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[Dubbed] Apocalypse Survival Guide - FULL | Reelshort
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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
05:27Plus all the things your mom took from us 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 confiscate it
05:36My mom's voice wasn't loud, but it was very authoritative
05:39Andy was stunned
05:41Mrs. Taylor, you must be joking, right? The money
05:43Who's joking? Call the police, Hazel
05:46Tell them that there's a thief
05:47My 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, you're just a jinx
06:00This store will definitely close down soon
06:02I watched as he drove away
06:03My 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
06:11To 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
06:20But under extreme weather, the power and gas supplies will definitely be cut off
06:23My mom installed a small diesel generator in the loft
06:26And three 1,000 liter tanks
06:28To not raise suspicion, the tanks were disguised as water tanks
06:32They were slowly moved upstairs on pickup trucks
06:34Remember, Hazel
06:35In the apocalypse
06:36Heat means survival
06:38My mom pointed to a corner in the living room
06:40There were 500 sets of body warmers
06:43And countless thick duvets
06:44By then, there were only one day's left
06:47Before the apocalypse
06:48The temperature outside was around 40 degrees Celsius
06:50People were complaining about their electricity bills
06:51What they didn't know was that this heat
06:53Was 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
07:02Everyone was storming the markets for ice and bottled water
07:06A bottle that used to cost 30 cents
07:08Came to $1.40 on the black market
07:10But mom, grandma, and I
07:12Were holed up in our fortress at Star Bay
07:14The AC hummed quietly
07:15Holding the room at a comfy 24 degrees Celsius
07:17Grandma bustled around the big kitchen
07:19Tossing dried mushrooms from our stash
07:21And canned luncheon meat into 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
07:34Sipping a glass of Coke
07:35While scrolling through the residents' 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
07:44Melted before I even got home
07:46Property manager
07:46We'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
07:59And just left the group chat
08:00Borrow?
08:01I might never get the generator back
08:03My mom said calmly
08:04Right now it's just the heat wave
08:06And no one's stepped over the line
08:07When the temperature drops
08:08People will show their true colors
08:10At that moment
08:11The doorbell rang
08:12The surveillance showed a woman
08:13In a silk nightgown
08:14Standing outside
08:15She lived on the 28th floor
08:17And claimed she was a KOL
08:18She was always sending photos
08:19Of her designer bags
08:20In 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?
08:28I can give you $100 for the water
08:29I 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?
08:36We're all neighbors here
08:36Can'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
08:47My mom walked over and patted my head
08:49You did the right thing
08:51Remember Hazel
08:51The first rule of an actuary
08:53When resources are limited
08:54The core unit survives first
08:57Everyone else is just expendable data
08:59That night we lost all signals
09:01The 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
09:31I could still feel the cold
09:34I jumped out of bed
09:35And ran to the balcony
09:36Through layers of insulation
09:38And bulletproof glass
09:39I saw something I would never forget
09:40The city that was hot and muggy last night
09:42Was now buried under a thick layer of frost
09:45The sky wasn't dark blue
09:46But a weird shade of dark grey
09:48The thermometer outside had already frozen and shattered
09:51But my mom installed a digital one indoors
09:53Outdoor
09:54Negative 72.5 degrees celsius
09:56Inside
09:5622 degrees celsius
09:58The once busy street below
09:59Had vanished
10:00Every car was frozen in the middle of the road
10:03Like 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
10:10Before they were frozen on the streets
10:11Oh my god
10:13Grandma stood behind me
10:14Staring out the window
10:15The glass in her hand slipped
10:16And 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
10:27All failed at 2am
10:29Right now the whole city's a giant freezer
10:31That was when a dull thud
10:33Sounded at our door
10:35Bang, bang, bang
10:36Someone was trying to break in
10:39The surveillance showed
10:40That the corridor was packed
10:41The once elegant residents
10:42Were now wearing curtains and carpets
10:44Some even ripped apart their leather sofa
10:46Their faces were pale
10:47And their eyes wild
10:49Open up, open 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
11:01Guys, this is a bank level security door
11:04All gaps are sealed using aerogel
11:06If you keep this up
11:07You'll all die of heat loss
11:09Instead of opening the door
11:11It's negative 70 out there right now
11:13I'd suggest you all go home
11:15And put more clothes on
11:16Maybe then you can survive a little longer
11:18My mom's voice was indifferent
11:21Like 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
11:30Then it's not that cold
11:31Have you ever thought this would happen
11:33When 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
11:46And add more butter for extra calories
11:48Outside, the wind roared
11:50Like 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
12:00I suddenly understood something
12:02The apocalypse wasn't about saving the world
12:04It was about being able to have warm food
12:06In this cold weather
12:07And keeping my family safe
12:08As long as this door remained closed
12:10We would be the last survivors
12:11On this frozen planet
12:12The blows on the bulletproof door
12:14Were heavy and chaotic
12:15Through the camera
12:16I saw Andy panting
12:17As he swung a huge fire axe
12:20With both hands
12:20As he tried to bust open the door
12:22Hazel!
12:23Open up!
12:23I own half the house as well!
12:25But he ignored a basic law of physics
12:26At negative 70 degrees Celsius
12:28Regular 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
12:52And 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
13:00And can keep calm
13:01Will earn the right to survive
13:02It was the 5th day of the extreme cold
13:04Order downstairs had totally collapsed
13:06Property manager Gary Wilson
13:07Used the spare keys he had
13:08And the riot shields from the storage room
13:10To summon all the guards
13:11And control the ground floor
13:12Residents of 3201
13:13Listen up!
13:14This is Gary Wilson from property management
13:15Because you refused to share your supplies
13:17And caused other residents to be in danger
13:19We've cut off your water supply
13:20You either open the door
13:21Or die of thirst
13:22My 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
13:33Will only jack up the pressure on the lower floors
13:35Our 5-ton storage tank is an isolated system
13:37The pump runs on the generator
13:38Totally 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 grill
13:46As he tried to spray water upward
13:48The water froze instantly
13:49Gary 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, bacteria couldn't multiply
13:59But a heavy, hopeless vibe was spreading through the building
14:02Peaked through the peephole
14:03A few frozen corpses were stacked in the corridor
14:05These elites had become nothing but obstacles
14:07The KOL on the 28th floor was wrapped in Hermes carpet
14:10Kneeling pathetically at the neighbor's door
14:11She pounded on the door with her cold hands
14:13There was only silence
14:14In the dead of night, some 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
14:25Hazel, switch on the pressure defense mode
14:27I immediately pressed a button on the control panel
14:29The variable speed motor roared to life
14:31The airflow pushed the smoke back into the corridor
14:33The arsonists almost choked on the smoke they created
14:35Meanwhile, we were sitting in our living room
14:37Which was at 22 degrees Celsius
14:38As you flip through an old cookbook
14:39To see how the people outside were holding up
14:41My mom decided to do an experiment
14:42She took out a drone fitted with a low-temp battery
14:45I strapped a pack of expired hardtack to the landing gear
14:47And tied on a bright red ribbon
14:49So everyone could see it
14:50Hazel, keep 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 were already shattered
14:57Patched with soggy cardboard and grimy sheets
15:00When the drone hovered outside a window on the 12th floor
15:02A guy went nuts and lunged onto the balcony
15:04He reached for the biscuits
15:05And forgot about the ice piled up along the edge
15:08He went over and slammed into the snow
15:10Ten stories down
15:11The rest of the survivors went crazy after that
15:13Some took out a slingshot and tried to shoot the drone down
15:15Others waved frantically
15:16Screaming for help
15:17Using every bit of that feedback
15:18My mom calmly marked crosses and tickets on her spreadsheet
15:211201
15:21Adult male
15:22Mid-level threat
15:222005
15:23Gang cluster
15:24High-risk threat
15:25The food wasn't charity
15:27That pack of biscuits was pure bait
15:29Drawing out anyone who might endanger our fortress
15:31So we could tag them
15:32One by one
15:33Frontal assault
15:34Didn't work
15:35The scavengers started looking for a way in from below
15:37Late at night
15:37A power drill whirred under the floor
15:39Grandma was taking a nap
15:40Hugging a hot water sack
15:41The sound was razor sharp
15:43Mom
15:43The people on the 31st floor are drooling
15:45Their ceiling
15:45I clenched my compound crossbow
15:46Palms slick with sweat
15:48But my mom remained calm
15:49She pointed to the renovation log we kept
15:51I put manganese steel plates under the concrete
15:53And packed in high-density fire-retardant insulation
15:55It would take them forever to break through
15:58Still
15:58My mom planned to fight back
16:00She took out two big subwoofers
16:02Flipped them face down over the noise spot
16:04And played a custom track
16:06It was a digitally warped horror soundtrack
16:08Laced with infrasound that scrambled the heartbeat
16:10She pressed play
16:11Sending the vibrations to the 31st floor
16:13Within 10 minutes
16:15The drilling stopped
16:16It was replaced by something heavy falling to the ground
16:19And loud arguments
16:20When people were starving and freezing
16:22Such mind tricks could kill them
16:24Peeking through the periscope
16:25I saw the crew downstairs beating each other up
16:27Their alliance was ripped apart by sheer terror
16:30Day 12 of the extreme cold
16:31The intercom lights started flashing like crazy
16:33On the screen
16:34A guy wrapped in a thermal suit showed up
16:36He was wearing snow goggles
16:37His chin was covered in stubble
16:38From his stance
16:39I could tell he had military training
16:41Owner of 3201
16:42How about we make a deal
16:43He took a heavy blue cloth pouch out of his coat
16:45And slowly opened it in front of the camera
16:47Inside was a pile of gold jewelry
16:49Gold won't keep you warm in the apocalypse
16:50It actually takes the heat from you
16:52If you're here to swap it for food
16:53You're in the wrong place
16:54The man pulled out a combat knife
16:55And a pistol from his belt
16:56Gold 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 for the Mets
17:07My mom studied Mr. Clark on the screen
17:09She pushed up her glasses
17:10Deal
17:10The Mets 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 under the door
17:17To give the man two boxes of antibiotics
17:19And a pack of vacuum-sealed rations
17:21Once Mr. Clark received the goods
17:22He gave a slight nod to the camera
17:24He handled the bodies like a pro
17:26He hooked their frozen ankles with an iron hook
17:28And dragged them into the elevator shaft
17:30Broken pieces of a fire axe
17:31And the ashes were swept clean
17:33Then Mr. Clark pulled out
17:34A small bottle of industrial alcohol from his bag
17:36And sprayed it on the floor for disinfection
17:38It evaporated fast
17:39Taking the stink with it
17:40The corridor was icy but spotless again
17:42Mr. Clark aced the first round of the trust house
17:44My mom put a star next to his name
17:46That night we sat by the crackling fireplace
17:48Watching the spotless corridor on the monitor
17:50That long-lost sense of security
17:51Caused me to sleep like a baby
17:53The 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 in a mirror silver color
18:00Rows of LED grow lights glowed pink and purple
18:03Vegetable and foam boxes were growing like crazy
18:05The lettuce was thick and green
18:07Cherry tomatoes and dwarf wheat were thriving
18:09Grandma's hands trembled as she held the scissors
18:11She snipped a few tender leaves
18:12And dropped them into the soup
18:14A light herbal scent filled the kitchen
18:16Hazel, come quickly!
18:18These greens look way better than anything at the market
18:20This bowl of soup was now more than just food
18:22We sat under the warm glow of the lights
18:23Breathing in oxygen that plants had just produced
18:26My mom looked at that tiny patch of green
18:27And added another line to her notebook
18:29Resource recycling system
18:30Operating normally
18:31Psych eval
18:31Family bonds getting stronger
18:33Day 20 of the extreme cold
18:35Thick layer of ice coated the generator's exhaust vent
18:37It was the residue fused with frozen vapor
18:39The RPM was dropping
18:40We had to shut it down for 4 hours of maintenance
18:42My mom looked at the gauges with a serious expression
18:44We all scrambled into our cold weather gear
18:46We wrapped ourselves in coats and sleeping bags
18:48My mom fired up the backup smokeless coal stove
18:50Such an old heating method
18:52Wasn't very efficient
18:52But it kept the core area above freezing
18:54We curled up on the sofa and hugged each other
18:58White mist could be seen with every breath
19:00The temperature in the room soon dropped to zero
19:01To calm grandma down
19:03My mom told stories about her actuary days
19:05As long as we calculate all angles
19:07Then nothing can be a threat to us
19:08She squeezed my hand
19:09Her grip was solid and confident
19:104 hours later
19:11The generator roared back to life
19:12Warm air flooded the room again
19:14I felt the blood flowing in my veins again
19:16It was the second month of the extreme cold
19:18At dawn I scanned the streets below with binoculars
19:20The snow was over 10 feet deep
19:22Huge white creatures had peered thick
19:24Silver white fur covered them like armor
19:26They had long limbs and their claws could be seen
19:28Mom those are no stray dogs
19:29They move in packs across the snow
19:31When they claw out a frozen body
19:34Their jaws could snap the bones like twigs
19:36The lead giant wolf lifted its head
19:38Its red eyes locked onto the vents on the 32nd floor
19:41Heat from the generator formed a rising column
19:44To these predators it was a beacon
19:45It jumped up
19:46Its claws dug into the facade grooves
19:48It climbed up slowly but determinedly
19:51They can smell strangers
19:52My mom stepped onto the balcony
19:53Gripping her compound crossbow
19:54Hazel, double check every door and window
19:56Humans are no longer our only enemies
19:58We're now food to those monsters
19:59I ran off to secure every door and window
20:01The mutant wolves were climbing way faster than we thought
20:04Their claws dug straight into the gaps in the insulation
20:06When it reached the 15th floor
20:08Those blood red eyes burned with hunger
20:10Hazel, treat it like a moving target
20:12From physics class
20:13My mom took out a compound crossbow and handed it to me
20:16It had a scope and carbon fiber bolts
20:18She slid the window open a little
20:19Gust of icy wind blew into the room
20:21Range, 82 meters
20:23Elevation, 62 degrees
20:24Wind, moderate, northerly
20:25Aim 2 centimeters above its nose
20:27I held my breath, finger on the trigger
20:29Through the scope, a giant wolf seemed to slow down
20:32As my mom gave the order, the carbon bolt ripped through the air
20:35It punched clean through the lead wolf's left eye
20:37The force yanked it right off the wall
20:39The rest of the wolves bolted in panic
20:41The first threat is neutralized
20:42One bolt used
20:43Defensive premium equilibrium
20:45Accurate calculations and clean executions is what we rely on to survive
20:48Day 25 of the extreme cold
20:49A burst of static crackled from the radio
20:51Mr. Clark's voice was weak and strained
20:53Martha, I need help
20:54The frost wolves have eyes on my building
20:56They've got explosives and I'm injured
20:57I'm pulling back toward your place
20:59I held the radio and turned to look at mom
21:01She snatched a pen and started crunching numbers
21:02Mr. Clark has provided effective intel three times
21:05He has cleared 12 bodies
21:06He can be trusted
21:07Let's help him
21:07Hazel, prep the rooftop basket
21:09Mom, set out the iotaphore, suture kit, and cephoparazone
21:12Ran to the roof and fired up the industrial winch
21:14The steel wire basket lowered into the blizzard
21:17Three minutes later, the line suddenly lurched
21:19Mr. Clark was inside, half-conscious, drenched in dark green slime
21:22A penetrating wound was on his left shoulder
21:24I dragged him into the warmed quarantine room
21:26We had rigged it into a mini operating room
21:28This warm room was Mr. Clark's last shelter
21:31When Mr. Clark woke up, it was already the afternoon of the next day
21:34His first reaction was to grab his gun
21:35But he found his wound had been neatly stitched up
21:37A steaming bowl of plain rice porridge sat by the bed
21:40This is the Taylor family's turf
21:41You're safe now
21:42She popped the mag
21:44Checked it, reloaded, and handed the gun back to Mr. Clark
21:46Mr. Clark stared at the bowl of porridge
21:48His Adam's apple bobbed
21:50Miss Taylor, from now on, my life belongs to you
21:52My mom nodded and produced the Taylor's safe house rules
21:55She had drafted overnight
21:56Mr. Clark, starting today, you're our head of security
21:59Your duty is to guard the corridor and rooftop
22:01And watch for anything off within a three kilometer radius
22:03We'll provide you with food, water, and meds
22:06But you must obey my every command
22:07Mr. Clark scanned the detailed rules
22:09Which even listed, help me grams of food would be given per meal
22:11A helpless smile appeared on his face
22:13He knew that he had a better chance to survive
22:14If he stuck with us
22:15It was the second month of the extreme cold
22:17Diesel reserves were running low
22:19We were burning through fuel faster 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 that could carry five drums
22:34When we pushed open the heavy fire door
22:35And stepped outside
22:37I felt like my lungs were filled with needles
22:39I was no longer familiar with the city
22:41Follow my footprints
22:42Stay clear of manhole covers
22:44With every step
22:45Mr. Clark probed the snow with a crowbar
22:47Mom's voice sounded in my bluetooth earphones
22:49Hazel, two o'clock
22:50There's an overturned truck
22:52Watch 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 from the gas station
23:04When Mr. Clark signaled for me to stop
23:05He dropped into a crouch
23:06Half his body disappearing into the snow
23:08I copied him instantly
23:09The drone's overhead feed showed
23:11Four thugs prying at the fuel tank lid
23:13Miss Taylor, they'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
23:22Formanganate and glycerin in your bag
23:23Use the ratio I taught you
23:24And whip up a smoke bomb
23:26Toss it up wind
23:26Mr. Clark, take the leader out
23:28Once chaos hits
23:29I yanked two vials from my pack
23:30And mixed them with pinpoint accuracy
23:32As I hurled it hard
23:34A cloud of thick black smoke appeared
23:36The thugs were swallowed by
23:37Sudden darkness
23:38Choking
23:38Using the smoke as cover
23:40Mr. Clark snuck behind a sentry
23:42And dropped him silently into the snow
23:44The other three panicked
23:45Firing crossbow bolts everywhere
23:47Soon, they all fled
23:48Mr. Clark connected the hose
23:50Pumping the precious black fuel into the barrels
23:52Hilling was just a method
23:53To get the supplies we needed
23:55By the time we brought 500 L's of diesel back home
23:58The sky had turned dark gray
23:59The two massive drums left deep marks in the snow
24:03Each breath frosted the inside of my mask
24:06Wait
24:06Mr. Clark yanked the tow rope
24:08Pointing at a mess of broad tire tracks by the main entrance
24:11They were carved in deep
24:12With clear stud marks for traction
24:14No way those came from regular snowmobiles
24:16These were heavily armored off-road rigs
24:18Mr. Clark dropped to the snow for a closer look
24:20Face darkening
24:21It's the frost wolves
24:22At least five vehicles
24:23They've started coordinated raids on upscale blocks
24:25Miss Taylor
24:26Looks like they've got their eyes on the luxury complex
24:28My mom's voice crackled in my earpiece
24:30Her voice was cold but serious
24:31I've got them on the drone feed
24:32They're sweeping floor by floor
24:34Grabbing every scrap of firewood and can of food
24:37Hazel
24:37Clark
24:37Fall back
24:38Take the maintenance ladder in the elevator shaft
24:40From now on
24:41We're at DEFCON 1
24:43We slipped in through the secret tunnel
24:44And hit the 32nd floor
24:46The sudden warmth nearly made my knees buckle
24:48But my mom didn't let me rest
24:49She pointed at the live camera feeds
24:51A squad of men in matching black parkas
24:53Packed the lobby on the ground floor
24:55Hauling welders and explosives
24:57They're no ordinary people
24:59They're coordinated raiders
25:00My mom highlighted
25:01The wolf head emblem on the leader's chest
25:03They only believe in power
25:05That mindset could endanger our fortress
25:08If we go head to head
25:09We've got maybe a 30% chance of winning
25:12We need to use scarcity economics to fracture their ranks
25:14I glanced at mom's calm razor sharp profile
25:16Realizing what lay ahead was a war for humanity itself
25:19Far harsher than the cold
25:20The frost wolves didn't hit the 32nd floor right away
25:23They first set up a base on the 20th floor
25:25They had beaten everyone
25:26And stolen every last scrap of food
25:28On the security feed
25:28We saw those bastards were vicious
25:30But their hierarchy was airtight
25:31The bottom grunts got nothing but a dribble of watery rice porridge
25:34Good
25:34My mom uttered
25:35She pushed her glasses and armed the drone's payload bay
25:37We didn't drop bombs
25:38We showered the 20th floor with flyers
25:41Scrawled in bright red marker
25:42The pitch was simple
25:43Rat out one member
25:45Bring his badge to the 32nd floor
25:47For two packs of food
25:48Miss 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 marginal cost baiting
25:57To a grunt at the bottom
25:58Offing the boss who's been riding them
26:00Will get them food and freedom
26:02All it costs is a single treacherous thought
26:04Soon my mom's method worked
26:06On camera
26:06The 20th floor camp erupted into chaos
26:09Followed by dull thuds and shrieks
26:11One member with frostbite all over his body
26:13Waited until his leader was asleep
26:14Then caved his skull in with a wrench
26:16Snatched the metal wolf head badge
26:17And bolted for the staircase like a lunatic
26:19He dropped to his knees in front of the heavy steel door
26:21Howling and clawing at it
26:23Through the slot
26:24My mom passed him two packs of food
26:28He grabbed them
26:29Didn't care they were rock hard
26:30Ripped one open and
26:31Shoveled it straight into his mouth
26:33Eyes blazing with post-apocalypse mania
26:34Just watch my mom said coldly
26:36Once he goes back
26:37He'll be a walking billboard
26:38The frost wolves trust between members was no more
26:40The battle at star bay slid into a weird stalemate
26:43Because of our plan
26:44The frost wolves had to
26:45Waste their energy on purges
26:48And backstabbing
26:49Meanwhile grandma was also busy
26:50She dug through those hundreds of boxes of old clothes
26:53We'd hoarded and salvaged piles of cashmere yarn
26:55And thermal batting
26:56Sitting by the fireplace
26:56Her fingers flew like lightning
26:58Knitting a dozen thick
27:00Wool knee pads and fleece gloves with grip dots
27:02Hazel
27:02You'll need knees when you go out
27:04If you injure your knees
27:05Then you're crippled for life
27:06She passed me a stack of knee pads
27:08Her eyes were full of kindness
27:10My mom looked over the pile of crafts
27:11And her eyes lit up
27:13Mom you did a great job
27:14These are high value
27:15Handmade goods
27:16That very day we flew the drone again
27:18And dropped the gear
27:19To residents still in the building
27:20With a little note
27:22Give us intel on frost wolf ammo
27:24And you'll get one pair of knee pads
27:26The trade fired the survivors right up
27:28Neighbors who'd been pissed but didn't dare speak up
27:30Became our eyes and ears
27:32Thanks to their tips
27:33Mr. Clark rigged precise booby traps in the corridor
27:35Blowing up two frost wolf scouts sneaking upstairs
27:38Miss Taylor what a great move
27:40Now the whole building's watching those guys for us
27:43The credit's not mine alone
27:44Mom handed grandma a hot drink
27:46It's a trade
27:46In this world brute force only lasts for so long
27:49Only the people who bring essentials and warmth
27:52Can really lay down order
27:53Grandma's knee pads carry more warmth than bullets
27:55Which makes them deadlier
27:56Day 45 of the extreme cold
27:58Our old radio was hissing with static
28:00Then suddenly snagged a faint government channel
28:02This is the emergency shelter center
28:04All surviving citizens proceed to the downtown underground city
28:07Warmth and government rations are available
28:09Abandon your private shelters
28:10Grandma's face lit up
28:11Hazel the government's coming for us
28:13Why don't we move there?
28:14There's safety in numbers
28:15My mom remained on the sofa
28:17Writing equations on a scrap of paper
28:18Five minutes later
28:19She looked up
28:20There was no joy in her eyes
28:22Only seriousness
28:22No
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 for us to see
28:29They say the shelter holds 500 that's and people
28:32At our city's survival rate
28:33At least 3 million will flood in
28:35The oxygen system
28:36Waste processing
28:37The power supply
28:38None of it can handle that load
28:40Foods
28:40The killer
28:41With broken supply lines
28:43Everyone inside gets under 200 grams of starch blocks a day
28:46That's not a rescue
28:48It's herding people together
28:49For a quiet massacre
28:50My mom stood up
28:51Staring at the white world outside
28:53When resources are fixed
28:54The denser the crowd
28:55The likelier individuals would 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 gladiatorial arena of survival of the fittest
29:09Ms. 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 official rescue
29:14Was the last of our clear understanding of this world
29:17Late at night
29:18The brutal cold outside seemed to hit its limit
29:20In the pitch black sky
29:22Ribbons of green light suddenly 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 cold currents are out of balance
29:33So the geomagnetic field is going haywire
29:35Such beauty in the apocalypse
29:36Shot through with a killing chill
29:38A gorgeous view like this deserves a feast
29:40Grandma grinned and began cooking
29:41My mom popped a precious can of premium Russian luncheon meat
29:45Mr. Clark added a few frozen wild eggs he had scavenged
29:48Grandma used the attic-grown lettuce and dried chilies
29:51To cook up a steaming plate of greens
29:53The staple food was rice
29:54Power and gas had been dead for ages
29:56Yet we dined on the 32nd floor of Star Bay
29:59With the heater humming
30:00The temperature was set at 23 degrees Celsius
30:02Mr. Clark felt a little awkward
30:04Sitting at our table for the first time
30:06Mom piled him a mountain of rice
30:07Topped with two thick slices of luncheon meat
30:09Mr. Clark, you'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 plate of vivid greens
30:19Rimmed with tears
30:20Out there, that kind of green was a myth
30:22In here, it was dinner
30:23Outside, the aurora lights shined over the ruined city
30:26Countless people froze or starved to death
30:28Inside, warm amber light wrapped around us
30:31Spicy hot pot steam curled upward
30:33Looked at mom and grandma
30:34Then at Mr. Clark beside me
30:36The apocalypse didn't break us
30:37It just burned away the fake social crap
30:39We went back to blood relations and promises
30:41As long as we were still family
30:43This coldness was nothing but scenery to us
30:46The calmness was ripped apart
30:48By the low, booming roar of engines
30:50Day 48 of the extreme cold
30:51Through a high-powered thermoscope
30:53I saw five modded, heavy off-road trucks
30:55Spreading out in a fan around
30:57The star bay building
30:57Knife-edged snow plows were welded to the grills
30:59Blinding searchlights glared from the roofs
31:01Miss Taylor, they've rounded up every stray scumbag nearby
31:04Mr. Clark checked his rifle safety
31:05While giving mom a rapid sit rep
31:07There's roughly 40 of them
31:08Their leader is the head of the Frost Wolves
31:10His name's Scar
31:11They're loaded with homemade bombs and industrial cutters
31:14Looks like they're set on busting into the lobby of the ground floor
31:16My mom didn't panic
31:17Instead, she pulled out Star Bay's structural blueprints
31:20A frontal assault is inevitable
31:21Their supplies have ran out
31:22If they don't take ours, half of them will freeze to death tonight
31:24The lobby glass downstairs is reinforced
31:26But a homemade charge will blow right through it
31:28Hazel, Mr. Clark, abandon the first ten floors
31:31Lock every fire door
31:32Lure them into the shafts and stairwells
31:34Those tight vertical tubes
31:36Their numbers turn into dead weight
31:38It's the best choice we've got
31:39Mom noted the energy drain in her notebook
31:41This time, we burned three kilowatt hours and ten liters of industrial lube
31:44They flooded into the lobby like a tide
31:46Mr. Clark, get ready for the next wave
31:48They're going to use the cutters
31:50They don't know that
31:51From the moment they stepped into this building
31:52They had entered my mom's death trap
31:55In this vertical steel chimney
31:56Each floor they climbed
31:58Would cost them precious stamina and oxygen
32:00The thugs quickly realized
32:02That the fire escapes to the upper floors
32:03Were sealed by over a dozen steel doors
32:05Scar, their leader, wasted no time giving orders
32:07He told a couple of his nimblest guys to climb the elevator shaft
32:11Few agile members started scrambling up the cables
32:13They've gone into the shaft
32:14I kept my eyes on the pressure sensors on the monitor
32:16Mr. Clark had mounted them on 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 we had hidden in the machine room
32:25Fired at once
32:26A torrent of industrial lubricant cascaded down the four main lift cables
32:30Even at mega to 60 degrees Celsius
32:32That stuff was still very slick
32:34After that, Mr. Clark hooked a high voltage discharge module to the cables
32:37It was stripped from a Tesla battery pack
32:40The thugs who'd been climbing like monkeys a moment earlier
32:42Knew something was off
32:44The instant their hands touched the cables
32:46That greasy mess made it impossible to keep a grip
32:48Then a blue arc ripped down the steel lines
32:51Screams echoed through the narrow shaft
32:54Losing their hold
32:55The thugs dropped from various heights
32:57And landed hard at the bottom of the shaft
33:00Take away friction at a blast of high voltage
33:02And we just wiped out five of their best men
33:04Repeated setbacks made Scar furious
33:07They stacked a mountain of junk tires and cheap plastic on the ground floor
33:10Doused it in gas and lit it up
33:11The thick toxic smoke powered by the chimney effect
33:14Rocketed up the vents toward the higher floors
33:16Miss Taylor, they're trying to choke us to death
33:18Mr. Clark's voice sounded through his gas mask
33:20Low and muffled
33:21This tactic is a joke against a modern building
33:23My mom pushed her glasses and started working the console
33:25Hazel, switch the air ventilation to reverse
33:28And hook that crate of concentrated CS gas to the atomizer heads
33:31I sprinted to the machine room
33:32I twisted a cylinder labeled CS tear gas concentrate into the port
33:36Three giant centrifugal fans roared to life
33:38Spinning in reverse
33:39The rising smoke was blown back down to the 25th floor
33:43At the same time
33:44Air laced with tears gas flooded every floor through the vents
33:48Contact with it would make one feel like their skin is on fire
33:51Breathing would cause one to go blind
33:54Soon the stairwell echoed with coughs and puking
33:57The raiders quickly dropped their cutters
33:59They stumbled in the dark like headless chickens trampling on each other
34:02That's the power of chemistry
34:03Mom watched the monitors
34:04As the figures on the floor writhed in agony
34:06No bullets needed
34:07Just change the air composition
34:08It can destroy their organizational cohesion
34:10Mr. Clark, prepare for the decapitation strike
34:12Scar should be hiding on 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
34:17Scar has to die
34:19If he's alive, he'll always be a threat
34:20My mom drew a circle on the map
34:22Her eyes had that cold, number cruncher look
34:24Only an actuary would have
34:25Mr. Clark suited up in a lightweight spec ops rig
34:27Two coils of high tensile Kevlar rope were slung across his back
34:30He glanced at the blizzard
34:31Howling outside the window
34:32Ms. Taylor, I'll rappel straight down the outside wall to the 10th floor
34:35At that height, they'll never see someone dropping in from above
34:37Hazel, you handle the drone
34:39Use the strobes to blind them
34:40I'll blast high decibel static through the building's speakers
34:43To jam their short-range comms
34:46Once we move, make it fast and clean
34:48I piloted the modified drone
34:50Easing it down the outside of Star Bay
34:52Bathed in moonlight and the aurora lights
34:54Mr. Clark slid down the outside wall with practiced ease
34:57Skating past every jutting icicle
34:59The second my mom hit the static button
35:01Deafening white noise flooded every motion sensor speaker in the building
35:05The roar was ear-splitting
35:06At the same moment, I jerked the drone to hover outside the balcony of the 10th floor
35:10Four high-power LED strobes were turned on, turning the room into daylight
35:14Skar hacking behind
35:15The curtains was blinded immediately
35:17He pulled out his homemade shotgun and fired wildly
35:20At that moment, Mr. Clark broke into the room
35:23He didn't say anything and just swung his knife
35:26Skar didn't even have time to close his eyes before a warm jet of blood burst from his neck and
35:31became a red mist in the cold air
35:33Skar's head was hauled into the lobby on the 20th floor by Mr. Clark
35:37The thugs who survived the tear gas were now huddled under blankets, shaking
35:40The instant they saw that head, their will to fight, disappeared
35:43From now on, Frostwolves is no more
35:46Mr. Clark's domineering voice echoed through the silent hallway
35:49My mom, wrapped in a heavy mink coat, was escorted downstairs by Mr. Clark and me
35:54She stood among the crowd, pushed her glasses, and opened some files
35:57My name's Martha Taylor, I'm the one in charge here
35:59We don't feed dead weight
36:01Anyone with a medical license or mechanical repair skills, step up
36:04Anyone with farming or electrical experience, step up
36:07Under the threat of death and hunger, the survivors raised their trembling hands
36:11Good, mom jotted their names in her notebook
36:13Dr. Wallace, Mr. Barton, Mr. Brooks
36:15You are tier one tech labor
36:16You live on the 30th floor and have meat with every meal
36:19Everyone else who's young and fit falls into tier three manual labor
36:22You'll clear snow and patch the walls
36:23Do well and you can move up
36:25As for the ones with criminal records or who just won a free ride
36:28Mom glanced at the pitch black ice field outside
36:30Her tone remained flat
36:31Mr. Clark, toss those last five punks outside
36:33This is a fortress, not a charity
36:35Every calorie has to be earned
36:37The sounds of the five begging for mercy were swallowed by the blizzard
36:39Star Bay had finally set up a hierarchy
36:41This new order, built on supplies and skill, was far sturdier than any rule of brute force
36:46The entire Star Bay building was cleared out and split into zones
36:49My mom named the place the Taylor Cooperative
36:52She set up a precise point management system
36:54Hazel, you don't run a crowd with force, you bait them with payoff
36:58She sketched a pyramid on the chalkboard
37:00The 32nd floor was still the core restricted zone
37:02Only our family and Mr. Clark lived there
37:04We kept the generators, the seed bank, and most of the premium supplies
37:07Floors 30 to 31 were turned into a tech hub
37:10Dr. Wallace, plus our two mechanics, Mr. Brooks and Mr. Barton, lived there
37:13They kept everyone healthy
37:15And the building running, floors 23 through 29, became the labor zone
37:18Those guys took turns scavenging fuel and clearing threats nearby
37:22Mom gave each of them a custom point token
37:24The amount of food or fuel one was allowed to trade for was labeled specifically
37:29Betray us, you starve
37:30Obey us, you live
37:31Such simple logic is the most effective
37:34Grandma became the logistics chief
37:35She and a crew of women built a bigger indoor greenhouse on the 25th floor
37:39They used scrap plastic to do so
37:42They composted kitchen waste with water pumped up from the basement
37:45When people got their first bowl of food, which was a mixture of rice, meat bits, dried vegetables
37:50Many just dropped to their knees and cried
37:52In a time when morals had collapsed
37:54Mom used ice-cold calculus to give these desperate souls the illusion of order
37:58Day 60 of the extreme cold
38:00An armored vehicle pulled up at the building entrance
38:02It was a matte black armored truck
38:05The government shelter logo was plastered on the side
38:07Two envoys climbed out, wrapped in high-tech exo-armor and sealed helmets
38:11They stopped at the locked steel doors and barked through a megaphone
38:14Manager of Star Bay, we're here on behalf of the central underground city
38:17Under emergency regulations, you must hand over all remaining supplies and generators
38:21Everyone will be relocated
38:23My mom stood in front of the monitor, sneered, and pressed the intercom
38:26Relocation, you mean turned into labor for your bunker
38:28Or maybe forced to dig mines for your rich pals
38:31We've got no spare supplies, just landmines
38:33Locked and loaded
38:33You should leave
38:34The envoys clearly didn't expect anyone to defy the authorities
38:37Miss Taylor, face reality
38:38The underground city has real troops and a full industrial base
38:41Resistance is pointless
38:42You have 24 hours to comply or you'll face the consequences
38:46Mr. Clark tightened his grip on the sniper rifle and glanced at my mom
38:49Miss Taylor, they're after our resources
38:51Sure, the underground city's big
38:52But with this weather, their supply lines are cut too
38:54They're here to steal our resources
38:56They're desperate
38:57If they still had resources to spare, they wouldn't just send two envoys
39:00They'd kick things off with attack choppers
39:0124 hours?
39:02That means they're hesitating
39:04Hazel, haul out that crate of antibiotics we've been hoarding
39:06We're not surrendering our resources
39:08We can make a deal with them
39:09When the envoys knocked on our door again, my mom kept them out
39:12And sent Mr. Clark outside with a crate
39:14He popped it open in the snow
39:1550 boxes of amoxicillin, 20 bottles of ibuprofen, and 10 bags of saline were stacked neatly
39:21Even through their masks, I could hear those two envoys panting
39:24Call it a welcome gift
39:25Mom's voice boomed from the speaker
39:27Right now, you don't lack gold or generators
39:29You lack meds
39:31I can keep them coming
39:32But you need to trade for them with 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 for two nuclear fuel cell interfaces
39:44Plus intel on whoever's bankrolling the Frostwolves
39:46The envoys went silent
39:48Clearly checking with HQ
39:49That violates protocol
39:51Rules don't mean anything at minus 70
39:53Without the meds
39:54And you'll have a hundred extra bodies in your clinic by dawn
39:57Deal or war?
39:58You've got ten minutes
39:59The armored truck finally dumped two crates of heavy ammo
40:02And left with the medicine
40:03Mom eyed the brand new guns
40:04Turned to Mr. Clark and said
40:06Mount these weapons on the roof
40:07They won't let this slide
40:08They gave in because they needed time
40:11Once they're ready
40:12They'll come back in a larger scale
40:14We need to use these weapons
40:16And turn Star Bay into a fortress
40:17They can't punch through
40:19Just as we were scrambling to get ready
40:20A weird illness suddenly broke out inside Star Bay
40:23Two workers on the 25th floor
40:24Started puking and getting fevers
40:26But unlike a normal cold
40:27Their skin turned to creepy bluish purple
40:30Like ice shards were running through their veins
40:32Instead of blood
40:32Ms. Taylor
40:33It's the low-temp mutant virus
40:34Dr. Wallace wrapped in a homemade hazmat suit
40:36Reported to mom from behind the glass of the observation room
40:38This virus is most active around negative 40 degrees Celsius
40:41The infected first feel unbearably hot
40:43Then die when their organs flash freeze
40:45If it spreads, the whole co-op is finished
40:47Everyone in the building began to panic
40:49People started eyeing each other with suspicion
40:51Some even tried to bolt out of the building
40:53Lock down every passage from the 25th to the 30th floor
40:56Hazel, take out those 50 crates of antibiotics
40:57The antiviral syrup
40:58And our mountain of vitamin C
41:00Tell everyone that as long as they stay in quarantine
41:02There's more than enough meds to go around
41:04Mom took the mic herself
41:05Voice steady and commanding
41:06Listen up, we've got plenty of medicine
41:08Take your preventive doses on schedule
41:09And this thing is curable
41:11Anyone who tries to hide their symptoms will be executed
41:13Anyone who stirs up trouble will be executed
41:16Mr. Clark, lead a patrol
41:17Under that mix of threat and promised meds
41:19The panic miraculously died down
41:21Mom never had any 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 was under 5%
41:27By doling out those pricey preventatives
41:29We not only kept everyone calm
41:30We also used the outbreak to weed out every last piece of dead weight
41:34Just as the outbreak was finally under control
41:36The underground city launched an attack
41:38But it wasn't armored trucks this time
41:39It was a full squadron of attack choppers
41:41They slipped in during a lull in the blizzard
41:43Trying to fast rope onto Star Bay's roof
41:45They just broke the deal!
41:46A glare of the red dots on the radar with cold eyes
41:48Classic market competition
41:49Mom took a sip of hot tea calmly
41:50When looting costs less than trading
41:52War's inevitable
41:53They think we're just civilians guarding meds
41:56Mr. Clark is already on the roof
41:58The two heavy machine guns we got from them roared to life
42:00From our perch on the 32nd floor
42:02The choppers were already fighting the sub-zero turbulence
42:05One burst from the AA gun shredded the lead rotor
42:09A blinding fireball followed
42:11The birds spiraled into the abyss
42:13Hazel, set off the thermite traps on the roof
42:16I pressed the red switch
42:17A ring of white hot fire erupted around Star Bay's rooftop
42:21The heat spike flipped the pressure
42:23Kicking up a savage updraft
42:25The last two choppers were shaking
42:27As if they had hit an invisible wall
42:29Their instruments went dark one by one
42:31The pilots screamed for help
42:32But could only watch the birds lose control
42:34As they crashed into a building nearby
42:36The deal's off
42:37Now we must be on the defense
42:38Mom stood up, eyes on the distant flames
42:40As of today, Star Bay answers to no one
42:43We are the new law of this frozen wasteland
42:46The fireball from the crash flared for only a few seconds in the blizzard
42:49Before darkness swallowed it whole
42:50At dawn, as the first faint light broke over the horizon
42:53I spotted a few giant steel beasts crawling across the distant snowfield
42:57They were assault vehicles painted in white camouflage
42:59The sound of their tires crushing the snow
43:01Sounded like thunder rolling over the earth
43:03They had gone all out this time
43:04Mr. Clark wiped the frost off his face
43:05Clutching the binoculars tightly
43:07Three assault vehicles and two platoons of infantry
43:10Miss Taylor, with armor that thick
43:11Our AA machine guns won't even scratch them
43:13They're planning to blast our building's foundation
43:16My mom sat at the command desk
43:18There was not a hint of panic in her eyes
43:19She pushed her glasses and pointed at the temperature readout on screen
43:21It's negative 75 degrees Celsius out there
43:23Those trucks were built for normal wars
43:25In this kind of weather
43:26Their hydraulics, steel, and lube are all about to crack
43:30They're only pushing forward
43:31Because they think we lack heavy weapons
43:33Mom, what should we do?
43:35My palms were sweating as those monsters kept closing in
43:38We hit them asynchronously
43:40Hazel, take out some hydraulic coolant and concentrated liquid nitrogen
43:44Mr. Clark, tell every co-op member to get to basement level 2
43:48We're turning the ground floor of Star Bay into a deep freeze that'll shatter their vehicles
43:51Facing a sweep by a regular army
43:53People in Star Bay were in turmoil
43:55Those former thugs and ordinary citizens stared at the distant vehicles
43:58With despair all over their faces
43:59Some even suggested opening the gates and surrendering just to stay alive
44:03My mom did a co-op broadcaster
44:04Her voice booming through loudspeakers on every floor
44:06Everyone, the envoys from Underground City have made it clear
44:09They want the supplies and the generators
44:11Not you
44:11In their math, you're a negative number on the ration spreadsheet
44:14If you go with them, your only role is slave labor in the mines
44:17Or be left for dead when the food runs out
44:19But here in the Taylor Cooperative
44:21As long as you pick up a weapon
44:22Then you'll have hot food, dignity, and the right to stay alive
44:25My mom's words crushed their illusions and dreams
44:28Mr. Clark, hand out the guns
44:30We dragged out the grenades we've recently got
44:32Plus piles of homemade Molotovs and steel crossbows
44:35The workers who had been cowering a minute ago burst into raw savagery
44:38Under the threat of death
44:39As long as Star Bay stands, no one will starve
44:41Dr. Wallace was the first to shout
44:43Those once selfish, greedy, petty people locked ranks for the very first time
44:46With brutal honesty, Mom laid out the numbers
44:48And pulled off the tightest, fastest pre-battle rally ever
44:50The first armored truck plowed straight through the compound wall
44:53A giant cannonball slowly settled to throw in on the ground floor lobby of Star Bay
44:56Using its own weight, it tried to ram the main doors
44:58Now!
44:59My mom roared over the radio
45:00Mr. Clark charged in with a team behind him
45:02They erupted from a pre-duft sewage tunnel on the flank
45:04They didn't have any explosives on them
45:05Just a few massive industrial liquid nitrogen tanks
45:07Roll along
45:08In an environment of minus 73 degrees
45:09The nitrogen spray made a temperature around it drop drastically
45:11The truck's tracks and arm already brittle from the cold
45:14Under the influence of the liquid nitrogen
45:16Began to screech loudly
45:18That's the physics of cold embrittlement
45:20Under such brutal temperature swings
45:21Alloy steel turns as fragile as glass
45:24Spotting his moment
45:25Mr. Clark lifted a weighted industrial sledgehammer
45:27And smashed it down on the track joint
45:29With a sharp metallic cracking sound
45:32The assault vehicle, which weighed tons, cracked into pieces
45:35After being immobilized
45:37It was now a steel coffin in the snow
45:39Members of the co-op poured a gas cocktail from above
45:41The flames couldn't melt that armor
45:43But the whiplash of heat against deep freeze
45:45Made the viewing ports blow out one after another
45:47Their commander could only watch helplessly
45:49As the vehicle was turned to scraps
45:51Seeing a ground assault fall down
45:52The underground city commander ordered the last two choppers to skim low
45:56To cover the rooftop and the repelling troops with machine gun fire
45:59Hazel, bring out the big surprise
46:01We've prepared for three years
46:02It was a crate of high-density display fireworks
46:04Mom, snag them back
46:05The apocalypse
46:05These were no ordinary fireworks
46:07They were pro-grade flame jets
46:08Used in big shows
46:09Mom, you really think these can take down a helicopter?
46:11I wasn't so sure
46:11They don't have to punch through the fuselage
46:13Just blind pilots and scramblers
46:14Up here, the hot gold air currents are a mess
46:16A burst of metal powder makes a brutal heat bubble
46:19That chokes a turbine in seconds
46:21And fries the infrared sensors immediately
46:23When the choppers hovered at less than 20 meters overhead
46:25I hit the remote
46:26Dozens of fireworks shot towards the sky
46:29Detonating right under the rotors
46:31Lazing white fireballs bloomed like tiny suns
46:34The glare stunned the pilots for a moment
46:36But the real killer was magnesium aluminum ash
46:38Sucked into the intakes
46:40Triggering catastrophic mechanical failure
46:42The birds spiraled out of control like a hammered trunk
46:44Tail smashed to the lighting wrong roof
46:46With a hopeless roar
46:47It cartwheeled into the office building across the street
46:50Scrawling a brief brilliant streak of fire
46:52Across the gray sky
46:53The attackers were completely crippled
46:54Broken tanks and burning wreckage
46:56Litter the snowfields
46:58The remaining infantry were stuck out there
46:59At minus 70
47:00Their morale had hit an all-time low
47:01With no supplies or heat
47:03If they don't get back to Underground City within an hour
47:05They would freeze to death
47:06Mom had Mr. Clark set up a huge screen at the entrance
47:09There was no threat on it
47:10There was just a detailed map
47:12It tagged three hidden supply caches
47:13Around Underground City
47:14A thundering loudspeaker carried our offer
47:17Commander, this is Martha Taylor
47:19You know exactly what that unit of yours is worth
47:21Instead of letting them die in a pointless siege
47:23How about we make a deal?
47:25The enemy commander's reply crackled over the public channel
47:27He sounded lost and exhausted
47:28What do you want?
47:29We want access to your city's energy nodes
47:31In return, I'll hand over the locations of those three caches
47:34They're packed with antibiotics and concentrated fuel
47:36Enough to squash the outbreak in your city
47:39Plus, Star Bay gets official status as an independent district
47:41We mind our own business
47:43But trade when needed
47:43My mom played a dangerous game
47:45Those three spots did have supplies
47:47But they were all booby trapped
47:48But at that moment
47:49Facing total annihilation
47:51Underground City had no choice
47:53Deal
47:53The commander's tone finally softened
47:55In the fight, Mom won
47:56With almost no losses
47:57And bought the cooperative
47:58Ten years of legal standing
47:59Three days after the deal
48:00The Underground City
48:02Convoy 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 on the 32nd floor
48:13She held a steaming cup of tea
48:14The liaison stared at the fresh lettuce on the table
48:16He swallowed
48:17Ms. Taylor
48:18Our experts are curious about how you set this place up
48:21How are your living standards so 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, people are dead weight
48:32In mine, people are part of the cycle
48:34Now everyone in the cooperative is fired up
48:36They just have to mine the greenhouse
48:38And patrol the corridors
48:39Mr. Clark had become the Zone's official instructor
48:41He trained all the young and strong male members
48:43With just a calculator
48:44Mom carved us a slice of land out 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 for weeks
48:55The two of them developed feelings for 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
49:08She personally baked a big and tasty cake
49:11Just to stay alive in the apocalypse
49:12And still meet the one you'd spend forever with
49:14Was a true blessing
49:14Grandma smiled as she wiped her tears
49:16Mom stood up front as the witness
49:17She raised a glass of sparkling water
49:19Here in the Taylor Cooperative
49:21Marriage means sharing every 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
49:30That long lost buttery sweetness
49:32Made most people's eyes turned red
49:34Outside
49:34It was minus 70 degrees Celsius
49:36Inside was the glow of the warm lights
49:38For a moment
49:39We almost forgot
49:40It was the apocalypse
49:40It was the third year
49:42Of the extreme cold
49:43There was a tiny bump
49:44On the temp chart
49:45Mom look
49:45I pointed to the screen
49:47The temperature's gone up to
49:47Minus 40 degrees Celsius
49:4840 degrees Celsius
49:50Back for the apocalypse
49:50That was hell
49:51Now it felt like
49:52The first hint of spring
49:53Throw on a lighter parka
49:55And took Mr. Clark's recon team with me
49:56This outside star-based mean gate
49:57For 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 brushed the green
50:16Miss Taylor was right
50:17As long as we survive the coldest days
50:19The rest is just rebuilding
50:20I took out my camera
50:21Took a picture of
50:21The first plant after the apocalypse
50:23That day
50:23Everyone in Star Bay
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
50:32We caught the first spark
50:34Of new life
50:35As the temperature slowly rose
50:36Mom tweaked the cooperative's development plan
50:38Supplies would run out
50:39But knowledge and productivity wouldn't
50:41She started an apocalypse school
50:42Inside the co-op
50:43Grandma taught the women
50:44To turn scrap clothes into gear
50:45And make compos
50:46Mr. Clark showed the men
50:46How to keep the machines running
50:48And stay alive outdoors
50:49Dr. Wallace ran basic first aid classes
50:51And mom personally
50:52Taught the surviving kids
50:53Math and logic
50:54Why are we learning such things?
50:56A little boy clutching dry biscuit
50:57Asked
50:58It's nothing but snow
50:59Outside
50:59Will math scare off mutant wolves?
51:01Mom patted his head calmly
51:02That won't kill wolves
51:03But
51:04It'll tell you the odds
51:04Of a pack showing up
51:05Logic keeps you clear-headed
51:07When everyone else is losing
51:08Civilization isn't a skyscraper
51:10It's how we make sense
51:10Of the world in our heads
51:11The co-op started expanding outward
51:13Using the underground city's
51:15Heavy machinery
51:15We cleared the nearby streets
51:17And set up small settlements
51:19That could back each other up
51:20Star Bay was no longer
51:21A fortress cut off in the world
51:22It became a beacon
51:23That lit up the surrounding area
51:24Mom still wrote in that old notebook
51:26Every day
51:26She 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
51:32Three more years passed
51:34In the blink of an eye
51:35I stood on the rooftop of Star Bay
51:36I was already 26
51:37The temperature had gone up
51:38To minus 10 degrees Celsius
51:39The sky was no longer
51:40That dark gray color
51:41In the distance
51:41The snow was melting
51:42Revealing the outline
51:43Of a ruined city
51:44Snowmobiles zipped through the streets
51:46And smoke curled from chimneys
51:47Were telling me that mankind
51:49Were taking back their lands
51:50Hazel don't stay up there for too long
51:52Grandma made some pork
51:53Come have some
51:54Mom's voice echoed in the stairwell
51:55She still sounded calm like before
51:57Turned around
51:57And saw mom and grandma at the door
51:59Grandma had aged a lot
52:01But she still looked energetic
52:02Mom had a few more streaks
52:03Of gray hair
52:04Yet those eyes behind her glasses
52:05Still gleamed with wisdom of an actuary
52:07Mr. Clark was downstairs
52:09Training the new guards
52:10Dr. Wallace and his daughter
52:11Were in the rooftop greenhouse
52:12Picking our first strawberries
52:14Mom, you said that the apocalypse
52:16Was a test of humanity
52:17I wrapped my arms around hers
52:18Mom, you said that the apocalypse
52:19Was a test of our humanity
52:20No, it's just one massive ledger
52:23It erases every phony value
52:25And leaves only what's real
52:26Blood, courage, and the urge to survive
52:29We never save the world
52:30We've only saved ourselves
52:32I gave Star Bay
52:32The building that sheltered us
52:34For six years
52:34One last look
52:35In my past life
52:36I died from the cold and 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 was like
52:43Was long as we had family
52:44As long as we had hope
52:46Life would always carry on
52:47One last Um?
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