood up,

28:51staring at the white world

28:52outside.

28:53When resources are fixed,

28:54the denser the crowd,

28:55the likelier individuals

28:56would be sacrificed.

28:57We stay in Star Bay.

28:59It might be isolated,

29:00but we control all the resources.

29:01Going there,

29:02we'd just be expendables to them.

29:03Mr. Clark nodded too.

29:04A place like the underground city

29:06will inevitably turn into

29:08gladiatorial arena

29:08of survival of the fittest.

29:10Ms. Taylor's calculation is right.

29:11We shouldn't go.

29:11We turned off the radio.

29:12At that moment,

29:13this decision to refuse

29:14official rescue

29:14was the last

29:15of our clear understanding

29:16of this world.

29:17Late at night,

29:18the brutal cold outside

29:19seemed to hit its limit.

29:21In the pitch black sky,

29:22ribbons of green light

29:23suddenly bloomed.

29:24They rolled and intertwined overhead.

29:26The Aurora.

29:27My mom stood at the bulletproof window,

29:29her voice for once soft.

29:31The atmosphere's hot,

29:32cold currents are out of balance,

29:33so the geomagnetic field

29:34is going haywire.

29:35Such beauty in the apocalypse

29:36shot through with a killing chill.

29:38A gorgeous view like this

29:39deserves a feast.

29:40Grandma grinned

29:41and began cooking.

29:42My mom popped a precious can

29:43of premium Russian luncheon meat.

29:45Mr. Clark added a few

29:46frozen wild eggs

29:47he had scavenged.

29:48Grandma used the attic-grown lettuce

29:50and dried chilies

29:51to cook up a steaming plate of greens.

29:53The staple food was rice.

29:54Power and gas

29:55had been dead for ages.

29:56Yet we dined on the

29:5732nd floor of Star Bay

29:59with the heater humming.

30:00The temperature was set

30:01at 23 degrees Celsius.

30:02Mr. Clark felt a little awkward

30:04sitting at our table

30:05for the first time.

30:06Mom piled him a mountain of rice

30:07topped with two thick slices

30:09of luncheon meat.

30:09Mr. Clark,

30:10you've been working hard lately.

30:11We've got plenty of food for you.

30:13My mom raised a glass of Coke.

30:15Thank you, Miss Taylor.

30:16His voice was a little hoarse,

30:17eyes fixed on that

30:18plate of vivid greens,

30:20rimmed with tears.

30:20Out there,

30:21that kind of green was a myth.

30:22In here,

30:23it was dinner.

30:23Outside,

30:24the aurora lights

30:25shined over the ruined city.

30:26Countless people froze

30:27or starved to death.

30:28Inside,

30:29warm amber light

30:30wrapped around us.

30:31Spicy hot pot steam

30:32curled upward.

30:33Looked at mom and grandma,

30:34then at Mr. Clark beside me.

30:36The apocalypse

30:36didn't break us.

30:37It just burned away

30:38the fake social crap.

30:39We went back to

30:40blood relations and promises.

30:41As long as we were still family,

30:43this coldness

30:44was nothing but scenery to us.

30:46The calmness

30:47was ripped apart

30:48by the low,

30:49booming roar

30:49of engines.

30:50Day 48

30:50of the extreme cold

30:51through a high-powered thermoscope.

30:53I saw

30:53five modded,

30:54heavy off-road trucks

30:55spreading out in a fan

30:56around the Star Bay building.

30:57Knife-edged snowplows

30:59were welded to the grills.

30:59Blinding searchlights

31:00glared from the roofs.

31:01Miss Taylor,

31:02they've rounded up

31:02every stray scumbag nearby.

31:04Mr. Clark checked his rifle safety

31:05while giving mom

31:06a rapid sit rep.

31:07There's roughly 40 of them.

31:08Their leader

31:09is the head of the Frost Wolves.

31:10His name's Scar.

31:11They're loaded

31:12with homemade bombs

31:13and industrial cutters.

31:14Looks like they're set on

31:15busting into the lobby

31:15of the ground floor.

31:16My mom didn't panic.

31:17Instead,

31:17she pulled out

31:18Star Bay's structural blueprints.

31:20A frontal assault

31:20is inevitable.

31:21Their supplies have ran out.

31:22If they don't take ours,

31:23half of them

31:23will freeze to death tonight.

31:24The lobby glass downstairs

31:25is reinforced,

31:26but a homemade charge

31:27will blow right through it.

31:28Hazel,

31:29Mr. Clark,

31:29abandon the first 10 floors.

31:31Lock every fire door.

31:32Pour them into the shafts

31:33and stairwells.

31:34Those tight vertical tubes,

31:36their numbers

31:37turn into dead weight.

31:38It's the best choice we've got.

31:39Mom noted the energy drain

31:40in her notebook.

31:41This time,

31:41we burned 3 kilowatt hours

31:42and 10 liters

31:43of industrial lube.

31:44They flooded into the lobby

31:45like a tide.

31:46Mr. Clark,

31:47get ready for the next wave.

31:47They're going to use

31:49the cutters.

31:50They don't know that.

31:51From the moment

31:51they stepped into this building,

31:52they had entered

31:53my mom's death trap.

31:55In this vertical steel chimney,

31:56each floor they climbed

31:57would cost them

31:58precious stamina

31:59and oxygen.

32:00The thugs quickly realized

32:02that the fire escapes

32:02to the upper floors

32:03were sealed

32:04by over a dozen steel doors.

32:05Scar,

32:06their leader,

32:06wasted no time

32:07giving orders.

32:08He told a couple

32:08of his nimblest guys

32:09to climb the elevator shaft.

32:11Few agile members

32:12started scrambling up the cables.

32:13They've gone into the shaft.

32:15I kept my eyes

32:15on the pressure sensors

32:16on the monitor.

32:16Mr. Clark had mounted them

32:18on the cable base in advance.

32:19Start the lube plan.

32:20Mom gave the order.

32:21Mr. Clark hit the remote.

32:22All four spray tanks

32:24we had hidden

32:24in the machine room

32:25fired at once.

32:26A torrent of industrial lubricant

32:28cascaded down

32:28the four main lift cables.

32:30Even at mega to 60 degrees Celsius,

32:32that stuff was still

32:33very slick.

32:34After that,

32:34Mr. Clark hooked

32:35a high voltage discharge module

32:37to the cables.

32:37It was stripped

32:38from a Tesla battery pack.

32:40The thugs who'd been

32:41climbing like monkeys

32:42a moment earlier

32:42knew something was off.

32:44The instant their hands

32:45touched the cables,

32:46that greasy mess

32:47made it impossible

32:47to keep a grip.

32:48Then,

32:48a blue arc

32:49ripped down the steel lines.

32:51Screams echoed

32:52through the narrow shaft.

32:54Losing their hold,

32:55the thugs dropped

32:56from various heights

32:57and landed hard

32:58at the bottom

32:59of the shaft.

33:00Take away friction

33:00at a blast of high voltage.

33:02And we just wiped out

33:03five of their best men.

33:04Repeated setbacks

33:05made Scar furious.

33:07They stacked a mountain

33:08of junk tires

33:09and cheap plastic

33:09on the ground floor,

33:10doused it in gas,

33:11and lit it up.

33:11The thick, toxic smoke,

33:13powered by the chimney effect,

33:14rocketed up the vents

33:15toward the higher floors.

33:16Miss Taylor,

33:17they're trying to choke us

33:18to death!

33:18Mr. Clark's voice

33:19sounded through his gas mask,

33:20low and muffled.

33:21This tactic is a joke

33:22against a modern building.

33:23My mom pushed her glasses

33:24and started working

33:25the console.

33:26Hazel,

33:26switch the air ventilation

33:27to reverse

33:28and hook that crate

33:29of concentrated CS gas

33:30to the atomizer heads.

33:31I sprinted to the machine room.

33:32I twisted a cylinder

33:33labeled CS tear gas

33:35concentrate into the port.

33:36Three giant centrifugal bands

33:38roared to life,

33:39spinning in reverse.

33:39The rising smoke

33:40was blown back down

33:42to the 25th floor.

33:43At the same time,

33:44air laced with tears,

33:46gas flooded every floor

33:47through the vents.

33:48Contact with it

33:49would make one feel

33:49like their skin is on fire.

33:51Breathing would cause

33:52one to go blind.

33:54Soon the stairwell

33:55echoed with coughs

33:56and puking.

33:57The raiders

33:57quickly dropped their cutters.

33:59They stumbled in the dark

34:00like headless chickens

34:01trampling on each other.

34:02That's the power of chemistry.

34:03Mom watched the monitors

34:04as the figures on the floor

34:05writhed in agony.

34:06No bullets needed,

34:07just change the air composition.

34:08It can destroy

34:09their organizational cohesion.

34:10Mr. Clark,

34:11prepare for the decapitation strike.

34:12Scar should be hiding

34:13on the 10th floor

34:14where there's no ventilation.

34:15That's his only way out.

34:16And that's where we'll catch him.

34:18Scar has to die.

34:19If he's alive,

34:19he'll always be a threat.

34:20My mom drew a circle

34:21on the map.

34:22Her eyes had that cold,

34:23number cruncher look

34:24only an actuary would have.

34:25Mr. Clark suited up

34:26in a lightweight spec ops rig.

34:27Two coils

34:27of high tensile Kevlar rope

34:29were slung across his back.

34:30He glanced at the blizzard,

34:31howling outside the window.

34:32Ms. Taylor,

34:33I'll rappel straight down

34:33the outside wall

34:34to the 10th floor.

34:35At that height,

34:35they'll never see someone

34:36dropping in from above.

34:38Hazel,

34:38you handle the drone.

34:39Use the strobes to blind them.

34:41I'll blast high decibel static

34:42through the building's speakers

34:43to jam their short-range comms.

34:46Once we move,

34:46make it fast and clean.

34:48I piloted the modified drone,

34:50easing it down

34:50the outside of Star Bay.

34:52Bathed in moonlight

34:53and the aurora lights,

34:54Mr. Clark slid down

34:55the outside wall

34:56with practiced ease,

34:57skating past

34:58every jutting icicle.

34:59The second my mom

35:00hit the static button,

35:01deafening white noise

35:02flooded every motion sensor speaker

35:04in the building.

35:05The roar was ear-splitting.

35:06At the same moment,

35:07I jerked the drone

35:08to hover outside the balcony

35:09of the 10th floor.

35:10Four high-power LED strobes

35:12were turned on,

35:12turning the room into daylight.

35:14Scar,

35:14hacking behind.

35:15The curtains

35:16was blinded immediately.

35:17He pulled out his homemade

35:18shotgun

35:19and fired wildly.

35:20At that moment,

35:21Mr. Clark broke into the room.

35:23He didn't say anything

35:24and just swung his knife.

35:26Scar didn't even have time

35:27to close his eyes

35:28before a warm jet of blood

35:30burst from his neck

35:31and became a red mist

35:32in the cold air.

35:33Scar's head

35:34was hauled into the lobby

35:35on the 20th floor

35:36by Mr. Clark.

35:37The thugs who survived

35:37the tear gas

35:38were now huddled

35:39under blankets,

35:40shaking.

35:40The instant they saw

35:41that head,

35:42their will to fight,

35:43disappeared.

35:43From now on,

35:45Frost Wolves is no more.

35:46Mr. Clark's domineering voice

35:48echoed through the silent hallway.

35:49My mom,

35:50wrapped in a heavy mink coat,

35:51was escorted downstairs

35:52by Mr. Clark and me.

35:54She stood among the crowd,

35:55pushed her glasses,

35:56and opened some files.

35:57My name's Martha Taylor.

35:58I'm the one in charge here.

35:59We don't feed dead weight.

36:01Anyone with a medical license

36:02or mechanical repair skills,

36:04step up.

36:04Anyone with farming

36:05or electrical experience,

36:06step up.

36:07Under the threat

36:08of death and hunger,

36:09the survivors raised

36:10their trembling hands.

36:11Good.

36:11Mom jotted their names

36:12in her notebook.

36:13Dr. Wallace,

36:14Mr. Barton,

36:14Mr. Brooks,

36:15you are tier one tech labor.

36:16You live on the 30th floor

36:17and have meat

36:18with every meal.

36:19Everyone else

36:19who's young and fit

36:20falls into tier three

36:21manual labor.

36:22You'll clear snow

36:22and patch the walls.

36:24Do well,

36:24and you can move up.

36:25As for the ones

36:26with criminal records

36:27or who just want a free ride,

36:28Mom glanced at the pitch black

36:29ice field outside.

36:30Her tone remained flat.

36:31Mr. Clark,

36:32toss those last five punks outside.

36:33This is a fortress,

36:34not a charity.

36:35Every calorie

36:35has to be earned.

36:37The sounds of the five

36:37begging for mercy

36:38were swallowed by the blizzard.

36:39Star Bay had finally

36:40set up a hierarchy.

36:42This new order,

36:42built on supplies and skill,

36:44was far sturdier

36:45than any rule of brute force.

36:46The entire Star Bay building

36:47was cleared out

36:48and split into zones.

36:49My mom named the place

36:50the Taylor Cooperative.

36:52She set up

36:52a precise point management system.

36:54Hazel,

36:55you don't run a crowd

36:55with force.

36:56You bait them

36:57with payoff.

36:58She sketched a pyramid

36:59on the chalkboard.

37:00The 32nd floor

37:01was still the core

37:01restricted zone.

37:02Only our family

37:03and Mr. Clark lived there.

37:04We kept the generators,

37:05the seed bank,

37:06and most of the premium supplies.

37:07Floors 30 to 31

37:08were turned into a tech hub.

37:10Dr. Wallace,

37:11plus our two mechanics,

37:12Mr. Brooks

37:12and Mr. Barton,

37:13lived there.

37:13They kept everyone healthy.

37:15And the building running,

37:16floors 23 to 29,

37:17became the labor zone.

37:19Those guys took turns

37:20scavenging fuel

37:20and clearing threats nearby.

37:22Mom gave each of them

37:23a custom point token.

37:24The amount of food

37:25or fuel

37:26one was allowed to trade

37:27trade for

37:27was labeled specifically.

37:29Betray us,

37:29you starve.

37:30Obey us,

37:31you live.

37:31Such simple logic

37:32is the most effective.

37:34Grandma became

37:34the logistics chief.

37:35She and a crew of women

37:36built a bigger

37:37indoor greenhouse

37:38on the 25th floor.

37:39They used

37:40scrap plastic

37:41to do so.

37:42They composted

37:43kitchen waste

37:43with water

37:44pumped up

37:45from the basement.

37:45When people got

37:46their first bowl of food,

37:47which was a mixture

37:48of rice,

37:49meat bits,

37:49dried vegetables,

37:50many just dropped

37:51to their knees

37:51and cried.

37:52In a time

37:52when morals

37:53had collapsed,

37:54Mom used

37:54ice-cold calculus

37:55to give

37:56these desperate souls

37:57the illusion

37:57of order.

37:59Bay 60

37:59of the extreme cold.

38:01An armored vehicle

38:01pulled up

38:02at the building entrance.

38:03It was a matte

38:03black armored truck.

38:05The government shelter

38:05logo was plastered

38:07on the side.

38:07Two envoys climbed out,

38:09wrapped in high-tech

38:10exo-armor

38:10and sealed helmets.

38:11They stopped

38:11at the locked steel doors

38:12and barked

38:13through a megaphone.

38:14Manager of Star Bay,

38:15we're here on behalf

38:16of the central underground city.

38:17Under emergency regulations,

38:19you must hand over

38:19all remaining supplies

38:20and generators.

38:21Everyone will be relocated.

38:23My mom stood

38:24in front of the monitor,

38:25sneered,

38:25and pressed the intercom.

38:26Relocation.

38:27You mean,

38:27turned into labor

38:28for your bunker

38:28or maybe forced to dig mines

38:30for your rich pals?

38:31We've got no spare supplies,

38:32just landmines,

38:33locked and loaded.

38:33You should leave.

38:34The envoys clearly

38:35didn't expect anyone

38:36to defy the authorities.

38:37Miss Taylor,

38:37face reality.

38:38The underground city

38:39has real troops

38:40and a full industrial base.

38:41Resistance is pointless.

38:43You have 24 hours

38:44to comply

38:44or you'll face

38:45the consequences.

38:46Mr. Clark

38:46tightened his grip

38:47on the sniper rifle

38:48and glanced at my mom.

38:49Miss Taylor,

38:49they're after our resources.

38:51Sure,

38:51the underground city's big,

38:52but with this weather,

38:53their supply lines

38:54are cut too.

38:54They're here to steal

38:55our resources.

38:56They're desperate.

38:57If they still had resources

38:58to spare,

38:58they wouldn't just send

38:59two envoys.

39:00They'd kick things off

39:00with attack choppers.

39:0124 hours?

39:02That means

39:03they're hesitating.

39:04Hazel,

39:04haul out that crate

39:05of antibiotics

39:05we've been hoarding.

39:06We're not surrendering

39:07our resources.

39:08We can make a deal

39:09with them.

39:09When the envoys

39:10knocked on our door again,

39:11my mom kept them out

39:12and sent Mr. Clark

39:13outside with a crate.

39:14He popped it open

39:15in the snow.

39:1550 boxes of amoxicillin,

39:1720 bottles of ibuprofen,

39:19and 10 bags of saline

39:20were stacked neatly.

39:21Even through their masks,

39:22I could hear

39:23those two envoys panting.

39:24Call it a welcome gift.

39:25Mom's voice boomed

39:26from the speaker.

39:27Right now,

39:28you don't lack gold

39:29or generators.

39:29You lack meds.

39:31I can keep them coming,

39:32but you need to trade for them

39:33with what I want.

39:34What do you want?

39:35The envoy asked,

39:36voice suddenly polite.

39:37Heavy weapons,

39:38two QJG-02AA guns,

39:40three crates of grenades,

39:41and schematics

39:42for two nuclear fuel cell interfaces,

39:44plus intel on whoever's

39:45bankrolling the Frost Wolves.

39:46The envoys went silent,

39:48clearly checking with HQ.

39:49That violates protocol.

39:51Rules don't mean anything

39:52at minus 70 without the meds,

39:54and you'll have 100 extra bodies

39:56in your clinic by dawn.

39:57Deal or war,

39:58you've got 10 minutes.

39:59The armored truck

40:00finally dumped

40:00two crates of heavy ammo

40:02and left with the medicine.

40:03Mom eyed the brand new guns,

40:04turned to Mr. Clark,

40:05and said,

40:06mount these weapons on the roof.

40:07They won't let this slide.

40:09They gave in

40:09because they needed time.

40:11Once they're ready,

40:12they'll come back

40:13in a larger scale.

40:14We need to use these weapons

40:16and turn Star Bay

40:17into a fortress

40:17they can't punch through.

40:19Just as we were scrambling

40:20to get ready,

40:21a weird illness

40:21suddenly broke out

40:22inside Star Bay.

40:23Two workers

40:23on the 25th floor

40:24started puking

40:25and getting fevers,

40:26but unlike a normal cold,

40:27their skin turned

40:28to creepy bluish purple,

40:30like ice shards

40:31were running through

40:31their veins

40:32instead of blood.

40:32Ms. Taylor,

40:33it's the low-temp mutant virus.

40:34Dr. Wallace,

40:35wrapped in a homemade hazmat suit,

40:36reported to Mom

40:37from behind the glass

40:37of the observation room.

40:38This virus is most active

40:40around negative 40 degrees Celsius.

40:41The infected first feel

40:42unbearably hot,

40:43then die when their organs

40:44flash freeze.

40:45If it spreads,

40:46the whole co-op is finished.

40:47Everyone in the building

40:48began to panic.

40:49People started eyeing

40:50each other with suspicion.

40:51Some even tried

40:51to bolt out of the building.

40:53Lock down every passage

40:54from the 25th

40:55to the 30th floor.

40:56Hazel,

40:56take out those 50 crates

40:57of antibiotics,

40:58the antiviral syrup,

40:58and our mountain

40:59of vitamin C.

41:00Tell everyone

41:00that as long as they stay

41:01in quarantine,

41:02there's more than enough

41:03meds to go around.

41:04Mom took the mic herself,

41:05voice steady and commanding.

41:06Listen up,

41:06we've got plenty of medicine.

41:08Take your preventive doses

41:09on schedule.

41:09And this thing is curable.

41:11Anyone who tries

41:11to hide their symptoms

41:12will be executed.

41:13Anyone who stirs up trouble

41:15will be executed.

41:16Mr. Clark,

41:16lead a patrol.

41:17Under that mix of threat

41:18and promised meds,

41:19the panic miraculously

41:20died down.

41:21Mom never had

41:21any magic cure.

41:22She had just done the math.

41:23The virus killed the weak.

41:25But for the well-nourished,

41:25the fatality rate

41:26was under 5%.

41:27By doling out

41:28those pricey preventatives,

41:29we not only kept

41:30everyone calm,

41:31we also used the outbreak

41:32to weed out

41:32every last piece

41:33of dead weight.

41:34Just as the outbreak

41:35was finally under control,

41:36the underground city

41:37launched an attack.

41:38But it wasn't

41:38armored trucks this time.

41:39It was a full squadron

41:40of attack choppers.

41:41They slipped in

41:42during a lull in the blizzard,

41:43trying to fast rope

41:44onto Star Bay's roof.

41:45They just broke the deal!

41:46I glare the red dots

41:47on the radar

41:47with cold eyes.

41:48Classic market competition.

41:49Mom took a sip

41:49of hot tea calmly.

41:50When looting costs

41:51less than trading,

41:53war's inevitable.

41:54They think we're just

41:54civilians guarding meds.

41:56Mr. Clark is already

41:57on the roof.

41:58The two heavy machine guns

41:59we got from them

42:00roared to life.

42:01From our perch

42:01on the 32nd floor,

42:03the choppers were already

42:03fighting the sub-zero turbulence.

42:06One burst from the AA gun

42:07shredded the lead rotor.

42:09A blinding fireball followed.

42:11The birds spiraled

42:12into the abyss.

42:13Hazel set off

42:14the thermite traps

42:15on the roof.

42:16I pressed the red switch.

42:17A ring of white hot fire

42:19erupted around

42:20Star Bay's rooftop.

42:21The heat spike

42:22flipped the pressure,

42:23kicking up

42:24a savage updraft.

42:25The last two choppers

42:27were shaking

42:27as if they had hit

42:28an invisible wall.

42:29Their instruments went dark

42:30one by one.

42:31The pilots screamed

42:32for help,

42:32but could only watch

42:33the birds lose control

42:34as they crashed

42:35into a building nearby.

42:36The deal's off.

42:37Now we must be on the defense.

42:39Mom stood up,

42:39eyes on the distant flames.

42:40As of today,

42:41Star Bay answers

42:42to no one.

42:43We are the new law

42:44of this frozen wasteland.

42:46The fireball from the crash

42:47flared for only a few seconds

42:49in the blizzard

42:49before darkness

42:50swallowed it whole.

42:50At dawn,

42:51as the first faint light

42:52broke over the horizon,

42:53I spotted a few giant

42:54steel beasts

42:55crawling across the

42:56distant snowfield.

42:57They were assault vehicles

42:58painted in white camouflage.

42:59The sound of their tires

43:00crushing the snow

43:01sounded like thunder

43:02rolling over the earth.

43:03They had gone all out

43:03this time.

43:04Mr. Clark wiped

43:04the frost off his face,

43:06clutching the binoculars

43:07tightly.

43:07Three assault vehicles

43:08and two platoons

43:09of infantry.

43:10Miss Taylor,

43:10with armor that thick,

43:12our AA machine guns

43:12won't even scratch them.

43:14They're planning to blast

43:14our building's foundation.

43:16My mom sat at the command desk.

43:18There was not a hint

43:18of panic in her eyes.

43:19She pushed her glasses

43:20and pointed at the temperature

43:21readout on screen.

43:21It's negative 75 degrees

43:22Celsius out there.

43:23Those trucks were built

43:24for normal wars.

43:25In this kind of weather,

43:26their hydraulics,

43:27steel,

43:28and lube

43:28are all about to crack.

43:30They're only pushing forward

43:31because they think

43:32we lack heavy weapons.

43:33Mom,

43:34what should we do?

43:35My palms were sweating

43:36as those monsters

43:37kept closing in.

43:38We hit them asynchronously.

43:40Hazel,

43:41take out some hydraulic coolant

43:42and concentrated liquid nitrogen.

43:44Mr. Clark,

43:45tell every co-op member

43:46to get to basement level two.

43:48We're turning the ground floor

43:49of Star Bay

43:49into a deep freeze

43:50that'll shatter their vehicles.

43:51Facing a sweep

43:52by a regular army,

43:53people in Star Bay

43:54were in turmoil.

43:55Those former thugs

43:56and ordinary citizens

43:57stared at the distant vehicles

43:58with despair

43:59all over their faces.

43:59Some even suggested

44:00opening the gates

44:01and surrendering

44:02just to stay alive.

44:03My mom stood a co-op broadcaster,

44:04her voice booming

44:05through loudspeakers

44:06on every floor.

44:06Everyone,

44:07the envoys from

44:08Underground City

44:08have made it clear.

44:09They want the supplies

44:10and the generators,

44:11not you.

44:12In their math,

44:12you're a negative number

44:13on the rations spreadsheet.

44:14If you go with them,

44:15your only role

44:16is slave labor

44:16in the mines

44:17or be left for dead

44:18when the food runs out.

44:19But here,

44:20in the Taylor Cooperative,

44:21as long as you pick up a weapon,

44:22then you'll have hot food,

44:23dignity,

44:23and the right to stay alive.

44:25My mom's words

44:26crushed their illusions

44:27and dreams.

44:28Mr. Clark,

44:29hand out the guns.

44:30We dragged out the grenades

44:31we've recently got,

44:32plus piles of homemade Molotovs

44:34and steel crossbows.

44:35The workers who had been

44:35cowering a minute ago

44:36burst into raw savagery

44:38under the threat of death.

44:39As long as Star Bay stands,

44:40no one will starve.

44:41Dr. Wallace was the first to shout,

44:43those once selfish,

44:44greedy,

44:44petty people

44:45locked ranks

44:45for the very first time.

44:46With brutal honesty,

44:47mom laid out the numbers

44:48and pulled off the tightest,

44:49fastest pre-battle rally ever.

44:50The first armored truck

44:51plowed straight through

44:52the compound wall.

44:53The giant cambell

44:53slowly sold to throw in

44:55on the ground floor lobby

44:55of Star Bay.

44:56Using its own weight,

44:57it tried to ram the main doors.

44:58Now!

44:58My mom roared over the radio.

45:00Mr. Clark charged in

45:01with a team behind him.

45:02They erupted from a

45:02pre-duft sewage tunnel

45:03on the flank.

45:04They didn't have any explosives

45:05on them.

45:05Just a few massive

45:06industrial liquid nitrogen

45:07things roll along.

45:08In an environment

45:08of minus 73 degrees,

45:09the nitrogen spray

45:10made a temperature

45:10around it drop drastically.

45:12The truck's crack

45:12and arm already brittle

45:13from the cold

45:14under the influence

45:15of the liquid nitrogen

45:16began to screech loudly.

45:18That's the physics

45:19of cold embrittlement.

45:20Under such brutal

45:20temperature swings,

45:21alloy steel turns

45:22as fragile as glass.

45:24Spotting his moment,

45:25Mr. Clark lifted

45:26a weighted industrial sledgehammer

45:27and smashed it down

45:28on the track joint

45:29with a sharp

45:30metallic cracking sound.

45:32The assault vehicle,

45:33which weighed tons,

45:34cracked into pieces.

45:35After being immobilized,

45:37it was now a steel coffin

45:38in the snow.

45:39Members of the co-op

45:39poured a gas cocktail

45:40from above.

45:41The flames couldn't

45:42melt that armor,

45:43but the whiplash of heat

45:44against deep freeze

45:45made the viewing ports

45:45blow out one after another.

45:47Their commander

45:47could only watch helplessly

45:49as the vehicle

45:50was turned to scraps.

45:51Seeing a ground assault

45:52fall down,

45:52the underground city commander

45:53ordered the last two choppers

45:55to skim low

45:55to cover the rooftop

45:56and the repelling troops

45:58with machine gun fire.

45:59Hazel, bring out

46:00the big surprise

46:01we've prepared

46:01for three years.

46:02It was a crate

46:03of high-density

46:03display fireworks.

46:04Mom snagged the Maccasar.

46:05The apocalypses

46:05were no ordinary fireworks.

46:07They were pro-grade flame jets

46:08used in big shows.

46:09Mom, you really think

46:10these can take down

46:10a helicopter?

46:11I wasn't so sure.

46:11They don't have to punch

46:12through the fuselage.

46:13Just blind the heights

46:14and scramble their senses.

46:14Up here,

46:15the hot gold air currents

46:16are a mess.

46:16A burst of metal powder

46:17makes a brutal heat bubble

46:19that chokes a turbine

46:20in seconds

46:21and fries the infrared sensors

46:22immediately.

46:22When the choppers hovered

46:24at less than 20 meters overhead,

46:25I hit the remote.

46:27Dozens of fireworks

46:28shot towards the sky,

46:29detonating right under the rotors.

46:31Lazing white fireballs

46:32bloomed like tiny suns.

46:34The glare stunned

46:35the pilots for a moment.

46:36But the real filler

46:37was magnesium-flaming ash

46:38sucked into the intakes,

46:40triggering catastrophic

46:41mechanical failure.

46:42The birds spiraled

46:43out of control

46:43like a hammered drunk.

46:44Tail smashed

46:45a lighting wrong roof

46:46with a hopeless roar.

46:47It cartwheeled

46:48into the office building

46:49across the street,

46:50scrawling a brief,

46:51brilliant streak of fire

46:52across the gray sky.

46:53The attackers

46:53were completely crippled.

46:54Broken tanks

46:55and burning wreckage

46:56littered the snowfields.

46:57The remaining infantry

46:58were stuck out there

46:59at minus 70.

47:00Their morale

47:00had hit an all-time low

47:01with no supplies

47:02or heat.

47:03If they don't get back

47:03to Underground City

47:04within an hour,

47:05they would freeze to death.

47:06Mom had Mr. Clark

47:07set up a huge screen

47:08at the entrance.

47:09There was no threat on it.

47:10There was just a detailed map.

47:12It tagged three

47:12hidden supply caches

47:13around Underground City.

47:14A thundering loudspeaker

47:16carried our offer.

47:17Commander,

47:17this is Martha Taylor.

47:18You know exactly

47:19what that unit of yours

47:20is worth.

47:21Instead of letting them

47:22die in a pointless siege,

47:24how about we make a deal?

47:25The enemy commander's reply

47:26crackled over the public channel.

47:27He sounded lost

47:28and exhausted.

47:29What do you want?

47:29We want access

47:30to your city's energy nodes.

47:31In return,

47:32I'll hand over the locations

47:33of those three caches.

47:34They're packed with antibiotics

47:35and concentrated fuel,

47:37enough to squash

47:38the outbreak in your city.

47:39Plus, Star Bay

47:39gets official status

47:40as an independent district.

47:42We mind our own business,

47:43but trade when needed.

47:43My mom played

47:44a dangerous game.

47:45Those three spots

47:46did have supplies,

47:47but they were all booby-trapped.

47:48But at that moment,

47:49facing total annihilation,

47:51Underground City

47:52had no choice.

47:53Deal.

47:53The commander's tone

47:54finally softened.

47:55In the fight,

47:56Mom won with almost no losses

47:57and bought the cooperative

47:5810 years of legal standing.

47:59Three days after the deal,

48:01the Underground City

48:01convoy returned to Star Bay,

48:03but this time,

48:04they weren't hauling ammo.

48:05They brought precision parts

48:06and high-grade industrial alcohol.

48:08Star Bay was officially renamed

48:09the Taylor Zone.

48:10Mom met the city's liaison

48:11in the living room

48:12on the 32nd floor.

48:13She held a steaming cup of tea.

48:14The liaison stared

48:15at the fresh lettuce on the table.

48:16He swallowed.

48:17Ms. Taylor,

48:18our experts are curious

48:20about how you set this place up.

48:22How are your living standards

48:23so high

48:23when resources are so scarce?

48:25Through actuarial science,

48:26every habit gets a calorie audit.

48:28Every input has to equal output.

48:30In your world,

48:31people are dead weight.

48:32In mine,

48:32people are part of the cycle.

48:34Now everyone in the cooperative

48:35is fired up.

48:36They just have to

48:37mine the greenhouse

48:37and patrol the corridors.

48:39Mr. Clark had become

48:40the Zone's official instructor.

48:41He trained all the young

48:42and strong male members.

48:43With just a calculator,

48:44Mom carved us

48:45a slice of land

48:46out of these ruins.

48:47Day 70 of the extreme cold.

48:49Something worth celebrating

48:50had happened in Star Bay.

48:51Dr. Wallace,

48:51the woman Mr. Clark saved

48:52whilst on patrol

48:53after working together

48:54for weeks.

48:55The two of them

48:55developed feelings

48:56for each other.

48:56Mom decided to throw them

48:57a simple wedding.

48:58It was in the hall

48:59on the 30th floor.

49:00There was no wedding dress,

49:01no fresh flowers.

49:01Everyone showed up

49:02in their tidiest parkas,

49:03a red plastic blossom

49:04pinned to each chest.

49:05Grandma took out

49:05her most valuable treasure,

49:07a few pounds of flour

49:08and some butter.

49:09She personally baked

49:10a big and tasty cake

49:11just to stay alive

49:11in the apocalypse

49:12and still meet the one

49:13you'd spend forever with.

49:14It was a true blessing.

49:14Grandma smiled

49:15as she wiped her tears.

49:16Mom stood up front

49:17as the witness.

49:18She raised a glass

49:19of sparkling water.

49:20Here in the Taylor Cooperative,

49:21marriage means sharing

49:22every risk

49:23and living a happy life together.

49:24May your love last forever.

49:26The hall erupted in applause.

49:28That day,

49:29everyone got a tiny slice of cake.

49:31That long lost buttery sweetness

49:32made most people's eyes

49:33turned red.

49:34Outside,

49:35it was minus 70 degrees Celsius.

49:36Inside was the glow

49:37of the warm lights.

49:38For a moment,

49:39we almost forgot

49:40it was the apocalypse.

49:41It was the third year

49:42of the extreme cold.

49:43There was a tiny bump

49:44on the temp chart.

49:45Mom, look!

49:46I pointed to the screen.

49:47The temperature's gone up

49:47to minus 40 degrees Celsius.

49:4940 degrees Celsius.

49:50For the apocalypse,

49:50that was hell.

49:51Now it felt like

49:52the first hint of spring.

49:54Throw on a lighter parka

49:55and took Mr. Clark's recon team

49:56with me.

49:56This outside Starbase

49:57mean gate for the first time.

49:58The snow was still thick,

50:00but that cold wind

50:01had finally eased.

50:02In one corner of the garden,

50:04a weird pale purple shimmer

50:05caught my eye.

50:06Under a thick layer of ice,

50:07a plant had broken through.

50:09Its tiny green tip

50:10shined under the sunlight.

50:11Life would always find a way.

50:13Mr. Clark crouched down.

50:14His rough fingers

50:15brushed the green.

50:16Miss Taylor was right.

50:17As long as we survive

50:18the coldest days,

50:19the rest is just rebuilding.

50:20I took out my camera,

50:21took a picture of

50:21the first plant

50:22after the apocalypse.

50:23That day,

50:23everyone in Starbay

50:25rushed to the windows.

50:26When they saw us

50:27returning with that pot

50:28of sprouting grass,

50:29the whole building

50:30exploded with cheers.

50:31We didn't just survive.

50:33We caught the first spark

50:34of new life.

50:35As the temperature

50:35slowly rose,

50:36mom tweaked

50:37the cooperative's

50:38development plan.

50:38Supplies would run out,

50:39but knowledge

50:40and productivity wouldn't.

50:41She started an apocalypse

50:42school inside the co-op.

50:43Grandma taught the women

50:43to turn scrap clothes

50:44into gear

50:45and make compos.

50:46Mr. Clark showed the men

50:46how to keep the machines

50:47running and stay alive

50:48outdoors.

50:49Dr. Wallace ran

50:50basic first aid classes

50:51and mom personally

50:52taught the surviving kids

50:53math and logic.

50:54Why are we learning

50:55such things?

50:56A little boy

50:56clutching dry biscuit

50:57asked,

50:58It's nothing but snow

50:59outside.

51:00Will math scare off

51:00mutant wolves?

51:01Mom patted his head calmly.

51:02That won't kill wolves,

51:03but it'll tell you

51:04the odds of a pack

51:05showing up.

51:06Logic keeps you

51:07clear-headed

51:07when everyone else

51:08is losing it.

51:08Civilization isn't

51:09a skyscraper.

51:10It's how we make sense

51:10of the world

51:11in our heads.

51:12The co-ops started

51:12expanding outward.

51:13Using the underground

51:14city's heavy machinery,

51:15we cleared the nearby streets

51:17and set up small

51:18settlements that could

51:19back each other up.

51:20Star Bay was no longer

51:21a fortress cut off

51:22from the world.

51:22It became a beacon

51:23that lit up

51:24the surrounding area.

51:24Mom still wrote

51:25in that old notebook

51:26every day.

51:27She was crunching numbers

51:28on food and on the future.

51:29She wanted to combine

51:29the survival tips

51:30into a set of rules

51:31to be passed down.

51:33Three more years

51:33passed in the blink

51:34of an eye.

51:35I stood on the rooftop

51:35of Star Bay.

51:36I was already 26.

51:38The temperature had gone

51:38up to minus 10 degrees Celsius.

51:39The sky was no longer

51:40that dark gray color.

51:41In the distance,

51:42the snow was melting,

51:43revealing the outline

51:43of a ruined city.

51:45Snowmobiles zipped

51:45through the streets

51:46and smoke curled

51:47from chimneys.

51:47Were telling me

51:48that mankind

51:49were taking back

51:49their lands.

51:50Hazel, don't stay up

51:51there for too long.

51:52Grandma made some pork.

51:53Come have some.

51:54Mom's voice echoed

51:55in the stairwell.

51:55She still sounded

51:56calm like before.

51:57Turned around

51:57and saw Mom

51:58and Grandma

51:59at the door.

52:00Grandma had aged a lot,

52:01but she still

52:01looked energetic.

52:02Mom had a few more

52:02streaks of gray hair,

52:04yet those eyes

52:04behind her glasses

52:05still gleamed

52:06with wisdom

52:07of an actuary.

52:07Mr. Clark was downstairs

52:08training the new guards.

52:10Dr. Wallace

52:10and his daughter

52:11were in the rooftop

52:12greenhouse

52:12picking our first

52:13strawberries.

52:14Mom, you said

52:15that the apocalypse

52:15was a test of humanity.

52:17I wrapped my arms

52:17around hers.

52:18Mom, you said

52:19that the apocalypse

52:19was a test of our humanity.

52:21No, it's just

52:21one massive ledger.

52:23It erases

52:24every phony value

52:25and leaves only

52:26what's real.

52:26Blood, courage,

52:27and the urge

52:28to survive.

52:29We never save the world.

52:30We've only saved ourselves.

52:32I gave Star Bay,

52:33the building that sheltered us,

52:34for six years.

52:35One last look.

52:35In my past life,

52:36I died from the cold

52:37and betrayal.

52:38This time,

52:38I used my knowledge

52:39to build a fortress

52:40that no one could break through.

52:41No matter what the future

52:42was like,

52:43was long as we had family,

52:44as long as we had hope,

52:46life would always carry on.

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