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Beneath the Freezing Rain, I Tore Off the Traitors' Masks |New Movie| #NS
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Short filmTranscript
00:01Doomsday came.
00:03I was murdered in cold blood by the two people I trusted the most, with their own hands.
00:08No one thought the storm would last an entire year, until the massive flood swallowed the whole neighborhood.
00:13I watched helplessly as the freezing water flooded into our apartment.
00:16In just seconds, the room was almost full, so I held my breath and fought my way toward the door.
00:21But no matter what I did, the door wouldn't open.
00:24Familiar voices drifted in from outside.
00:26It was my boyfriend Jack and my best friend Mia.
00:28They'd locked me inside this flooding room on purpose, leading me to drown.
00:33Overwhelmed by suffocation, my consciousness began to blur.
00:36But I couldn't die. I had to get out of here no matter what.
00:39Seeing the rescue team directing everyone to evacuate, I finally felt at ease.
00:43As long as I got on that vehicle, I would be safe.
00:46Jack and Mia boarded the car too.
00:47There was only one seat left, and to save their own lives, they pushed me off the car.
00:52I chased that vehicle like crazy, screaming for them to save me, until my legs gave out and I couldn't
00:57run another step.
00:58All I could do was stop in despair.
01:00I was standing there, breathless and hopeless, when a strange sound came from behind me.
01:04Before I could turn, something latched onto me, like a freaking face hugger.
01:08A freezing cold thing slithered down my throat.
01:10An instant gut-wrenching pain exploded through every inch of my body.
01:13My heart stopped beating.
01:14If I could do it all over again, I would never, ever, throw my life away for something as worthless
01:20as love.
01:24Maybe fate took pity on me.
01:26When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was that custom-made expensive ceiling.
01:30I'd actually been reborn, three days before the doomsday storm.
01:34Since God is giving me a second chance, I swear I will not let Jack and Mia, those two scumbags,
01:40get away with it.
01:41In my past life, Mia always put on this holier-than-thou act, pretending to advise me to break up
01:46with Jack.
01:47While behind my back, she'd already hooked up with him.
01:49And Jack, that loser who lived off me, spent my money recklessly, yet resented me for not sleeping with him
01:55before marriage.
01:56In the end, just to steal my survival supplies, he killed me with his own hands.
02:02Happy birthday, babe. I'll bring Mia along to celebrate for you.
02:06Don't worry. She promised to just eat and keep her mouth shut.
02:09If I hadn't been reborn, I probably would have fallen for that and felt all touched.
02:13But not this time. I didn't reply.
02:15Right now, the top priority is getting money and stocking up on supplies.
02:19I remember it clearly. On my birthday, three days from now, that apocalyptic storm is going to hit.
02:2590% of the world's land will be submerged and alien creatures will invade.
02:31This 37th floor penthouse I'm in right now was an adulthood gift from my parents.
02:35But it's just a place to live. If I'm going to stockpile supplies for years, even 200 square meters won't
02:41be enough.
02:42I have to think of a way. I quickly open all the banking apps on my phone and pull out
02:46every penny.
02:47No second thoughts. No caring about the interest. Because in three days, those numbers will be worthless.
02:53I also cash out all my designer bags and investments at a discount.
02:56Adding that to my savings, I suddenly have nearly $6.5 million in cash on hand.
03:01There are four units on this floor. Other than mine, 3702 in the middle, 3701 on the left, and 3703
03:09on the right have always been empty.
03:11I hear they were purchased by two property flippers as an investment.
03:14I reach out to a real estate agent right away.
03:17I'm willing to pay a 20% premium in full cash. The only term is, we sign the papers and
03:22finalize everything today.
03:24Drawn by the money, the two landlords agree without hesitation.
03:27In just one morning, I get the keys to both neighboring units.
03:31Now I can use these two empty apartments as storage.
03:34I can stockpile massive supplies freely without messing up my own living area.
03:39Housing problems solved. All that's left now is to stock up on supplies.
03:43First stop, I head straight to the biggest supermarket in the city.
03:46Before the shopkeeper can even have a chance to greet me, I hand him a shopping list.
03:50I practically bought out the entire supermarket.
03:53Holy hell, lady! You trying to supply an entire army or what?
03:56No. Company perks. I just rented two employee dormitories.
04:00Please have someone deliver everything to my place. I'll double your shipping fee.
04:03The owner is thrilled. He arranged workers to deliver everything that afternoon.
04:08I have enough food, water, medicine, and weapons.
04:12This feeling of sitting on a mountain of treasure is even better than winning the lottery.
04:17I contact a security door installer.
04:19Not only do I reinforce my own front door, but I also replace the doors of the two neighboring units
04:24with vault-grade mechanical combination locks.
04:27I also have thick metal bolts welded onto the inside of each door.
04:31I break through the walls connecting 3702 to the two neighboring units
04:35so I can access supplies without ever stepping outside.
04:38All the window glass is covered with the highest-grade blast film.
04:42My home has become an impenetrable fortress.
04:46By the time I finish everything, it's already evening of the third day.
04:50I slump exhausted onto my leather sofa.
04:53Yeah, I paid people to handle most of the heavy work.
04:55But coordinating everything and tying up loose ends these past two days has totally worn me out.
05:01I tear open a bag of beef jerky, chew a bite, and flip on the TV.
05:04The news channel is still all peace and calm.
05:07The weather report casually mentions that there might be some rain in the coming days.
05:11No one knows that once this rain starts, it will mark the end of human civilization.
05:15Just then, my phone rings.
05:17It's that disgusting three-person group chat.
05:19Happy birthday, babe. You are the brightest superstar. Love you.
05:22Hurry back, honey. We are waiting for you at your apartment.
05:25Back then, my blind trust in them got me killed. Not this time.
05:28From now on, I write my own story.
05:30I head to the bathroom to take a relaxing bath.
05:32I know very well, once the storm starts, the tap water will stop running soon.
05:36This might be my last chance to take a bath.
05:39I fill the bathtub full, scatter rose petals across the water, and soak in the calm before the storm.
05:44While I'm drying my hair, Jack calls, seeing the word darling pop up on screen.
05:48I hold back my disgust and answer the call.
05:51Looking at the dark clouds outside, a cold smile curls at the corner of my mouth.
05:55Babe, where are you? Why aren't you back yet?
05:58Oh, Jack. My mom suddenly missed me and asked me to come home for a few days.
06:02I am already on the train. No way I can make it back tonight.
06:06What? But we bought so much food!
06:09You guys eat first. Don't wait for me. Go ahead and finish all that food.
06:14Consider it celebrating my birthday for me.
06:16After hanging up, I can almost picture exactly what those two look like in that apartment.
06:21That apartment sits in a low-lying zone. It is always the first neighborhood to flood.
06:25Its drainage system is terrible.
06:27Once the torrential rain pours down, the whole place will be submerged in no time.
06:31I truly hope they enjoy their nice little dinner.
06:35After all, this is probably the last peaceful meal of their lives.
06:39A blinding flash of lightning cuts across the sky outside the window,
06:42followed by rain pounding against the bulletproof glass.
06:46I check the time. 8.27pm. The apocalypse has officially begun.
06:50And just like that, the three-person group chat starts up again.
06:54Jack sends a photo. It's a feast of dishes.
06:56With a peanut-flavored birthday cake right in the center.
06:59Babe, the rain outside is crazy. When are you coming back?
07:02Looking at the photo, it's all food Mia likes. Not a single dish I like. Even the cake.
07:07It's Mia's favorite peanut butter flavor.
07:09Three years with Jack, and he still doesn't remember that I'm allergic to peanuts.
07:13The news finally cuts in with an emergency alert.
07:15The city issues a red alert for rain. Rainfall is expected to exceed 400 millimeters in the next two hours,
07:22and it will keep rising.
07:23The world outside the window is soon swallowed by heavy rain. The once lively city falls into chaos.
07:29Car horns blare, and people scream, all mixing into one loud uproar.
07:33The phone rings again.
07:35Something feels off. The rain is way too heavy. The street outside the door is already flooded. Are you sure
07:40you're not coming back?
07:41I pop a freshly grilled rib into my mouth. The outside is charred and caramelized. The inside is tender and
07:47juicy.
07:48Paired with a left-bank Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon, this feeling is absolutely heavenly.
07:53Then I start typing in the group chat. Can't make it back. Rain's too heavy. Trains are canceled. You two
07:58just stay there. Whatever you do, don't go outside.
08:01Happy birthday, Chloe. Welcome to the end of their world.
08:05The curtain has risen on my revenge.
08:06Now, let's see, in the face of hunger and fear, how long your so-called true love can actually last.
08:14The doomsday storm has finally arrived.
08:18I'm hiding out in my 37th floor penthouse, savoring some good food.
08:22Meanwhile, my cheating boyfriend and backstabbing best friend are out there in the storm, desperately struggling to survive.
08:28Even though I know full well they might lose their lives in this terrifying deluge, I will never open my
08:34door and let them in.
08:35All because in this life, I came back reborn.
08:38On the second day of the doomsday storm, that cheating boyfriend from the group chat actually has the nerve to
08:44send me a message acting all concerned, telling me not to go out unless it's absolutely necessary.
08:49Don't go out unless it's important.
08:52Quite the actor, isn't he?
08:53Then my good bestie, Mia, chimes in.
08:55Looks like I'm stranded, so I'll have to crash at your place.
08:59Oh, wait.
09:00Your boyfriend Jack won't be mad at me, will he?
09:03Mia even throws in a smirking emoji.
09:05Their little stunt makes me sick.
09:07All that talk about never crossing any boundaries just feels like they're showing off on purpose.
09:12Behind my back, they've already done everything they claimed they wouldn't.
09:15I completely ignore those disgusting messages.
09:18Looking back, I was really naive and pitiful back then.
09:21I once thought I had the perfect love and the most sincere, trustworthy friendship in the world.
09:26Little did I know, they'd already teamed up to betray me.
09:28As I look back on all the details from my past life, I realized their betrayal was full of obvious
09:33signs all along.
09:39I recall every time Mia felt under the weather, my boyfriend Jack would always turn up right on time, thoughtfully
09:45handing her painkillers.
09:51But when I had a really bad cold, Jack's phone was always unreachable.
09:58Jack is actually a pretty good cook.
10:00Yet whenever Mia joins us for dinner, the whole table is nothing but vegetarian dishes.
10:05He knows perfectly well Mia dislikes meat.
10:08And he also knows I'm a total carnivore.
10:11All those little unnoticeable details, they were all clues, exposing their betrayal all along.
10:18The rain outside keeps pouring harder and harder.
10:21Before long, the whole world outside is drowning in flood water.
10:25Terrifying lightning and thunder clash wildly together.
10:27Raindrops slam against the glass like cannonballs.
10:30I stand alone in front of the floor to ceiling window and happen to notice a small orange glow bobbing
10:35in the water.
10:36My heart stops.
10:36I immediately grab my binoculars for a closer look.
10:41It looks like a sanitation worker who's fallen into the flood, fighting desperately for his life.
10:46But then a sudden wave hits and he's completely swept away, gone without a trace.
10:51The cruel apocalypse has only just begun.
10:53Human life has become as worthless as trash, silently swallowed up by the raging flood.
11:00I'm too tense to even breathe.
11:03Suddenly, a violent clap of thunder crashes down, plunging half the city into total darkness in an instant.
11:10Amid the flashes of lightning and peals of thunder, floodwaters come surging from the distance like a raging tide.
11:17Even standing up here on the 37th floor, the sight before my eyes makes my legs go weak with fear.
11:24The entire city is swallowed by the flood.
11:27All the shorter buildings are instantly engulfed in darkness.
11:30Luckily, all the residential buildings near me are newly built high-rises, so the power supply facilities remain undamaged.
11:37Just in case, I quickly get the generator ready for any emergency.
11:42Looking at that old apartment building in the distance, now swallowed by darkness, I feel a quiet sense of relief.
11:48Thank goodness I installed that one-way privacy film early on.
11:51Even if the whole world loses power one day, no one outside will be able to see the light inside
11:55my home.
11:56Luckily, the internet is still up.
11:58I casually open a video on my phone, and the trending page is filled with scenes with devastation from the
12:04torrential rain.
12:05In just two days, over 800 people are already dead.
12:09That cold, lifeless number is absolutely horrifying to look at.
12:14Since everything in the malls and supermarkets was already looted, people's ugly side in the disaster really shows.
12:23News reports say rescue supplies are in severe shortage right now, which basically means the rescue teams won't arrive anytime
12:29soon.
12:30If we want to survive, the only option now is to rely on ourselves.
12:37It's almost as if my parents could foresee the future.
12:40They not only had the house specially reinforced during renovation, but also installed heavy-duty waterproofing on the top floor.
12:46I'll probably be fine getting through this endless downpour.
12:49What worries me more is the mutated creatures that come after the storm.
12:54In my past life, Jack and Mia stole my spot in the rescue vehicle.
12:58And I was attacked and killed by some unknown mutated creatures.
13:02No one knew that even more unknown dangers were on their way.
13:08So in this life, I came fully prepared.
13:11Hopefully, I'll never have to use these corrosive chemicals.
13:16The time has come.
13:17Day 3 of the Doomsday Storm.
13:19Jack starts getting chatty in the group again.
13:22He casually sends a few photos of the place.
13:24The home he and I used to share.
13:26That apartment of ours is on a low floor.
13:28The 6th.
13:28But right now, the place is an absolute wreck.
13:31The flood water has already covered the entire bed.
13:34Jack starts non-stop whining in the group chat.
13:37Asking if I'm still at my mom's place.
13:39Just then, a new message appears.
13:41It's Mia.
13:42Chloe, I remember you have a penthouse apartment.
13:44We're already on our way there.
13:45Get your room ready for us.
13:47Listening to this, my heart races instantly.
13:49Overwhelmed by deep regrets.
13:51I remember back in my past life.
13:53My relationship with my best friend Mia was incredibly close.
13:57So close that we were like sisters sharing the same dress.
14:01I never held anything back from her.
14:03I even brought her to my penthouse before.
14:06Back then, to show just how deep our bestie bond ran.
14:10I was stupid enough to even give her a spare key to my penthouse.
14:16But look at this now.
14:17What am I supposed to do?
14:21I happen to have your key with me.
14:23Whether you're home or not, we're coming in.
14:25We'll be at your door any minute now.
14:32I tremble in fright and drop my phone.
14:35My heart starts pounding wildly.
14:36They're really coming for me any moment now.
14:38What on earth should I do to stay alive?
14:40The storm has been raging non-stop for four full days now.
14:44That little apartment Jack rented is completely underwater.
14:49Me?
14:50I've already stocked up on everything I need and am fully prepared.
14:54Living comfortably in the penthouse Dad gave me.
14:59That worthless man who betrayed me and my fake best friend have somehow found my address.
15:05Now they're rowing over on a shabby inflatable raft, forcing me to open the door and take them in.
15:12In my past life, not only did I bring Mia to this apartment, but I was also stupid enough to
15:17give her a spare key.
15:18And in the end, she teamed up with that piece of trash and got me killed.
15:24So since I've been given a second life, there's no way I'm ever giving them another chance to hurt me
15:29again.
15:30Just as I was pacing around in panic, I suddenly remembered I'd had the locks changed after my rebirth.
15:35The key Mia has won't work at all.
15:37Even though I know I'm safe, I still need to double check every inch of this security door.
15:41I have to make sure it's absolutely solid.
15:45After checking everything, I went back to the bedroom and pulled the heavy blackout curtains shut, cutting myself off entirely
15:52from the outside world.
15:53And I made a solemn vow in my heart.
15:57Through lives mean nothing to me.
16:00Not for anything in the world will I open the door and take them in this lifetime.
16:09I was jolted awake by a frantic pounding at the door.
16:12I know full well it must be those two.
16:14I creep barefoot over to the front door and peer through the peephole.
16:18There they are, Jack and Mia, standing right outside the door, both of them soaked from head to toe.
16:23Jack is banging frantically on the steel door, shouting for me to open it, his face filled with anxiety and
16:28panic.
16:32Open it, Chloe! Open the door! I know you're in there!
16:39Meanwhile, Mia's lips are purple from the cold, her whole body trembling non-stop.
16:43After about ten minutes or so of Jack pounding on the door, he completely loses his patience.
16:48He'd somehow picked up an iron rod without me noticing.
16:50He hefts it up and slams it hard against my front door.
16:53But how could he know?
16:55I've already reinforced this door to bank vault level.
16:58He thinks he can bust down my door with some rusty iron rod? In his dreams.
17:04Jack, stop. Let's just stay here for now. At least it's safe for the moment.
17:11Maybe Chloe just fell asleep and didn't hear us. Let's wait a little longer.
17:19I can see everything clearly through the monitor.
17:22Right there in the dark, grimy hallway, the two of them shamelessly started making out.
17:27My stomach turned in disgust, and I nearly threw up.
17:31They're filthy, crawling out of floodwater and garbage.
17:34And they can still stand to put their mouths on each other?
17:37Now that's true love. Not even the apocalypse can stop them.
17:41But their moment of tenderness didn't last long.
17:44Jack becomes anxious and restless again.
17:48As the night creeps by, the temperature in the hallway keeps getting colder.
17:52Mia has come down with a high fever.
17:54Shivering and huddled on the icy ground, she's clearly burning up and losing her senses.
18:01I watch everything happening out there without a single expression on my face.
18:04My eyes fall on the medical supplies lined up on the shelf, full of fever and anti-inflammatory meds.
18:10Yet I only stare at them with a cold, mocking smile.
18:14Right about then, Mia slaps Jack hard across the face.
18:17I can't believe my luck! Stuck with a useless loser like you!
18:22If I were with Chloe, I'd be inside with food and drink!
18:26How did I ever hook up with you in the first place?
18:28That slap completely stuns Jack.
18:30One side of his face swells up right away, but he only stays quiet for a moment.
18:34Then he starts coaxing Mia in a low voice.
18:36Mia, just hold on a little longer.
18:38Maybe your fever will break soon.
18:40The rescue team will be here any minute.
18:42Can we just hang on a little longer?
18:43In my memory, Jack has always been this charming, thoughtful gentleman.
18:49And now, look at him, groveling in front of Mia like that.
18:52I honestly don't know what I ever saw in him.
18:55Mia completely brushes off Jack's comfort.
18:57She shakes his hand off in disgust, points right at his nose, her face screaming nothing but contempt for his
19:03uselessness.
19:04Just at that moment, the door across the hall swings open.
19:08The man and woman who betrayed me are begging desperately outside, and I still refuse to open the door.
19:16Instead, the door across the hall opens first.
19:19Through the security monitor by my door, I see it clearly.
19:21A big hulking guy just walked out of the apartment across the hall.
19:25His gaze lingers greedily on Mia's damp clothes for a full half minute, and he even licks his lips.
19:30I'm sitting right here on my couch, watching the whole thing on the screen.
19:34Jack shifts to stand in front of Mia.
19:37Look bro, we gotta just-
19:38The man brushes Jack aside effortlessly.
19:44His lecherous eyes fixed firmly on Mia.
19:47Come with me quietly, Mia friend.
19:49I have got all the good stuff inside.
19:52Food, medicine, hot water, and a nice clean bed.
19:58Stick with me, and you will live in comfort.
20:01Far better than freezing to death out here in the hallway.
20:05Seeing the hungry look in Mia's eyes, Jack absolutely loses his mind.
20:11He swings at the guy, and the two of them start fighting.
20:13Jack tries to play the hero in front of Mia, and gets knocked flat on his ass for his trouble.
20:18Seeing Mia actually tempted, I can't help but smirk.
20:21This is the best friend, who was always jealous of me and stole my boyfriend.
20:25And underneath it all, she's still just as greedy and selfish.
20:29Enraged out of his mind, Jack throws another punch and rushes straight at the brute.
20:44But unexpectedly, Mia tells Jack to back off, then lets the big man hoist her onto his shoulder,
20:50and carry her into his luxury apartment without hesitation.
20:54Jack can't believe his eyes.
20:56He stands rooted to the spot, like a statue.
21:00It's not until the door across the hallway is about to shut, that he finally snaps out of his daze,
21:05and shouts angrily at her.
21:11At that moment, a ruthless glint flashes in Mia's eyes, before she speaks without a shred of mercy.
21:17Out there, it is nothing but storm and flood.
21:21As long as I can survive, nothing else matters.
21:23The big man slams the door with a loud bang, and in that pitch black hallway, Jack is suddenly all
21:28alone.
21:30I watch his pitiful state with cold eyes, not a trace of sympathy in my heart.
21:35All I feel is the sweet satisfaction of revenge finally served.
21:43Not after long, the rich scent of steak wafts out from inside the room.
21:47Jack, who's already starving, can't take it anymore.
21:49He actually knocks on that brute's door.
21:51His voice is low and begging as he pleads outside.
21:54Bro, just throw me some food!
21:56Anything to keep me alive!
21:57I was wrong.
21:58I should not have swung at you like that.
22:00Please, just have some pity on me.
22:01Give me something to eat.
22:02My girlfriend and his family is rich.
22:04I will have her send you a ton of money, right now!
22:06Hearing what he says through the monitor, I let out a cold laugh.
22:10Even at a time like this, Jack is still trying to squeeze something out of me.
22:16But no one inside paid him the slightest attention.
22:18Instead, sounds of laughter and teasing between a man and a woman,
22:22along with suggestive murmurs, drifted out from behind the door.
22:27Jack figures out immediately what's going on inside.
22:30His already hopeless face twists with rage and humiliation.
22:34He shakes with fury, veins bulging on his forehead.
22:36Then he picks up that iron rod and starts banging on the door.
22:39A hundred times more vicious than when he was hitting my door.
22:42The sounds coming from that apartment just keep getting louder.
22:46Jack's last mental defense completely crumbles,
22:48and he drops the iron rod in utter dejection.
22:52I'm sitting here, nice and steady, at my dining table,
22:55eating popcorn and drinking coke,
22:56watching this whole drama show on my monitor.
22:59Honestly, this is more intense and entertaining than any TV show.
23:04Thinking back on my past life,
23:06Mia was jealous of my wealthy family and my good-looking boyfriend.
23:09So she just snatched Jack right away from me.
23:24Those two scumbags teamed up to rob me and take my life.
23:27They killed me.
23:29In this life, Mia doesn't hesitate for a second to abandon Jack just to save her own skin.
23:34I guess that's exactly the kind of karma that Trashlight Jack deserves.
23:39After finishing my popcorn, I get up and walk to the window.
23:42The storm outside is still raging crazily,
23:44and the flood water has already risen to the Tenth War.
23:47Seeing how terrifyingly fast the water is rising, I have a bad feeling.
23:54Pandora's box has been flung wide open.
23:56The disaster comes pouring down upon the world.
24:01On social media, fleas for help are flooding everywhere.
24:05Reading those desperate cries for help gives me a complicated feeling I can't quite put into words.
24:09The girl in the video doesn't even have time to have her help before the giant spider monster stabs her
24:15straight through the heart.
24:16But as large-scale blackouts roll through the city, updates online get fewer and farther between.
24:21Still, I can't help but notice one image.
24:24A haggard mother holding two starving children.
24:26They look like they're barely hanging on.
24:30I can't bear to look anymore.
24:31In this cruel, apocalyptic world, no one can save anyone else.
24:35The only person you can rely on is yourself.
24:48Right then, my mom calls me.
24:50Honey, how are things over there?
24:52Hearing mom's warm, familiar voice sends a wave of comfort through me.
24:55All my fear and unease melts away.
24:58Mom, just hearing your voice puts me at ease.
25:01Everything is fine here. I have plenty of supplies.
25:04Dad snatches the phone and tells me.
25:05Thank goodness they listened to me.
25:07They moved their supplies up to the old house on the hilltop before the storm hit.
25:11Up there on the mountain, life is actually pretty comfortable right now.
25:14My parents had saved up a bit over the years.
25:16They built a small villa on a hilltop back in their hometown.
25:19And every summer, they'd go up there for a little vacation.
25:22Now that the storm is here, that house has turned out to be just what they needed.
25:27I give them a few more instructions, then reluctantly hang up.
25:31Knowing that my parents are safe puts my mind completely at ease.
25:35In the middle of this terrible apocalypse, having my family safe and sound is the greatest comfort I could ever
25:41ask for.
25:43Even in the apocalypse, I never stop working out.
25:46I've heard this massive storm is going to last a full six months.
25:51This is bound to be a long, grueling battle of endurance.
25:54Having plenty of supplies isn't enough.
25:57You also need a body strong and healthy enough to carry you through.
26:00But that night, I suddenly couldn't sleep.
26:03In the darkness, I thought I heard some noise outside my door.
26:06Out of habit, I sit down at the computer to check the cameras.
26:09And what I see nearly scares me half to death.
26:12Mia sticks her hand through the crack in the door and tosses out a few apples and a bag of
26:17bread.
26:17The second Jack sees food, he's like a starving wolf.
26:20He springs up from the floor and grabs that door frame, holding onto it, not letting it go.
26:26His eyes are blazing with rage and hatred.
26:29Seeing him like this, almost insane and terrifying, sends chills down my spine.
26:35Mia is no match for Jack's strength.
26:38The door is about to be forced all the way open.
26:41Watching through the screen, I can't help but break out in a cold sweat for her.
26:45Then, the big man comes out.
26:47But before he can even say a word, Jack takes him down with a swing of the iron rod.
26:52In an instant, the big man becomes a corpse.
26:55Jack stands over him, laughing like a maniac.
26:58His features are contorted like some demons.
27:01And there's actually this smug look on his face, like he's proud of himself for driving off an intruder.
27:07And right then, Jack turns around and walks over to my front door.
27:16He sends me a message through the camera.
27:21Chloe, how have you been lately?
27:23I really miss you.
27:24I still love you so much.
27:26Have you been thinking about me?
27:28Fear tightens my throat, leaving me speechless.
27:31My fingers tremble uncontrollably.
27:33I know perfectly well I can't let him get suspicious.
27:36I quickly reply, I miss you too.
27:39My phone's been dead.
27:40No signal these days.
27:44I called your mom earlier.
27:45She told me you're not at home.
27:48She said you never went back.
27:49Are you lying to me?
27:51I break out in a cold sweat in an instant.
27:54I didn't get home until after I got off the phone with you.
27:56So my mom thought I hadn't come back yet.
28:01Babe, I miss you so much.
28:02Where exactly are you?
28:03I'll come find you right now.
28:07Fighting back my disgust, I reply.
28:10I'm back in my hometown with my mom.
28:12Gotta go.
28:13We just lost power again.
28:14I toss my phone aside and keep my eyes fixed on the surveillance screen on my computer.
28:19Meanwhile, Jack is staring intently at my front door.
28:22He seems to have a vague feeling that I'm actually hiding inside this apartment.
28:26Thank goodness the pinhole camera I installed is extremely well hidden.
28:31Jack has no idea it's there.
28:33The thing he should be doing right now, instead of searching everywhere for me,
28:37is dealing with that dead man on the floor.
28:40Mia is completely terrified by now.
28:42She's slumped to the floor like a limp heap, unable to stir an inch.
28:46Jack completely ignores her.
28:48With a cold, expressionless face, he bends down, grabs the man by the collar,
28:52and drags him, like a piece of trash, toward the stairwell that leads to the roof.
29:00All I hear is this dull, heavy thud from downstairs.
29:04The man's body slams into the water and sends up a huge splash.
29:08To anyone who doesn't know what's going on,
29:11it just looks like another person who couldn't take the apocalypse anymore and offed themselves.
29:15Once I dispose of this man's body completely,
29:18Jack drags Mia, who's still slumped on the floor, straight into the apartment.
29:22By now, there's nothing in her eyes but pure fear.
29:25She just lets him pull her inside.
29:27And the moment that apartment door slams shut,
29:29after that, Mia does whatever Jack tells her,
29:32completely obeying to his words.
29:34Eight months slipped by in the blink of an eye.
29:37The rain stopped, but then the temperature dropped crazily.
29:40The flood water turned into thick sheets of ice.
29:42After that long stretch of extreme weather,
29:44City's power grid had been dead for a long time.
29:47Jack and Mia are at my door again.
29:49They're wrapped in layers of ragged clothes and blankets,
29:52shivering in the hallway.
29:53That burly guy?
29:54He didn't actually have that much food stocked up.
29:56On top of Jack's reckless spending and wasting in these past few months,
30:00they've now run out of food for a full three days.
30:03Hunger and cold are slowly eating away whatever humanity they've got left.
30:08Jack, the face that used to be so good looking,
30:10now his eyes are all sunken in.
30:12He's nervously tugging at his messy hair, looking just like a zombie.
30:15Mia's even worse off.
30:17Her face is all frostbitten.
30:18Her hair looks like dead straw.
30:20She's completely lost that vibrant look she used to have.
30:23Because just now, Jack snatched away that last piece of moldy cracker from her.
30:28I've seen this kind of savage fighting countless times over these eight months.
30:31Every single time, it feels so satisfying.
30:34Just when I thought their little fight for today was about to end,
30:39Jack suddenly stands up.
30:40His eyes lock on my door.
30:42It's that kind of crazy you only get when you're staring death in the face.
30:48In his hand is the power drill he looted from the burly guy's place.
30:52That buzzing sound just keeps ringing in my ears.
30:58Jack's voice is all raspy as he says to Mia,
31:01That bitch Chloe's definitely in there.
31:04I've been hearing noises from that side for months now.
31:10And there's light coming through the crack under that door.
31:13That means she's got food and electricity in there.
31:16If we can just pry this door open,
31:18we'll be living like kings from now on.
31:20The moment Mia hears there's food,
31:22you can see that greed flash in her eyes.
31:25She completely forgets how Jack stole that last half of her cracker.
31:28She actually helps him drag over the extension cord all on her own.
31:32Watching these two out of their minds on the screen,
31:35I set down my coffee cup.
31:37If you're so determined to walk right into your own death,
31:40don't blame me for what happens next.
31:42I walk over to the shoe cabinet and grab the explosion-proof connector I prepared.
31:46Then I grab the high voltage switch I'd already set up and hold it in my hand.
31:50Back when I was renovating,
31:52I had someone run electricity through the inside of the security door.
31:55All I have to do is press this switch
31:57and the whole door will instantly be live with 3,000 volts of high voltage.
32:01Jack walks up to the door with the drill.
32:03He walks up to the door with that ugly grin on his face,
32:06muttering curses the whole time.
32:08Chloe, you selfish bitch.
32:10You've got all that stuff and you just sit there watching us starve.
32:14When I get through this door,
32:16you're gonna pay for it!
32:19The moment the drill bit touched the lock, I didn't hesitate.
32:23I pressed the switch.
32:24A huge crackling sound and blue electric arcs exploded all over the door.
32:29Jack doesn't even have time to scream.
32:31His whole body springs off like a rocket.
32:33He crashes hard against the hallway wall.
32:35The drill, pouring out thick black smoke, falls to the side.
32:39His whole body is convulsing violently, foam coming out of his mouth.
32:43His already messy hair is now standing straight up from the shock.
32:46Mia, who is right behind Jack,
32:49is completely frozen in shock by what just happened.
32:53No!
32:53She backs away, screaming nonsense,
32:55and plops down onto the icy cold ground.
32:57She pissed herself.
32:59I let out a cold laugh, open the intercom,
33:01and say to the two sorry figures outside,
33:04Oh my, so sorry about that.
33:05The quality of my door isn't great.
33:07It's a little...leaky.
33:09Next time you two want to visit,
33:11remember to make an appointment in advance.
33:13That way you won't get accidentally shocked again.
33:16When he hears my voice, Jack's whole body jerks.
33:19He barely manages to lift his head,
33:21and his eyes are just filled with shock and pure venom.
33:25Chloe?
33:27So you are home?
33:28You evil woman!
33:31You ran high voltage through your door!
33:33Are you trying to kill me?!
33:35I answer all nonchalant.
33:37Kill someone?
33:38I wouldn't dare.
33:39This is just self-defense.
33:41As for you two,
33:42showing up with a power drill trying to pry my door open,
33:45I believe that's called attempted home invasion, right?
33:49And you know what?
33:50In this lawless apocalypse we're living in now,
33:53home invaders usually get killed.
33:57Jack struggles for a long time,
33:59before he can barely catch his breath.
34:00That hit didn't kill him,
34:02but it pretty much crushed him completely.
34:04He's only got a little strength left.
34:06He realizes brute force isn't going to work,
34:09so he puts on that fake act again.
34:11Chloe, I know I was wrong.
34:14I screwed up everything.
34:16I shouldn't have betrayed you.
34:19I shouldn't have gotten together with Mia.
34:23But I'm seriously starving.
34:29Come on, we used to love each other.
34:31Just give me something to eat.
34:33Even just one slice of bread, please!
34:37Mia starts wailing too.
34:39Chloe, I'm your best friend!
34:42We used to go shopping and eat together,
34:44don't you remember?
34:46Jack made me do it!
34:48He forced me!
34:50Chloe, please save me!
34:52Watching them grovel like that
34:53makes me sick to my stomach.
34:55I look at them through the peephole
34:56and say coldly,
34:58save your energy.
35:00I'd rather feed my supplies to a dog
35:02than give them to you two.
35:04You two just stay out there in the hallway
35:06and enjoy starving nice and slow.
35:09Then I shut off the intercom.
35:10I let them wail and curse all they want outside.
35:14I just pretend I can't hear any of it,
35:16but I know perfectly well
35:17this peace isn't going to last.
35:19The structure of this building
35:20is starting to show some problems
35:22after being soaked in flood water for so long.
35:24Last night I felt some slight tremors
35:26and the ice outside
35:28is constantly pressing against the walls.
35:30The 37th floor might be high up,
35:32but if the foundation gives way,
35:34this place will turn into my grave in an instant.
35:40I pull out the satellite phone
35:41I've been holding onto,
35:42the one I spent a fortune on
35:44before the apocalypse hit.
35:45I bought it so I could still reach the outside world
35:47after the internet and power went out.
35:49I call that familiar number
35:51and on the other end
35:52my dad's voice comes through right away.
35:55Chloe, is that you?
35:58How are things over there right now?
36:00Hearing my dad's voice,
36:01all my defenses crumble in an instant.
36:04My eyes get a little teary.
36:05I hold back the tears and say,
36:07Dad, I'm safe here for now.
36:11But this building might not hold up much longer.
36:14The foundation is shifting.
36:15I want to get out of here
36:17and come find you guys up in the mountains.
36:19Dad's voice on the other end is urgent,
36:21as he says,
36:22Be extremely careful.
36:24The ice out there is really unstable right now.
36:27Some places look frozen solid,
36:30but underneath it's all rushing flood water.
36:33And things are crazy out there.
36:34A lot of survivors have formed armed gangs,
36:37moving everything in sight.
36:39A girl like you coming out here alone,
36:41it's way too dangerous.
36:42I take a deep breath and say firmly,
36:44Dad, don't worry.
36:46I've been ready for this for a long time.
36:48I have guns.
36:52Dad and I agreed on a meeting spot,
36:54right under that signal tower
36:56at the edge of the city.
36:58After hanging up,
36:59I start getting everything ready.
37:00I sling the gun behind my back
37:02and clip the stun gun to my waist.
37:06Now,
37:08I'm leaving.
37:12Night falls.
37:13The wind outside howls even harder against the window.
37:17I go out to the balcony.
37:18The floor to ceiling windows here
37:20face the other side of the city,
37:21which perfectly avoids the line of sight
37:24of those two pieces of trash in the hallway.
37:26The water level has already risen to the 20th floor now.
37:29That's only about 10 plus floors below me.
37:32The freezing wind cuts into my face,
37:34but the fire inside me just keeps burning hotter and hotter.
37:38I hit an off-road vehicle in the garage upstairs a long time ago.
37:42This is a car I specially modified.
37:44The off-road vehicle has ice-studded tires
37:47and a strengthened four-wheel drive diff lock.
37:49I raised the chassis and tuned the powertrain
37:52to handle extreme cold conditions.
37:54I check the gas tank and make sure there's plenty of fuel.
37:57Everything's ready.
37:58Right as I'm about to drive off,
38:00a scream comes from above.
38:02I hear Mia's voice.
38:03Turns out those two just wouldn't give up.
38:06They've been watching me from the hallway window the whole time.
38:10Look Jack!
38:11That bitch is trying to run away!
38:13She has a car!
38:14She actually hit a car from us!
38:16Chloe!
38:17Don't you dare run!
38:19Take us with you!
38:20Take us with you now!
38:22Or I'll kill you!
38:26I look up and see two heads poking out from the window
38:29on the 37th floor.
38:31Turns out Jack has a gun.
38:34He pulls the trigger.
38:36The bullet comes flying right at me.
38:38The bullet hits the ice, not far from me.
38:40Chunks of ice go flying in all directions.
38:42Almost tearing through my cold weather suit.
38:44I stare up at them coldly.
38:46Since you're so desperate to die,
38:47I'll give you a ride.
38:48I don't rush off.
38:50Instead,
38:51I take the gun off my back
38:53and aim it at the window above.
38:55Jack clearly never thought I'd shoot back.
38:57He curses and pulls his head in.
38:59But I never meant to kill him with this shot.
39:02Anyway.
39:02The bullet rips through the night air
39:04and hits the drain pipe right above their window.
39:06That pipe was already cracked from the cold
39:08and barely hanging on.
39:10One shot,
39:11and it comes crashing down with a roar.
39:13Huge icicles,
39:14along with chunks of debris,
39:16come crashing down.
39:17The window shatters instantly.
39:18The breathing wind mixed with ice chunks
39:20comes pouring into the hallway.
39:21I can even hear Mia's blood purdling screams.
39:27No window to block it.
39:28Tonight's minus 40 degree cold
39:30will be more than enough than I tell.
39:31Enjoy.
39:33See you later, you two scumbags.
39:35Hope you can last a few more hours in that ice pit.
39:41Once I leave the neighborhood,
39:42the scene in front of me is even more shocking.
39:45The once bustling city is now nothing but dead silence.
39:50Skyscrapers stand like lonely islands
39:52in the middle of a vast, frozen wasteland.
39:54Frozen cars and trees are everywhere.
39:57Once in a while, you spot a few bodies,
39:59frozen mid-struggle, trapped in the ice.
40:02I see that monster bug that killed me in my past life.
40:06It's frozen dead.
40:11I breathe a small sigh of relief.
40:14Even though I have weapons,
40:16in this kind of extreme environment,
40:17I have to stay on guard at all times.
40:20Right as I get near the central plaza,
40:23several blinding lights suddenly flash in front of me.
40:26A few modified off-road vehicles come racing toward me.
40:30It's those gang members.
40:32The looters.
40:33In the apocalypse,
40:35people with their own vehicles
40:36are usually the most dangerous kind.
40:38They bully the weak,
40:40have no humanity left,
40:42just pure evil.
40:43I immediately duck down and turn off my headlights,
40:46trying to hide among the ruins.
40:49But they clearly spotted me a long time ago.
40:52The megaphone blasts out this cocky voice.
40:56Stop your car!
40:58Hand over your supplies,
41:00and maybe we will let you live!
41:02Hearing that, I tighten my grip on my gun.
41:05You wanna rob me?
41:06You better pray you get the chance.
41:08I start the car again,
41:10and slip into a tight little side street,
41:12which should limit their advantage in numbers.
41:15Those cars are right on my tail.
41:17A chase breaks out on the frozen streets.
41:20The guys chasing me are clearly desperate too.
41:23They just won't let up.
41:24Some of them even start throwing Molotov cocktails at me.
41:28The flames explode on the ice and swallows my car.
41:36I calmly speed out of the flames.
41:39The bandits behind me keep firing non-stop.
41:41I ignore them and focus on the terrain around me.
41:44Up ahead is an intersection.
41:45On the left is an office building
41:47that's already half fallen down.
41:49Tons of concrete and rebar are scattered
41:50right across the middle of the road.
41:52It's the perfect trap.
41:54I deliberately slow down,
41:56pretending like I'm panicking
41:57and not paying attention,
41:58and head straight for it.
42:00The bandits behind me think I'm losing it.
42:02They scream with excitement and floor it.
42:05Right as the car is about to smash into the pile
42:07of concrete and rebar,
42:08I slam the gas,
42:09use the tilted ice slab as a ramp,
42:11and jump right over the road.
42:13The car right on my tail isn't so lucky.
42:16The driver doesn't even have time to react.
42:18A huge crash,
42:19and several cars pile right into each other.
42:22The remains of cars slam on their brakes in place,
42:24spinning out all over the ice.
42:26In the middle of all that chaos,
42:28I fire three shots of the gasoline on the ground.
42:30Instantly, it ignites.
42:32Flares shoot up into the sky.
42:33Their screams are immediately swallowed up by the blast.
42:36After taking care of the pursuers,
42:37I didn't stop for a second.
42:39I keep driving at full speed toward the edge of the city,
42:42because I know that explosion just now
42:45is probably going to attract even more looters.
42:48I'm driving my off-road vehicle across the frozen highway,
42:51thinking I'm finally safe.
42:53But I never expected.
42:55Underneath the ice,
42:56there's a deadly monster hiding.
42:58I see several massive tentacles reaching up through the ice.
43:02Wherever they touch,
43:03the ice sizzles and pisses with light.
43:07What the hell is that?
43:10Those disgusting tentacles keep attacking me.
43:13Corrosive slime drips onto my car,
43:15and in an instant,
43:16it burns a huge hole right through the top.
43:19My arm gets burned too.
43:21This is the first time since the apocalypse started
43:23that I've felt the threat of death again.
43:25I shoot back, but the bullets can't kill it.
43:29The wounds heal instantly.
43:31The thing gets pissed at me,
43:33thrashing its tentacles around and becoming even more furious.
43:36Not until that tentacle monster rose up with a thunderous crash did I realize.
43:41I seriously underestimated how terrifying this apocalypse really is.
43:45But I have to survive.
43:47I throw the gas, dodging the monster's chase,
43:50and keep firing at the same tentacle over and over again.
43:53My way worked, I blew one of its tentacles off.
43:57The monster becomes furious.
43:59It flips my car over and traps me in a circle.
44:02I can clearly smell its disgusting, fishy stench.
44:06There's no way out.
44:07Just when I think I'm definitely going to die,
44:10I hear a gunshot.
44:11A fully armed man standing on a speeding off-road vehicle.
44:15The bullet hits the monster's head with perfect accuracy.
44:19The man who saved me.
44:20His name is Felix Carter.
44:22He quickly scans the area,
44:25confirms there's no immediate danger,
44:27and walks over to me.
44:29I carefully avoid the monster's tentacles,
44:32clutching my knife the whole time,
44:34and keeping distance from him.
44:36I know he saved me,
44:37but this is the apocalypse.
44:39I have to stay alert no matter what.
44:41I treat my wounds quickly,
44:43my mind racing the whole time.
44:45I thought that since the face hugger that killed me in my past life was frozen,
44:49the world outside wouldn't be that dangerous.
44:51But then, from what Felix tells me,
44:54I realize it's actually way more dangerous now.
44:57That tentacle monster I just ran into?
44:59That's just one of countless mutated creatures out there.
45:02I finally understand.
45:04If I hadn't run into Felix, I would have died.
45:07Those mutated creatures,
45:09they need special gunpowder to kill.
45:12Felix teaches me how to make the special bullets.
45:14He helps me flip my car back on its wheels,
45:17and even helps fix the top the tentacle monster corroded.
45:20The night grows darker.
45:22We sit together like old friends,
45:24eating toast,
45:25and spend a pleasant evening.
45:26We traveled together across the empty roads,
45:29and made it to this small town.
45:32Felix and I looked at each other.
45:34Neither of us said goodbye.
45:35We just drove off toward our own destinations.
45:39Another night passed.
45:41Up ahead is a huge mountain range.
45:43That's where my parents are.
45:45The terrain here is really high,
45:47so it didn't get flooded.
45:49The vegetation on the mountain is still thick.
45:52You can even see patches of green,
45:54signs of life.
45:56I hide the off-road vehicle in a cave,
45:58load up my gear,
45:59and start hiking up the mountain.
46:03My body is completely exhausted,
46:06but the desire to go home
46:07keeps pushing me up, step by step.
46:11The mountain path is rough and hard to walk on.
46:14The snow is up past my knees.
46:16But with every step I take,
46:18I feel a little more at ease.
46:21After about two hours of walking,
46:23I finally see that familiar signal tower.
46:25And under that tower,
46:27two aging figures are standing in the freezing wind,
46:30waiting for me.
46:32My mom and dad.
46:34In that moment,
46:35all my walls come crashing down.
46:37Tears spill out.
46:39I can't stop them.
46:40Dad! Mom! I'm home!
46:43Mom recognizes me right away.
46:45She covers her mouth in shock,
46:48tears falling from her eyes.
46:49She and dad hold onto each other,
46:52stumbling and staggering through the deep snow,
46:55running toward me.
47:00Walking into this little two-story villa
47:02at the top of the mountain,
47:03a wave of warmth hits me.
47:05The fire in the fireplace is burning bright,
47:08crackling and popping.
47:13You've lost weight, my child.
47:16You've been through so much, haven't you?
47:20Are you hungry, sweetheart?
47:22Let me make something for you.
47:24Watching mom's back as she busies herself,
47:26I start crying.
47:27It feels so good to be cared for like this.
47:32I look around,
47:34and see that while the supplies here
47:35are pretty well stocked,
47:36most of them are just long-lasting stuff,
47:39like sweet potatoes,
47:40regular potatoes,
47:42and some dried ham.
47:43I mean, funds were limited,
47:45so what they could stock up
47:47wasn't anything too fancy.
47:48But that's okay.
47:50Now that I'm back,
47:51this place is going to turn into paradise.
47:55Outside, it's dozens of degrees below zero,
47:57and people are killing each other
47:59over half a moldy cracker.
48:01Meanwhile, my family is sitting in front
48:04of a warm fireplace,
48:05eating delicious steak.
48:06That tender steak
48:08with mom's homemade black pepper sauce.
48:10The taste is absolutely perfect.
48:14My parents' health are visibly better, too.
48:16They don't look so worried and miserable anymore.
48:21To be safe,
48:22Dad and I spent a whole week
48:24raising the wall around the villa
48:25by another meter.
48:27We also covered the top of the wall
48:29with broken glass and barbed wire.
48:31On the only path into the yard,
48:33I dug several hidden traps
48:34and filled them with sharpened bamboo spikes.
48:37I know this place is pretty remote,
48:39but you never know
48:40when some wandering survivors
48:41might stumble up here.
48:42I won't hurt anyone for no reason,
48:44but I also won't blindly trust anyone either.
48:47That's the absolute rule
48:49of surviving the apocalypse.
48:51Every night, I scroll through the hundreds of movies
48:53and TV shows I downloaded.
48:55Seeing my parents laughing and happy
48:57right in front of me,
48:58it fills me with accomplishment.
49:01Maybe this is the whole meaning of being reborn.
49:04And just like that,
49:05life goes on peacefully for two months.
49:07The extreme cold seems to still be going,
49:10but in this isolated little shelter,
49:12we've almost forgotten how cruel the apocalypse really is.
49:17But no matter how harsh the winter is,
49:19it will end one day.
49:21That day, I was up on the roof clearing snow.
49:24Suddenly, through the binoculars,
49:26I notice something strange at the foot of the mountain.
49:29Some of the snow has melted,
49:31uncovering an abandoned, beat-up car.
49:34A hungry tiger is feasting on something.
49:36My heart stirs.
49:38I adjust the focus and take a closer look.
49:41Even though the tiger has already eaten away most of their faces,
49:44that old denim jacket looks really familiar to me.
49:48It's the same one Jack was wearing.
49:50And that small, skinny body next to him?
49:53Judging by the shape, that should be Mia.
49:56So they actually did make it out.
49:58Too bad they didn't die by my hand.
50:01Or in the flood.
50:02They just froze to death out there,
50:04trying to find a way to survive.
50:06They were only a few kilometers away from my shelter.
50:10Looking at how miserably they died,
50:11I feel nothing.
50:12Not even a hint of feeling.
50:15It's like I just saw two dead stray dogs on the side of the road.
50:19All the love and hate between us.
50:21It all got cut clean that snowy, windy night a long time ago.
50:27Mom, I want some crispy fried chicken!
50:31Okay.
50:33The turning point came 12 months after the apocalypse began.
50:37That morning, the long lost sun finally broke through the thick clouds
50:41and shone down on the vast white landscape.
50:44The temperature slowly began to rise.
50:46The sound of the ice melting echoes through the valley like music from heaven.
50:51Even though it comes with the stench of rotting bodies and garbage,
50:54and the risk of a possible plague,
50:56but I come prepared.
50:57I pull out the protective suits and disinfectant I had stockpiled,
51:01and give the entire villa a thorough decontamination.
51:04I tell my parents very seriously.
51:07The environment is really unsafe right now.
51:10No one leaves the house without full protective gear.
51:13No exceptions.
51:16This is the official emergency rescue command center.
51:19The rain disaster has ended.
51:21Flood waters are receding.
51:22Survivors, please remain calm.
51:24Wait for rescue in place.
51:25Or make your way to temporary shelters in the major cities.
51:28Mom and Dad hear the broadcast and hug each other, overjoyed.
51:32Dad keeps repeating,
51:33It's finally over.
51:35It's finally over.
51:37It's finally over.
51:37I let out a long, deep breath too.
51:42I have supplies.
51:43But this endless, sunless apocalypse,
51:47it's finally coming to an end.
51:50The flame of civilization didn't go out.
51:54As the temperature rise, the ice and snow on the mountain melt,
51:58revealing the long, buried soil underneath.
52:01Mom, Dad and I start clearing land for a vegetable garden in the yard.
52:05I pull out the seeds I've been hoarding.
52:07Cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers.
52:10The moment I drop those seeds into the soil,
52:13I feel like I can see a new lease of hope.
52:15No more of that lifeless canned food.
52:18Just real life, still carrying the fresh scent of earth.
52:22Two weeks later, the first batch of tender green sprouts pushed through the soil.
52:26Seeing those little patches of green,
52:28Mom's as happy as a little kid.
52:31At the same time, down in the lowlands,
52:33the world is getting busy too.
52:35Trucks and helicopters start showing up constantly.
52:38Large-scale decontamination and clean-up efforts are underway.
52:42Even though the city has turned into ruins,
52:44when I see countless people walking out of the ruins,
52:48even though they were in rags, thin and pale,
52:51there is still a longing for the future in their eyes.
52:54I decide not to hide anymore.
52:56I pick out some supplies we can't use up,
52:59mostly medicine and compressed biscuits,
53:01and fill several big backpacks with them.
53:03Under the cover of darkness,
53:05I quietly left the supplies on the road the rescue teams had to take at the foot of the mountain.
53:10After doing all that, I quietly go back to my little mountaintop home.
53:16The post-disaster rebuilding is harder than anyone imagined,
53:20but human resilience is endless.
53:24Three years passed in a flash.
53:26The city that was once submerged under flood water
53:28now has skyscrapers rising up again.
53:31Mom, Dad and I move down from the mountain too.
53:34We use the savings and supplies we have left to trade for a small, standalone house in the New District.
53:40Thanks to the huge stockpile of seeds I hoarded before the apocalypse,
53:43and the farming experience I gained up on the mountain,
53:46I become a technical advisor at the New District's agricultural base.
53:50And what makes me even happier?
53:52I run into Felix again.
53:54He's now a rescue team leader, in charge of post-disaster reconstruction.
53:58No one talks about those dark days anymore,
54:00but every single person cherishes the present much more.
54:04No one ever mentions Jack and Mia's names again.
54:07They were like dust in that great storm,
54:09washed away completely into the sewer of history.
54:15And me?
54:16I'm starting a new life.
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