- 13 minutes ago
Blizzard Reset- The Second Life Survival Plan
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🎥
Short filmTranscript
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.
00:59I had no powers or storage space, but I still had my memories.
01:03I still had my parents.
01:04Vera?
01:05The door swung open.
01:07Seeing me, my parents were stunned and thrilled.
01:10They returned, too.
01:12We tightly hugged one another.
01:14Dad'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.
01:22We'll be fine.
01:22We still have one another and this house.
01:26It hasn't reached minus 94 degrees yet.
01:28We can build a shelter to survive.
01:30We need money.
01:32Mom 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.
01:42We'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 for 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.
02:18Mom kept tapping on the calculator without looking up.
02:23Okay.
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.
02:42Take the money and your life is no longer our concern.
02:45We're going to sell this house.
02:48What?
02:48Are you crazy?
02:50Jess 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.
02:58With $500,000, you can go wherever you want.
03:01Jess looked at the check.
03:02Greed won over reason.
03:04She thought we were just bluffing.
03:06I'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.
03:19What 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 cold,
03:27a renovated shelter, and food supplies for 10 years.
03:30When survival was at stake, $10 million was nothing.
03:34Let's go.
03:35Dad 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 work.
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.
03:55Standing before the abandoned shelter, loo prints in hand, he shouted at the construction team we paid a fortune for.
04:03What 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.
04:16When temperatures drop to minus 94 degrees, every bit of insulation is life-saving.
04:22My 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, driving even the rich
04:58to envy.
04:59Mom suddenly rushed over, looking grim.
05:03Vera, we have a problem.
05:05We're out of money.
05:07The 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.
05:26104 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,
05:39bricked 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.
05:49Under 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.
05:59Dad 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.
06:26Mom 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.
06:33I tightened my grip on the flashlight and told her the septic tank was clogged, and we were clearing it
06:38out.
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 are all set.
06:49Food.
06:50Coal.
06:51Diesel.
06:52Medicine.
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.
07:11At midday on August 15th, the glaring sunlight suddenly dimmed.
07:15The sky was cloudless, but it looked strangely gray.
07:19The air became still.
07:21Even the cicadas stopped chirping.
07:23Dad urged us to enter the shelter.
07:25It was pure survival instinct.
07:27We 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.
07:44We 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.
07:55The 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.
08:13Everyone, 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.
08:33Chaos 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.
09:03Dinner 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.
09:22Despite being set to 86 degrees, it's still freezing.
09:25My window froze and shattered.
09:27A 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.
09:36Come 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.
09:58Our camouflage is well-made, topped with rotten wood and bricks.
10:03Thinking it was a ruin, they left after kicking it twice.
10:06Frank 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.
10:43Heidi's cries could be heard.
10:45Then 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.
11:05A 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.
11:34There'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.
12:11There were occasional transmissions.
12:12Global disaster.
12:13Stay put.
12:15Await rescue.
12:16While counting the remaining coal, Mom suddenly panicked.
12:19Max, look at this corner.
12:21Frost 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.
12:31The cold seeps into the wall.
12:32If it drops to minus 94 degrees, our insulation may not withstand it.
12:37The 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.
12:49All 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.
13:05Let'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.
13:16I 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.
13:25The two charged out frantically.
13:27Frozen 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.
14:04Someone was here.
14:05I peered outside, and my eyes widened.
14:08It 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!
14:22Wade 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.
14:37They've hoarded supplies.
14:38If we open the door, we can all survive.
14:40How 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.
14:49Smash it!
14:50Pickaxes and hammers struck our blast-resistant door.
14:53Mom'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 door frame 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.
15:32Their hands were stuck to their tools.
15:34I saw Wade take cover behind Jess, using her as a shield.
15:38She stood frozen like a statue, covered in ice.
15:41Her eyes reflected disbelief and despair.
15:44The extreme cold cut the screams off.
15:46Dad's high-pressure spray system, originally meant for decontamination,
15:50had 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.
16:05Frank 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.
16:28Through the port, I saw something terrifying.
16:31When 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.
16:46Wade used her as a shield.
16:47Are you crazy?
16:48It's so cold!
16:49What are you doing?
16:51Jess 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.
17:05Vera!
17:05Open 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.
17:26The 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.
17:40He hardly got wet.
17:41What is he doing?
17:43Realizing 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.
18:02Dad 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.
18:13Come 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.
18:21But he forgot it was minus 58 degrees.
18:24He dodged most of the water.
18:25But his pant legs still got wet.
18:28Through the port, I watched coldly.
18:30His movements slowed.
18:32Five minutes later, the banging stopped.
18:34He knelt there, holding the doorframe, face pressed against the steel, eyes wide open.
18:40Outside the door stood five ice statues.
18:43The threat was eliminated, but our position was exposed.
18:47The ice statues were both a warning and a marker.
18:50The next morning, Dad checked the instruments.
18:52Suddenly, his face turned pale.
18:55He tapped the barometer, his fingers trembling.
18:57This is bad.
18:59My heart immediately sank.
19:01Dad turned to me, fear 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.
19:16If 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.
20:04Wind flipped a car onto the shaft.
20:06The jack let out a heavy groan.
20:07With a dull thud, the creaking of metal came from above.
20:11A stream of cold yet incredibly sweet air rushed in.
20:14We gasped for air greedily.
20:15Dad pushed open the cover.
20:18I quickly looked out through the gap.
20:19Sure enough, it was Frank's SUV.
20:22It was like a giant lid blocking the snow.
20:25I turned and looked into the distance.
20:27My heart suddenly jolted.
20:28On the silent snow field lay fresh footprints.
20:32I followed the trail and adjusted the periscope.
20:35Three 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.
21:04He grabbed a handful and ate it greedily.
21:06Down in the shelter, I was eating lunch.
21:08It 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.
21:26Three 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.
21:36The 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.
21:57They 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.
22:30Found 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.
23:05Prepare 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.
23:15The 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.
23:25A 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.
23:38It'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.
23:58Whoosh!
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.
24:24Sweat 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?
24:46I'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.
26:25He weighed his options and hesitated.
26:26At that moment, Dad stood still in front of the firing port.
26:30He drew the bow fully.
26:32The 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.
26:54It 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
27:01through 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.
27:1030 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 Erwin Village circled in red.
27:20They had wrote,
27:21Suspected 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.
27:47The 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.
28:18Thump.
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.
28:28A 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.
28:58The 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.
29:40The 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.
29:55He 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 Duane, the mute orphan from the village.
30:07He 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, closed 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.
30:35Duane's eyes snapped open and he lunged at the buns.
30:38He swallowed them without chewing.
30:39After 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.
30:57We barely had time to catch our breath back home when the ground shook.
31:01It was machinery vibrating on frozen ground, not an earthquake.
31:04Even the glasses on the table rattled.
31:06I immediately went to check.
31:08A convoy tore through the snow, breaking the silence of Erwin 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.
31:23No.
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.
31:43This 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.
32:31I 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.
32:59This was stolen loot from a real military outpost.
33:02Come 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.
33:10The 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.
33:24But 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 Erwin 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?
33:58The diesel?
33:59Who took them?
34:00The thug stepped on Royce and spoke coldly.
34:02Mr. Royce could only manage unintelligible sobs.
34:05Useless!
34:06Another 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 and the third house.
34:14The few remaining survivors were dragged out, then killed, when they couldn't give an answer.
34:19This wasn't a search.
34:21This 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.
34:29That was the air raid shelter, as 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.
35:01Besides, he was a child.
35:02Someone who had survived this world by catching rats.
35:05Prepare to fight.
35:07Dad 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.
35:19Dad 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.
35:40I braced the rifle.
35:41My 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.
35:58It'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
36:08dark tunnel.
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 by, a gruesome, bloody hole was gushing blood.
36:44We could even see the bone.
36:45Luckily, the main artery wasn't hit.
36:48But the bullet was lodged inside.
36:49It had to come out immediately.
36:51Mom's hands shook, but 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.
37:10Mom took a deep breath, then 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, and 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, but I couldn't let them fall.
37:29Duane 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!
37:38A 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, but 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.
37:58I looked through the observation window.
38:00My pupils dilated.
38:02Thick, 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.
38:47That 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.
38:56At the same time, I could smell the odor being diluted and pushed out.
39:00Although 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.
39:07It 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.
39:16They 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, or 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.
39:45I glanced at the still-struggling dad and held him down.
39:47Dad, you rest.
39:48This time, Dwayne and I will go.
39:51Dwayne couldn't speak, but 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.
40:03Even 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.
40:15He moved as nimbly.
40:16He didn't even need any light.
40:18We deliberately made noises.
40:20We 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.
40:32Over there!
40:32Don't let them escape!
40:34Chaotic 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.
41:07It 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.
41:28All was quiet.
41:29Those men were trapped forever.
41:31But we paid a price too.
41:32All the exits to the surface were completely blocked in this man-made collapse.
41:37We 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.
41:47Days passed under dim lights and the drip of water.
41:50Dad's legs slowly healed under Mom's careful care.
41:53Even though he still limped, he could already stand again and work on his machines.
41:57Dwayne 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.
42:21The 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.
42:29Half a year passed in a flash.
42:30Our hair grew, and clothes wore out.
42:33But 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.
42:54The temperature is rising too fast.
42:56This isn't spring returning.
42:57It's a pendulum effect.
42:59After 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.
43:14Heat 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.
43:25We didn't even transition from extreme cold to heat.
43:28A 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.
43:55We 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.
44:20The water pressure was building.
44:22Door groaned under pressure.
44:24Water surged higher, swallowing the rooftops.
44:27Dad 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.
45:15Yet 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.
46:22That 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.
46:41But 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.
46:58This 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.
47:23We 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.
47:51If 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.
48:15The shelter entrance stood like an unbreakable fortress.
48:18Groundwater babbled, and the generator roared.
48:20We'd stored enough food to last a decade.
48:23No.
48:23Dad snuffed his cigarette, his gaze sharp again.
48:27We'd be refugees there, waiting to be assigned.
48:29Here, we are our own kings.
48:32I 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.
48:57Seems 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,
49:12Irwin Village, now called Irwin Fortress,
49:14became a legend within the area.
49:16Amid the silent wasteland,
49:17we were the only place with green patches.
49:20It was seedlings and cucumbers climbing over the trellises.
49:24Ragged 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.
49:33That was the rule I set.
49:34We needed no wealth.
49:36Only 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,
49:47Dwayne shone the brightest.
49:49Although he couldn't speak,
49:50he seemed born for farming.
49:52Those small, calloused hands
49:53had the power to turn waste into magic.
49:56Seedlings that died in Dad's and My Hands
49:58would 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
50:08and eyeing him scornfully.
50:09Dwayne paid them no mind.
50:11He just silently shoveled some soil
50:13and expertly spread it around.
50:15Then he picked a cucumber from the trellis
50:17and 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,
50:28fresh vegetables meant being at the top.
50:30As I watched Dwayne stand up confidently,
50:32I felt relieved.
50:33This was our home.
50:35An oasis among the wasteland.
50:37The legendary Irwin Fortress.
50:39The mud clearing work after the flood continued.
50:42I held a shovel and cleared the mud
50:44around 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.
50:52I bent down and dug a shiny object
50:54out of the black muck.
50:55I rubbed the dirt off.
50:57It 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,
51:06slammed the door,
51:06and left in a huff.
51:07She posted this clip on her social media and captioned,
51:10Some women can only save money,
51:12while I can only shine.
51:14Now, this symbol of vanity and greed
51:16lay quietly in my dirt-covered palm.
51:19It still shone,
51:20but it was cold to the touch.
51:21In the mud next to the hair clip,
51:23I also dug up several bones.
51:25They bore the marks of being gnawed and soaked.
51:28What were once living souls and relatives
51:30were now just a heap of sludge
51:32and unidentifiable bones.
51:34I felt no sense of revenge
51:35and no heart-wrenching sorrow,
51:37only bleak weariness of it all.
51:39Vera,
51:40pretty, huh?
51:40In my days,
51:42I seemed to hear young Jess
51:43trailing behind me and acting cute.
51:45I breathed deep,
51:46pulled a rusty box from my pocket,
51:48wiped the hairpin clean,
51:50and set it inside.
51:51There was no grave marker or memorial.
51:53I dug a deep hole under the tree roots,
51:55buried the box,
51:56covered it with soil,
51:57and stomped down hard.
51:59In the next life,
52:00let's not be sisters.
52:02I brushed the dirt off my hands and stood up.
52:04The setting sun cast golden light over the ruins.
52:07I turned around
52:08and walked toward the shelter.
52:09I didn't look back.
52:11Time was both the cruelest chisel in the world
52:13and its softest remedy.
52:14In 2028,
52:16the third year of the apocalypse,
52:17Erwin Fortress' expansion
52:19had reached its third phase.
52:21The damp shelter now linked
52:22to several air raid shelters,
52:24becoming a huge underground ecosystem.
52:26Sunlight shone through the triple-layer
52:28bulletproof skylight
52:29and onto the floor of the common room.
52:31Dad was next to the generator.
52:33He held a wrench
52:33and taught Dwayne
52:34how to replace a worn-out gear.
52:36Although he still had a slight limp
52:38from his injured leg,
52:39it hadn't dimmed his spirit at all.
52:41His hair had turned a bit grayer,
52:43but his gaze was relaxed
52:44than three years ago.
52:46Dwayne had grown into a young man.
52:47The mute orphan
52:48who had once been skeletal
52:50now had broad shoulders
52:51and arms full of solid muscle.
52:53He gestured
52:54and skillfully took apart the parts.
52:56His gaze was focused.
52:58A chopping sound
52:59came from the kitchen.
53:00Mom was chopping vegetables.
53:02She had gained weight.
53:03While most people still killed
53:04for a piece of moldy bread,
53:06Mom 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.
53:17I carried a pot
53:17out of the temperature-controlled storage.
53:19As I passed a mirror,
53:20I glanced at my reflection.
53:22My skin was pale
53:23from living underground.
53:24But I wasn't sickly.
53:26I had weapons,
53:27food,
53:27and family.
53:28This was our life.
53:29We weren't just barely surviving,
53:31but truly living.
53:32We sat together,
53:33enjoying this hard-won piece.
53:35Every dish on the table
53:37was grown with our own hands.
53:38I felt deeply contented
53:40looking at everything before me.
53:41Sunlight poured in.
53:42Life was great.
53:44This is our family portrait.
53:45We're still together
53:46three years later.
53:47The lookout's chime rang.
53:49It was a visitor signal.
53:50A travel-worn convoy
53:52stopped outside our perimeter.
53:53Their cars had special emblems painted on.
53:56It was worn,
53:56but well-maintained.
53:58It's a trade caravan
53:58from the southern safe zone.
54:00In three years,
54:01humanity had finally rebuilt
54:03a fragile order from the ruins.
54:04Trade had replaced endless looting.
54:06I stood high on the wall.
54:08I held my gun,
54:09but pointed the barrel down.
54:11Their leader was a one-eyed man.
54:13He eyed the string of red chilies
54:14hanging from our wall.
54:16He swallowed hard.
54:17Miss Lane,
54:18the goods are all here.
54:19The one-eyed man opened the truck.
54:21Inside were barrels of gasoline
54:23and the solar panel components we needed.
54:26There's even boxes of sanitary pads
54:27and shampoo.
54:28We want to trade for vegetables,
54:30like spinach or the likes.
54:32If it's green,
54:32we'll take it.
54:33The exchange proceeded quietly and efficiently.
54:36When Dwayne brought out freshly picked cucumbers
54:38that still glistened with dew,
54:40the guards in the convoy were stunned.
54:42One 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,
54:48we were no longer bullied.
54:50We controlled key resources.
54:52After the trade,
54:53the one-eyed man lit a cigarette
54:54and took a long drag.
54:56He eyed the fortress enviously.
54:57Folks in the main zone call Irwin Fortress a paradise.
55:01I can see it lives up to the name.
55:03I smiled but didn't respond.
55:05A paradise?
55:06No.
55:06We had to defend this with our lives.
55:08The convoy left together,
55:09with vegetables and our hope.
55:11Perhaps the world really was slowly getting better.
55:14After seeing off the convoy,
55:15night fell.
55:16It was New Year's Eve.
55:18Chaos aside,
55:19we still celebrated New Year.
55:20The dining room glowed warm,
55:22light bathing the table
55:24and chasing off the cold.
55:25The most lavish meal so far sat on the table.
55:28A large pot stew
55:29loaded with generous slices of pork,
55:31a plate of crisp and fresh cucumber salad,
55:34and a plate of steaming hot dumplings.
55:36These flour dumplings had flour
55:38that came from wheat we grew and milled.
55:40Although it wasn't store-bought,
55:42the 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
55:49and gave it to Dwayne.
55:50Dwayne scratched his head sheepishly
55:52and grinned widely.
55:53He stuffed the food into his mouth
55:55and hissed from the heat.
55:56Mom turned on the restored,
55:58old-fashioned TV
55:59that was connected to a drive.
56:00The screen showed New Year's Eve sketches
56:02from decades ago.
56:03The quality was fuzzy
56:04and the sound crackled.
56:05But to us,
56:06it was heavenly.
56:08A laugh track came from the TV.
56:10We laughed along.
56:11As we laughed,
56:12Mom teared up.
56:13She wiped her eyes,
56:14raised her glass of juice,
56:15and toasted to us,
56:16as well as our family being together
56:18with not one missing.
56:20We clinked out glasses together.
56:22Outside,
56:22the cold wind still howled.
56:24Perhaps things were still bad elsewhere.
56:26But right here,
56:27right now,
56:28there was food,
56:29lights,
56:29my parents,
56:30and my brother.
56:31This was home.
56:33Even if outside was hell,
56:34this place was heaven
56:35when the door was closed.
56:37As I looked around,
56:38I suddenly felt that
56:39all our suffering was worth it.
56:40Dad carried the pride
56:41of being the head of the family.
56:43Mom's face showed
56:44the simplest happiness
56:44of a mother.
56:45Dwayne's eyes sparkled,
56:47for he had found a home.
56:48Right now,
56:49I wished time would stop forever.
56:51After dinner,
56:52I walked out of the shelter alone.
56:54The setting sun
56:54stained the entire land
56:56blood red.
56:56I stood on the wall.
56:58I looked at the land
56:59that had once been devastated.
57:01Three years ago,
57:02it was a frozen hell
57:03littered with corpses.
57:05Half a year ago,
57:06it was played.
57:07Now,
57:07greenery cloaked the ruins.
57:09The terraced fields
57:10we had carved out
57:10wound down.
57:11The greenhouse tarp
57:12glistened in the evening sun.
57:14At the entrance,
57:15the tree where I buried
57:16the hair clip
57:16had sprouted new buds
57:17that swayed gently in the wind.
57:19Smoke rose in wisps
57:21from the shelter's chimney,
57:22carrying the smell
57:23of firewood
57:23that traveled up.
57:24This smoke
57:25meant life and civilization.
57:27I touched my chest.
57:28There was no pendant,
57:30no storage space,
57:31no system.
57:32I had no special advantages.
57:34What remained
57:34was mom and dad's determination
57:36to sell the house and car.
57:37It was the persistence
57:38of modifying the shelter.
57:40It was the courage
57:41to pull the trigger
57:42on those thugs.
57:43Vera,
57:44come back for some fruit.
57:45I cut some watermelon.
57:46Mom's call came from behind me,
57:48followed by dad's
57:49and Dwayne's agreement.
57:50I turned around
57:50and looked at that glowing entrance.
57:52I smiled unknowingly.
57:54Was the apocalypse over?
57:55Maybe not.
57:56Disasters might come again.
57:58Extreme cold,
57:59heat,
58:00earthquakes,
58:00and plagues.
58:01It was like the earth
58:02was having one long
58:03immune reaction.
58:05But I wasn't afraid
58:05because I knew
58:06that no matter
58:07what tomorrow brought,
58:08the Irwins had already
58:09placed firm roots
58:10into this land.
58:11I told them I was coming,
58:12then turned
58:13and ran inside.
58:14The apocalypse would end
58:15and we would keep on living.
58:17We would live well.
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