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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.
00:46I'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.
01:54The bell rang.
01:56Even without opening the door, I knew who was there.
01:59It was Jess.
02:01She came for money for her boyfriend Wade's business.
02:03I opened the door.
02:05Jess walked in, wearing an entitled expression.
02:08Are Dad and Mom home?
02:09Give me $500,000 or I'm leaving home.
02:12In my past life, I went all in to get that money.
02:16This time, I looked over at my parents.
02:18Mom 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.
02:39Dad's tone was cold.
02:41Take the money and your life is no longer our concern.
02:45We're going to sell this house.
02:47What?
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.
03:15Without 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
03:28supplies for 10 years.
03:30When survival was at stake, $10 million was nothing.
03:34Let's go.
03:34Dad looked at the empty house.
03:36His 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.
03:52Dad used the experience he had built over his career.
03:55Standing 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 dropped to minus 94 degrees, every bit of insulation is life-saving.
04:20My challenge was extreme stockpiling.
04:24I had to account for every cubic foot.
04:27The villagers assembled, as trucks continuously delivered supplies.
04:32Max, are you opening a supermarket?
04:34You sold your city house just for this?
04:37While carrying a 50-pound box of canned peaches, I wiped my sweat and smiled.
04:42Yeah, we couldn't get by in the city, so we returned to run a business.
04:47The glare of the sun was still blinding.
04:49I alone knew that this messy, overcrowded stockpile would turn into a treasure in a month, driving even the rich
04:57to 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.
05:17We'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.
05:33Organizing supplies was challenging.
05:36Dad loaded two side rooms with 50 tons of coal,
05:38bricked up the windows, left a tiny access opening, 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?
05:54Mom 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.
06:03Nate, I need fuel.
06:05Don't ask why.
06:06I'm running a greenhouse farm.
06:08I'll pay 50% extra.
06:09Cash on delivery.
06:11That night, a modified truck quietly pulled into the yard.
06:14Dad 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?
06:31It reeks of gasoline.
06:33I tightened my grip on the flashlight and told her the septic tank was clogged, and we were clearing it
06:38out.
06:38It stinks.
06:39You 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.
06:47We are all set.
06:49Food.
06:49Coal.
06:50Diesel.
06:51Medicine.
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.
07:04Jess 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.
07:18The air became still.
07:20Even the cicadas stopped chirping.
07:22Dad 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.
07:39Battery-powered LED lights dimly lit the shelter.
07:43We had installed periscope-style observation ports.
07:46I looked at the thermometer outside.
07:4795 degrees.
07:4986 degrees.
07:5068 degrees.
07:51It fell below the freezing point in no time.
07:54The raindrops froze into ice.
07:56Heavy 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.
08:05It felt like the Earth had been submerged in liquid nitrogen.
08:09The loudspeaker came on.
08:10The village chief's voice quivered.
08:12Everyone, keep warm and stay indoors.
08:14The voice stopped.
08:16Perhaps the lines snapped.
08:17Or 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.
08:26Like a rusted, wind-up toy.
08:28Just before reaching his front door, he dropped to the ground.
08:32Chaos outside.
08:33Shelter.
08:34Another world.
08:36The aerogel insulation worked well.
08:38No heating.
08:39Geothermal and body heat kept the shelter at 59 degrees.
08:42A 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.
08:52No air leakage.
08:54Mom dug through the supplies and took out a coal stove.
08:57Use coal first to save electricity.
08:59Smokeless coal crackled as it burned.
09:01Fire danced beneath the kettle.
09:03Dinner was simple.
09:04Noodles with three fried eggs and canned meat on top.
09:07At 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.
09:24My window froze and shattered.
09:26A message suddenly popped up.
09:28It was Jess.
09:29Vera, what's going on?
09:30The air conditioning system went down.
09:32We're freezing here.
09:33We 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.
09:41As I set down my phone, a dull thud came from the ventilation duct above.
09:46Someone was hitting the camouflage layer.
09:48It stopped after a few thuds.
09:51Dad motioned us to keep quiet.
09:52He listened closely with a listening device.
09:55It's Frank and his gang.
09:57They're seeking shelter.
09:58Our camouflage is well made.
10:00Topped with rotten wood and bricks.
10:02Thinking 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.
10:13Life in the shelter grew boring.
10:15There was no entertainment.
10:17Only faint light and relentless snowstorms.
10:19To 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.
10:26On the fourth day, villagers went around asking for coal.
10:30Through the port, I saw villagers wrap tightly in quilts.
10:33They used axes and crowbars to smash Heidi's door.
10:37Heidi, we're fellow villagers.
10:39Give us coal.
10:40Open up or we'll break in.
10:42Heidi's cries could be heard.
10:44Then I heard the door break.
10:45The screams stopped in under five minutes.
10:48The villagers carried off two sacks of coal.
10:50One of the axes still had blood on it.
10:52They'll find us soon.
10:54Dad cleaned his composite bow.
10:55It was his only ranged weapon, though we minimized chimney smoke.
10:59Thermal imaging or starving people with sensitive noses can still detect heat.
11:04A face suddenly appeared in the observation port.
11:06Frank was at the hidden ventilation outlet, sniffing hard.
11:10His face lit up with excitement.
11:11There is meat below.
11:13We were found.
11:14But Dad didn't panic.
11:15This 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!
11:34Max has been on guard against us.
11:36At minus 40 degrees, getting injured or sweating from panic can lead to hypothermia.
11:41They retreated after cursing in frustration.
11:44This was only the start.
11:45A greater crisis came that night.
11:47The power grid went down.
11:49The town's faint lights were visible earlier, but they all went out.
11:53The world became pitch black.
11:55Our phones became useless.
11:56Even the last signal vanished.
11:58We were isolated.
12:00Dad told us to start the diesel generator.
12:02A low rumble came from the soundproof room.
12:04Despite the soundproofing, we could still feel the floor faintly vibrating.
12:08We turned on the old radio.
12:10There were occasional transmissions.
12:12Global disaster.
12:13Stay put.
12:14Await rescue.
12:15While counting the remaining coal, Mom suddenly panicked.
12:18Max, look at this corner.
12:20Frost had built up along the shelter's wall.
12:22What's happening?
12:23Dad 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.
12:31If 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.
12:40Even in her expensive fur coat, Jess couldn't stop shivering.
12:44Wade 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.
12:53Wade had a sinister gaze.
12:55They had spent the entire $500,000.
12:58They spent it on designer bags, watches, and a useless fur coat.
13:02They didn't buy any food.
13:04Let's go find your sister.
13:05Wade suddenly stood up.
13:07His eyes flickered with madness.
13:08She must be prepared.
13:10And the countryside has firewood.
13:11How do we get there?
13:12It's minus 58 degrees outside.
13:15I have a car.
13:16Wade took out a car key.
13:17It was an off-road vehicle key he took from a corpse.
13:20That car still works.
13:22If we make it through, we'll live.
13:24The two charged out frantically.
13:26Frozen dead bodies filled the streets.
13:28Some froze as they crawled.
13:30Some were smashing doors.
13:31Luck favored the wicked.
13:33The car really started up.
13:35And it had a full tank.
13:36They drove straight to Irwin Village.
13:38The next day, a car emitting black smoke crashed into a large tree.
13:43The doors opened.
13:44Two figures slowly crawled out.
13:47Jess' face was pale from the cold.
13:49She looked toward our house.
13:51It wasn't fully covered in snow.
13:52Her tears froze at once.
13:54We did it, Wade.
13:55We will live!
13:56We were having dinner.
13:57To stay warm, we had a pot of stew for dinner.
14:00The observation port alarm suddenly buzzed.
14:03Someone was here.
14:04I peered outside and my eyes widened.
14:07It was Jess and Wade.
14:08They weren't alone.
14:10Frank and his men were following them.
14:12Vera!
14:13Dad!
14:13Mom!
14:14I'm Jess!
14:15Her voice echoed from the loudspeaker, breaking the village's dead silence.
14:19I know you're inside!
14:21Wade said you sold the house and car and made $10 million.
14:24You must have a lot of food.
14:26Damn it!
14:27This idiot!
14:28To get Frank's help and mercy, she had given away all our secrets.
14:32Everyone!
14:33Jess shouted at the villagers.
14:35My parents are here.
14:36They've hoarded supplies.
14:37If we open the door, we can all survive.
14:39How cruel of her.
14:41Now the villagers were certain we had food.
14:44At the thought of $10 million worth of supplies, Frank waved his hand.
14:48Smash it!
14:49Pickaxes and hammers struck our blast-resistant door.
14:53Mom's hands shook as she held onto Dad's arm.
14:56Dad was expressionless.
14:58He walked to the control panel and turned the valve.
15:02It was connected to a high-pressure pipe.
15:04At minus 58 degrees, water was the deadliest weapon.
15:09Open it.
15:10Dad spoke coldly.
15:11I pulled the handle.
15:12Nozzles hidden above the door frame sprayed water.
15:15It wasn't just water.
15:17Dad added salt to lower its freezing point.
15:19It was liquid before spraying.
15:22On contact with objects, it would freeze instantly.
15:25Screams broke out outside.
15:26Those breaking the door were drenched.
15:29Their clothes froze in seconds.
15:31Their hands were stuck to their tools.
15:33I 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.
15:42The extreme cold cut the screams off.
15:45Dad's high-pressure spray system, originally meant for decontamination, had become a deadly defense.
15:51Even at minus 58 degrees, the concentrated salt water stayed liquid and dispersed as super-cooled mist.
15:58But on contact with any object, it rapidly absorbed heat and solidified into ice.
16:05Frank ran forward with a homemade shotgun, but was doused instantly.
16:09His fingers stiffened before he could fire.
16:13Frost formed over his face almost instantly.
16:17He tried to wipe his face, but his gloves stuck to his skin.
16:22Wade, save me!
16:24Jess'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.
16:38Her fur coat was quickly drenched.
16:41The soaked coat clung to her slender body.
16:44Wade used her as a shield.
16:46Are you crazy?
16:47It's so cold!
16:49What are you doing?
16:50Jess struggled.
16:51But Wade kept her from moving.
16:52He took cover behind the trembling woman.
16:55His gaze burned with a mad urge to survive and hatred for us.
16:59Don't move!
17:00You're my woman!
17:01You should protect me!
17:02Wade's voice trembled.
17:04Vera!
17:04Open the door!
17:05Or Jess will freeze to death!
17:07Jess stopped struggling.
17:08Not out of will, but because she was frozen.
17:11Her fur coat had solidified into icy armor.
17:15Immobilizing her completely, she looked at our observation port.
17:18Her gaze turned from panic and rage into a despairing stare.
17:22Frank's men collapsed and writhed in pain.
17:25The more they struggled, the thicker the ice became.
17:28Even Frank knelt, his body hardening into an ice statue as he wheezed heavily.
17:34Is the threat over?
17:35No.
17:36Dad pointed to the monitor.
17:37Wade's still alive.
17:38He hardly got wet.
17:40What is he doing?
17:42Realizing Jess was frozen solid, Wade knocked her to the ground.
17:46He pulled out a homemade incendiary bottle, lit the fuse, and charged toward our vent.
17:52I want all of you dead!
17:55The bottle struck the vent's cover.
17:57Flames erupted, but the extreme cold snuffed them out.
18:00Dad had reinforced the vent with fireproof insulation.
18:03It burned for less than half a minute before extinguishing.
18:06But Wade didn't stop.
18:08Like a madman, he smashed the duct with a crowbar.
18:12Come out!
18:12Give me food!
18:13I have money!
18:14That fool gave me all the money!
18:16I'll pay you!
18:17He yelled, his words incoherent.
18:19But he forgot it was minus 58 degrees.
18:22He dodged most of the water.
18:24But his pant legs still got wet.
18:26Through the port, I watched coldly.
18:29His movements slowed.
18:31Five minutes later, the banging stopped.
18:33He knelt there, holding the doorframe, face pressed against the steel, eyes wide open.
18:39Outside the door stood five ice statues.
18:42The threat was eliminated, but our position was exposed.
18:46The ice statues were both a warning and a marker.
18:49The next morning, Dad checked the instruments.
18:51Suddenly, his face turned pale.
18:54He tapped the barometer, his fingers trembling.
18:56This is bad.
18:58My heart immediately sank.
18:59Dad turned to me, fear in his eyes.
19:02Air pressure is dropping rapidly.
19:05A severe blizzard is coming.
19:07The winds can tear houses from the ground.
19:10Our 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.
19:19The legendary super blizzard is more brutal than expected.
19:22It no longer howled, only gravel scraping steel.
19:25Just then, the oxygen monitor lets out a glaring red light in alarm.
19:30The carbon dioxide levels shoot up.
19:32The air duct is blocked.
19:34There's too much snow, or the layer has collapsed.
19:36If we didn't clear it, the three of us would suffocate within three hours.
19:40Dad acted without any hesitation.
19:42He pulled out the spare hydraulic jack and the alloy drill bit and aimed at the shaft.
19:47I steadied the drill rod as Mom cranked the fan to vent leftover air.
19:51The lack of air made me dizzy, and my lungs burned.
19:54Ten minutes later, there was a sharp clang.
19:56The drill got stuck.
19:58It hit metal.
19:59A hint of joy showed on Dad's face.
20:01It's a car chassis.
20:02Wind flipped a car onto the shaft.
20:04The jack let out a heavy groan.
20:06With a dull thud, the creaking of metal came from above.
20:09A stream of cold yet incredibly sweet air rushed in.
20:13We gasped for air greedily.
20:15Dad pushed open the cover.
20:16I quickly looked out through the gap.
20:18Sure enough, it was Frank's SUV.
20:21It was like a giant lid blocking the snow.
20:23I turned and looked into the distance.
20:25My heart suddenly jolted.
20:27On the silent snow field lay fresh footprints.
20:31I followed the trail and adjusted the periscope.
20:33Three hunched figures appeared.
20:35Jason, a guy from the village, led them.
20:37Usually harmless, he now led two guy to pry open the shared grain storage.
20:42The door opened, but the inside was empty.
20:45Only a few moldy old grains and rat droppings remained.
20:48In that instant, any pretense of decency was gone.
20:52Jason suddenly raised half a brick and smashed his companion's head.
20:56Blood sprayed everywhere, like a glaring red flower.
20:59He iced the two men and took the spoiled grain.
21:02He grabbed a handful and ate it greedily.
21:05Down in the shelter, I was eating lunch.
21:06It was a steaming hot self-heating meal kit.
21:09The aroma filled the room.
21:10Starvation erases humanity.
21:12Dad picked up some beef and stared at the screen blankly.
21:15This is the current gap.
21:17Some kill for moldy rice, while others eat meat in a warm shelter.
21:21Jason dragged the bloodied sack to leave.
21:23Suddenly, he froze.
21:25Three pairs of glowing green dots appeared in the distance.
21:28It was three starving wolves.
21:30Beasts that survived in this frozen hell were the top of the chain.
21:34Jason had no time to run.
21:35The first wolf quickly snapped at his calf.
21:38The second one went for his throat.
21:39His screams lasted a short while on the audio receiver.
21:42The red liquid quickly froze on the snow.
21:45The bag of moldy grains he killed for spilled everywhere.
21:49The wolves didn't even look at it.
21:50After feeding, they didn't leave.
21:52The three wolves circled around the vent.
21:54Their nostrils twitched.
21:55They caught the scent of humans.
21:57Dad put down his utensils and walked to the workbench.
22:00He welded spiked iron bars behind the blast door.
22:03A forced entry spells death.
22:05While Mom was sorting the coal we used for heating,
22:08she suddenly gasped.
22:09Max, look!
22:10A box fell from a hidden compartment of the coal bin.
22:12Inside were ten boxes of antibiotics.
22:15This was a gift from the coal seller.
22:17We didn't care before, but now it was life-saving medicine worth a lot.
22:21As we celebrated the unexpected gift,
22:23the quiet radio lit up red.
22:25After some static, a man's voice came through with a sneer.
22:28Found it.
22:29There's a good target in Irwin Village.
22:31We act tomorrow.
22:32Bring the flamethrower and burn through the shell.
22:35The static was like fingernails on a chalkboard.
22:38Dad tuned the old radio.
22:39His face flickered in the red indicator light.
22:42The stranger's voice from before came again.
22:44It felt like he was next to us.
22:46Confirmed.
22:46It's that house.
22:48Frank died there a few days ago.
22:49There are noticeable ice statues at the entrance.
22:52It was our goods.
22:53Those bodies frozen at the entrance had finally attracted vultures.
22:57There must be something underground.
22:58Those statues aren't even searched.
23:00Dad turned it off.
23:02The shelter fell silent.
23:03Prepare to fight.
23:04This time, we were no longer just defending.
23:07Mom dug out bottles of high-proof liquor from the supplies.
23:10We usually couldn't bear to drink it.
23:11The bottles were smashed open.
23:13The liquid was poured in glass bottles.
23:15Oil-soaked rags were stuffed into the openings.
23:18I sat by the whetstone and held the bow.
23:20The arrowheads made a scraping sound against the stone.
23:23A cold glint reflected.
23:25No fear.
23:26Just adrenaline-fueled calm.
23:28In this brutal world, being weak was a sin.
23:30Late at night, the voice came again.
23:32They sounded overly confident.
23:34Tomorrow at midnight, us three will go.
23:36It's so few people.
23:37I'm sure they can't withstand a flamethrower.
23:40Wind and snow raged.
23:42A roar split the darkness.
23:44Three snowmobiles burst through the snowstorm.
23:46They stopped at the entrance.
23:48Through the periscope, I saw three heavily bundled-up figures.
23:51They wasted no time.
23:52The leader waved, and a man with a tank stepped forward.
23:56Whoosh!
23:57A flame of over 30 feet long burst out instantly.
24:00It was an industrial flamethrower.
24:02The orange flames looked unnatural in this minus-58 degrees world.
24:06The thick ice sealing the door melted under the heat and turned into steam.
24:11The steel door turned from black iron to deep red.
24:14Then, cherry red.
24:15Inside the shelter, the temperature alarm blared.
24:18The initially cold shelter instantly turned into an oven.
24:21We stripped off our gear.
24:22Sweat poured down our faces.
24:24Heat seeped through the cracks.
24:26It smelled like burning metal.
24:27It won't last much longer.
24:29The gaskets will melt.
24:30Mom tightened her grip on the Molotov.
24:32Dad just calmly stared at the screen.
24:34His hand rested on a red button.
24:35It was a dry powder fire suppression system he designed.
24:38But this time, it wasn't loaded with fire suppressant.
24:41Instead, it had starch he'd gotten from a mill.
24:43You want a fire?
24:44I'll give you a big one.
24:46Dad slammed down the switch.
24:49Blast!
24:50Hidden overhead vents gushed white plumes.
24:52That wasn't smoke.
24:53It was extremely fine flour.
24:56The immense pressure made it engulf the entire entrance at a high concentration.
25:00It enveloped the man with the flamethrower.
25:02He clearly hadn't studied physics.
25:04He had no time to react.
25:06He kept his finger on the trigger.
25:07The open flame met the high concentration dust.
25:10Boom!
25:11An explosion sounded like a thunderclap from the sky.
25:14A fiery shockwave engulfed everything.
25:16The periscope screen flashed white.
25:19Then came a violent tremor.
25:21Dust rained down from above.
25:23A short while later, I could see again.
25:24The ground was scorched.
25:26The man with the flamethrower was gone.
25:28Nothing left but charred remains.
25:30Another man nearby was blasted over 30 feet away.
25:33He hung on a branch.
25:35His fate was unknown.
25:37I tightened my grip on the bow.
25:38Dad stared at the corner of the screen.
25:40The leader was lucky.
25:41He was farther away and had gotten knocked over.
25:44His face was covered in blood.
25:46One arm twisted.
25:47Still, he managed to stagger to his feet.
25:49He sneered.
25:50With his other hand, he pulled a green object from his coat.
25:53He pulled the pin and pressed it firmly against the mangled door.
25:57Come out or I'll let go.
25:59We'll get blown up together.
26:00Calm down.
26:01I turned on the loudspeaker.
26:03I was so calm that it felt strange even to me.
26:06You can blow a hole, but I've got piles.
26:09We have 10 tons of TNT down here.
26:12If you let go, we'll all burn together.
26:15That was an outright lie.
26:16Now it all hinged on who feared death more.
26:19Sure enough, the man's eyes flickered.
26:21His fingers stiffened slightly.
26:23He weighed his options and hesitated.
26:25At that moment, Dad stood still in front of the firing port.
26:28He drew the bow fully.
26:30The bowstring hummed.
26:32The man's wrist was magnified through the scope.
26:34The bowstring snapped.
26:36It was a specially made carbon steel arrow.
26:38It whistled and pierced clean through the man's wrist.
26:41It pinned his hand firmly to the ground.
26:44The pain made him instinctively let go.
26:46The grenade rolled down the steps and fell into a snowbank.
26:49It exploded over 30 feet away and kicked up a cloud.
26:52It didn't damage the blast door at all.
26:54Before the man could even recover,
26:56Mom had already lit the Molotov and thrown it precisely through the port.
27:00Flame instantly engulfed the writhing figure.
27:02We didn't step out.
27:04We watched as they turned into smoking, charred lumps.
27:07And everything stilled.
27:0930 minutes later, after it was safe, Dad went out to clean up.
27:12He pulled out a fireproof bag from the corpse of the leader.
27:14Inside was a hand-drawn map with Irwin Village circled in red.
27:18They had wrote,
27:19Suspected entrance to underground water vane.
27:22That map made Dad's eyes light up.
27:24If we had running water, our quality of life could change.
27:28Dad pointed at the lines on the map.
27:29Groundwater stays at a constant temperature.
27:31It's better than bottled water, according to the map.
27:34That potential groundwater vane is actually right beneath our house.
27:38The shelter became a work site for the next few days.
27:40We took turns.
27:41In this tiny area, we dug down.
27:44It was hard work.
27:45The frozen ground was as hard as iron.
27:47Each dig of the shovel sent a shock through us.
27:50We had to use an electric drill, then ship it with a pickaxe.
27:53Sweat ran down our backs, then quickly cooled in the chilly air.
27:56To conserve energy, we ate extra hardtack with our meals.
28:00The cramped space was filled with the smell of earth and sweat.
28:03But no one complained.
28:04We all knew that in this apocalyptic world, water was life.
28:08It was a currency stronger than food.
28:10By the third night, we had reached nearly 10 feet.
28:13Dad was swinging the pickaxe when he suddenly stopped.
28:16Thump.
28:16It was no longer a dull thud, but a hollow echo.
28:20Dad carefully struck again.
28:21The previously solid ground collapsed inward and revealed a pitch-black opening.
28:26A damp breeze drifted up from below.
28:28The beam of the flashlight pierced the darkness.
28:31Down below that opening was actually a man-made tunnel.
28:35Moss covered the concrete walls.
28:37We could still see traces of slogans from decades ago.
28:40This was an abandoned air raid network from the war and famine era.
28:43Dad went down first to scout.
28:47A while later, his trembling voice sounded.
28:50Come down!
28:51Clickly!
28:51It's running water!
28:53Mom and I slid down the ladder.
28:54We went through a narrow hall.
28:56The view suddenly opened up.
28:58At the tunnel's end, a river flowed.
29:00It wasn't large, but under the light beam, the water sparkled.
29:03I reached out to touch it.
29:05The water was a little warm.
29:06About 39 degrees.
29:08Dad held the thermometer.
29:09His cheeks were flushed.
29:10The underground layer means it's not frozen.
29:13We can use a circulation system to heat the shelter.
29:15We can even take showers!
29:17At minus 58 degrees, 39 degrees water was like a hot spring.
29:21We stared greedily at the river, as if it were flowing diamonds.
29:25But then, just as I was about to take a water sample,
29:28the light beam suddenly swept across the silt.
29:30I froze instantly.
29:31A set of footprints was clearly imprinted on the soft mud.
29:34It was very small and barefoot.
29:36Their toes dug deep in.
29:38The mud was still wet.
29:40Besides us, there were actually other people living underground.
29:43We followed the small, wet footprints and felt our way through the air raid shelter.
29:47We turned a corner piled with moldy crates.
29:50The flashlight beam froze on a corner.
29:52Something huddled there.
29:53He was thin from going so long with no food.
29:56His clothes were torn.
29:57His skin was pale from years without sunlight.
29:59If not for those wide, terrified eyes, I would have thought it was a skeleton.
30:03It was Dwayne, the mute orphan from the village.
30:06He was clutching a dead rat and had blue liquid coming from his mouth.
30:10Besides him was a pile of what looked like moss.
30:13Dad snapped up Hiobo instantly and aimed between his eyes.
30:16Few supplies.
30:17Another mouth to feed meant big risk.
30:20Also, he knew our secret about the water source.
30:22He gave up, closed his eyes, trembling like a leaf.
30:26For a few seconds, all we heard was the water.
30:28Forget it, Dad lowered his bow.
30:31He took two buns from his coat and tossed them over.
30:33Dwayne's eyes snapped open and he lunged at the buns.
30:36He swallowed them without chewing.
30:38After eating, he crawled over.
30:40He grovels frantically to us, then pointed up.
30:43He spread his arms wide to mime a huge circle and made anxious sounds.
30:46He made fists and mimicked holding a steering wheel, then drew a finger across his throat.
30:52He warned us that something had come with killing intent.
30:55We barely had time to catch our breath back home when the ground shook.
30:59It was machinery vibrating on frozen ground, not an earthquake.
31:03Even the glasses on the table rattled.
31:04I immediately went to check.
31:06A convoy tore through the snow, breaking the silence of Irwin Village.
31:10It was three heavily modified trailers.
31:12The fronts were fitted with snow plows.
31:14Bright red flags were displayed.
31:16Pledia, Sector 9 Rescue Team.
31:18It was the government?
31:20Mom's eyes lit up.
31:21No.
31:21Dad zoomed in the periscope.
31:23Look at their shoes.
31:25Those in camouflage wore cheap, no-name shoes.
31:28Their weapons also weren't standardized.
31:30It was a collection of rifles and makeshift shotguns.
31:33More importantly, they didn't immediately search and rescue.
31:36They kicked a corpse from the road, then lit up cigarettes and laughed.
31:39They're disguised bad guys.
31:41This rescue team was just a big looting gang pretending to be officials.
31:45They stopped at the village and discussed the route.
31:48The last truck, loaded with coal and generators, suddenly smoked and broke down.
31:52The lead vehicle didn't stop.
31:54They left behind two men and the broken truck.
31:57The main force rumbled onward.
31:59The stranded truck was like a treasure that had stopped close to our front door.
32:03It's a generator with five fuel barrels.
32:06Our fuel reserves were nearly gone.
32:08If we want to keep the heat and lights, this might be our last chance.
32:12Let's do it.
32:13The blizzard at night was the perfect cover.
32:16Dad and I put on white polar suits and crawled across the snow.
32:19The two guards left behind had clearly underestimated this weather.
32:23They huddled in front with the heater on and napped after drinks.
32:26Dad pulled out a towel soaked in ether.
32:29I had to pick the lock.
32:30Click.
32:30The lock was frozen brittle, so it opened easily.
32:33Dad quickly covered the man's mouth and nose.
32:35He struggled twice and then went limp.
32:38I did the same to the driver.
32:39We didn't try to move the generator.
32:41Instead, we took three barrels of diesel, just as we made to leave.
32:45My flashlight swept under the driver's seat.
32:47I spotted a long black box.
32:49When we opened it, both Dad and I stopped breathing.
32:52It was two gleaming 95 auto rifles and five full boxes of ammo.
32:57This was stolen loot from a real military outpost.
33:00Come on!
33:00We carried the guns, dragged the barrels, and ran back.
33:03We had just climbed over the wall when we heard engines.
33:06The main team was back.
33:08The blinding headlights lit up the now empty truck.
33:11Furious shouts and a chaotic burst of gunfire followed.
33:14The two missing 95 rifles felt like a huge slap in the face that struck the outlaws hard.
33:19Enraged roars echoed over the village.
33:22But that wasn't the worst part.
33:23The worst was they took out more professional tools.
33:26Industrial handheld thermal cameras.
33:28On that greenish screen, any trace of body heat would be completely exposed.
33:32Through the periscope, I stared intently at the disguised outlaws.
33:36They combed through the few remaining ruins of Irwin Village.
33:39A gunshot rang out.
33:41Mr. Royce, who was hiding in the east, was hauled out.
33:44Mr. Royce was 70.
33:46In order to ration his food, he was stick thin.
33:49He kneeled on the snow.
33:50Before he could even beg, a cruel-looking thug smashed his jaw with a rifle.
33:55Where's the gun?
33:56The diesel?
33:56Who took them?
33:58The thug stepped on Royce and spoke coldly.
34:00Mr. Royce could only manage unintelligible sobs.
34:03Useless!
34:04Another shot fired.
34:05Blood stained the snow.
34:06His body was kicked into a pit, as if tossing out the trash.
34:10The second house and the third house.
34:12The few remaining survivors were dragged out, then killed when they couldn't give an answer.
34:17This wasn't a search.
34:18This was revenge.
34:20Suddenly, my heart clenched.
34:22The man holding the thermal imager stopped walking.
34:24He stood in front of the pile of rocks at the entrance.
34:27That was the air raid shelter.
34:28As well as Dwayne's hiding spot.
34:30Sir, there's a heat source below.
34:32It's weak, but it's a living person.
34:34The outlaws instantly got excited.
34:36Like sharks that smelled blood, they swarmed around it.
34:40They used crowbars to pry at the slabs covering the opening.
34:43Dwayne's terrified screams seemed to reach my ears, even through the thick soil.
34:47He had been found.
34:49Should I save him?
34:50I thought about it for just a second.
34:52Dwayne knew the secret of the water source.
34:55If he broke under torture and talked, our whole family would die.
34:59Besides, he was a child.
35:00Someone who had survived this world by catching rats.
35:03Prepare to fight.
35:05Dad grabbed the new 95 rifle.
35:07Determined.
35:07Vera, go to firing port number two.
35:09It's high ground.
35:10Use the bow with the scope.
35:12Or just use the gun.
35:13Create chaos and draw their fire.
35:15I'll go save that kid.
35:16Dad didn't use the main door.
35:18He climbed into the tunnel we dug that linked to the air raid shelter.
35:21I took a deep breath and ran to firing port two.
35:24Through the scope, I saw that the thugs had already dragged Dwayne out.
35:27Dwayne's face was covered in blood as he struggled.
35:30A burly man suspended him in the air.
35:32Won't talk, huh?
35:34You mute?
35:34The man sneered and pulled a knife from his belt.
35:37I couldn't wait.
35:38I braced the rifle.
35:39My first real fight.
35:41Yet survival instinct studied my gun.
35:43Bang.
35:43I missed the first shot.
35:45It hit the ground beside the man's feet and kicked up some mud.
35:48But that was enough.
35:49The gunshot echoed like across the silent snowfield.
35:52It sent the thugs running and covering their heads.
35:54They dove for cover.
35:56It's guns!
35:57The thieves are over there!
35:58In that moment of chaos, a strong, large figure shot out.
36:02From the shadows of the opening, Dad grabbed Dwayne's ankle and yanked him back into the dark tunnel.
36:06Pull back!
36:07Now!
36:08I yelled into the walkie-talkie.
36:09I blindly fired the gun into the crowd and prevented their counter.
36:12The thugs snapped back to it.
36:14A hail of bullets poured into the opening.
36:16Dad pulled Dwayne along and rolled into the tunnel through the gunfire.
36:20In the final moment before he went in, I saw his body jolt violently.
36:24Blood burst from his left leg.
36:26He stumbled, then fell heavily into the hole.
36:29The air in the shelter froze.
36:31Only a thick smell of blood spread.
36:33Dad lay on the workbench.
36:35His face was pale.
36:36Cold sweat soaked through the cushion beneath him.
36:38On his left thigh, a gruesome, bloody hole was gushing blood.
36:42We could even see the bone.
36:43Luckily, the main artery wasn't hit, but the bullet was lodged inside.
36:47It had to come out immediately.
36:49Mom's hands shook, but her gaze was steady.
36:52She was a veterinarian.
36:53She wasn't new to surgical sutures.
36:56We had no anesthesia.
36:57The little bit of lidocaine we had expired long ago.
37:00Do it!
37:01Dad bit down on a stick wrapped in a towel.
37:03The veins on his forehead bulged.
37:05I have a feeling those bustards will break in.
37:07Mom took a deep breath, then heated a scalpel over a lamp.
37:11The sound of flesh being cut made us grit our teeth.
37:15Dad's body tensed up sharply, and he let out a growl.
37:18His hands gripped the table.
37:20The metal tabletop was actually dented from his grip.
37:23I held Dad's leg down as my eyes welled up, but I couldn't let them fall.
37:26Dwayne huddled in the corner.
37:28He shook with fear.
37:29He stared at the bloody hole in Dad's leg with a guilty look.
37:33Ten minutes felt like a century.
37:35Clink!
37:35A deformed bullet was tossed into the tray.
37:38Mom cleaned the wound and stitched it up.
37:40When the last stitch was done, Dad had fainted from the pain.
37:43The stick in his mouth was mangled.
37:45The surgery went well, but Dad would be crippled for at least a month.
37:49We lost our strongest fighter.
37:51Before we could even relax, a strange hissing sound suddenly came from the tunnel.
37:55I looked through the observation window.
37:58My pupils dilated.
37:59Thick, yellow smoke seeped through the cracks of the tunnel.
38:03It was chlorine gas, or some homemade poison gas bomb.
38:07They couldn't enter and didn't dare use the tunnel.
38:09So they chose the cruelest method.
38:11Smoke us to death inside here.
38:13The yellow smoke was like a snake, slithering through the gaps and silently seeping into
38:19the shelter.
38:20The air was filled with the choking smell of bleach.
38:22It was high-dose chlorine gas, or some even deadlier poisonous gas.
38:27Quick, start the ventilation system!
38:29Mom shouted with her voice sharp with tension.
38:32She pushed Dad back onto the bed and rushed to the panel.
38:35This system was the last line of defense Dad designed.
38:38It was simple.
38:39A high-powered fan would blow filtered air into the room, increasing the indoor air pressure.
38:44That way, the gas couldn't flow in.
38:46The backup generator roared to life.
38:48The fan blades spun crazily.
38:50I stared at the pressure gauge and watched the needle move to the right.
38:53At the same time, I could smell the odor being diluted and pushed out.
38:57Although the sealed door blocked most of the smoke, when I flashed a light at it, I could
39:02see the edges of the door hissing and corroding.
39:05It bubbled strangely.
39:06They couldn't enter, and we couldn't leave.
39:09I gripped the gun with sweaty palms.
39:11The gas attack lasted half an hour before it stopped.
39:13They clearly didn't want to waste their precious ammo.
39:16But then, an even more terrifying sound came from above.
39:19Thud.
39:20It was a digging sound, and the vibration of drilling the ground.
39:24It's explosives.
39:25Dad spoke weakly from the bed.
39:27His face was ashen.
39:28The gas didn't work.
39:30They'll blow the top and bury us alive, or rip the lid.
39:33If the top collapses, even just a corner, the cold would flood in instantly.
39:38We'd have no chance.
39:39We can only await our end.
39:41We must act first.
39:42I glanced at the still-struggling dad and held him down.
39:45Dad, you rest.
39:46This time, Dwayne and I will go.
39:48Dwayne couldn't speak.
39:50But in his clear, sharp eyes, there was a fierce tenacity.
39:53He pointed to an area on the map and made a breaking gesture.
39:56A natural limestone cavern was deep inside.
39:59Its structure was unstable.
40:01Even a mild tremor could cause a collapse.
40:03That would be the graveyard and the burial ground of those thugs.
40:07Dwayne and I put on gas masks and slipped into the intricate underground maze.
40:11Dwayne led the way.
40:12He moved as nimbly.
40:14He didn't even need any light.
40:15We deliberately made noises.
40:18We banged on pipes, making it seem as if we escaped in a panic.
40:21Sure enough, the digging above stopped.
40:24The outlaws heard the noise underground and thought we were trying to escape.
40:27They immediately gave chase.
40:29Over there!
40:30Don't let them escape!
40:31Chaotic footsteps echoed through the empty tunnels.
40:34Dwayne and I led them into the cavern area.
40:36The rock walls were covered with dangling stalactites.
40:39Even the floor had cracks.
40:40At the designated spot, Dwayne quickly ducked into a hole that only he could fit in.
40:45I hid behind a large boulder, clutching the grenade we'd stolen from their truck.
40:49When the flashlight swept around the corner and the thug's shout sounded close enough,
40:53I pulled the pin and counted silently to three.
40:56Go to hell!
40:57The grenade arced through the air and landed by the support pillar in the center.
41:01Boom!
41:01The blast was magnified in the enclosed space.
41:04It was deafening.
41:06What followed was the sound of rock breaking.
41:08The rock layers above collapsed like dominoes.
41:11Tons of boulders mixed with soil crashed down.
41:14The thug's cries faded into the noise.
41:17Dwayne and I scrambled back.
41:18The tunnel behind us kept collapsing, as if death itself was chasing us.
41:22We retreated to safety.
41:23A final rumble blocked our way.
41:25All was quiet.
41:27Those men were trapped forever.
41:28But we paid a price too.
41:30All the exits to the surface were completely blocked in this man-made collapse.
41:34We became true underground dwellers.
41:37Outside threats buried beneath rock, sealed off from the cruel world.
41:41We couldn't get out, but that made it safer in a way.
41:44Days passed under dim lights and the drip of water.
41:47Dad's legs slowly healed under Mom's careful care.
41:50Even though he still limped, he could already stand again and work on his machines.
41:54Dwayne officially became part of our family.
41:57Although he couldn't speak, he was so endearingly hardworking.
42:00He took over the farming, keeping the dozens of sprouts neatly organized.
42:04With the groundwater and grow lights, we grew our first batch of bean sprouts.
42:08We even grew mushrooms in the damp corners.
42:10When a pot of mushroom and spam stew hit the table, the smell almost made us all want to cry.
42:15There was no killing, looting, or scheming among us.
42:18The four of us sat together.
42:20Dad served some meat to Dwayne, who grinned toothily.
42:23In that moment, it felt like the apocalypse didn't exist.
42:26Half a year passed in a flash.
42:28Our hair grew, and clothes wore out.
42:30But our gazes were brighter than before.
42:32One early morning, I went to check the sensor data from the outside as always.
42:36I froze when I saw the screen.
42:38Temperature rose from minus 58 degrees to minus 4 degrees in one week.
42:43The curve was still shooting up, too.
42:45Dad, look at this!
42:46Dad came over and stared at the screen.
42:48His expression grew even more serious, despite the warming.
42:51The temperature is rising too fast.
42:53This isn't spring returning.
42:55It's a pendulum effect.
42:56After extreme cold, it'll likely swing back to extreme heat.
43:00As if to prove his words, the sensor data jumped.
43:03The surface temperature was 32 degrees.
43:05The ice started to melt.
43:07And for us who lived underground, this could mean a disaster in the form of a flood.
43:11Heat was surging brutally.
43:13In just three days, the thermometer on the wall went crazy.
43:17The red mercury column surged from minus 58 degrees, hitting 104 degrees.
43:22We didn't even transition from extreme cold to heat.
43:25A rumbling came from above.
43:27It sounded like a stampede.
43:29It wasn't wind.
43:30It was water.
43:31Snow melted instantly in the intense heat.
43:33The world turned into a giant steam cooker.
43:36Then came the massive floods.
43:38The shelter walls began leaking.
43:40Condensation beaded on the concrete surface.
43:42The air became hot and humid.
43:44I sweated profusely, even at rest.
43:47Activate submarine mode!
43:48Dad tossed me a wrench and spoke urgently.
43:50We had already prepared for this.
43:52We added six-foot-long pipes to the ventilation duct that stuck out of the ground.
43:56All the drains were locked in reverse and coated with thick sealant.
44:00I saw the world outside through the periscope.
44:03The vast white field was gone.
44:04It was replaced by muddy, roaring yellow waves.
44:08The flood carried dead trees, broken ice, and car wreckages.
44:11They slammed into anything sticking up.
44:14At this moment, our shelter was like a submarine in the deep sea.
44:17The water pressure was building.
44:20Door groaned under pressure.
44:21Water surged higher, swallowing the rooftops.
44:24Dad stared intently at the gauge.
44:26If water enters the vents, we'll have to rely on oxygen tanks.
44:30Duane huddled in the corner, watching water trickle down.
44:33I went over, wiped the wet spot with a towel, and gave him hard tack.
44:37I shook my head and gestured that it was okay.
44:39But I knew that if the water rose three feet, we would drown inside this metal can.
44:43The flood wasn't just water.
44:45It was a boiling pot of corpses.
44:48Through the blurry lens, I saw many swollen objects.
44:51People.
44:52Livestock.
44:53They rotted in the hot flood water, breeding massive bacteria.
44:56Even with layers of filtration, the air still faintly carried a sickening stench of decay.
45:02A plague was here.
45:03Mom wore two masks and sprayed disinfectant in every corner.
45:07Water deadlier than a bullet.
45:09The apocalypse's irony.
45:10A flood raged outside.
45:12Yet, survivors faced the danger of dying of thirst.
45:15If someone couldn't resist drinking that filthy water, they'd definitely die of cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
45:21As for us, we sat around a small table and drank clean water from the river.
45:25We ate peaches from a can.
45:27The underground river had become our lifeline.
45:30Water came from deep underground, unpolluted.
45:32For our safety, we cut off all physical contact with the outside.
45:36We rarely even raised the periscope, afraid of catching some deadly germ.
45:40We relied on oxygen tanks and the air purification system to get by.
45:44This went on for an entire month.
45:46Then, one day, the sound of rushing water finally stopped.
45:49Dad cautiously raised the periscope.
45:51The mud on the lens dried and cracked, revealing the blue sky.
45:55The water's gone.
45:56Through the gap, I saw that the ground had turned into a brown, muddy pit.
45:59The buildings, trees, and bodies were all gone, leaving only a thick layer of foul silt that covered the earth.
46:06But in that dead, silent abyss, I saw a faint touch of green.
46:10Temp hit 75 degrees.
46:12Ground hardened.
46:14We headed up.
46:14Back then, to kill those outlaws, the exit was sealed during the collapse.
46:19That was now the biggest hurdle blocking our way home.
46:22Dad located the weakest point for the blast and used our last explosives.
46:26Boom!
46:26Dust flew everywhere.
46:28Sunlight pierced the darkness of the shelter.
46:31I squinted as the harsh light made my eyes water.
46:33I took a deep breath of the outside air.
46:36It still had the smell of soil and decay, but it was also freedom.
46:39We climbed out of the opening and stood where Erwin Village used to be.
46:43The village was gone.
46:45Nothing was left.
46:46Our house, the neighbor's building, all had been leveled by the flood.
46:50This place was like a clean slate, with only thick mud and countless bits of scattered trash.
46:55This soil is rich.
46:56Dad crouched down, grabbed a handful of soil, and rubbed it.
47:00The corpses and rot had turned into good fertilizer.
47:03Duane ran excitedly toward a higher spot.
47:05A small blade of grass pushed up through the mud.
47:08He pointed at the sprout and shouted with joy.
47:11Let's start.
47:12Dad wiped his hands, eyes without sorrow.
47:15Only a fierce passion to rebuild.
47:17Treasure lies beneath.
47:19We can plant our seeds now.
47:20We planted a vegetable garden on the ruins.
47:23After just one week, the first batch of kale sprouted.
47:26On the bleak wasteland, rows of greens stood like hope's flags in the sunset.
47:31The color of life was more dazzling than gold.
47:34The radio that remained silent suddenly burst to life one afternoon.
47:38It was no longer a malicious prying, nor random chaotic static.
47:42Instead, it was a clear woman's voice.
47:44We felt moved when we heard her.
47:46This is Pledia's third safe zone.
47:48If you hear this broadcast, gather southeast to rebuild our home.
47:52The cigarette in dad's hand burned his finger, but he didn't notice.
47:55He just stared intently at the old radio.
47:58The government and order still exists.
48:01Do we go?
48:01Mom stopped sorting the vegetables.
48:03She looked uncertain.
48:05It did mean safety in groups and the return of civilization.
48:08I looked out at the setting sun.
48:10Our rebuilt greenhouse glowed golden.
48:12The shelter entrance stood like an unbreakable fortress.
48:15Groundwater babbled, and the generator roared.
48:18We'd stored enough food to last a decade.
48:20No.
48:21Dad snuffed his cigarette, his gaze sharp again.
48:24We'd be refugees there, waiting to be assigned.
48:27Here, we are our own kings.
48:29I nodded.
48:30After enduring betrayal, killing, and survival trials, we could no longer trust strangers,
48:35even if it's the government.
48:37Just then, the roar of an engine came from the sky.
48:40The painted helicopter flew low overhead.
48:41It didn't stop, but as it passed over Irwin Village, it dropped a large package that landed
48:47in the mud.
48:48Hardtack and flyers flew everywhere.
48:50I picked up a flyer.
48:51It showed a map of the safe zone and a call to rally.
48:54Seems the world really is returning to normal.
48:56As Dad watched the helicopter leave, he smiled conflictingly.
49:00But we should just stick to our piece of land.
49:03We stood in the sunset, guarding a land of our own.
49:06As more and more survivors emerged from hiding, Irwin Village, now called Irwin Fortress, became a legend within the area.
49:13Amid the silent wasteland, we were the only place with green patches.
49:17It was seedlings and cucumbers climbing over the trellises.
49:21Ragged wanderers often passed by.
49:23From far away, they would stare hungrily at the green.
49:26They swallowed heavily.
49:28You can eat if you want.
49:29Trade your labor.
49:30That was the rule I set.
49:32We needed no wealth, only labor.
49:34And so, the bustle of humans began to return to the ruins.
49:37Some cleared the mud.
49:38Some repaired the walls.
49:40All for a bowl of hot potato soup.
49:43In this small, independent kingdom, Dwayne shone the brightest.
49:46Although he couldn't speak, he seemed born for farming.
49:49Those small, calloused hands had the power to turn waste into magic.
49:54Seedlings that died in Dad's and my hands would shoot up in just a few days under his care.
49:58He was hardworking.
49:59He would wander the vegetable patch like an inspector.
50:02One day, I saw some wanderers pointing at Dwayne and eyeing him scornfully.
50:07Dwayne paid them no mind.
50:08He just silently shoveled some soil and expertly spread it around.
50:13Then he picked a cucumber from the trellis and took a bite.
50:15The crisp sound echoed across the silent wilderness.
50:18The wanderers immediately shut up.
50:20The scorn in their eyes turned into envy and awe.
50:23Amid piles of corpses, fresh vegetables meant being at the top.
50:27As I watched Dwayne stand up confidently, I felt relieved.
50:31This was our home.
50:32An oasis among the wasteland.
50:34The legendary Irwin Fortress.
50:36The mud-clearing work after the flood continued.
50:39I held a shovel and cleared the mud around the tree at the entrance.
50:42It used to be the village landmark.
50:44It's also where Jess and Wade had died.
50:47Clang!
50:47The shovel hit something hard.
50:49I bent down and dug a shiny object out of the black muck.
50:53I rubbed the dirt off.
50:54It gleaned brightly under the sunlight.
50:56It was a diamond-encrusted hair clip.
50:59I recalled the afternoon before the apocalypse.
51:01Jess waved the check, slammed the door, and left in a huff.
51:05She posted this clip on her social media and captioned,
51:07Some women can only save money, while I can only shine.
51:11Now, this symbol of vanity and greed lay quietly in my dirt-covered palm.
51:16It still shone, but it was cold to the touch.
51:19In the mud next to the hair clip, I also dug up several bones.
51:22They bore the marks of being gnawed and soaked.
51:25What were once living souls and relatives were now just a heap of sludge and unidentifiable bones.
51:31I felt no sense of revenge and no heart-wrenching sorrow, only bleak weariness of it all.
51:36Vera, pretty, huh?
51:38In my days, I seemed to hear young Jess trailing behind me and acting cute.
51:42I breathed deep, pulled a rusty box from my pocket, wiped the hairpin clean, and set it inside.
51:48There was no grave marker or memorial.
51:50I dug a deep hole under the tree roots, buried the box, covered it with soil, and stomped down hard.
51:56In the next life, let's not be sisters.
51:59I brushed the dirt off my hands and stood up.
52:01The setting sun cast golden light over the ruins.
52:04I turned around and walked toward the shelter.
52:07I didn't look back.
52:08Time was both the cruelest chisel in the world and its softest remedy.
52:12In 2028, the third year of the apocalypse, Irwin Fortress' expansion had reached its third phase.
52:18The damp shelter now linked to several air raid shelters, becoming a huge underground ecosystem.
52:24Sunlight shone through the triple-layer bulletproof skylight and onto the floor of the common room.
52:28Dad was next to the generator.
52:30He held a wrench and taught Dwayne how to replace a worn-out gear.
52:33Although he still had a slight limp from his injured leg, it hadn't dimmed his spirit at all.
52:39His hair had turned a bit grayer, but his gaze was relaxed than three years ago.
52:43Dwayne had grown into a young man.
52:45The mute orphan who had once been skeletal now had broad shoulders and arms full of solid muscle.
52:51He gestured and skillfully took apart the parts.
52:53His gaze was focused.
52:55A chopping sound came from the kitchen.
52:57Mom was chopping vegetables.
52:59She had gained weight.
53:00While most people still killed for a piece of moldy bread, Mom had to worry about losing weight.
53:05That itself was an extravagant show of wealth.
53:08Vera, bring out that jar of pickles.
53:10We're having spam for lunch.
53:12Mom spoke energetically.
53:14I carried a pot out of the temperature-controlled storage.
53:16As I passed a mirror, I glanced at my reflection.
53:19My skin was pale from living underground, but I wasn't sickly.
53:23I had weapons, food, and family.
53:25This was our life.
53:27We weren't just barely surviving, but truly living.
53:30We sat together, enjoying this hard-won piece.
53:33Every dish on the table was grown with our own hands.
53:36I felt deeply contented looking at everything before me.
53:38Sunlight poured in.
53:40Life was great.
53:41This is our family portrait.
53:42We're still together three years later.
53:44The lookout's chime rang.
53:46It was a visitor signal.
53:48A travel-worn convoy stopped outside our perimeter.
53:50Their cars had special emblems painted on.
53:53It was worn, but well-maintained.
53:55It's a trade caravan from the southern safe zone.
53:57In three years, humanity had finally rebuilt a fragile order from the ruins.
54:02Trade had replaced endless looting.
54:04I stood high on the wall.
54:05I held my gun, but pointed the barrel down.
54:08Their leader was a one-eyed man.
54:10He eyed the string of red chilies hanging from our wall.
54:13He swallowed hard.
54:14Miss Lane, the goods are all here.
54:16The one-eyed man opened the truck.
54:19Inside were barrels of gasoline and the solar panel components we needed.
54:23There's even boxes of sanitary pads and shampoo.
54:25We want to trade for vegetables, like spinach or the likes.
54:29If it's green, we'll take it.
54:30The exchange proceeded quietly and efficiently.
54:33When Dwayne brought out freshly picked cucumbers that still glistened with dew,
54:37the guards in the convoy were stunned.
54:39One couldn't resist touching them.
54:40The one-eyed man slapped his hand back.
54:42Watch it.
54:43These are the lane's goods.
54:45In this new world, we were no longer bullied.
54:47We controlled key resources.
54:49After the trade, the one-eyed man lit a cigarette and took a long drag.
54:53He eyed the fortress enviously.
54:55Folks in the main zone call Erwin Fortress a paradise.
54:58I can see it lives up to the name.
55:00I smiled but didn't respond.
55:02A paradise?
55:03No.
55:03We had to defend this with our lives.
55:05The convoy left together with vegetables and our hope.
55:08Perhaps the world really was slowly getting better.
55:11After seeing off the convoy, night fell.
55:13It was New Year's Eve.
55:15Chaos aside, we still celebrated New Year.
55:17The dining room glowed warm, light, bathing the table and chasing off the cold.
55:22The most lavish meal so far sat on the table.
55:25A large pot stew loaded with generous slices of pork, a plate of crisp and fresh cucumber salad, and a
55:31plate of steaming hot dumplings.
55:33These flour dumplings had flour that came from wheat we grew and milled.
55:37Although it wasn't store-bought, the wheat aroma was very rich.
55:41Here, Duane.
55:42This is the one you wrapped.
55:43You eat it.
55:44Dad laughed as he took a dumpling and gave it to Duane.
55:47Duane scratched his head sheepishly and grinned widely.
55:51He stuffed the food into his mouth and hissed from the heat.
55:53Mom turned on the restored, old-fashioned TV that was connected to a drive.
55:57The screen showed New Year's Eve sketches from decades ago.
56:00The quality was fuzzy and the sound crackled.
56:02But to us, it was heavenly.
56:05A laugh track came from the TV.
56:07We laughed along.
56:08As we laughed, Mom teared up.
56:10She wiped her eyes, raised her glass of juice, and toasted to us.
56:13As well as our family being together, with not one missing.
56:17We clinked out glasses together.
56:19Outside, the cold wind still howled.
56:21Perhaps things were still bad elsewhere.
56:23But right here, right now, there was food, lights, my parents, and my brother.
56:28This was home.
56:29Even if outside was hell, this place was heaven when the door was closed.
56:34As I looked around, I suddenly felt that all our suffering was worth it.
56:37Dad carried the pride of being the head of the family.
56:40Mom's face showed the simplest happiness of a mother.
56:42Duane's eyes sparkled, for he had found a home.
56:45Right now, I wished time would stop forever.
56:48After dinner, I walked out of the shelter alone.
56:51The setting sun stained the entire land blood red.
56:54I stood on the wall.
56:55I looked at the land that had once been devastated.
56:58Three years ago, it was a frozen hell, littered with corpses.
57:02Half a year ago, it was played.
57:04Now, greenery cloaked the ruins.
57:06The terraced fields we had carved out wound down.
57:08The greenhouse tarp glistened in the evening sun.
57:11At the entrance, the tree where I buried the hair clip had sprouted new buds that swayed gently in the
57:16wind.
57:16Smoke rose in wisps from the shelter's chimney, carrying the smell of firewood that traveled up.
57:21This smoke meant life and civilization.
57:24I touched my chest.
57:25There was no pendant, no storage space, no system.
57:29I had no special advantages.
57:31What remained was Mom and Dad's determination to sell the house and car.
57:34It was the persistence of modifying the shelter.
57:37It was the courage to pull the trigger on those thugs.
57:40Vera, come back for some fruit.
57:42I cut some watermelon.
57:43Mom's call came from behind me,
57:45followed by Dad's and Dwayne's agreement.
57:47I turned around and looked at that glowing entrance.
57:49I smiled unknowingly.
57:51Was the apocalypse over?
57:52Maybe not.
57:53Disasters might come again.
57:55Extreme cold, heat, earthquakes, and plagues.
57:58It was like the Earth was having one long immune reaction.
58:01But I wasn't afraid, because I knew that no matter what tomorrow brought,
58:05the Irwins had already placed firm roots into this land.
58:08I told them I was coming, then turned and ran inside.
58:11The apocalypse would end, and we would keep on living.
58:14We would live well.
58:16We would live well.
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