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Blizzard Reset The Second Life Survival Plan DUBBED - FULL | CDrama
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00:01The pain ceased, replaced by a hallucination of my soul freezing.
00:06What is minus 94 degrees like?
00:09Each exhale turns into shards that pierce your lungs.
00:12Your blood flow slows.
00:14Even steel turns brittle and breaks.
00:16In my past life, I watched my limbs turn dark and go numb.
00:20My younger sister Jess had on the last coat she took from me,
00:23cuddled in Wade's arms, laughing behind the door.
00:26Vera, you have more body fat.
00:28We need this coat more than you do.
00:31I wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
00:34Human malice is colder than the harshest winter.
00:37I woke with a jolt.
00:38My back soaked in cold sweat.
00:40It was extremely hot.
00:42The cicadas outside were loud.
00:44I reached for my phone.
00:45July 15th, 2025, 95 degrees.
00:49I'm still alive.
00:50I searched for a pendant, wishing I had a storage space.
00:53Nothing.
00:53I tried to call out to the system.
00:55Nothing.
00:56Nothing at all.
00:57All that was left was my bank balance and the blazing sun outside.
01:00I had no powers or storage space, but I still had my memories.
01:04I still had my parents.
01:06Vera?
01:06The door swung open.
01:08Seeing me, my parents were stunned and thrilled.
01:12They returned, too.
01:14We tightly hugged one another.
01:16Dad's hands shook.
01:17Tears streamed down Mom's face.
01:19This time, we're done being nice for nothing.
01:21Dad wiped his face.
01:22His gaze hardening.
01:23We'll be fine.
01:24We still have one another and this house.
01:27It hasn't reached minus 94 degrees yet.
01:30We can build a shelter to survive.
01:32We need money.
01:33Mom dashed to the safe and emptied its contents onto the bed.
01:38Vera, go through all our liquid assets.
01:41Max, sell this house fast.
01:43We'll only take cash.
01:45I opened the banking app.
01:47There were no loans or overdrafts.
01:49It was our hard-earned money.
01:51Every cent had to be used wisely.
01:53Only 30 days left until the apocalypse.
01:57The bell rang.
01:58Even without opening the door, I knew who was there.
02:02It was Jess.
02:03She came from money for her boyfriend Wade's business.
02:06I opened the door.
02:07Jess walked in, wearing an entitled expression.
02:10Are Dad and Mom home?
02:12Give me $500,000 or I'm leaving home.
02:15In my past life, I went all in to get that money.
02:18This time, I looked over at my parents.
02:21Mom kept tapping on the calculator without looking up.
02:24Okay.
02:25Jess froze.
02:26Surprised by how easy it was, her face flickered with joy.
02:29Wait.
02:30Dad put out his cigarette and took a document from his briefcase.
02:34Sign this.
02:35Declaration of Relationship Severance.
02:37Dad, what do you mean?
02:39This money is meant to sever our ties.
02:42Dad's tone was cold.
02:44Take the money and your life is no longer our concern.
02:47We're going to sell this house.
02:49What?
02:50Are you crazy?
02:51Jess stared at us.
02:53You'd sell the house to make me break up?
02:55Will you sign it or not?
02:57I handed her a pen.
02:58Sign it or you get nothing.
02:59With $500,000, you can go wherever you want.
03:03Jess looked at the check.
03:04Greed won over reason.
03:06She thought we were just bluffing.
03:07I'll sign.
03:08Don't come begging me when Wade gets rich.
03:10She quickly signed it, took the check, and stormed out.
03:13As the door closed, Mom briefly trembled, then composed herself.
03:18Without her, there's one less mouth to feed.
03:20What comes next is what matters most.
03:23We had a total of $10 million.
03:25We needed a vehicle for extreme cold.
03:28Hundreds of tons of coal, a renovated shelter, and food supplies for 10 years.
03:32When survival was at stake, $10 million was nothing.
03:36Let's go.
03:36Dad looked at the empty house, his expression firm.
03:39Only the air raid shelter in the village can endure minus 94 degrees after proper insulation work.
03:44The house in Irwin Village would serve as our last stronghold.
03:48Without spatial ability, we can't store supplies instantly.
03:52Our greatest challenge was storage and preservation.
03:55Dad used the experience he had built over his career.
03:58Standing before the abandoned shelter,
04:00Lou Prince in hand, he shouted at the construction team we paid a fortune for.
04:04What I require isn't insulation, but full isolation.
04:08Isolation!
04:09With just $10 million, Dad still spent $3 million on infrastructure.
04:14Don't worry.
04:15Dad saw the reluctance on my face.
04:18When temperatures dropped to minus 94 degrees, every bit of insulation is life-saving.
04:23My challenge was extreme stockpiling.
04:26I had to account for every cubic foot.
04:29The villagers assembled, as trucks continuously delivered supplies.
04:34Max, are you opening a supermarket?
04:37You sold your city house just for this?
04:39While carrying a 50-pound box of canned peaches, I wiped my sweat and smiled.
04:44Yeah, we couldn't get by in the city, so we returned to run a business.
04:49The glare of the sun was still blinding.
04:52I alone knew that this messy, overcrowded stockpile would turn into a treasure in a month,
04:58driving even the rich to envy.
05:01Mom suddenly rushed over, looking grim.
05:05Vera, we have a problem.
05:07We're out of money.
05:09The diesel generator hasn't been bought.
05:10We also didn't buy enough thermal clothing.
05:13We're selling it.
05:14I glanced at the van used for transporting goods.
05:17Then, at the gold bracelet on my wrist.
05:20We'll sell everything except what we're wearing.
05:23Only three days left.
05:25Temperatures fluctuated abnormally.
05:28104 degrees by day, falling to 50 degrees at night.
05:31The fluctuations made the dogs bark all night.
05:34The yard was packed tight.
05:36Organizing supplies was challenging.
05:38Dad loaded two side rooms with 50 tons of coal,
05:41bricked up the windows, left a tiny access opening, and covered the outside with weeds.
05:46The biggest problem was diesel.
05:48The generator was our final power backup.
05:51Under strict control, storing tons of diesel was impossible.
05:54The construction team's gone.
05:56But the fuel?
05:57Mom gazed at the empty metal tanks, her anxiety rising.
06:01Dad gritted his teeth and reached out to a contractor he met back in his construction days.
06:06Nate, I need fuel.
06:07Don't ask why.
06:08I'm running a greenhouse farm.
06:10I'll pay 50% extra.
06:12Cash on delivery.
06:13That night, a modified truck quietly pulled into the yard.
06:17Dad placed two boxes of cash, amounting to $600,000, into the driver's seat.
06:22Once connected, the black tube pulsed like veins as diesel flowed into the underground tank.
06:27Mom and I kept watch.
06:29Heidi from next door came out, peering about.
06:32What are they doing this late?
06:34It reeks of gasoline.
06:35I tightened my grip on the flashlight and told her the septic tank was clogged, and we were clearing it
06:40out.
06:41It stinks.
06:42You should go inside.
06:43Heidi pinched her nose and went back inside.
06:46Once the tank was full, Dad slumped against the wall in relief.
06:50We are all set.
06:51Food.
06:52Coal.
06:52Diesel.
06:54Medicine.
06:54Whatever happens, we can survive three years.
06:57An urgent weather alert suddenly disrupted the news.
07:01Stratospheric collapse will plunge global temps in 24 hours.
07:05I looked at my phone.
07:07Jess sent a photo of her dining at a luxury hotel.
07:10You're out in the countryside, while I'm in a presidential suite.
07:13At midday on August 15th, the glaring sunlight suddenly dimmed.
07:17The sky was cloudless.
07:19But it looked strangely gray.
07:21The air became still.
07:22Even the cicadas stopped chirping.
07:25Dad urged us to enter the shelter.
07:27It was pure survival instinct.
07:29We rushed into the shelter.
07:30As rehearsed, Dad shut the outer wooden door and the blast-resistant door.
07:35As the winch turned, the final airtight thermal door shut firmly and locked with a click.
07:41Silence fell.
07:42Battery-powered LED lights dimly lit the shelter.
07:45We had installed periscope-style observation ports.
07:48I looked at the thermometer outside.
07:5095 degrees.
07:5186 degrees.
07:5368 degrees.
07:54It fell below the freezing point in no time.
07:57The raindrops froze into ice.
07:59Heavy snow followed.
08:00Each snowflake was palm-sized, grayish, with a sulfuric smell.
08:04At 3 p.m., it had dropped to minus 4 degrees outside.
08:08It felt like the earth had been submerged in liquid nitrogen.
08:11The loudspeaker came on.
08:13The village chief's voice quivered.
08:14Everyone, keep warm and stay indoors.
08:17The voice stopped.
08:18Perhaps the lines snapped.
08:20Or the speaker had frozen.
08:21Through the port, I saw a villager who hadn't returned home stumbling toward his house.
08:25As he ran, his movements suddenly stiffened.
08:28Like a rusted wind-up toy.
08:30Just before reaching his front door, he dropped to the ground.
08:35Chaos outside.
08:36Shelter.
08:37Another world.
08:38The aerogel insulation worked well.
08:40No heating.
08:41Geothermal and body heat kept the shelter at 59 degrees.
08:44A thick sweatshirt sufficed.
08:46A padded sweatshirt was enough to stay warm.
08:48Dad ran a detector over the door seams and vents to ensure they were airtight.
08:52Both carbon dioxide and oxygen levels are normal.
08:55No air leakage.
08:56Mom dug through the supplies and took out a coal stove.
08:59Use coal first to save electricity.
09:02Smokeless coal crackled as it burned.
09:04Fire danced beneath the kettle.
09:06Dinner was simple.
09:07Noodles with three fried eggs and canned meat on top.
09:10At times like this, a bowl of steaming noodles was truly satisfying.
09:14We sat around the coal stove, eating quietly without a word.
09:17The signal was intermittent.
09:19Before the network collapsed, I opened social media.
09:22Panic everywhere.
09:24Despite being set to 86 degrees, it's still freezing.
09:27My window froze and shattered.
09:29A message suddenly popped up.
09:30It was Jess.
09:31Vera, what's going on?
09:33The air conditioning system went down.
09:35We're freezing here.
09:36We want to stay at your place.
09:38Come pick us up.
09:38I stared at the screen and told her the roads were blocked, so we couldn't pick them up.
09:42I then blocked her.
09:44As I set down my phone, a dull thud came from the ventilation duct above.
09:49Someone was hitting the camouflage layer.
09:51It stopped after a few thuds.
09:53Dad motioned us to keep quiet.
09:55He listened closely with a listening device.
09:57It's Frank and his gang.
09:59They're seeking shelter.
10:01Our camouflage is well-made, topped with rotten wood and bricks.
10:05Thinking it was a ruin, they left after kicking it twice.
10:08Frank was the village's bully.
10:09Needless to say, he had no food stored at home.
10:13Over three days, temperatures fell below minus 40 degrees.
10:16Life in the shelter grew boring.
10:18There was no entertainment, only faint light and relentless snowstorms.
10:22To conserve fuel, we only used the coal stove for four hours a day.
10:26We used arctic sleeping bags for the rest of the time.
10:29On the fourth day, villagers went around asking for coal.
10:32Through the port, I saw villagers wrap tightly in quilts.
10:36They used axes and crowbars to smash Heidi's door.
10:40Heidi, we're fellow villagers.
10:42Give us coal.
10:43Open up or we'll break in.
10:45Heidi's cries could be heard.
10:47Then I heard the door break.
10:48The screams stopped in under five minutes.
10:50The villagers carried off two sacks of coal.
10:53One of the axes still had blood on it.
10:55They'll find us soon.
10:56Dad cleaned his composite bow.
10:58It was his only ranged weapon, though we minimized chimney smoke.
11:02Thermal imaging or starving people with sensitive noses can still detect heat.
11:07A face suddenly appeared in the observation port.
11:09Frank was at the hidden ventilation outlet, sniffing hard.
11:12His face lit up with excitement.
11:14There is meat below.
11:15We were found.
11:16But Dad didn't panic.
11:18This shelter was built for this exact day.
11:20Frank motioned for two of his men to dig into the vent.
11:23As soon as they touched the mesh covering the vent, a blue-violet spark flared.
11:28It was a high-voltage device.
11:30It wasn't lethal, but it could knock them off their feet.
11:34A scream was heard outside.
11:36There's electricity!
11:37Max has been on guard against us.
11:39At minus 40 degrees, getting injured or sweating from panic can lead to hypothermia.
11:44They retreated after cursing in frustration.
11:46This was only the start.
11:48A greater crisis came that night.
11:50The power grid went down.
11:52The town's faint lights were visible earlier, but they all went out.
11:55The world became pitch black.
11:58Our phones became useless.
11:59Even the last signal vanished.
12:01We were isolated.
12:02Dad told us to start the diesel generator.
12:05A low rumble came from the soundproof room.
12:07Despite the soundproofing, we could still feel the floor faintly vibrating.
12:11We turned on the old radio.
12:13There were occasional transmissions.
12:15Global disaster.
12:16Stay put.
12:17Await rescue.
12:18While counting the remaining coal, mom suddenly panicked.
12:21Max, look at this corner.
12:23Frost had built up along the shelter's wall.
12:25What's happening?
12:26Dad touched it, and his face went pale.
12:28It's frozen all the way through.
12:30The soil has frozen 10 feet deep.
12:33The cold seeps into the wall.
12:34If it drops to minus 94 degrees, our insulation may not withstand it.
12:39The city's once glamorous hotel had become a huge ice coffin.
12:43Even in her expensive fur coat, Jess couldn't stop shivering.
12:47Wade crouched in a corner, wrapped entirely in the curtains.
12:51All the wooden furniture had been burned.
12:52Even the luxury bed was turned to ash.
12:54There's no food left.
12:56Wade had a sinister gaze.
12:58They had spent the entire $500,000.
13:01They spent it on designer bags, watches, and a useless fur coat.
13:05They didn't buy any food.
13:07Let's go find your sister.
13:08Wade suddenly stood up.
13:09His eyes flickered with madness.
13:11She must be prepared.
13:13And the countryside has firewood.
13:14How do we get there?
13:15It's minus 58 degrees outside.
13:18I have a car.
13:18Wade took out a car key.
13:20It was an off-road vehicle key he took from a corpse.
13:23That car still works.
13:25If we make it through, we'll live.
13:27The two charged out frantically.
13:29Frozen dead bodies filled the streets.
13:31Some froze as they crawled.
13:33Some were smashing doors.
13:35Luck favored the wicked.
13:36The car really started up.
13:38And it had a full tank.
13:39They drove straight to Irwin Village.
13:41The next day, a car emitting black smoke crashed into a large tree.
13:46The doors opened.
13:47Two figures slowly crawled out.
13:50Jess' face was pale from the cold.
13:52She looked toward our house.
13:53It wasn't fully covered in snow.
13:55Her tears froze at once.
13:57We did it, Wade.
13:58We will live!
13:59We were having dinner.
14:00To stay warm, we had a pot of stew for dinner.
14:03The observation port alarm suddenly buzzed.
14:06Someone was here.
14:07I peered outside and my eyes widened.
14:10It was Jess and Wade.
14:11They weren't alone.
14:13Frank and his men were following them.
14:15Vera!
14:16Dad!
14:16Mom!
14:17I'm Jess!
14:18Her voice echoed from the loudspeaker, breaking the village's dead silence.
14:22I know you're inside!
14:24Wade said you sold the house and car and made $10 million.
14:27You must have a lot of food.
14:30Damn it!
14:30This idiot!
14:31To get Frank's help and mercy, she had given away all our secrets.
14:35Everyone!
14:36Jess shouted at the villagers.
14:38My parents are here.
14:39They've hoarded supplies.
14:40If we open the door, we can all survive.
14:43How cruel of her.
14:44Now the villagers were certain we had food.
14:47At the thought of $10 million worth of supplies, Frank waved his hand.
14:51Smash it!
14:52Pickaxes and hammers?
14:54Struck our blast-resistant door.
14:56Mom's hands shook as she held onto Dad's arm.
14:59Dad was expressionless.
15:01He walked to the control panel and turned the valve.
15:05It was connected to a high-pressure pipe.
15:07At minus 58 degrees, water was the deadliest weapon.
15:11Open it.
15:12Dad spoke coldly.
15:14I pulled the handle.
15:15Nozzles hidden above the door frame sprayed water.
15:18It wasn't just water.
15:20Dad added salt to lower its freezing point.
15:22It was liquid before spraying.
15:25On contact with objects, it would freeze instantly.
15:27Screams broke out outside.
15:30Those breaking the door were drenched.
15:32Their clothes froze in seconds.
15:34Their hands were stuck to their tools.
15:36I saw Wade take cover behind Jess, using her as a shield.
15:40She stood frozen like a statue, covered in ice.
15:43Her eyes reflected disbelief and despair.
15:45The extreme cold cut the screams off.
15:48Dad's high-pressure spray system, originally meant for decontamination, had become a deadly defense.
15:54Even at minus 58 degrees, the concentrated salt water stayed liquid and dispersed as super-cooled mist.
16:02But on contact with any object, it rapidly absorbed heat and solidified into ice.
16:08Frank ran forward with a homemade shotgun, but was doused instantly.
16:13His fingers stiffened before he could fire.
16:16Frost formed over his face almost instantly.
16:20He tried to wipe his face, but his gloves stuck to his skin.
16:26Wade, save me!
16:27Jess's scream was filled with terror.
16:30Through the port, I saw something terrifying.
16:32When the water burst out, the man who claimed to love her, used her as a shield without hesitation.
16:41Her fur coat was quickly drenched.
16:45The soaked coat clung to her slender body.
16:48Wade used her as a shield.
16:49Are you crazy?
16:51It's so cold!
16:52What are you doing?
16:53Jess struggled, but Wade kept her from moving.
16:56He took cover behind the trembling woman.
16:58His gaze burned with a mad urge to survive and hatred for us.
17:02Don't move!
17:03You're my woman!
17:04You should protect me!
17:05Wade's voice trembled.
17:07Vera, open the door!
17:08Or Jess will freeze to death!
17:10Jess stopped struggling.
17:11Not out of will, but because she was frozen.
17:15Her fur coat had solidified into icy armor.
17:18Immobilizing her completely, she looked at our observation port.
17:21Her gaze turned from panic and rage into a despairing stare.
17:25Frank's men collapsed and writhed in pain.
17:28The more they struggled, the thicker the ice became.
17:31Even Frank knelt, his body hardening into an ice statue as he wheezed heavily.
17:37Is the threat over?
17:38No.
17:39Dad pointed to the monitor.
17:40Wade's still alive.
17:42He hardly got wet.
17:43What is he doing?
17:45Realizing Jess was frozen solid, Wade knocked her to the ground.
17:49He pulled out a homemade incendiary bottle, lit the fuse, and charged toward our vent.
17:55I want all of you dead!
17:58The bottle struck the vent's cover.
18:00Flames erupted, but the extreme cold snuffed them out.
18:04Dad had reinforced the vent with fireproof insulation.
18:06It burned for less than half a minute before extinguishing.
18:10But Wade didn't stop.
18:11Like a madman, he smashed the duct with a crowbar.
18:15Come out!
18:16Give me food!
18:17I have money!
18:18That fool gave me all the money!
18:20I'll pay you!
18:20He yelled, his words incoherent.
18:23But he forgot it was minus 58 degrees.
18:26He dodged most of the water.
18:28But his pant legs still got wet.
18:30Through the port, I watched coldly.
18:32His movements slowed.
18:34Five minutes later, the banging stopped.
18:36He knelt there, holding the doorframe.
18:39Face pressed against the steel.
18:40Eyes wide open.
18:42Outside the door stood five ice statues.
18:45The threat was eliminated, but our position was exposed.
18:49The ice statues were both a warning and a marker.
18:52The next morning, Dad checked the instruments.
18:55Suddenly, his face turned pale.
18:57He tapped the barometer.
18:58His fingers trembling.
19:00This is bad.
19:01My heart immediately sank.
19:03Dad turned to me, fear in his eyes.
19:05Air pressure is dropping rapidly.
19:08A severe blizzard is coming.
19:10The winds can tear houses from the ground.
19:13Our door was sealed shut by thick ice formed from last night's water.
19:18If snow blocked the vents, we'd suffocate from lack of oxygen.
19:22The legendary super blizzard is more brutal than expected.
19:26It no longer howled, only gravel scraping steel.
19:29Just then, the oxygen monitor lets out a glaring red light in alarm.
19:33The carbon dioxide levels shoot up.
19:35The air duct is blocked.
19:37There's too much snow, or the layer has collapsed.
19:39If we didn't clear it, the three of us would suffocate within three hours.
19:43Dad acted without any hesitation.
19:45He pulled out the spare hydraulic jack and the alloy drill bit and aimed at the shaft.
19:50I steadied the drill rod as Mom cranked the fan to vent leftover air.
19:54The lack of air made me dizzy, and my lungs burned.
19:57Ten minutes later, there was a sharp clang.
20:00The drill got stuck.
20:01It hit metal.
20:02A hint of joy showed on Dad's face.
20:04It's a car chassis.
20:06Wind flipped a car onto the shaft.
20:07The jack let out a heavy groan.
20:09With a dull thud, the creaking of metal came from above.
20:13A stream of cold yet incredibly sweet air rushed in.
20:16We gasped for air greedily.
20:18Dad pushed open the cover.
20:20I quickly looked out through the gap.
20:21Sure enough, it was Frank's SUV.
20:24It was like a giant lid blocking the snow.
20:27I turned and looked into the distance.
20:29My heart suddenly jolted.
20:30On the silent snow field lay fresh footprints.
20:34I followed the trail and adjusted the periscope.
20:37Three hunched figures appeared.
20:38Jason, a guy from the village, led them.
20:41Usually harmless, he now led two guy to pry open the shared grain storage.
20:45The door opened, but the inside was empty.
20:48Only a few moldy old grains and rat droppings remained.
20:51In that instant, any pretense of decency was gone.
20:55Jason suddenly raised half a brick and smashed his companion's head.
20:59Blood sprayed everywhere, like a glaring red flower.
21:03He iced the two men and took the spoiled grain.
21:06He grabbed a handful and ate it greedily.
21:08Down in the shelter, I was eating lunch.
21:10It was a steaming hot self-heating meal kit.
21:12The aroma filled the room.
21:14Starvation erases humanity.
21:16Dad picked up some beef and stared at the screen blankly.
21:18This is the current gap.
21:20Some kill for moldy rice, while others eat meat in a warm shelter.
21:24Jason dragged the bloodied sack to leave.
21:27Suddenly, he froze.
21:28Three pairs of glowing green dots appeared in the distance.
21:31It was three starving wolves.
21:34Beasts that survived in this frozen hell were the top of the chain.
21:37Jason had no time to run.
21:39The first wolf quickly snapped at his calf.
21:41The second one went for his throat.
21:43His screams lasted a short while on the audio receiver.
21:46The red liquid quickly froze on the snow.
21:48The bag of moldy grains he killed for spilled everywhere.
21:52The wolves didn't even look at it.
21:54After feeding, they didn't leave.
21:55The three wolves circled around the vent.
21:58Their nostrils twitched.
21:59They caught the scent of humans.
22:01Dad put down his utensils and walked to the workbench.
22:03He welded spiked iron bars behind the blast door.
22:06A forced entry spells death.
22:09While mom was sorting the coal we used for heating, she suddenly gasped.
22:12Max, look!
22:13A box fell from a hidden compartment of the coal bin.
22:16Inside were ten boxes of antibiotics.
22:18This was a gift from the coal seller.
22:20We didn't care before, but now it was life-saving medicine worth a lot.
22:24As we celebrated the unexpected gift, the quiet radio lit up red.
22:28After some static, a man's voice came through with a sneer.
22:32Found it.
22:33There's a good target in Irwin Village.
22:35We act tomorrow.
22:36Bring the flamethrower and burn through the shell.
22:38The static was like fingernails on a chalkboard.
22:41Dad tuned the old radio.
22:43His face flickered in the red indicator light.
22:45The stranger's voice from before came again.
22:47It felt like he was next to us.
22:49Confirmed.
22:50It's that house.
22:51Frank died there a few days ago.
22:53There are noticeable ice statues at the entrance.
22:55It was our goods.
22:57Those bodies frozen at the entrance had finally attracted vultures.
23:00There must be something underground.
23:02Those statues aren't even searched.
23:04Dad turned it off.
23:05The shelter fell silent.
23:07Prepare to fight.
23:08This time, we were no longer just defending.
23:10Mom dug out bottles of high-proof liquor from the supplies.
23:13We usually couldn't bear to drink it.
23:15The bottles were smashed open.
23:17The liquid was poured in glass bottles.
23:19Oil-soaked rags were stuffed into the openings.
23:21I sat by the whetstone and held the bow.
23:24The arrowheads made a scraping sound against the stone.
23:27A cold glint reflected.
23:29No fear.
23:29Just adrenaline-fueled calm.
23:31In this brutal world, being weak was a sin.
23:34Late at night, the voice came again.
23:36They sounded overly confident.
23:38Tomorrow at midnight, us three will go.
23:40It's so few people.
23:41I'm sure they can't withstand a flamethrower.
23:43Wind and snow raged.
23:45A roar split the darkness.
23:47Three snowmobiles burst through the snowstorm.
23:50They stopped at the entrance.
23:51Through the periscope, I saw three heavily bundled-up figures.
23:54They wasted no time.
23:56The leader waved, and a man with a tank stepped forward.
24:00Whoosh!
24:00A flame of over 30 feet long burst out instantly.
24:04It was an industrial flamethrower.
24:06The orange flames looked unnatural in this minus-58 degrees world.
24:10The thick ice sealing the door melted under the heat and turned into steam.
24:14The steel door turned from black iron to deep red.
24:18Then, cherry red.
24:19Inside the shelter, the temperature alarm blared.
24:22The initially cold shelter instantly turned into an oven.
24:24We stripped off our gear.
24:26Sweat poured down our faces.
24:28Heat seeped through the cracks.
24:29It smelled like burning metal.
24:31It won't last much longer.
24:32The gaskets will melt.
24:33Mom tightened her grip on the Molotov.
24:35Dad just calmly stared at the screen.
24:37His hand rested on a red button.
24:39It was a dry powder fire suppression system he designed.
24:42But this time, it wasn't loaded with fire suppressant.
24:45Instead, it had starch he'd gotten from a mill.
24:47You want a fire?
24:48I'll give you a big one.
24:49Dad slammed down the switch.
24:53Blast!
24:53Hidden overhead vents gushed white plumes.
24:56That wasn't smoke.
24:57It was extremely fine flour.
25:00The immense pressure made it engulf the entire entrance at a high concentration.
25:03It enveloped the man with the flamethrower.
25:06He clearly hadn't studied physics.
25:08He had no time to react.
25:09He kept his finger on the trigger.
25:11The open flame met the high concentration dust.
25:14Boom!
25:15An explosion sounded like a thunderclap from the sky.
25:18A fiery shockwave engulfed everything.
25:20The periscope screen flashed white.
25:23Then came a violent tremor.
25:25Dust rained down from above.
25:26A short while later, I could see again.
25:28The ground was scorched.
25:29The man with the flamethrower was gone.
25:32Nothing left but charred remains.
25:34Another man nearby was blasted over 30 feet away.
25:37He hung on a branch.
25:38His fate was unknown.
25:40I tightened my grip on the bow.
25:42Dad stared at the corner of the screen.
25:44The leader was lucky.
25:45He was farther away and had gotten knocked over.
25:48His face was covered in blood.
25:50One arm twisted.
25:51Still, he managed to stagger to his feet.
25:53He sneered.
25:54With his other hand, he pulled a green object from his coat.
25:57He pulled the pin and pressed it firmly against the mangled door.
26:00Come out, or I'll let go.
26:02We'll get blown up together.
26:04Calm down.
26:05I turned on the loudspeaker.
26:07I was so calm that it felt strange even to me.
26:10You can blow a hole, but I've got piles.
26:13We have 10 tons of TNT down here.
26:16If you let go, we'll all burn together.
26:18That was an outright lie.
26:20Now it all hinged on who feared death more.
26:23Sure enough, the man's eyes flickered.
26:25His fingers stiffened slightly.
26:27He weighed his options and hesitated.
26:29At that moment, Dad stood still in front of the firing port.
26:32He drew the bow fully.
26:34The bowstring hummed.
26:35The man's wrist was magnified through the scope.
26:38The bowstring snapped.
26:39It was a specially made carbon steel arrow.
26:42It whistled and pierced clean through the man's wrist.
26:45It pinned his hand firmly to the ground.
26:47Ugh!
26:48The pain made him instinctively let go.
26:50The grenade rolled down the steps and fell into a snowbank.
26:53It exploded over 30 feet away and kicked up a cloud.
26:56It didn't damage the blast door at all.
26:58Before the man could even recover, Mom had already lit the Molotov and thrown it precisely
27:03through the port.
27:04Flame instantly engulfed the writhing figure.
27:07We didn't step out.
27:08We watched as they turned into smoking, charred lumps.
27:11And everything stilled.
27:12Thirty minutes later, after it was safe, Dad went out to clean up.
27:16He pulled out a fireproof bag from the corpse of the leader.
27:18Inside was a hand-drawn map with Irwin Village circled in red.
27:22They had wrote,
27:23Suspected entrance to underground water vane.
27:26That map made Dad's eyes light up.
27:28If we had running water, our quality of life could change.
27:31Dad pointed at the lines on the map.
27:33Groundwater stays at a constant temperature.
27:35It's better than bottled water.
27:37According to the map, that potential groundwater vane is actually right beneath our house.
27:41The shelter became a work site for the next few days.
27:44We took turns.
27:45In this tiny area, we dug down.
27:48It was hard work.
27:49The frozen ground was as hard as iron.
27:51Each dig of the shovel sent a shock through us.
27:54We had to use an electric drill.
27:55Then chip it with a pickaxe.
27:57Sweat ran down our backs.
27:58Then quickly cooled in the chilly air.
28:00To conserve energy, we ate extra hardtack with our meals.
28:04The cramped space was filled with the smell of earth and sweat.
28:07But no one complained.
28:08We all knew that in this apocalyptic world, water was life.
28:12It was a currency stronger than food.
28:14By the third night, we had reached nearly 10 feet.
28:17Dad was swinging the pickaxe when he suddenly stopped.
28:20Thump.
28:20It was no longer a dull thud, but a hollow echo.
28:24Dad carefully struck again.
28:25The previously solid ground collapsed inward and revealed a pitch black opening.
28:30A damp breeze drifted up from below.
28:32The beam of the flashlight pierced the darkness.
28:36Down below that opening was actually a man-made tunnel.
28:39Moss covered the concrete walls.
28:41We could still see traces of slogans from decades ago.
28:44This was an abandoned air raid network from the war and famine era.
28:47Dad went down first to scout.
28:51A while later, his trembling voice sounded.
28:54Come down!
28:55Clickly!
28:55It's running water!
28:57Mom and I slid down the ladder.
28:59We went through a narrow hall.
29:00The view suddenly opened up.
29:02At the tunnel's end, a river flowed.
29:04It wasn't large, but under the light beam, the water sparkled.
29:07I reached out to touch it.
29:09The water was a little warm.
29:10About 39 degrees.
29:12Dad held the thermometer.
29:13His cheeks were flushed.
29:14The underground layer means it's not frozen.
29:17We can use a circulation system to heat the shelter.
29:19We can even take showers.
29:21At minus 58 degrees, 39 degrees water was like a hot spring.
29:25We stared greedily at the river, as if it were flowing diamonds.
29:29But then, just as I was about to take a water sample,
29:32the light beam suddenly swept across the silt.
29:34I froze instantly.
29:35A set of footprints was clearly imprinted on the soft mud.
29:38It was very small and barefoot.
29:40Their toes dug deep in.
29:42The mud was still wet.
29:43Besides us, there were actually other people living underground.
29:47We followed the small, wet footprints and felt our way through the air raid shelter.
29:51We turned a corner piled with moldy crates.
29:54The flashlight beam froze on a corner.
29:56Something huddled there.
29:57He was thin from going so long with no food.
30:00His clothes were torn.
30:01His skin was pale from years without sunlight.
30:03If not for those wide, terrified eyes, I would have thought it was a skeleton.
30:07It was Duane, the mute orphan from the village.
30:10He was clutching a dead rat and had blue liquid coming from his mouth.
30:14Beside him was a pile of what looked like moss.
30:17Dad snapped up Heobo instantly and aimed between his eyes.
30:20Few supplies.
30:21Another mouth to feed meant big risk.
30:24Also, he knew our secret about the water source.
30:26He gave up, closed his eyes, trembling like a leaf.
30:30For a few seconds, all we heard was the water.
30:33Forget it.
30:34Dad lowered his bow.
30:35He took two buns from his coat and tossed them over.
30:37Dwayne's eyes snapped open and he lunged at the buns.
30:40He swallowed them without chewing.
30:42After eating, he crawled over.
30:44He grovels frantically to us, then pointed up.
30:47He spread his arms wide to mime a huge circle and made anxious sounds.
30:51He made fists and mimicked holding a steering wheel, then drew a finger across his throat.
30:56He warned us that something had come with killing intent.
30:59We barely had time to catch our breath back home when the ground shook.
31:03It was machinery vibrating on frozen ground, not an earthquake.
31:07Even the glasses on the table rattled.
31:08I immediately went to check.
31:10A convoy tore through the snow, breaking the silence of Irwin Village.
31:14It was three heavily modified trailers.
31:17The fronts were fitted with snow plows.
31:19Bright red flags were displayed.
31:20Pledia, Sector 9 Rescue Team.
31:22It was the government?
31:24Mom's eyes lit up.
31:25No.
31:26Dad zoomed in the periscope.
31:27Look at their shoes.
31:28Those in camouflage wore cheap, no-name shoes.
31:32Their weapons also weren't standardized.
31:34It was a collection of rifles and makeshift shotguns.
31:37More importantly, they didn't immediately search and rescue.
31:40They kicked a corpse from the road, then lit up cigarettes and laughed.
31:43They're disguised bad guys.
31:45This rescue team was just a big looting gang pretending to be officials.
31:50They stopped at the village and discussed the route.
31:52The last truck, loaded with coal and generators, suddenly smoked and broke down.
31:56The lead vehicle didn't stop.
31:59They left behind two men and the broken truck.
32:01The main force rumbled onward.
32:03The stranded truck was like a treasure that had stopped close to our front door.
32:08It's a generator with five fuel barrels.
32:11Our fuel reserves were nearly gone.
32:13If we want to keep the heat and lights, this might be our last chance.
32:17Let's do it.
32:18The blizzard at night was the perfect cover.
32:20Dad and I put on white polar suits and crawled across the snow.
32:23The two guards left behind had clearly underestimated this weather.
32:27They huddled in front with the heater on and napped after drinks.
32:31Dad pulled out a towel soaked in ether.
32:33I had to pick the lock.
32:34Click.
32:35The lock was frozen brittle, so it opened easily.
32:38Dad quickly covered the man's mouth and nose.
32:40He struggled twice and then went limp.
32:42I did the same to the driver.
32:44We didn't try to move the generator.
32:45Instead, we took three barrels of diesel.
32:48Just as we made to leave, my flashlight swept under the driver's seat.
32:51I spotted a long black box.
32:53When we opened it, both Dad and I stopped breathing.
32:56It was two gleaming .95 auto rifles and five full boxes of ammo.
33:01This was stolen loot from a real military outpost.
33:04Come on!
33:05We carried the guns, dragged the barrels, and ran back.
33:07We had just climbed over the wall when we heard engines.
33:10The main team was back.
33:12The blinding headlights lit up the now empty truck.
33:15Furious shouts and a chaotic burst of gunfire followed.
33:18The two missing .95 rifles felt like a huge slap in the face that struck the outlaws hard.
33:24Enraged roars echoed over the village.
33:26But that wasn't the worst part.
33:28The worst was they took out more professional tools.
33:31Industrial handheld thermal cameras.
33:33On that greenish screen, any trace of body heat would be completely exposed.
33:37Through the periscope, I stared intently at the disguised outlaws.
33:40They combed through the few remaining ruins of Irwin Village.
33:44A gunshot rang out.
33:46Mr. Royce, who was hiding in the east, was hauled out.
33:49Mr. Royce was 70.
33:50In order to ration his food, he was stick-thin.
33:53He kneeled on the snow.
33:55Before he could even beg, a cruel-looking thug smashed his jaw with a rifle.
33:59Where's the gun?
34:00The diesel?
34:01Who took them?
34:02The thug stepped on Royce and spoke coldly.
34:04Mr. Royce could only manage unintelligible sobs.
34:07Useless!
34:08Another shot fired.
34:09Blood stained the snow.
34:10His body was kicked into a pit, as if tossing out the trash.
34:14The second house and the third house.
34:17The few remaining survivors were dragged out, then killed when they couldn't give an answer.
34:22This wasn't a search.
34:23This was revenge.
34:24Suddenly, my heart clenched.
34:26The man holding the thermal imager stopped walking.
34:29He stood in front of the pile of rocks at the entrance.
34:31That was the air raid shelter, as well as Dwayne's hiding spot.
34:34Sir, there's a heat source below.
34:36It's weak, but it's a living person.
34:38The outlaws instantly got excited.
34:41Like sharks that smelled blood, they swarmed around it.
34:44They used crowbars to pry at the slabs covering the opening.
34:48Dwayne's terrified screams seemed to reach my ears, even through the thick soil.
34:52He had been found.
34:53Should I save him?
34:55I thought about it for just a second.
34:57Dwayne knew the secret of the water source.
34:59If he broke under torture and talked, our whole family would die.
35:03Besides, he was a child.
35:05Someone who had survived this world by catching rats.
35:08Prepare to fight.
35:09Dad grabbed the new 95 rifle.
35:11Determined.
35:12Vera, go to firing port number two.
35:14It's high ground.
35:15Use the bow with the scope.
35:16Or just use the gun.
35:18Create chaos and draw their fire.
35:20I'll go save that kid.
35:21Dad didn't use the main door.
35:23He climbed into the tunnel we dug that linked to the air raid shelter.
35:26I took a deep breath and ran to firing port two.
35:29Through the scope, I saw that the thugs had already dragged Dwayne out.
35:32Dwayne's face was covered in blood as he struggled.
35:35A burly man suspended him in the air.
35:37Won't talk, huh?
35:38You mute?
35:39The man sneered and pulled a knife from his belt.
35:41I couldn't wait.
35:42I braced the rifle.
35:43My first real fight.
35:45Yet survival instinct studied my gun.
35:47Bang.
35:48I missed the first shot.
35:49It hit the ground beside the man's feet and kicked up some mud.
35:53But that was enough.
35:54The gunshot echoed like across the silent snowfield.
35:56It sent the thugs running and covering their heads.
35:59They dove for cover.
36:00It's guns!
36:01The thieves are over there!
36:03In that moment of chaos, a strong, large figure shot out.
36:06From the shadows of the opening, Dad grabbed Dwayne's ankle and yanked him back into the
36:10dark tunnel.
36:11Pull back!
36:12Now!
36:12I yelled into the walkie-talkie.
36:14I blindly fired the gun into the crowd and prevented their counter.
36:17The thugs snapped back to it.
36:18A hail of bullets poured into the opening.
36:21Dad pulled Dwayne along and rolled into the tunnel through the gunfire.
36:24In the final moment before he went in, I saw his body jolt violently.
36:29Blood burst from his left leg.
36:30He stumbled, then fell heavily into the hole.
36:33The air in the shelter froze.
36:36Only a thick smell of blood spread.
36:38Dad lay on the workbench.
36:39His face was pale.
36:41Cold sweat soaked through the cushion beneath him.
36:43On his left thigh, a gruesome, bloody hole was gushing blood.
36:46We could even see the bone.
36:48Luckily, the main artery wasn't hit.
36:50But the bullet was lodged inside.
36:52It had to come out immediately.
36:54Mom's hands shook.
36:55But her gaze was steady.
36:56She was a veterinarian.
36:58She wasn't new to surgical sutures.
37:00We had no anesthesia.
37:02The little bit of lidocaine we had expired long ago.
37:05Do it!
37:05Dad bit down on a stick wrapped in a towel.
37:08The veins on his forehead bulged.
37:09I have a feeling those bustards will break in.
37:12Mom took a deep breath.
37:13Then heated a scalpel over a lamp.
37:16The sound of flesh being cut made us grit our teeth.
37:19Dad's body tensed up sharply, and he let out a growl.
37:23His hands gripped the table.
37:24The metal tabletop was actually dented from his grip.
37:27I held Dad's leg down as my eyes welled up, but I couldn't let them fall.
37:31Duane huddled in the corner.
37:33He shook with fear.
37:34He stared at the bloody hole in Dad's leg with a guilty look.
37:37Ten minutes felt like a century.
37:39Clink!
37:40A deformed bullet was tossed into the tray.
37:42Mom cleaned the wound and stitched it up.
37:45When the last stitch was done, Dad had fainted from the pain.
37:48The stick in his mouth was mangled.
37:50The surgery went well, but Dad would be crippled for at least a month.
37:54We lost our strongest fighter.
37:55Before we could even relax, a strange hissing sound suddenly came from the tunnel.
38:00I looked through the observation window.
38:03My pupils dilated.
38:04Thick, yellow smoke seeped through the cracks of the tunnel.
38:07It was chlorine gas, or some homemade poison gas bomb.
38:11They couldn't enter and didn't dare use the tunnel.
38:14So they chose the cruelest method.
38:16Smoke us to death inside here.
38:18The yellow smoke was like a snake, slithering through the gaps and silently seeping into
38:24the shelter.
38:24The air was filled with the choking smell of bleach.
38:27It was high-dose chlorine gas, or some even deadlier poisonous gas.
38:32Quick, start the ventilation system!
38:34Mom shouted with her voice sharp with tension.
38:36She pushed Dad back onto the bed and rushed to the panel.
38:40This system was the last line of defense Dad designed.
38:42It was simple.
38:44A high-powered fan would blow filtered air into the room, increasing the indoor air pressure.
38:49That way, the gas couldn't flow in.
38:51The backup generator roared to life.
38:53The fan blades spun crazily.
38:55I stared at the pressure gauge and watched the needle move to the right.
38:58At the same time, I could smell the odor being diluted and pushed out.
39:02Although the sealed door blocked most of the smoke, when I flashed a light at it, I could
39:07see the edges of the door hissing and corroding.
39:09It bubbled strangely.
39:11They couldn't enter, and we couldn't leave.
39:13I gripped the gun with sweaty palms.
39:15The gas attack lasted half an hour before it stopped.
39:18They clearly didn't want to waste their precious ammo.
39:21But then, an even more terrifying sound came from above.
39:24Thud.
39:25It was a digging sound, and the vibration of drilling the ground.
39:29It's explosives.
39:30Dad spoke weakly from the bed.
39:32His face was ashen.
39:33The gas didn't work.
39:34They'll blow the top and bury us alive.
39:37Or rip the lid.
39:38If the top collapses, even just a corner.
39:40The cold would flood in instantly.
39:42We'd have no chance.
39:44We can only await our end.
39:45We must act first.
39:47I glanced at the still-struggling dad and held him down.
39:50Dad, you rest.
39:51This time, Dwayne and I will go.
39:53Dwayne couldn't speak.
39:55But in his clear, sharp eyes, there was a fierce tenacity.
39:58He pointed to an area on the map and made a breaking gesture.
40:01A natural limestone cavern was deep inside.
40:04Its structure was unstable.
40:06Even a mild tremor could cause a collapse.
40:08That would be the graveyard and the burial ground of those thugs.
40:12Dwayne and I put on gas masks and slipped into the intricate underground maze.
40:16Dwayne led the way.
40:17He moved as nimbly.
40:18He didn't even need any light.
40:20We deliberately made noises.
40:22We banged on pipes, making it seem as if we escaped in a panic.
40:26Sure enough, the digging above stopped.
40:28The outlaws heard the noise underground and thought we were trying to escape.
40:32They immediately gave chase.
40:34Over there!
40:35Don't let them escape!
40:36Chaotic footsteps echoed through the empty tunnels.
40:39Dwayne and I led them into the cavern area.
40:41The rock walls were covered with dangling stalactites.
40:44Even the floor had cracks.
40:45At the designated spot, Dwayne quickly ducked into a hole that only he could fit in.
40:50I hid behind a large boulder, clutching the grenade we'd stolen from their truck.
40:53When the flashlight swept around the corner and the thug's shouts sounded close enough,
40:58I pulled the pin and counted silently to three.
41:01Go to hell!
41:02The grenade arced through the air and landed by the support pillar in the center.
41:06Boom!
41:06The blast was magnified in the enclosed space.
41:09It was deafening.
41:10What followed was the sound of rock breaking.
41:13The rock layers above collapsed like dominoes.
41:16Tons of boulders mixed with soil crashed down.
41:19The thug's cries faded into the noise.
41:21Dwayne and I scrambled back.
41:23The tunnel behind us kept collapsing, as if death itself was chasing us.
41:27We retreated to safety.
41:28A final rumble blocked our way.
41:30All was quiet.
41:31Those men were trapped forever.
41:33But we paid a price too.
41:35All the exits to the surface were completely blocked in this man-made collapse.
41:39We became true underground dwellers.
41:42Outside threats buried beneath rock, sealed off from the cruel world.
41:46We couldn't get out, but that made it safer in a way.
41:49Days passed under dim lights.
41:51And the drip of water.
41:52Dad's legs slowly healed under mom's careful care.
41:55Even though he still limped, he could already stand again and work on his machines.
41:59Dwayne officially became part of our family.
42:02Although he couldn't speak, he was so endearingly hardworking.
42:05He took over the farming, keeping the dozens of sprouts neatly organized.
42:09With the ground water and grow lights, we grew our first batch of bean sprouts.
42:13We even grew mushrooms in the damp corners.
42:15When a pot of mushroom and spam stew hit the table, the smell almost made us all want to cry.
42:20There was no killing, looting, or scheming among us.
42:23The four of us sat together.
42:25Dad served some meat to Dwayne, who grinned toothily.
42:28In that moment, it felt like the apocalypse didn't exist.
42:31Half a year passed in a flash.
42:33Our hair grew, and clothes wore out.
42:35But our gazes were brighter than before.
42:37One early morning, I went to check the sensor data from the outside as always.
42:41I froze when I saw the screen.
42:43Temperature rose from minus 58 degrees to minus 4 degrees in one week.
42:48The curve was still shooting up, too.
42:50Dad, look at this!
42:51Dad came over and stared at the screen.
42:53His expression grew even more serious, despite the warming.
42:56The temperature is rising too fast.
42:58This isn't spring returning.
43:00It's a pendulum effect.
43:01After extreme cold, it'll likely swing back to extreme heat.
43:05As if to prove his words, the sensor data jumped.
43:08The surface temperature was 32 degrees.
43:10The ice started to melt.
43:12And for us who lived underground, this could mean a disaster in the form of a flood.
43:16Heat was surging brutally.
43:18In just three days, the thermometer on the wall went crazy.
43:22The red mercury column surged from minus 58 degrees, hitting 104 degrees.
43:27We didn't even transition from extreme cold to heat.
43:30A rumbling came from above.
43:32It sounded like a stampede.
43:34It wasn't wind.
43:35It was water.
43:36Snow melted instantly in the intense heat.
43:38The world turned into a giant steam cooker.
43:41Then came the massive floods.
43:43The shelter walls began leaking.
43:45Condensation beaded on the concrete surface.
43:47The air became hot and humid.
43:49I sweated profusely, even at rest.
43:52Activate submarine mode!
43:53Dad tossed me a wrench and spoke urgently.
43:55We had already prepared for this.
43:57We added six-foot-long pipes to the ventilation duct that stuck out of the ground.
44:01All the drains were locked in reverse and coated with thick sealant.
44:05I saw the world outside through the periscope.
44:08The vast white field was gone.
44:09It was replaced by muddy, roaring yellow waves.
44:12The flood carried dead trees, broken ice, and car wreckages.
44:16They slammed into anything sticking up.
44:19At this moment, our shelter was like a submarine in the deep sea.
44:22The water pressure was building.
44:24Door groaned under pressure.
44:26Water surged higher, swallowing the rooftops.
44:29Dad stared intently at the gauge.
44:31If water enters the vents, we'll have to rely on oxygen tanks.
44:35Duane huddled in the corner, watching water trickle down.
44:37I went over, wiped the wet spot with a towel, and gave him hardtack.
44:42I shook my head and gestured that it was okay.
44:44But I knew that if the water rose three feet, we would drown inside this metal can.
44:49The flood wasn't just water.
44:50It was a boiling pot of corpses.
44:53Through the blurry lens, I saw many swollen objects.
44:56People.
44:57Livestock.
44:57They rotted in the hot flood water, breeding massive bacteria.
45:01Even with layers of filtration, the air still faintly carried a sickening stench of decay.
45:06A plague was here.
45:08Mom wore two masks and sprayed disinfectant in every corner.
45:12Water deadlier than a bullet.
45:14The apocalypse's irony.
45:16A flood raged outside.
45:17Yet, survivors faced the danger of dying of thirst.
45:20If someone couldn't resist drinking that filthy water, they'd definitely die of cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
45:26As for us, we sat around a small table and drank clean water from the river.
45:30We ate peaches from a can.
45:32The underground river had become our lifeline.
45:34Water came from deep underground.
45:37Unpolluted.
45:37For our safety, we cut off all physical contact with the outside.
45:41We rarely even raised the periscope, afraid of catching some deadly germ.
45:45We relied on oxygen tanks and the air purification system to get by.
45:49This went on for an entire month.
45:51Then, one day, the sound of rushing water finally stopped.
45:54Dad cautiously raised the periscope.
45:56The mud on the lens dried and cracked, revealing the blue sky.
46:00The water's gone.
46:00Through the gap, I saw that the ground had turned into a brown, muddy pit.
46:05The buildings, trees, and bodies were all gone, leaving only a thick layer of foul silt that covered the earth.
46:11But in that dead, silent abyss, I saw a faint touch of green.
46:15Temp hit 75 degrees.
46:18Ground hardened.
46:19We headed up.
46:20Back then, to kill those outlaws, the exit was sealed during the collapse.
46:24That was now the biggest hurdle blocking our way home.
46:27Dad located the weakest point for the blast and used our last explosives.
46:31Boom!
46:31Dust flew everywhere.
46:33Sunlight pierced the darkness of the shelter.
46:36I squinted as the harsh light made my eyes water.
46:38I took a deep breath of the outside air.
46:41It still had the smell of soil and decay, but it was also freedom.
46:45We climbed out of the opening and stood where Erwin Village used to be.
46:48The village was gone.
46:50Nothing was left.
46:51Our house, the neighbor's building, all had been leveled by the flood.
46:55This place was like a clean slate, with only thick mud and countless bits of scattered trash.
47:00This soil is rich.
47:02Dad crouched down, grabbed a handful of soil, and rubbed it.
47:05The corpses and rot had turned into good fertilizer.
47:08Duane ran excitedly toward a higher spot.
47:10A small blade of grass pushed up through the mud.
47:13He pointed at the sprout and shouted with joy.
47:16Let's start.
47:18Dad wiped his hands, eyes without sorrow.
47:20Only a fierce passion to rebuild.
47:22Treasure lies beneath.
47:24We can plant our seeds now.
47:26We planted a vegetable garden on the ruins.
47:28After just one week, the first batch of kale sprouted.
47:31On the bleak wasteland, rows of greens stood like hope's flags in the sunset.
47:36The color of life was more dazzling than gold.
47:39The radio that remained silent suddenly burst to life one afternoon.
47:43It was no longer a malicious prying, nor random chaotic static.
47:47Instead, it was a clear woman's voice.
47:49We felt moved when we heard her.
47:51This is Pledia's third safe zone.
47:53If you hear this broadcast, gather southeast to rebuild our home.
47:57The cigarette in Dad's hand burned his finger, but he didn't notice.
48:01He just stared intently at the old radio.
48:03The government and order still exists.
48:06Do we go?
48:07Mom stopped sorting the vegetables.
48:09She looked uncertain.
48:10It did mean safety in groups and the return of civilization.
48:13I looked out at the setting sun.
48:15Our rebuilt greenhouse glowed golden.
48:17The shelter entrance stood like an unbreakable fortress.
48:20Groundwater babbled, and the generator roared.
48:23We'd stored enough food to last a decade.
48:25No.
48:26Dad snuffed his cigarette, his gaze sharp again.
48:29We'd be refugees there, waiting to be assigned.
48:32Here, we are our own kings.
48:34I nodded.
48:35After enduring betrayal, killing, and survival trials,
48:38we could no longer trust strangers, even if it's the government.
48:42Just then, the roar of an engine came from the sky.
48:45A painted helicopter flew low overhead.
48:47It didn't stop, but as it passed over Irwin Village,
48:50it dropped a large package that landed in the mud.
48:53Hardtack and flyers flew everywhere.
48:55I picked up a flyer.
48:56It showed a map of the safe zone and a call to rally.
48:59Seems the world really is returning to normal.
49:02As Dad watched the helicopter leave, he smiled conflictingly.
49:05But we should just stick to our piece of land.
49:08We stood in the sunset, guarding a land of our own.
49:11As more and more survivors emerged from hiding,
49:14Irwin Village, now called Irwin Fortress, became a legend within the area.
49:18Amid the silent wasteland, we were the only place with green patches.
49:22It was seedlings and cucumbers climbing over the trellises.
49:26Ragged wanderers often passed by.
49:28From far away, they would stare hungrily at the green.
49:31They swallowed heavily.
49:33You can eat if you want.
49:34Trade your labor.
49:35That was the rule I set.
49:37We needed no wealth, only labor.
49:39And so, the bustle of humans began to return to the ruins.
49:43Some cleared the mud.
49:44Some repaired the walls.
49:45All for a bowl of hot potato soup.
49:48In this small, independent kingdom, Dwayne shone the brightest.
49:51Although he couldn't speak, he seemed born for farming.
49:55Those small, calloused hands had the power to turn waste into magic.
49:59Seedlings that died in Dad's and my hands would shoot up in just a few days under his care.
50:03He was hardworking.
50:05He would wander the vegetable patch like an inspector.
50:07One day, I saw some wanderers pointing at Dwayne and eyeing him scornfully.
50:12Dwayne paid them no mind.
50:14He just silently shoveled some soil and expertly spread it around.
50:18Then he picked a cucumber from the trellis and took a bite.
50:20The crisp sound echoed across the silent wilderness.
50:24The wanderers immediately shut up.
50:26The scorn in their eyes turned into envy and awe.
50:29Amid piles of corpses, fresh vegetables meant being at the top.
50:32As I watched Dwayne stand up confidently, I felt relieved.
50:36This was our home.
50:37An oasis among the wasteland.
50:39The legendary Irwin Fortress.
50:42The mud clearing work after the flood continued.
50:44I held a shovel and cleared the mud around the tree at the entrance.
50:48It used to be the village landmark.
50:50It's also where Jess and Wade had died.
50:52Clang!
50:52The shovel hit something hard.
50:54I bent down and dug a shiny object out of the black muck.
50:58I rubbed the dirt off.
50:59It gleaned brightly under the sunlight.
51:02It was a diamond-encrusted hair clip.
51:04I recalled the afternoon before the apocalypse.
51:07Jess waved the check, slammed the door, and left in a huff.
51:10She posted this clip on her social media and captioned,
51:13Some women can only save money, while I can only shine.
51:17Now, this symbol of vanity and greed lay quietly in my dirt-covered palm.
51:22It still shone, but it was cold to the touch.
51:24In the mud next to the hair clip, I also dug up several bones.
51:28They bore the marks of being gnawed and soaked.
51:30What were once living souls and relatives were now just a heap of sludge and unidentifiable bones.
51:36I felt no sense of revenge and no heart-wrenching sorrow.
51:40Only bleak weariness of it all.
51:42Vera.
51:42Pretty, huh?
51:43In my days, I seemed to hear young Jess trailing behind me and acting cute.
51:48I breathed deep, pulled a rusty box from my pocket,
51:51wiped the hairpin clean, and set it inside.
51:53There was no grave marker or memorial.
51:56I dug a deep hole under the tree roots,
51:58buried the box, covered it with soil, and stomped down hard.
52:02In the next life, let's not be sisters.
52:04I brushed the dirt off my hands and stood up.
52:07The setting sun cast golden light over the ruins.
52:10I turned around and walked toward the shelter.
52:12I didn't look back.
52:13Time was both the cruelest chisel in the world and its softest remedy.
52:17In 2028, the third year of the apocalypse, Erwin Fortress' expansion had reached its third phase.
52:23The damp shelter now linked to several air raid shelters, becoming a huge underground ecosystem.
52:29Sunlight shone through the triple-layer bulletproof skylight and onto the floor of the common room.
52:34Dad was next to the generator.
52:35He held a wrench and taught Dwayne how to replace a worn-out gear.
52:39Although he still had a slight limp from his injured leg, it hadn't dimmed his spirit at all.
52:44His hair had turned a bit grayer, but his gaze was relaxed than three years ago.
52:48Dwayne had grown into a young man.
52:50The mute orphan who had once been skeletal now had broad shoulders and arms full of solid muscle.
52:56He gestured and skillfully took apart the parts.
52:59His gaze was focused.
53:01A chopping sound came from the kitchen.
53:03Mom was chopping vegetables.
53:04She had gained weight.
53:06While most people still killed for a piece of moldy bread, Mom had to worry about losing weight.
53:11That itself was an extravagant show of wealth.
53:13Vera, bring out that jar of pickles.
53:16We're having spam for lunch.
53:18Mom spoke energetically.
53:19I carried a pot out of the temperature-controlled storage.
53:22As I passed a mirror, I glanced at my reflection.
53:25My skin was pale from living underground.
53:27But I wasn't sickly.
53:28I had weapons, food, and family.
53:31This was our life.
53:32We weren't just barely surviving, but truly living.
53:35We sat together, enjoying this hard-won peace.
53:38Every dish on the table was grown with our own hands.
53:41I felt deeply contented looking at everything before me.
53:44Sunlight poured in.
53:45Life was great.
53:46This is our family portrait.
53:48We're still together three years later.
53:50The lookout's chime rang.
53:52It was a visitor signal.
53:54A travel-worn convoy stopped outside our perimeter.
53:56Their cars had special emblems painted on.
53:58It was worn, but well-maintained.
54:00It's a trade caravan from the southern safe zone.
54:03In three years, humanity had finally rebuilt a fragile order from the ruins.
54:07Trade had replaced endless looting.
54:09I stood high on the wall.
54:11I held my gun, but pointed the barrel down.
54:13Their leader was a one-eyed man.
54:16He eyed the string of red chilies hanging from our wall.
54:18He swallowed hard.
54:20Miss Lane, the goods are all here.
54:22The one-eyed man opened the truck.
54:24Inside were barrels of gasoline and the solar panel components we needed.
54:28There's even boxes of sanitary pads and shampoo.
54:31We want to trade for vegetables, like spinach or the likes.
54:34If it's green, we'll take it.
54:36The exchange proceeded quietly and efficiently.
54:38When Dwayne brought out freshly-picked cucumbers that still glistened with dew,
54:42the guards in the convoy were stunned.
54:44One couldn't resist touching them.
54:46The one-eyed man slapped his hand back.
54:48Watch it.
54:49These are the lane's goods.
54:50In this new world, we were no longer bullied.
54:52We controlled key resources.
54:54After the trade, the one-eyed man lit a cigarette and took a long drag.
54:58He eyed the fortress enviously.
55:00Folks in the main zone call Irwin Fortress a paradise.
55:03I can see it lives up to the name.
55:05I smiled but didn't respond.
55:07A paradise?
55:08No.
55:09We had to defend this with our lives.
55:11The convoy left together, with vegetables and our hope.
55:14Perhaps the world really was slowly getting better.
55:16After seeing off the convoy, night fell.
55:19It was New Year's Eve.
55:20Chaos aside, we still celebrated New Year.
55:23The dining room glowed warm.
55:25Light bathing the table and chasing off the cold.
55:28The most lavish meal so far sat on the table.
55:31A large pot stew loaded with generous slices of pork, a plate of crisp and fresh cucumber
55:36salad, and a plate of steaming hot dumplings.
55:39These flour dumplings had flour that came from wheat we grew and milled.
55:43Although it wasn't store-bought, the wheat aroma was very rich.
55:47Here, Dwayne.
55:48This is the one you wrapped.
55:49You eat it.
55:50Dad laughed as he took a dumpling and gave it to Dwayne.
55:53Dwayne scratched his head sheepishly and grinned widely.
55:56He stuffed the food into his mouth and hissed from the heat.
55:59Mom turned on the restored, old-fashioned TV that was connected to a drive.
56:03The screen showed New Year's Eve sketches from decades ago.
56:06The quality was fuzzy, and the sound crackled.
56:08But to us, it was heavenly.
56:10A laugh track came from the TV.
56:13We laughed along.
56:14As we laughed, Mom teared up.
56:16She wiped her eyes, raised her glass of juice, and toasted to us, as well as our family being
56:20together with not one missing.
56:23We clinked out glasses together, outside.
56:25The cold wind still howled.
56:27Perhaps things were still bad elsewhere.
56:29But right here, right now, there was food, lights, my parents, and my brother.
56:34This was home.
56:35Even if outside was hell, this place was heaven when the door was closed.
56:39As I looked around, I suddenly felt that all our suffering was worth it.
56:43Dad carried the pride of being the head of the family.
56:45Mom's face showed the simplest happiness of a mother.
56:48Dwayne's eyes sparkled, for he had found a home.
56:51Right now, I wished time would stop forever.
56:54After dinner, I walked out of the shelter alone.
56:56The setting sun stained the entire land blood red.
56:59I stood on the wall.
57:01I looked at the land that had once been devastated.
57:03Three years ago, it was a frozen hell, littered with corpses.
57:07Half a year ago, it was played.
57:09Now, greenery cloaked the ruins.
57:11The terraced fields we had carved out wound down.
57:14The greenhouse tarp glistened in the evening sun.
57:17At the entrance, the tree where I buried the hair clip had sprouted new buds that swayed
57:21gently in the wind.
57:22Smoke rose in wisps from the shelter's chimney, carrying the smell of firewood that traveled
57:27up.
57:27This smoke meant life and civilization.
57:30I touched my chest.
57:31There was no pendant, no storage space, no system.
57:34I had no special advantages.
57:36What remained was Mom and Dad's determination to sell the house and car.
57:40It was the persistence of modifying the shelter.
57:42It was the courage to pull the trigger on those thugs.
57:46Vera, come back for some fruit.
57:48I cut some watermelon.
57:49Mom's call came from behind me, followed by Dad's and Dwayne's agreement.
57:53I turned around and looked at that glowing entrance.
57:55I smiled unknowingly.
57:56Was the apocalypse over?
57:58Maybe not.
57:59Disasters might come again.
58:01Extreme cold, heat, earthquakes, and plagues.
58:04It was like the Earth was having one long immune reaction.
58:07But I wasn't afraid, because I knew that no matter what tomorrow brought, the Irwins had
58:12already placed firm roots into this land.
58:14I told them I was coming, then turned and ran inside.
58:17The apocalypse would end, and we would keep on living.
58:20We would live well.
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