After perishing in a brutal frozen apocalypse, Vera Irwin and her family mysteriously wake up 30 days before the disaster begins. With memories of starvation, betrayal, and death still haunting them, they realize they’ve been given one final chance to rewrite their fate.
No superpowers. No miracle system. No rescue is coming.
Determined to survive the coming catastrophe, the Irwin family sells everything they own and retreats to the countryside to secretly build a survival bunker before the world collapses. As temperatures plunge to a deadly -94°F, society descends into chaos. Food becomes currency, neighbors become enemies, and desperate survivors will do anything to stay alive.
But surviving the endless blizzard is only the beginning. Armed raiders, collapsing governments, dwindling supplies, and human cruelty push the family to their absolute limits. Vera must use the painful knowledge from her past life to protect the people she loves before history repeats itself.
Blizzard Reset: The Second Life Survival Plan combines intense survival action, apocalypse suspense, emotional family bonds, second-chance rebirth, disaster preparation, and psychological tension into a gripping end-of-the-world drama you won’t stop watching.
Watch the full movie with English subtitles now!
#BlizzardReset #ApocalypseDrama #SurvivalMovie #EndOfTheWorld #ENGSUB #DisasterMovie #SecondChance #FrozenApocalypse #SurvivalPlan #ThrillerDrama #PostApocalyptic #FamilySurvival #FullMovie #TrendingDrama #RebirthStory
No superpowers. No miracle system. No rescue is coming.
Determined to survive the coming catastrophe, the Irwin family sells everything they own and retreats to the countryside to secretly build a survival bunker before the world collapses. As temperatures plunge to a deadly -94°F, society descends into chaos. Food becomes currency, neighbors become enemies, and desperate survivors will do anything to stay alive.
But surviving the endless blizzard is only the beginning. Armed raiders, collapsing governments, dwindling supplies, and human cruelty push the family to their absolute limits. Vera must use the painful knowledge from her past life to protect the people she loves before history repeats itself.
Blizzard Reset: The Second Life Survival Plan combines intense survival action, apocalypse suspense, emotional family bonds, second-chance rebirth, disaster preparation, and psychological tension into a gripping end-of-the-world drama you won’t stop watching.
Watch the full movie with English subtitles now!
#BlizzardReset #ApocalypseDrama #SurvivalMovie #EndOfTheWorld #ENGSUB #DisasterMovie #SecondChance #FrozenApocalypse #SurvivalPlan #ThrillerDrama #PostApocalyptic #FamilySurvival #FullMovie #TrendingDrama #RebirthStory
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KurzfilmeTranskript
00:00The pain ceased, replaced by a hallucination of my soul freezing.
00:04What is minus 94 degrees like?
00:07Each exhale turns into shards that pierce your lungs.
00:10Your blood flow slows.
00:12Even steel turns brittle and breaks.
00:14In my past life, I watched my limbs turn dark and go numb.
00:18My younger sister Jess had on the last coat she took from me,
00:21cuddled in Wade's arms, laughing behind the door.
00:24Vera, you have more body fat.
00:26We need this coat more than you do.
00:29I wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
00:32Human malice is colder than the harshest winter.
00:35I woke with a jolt.
00:36My back soaked in cold sweat.
00:38It was extremely hot.
00:40The cicadas outside were loud.
00:42I reached for my phone.
00:43July 15th, 2025, 95 degrees.
00:47I'm still alive.
00:48I searched for a pendant, wishing I had a storage space.
00:51Nothing.
00:51I tried to call out to the system.
00:53Nothing.
00:54Nothing at all.
00:55All that was left was my bank balance and the blazing sun outside.
00:58I had no powers or storage space, but I still had my memories.
01:02I still had my parents.
01:04Vera?
01:04The door swung open.
01:06Seeing me, my parents were stunned and thrilled.
01:10They returned, too.
01:12We tightly hugged one another.
01:13Dad's hands shook.
01:15Tears streamed down Mom's face.
01:17This time, we're done being nice for nothing.
01:19Dad wiped his face.
01:20His gaze hardening.
01:21We'll be fine.
01:22We still have one another and this house.
01:25It hasn't reached minus 94 degrees yet.
01:28We can build a shelter to survive.
01:30We need money.
01:31Mom dashed to the safe and emptied its contents onto the bed.
01:36Vera, go through all our liquid assets.
01:39Max, sell this house fast.
01:41We'll only take cash.
01:43I opened the banking app.
01:45There were no loans or overdrafts.
01:47It was our hard-earned money.
01:49Every cent had to be used wisely.
01:51Only 30 days left until the apocalypse.
01:55The bell rang.
01:56Even without opening the door, I knew who was there.
02:00It was Jess.
02:01She came from money for her boyfriend Wade's business.
02:04I opened the door.
02:05Jess walked in, wearing an entitled expression.
02:08Are Dad and Mom home?
02:10Give me $500,000 or I'm leaving home.
02:13In my past life, I went all in to get that money.
02:16This time, I looked over at my parents.
02:19Mom kept tapping on the calculator without looking up.
02:22Okay.
02:23Jess froze.
02:24Surprised by how easy it was, her face flickered with joy.
02:27Wait.
02:28Dad put out his cigarette and took a document from his briefcase.
02:32Sign this.
02:33Declaration of Relationship Severance.
02:35Dad, what do you mean?
02:37This money is meant to sever our ties.
02:40Dad's tone was cold.
02:41Take the money and your life is no longer our concern.
02:45We're going to sell this house.
02:48What?
02:48Are you crazy?
02:49Jess stared at us.
02:51You'd sell the house to make me break up?
02:53Will you sign it or not?
02:54I handed her a pen.
02:56Sign it or you get nothing.
02:57With $500,000, you can go wherever you want.
03:01Jess looked at the check.
03:02Greed won over reason.
03:03She thought we were just bluffing.
03:05I'll sign.
03:06Don't come begging me when Wade gets rich.
03:08She quickly signed it, took the check, and stormed out.
03:11As the door closed, Mom briefly trembled, then composed herself.
03:16Without her, there's one less mouth to feed.
03:18What comes next is what matters most.
03:21We had a total of $10 million.
03:23We needed a vehicle for extreme cold, hundreds of tons of coal, a renovated shelter, and food
03:29supplies for 10 years.
03:30When survival was at stake, $10 million was nothing.
03:34Let's go.
03:34Dad looked at the empty house, his expression firm.
03:37Only the air raid shelter in the village can endure minus 94 degrees after proper insulation
03:41work.
03:42The house in Irwin Village would serve as our last stronghold.
03:46Without spatial ability, we can't store supplies instantly.
03:50Our greatest challenge was storage and preservation.
03:53Dad used the experience he had built over his career.
03:56Standing before the abandoned shelter, loo prints in hand, he shouted at the construction
04:00team we paid a fortune for.
04:02What I require isn't insulation, but full isolation.
04:06Isolation!
04:07With just $10 million, Dad still spent $3 million on infrastructure.
04:12Don't worry.
04:13Dad saw the reluctance on my face.
04:15When temperatures drop to minus 94 degrees, every bit of insulation is life-saving.
04:21My challenge was extreme stockpiling.
04:25I had to account for every cubic foot.
04:28The villagers assembled, as trucks continuously delivered supplies.
04:32Max, are you opening a supermarket?
04:35You sold your city house just for this?
04:37While carrying a 50-pound box of canned peaches, I wiped my sweat and smiled.
04:43Yeah, we couldn't get by in the city, so we returned to run a business.
04:47The glare of the sun was still blinding.
04:50I alone knew that this messy, overcrowded stockpile would turn into a treasure in a month,
04:56driving even the rich to envy.
04:59Mom suddenly rushed over, looking grim.
05:03Vera, we have a problem.
05:05We're out of money.
05:06The diesel generator hasn't been bought.
05:08We also didn't buy enough thermal clothing.
05:11We're selling it.
05:12I glanced at the van used for transporting goods, then at the gold bracelet on my wrist.
05:18We'll sell everything except what we're wearing.
05:21Only three days left.
05:23Temperatures fluctuated abnormally.
05:25104 degrees by day, falling to 50 degrees at night.
05:29The fluctuations made the dogs bark all night.
05:32The yard was packed tight.
05:34Organizing supplies was challenging.
05:36Dad loaded two side rooms with 50 tons of coal, bricked up the windows, left a tiny access
05:42opening, and covered the outside with weeds.
05:44The biggest problem was diesel.
05:46The generator was our final power backup.
05:48Under strict control, storing tons of diesel was impossible.
05:52The construction team's gone, but the fuel?
05:55Mom gazed at the empty metal tanks, her anxiety rising.
05:58Dad gritted his teeth and reached out to a contractor he met back in his construction days.
06:04Nate, I need fuel.
06:05Don't ask why.
06:06I'm running a greenhouse farm.
06:08I'll pay 50% extra.
06:10Cash on delivery.
06:11That night, a modified truck quietly pulled into the yard.
06:15Dad placed two boxes of cash, amounting to $600,000, into the driver's seat.
06:20Once connected, the black tube pulsed like veins as diesel flowed into the underground tank.
06:25Mom and I kept watch.
06:27Heidi from next door came out, peering about.
06:30What are they doing this late?
06:32It reeks of gasoline.
06:34I tightened my grip on the flashlight and told her the septic tank was clogged,
06:37and we were clearing it out.
06:39It stinks.
06:40You should go inside.
06:41Heidi pinched her nose and went back inside.
06:44Once the tank was full, Dad slumped against the wall in relief.
06:48We're all set.
06:49Food, coal, diesel, medicine.
06:52Whatever happens, we can survive three years.
06:55An urgent weather alert suddenly disrupted the news.
06:59Stratospheric collapse will plunge global temps in 24 hours.
07:03I looked at my phone.
07:05Jess sent a photo of her dining at a luxury hotel.
07:07You're out in the countryside while I'm in a presidential suite.
07:10At midday on August 15th, the glaring sunlight suddenly dimmed.
07:15The sky was cloudless, but it looked strangely gray.
07:19The air became still.
07:20Even the cicadas stopped chirping.
07:23Dad urged us to enter the shelter.
07:24It was pure survival instinct.
07:26We rushed into the shelter.
07:28As rehearsed, Dad shut the outer wooden door and the blast-resistant door.
07:33As the winch turned, the final airtight thermal door shut firmly and locked with a click.
07:39Silence fell.
07:40Battery-powered LED lights dimly lit the shelter.
07:43We had installed periscope-style observation ports.
07:46I looked at the thermometer outside.
07:4895 degrees.
07:4986 degrees.
07:5168 degrees.
07:52It fell below the freezing point in no time.
07:54The raindrops froze into ice.
07:57Heavy snow followed.
07:58Each snowflake was palm-sized, grayish, with a sulfuric smell.
08:02At 3 p.m., it had dropped to minus 4 degrees outside.
08:06It felt like the earth had been submerged in liquid nitrogen.
08:09The loudspeaker came on.
08:11The village chief's voice quivered.
08:12Everyone, keep warm and stay indoors.
08:15The voice stopped.
08:16Perhaps the lines snapped.
08:18Or the speaker had frozen.
08:19Through the port, I saw a villager who hadn't returned home stumbling toward his house.
08:23As he ran, his movements suddenly stiffened, like a rusted wind-up toy.
08:28Just before reaching his front door, he dropped to the ground.
08:32Chaos outside.
08:34Shelter.
08:35Another world.
08:36The aerogel insulation worked well.
08:38No heating.
08:39Geothermal and body heat kept the shelter at 59 degrees.
08:43A thick sweatshirt sufficed.
08:44A padded sweatshirt was enough to stay warm.
08:46Dad ran a detector over the door seams and vents to ensure they were airtight.
08:50Both carbon dioxide and oxygen levels are normal.
08:53No air leakage.
08:54Mom dug through the supplies and took out a coal stove.
08:57Use coal first to save electricity.
09:00Smokeless coal crackled as it burned.
09:02Fire danced beneath the kettle.
09:04Dinner was simple.
09:05Noodles with three fried eggs and canned meat on top.
09:08At times like this, a bowl of steaming noodles was truly satisfying.
09:12We sat around the coal stove, eating quietly without a word.
09:15The signal was intermittent.
09:17Before the network collapsed, I opened social media.
09:20Panic everywhere.
09:21Despite being set to 86 degrees, it's still freezing.
09:25My window froze and shattered.
09:26A message suddenly popped up.
09:28It was Jess.
09:29Vera, what's going on?
09:31The air conditioning system went down.
09:33We're freezing here.
09:34We want to stay at your place.
09:35Come pick us up.
09:36I stared at the screen and told her the roads were blocked, so we couldn't pick them up.
09:40I then blocked her.
09:42As I set down my phone, a dull thud came from the ventilation duct above.
09:47Someone was hitting the camouflage layer.
09:49It stopped after a few thuds.
09:51Dad motioned us to keep quiet.
09:53He listened closely with a listening device.
09:55It's Frank and his gang.
09:57They're seeking shelter.
09:59Our camouflage is well made.
10:01Topped with rotten wood and bricks.
10:03Thinking it was a ruin, they left after kicking it twice.
10:05Frank was the village's bully.
10:07Needless to say, he had no food stored at home.
10:10Over three days, temperatures fell below minus 40 degrees.
10:14Life in the shelter grew boring.
10:16There was no entertainment, only faint light and relentless snowstorms.
10:20To conserve fuel, we only used the coal stove for four hours a day.
10:24We used arctic sleeping bags for the rest of the time.
10:27On the fourth day, villagers went around asking for coal.
10:30Through the port, I saw villagers wrap tightly in quilts.
10:34They used axes and crowbars to smash Heidi's door.
10:37Heidi, we're fellow villagers.
10:40Give us coal.
10:41Open up or we'll break in.
10:42Heidi's cries could be heard.
10:44Then I heard the door break.
10:46The screams stopped in under five minutes.
10:48The villagers carried off two sacks of coal.
10:51One of the axes still had blood on it.
10:53They'll find us soon.
10:54Dad cleaned his composite bow.
10:56It was his only ranged weapon, though we minimized chimney smoke.
11:00Thermal imaging or starving people with sensitive noses can still detect heat.
11:04A face suddenly appeared in the observation port.
11:07Frank was at the hidden ventilation outlet, sniffing hard.
11:10His face lit up with excitement.
11:12There is meat below.
11:13We were found.
11:14But Dad didn't panic.
11:16This shelter was built for this exact day.
11:18Frank motioned for two of his men to dig into the vent.
11:21As soon as they touched the mesh covering the vent, a blue-violet spark flared.
11:26It was a high-voltage device.
11:28It wasn't lethal, but it could knock them off their feet.
11:31A scream was heard outside.
11:33There's electricity!
11:35Max has been on guard against us.
11:37At minus 40 degrees, getting injured or sweating from panic can lead to hypothermia.
11:42They retreated after cursing in frustration.
11:44This was only the start.
11:46A greater crisis came that night.
11:48The power grid went down.
11:50The town's faint lights were visible earlier, but they all went out.
11:53The world became pitch black.
11:55Our phones became useless.
11:57Even the last signal vanished.
11:59We were isolated.
12:00Dad told us to start the diesel generator.
12:02A low rumble came from the soundproof room.
12:05Despite the soundproofing, we could still feel the floor faintly vibrating.
12:09We turned on the old radio.
12:10There were occasional transmissions.
12:12Global disaster.
12:13Stay put.
12:14Await rescue.
12:16While counting the remaining coal, Mom suddenly panicked.
12:19Max, look at this corner.
12:20Frost had built up along the shelter's wall.
12:23What's happening?
12:24Dad touched it, and his face went pale.
12:26It's frozen all the way through.
12:28The soil has frozen 10 feet deep.
12:30The cold seeps into the wall.
12:32If it drops to minus 94 degrees, our insulation may not withstand it.
12:36The city's once glamorous hotel had become a huge ice coffin.
12:41Even in her expensive fur coat, Jess couldn't stop shivering.
12:45Wade crouched in a corner, wrapped entirely in the curtains.
12:48All the wooden furniture had been burned.
12:50Even the luxury bed was turned to ash.
12:52There's no food left.
12:54Wade had a sinister gaze.
12:56They had spent the entire $500,000.
12:59They spent it on designer bags, watches, and a useless fur coat.
13:03They didn't buy any food.
13:04Let's go find your sister.
13:06Wade suddenly stood up.
13:07His eyes flickered with madness.
13:09She must be prepared.
13:11And the countryside has firewood.
13:12How do we get there?
13:13It's minus 58 degrees outside.
13:15I have a car.
13:16Wade took out a car key.
13:18It was an off-road vehicle key he took from a corpse.
13:21That car still works.
13:23If we make it through, we'll live.
13:24The two charged out frantically.
13:26Frozen dead bodies filled the streets.
13:29Some froze as they crawled.
13:31Some were smashing doors.
13:32Luck favored the wicked.
13:34The car really started up, and it had a full tank.
13:37They drove straight to Irwin Village.
13:39The next day, a car emitting black smoke crashed into a large tree.
13:44The doors opened.
13:45Two figures slowly crawled out.
13:48Jess' face was pale from the cold.
13:50She looked toward our house.
13:51It wasn't fully covered in snow.
13:53Her tears froze at once.
13:55We did it, Wade.
13:56We will live!
13:57We were having dinner.
13:58To stay warm, we had a pot of stew for dinner.
14:01The observation port alarm suddenly buzzed.
14:03Someone was here.
14:05I peered outside, and my eyes widened.
14:07It was Jess and Wade.
14:09They weren't alone.
14:11Frank and his men were following them.
14:13Vera!
14:14Dad!
14:14Mom!
14:15I'm Jess!
14:16Her voice echoed from the loudspeaker, breaking the village's dead silence.
14:20I know you're inside!
14:21Wade said you sold the house and car and made $10 million.
14:25You must have a lot of food.
14:27Damn it!
14:28This idiot!
14:29To get Frank's help and mercy, she had given away all our secrets.
14:33Everyone!
14:34Jess shouted at the villagers.
14:35My parents are here.
14:36They've hoarded supplies.
14:38If we open the door, we can all survive.
14:41How cruel of her.
14:42Now the villagers were certain we had food.
14:44At the thought of $10 million worth of supplies, Frank waved his hand.
14:48Smash it!
14:50Pickaxes and hammers struck our blast-resistant door.
14:54Mom's hands shook as she held onto Dad's arm.
14:57Dad was expressionless.
14:59He walked to the control panel and turned the valve.
15:03It was connected to a high-pressure pipe.
15:05At minus 58 degrees, water was the deadliest weapon.
15:09Open it.
15:10Dad spoke coldly.
15:12I pulled the handle.
15:13Nozzles hidden above the doorframe sprayed water.
15:16It wasn't just water.
15:18Dad added salt to lower its freezing point.
15:20It was liquid before spraying.
15:22On contact with objects, it would freeze instantly.
15:26Screams broke out outside.
15:27Those breaking the door were drenched.
15:29Their clothes froze in seconds.
15:31Their hands were stuck to their tools.
15:34I saw Wade take cover behind Jess, using her as a shield.
15:37She stood frozen like a statue, covered in ice.
15:40Her eyes reflected disbelief and despair.
15:43The extreme cold cut the screams off.
15:46Dad's high-pressure spray system, originally meant for decontamination, had become a deadly defense.
15:52Even at minus 58 degrees, the concentrated salt water stayed liquid and dispersed as super-cooled mist.
15:59But on contact with any object, it rapidly absorbed heat and solidified into ice.
16:06Frank ran forward with a homemade shotgun but was doused instantly.
16:10His fingers stiffened before he could fire.
16:14Frost formed over his face almost instantly.
16:18He tried to wipe his face, but his gloves stuck to his skin.
16:23Wade, save me!
16:25Jess's scream was filled with terror.
16:27Through the port, I saw something terrifying.
16:30When the water burst out, the man who claimed to love her used her as a shield without hesitation.
16:39Her fur coat was quickly drenched.
16:42The soaked coat clung to her slender body.
16:45Wade used her as a shield.
16:47Are you crazy?
16:48It's so cold!
16:49What are you doing?
16:50Jess struggled.
16:52But Wade kept her from moving.
16:53He took cover behind the trembling woman.
16:56His gaze burned with a mad urge to survive and hatred for us.
17:00Don't move!
17:01You're my woman!
17:02You should protect me!
17:03Wade's voice trembled.
17:04Vera, open the door!
17:06Or Jess will freeze to death!
17:08Jess stopped struggling.
17:09Not out of will, but because she was frozen.
17:12Her fur coat had solidified into icy armor.
17:16Immobilizing her completely, she looked at our observation port.
17:19Her gaze turned from panic and rage into a despairing stare.
17:23Frank's men collapsed and writhed in pain.
17:25The more they struggled, the thicker the ice became.
17:29Even Frank knelt, his body hardening into an ice statue as he wheezed heavily.
17:35Is the threat over?
17:36No.
17:37Dad pointed to the monitor.
17:38Wade's still alive.
17:39He hardly got wet.
17:41What is he doing?
17:42Realizing Jess was frozen solid, Wade knocked her to the ground.
17:47He pulled out a homemade incendiary bottle, lit the fuse, and charged toward our vent.
17:53I want all of you dead!
17:55The bottle struck the vent's cover.
17:58Flames erupted, but the extreme cold snuffed them out.
18:01Dad had reinforced the vent with fireproof insulation.
18:04It burned for less than half a minute before extinguishing.
18:07But Wade didn't stop.
18:09Like a madman, he smashed the duct with a crowbar.
18:12Come out!
18:13Give me food!
18:14I have money!
18:15That fool gave me all the money!
18:17I'll pay you!
18:18He yelled, his words incoherent.
18:20But he forgot it was minus 58 degrees.
18:23He dodged most of the water.
18:25But his pant legs still got wet.
18:27Through the port, I watched coldly.
18:30His movements slowed.
18:32Five minutes later, the banging stopped.
18:34He knelt there, holding the doorframe.
18:36Face pressed against the steel.
18:38Eyes wide open.
18:40Outside the door stood five ice statues.
18:43The threat was eliminated.
18:45But our position was exposed.
18:47The ice statues were both a warning and a marker.
18:49The next morning, Dad checked the instruments.
18:52Suddenly, his face turned pale.
18:54He tapped the barometer.
18:56His fingers trembling.
18:57This is bad.
18:59My heart immediately sank.
19:00Dad turned to me.
19:02Fear in his eyes.
19:03Air pressure is dropping rapidly.
19:06A severe blizzard is coming.
19:08The winds can tear houses from the ground.
19:11Our door was sealed shut by thick ice formed from last night's water.
19:15If snow blocked the vents, we'd suffocate from lack of oxygen.
19:20The legendary super blizzard is more brutal than expected.
19:23It no longer howled, only gravel scraping steel.
19:27Just then, the oxygen monitor lets out a glaring red light in alarm.
19:31The carbon dioxide levels shoot up.
19:33The air duct is blocked.
19:35There's too much snow, or the layer has collapsed.
19:37If we didn't clear it, the three of us would suffocate within three hours.
19:41Dad acted without any hesitation.
19:43He pulled out the spare hydraulic jack and the alloy drill bit and aimed at the shaft.
19:48I steadied the drill rod as Mom cranked the fan to vent leftover air.
19:52The lack of air made me dizzy, and my lungs burned.
19:55Ten minutes later, there was a sharp clang.
19:57The drill got stuck.
19:59It hit metal.
20:00A hint of joy showed on Dad's face.
20:02It's a car chassis.
20:03Wind flipped a car onto the shaft.
20:05The jack let out a heavy groan.
20:07With a dull thud, the creaking of metal came from above.
20:10A stream of cold yet incredibly sweet air rushed in.
20:14We gasped for air greedily.
20:16Dad pushed open the cover.
20:17I quickly looked out through the gap.
20:19Sure enough, it was Frank's SUV.
20:22It was like a giant lid blocking the snow.
20:24I turned and looked into the distance.
20:27My heart suddenly jolted.
20:28On the silent snow field lay fresh footprints.
20:31I followed the trail and adjusted the periscope.
20:34Three hunched figures appeared.
20:36Jason, a guy from the village, led them.
20:38Usually harmless, he now led two guy to pry open the shared grain storage.
20:43The door opened, but the inside was empty.
20:46Only a few moldy old grains and rat droppings remained.
20:49In that instant, any pretense of decency was gone.
20:53Jason suddenly raised half a brick and smashed his companion's head.
20:57Blood sprayed everywhere.
20:58Like a glaring red flower, he iced the two men and took the spoiled grain.
21:03He grabbed a handful and ate it greedily.
21:06Down in the shelter, I was eating lunch.
21:07It was a steaming hot self-heating meal kit.
21:10The aroma filled the room.
21:11Starvation erases humanity.
21:13Dad picked up some beef and stared at the screen blankly.
21:16This is the current gap.
21:18Some kill for moldy rice, while others eat meat in a warm shelter.
21:22Jason dragged the bloodied sack to leave.
21:24Suddenly, he froze.
21:25Three pairs of glowing green dots appeared in the distance.
21:29It was three starving wolves.
21:31Beasts that survived in this frozen hell were the top of the chain.
21:35Jason had no time to run.
21:37The first wolf quickly snapped at his calf.
21:39The second one went for his throat.
21:41His screams lasted a short while on the audio receiver.
21:44The red liquid quickly froze on the snow.
21:46The bag of moldy grains he killed for spilled everywhere.
21:50The wolves didn't even look at it.
21:51After feeding, they didn't leave.
21:53The three wolves circled around the vent.
21:55Their nostrils twitched.
21:56They caught the scent of humans.
21:58Dad put down his utensils and walked to the workbench.
22:01He welded spiked iron bars behind the blast door.
22:04A forced entry spells death.
22:06While mom was sorting the coal we used for heating, she suddenly gasped.
22:10Max, look!
22:11A box fell from a hidden compartment of the coal bin.
22:14Inside were ten boxes of antibiotics.
22:16This was a gift from the coal seller.
22:18We didn't care before, but now, it was life-saving medicine worth a lot.
22:22As we celebrated the unexpected gift, the quiet radio lit up red.
22:26After some static, a man's voice came through with a sneer.
22:29Found it.
22:30There's a good target in Irwin Village.
22:32We act tomorrow.
22:34Bring the flamethrower and burn through the shell.
22:36The static was like fingernails on a chalkboard.
22:39Dad tuned the old radio.
22:41His face flickered in the red indicator light.
22:43The stranger's voice from before came again.
22:45It felt like he was next to us.
22:47Confirmed.
22:48It's that house.
22:49Frank died there a few days ago.
22:50There are noticeable ice statues at the entrance.
22:53It was our goods.
22:54Those bodies frozen at the entrance had finally attracted vultures.
22:58There must be something underground.
23:00Those statues aren't even searched.
23:02Dad turned it off.
23:03The shelter fell silent.
23:04Prepare to fight.
23:05This time, we were no longer just defending.
23:08Mom dug out bottles of high-proof liquor from the supplies.
23:11We usually couldn't bear to drink it.
23:13The bottles were smashed open.
23:14The liquid was poured in glass bottles.
23:17Oil-soaked rags were stuffed into the openings.
23:19I sat by the whetstone and held the bow.
23:22The arrowheads made a scraping sound against the stone.
23:24A cold glint reflected.
23:26No fear.
23:27Just adrenaline-fueled calm.
23:29In this brutal world, being weak was a sin.
23:32Late at night, the voice came again.
23:34They sounded overly confident.
23:36Tomorrow at midnight, us three will go.
23:37It's so few people.
23:39I'm sure they can't withstand a flamethrower.
23:41Wind and snow raged.
23:43A roar split the darkness.
23:45Three snowmobiles burst through the snowstorm.
23:47They stopped at the entrance.
23:49Through the periscope, I saw three heavily bundled-up figures.
23:52They wasted no time.
23:54The leader waved, and a man with a tank stepped forward.
23:57Whoosh!
23:58A flame of over 30 feet long burst out instantly.
24:01It was an industrial flamethrower.
24:03The orange flames looked unnatural in this minus 58 degrees world.
24:08The thick ice sealing the door melted under the heat and turned into steam.
24:12The steel door turned from black iron to deep red.
24:15Then, cherry red.
24:17Inside the shelter, the temperature alarm blared.
24:19The initially cold shelter instantly turned into an oven.
24:22We stripped off our gear.
24:23Sweat poured down our faces.
24:25Heat seeped through the cracks.
24:27It smelled like burning metal.
24:29It won't last much longer.
24:30The gaskets will melt.
24:31Mom tightened her grip on the Molotov.
24:33Dad just calmly stared at the screen.
24:35His hand rested on a red button.
24:37It was a dry powder fire suppression system he designed.
24:39But this time, it wasn't loaded with fire suppressant.
24:42Instead, it had starch he'd gotten from a mill.
24:45You want a fire?
24:45I'll give you a big one.
24:47Dad slammed down the switch.
24:50Blast!
24:51Hidden overhead vents gushed white plumes.
24:54That wasn't smoke.
24:55It was extremely fine flour.
24:57The immense pressure made it engulf the entire entrance at a high concentration.
25:01It enveloped the man with the flamethrower.
25:03He clearly hadn't studied physics.
25:05He had no time to react.
25:07He kept his finger on the trigger.
25:09The open flame met the high concentration dust.
25:12Boom!
25:12An explosion sounded like a thunderclap from the sky.
25:15A fiery shockwave engulfed everything.
25:18The periscope screen flashed white.
25:20Then came a violent tremor.
25:22Dust rained down from above.
25:24A short while later, I could see again.
25:26The ground was scorched.
25:27The man with the flamethrower was gone.
25:30Nothing left but charred remains.
25:32Another man nearby was blasted over 30 feet away.
25:35He hung on a branch.
25:36His fate was unknown.
25:38I tightened my grip on the bow.
25:40Dad stared at the corner of the screen.
25:41The leader was lucky.
25:43He was farther away and had gotten knocked over.
25:45His face was covered in blood.
25:47One arm twisted.
25:48Still, he managed to stagger to his feet.
25:51He sneered.
25:51With his other hand, he pulled a green object from his coat.
25:55He pulled the pin and pressed it firmly against the mangled door.
25:58Come out, or I'll let go.
26:00We'll get blown up together.
26:02Calm down.
26:03I turned on the loudspeaker.
26:04I was so calm that it felt strange even to me.
26:08You can blow a hole, but I've got piles.
26:11We have 10 tons of TNT down here.
26:13If you let go, we'll all burn together.
26:16That was an outright lie.
26:18Now it all hinged on who feared death more.
26:21Sure enough, the man's eyes flickered.
26:23His fingers stiffened slightly.
26:24He weighed his options and hesitated.
26:26At that moment, Dad stood still in front of the firing port.
26:30He drew the bow fully.
26:31The bowstring hummed.
26:33The man's wrist was magnified through the scope.
26:36The bowstring snapped.
26:37It was a specially made carbon steel arrow.
26:40It whistled and pierced clean through the man's wrist.
26:43It pinned his hand firmly to the ground.
26:45Ugh!
26:46The pain made him instinctively let go.
26:48The grenade rolled down the steps and fell into a snowbank.
26:51It exploded over 30 feet away and kicked up a cloud.
26:53It didn't damage the blast door at all.
26:56Before the man could even recover, Mom had already lit the Molotov and thrown it precisely
27:00through the port.
27:02Flames instantly engulfed the writhing figure.
27:04We didn't step out.
27:06We watched as they turned into smoking, charred lumps.
27:09And everything stilled.
27:10Thirty minutes later, after it was safe, Dad went out to clean up.
27:13He pulled out a fireproof bag from the corpse of the leader.
27:16Inside was a hand-drawn map with Irwin Village circled in red.
27:20They had wrote,
27:20Suspected entrance to underground water vane.
27:23That map made Dad's eyes light up.
27:26If we had running water, our quality of life could change.
27:29Dad pointed at the lines on the map.
27:31Groundwater stays at a constant temperature.
27:33It's better than bottled water.
27:34According to the map, that potential groundwater vane is actually right beneath our house.
27:39The shelter became a work site for the next few days.
27:42We took turns.
27:43In this tiny area, we dug down.
27:45It was hard work.
27:46The frozen ground was as hard as iron.
27:49Each dig of the shovel sent a shock through us.
27:51We had to use an electric drill.
27:53Then chip it with a pickaxe.
27:55Sweat ran down our backs.
27:56Then quickly cooled in the chilly air.
27:58To conserve energy, we ate extra hardtack with our meals.
28:01The cramped space was filled with the smell of earth and sweat.
28:04But no one complained.
28:06We all knew that in this apocalyptic world, water was life.
28:10It was a currency stronger than food.
28:12By the third night, we had reached nearly 10 feet.
28:15Dad was swinging the pickaxe when he suddenly stopped.
28:17Thump.
28:18It was no longer a dull thud, but a hollow echo.
28:21Dad carefully struck again.
28:23The previously solid ground collapsed inward and revealed a pitch black opening.
28:27A damp breeze drifted up from below.
28:30The beam of the flashlight pierced the darkness.
28:33Down below that opening was actually a man-made tunnel.
28:36Moss covered the concrete walls.
28:38We could still see traces of slogans from decades ago.
28:41This was an abandoned air raid network from the war and famine era.
28:45Dad went down first to scout.
28:49A while later, his trembling voice sounded.
28:52Come down!
28:52Quickly!
28:53It's running water!
28:54Mom and I slid down the ladder.
28:56We went through a narrow hall.
28:57The view suddenly opened up.
28:59At the tunnel's end, a river flowed.
29:01It wasn't large, but under the light beam, the water sparkled.
29:05I reached out to touch it.
29:06The water was a little warm.
29:08About 39 degrees.
29:09Dad held the thermometer.
29:11His cheeks were flushed.
29:12The underground layer means it's not frozen.
29:14We can use a circulation system to heat the shelter.
29:17We can even take showers!
29:19At minus 58 degrees, 39 degrees water was like a hot spring.
29:23We stared greedily at the river, as if it were flowing diamonds.
29:26But then, just as I was about to take a water sample, the light beam suddenly swept across
29:31the silt.
29:32I froze instantly.
29:33A set of footprints was clearly imprinted on the soft mud.
29:36It was very small and barefoot.
29:38Their toes dug deep in.
29:39The mud was still wet.
29:41Besides us, there were actually other people living underground.
29:44We followed the small, wet footprints and felt our way through the air raid shelter.
29:49We turned a corner piled with moldy crates.
29:51The flashlight beam froze on a corner.
29:53Something huddled there.
29:54He was thin from going so long with no food.
29:57His clothes were torn.
29:59His skin was pale from years without sunlight.
30:01If not for those wide, terrified eyes, I would have thought it was a skeleton.
30:05It was Dwayne, the mute orphan from the village.
30:08He was clutching a dead rat and had blue liquid coming from his mouth.
30:11Beside him was a pile of what looked like moss.
30:14Dad snapped up Hiobo instantly and aimed between his eyes.
30:18Few supplies.
30:19Another mouth to feed meant big risk.
30:21Also, he knew our secret about the water source.
30:24He gave up.
30:25Closed his eyes, trembling like a leaf.
30:28For a few seconds, all we heard was the water.
30:30Forget it.
30:31Dad lowered his bow.
30:32He took two buns from his coat and tossed them over.
30:35Dwayne's eyes snapped open and he lunged at the buns.
30:38He swallowed them without chewing.
30:40After eating, he crawled over.
30:41He grovels frantically to us, then pointed up.
30:44He spread his arms wide to mime a huge circle and made anxious sounds.
30:48He made fists and mimicked holding a steering wheel, then drew a finger across his throat.
30:53He warned us that something had come with killing intent.
30:56We barely had time to catch our breath back home when the ground shook.
31:01It was machinery vibrating on frozen ground.
31:03Not an earthquake.
31:04Even the glasses on the table rattled.
31:06I immediately went to check.
31:07A convoy tore through the snow, breaking the silence of Irwin Village.
31:12It was three heavily modified trailers.
31:14The fronts were fitted with snow plows.
31:16Bright red flags were displayed.
31:18Pledia, Sector 9 Rescue Team.
31:20It was the government?
31:21Mom's eyes lit up.
31:22No.
31:23Dad zoomed in the periscope.
31:25Look at their shoes.
31:26Those in camouflage wore cheap, no-name shoes.
31:29Their weapons also weren't standardized.
31:31It was a collection of rifles and makeshift shotguns.
31:34More importantly, they didn't immediately search and rescue.
31:37They kicked a corpse from the road, then lit up cigarettes and laughed.
31:41They're disguised bad guys.
31:42This rescue team was just a big looting gang pretending to be officials.
31:47They stopped at the village and discussed the route.
31:49The last truck, loaded with coal and generators, suddenly smoked and broke down.
31:54The lead vehicle didn't stop.
31:56They left behind two men and the broken truck.
31:59The main force rumbled onward.
32:01The stranded truck was like a treasure that had stopped close to our front door.
32:05It's a generator with five fuel barrels.
32:08Our fuel reserves were nearly gone.
32:10If we want to keep the heat and lights, this might be our last chance.
32:14Let's do it.
32:15The blizzard at night was the perfect cover.
32:18Dad and I put on white polar suits and crawled across the snow.
32:21The two guards left behind had clearly underestimated this weather.
32:25They huddled in front with the heater on and napped after drinks.
32:28Dad pulled out a towel soaked in ether.
32:30I had to pick the lock.
32:32Click.
32:32The lock was frozen brittle, so it opened easily.
32:35Dad quickly covered the man's mouth and nose.
32:37He struggled twice and then went limp.
32:40I did the same to the driver.
32:41We didn't try to move the generator.
32:43Instead, we took three barrels of diesel.
32:45Just as we made to leave, my flashlight swept under the driver's seat.
32:49I spotted a long black box.
32:51When we opened it, both Dad and I stopped breathing.
32:54It was two gleaming 95 auto rifles and five full boxes of ammo.
32:58This was stolen loot from a real military outpost.
33:01Come on!
33:02We carried the guns, dragged the barrels, and ran back.
33:05We had just climbed over the wall when we heard engines.
33:08The main team was back.
33:09The blinding headlights lit up the now empty truck.
33:12Furious shouts and a chaotic burst of gunfire followed.
33:16The two missing 95 rifles felt like a huge slap in the face that struck the outlaws hard.
33:21Enraged roars echoed over the village.
33:23But that wasn't the worst part.
33:25The worst was they took out more professional tools.
33:28Industrial handheld thermal cameras.
33:30On that greenish screen, any trace of body heat would be completely exposed.
33:34Through the periscope, I stared intently at the disguised outlaws.
33:38They combed through the few remaining ruins of Irwin Village.
33:41A gunshot rang out.
33:43Mr. Royce, who was hiding in the east, was hauled out.
33:46Mr. Royce was 70.
33:48In order to ration his food, he was stick thin.
33:51He kneeled on the snow.
33:52Before he could even beg, a cruel-looking thug smashed his jaw with a rifle.
33:57Where's the gun?
33:57The diesel?
33:59Who took them?
33:59The thug stepped on Royce and spoke coldly.
34:02Mr. Royce could only manage unintelligible sobs.
34:05Useless!
34:05Another shot fired.
34:07Blood stained the snow.
34:08His body was kicked into a pit, as if tossing out the trash.
34:12The second house.
34:13And the third house.
34:14The few remaining survivors were dragged out.
34:16Then killed when they couldn't give an answer.
34:19This wasn't a search.
34:20This was revenge.
34:22Suddenly, my heart clenched.
34:23The man holding the thermal imager stopped walking.
34:26He stood in front of the pile of rocks at the entrance.
34:28That was the air raid shelter.
34:30As well as Dwayne's hiding spot.
34:32Sir, there's a heat source below.
34:34It's weak, but it's a living person.
34:36The outlaws instantly got excited.
34:38Like sharks that smelled blood?
34:40They swarmed around it.
34:42They used crowbars to pry at the slabs covering the opening.
34:45Dwayne's terrified screams seemed to reach my ears, even through the thick soil.
34:49He had been found.
34:51Should I save him?
34:52I thought about it for just a second.
34:54Dwayne knew the secret of the water source.
34:57If he broke under torture and talked, our whole family would die.
35:00Besides, he was a child.
35:02Someone who had survived this world by catching rats.
35:05Prepare to fight.
35:06Dad grabbed the new 95 rifle.
35:09Determined.
35:09Vera, go to firing port number two.
35:11It's high ground.
35:12Use the bow with the scope.
35:14Or just use the gun.
35:15Create chaos and draw their fire.
35:17I'll go save that kid.
35:18Dad didn't use the main door.
35:20He climbed into the tunnel we dug that linked to the air raid shelter.
35:23I took a deep breath and ran to firing port two.
35:26Through the scope, I saw that the thugs had already dragged Dwayne out.
35:29Dwayne's face was covered in blood as he struggled.
35:32A burly man suspended him in the air.
35:34Won't talk, huh?
35:36You mute?
35:36The man sneered and pulled a knife from his belt.
35:38I couldn't wait.
35:39I braced the rifle.
35:40My first real fight.
35:43Yet survival instinct studied my gun.
35:45Bang.
35:45I missed the first shot.
35:47It hit the ground beside the man's feet and kicked up some mud.
35:50But that was enough.
35:51The gunshot echoed like across the silent snowfield.
35:54It sent the thugs running and covering their heads.
35:56They dove for cover.
35:57It's guns.
35:59The thieves are over there.
36:00In that moment of chaos, a strong, large figure shot out.
36:04From the shadows of the opening, Dad grabbed Dwayne's ankle and yanked him back into the dark
36:08tunnel.
36:08Pull back.
36:09Now!
36:10I yelled into the walkie-talkie.
36:11I blindly fired the gun into the crowd and prevented their counter.
36:14The thugs snapped back to it.
36:16A hail of bullets poured into the opening.
36:18Dad pulled Dwayne along and rolled into the tunnel through the gunfire.
36:22In the final moment before he went in, I saw his body jolt violently.
36:26Blood burst from his left leg.
36:28He stumbled, then fell heavily into the hole.
36:31The air in the shelter froze.
36:33Only a thick smell of blood spread.
36:35Dad lay on the workbench.
36:37His face was pale.
36:38Cold sweat soaked through the cushion beneath him.
36:40On his left thigh, a gruesome, bloody hole was gushing blood.
36:44We could even see the bone.
36:45Luckily, the main artery wasn't hit.
36:47But the bullet was lodged inside.
36:49It had to come out immediately.
36:51Mom's hands shook.
36:52But her gaze was steady.
36:54She was a veterinarian.
36:55She wasn't new to surgical sutures.
36:58We had no anesthesia.
36:59The little bit of lidocaine we had expired long ago.
37:02Do it!
37:03Dad bit down on a stick wrapped in a towel.
37:05The veins on his forehead bulged.
37:07I have a feeling those bustards will break in.
37:09Mom took a deep breath.
37:11Then heated a scalpel over a lamp.
37:13The sound of flesh being cut made us grit our teeth.
37:17Dad's body tensed up sharply.
37:19And he let out a growl.
37:20His hands gripped the table.
37:22The metal tabletop was actually dented from his grip.
37:24I held Dad's leg down as my eyes welled up.
37:27But I couldn't let them fall.
37:28Dwayne huddled in the corner.
37:30He shook with fear.
37:31He stared at the bloody hole in Dad's leg with a guilty look.
37:35Ten minutes felt like a century.
37:37Clink!
37:37A deformed bullet was tossed into the tray.
37:40Mom cleaned the wound and stitched it up.
37:42When the last stitch was done, Dad had fainted from the pain.
37:45The stick in his mouth was mangled.
37:47The surgery went well.
37:48But Dad would be crippled for at least a month.
37:51We lost our strongest fighter.
37:53Before we could even relax, a strange hissing sound suddenly came from the tunnel.
37:57I looked through the observation window.
38:00My pupils dilated.
38:01Thick, yellow smoke seeped through the cracks of the tunnel.
38:05It was chlorine gas or some homemade poison gas bomb.
38:09They couldn't enter and didn't dare use the tunnel.
38:11So they chose the cruelest method.
38:14Smoke us to death inside here.
38:15The yellow smoke was like a snake, slithering through the gaps and silently seeping into
38:21the shelter.
38:22The air was filled with the choking smell of bleach.
38:24It was high-dose chlorine gas or some even deadlier poisonous gas.
38:29Quick, start the ventilation system!
38:31Mom shouted with her voice sharp with tension.
38:34She pushed Dad back onto the bed and rushed to the panel.
38:37This system was the last line of defense Dad designed.
38:40It was simple.
38:41A high-powered fan would blow filtered air into the room, increasing the indoor air pressure.
38:46That way, the gas couldn't flow in.
38:48The backup generator roared to life.
38:50The fan blade spun crazily.
38:52I stared at the pressure gauge and watched the needle move to the right.
38:55At the same time, I could smell the odor being diluted and pushed out.
38:59Although the sealed door blocked most of the smoke, when I flashed a light at it, I could
39:04see the edges of the door hissing and corroding.
39:06It bubbled strangely.
39:08They couldn't enter, and we couldn't leave.
39:11I gripped the gun with sweaty palms.
39:13The gas attack lasted half an hour before it stopped.
39:15They clearly didn't want to waste their precious ammo.
39:18But then, an even more terrifying sound came from above.
39:22Thud.
39:22It was a digging sound, and the vibration of drilling the ground.
39:26It's explosives.
39:27Dad spoke weakly from the bed.
39:29His face was ashen.
39:30The gas didn't work.
39:32They'll blow the top and bury us alive.
39:34Or rip the lid.
39:35If the top collapses, even just a corner, the cold would flood in instantly.
39:40We'd have no chance.
39:41We can only await our end.
39:43We must act first.
39:44I glanced at the still-struggling dad and held him down.
39:47Dad, you rest.
39:48This time, Dwayne and I will go.
39:50Dwayne couldn't speak.
39:52But in his clear, sharp eyes, there was a fierce tenacity.
39:55He pointed to an area on the map and made a breaking gesture.
39:58A natural limestone cavern was deep inside.
40:01Its structure was unstable.
40:02Even a mild tremor could cause a collapse.
40:05That would be the graveyard and the burial ground of those thugs.
40:09Dwayne and I put on gas masks and slipped into the intricate underground maze.
40:13Dwayne led the way.
40:14He moved as nimbly.
40:16He didn't even need any light.
40:18We deliberately made noises.
40:19We banged on pipes, making it seem as if we escaped in a panic.
40:23Sure enough, the digging above stopped.
40:26The outlaws heard the noise underground and thought we were trying to escape.
40:29They immediately gave chase.
40:31Over there!
40:32Don't let them escape!
40:33Chaotic footsteps echoed through the empty tunnels.
40:36Dwayne and I led them into the cavern area.
40:38The rock walls were covered with dangling stalactites.
40:41Even the floor had cracks.
40:43At the designated spot, Dwayne quickly ducked into a hole that only he could fit in.
40:47I hid behind a large boulder, clutching the grenade we'd stolen from their truck.
40:51When the flashlight swept around the corner and the thug's shout sounded close enough,
40:55I pulled the pin and counted silently to three.
40:58Go to hell!
40:59The grenade arced through the air and landed by the support pillar in the center.
41:03Boom!
41:04The blast was magnified in the enclosed space.
41:06It was deafening.
41:08What followed was the sound of rock breaking.
41:11The rock layers above collapsed like dominoes.
41:13Tons of boulders mixed with soil crashed down.
41:16The thug's cries faded into the noise.
41:19Dwayne and I scrambled back.
41:20The tunnel behind us kept collapsing, as if death itself was chasing us.
41:24We retreated to safety.
41:25A final rumble blocked our way.
41:27All was quiet.
41:28Those men were trapped forever.
41:30But we paid a price too.
41:32All the exits to the surface were completely blocked in this man-made collapse.
41:36We became true underground dwellers.
41:39Outside threats buried beneath rock, sealed off from the cruel world.
41:44We couldn't get out, but that made it safer in a way.
41:46Days passed under dim lights and the drip of water.
41:50Dad's legs slowly healed under Mom's careful care.
41:52Even though he still limped, he could already stand again and work on his machines.
41:56Dwayne officially became part of our family.
41:59Although he couldn't speak, he was so endearingly hardworking.
42:02He took over the farming, keeping the dozens of sprouts neatly organized.
42:06With the groundwater and grow lights, we grew our first batch of bean sprouts.
42:10We even grew mushrooms in the damp corners.
42:12When a pot of mushroom and spam stew hit the table, the smell almost made us all want to cry.
42:17There was no killing, looting, or scheming among us.
42:20The four of us sat together.
42:22Dad served some meat to Dwayne, who grinned toothily.
42:25In that moment, it felt like the apocalypse didn't exist.
42:28Half a year passed in a flash.
42:30Our hair grew, and clothes wore out.
42:32But our gazes were brighter than before.
42:35One early morning, I went to check the sensor data from the outside as always.
42:38I froze when I saw the screen.
42:40Temperature rose from minus 58 degrees to minus 4 degrees in one week.
42:45The curve was still shooting up, too.
42:47Dad, look at this!
42:48Dad came over and stared at the screen.
42:50His expression grew even more serious, despite the warming.
42:53The temperature is rising too fast.
42:56This isn't spring returning.
42:57It's a pendulum effect.
42:58After extreme cold, it'll likely swing back to extreme heat.
43:02As if to prove his words, the sensor data jumped.
43:05The surface temperature was 32 degrees.
43:07The ice started to melt.
43:09And for us who lived underground, this could mean a disaster in the form of a flood.
43:13Heat was surging brutally.
43:15In just three days, the thermometer on the wall went crazy.
43:19The red mercury column surged from minus 58 degrees, hitting 104 degrees.
43:24We didn't even transition from extreme cold to heat.
43:27A rumbling came from above.
43:29It sounded like a stampede.
43:31It wasn't wind.
43:32It was water.
43:33Snow melted instantly in the intense heat.
43:36The world turned into a giant steam cooker.
43:38Then came the massive floods.
43:40The shelter walls began leaking.
43:42Condensation beaded on the concrete surface.
43:44The air became hot and humid.
43:46I sweated profusely, even at rest.
43:49Activate submarine mode!
43:51Dad tossed me a wrench and spoke urgently.
43:53We had already prepared for this.
43:54We added six-foot-long pipes to the ventilation duct that stuck out of the ground.
43:59All the drains were locked in reverse and coated with thick sealant.
44:02I saw the world outside through the periscope.
44:05The vast white field was gone.
44:07It was replaced by muddy, roaring yellow waves.
44:10The flood carried dead trees, broken ice, and car wreckages.
44:14They slammed into anything sticking up.
44:16At this moment, our shelter was like a submarine in the deep sea.
44:19The water pressure was building.
44:22Door groaned under pressure.
44:24Water surged higher, swallowing the rooftops.
44:26Dad stared intently at the gauge.
44:28If water enters the vents, we'll have to rely on oxygen tanks.
44:32Duane huddled in the corner, watching water trickle down.
44:35I went over, wiped the wet spot with a towel, and gave him hard tack.
44:39I shook my head and gestured that it was okay.
44:41But I knew that if the water rose three feet, we would drown inside this metal can.
44:46The flood wasn't just water.
44:48It was a boiling pot of corpses.
44:50Through the blurry lens, I saw many swollen objects.
44:53People.
44:54Livestock.
44:55They rotted in the hot flood water, breeding massive bacteria.
44:59Even with layers of filtration, the air still faintly carried a sickening stench of decay.
45:04A plague was here.
45:06Mom wore two masks and sprayed disinfectant in every corner.
45:09Water deadlier than a bullet.
45:11The apocalypse's irony.
45:13A flood raged outside.
45:14Yet, survivors faced the danger of dying of thirst.
45:18If someone couldn't resist drinking that filthy water, they'd definitely die of cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
45:23As for us, we sat around a small table and drank clean water from the river.
45:28We ate peaches from a can.
45:29The underground river had become our lifeline.
45:32Water came from deep underground, unpolluted.
45:35For our safety, we cut off all physical contact with the outside.
45:38We rarely even raised the periscope, afraid of catching some deadly germ.
45:42We relied on oxygen tanks and the air purification system to get by.
45:46This went on for an entire month.
45:48Then, one day, the sound of rushing water finally stopped.
45:51Dad cautiously raised the periscope.
45:54The mud on the lens dried and cracked, revealing the blue sky.
45:57The water's gone.
45:58Through the gap, I saw that the ground had turned into a brown, muddy pit.
46:02The buildings, trees, and bodies were all gone, leaving only a thick layer of foul silt that covered the earth.
46:08But in that dead, silent abyss, I saw a faint touch of green.
46:13Temp hit 75 degrees.
46:15Ground hardened.
46:16We headed up.
46:17Back then, to kill those outlaws, the exit was sealed during the collapse.
46:21That was now the biggest hurdle blocking our way home.
46:24Dad located the weakest point for the blast and used our last explosives.
46:28Boom!
46:29Dust flew everywhere.
46:31Sunlight pierced the darkness of the shelter.
46:33I squinted as the harsh light made my eyes water.
46:36I took a deep breath of the outside air.
46:38It still had the smell of soil and decay, but it was also freedom.
46:42We climbed out of the opening and stood where Erwin Village used to be.
46:45The village was gone.
46:47Nothing was left.
46:48Our house, the neighbor's building, all had been leveled by the flood.
46:52This place was like a clean slate, with only thick mud and countless bits of scattered trash.
46:57This soil is rich.
46:59Dad crouched down, grabbed a handful of soil, and rubbed it.
47:02The corpses and rot had turned into good fertilizer.
47:05Duane ran excitedly toward a higher spot.
47:08A small blade of grass pushed up through the mud.
47:10He pointed at the sprout and shouted with joy.
47:14Let's start.
47:15Dad wiped his hands, eyes without sorrow.
47:17Only a fierce passion to rebuild.
47:20Treasure lies beneath.
47:21We can plant our seeds now.
47:22We planted a vegetable garden on the ruins.
47:25After just one week, the first batch of kale sprouted.
47:29On the bleak wasteland, rows of greens stood like hope's flags in the sunset.
47:34The color of life was more dazzling than gold.
47:37The radio that remained silent suddenly burst to life one afternoon.
47:40It was no longer a malicious prying, nor random chaotic static.
47:44Instead, it was a clear woman's voice.
47:47We felt moved when we heard her.
47:48This is Pledia's third safe zone.
47:50If you hear this broadcast, gather southeast to rebuild our home.
47:55The cigarette in Dad's hand burned his finger, but he didn't notice.
47:58He just stared intently at the old radio.
48:01The government and order still exists.
48:03Do we go?
48:04Mom stopped sorting the vegetables.
48:06She looked uncertain.
48:07It did mean safety in groups and the return of civilization.
48:10I looked out at the setting sun.
48:12Our rebuilt greenhouse glowed golden.
48:14The shelter entrance stood like an unbreakable fortress.
48:17Groundwater babbled, and the generator roared.
48:20We'd stored enough food to last a decade.
48:23No.
48:24Dad snuffed his cigarette, his gaze sharp again.
48:27We'd be refugees there, waiting to be assigned.
48:29Here, we are our own kings.
48:31I nodded.
48:33After enduring betrayal, killing, and survival trials,
48:36we could no longer trust strangers, even if it's the government.
48:39Just then, the roar of an engine came from the sky.
48:42A painted helicopter flew low overhead.
48:44It didn't stop, but as it passed over Irwin Village,
48:47it dropped a large package that landed in the mud.
48:50Hardtack and flyers flew everywhere.
48:52I picked up a flyer.
48:54It showed a map of the safe zone and a call to rally.
48:56Seems the world really is returning to normal.
48:59As Dad watched the helicopter leave, he smiled conflictingly.
49:02But we should just stick to our piece of land.
49:05We stood in the sunset, guarding a land of our own.
49:09As more and more survivors emerged from hiding,
49:11Irwin Village, now called Irwin Fortress, became a legend within the area.
49:16Amid the silent wasteland, we were the only place with green patches.
49:20It was seedlings and cucumbers climbing over the trellises.
49:23Ragged wanderers often passed by.
49:26From far away, they would stare hungrily at the green.
49:29They swallowed heavily.
49:30You can eat if you want.
49:32Trade your labor.
49:32That was the rule I set.
49:34We needed no wealth, only labor.
49:36And so, the bustle of humans began to return to the ruins.
49:40Some cleared the mud.
49:41Some repaired the walls.
49:43All for a bowl of hot potato soup.
49:45In this small, independent kingdom, Dwayne shone the brightest.
49:49Although he couldn't speak, he seemed born for farming.
49:52Those small, calloused hands had the power to turn waste into magic.
49:56Seedlings that died in Dad's in my hands would shoot up in just a few days under his care.
50:01He was hardworking.
50:02He would wander the vegetable patch like an inspector.
50:05One day, I saw some wanderers pointing at Dwayne and eyeing him scornfully.
50:09Dwayne paid them no mind.
50:11He just silently shoveled some soil and expertly spread it around.
50:15Then he picked a cucumber from the trellis and took a bite.
50:18The crisp sound echoed across the silent wilderness.
50:21The wanderers immediately shut up.
50:23The scorn in their eyes turned into envy and awe.
50:26Amid piles of corpses, fresh vegetables meant being at the top.
50:30As I watched Dwayne stand up confidently, I felt relieved.
50:33This was our home.
50:34An oasis among the wasteland.
50:36The legendary Irwin Fortress.
50:39The mud-clearing work after the flood continued.
50:41I held a shovel and cleared the mud around the tree at the entrance.
50:45It used to be the village landmark.
50:47It's also where Jess and Wade had died.
50:49Clang!
50:50The shovel hit something hard.
50:51I bent down and dug a shiny object out of the black muck.
50:55I rubbed the dirt off.
50:56It gleaned brightly under the sunlight.
50:59It was a diamond-encrusted hair clip.
51:01I recalled the afternoon before the apocalypse.
51:04Jess waved the check, slammed the door, and left in a huff.
51:07She posted this clip on her social media and captioned,
51:10Some women can only save money, while I can only shine.
51:14Now, this symbol of vanity and greed lay quietly in my dirt-covered palm.
51:18It still shone, but it was cold to the touch.
51:21In the mud next to the hair clip, I also dug up several bones.
51:25They bore the marks of being gnawed and soaked.
51:28What were once living souls and relatives were now just a heap of sludge and unidentifiable bones.
51:33I felt no sense of revenge and no heart-wrenching sorrow.
51:37Only bleak weariness of it all.
51:39Vera.
51:40Pretty, huh?
51:41In my days, I seemed to hear young Jess trailing behind me and acting cute.
51:45I breathed deep, pulled a rusty box from my pocket, wiped the hairpin clean, and set it inside.
51:51There was no grave marker or memorial.
51:53I dug a deep hole under the tree roots, buried the box, covered it with soil, and stomped down hard.
51:59In the next life, let's not be sisters.
52:01I brushed the dirt off my hands and stood up.
52:04The setting sun cast golden light over the ruins.
52:07I turned around and walked toward the shelter.
52:09I didn't look back.
52:11Time was both the cruelest chisel in the world and its softest remedy.
52:14In 2028, the third year of the apocalypse, Erwin Fortress' expansion had reached its third phase.
52:21The damp shelter now linked to several air raid shelters, becoming a huge underground ecosystem.
52:26Sunlight shone through the triple-layer bulletproof skylight and onto the floor of the common room.
52:31Dad was next to the generator.
52:32He held a wrench and taught Dwayne how to replace a worn-out gear.
52:36Although he still had a slight limp from his injured leg, it hadn't dimmed his spirit at all.
52:41His hair had turned a bit grayer, but his gaze was relaxed than three years ago.
52:45Dwayne had grown into a young man.
52:47The mute orphan who had once been skeletal now had broad shoulders and arms full of solid muscle.
52:53He gestured and skillfully took apart the parts.
52:56His gaze was focused.
52:58A chopping sound came from the kitchen.
52:59Mom was chopping vegetables.
53:02She had gained weight.
53:03While most people still killed for a piece of moldy bread, Mom had to worry about losing weight.
53:08That itself was an extravagant show of wealth.
53:11Vera, bring out that jar of pickles.
53:13We're having spam for lunch.
53:15Mom spoke energetically.
53:16I carried a pot out of the temperature-controlled storage.
53:19As I passed a mirror, I glanced at my reflection.
53:22My skin was pale from living underground.
53:24But I wasn't sickly.
53:25I had weapons, food, and family.
53:28This was our life.
53:29We weren't just barely surviving, but truly living.
53:32We sat together, enjoying this hard-won piece.
53:36Every dish on the table was grown with our own hands.
53:38I felt deeply contented looking at everything before me.
53:41Sunlight poured in.
53:42Life was great.
53:43This is our family portrait.
53:45We're still together three years later.
53:47The lookout's chime rang.
53:49It was a visitor signal.
53:50A travel-worn convoy stopped outside our perimeter.
53:53Their cars had special emblems painted on.
53:55It was worn, but well-maintained.
53:57It's a trade caravan from the southern safe zone.
54:00In three years, humanity had finally rebuilt a fragile order from the ruins.
54:04Trade had replaced endless looting.
54:06I stood high on the wall.
54:08I held my gun, but pointed the barrel down.
54:11Their leader was a one-eyed man.
54:12He eyed the string of red chilies hanging from our wall.
54:15He swallowed hard.
54:17Miss Lane, the goods are all here.
54:19The one-eyed man opened the truck.
54:21Inside were barrels of gasoline and the solar panel components we needed.
54:25There's even boxes of sanitary pads and shampoo.
54:28We want to trade for vegetables, like spinach or the likes.
54:31If it's green, we'll take it.
54:33The exchange proceeded quietly and efficiently.
54:35When Duane brought out freshly picked cucumbers that still glistened with dew,
54:39the guards in the convoy were stunned.
54:41One couldn't resist touching them.
54:43The one-eyed man slapped his hand back.
54:45Watch it.
54:46These are the lane's goods.
54:47In this new world, we were no longer bullied.
54:50We controlled key resources.
54:52After the trade, the one-eyed man lit a cigarette and took a long drag.
54:56He eyed the fortress enviously.
54:58Folks in the main zone call Irwin Fortress a paradise.
55:01I can see it lives up to the name.
55:02I smiled, but didn't respond.
55:04A paradise?
55:05No.
55:06We had to defend this with our lives.
55:08The convoy left together with vegetables and our hope.
55:11Perhaps the world really was slowly getting better.
55:14After seeing off the convoy, night fell.
55:16It was New Year's Eve.
55:18Chaos aside, we still celebrated New Year.
55:20The dining room glowed warm, light bathing the table and chasing off the cold.
55:25The most lavish meal so far sat on the table.
55:28A large pot stew loaded with generous slices of pork,
55:31a plate of crisp and fresh cucumber salad,
55:33and a plate of steaming hot dumplings.
55:36These flour dumplings had flour that came from wheat we grew and milled.
55:40Although it wasn't store-bought, the wheat aroma was very rich.
55:44Here, Dwayne.
55:45This is the one you wrapped.
55:46You eat it.
55:47Dad laughed as he took a dumpling and gave it to Dwayne.
55:50Dwayne scratched his head sheepishly and grinned widely.
55:53He stuffed the food into his mouth and hissed from the heat.
55:56Mom turned on the restored, old-fashioned TV that was connected to a drive.
56:00The screen showed New Year's Eve sketches from decades ago.
56:03The quality was fuzzy and the sound crackled.
56:05But to us, it was heavenly.
56:07A laugh track came from the TV.
56:10We laughed along.
56:11As we laughed, Mom teared up.
56:13She wiped her eyes, raised her glass of juice, and toasted to us.
56:16As well as our family being together, with not one missing.
56:20We clinked out glasses together, outside.
56:22The cold wind still howled.
56:24Perhaps things were still bad elsewhere.
56:26But right here, right now, there was food, lights.
56:29My parents and my brother.
56:31This was home.
56:32Even if outside was hell, this place was heaven when the door was closed.
56:36As I looked around, I suddenly felt that all our suffering was worth it.
56:40Dad carried the pride of being the head of the family.
56:43Mom's face showed the simplest happiness of a mother.
56:45Dwayne's eyes sparkled, for he had found a home.
56:48Right now, I wished time would stop forever.
56:51After dinner, I walked out of the shelter alone.
56:53The setting sun stained the entire land blood red.
56:56I stood on the wall.
56:58I looked at the land that had once been devastated.
57:00Three years ago, it was a frozen hell, littered with corpses.
57:04Half a year ago, it was played.
57:06Now, greenery cloaked the ruins.
57:09The terraced fields we had carved out wound down.
57:11The greenhouse tarp glistened in the evening sun.
57:14At the entrance, the tree where I buried the hair clip had sprouted new buds that swayed gently in the
57:19wind.
57:19Smoke rose in wisps from the shelter's chimney, carrying the smell of firewood that traveled up.
57:24This smoke meant life and civilization.
57:27I touched my chest.
57:28There was no pendant, no storage space, no system.
57:31I had no special advantages.
57:34What remained was Mom and Dad's determination to sell the house and car.
57:37It was the persistence of modifying the shelter.
57:40It was the courage to pull the trigger on those thugs.
57:43Vera, come back for some fruit.
57:45I cut some watermelon.
57:46Mom's call came from behind me, followed by Dad's and Dwayne's agreement.
57:50I turned around and looked at that glowing entrance.
57:52I smiled unknowingly.
57:53Was the apocalypse over?
57:55Maybe not.
57:56Disasters might come again.
57:58Extreme cold, heat, earthquakes, and plagues.
58:01It was like the Earth was having one long immune reaction.
58:04But I wasn't afraid, because I knew that no matter what tomorrow brought,
58:08the Irwins had already placed firm roots into this land.
58:11I told them I was coming, then turned and ran inside.
58:14The apocalypse would end, and we would keep on living.
58:17We would live well.
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