- 8 hours ago
- #asm
[DUBBED] Throne of the Eternal Night - Short Drama Full HD 720p #ASM
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Beep. Walmart checkout line. The scanner's chirp suddenly cut out. The lady who just cussed me out for cutting in
00:06line suddenly started shaking. Scallion hit the floor. The shelf stalker. Froze. Eyes fixed on the ceiling lights. I looked
00:15at the gum in my hand. And my heart skipped a beat. The ghost pain of frozen lungs was so
00:20real it nearly brought me down. I looked up and scanned the room. Hundreds of people in the store fell
00:25dead silent at the exact same time. No one spoke. Everyone was on their phones.
00:28Then locking eyes with each other. It wasn't confusion in their eyes. It was pure greed and panic. Everyone's returned.
00:35Three hours before the eternal night. Grab it. Without light. We're dead. Someone finally snapped and screamed. The store erupted
00:41into chaos. Hundreds charged for the same aisles. Lighting and fuel. Loom. These batteries are mine. Generator. Who has one?
00:50I'll pay a million. Down jackets. Give me all of them. Shelves toppled. People were trampled. Screams and curses filled
00:56the air. I watched coldly.
00:58Pushing against the frantic crowd. Toward the ignored hardware section. My bestie Quinn. Who pushed me to the monsters in
01:04the last life. Just because her flashlight died. Was clutching a box of searchlights. Grinning like a total lunatic. She
01:11saw me. Looked stunned for a second. Then smirked with pure contempt.
01:15Jade. You're reborn too right? What are you waiting for? You idiot. Go get the batteries before it's too late.
01:21She crammed camping lights. Into her cart. Looking at me like I was already dead.
01:25You got lucky and survived last time. This time. You won't survive the dark.
01:28I ignored her. Clearing out the shelves of blackout cloth. High density foam. And heavy duty tape.
01:34Quinn looked at me like I was insane. She shoved past me. Hissing into my ear.
01:39Morin. It's pitch black out there. What's black cloth for?
01:43I looked at her pile of high power lights. With a smirk.
01:47Idiots. You only remembered. The cold and the dark.
01:50You don't know that seven hours in. The real reapers. The light eaters. Will wake up.
01:55They're blind and only haunt lumens. The brighter the light. The faster they hit.
02:00In this dark apocalypse. Light isn't life. Light is a beacon for the grim reaper.
02:04Outside. The streets were in pure chaos. Traffic was dead.
02:07Sirens wailed. But no one gave a damn.
02:10Cars were swarming hardware. Stores and gas stations.
02:13Crash. A rover smashed into an outdoor shop.
02:16The driver. Face bloody. Ran in for a generator.
02:19I drove my old truck. Ramming the gate open.
02:22Only two hours and fifteen minutes left.
02:24I'm on the first floor with a basement.
02:26Last life. I hated how dark.
02:29And damp it was.
02:30Now. It's a natural fortress.
02:33Next door. Mr. Kent was busy as hell.
02:35He had his son welding bars.
02:38On windows. And setting up huge solar floodlights outside.
02:41I hauled out my black cloth and tape.
02:44Mr. Kent spat. Looking at me with scorn.
02:46Hey Jade. Did your brain freeze over?
02:49What's with those rags? Go get some fuel.
02:51His son gripped a stolen fire axe.
02:53His eyes were cold. With a murderous glint.
02:55Dad. Forget about her.
02:57Jade. Hand over the diesel generator.
02:59Last life. They broke in on day three of the freeze.
03:03They robbed me and kicked me into the snow.
03:05I opened my trunk without a word.
03:08Pointing at my dusty.
03:09High power generator.
03:10It's right here. But I don't want it.
03:12They froze. Almost dropping the axe.
03:15I want the damp charcoal in your cellar.
03:17And those useless rubber mats and old quilts.
03:19Trade those. And the generator's yours.
03:22You crazy. That charcoal's moldy.
03:24Smokes like hell.
03:24Those quilts stink to high heaven.
03:26Deal or not.
03:27I pretended to shut the trunk.
03:29Deal. Only an idiot wouldn't.
03:30Afraid I'd change my mind.
03:31They ran home.
03:32And dumped that trash at my door.
03:35Jade. You asked for this.
03:38Don't haunt us if you freeze to death.
03:40They gleefully hooked the generator to the floodlights.
03:43Like it was their lifeline.
03:45I almost laughed.
03:47Even damp charcoal works once dried.
03:50With ventilation, you can heat quietly in the dark.
03:53Rubber mats and old quilts insulate and muffle sound.
03:56After the trade, I dragged the trash inside and locked the door.
04:00The next two hours were life or death.
04:02No time to reinforce the door.
04:04Steel is useless against light eaters.
04:06As long as no light leaks, as long as there's no sound, they won't know anyone's here.
04:11I started covering the windows with blackout fabric.
04:13One layer.
04:14Two.
04:14Three.
04:15I sealed every crack with black caulk.
04:17Even stuffed thick padding under the door.
04:20I was sealing myself into a black coffin.
04:221.55 p.m.
04:24Five minutes till eternal night.
04:25I'd covered every light source at home.
04:27Phone screen.
04:28Rice cooker indicator.
04:29Power strip LEDs.
04:31All taped black.
04:32Done with that, I sat in the pitch dark living room.
04:34And opened the residence group chat.
04:37Screen dimmed to the lowest, with privacy film.
04:40The chat was buzzing.
04:41Everyone bragged.
04:43Quinn posted a photo.
04:44Dozens of batteries lit up her room.
04:46Like daylight, string lights and all.
04:48This life, I'll be queen of the night.
04:50Kneel if you fear the dark.
04:52I might spare you a lamp.
04:54Neighbors flooded her with praise.
04:55Quinn's amazing.
04:57Take me in.
04:57I've got food, booze and smokes for a power bank.
05:01Where's Jade?
05:02Why is she so quiet?
05:03She traded a generator for charcoal.
05:05Cry now.
05:06Jade, I'll be nice.
05:08Beg me now.
05:09I'll toss you some candles.
05:10I stared at the screen, said nothing, and muted my phone.
05:13Cry?
05:14No.
05:15I'm digging your graves.
05:172 p.m.
05:18No warning came.
05:19The sun outside was crushed.
05:21By an invisible hand.
05:23Aloha shook the world.
05:25Then, darkness.
05:27Not nightfall.
05:28Total, absolute black.
05:30All natural light vanished.
05:32In 5 minutes, 25 degrees Celsius plunged off a cliff.
05:3610, 0, minus 15.
05:38The windows crackled sharply.
05:39Glass straining from the cold.
05:41It's here.
05:42I'm freezing already.
05:43Turn on the lights.
05:44Screams echoed in the hallway.
05:45Next second, the whole complex lit up.
05:48Especially the top floor.
05:49Home to Quinn and Mr. Kent.
05:51High power floodlights turned snow today.
05:54Huh.
05:55It's bright.
05:56I'm not scared.
05:57Bring it on.
05:58We've got light and heat.
06:00Mr. Kent's family laughed wildly.
06:03I wore the military night vision monocular.
06:06In its green glow, the thermometer outside read minus 30.
06:10But this was only the start.
06:12I chewed a rock-hard ration bar.
06:13No hot water.
06:14Boiling water makes noise and light.
06:16Like a hibernating snake, I waited.
06:18Waiting for the feast called light.
06:20Six hours since eternal night began.
06:23Outside is a twisted carnival.
06:25Through my tiny peephole, sealed with one-way film, I watch the building across.
06:30It looks like a giant Christmas tree.
06:32Almost every apartment has all its lights blazing.
06:35The cold drives them.
06:36Brutal frost makes people crave heat.
06:38Quinn, showing off, installed rotating spotlights on the roof.
06:41Beams sweep the black sky.
06:43Announcing her wealth and safety.
06:46In the group chat, they praise her.
06:48Quinn's place is so warm.
06:50You can see the heat through windows.
06:52This is real living.
06:53Unlike some people, frozen stiff by now.
06:55They post hot pot pics under bright lights.
06:57Steam rising, chilly oil bubbling.
06:59Hey, do you hear that?
07:00Someone sends a voice message.
07:02Their tone's slightly shaky.
07:04Like something scraping the wall.
07:06Like nails on glass.
07:08So sharp.
07:08The chat goes quiet for a second.
07:10Don't scare us.
07:11With wind this strong, it's just tree branches, right?
07:14Yeah, we're on the 20th floor.
07:16What could climb up here?
07:16Quinn sends a smug voice note.
07:19What's there to fear?
07:19My spotlights are industrial grade.
07:21What monster would dare come?
07:22I'll blind it with light.
07:23I set down my biscuit, adjust the night vision, and lean toward the people.
07:27They're here, in her blazing spotlight beam.
07:30I see something struggling to breathe.
07:32As the light sweeps past, countless black shapes cling to the wall.
07:35Withered humanoid forms, long limbs, no eyes.
07:39Its head is just a huge, barbed mouth.
07:41They'd been wandering in darkness.
07:43But the second she lit that beam, every monster froze.
07:47In that instant, their light-sensitive skin felt the lumens.
07:51To them, it's not just light.
07:53It was the dinner bell.
07:54Roar.
07:55A piercing shriek split the air.
07:57Then hundreds, thousands of shadows surged along the building's wall,
08:00like a black tidal wave, rushing toward the brightest tower.
08:03Bang!
08:04Crash!
08:04The first window shattered.
08:06Then a second.
08:07A third.
08:08Ah, what is that?
08:09Help!
08:10The window's broken.
08:10The group chat turned into screams.
08:13Turn off the lights.
08:14They're coming for the lights.
08:16Someone finally got it.
08:17Too late.
08:18Once marked, it won't stop until the target's gone.
08:21Through the people, I watched.
08:23The Christmas tree, going dark.
08:25Not turned off by switches, but smashed by monsters.
08:27Or the people powering them, were torn apart.
08:30Quinn's top floor was brightest, and most crowded with monsters.
08:33Her huge window shattered.
08:35Under their combined force, wind and monsters stormed.
08:38Her fortress of light, the rotating spotlight kept spinning.
08:42She swung a stun baton, fighting back.
08:45One monster lunged, and bit off half her hand.
08:48Behind her, Arthur, the man who vowed forever, shoved her at them with a chair.
08:53Dark green blood splashed across the light, turning pale light into eerie red.
08:59Quinn, you killed us.
09:00Turn off the spotlight.
09:02Jade, why's your place quiet?
09:04Why aren't there any monsters at your place?
09:05In this citywide frenzy, only my first floor stayed pitch black and silent.
09:09I exited the chat calmly.
09:11Next door, Mr. Kent screamed.
09:13Stay out.
09:14I've got an ex.
09:15Ah.
09:16His huge solar spotlight shattered.
09:18I wrapped my blanket tighter and closed my eyes.
09:21First rule to survive.
09:23Embrace the dark.
09:25Those holding torches are the first sacrifices.
09:27The first night's purge began, but it's only the start.
09:31Because Arthur, the jerk who pushed me out, didn't seem dead.
09:34He was stumbling this way.
09:36Bang, bang, bang, pounding.
09:39Echoed down the hall.
09:41Jade, I know you're in there.
09:42Open the door, open up.
09:44I sat on the couch, tablet in hand, watching the peephole cam, feed.
09:48In night vision, Arthur was covered in blood.
09:51Not sure who's.
09:52Behind him, the hallway was pitch black.
09:55Something crawled in the dark.
09:57Not opening up?
09:58He sneered.
09:59I've got a lighter and half a bottle of wine.
10:02If I can't live, we die together.
10:04If I light a fire at your door, those things will rush over.
10:07Being reborn, he figured it out.
10:10He'd use light to break my defense.
10:12Click.
10:12The lighter sparked.
10:14A tiny flame lit the doorway.
10:16On screen, deep in the hall.
10:18Shadows snapped their heads around.
10:21I didn't move.
10:22Not even a breath.
10:23Two hours ago, I'd soaked the hallway tiles outside.
10:26With industrial lube.
10:28He stepped forward with lighter and bottle.
10:31Slide.
10:32His foot slipped.
10:34Ah.
10:34He flailed to balance.
10:37The bottle flew from his hand, smashing on the far wall.
10:40The lighter spun away, tracing a faint arc.
10:44Then went out.
10:46Thud.
10:47Thud.
10:47He hit the floor hard.
10:49A hiss rose from the dark.
10:52No.
10:52He tried to crawl.
10:54The oil was too slick.
10:56A black claw shot out, and grabbed his ankle.
11:00Ah.
11:01Jade.
11:01Save me.
11:02He screamed briefly.
11:04Then, was dragged into darkness.
11:06Bones cracked.
11:07Something chewed.
11:09I shut off the tablet and opened a bag of chips.
11:12Crunch.
11:13Almost in rhythm with the chewing.
11:15Trying to kill me?
11:17Watch your step.
11:18It was 8 in the morning.
11:19Should've been bright and sunny.
11:22Outside, pitch black and blizzard roaring.
11:24It was day, but no sun rose.
11:26The first massacre had paused.
11:28Light eaters need to digest.
11:30The group chat was terrifyingly quiet.
11:32Half the group's avatars had gone gray.
11:35The survivors didn't dare speak.
11:37They finally got it.
11:38Light as death.
11:39I could tell they were copying me.
11:42Feeling around in the dark.
11:43Using sheets, quilts, boards.
11:45Desperately sealing windows.
11:47Jade.
11:47You there?
11:49A weak, tearful voice message.
11:51It was Quinn.
11:52I raised a brow.
11:53She survived?
11:55Jade, I know you hear this.
11:56Arthur went to you.
11:57He's dead.
11:58Why didn't you open the door?
11:59You're alive.
12:00So quiet in there.
12:01The dead chat stirred.
12:03What?
12:03She's fine?
12:04She's got supplies.
12:06She hoarded.
12:07That's murder.
12:08Share with us.
12:10Quinn posted a photo.
12:12Her hand wrapped in bloody gauze.
12:14My hands ruined.
12:15No heart.
12:16Jade, I even saved fever meds for you.
12:18She was lying.
12:19She has no meds at all.
12:21She wanted others to blame me.
12:22I watched the accusations scroll and laughed coldly.
12:25Last night you had hot pot under blazing spotlights.
12:28Did anyone call my name?
12:29Now your hand's gone.
12:30You remember me?
12:31Sorry.
12:31My blackout cloth only covers myself.
12:33I hit send with one image.
12:34A pure black picture.
12:36Nothing visible.
12:37But right.
12:38Now.
12:38That absolute darkness.
12:39Was the ultimate flex.
12:41It meant absolute safety.
12:43The temperature dropped to minus 50.
12:45Normal clothes offered no warmth.
12:47Survivors dodged monsters.
12:49But froze slowly.
12:50Afraid of light.
12:51They dared not make fire.
12:52No lights.
12:53No candles.
12:54Not even the stove.
12:55They huddled in the dark.
12:56Shivering together.
12:58Meanwhile.
12:58My home was warm as spring.
13:00I set up a simple smokeless.
13:01Stove in my room.
13:03Red oil bubbled in the pot.
13:05Lamb slices hit the broth.
13:06Changed color fast.
13:07And were drenched in sesame.
13:09And sauce.
13:09I blew on a piece.
13:10And popped it in my mouth.
13:12Spicy.
13:13Hot.
13:13Savory.
13:14Being alive felt amazing.
13:16Even with filters.
13:17The hot pot aroma leaked out.
13:19A faint smell traveled through the old fence.
13:22The chat blew up.
13:23What's that smell?
13:24Yum.
13:25Hot pot.
13:25Who's cooking hot pot?
13:27I smelled it too.
13:28It was a rich, spicy beef aroma.
13:30Jade, was that you?
13:30That smell's coming from downstairs.
13:32Quinn sent a jealous, crazy voice message.
13:35Must be her.
13:36She traded a generator for charcoal.
13:38She planned this.
13:39Eating alone.
13:40We're freezing.
13:41She's eating hot pot.
13:42Jade, are you human?
13:43We're dying.
13:44You're actually eating hot pot.
13:45I sipped cold cola, and burped.
13:48Then I replied, sorry, just clearing stock.
13:50Too much meat.
13:51Gotta eat it or it'll spoil.
13:52That line crushed their patience completely.
13:54Hunger and cold pushed the neighbors to their limits.
13:58Half an hour later, footsteps echoed outside.
14:00Mr. Kent lost his generator.
14:02But he survived, since he lives on the first floor.
14:04Jade.
14:05Mr. Kent spoke from outside.
14:07We're neighbors.
14:09We should help each other.
14:10I heard you've got food.
14:11I'm not taking it for free.
14:13Once the area's safe, I'll have David protect you.
14:15David, his son with the axes, says.
14:17Exactly.
14:18Open up.
14:18Share some charcoal.
14:19We're freezing to death.
14:20Open up or we won't be polite.
14:22This door stops monsters, not chainsaws.
14:24They started kicking hard.
14:26Bang.
14:26The door shook.
14:27I put down my chopsticks and wiped my mouth.
14:29Trying to steal?
14:30I moved to the corner with my hi-fi system.
14:33I connected to my tablet and opened a file.
14:36It was the sounds of the light eaters eating.
14:38I turned up the volume.
14:41Just enough to feel like it's right outside.
14:43Then I hit play.
14:44Terrifying sounds echoed clearly through the door.
14:47The kick stopped instantly.
14:49W-H walks that?
14:50Sounds like that monster.
14:52Holy crap.
14:53Monster in Jade's place?
14:54Is she feeding it?
14:55Or being eaten?
14:56Mr. Kent's voice trembled.
14:58David, that doesn't sound right.
15:00Sounds like it's chewing bones.
15:01I slammed the volume to max.
15:03A scream rang out.
15:05Ah.
15:05Then a chaotic stampede of fleeing feet.
15:07Steps scrambled.
15:09Some falling.
15:09Crawling back up.
15:11Run.
15:12Jade's full of monsters.
15:13She's doomed.
15:14Don't get caught.
15:15Hearing silence return.
15:16I shut off the system.
15:17I sneered.
15:18What a bunch of cowards.
15:20It scared off most.
15:21But a few thought they were smart.
15:23The IT guy.
15:23On the third floor.
15:24With glasses.
15:25Polite type.
15:26He survived last life because he was smart.
15:29This time, he found a blind spot.
15:31If monsters got in my place.
15:32Why is there no screams?
15:33No blood smell.
15:34Only the smell of hot pot.
15:36He guessed I'm alive and living well.
15:38But he didn't expose me in the group chat.
15:40Nor did he dumbly try to break in.
15:42He's smart.
15:43At 4pm, my thermal monitor went off.
15:45It showed someone lying on the floor above me.
15:48He was in an empty room on the second floor.
15:51He was holding a handheld thermal scanner.
15:53My ceiling had extra insulation.
15:55Yet my flat still radiated tons of heat.
15:58Compared to minus 50 outside, my home was a burning furnace.
16:01He pushed up his glasses, grinning greedily.
16:04He took out tools.
16:05He prepped.
16:06A manual drill.
16:07And a silent hammer.
16:08He planned to pierce my ceiling from above.
16:10He picked a tricky spot.
16:11Right above my bathroom.
16:13There was a pipe shaft and thin cement there.
16:15Ha.
16:15Clever fool.
16:16I watched his careful moves.
16:17On monitor without stopping him.
16:19I even grabbed a chilled sprite.
16:21Watching with interest.
16:22Are you trying to dig your way in?
16:25Tap.
16:25Tap.
16:26Tap.
16:26Faint vibrations from the ceiling.
16:28The IT guy was careful.
16:30Hammer wrapped in a towel.
16:32I used a stethoscope to track his progress.
16:35Almost there.
16:36Two centimeters to go.
16:37I grabbed some bare copper wire.
16:40One end to the industrial battery bank.
16:43The other wrapped around a rebar rod.
16:46I slided into the ceiling gap.
16:49Exactly under his drilling spot.
16:52Once he hits the last layer, the drill would hit live steel.
16:56Zzzz.
16:57The battery hummed lightly.
16:58Enough voltage to jumpstart a truck.
17:00He's digging faster.
17:02He thinks he's in.
17:04He can probably feel my warmth rising.
17:06Break open.
17:07Damn it.
17:08On screen, he swings the hammer down.
17:10Boom.
17:11The hammer hit the steel.
17:13A blue spark flashed in the dark.
17:15He stiffens instantly.
17:17Not even a scream.
17:19The surge fries his insides instantly.
17:22Thud.
17:23He hit the floor.
17:24Smoke rising.
17:25Gripping a half-melted hammer.
17:27The air smells like burnt meat.
17:29I cut the power.
17:30Pulled up the steel rod.
17:31I looked at the small hole in the ceiling and plugged it with a piece of gum.
17:35It was a warning to the others.
17:36This one died nice and quiet.
17:38The IT guy's death went unnoticed at first.
17:40He never returned.
17:42Someone would eventually check.
17:44The burnt smell drifted through the vents.
17:46Someone said,
17:47Why does it smell like barbecue?
17:48Is Jade cooking again?
17:50No.
17:50This meat smells kind of bitter.
17:52I frowned at his corpse on the second floor cam.
17:54Coldness slows decay, but the body's still a hazard.
17:57What if scent-driven monsters show up?
17:59At 3 a.m., when light-eaters move least, the cold slows them down even more.
18:04I donned my suit, snuck to the second floor.
18:07Dragged the IT guy to the hallway.
18:09And left a note beside him.
18:12Trespasser dies.
18:14Done.
18:14I rushed back home.
18:16Next morning, the body was gone.
18:18No monster tracks anywhere.
18:20Half an hour later, someone posted a blurry photo.
18:23The cans were gathering around a pot.
18:25The IT guy's arm lay on the floor.
18:29The chat blew up.
18:30WTF?
18:31Is that a human hand?
18:32Mr. Kent, what are you eating?
18:33There was no reply.
18:35But I knew, cannibalism had begun.
18:37Hunger strips morals thinner than paper.
18:39The neighbors went from looters to hunters.
18:42I was their biggest target.
18:44Neighbors who ate people, their eyes changed.
18:46There was no human light left in them.
18:48Quinn noticed.
18:49She was still alive.
18:51She stayed close to security chief Arlo.
18:54Arlo was an ex-soldier with a shield, stun gun, and fork.
18:57He gathered thugs, becoming the block's biggest force.
19:00Quinn became his strategist.
19:02She sent a fired up 60 second voice message in the chat, stirring everyone up.
19:06Neighbors, we can't stay scattered.
19:09It was wrong for Mr. Kent to eat people, but he was starving.
19:11Why are we starving?
19:12Because someone hoarded what's ours.
19:15Jade, she kept all that food.
19:17Letting us starve instead of sharing.
19:19This is inhumane.
19:20For the kids and all of us, she proposed seizing Jade's supplies.
19:23Once we get them, we'll share.
19:25Everyone eats.
19:26Right.
19:26Why should she feast?
19:28Let's storm in.
19:29Arlo leads.
19:30We follow.
19:31The chat erupted through the cam.
19:33I saw Arlo and a dozen guys, pipes and axes in hand, marching straight to my place.
19:38Quinn followed behind, her severed hand dangling in front of her, a thrill of revenge on her face.
19:42Jade, let's see how you die this time.
19:43Go.
19:44Arlo shouted.
19:45Two big guys grabbed chainsaws.
19:47They started cutting my door.
19:49ZZ.
19:50Metal screeching filled the hallway.
19:52Sparks flew everywhere.
19:53The sound was loud, alerting.
19:55All nearby monsters.
19:56But I stayed calm.
19:57My door was made from steel, mesh, and bulletproof plate.
20:00It would take half an hour to cut through.
20:02Half an hour is enough time for them to die ten times.
20:05I didn't want monsters at my door.
20:06I went to the balcony with a big slingshot.
20:10The ammo was a glowing toy I made.
20:12A cheap toy that flashes and sings when turned on.
20:15I turned it on.
20:17Happy birthday to you.
20:18I pulled back the slingshot, aimed at Arlo's floor.
20:20Whoosh.
20:21Toy flew in an arc, through the already broken window, and dropped into their corridor.
20:26Happy birthday to you.
20:27Echoed with light and sound.
20:29In the dark, countless green eyes opened.
20:31The monsters heading my way.
20:33Got distracted.
20:34Rare.
20:35They charged for Arlo's block.
20:37Arlo and the others.
20:38Heard terrifying roars behind them.
20:40Their hands shook.
20:41The saws nearly cut their legs.
20:43Sir, the monsters went the opposite way.
20:45Lots of them.
20:46At least dozens.
20:47Arlo snapped.
20:48Damn, too loud.
20:50Stop sawing.
20:51They shut the tools, fearing monsters would return.
20:53They each lay flat, playing dead, barely breathing.
20:56The siege ended with a happy birthday song.
20:59They survived the siege.
21:00But, the real despair started.
21:02The temperature dropped below minus 70 degrees.
21:05This wasn't just cold.
21:06It could shatter steel.
21:08Crack!
21:08I heard my door's steel plate snap.
21:10It's the metal going brittle from cold.
21:12Without the inner insulation, the door would have split open.
21:15Out there, survivors were doomed.
21:17Quilts won't help.
21:19So cold.
21:19Even swearing stopped.
21:22Some started hallucinating and stripping naked.
21:25They laugh, freezing to death in the hallway.
21:28Arlo's group huddled together, shivering.
21:30Mr. Kent's family couldn't take it.
21:32Burn.
21:33They burned their neighbor.
21:34Leo's house for heat.
21:35His family had already died the day before.
21:36Mr. Kent and his son ripped up Leo's furniture and floor.
21:39They lit a huge fire right in the living room.
21:41Flames shot high, giving only brief warmth.
21:44It was like lighting a cigarette in a nuke.
21:46I sighed as I watched the blaze on the monitor.
21:49And quietly switched.
21:51On my home heating system, the floor heating and wall panels warmed up.
21:54I grabbed a popsicle from the fridge.
21:55Idiots.
21:56You don't understand.
21:57Minus 70 is terrifying.
21:58Yes.
21:58But this cold wakes even worse monsters.
22:01The listeners.
22:02They wake in the frost.
22:04Mr. Kent's fire opened hell's door.
22:07Crackle.
22:08Wood hissed in the dead night.
22:10Mr. Kent set Leo's floor and furniture on fire.
22:14Flames soared.
22:15Waves of heat rolling out.
22:16For near frozen survivors, it felt like heaven.
22:18So warm.
22:19Finally warm.
22:20Mr. Kent rubbed his hands.
22:21A greedy, satisfied grin spread across his face.
22:24But I watched the monitors.
22:25I added another layer of dense soundproofing at home.
22:27Idiots.
22:28They think surviving the light eaters is enough.
22:30They don't know that.
22:31The extreme cold spawns the listeners.
22:33Their sight is weak, but their hearing is sharp.
22:36Even a heartbeat sounds like thunder in their ears.
22:39The crackle of fire?
22:41A full-blown metal concert.
22:43Shoo.
22:43A new, different sound echoed the hall.
22:46Small gray monsters crawled inside.
22:49They have no face, just one huge pair of ears.
22:52Mr. Kent's son flung chairs into the fire.
22:56Bang.
22:56The chair hit the floor.
22:58The next second, a listener leapt on him.
23:00There was no roar, only teeth slicing his throat.
23:03Ah.
23:03A scream tore through the air, but that scream drew more gray shadows.
23:06By the fire, it became a slaughterhouse.
23:08The fire's out of control.
23:10Mr. Kent rang the buildings.
23:12Death knell.
23:13Frozen floorboards now burned fiercely in the heat.
23:17In the dark, the flames looked like a volcano.
23:20Shoo.
23:21A tight scraping echoed in the hall.
23:23The listeners surged in.
23:24Ah.
23:25Help.
23:25Fire.
23:26Monsters.
23:27Survivors lost it.
23:29Fire ahead.
23:29Monsters behind.
23:30They ran downstairs.
23:31I was on the first floor.
23:33My home as solid as a vault.
23:34Bang.
23:35Bang.
23:35Bang.
23:36The pounding shook the door.
23:39Jade.
23:39I know you're home.
23:40You can't just watch.
23:42I have a kid.
23:42Please, let him in.
23:44Screams, curses, and banging.
23:46All mixed together.
23:47I watched hell through the people.
23:50In the crowd, I saw Quinn being shoved behind Arlo.
23:53Desperately pushing into the mob.
23:54Suddenly, a listener dropped down upside down.
23:58In the chaos, Quinn shoved.
24:00A seven-year-old girl away.
24:02Move.
24:02Don't block me.
24:03The girl screamed and fell.
24:05Claws silenced her.
24:07Dark green blood hit Quinn's face.
24:08She didn't wipe it off.
24:10Using the gap while the monster fed, she stepped over the girl and melted into shadow.
24:13My hand turned white from gripping the handle so hard.
24:16Last life.
24:17You shoved me for a flashlight.
24:18Now, you shove a kid just to survive.
24:20Quinn, I'll decide your death myself.
24:22Outside, screams faded as monsters dragged bodies away.
24:25The hall smelled of blood and burning flesh.
24:28But I knew Quinn and Arlo were alive.
24:30They hid in the second floor, staring at my door.
24:33To them, my place was a goldmine of supplies.
24:36Since they want in, I'll help them, kind of.
24:38I grabbed my phone, opened the group chat.
24:41I cleared my throat, sent a voice clip.
24:44Cough.
24:45I was weak.
24:46Trembling with fear.
24:46Pain and terror dripped from every word.
24:48Help.
24:49Those guys smashed my doorframe.
24:50It's freezing.
24:51Winds in.
24:52I've got a fever.
24:53I can't move.
24:54Someone help.
24:54I'll share half my stuff.
24:56Arlo and Quinn's eyes lit up instantly.
24:58Supplies?
24:59She's finally breaking.
25:00Arlo gripped his riot fork with excitement.
25:02I knew the door couldn't hold to get so many hits.
25:04Quinn's blood-smeared face twisted into a vicious grin.
25:06Her doors cracked.
25:07Perfect.
25:08She's stuck with a fever now.
25:09Just the right time to slaughter her.
25:11Sir, we go down now.
25:12Kill her.
25:13This place is ours.
25:14They thought I was a lamb, struggling to die.
25:17But top hunters often appear as prey first.
25:20I put down my phone, killed all lights, slipped on night vision bottles, opened the first door,
25:25just enough to tempt them, then lined the hall with glue traps.
25:30They can tear apart heavy rats, let alone humans.
25:33Crossbow in hand.
25:34I sat on the dark sofa, quietly waiting for my guests.
25:37The hallway was pitch black.
25:39Arlo and Quinn, with two guys, crept downstairs.
25:42No lights on, shoes off, only in socks, moving slowly.
25:45The doors open a crack.
25:46Arlo saw it.
25:48Greed beat reason.
25:49Go.
25:50Quick and clean.
25:51Arlo led.
25:52Stepping into my foyer first.
25:54Squish.
25:55His foot sank.
25:56Glue.
25:57What the hell?
25:58He tried to lift his foot.
25:59His sock and shoe stuck tight.
26:01He yanked hard.
26:02Pop.
26:03He fell forward.
26:04Perfect.
26:05Hands, chest, face all slammed into glue boards.
26:09Ugh.
26:09He tried to scream, but his mouth was stuck.
26:12Quinn and the other two guys fell in too.
26:15Help.
26:16What's this?
26:16I'm stuck.
26:18They struggled in the hall.
26:21This industrial glue could rip skin right off.
26:24Click.
26:24I turned on the foyer light.
26:26The glare blinded them instantly.
26:28With Crossbow in hand, I looked down at them.
26:30Welcome.
26:31I said with a smile.
26:32M.M.
26:33M.M.
26:34Arlo tried to lift his head, begging.
26:36No words.
26:38I fired.
26:39Whoosh.
26:39The bolt pierced his temple.
26:41The two lackeys wet themselves.
26:43Cowtowing.
26:44Two more bolts.
26:45Only Quinn left.
26:46I saved her for last.
26:48Hatred in her eyes turned to fear.
26:51JJ'd.
26:52She tore glue from her lips.
26:54Don't kill me.
26:55We're best friends.
26:57I'm sorry.
26:58Please.
26:59For old times' sake.
27:00I crouched, staring at that face.
27:03Old times?
27:04I sneered.
27:05I pulled out a tiny glowing lure.
27:07You love light?
27:09Here's a gift.
27:10I forced her mouth open and shoved it in.
27:12Then taped her mouth shut tight.
27:14Red light glowed to her cheeks.
27:16Mmm.
27:17Quinn thrashed wildly.
27:19I sliced her clothes.
27:20Ripped her off the glue boards.
27:23Dried her to the entrance.
27:25Kicked her out.
27:26Door shut.
27:27Through the peephole, she writhed in the snow.
27:30In the dark, green eyes blinked open.
27:33Listeners.
27:33Light eaters.
27:34All of them.
27:35Where would they bite first?
27:36The glow.
27:37Her last muffled groan came from outside.
27:39Then the sound of a throat tearing open.
27:41The day after Quinn died, the world went quiet.
27:44Arlo's crew was wiped out.
27:46The Kents were missing.
27:47You could count survivors by one hand.
27:50Hall clear.
27:51I suited up in stab gear.
27:53Time for a sweep.
27:55A lonely scavenger run.
27:56Gold first.
27:57In chaos, gold is king.
27:59Strong liquor, best fuel and disinfectant.
28:02I pried open Mr. Kent's door.
28:03The second it opened, rotten smell hit me.
28:05The living room was wrecked.
28:07Walls black.
28:08By the stove, I saw something chilling.
28:11Clean picked skulls lay on the floor.
28:13Dry pot.
28:14Bits of bone still inside.
28:17Ugh.
28:18Even after being reborn, my stomach turned.
28:20This is apocalypse.
28:22No order.
28:23No morals.
28:24I took nothing because this place was filthy.
28:27On my way out, I poured gas inside.
28:30I lit a match.
28:31Flames erased the sins.
28:33I watched smoke rise, feeling nothing.
28:36In a world that devours, only the dead are clean.
28:39A week later, late at night, I was fixing the generator.
28:42The old radio suddenly crackled with a voice.
28:45This is Southside Stadium.
28:47We've set up an official shelter.
28:48There's heat, food, and full military protection.
28:51All survivors, head to Southside Stadium now.
28:54I went to the window, pulled the curtain aside.
28:56Through my night vision scope, the windows, ones like tombs, lit up one by one with candles.
29:00Then people rushed out of their buildings.
29:02Their eyes flared with frenzy.
29:04We're saved.
29:05The government hasn't abandoned us.
29:07Move.
29:07Southside Stadium, there's food.
29:09They sprinted through knee-deep snow.
29:11I watched coldly, then turned off the radio.
29:13Rescue?
29:14In your dreams.
29:15Last life, I believed it too.
29:17It almost got me killed.
29:18It wasn't the military.
29:19It was the immortal jellyfish.
29:21It can hijack and mimic human radio signals.
29:23You can't save someone who is dying.
29:24I drew the curtains tight, and checked the locks again.
29:27That night, blood would flow again.
29:28To check what was happening outside, I took my binoculars up to the second floor lookout.
29:32To me, it was brutal.
29:34A march of death.
29:35On the streets, survivors moved like pilgrims, struggling toward the south side.
29:39The sky was still pitch black, but a pink glow glimmered through the clouds.
29:43Look.
29:44That's light.
29:45There really is a base.
29:46Someone pointed at the sky, thrilled.
29:48Then, the next second, the clouds churned, and massive tentacles slid out of the pink glow.
29:52They wrapped survivors with eerie precision.
29:55Ah, let me go.
29:57Help, something's in the sky.
29:59Joyful shouts turned into piercing screams.
30:01Through the lens, they were lifted hundreds of meters.
30:05Stingers pierced them before they could struggle.
30:07Then they were hung beneath the giant jellyfish bell.
30:11They wouldn't die at once, paralyzed but conscious, forced to watch themselves, slowly digested.
30:16It was worse than hell itself.
30:18I lowered the binoculars, palms slick with sweat.
30:20My heart pounded wildly.
30:21This was the truth of the end times.
30:23No luck, only a ruthless, edge of wit and knowledge.
30:26Those who believed in the light became its sacrifices.
30:28I'd avoided the trap outside, but a crisis hit my safe house.
30:32Water was running low.
30:34Only five barrels remained.
30:36Before, I could melt snow.
30:38Not anymore.
30:39The snow was acidic.
30:40Through a microscope, the snow looked pale yellow.
30:44Full of waste, dust, and viruses.
30:47I stared at the yellowish liquid.
30:51Gross, but it was the only safe source.
30:54I built a simple distiller.
30:58Using charcoal heat to boil urine.
31:00Steam ran through a copper pipe.
31:02Cooling into drops.
31:03I filtered it again through charcoal and gauze.
31:06A strange smell filled the room.
31:09Hours later, the first cup filled.
31:11Clear water, but my mind resisted.
31:13Survive.
31:14I told myself.
31:15I shut my eyes and drank it down.
31:17Bitter, burnt, but safe.
31:20This is hell.
31:21Most days, it's enduring disgust and surviving.
31:24I was focused on making water.
31:26Clang.
31:27Metal hit inside the vent duct.
31:29Soft, but in the silence, it was thunder.
31:33Something got in.
31:34I turned off my flashlight.
31:35I grabbed my sharpened tactical knife, held my breath, and pressed to the wall.
31:40Something pushed the vent hole open.
31:42In the faint light, a cat-sized creature crawled in.
31:45A burrower.
31:46Its feelers twitched in the dark.
31:49Hiss.
31:49It arched its body.
31:52I didn't back down.
31:55I'd strung a thin fishing line across the doorway.
31:58As it leapt, its forelegs caught the line.
32:01It flipped midair and crashed down.
32:04Now, I lunged forward.
32:06The blade drove into the weak spot at its skull.
32:09I sliced open its nerve center.
32:11It thrashed, spraying dark green slime.
32:15Seconds later, it went still.
32:17I gasped, my hand trembling.
32:19That was close.
32:20If I didn't know the layout, if I hadn't set the trap,
32:23I'd be the one dead today.
32:24I dragged the dead burrower, to the living room.
32:27I planned to toss it out, but I noticed something.
32:30Its body wasn't cold.
32:32Its belly glowed faintly.
32:33Radiating intense heat.
32:34My gut told me it wasn't normal.
32:36I put on rubber gloves and grabbed a scalpel.
32:39Time to dissect.
32:40Last life, I'd heard a rumor.
32:42Now, I have the chance to test it.
32:43Cutting through the shell, a wave of heat hit me.
32:47Like opening an oven.
32:48At its heart sat a crystal, red and translucent.
32:51A thermal crystal.
32:52I plucked it out with tweezers.
32:54Even outside the body, it kept radiating heat.
32:56About 60 degrees Celsius on the surface.
32:58To test it, I dropped it in a cup of cold water.
33:01A miracle happened.
33:02In under a minute, the water started bubbling.
33:04Boiling.
33:05I stared, heart pounding in shock.
33:07This wasn't an organ, but a tiny perpetual reactor.
33:11At that moment, I saw the monsters in a new way.
33:13They weren't monsters anymore.
33:15They were walking batteries.
33:16An endless powerhouse.
33:18Once my mindset changed, my tactics changed too.
33:20Previously I only hid.
33:21Now I hunt.
33:22My eyes glowing gold.
33:23I made a simple sonic lure.
33:25Recorded a piercing scream.
33:26On my phone.
33:27And placed it at the trap by the door.
33:29Then I hid upstairs behind the slit.
33:30Armed with my modified crossbow.
33:32Ah, help!
33:33The lure screamed from the speaker.
33:35Two listeners crawled in, drawn by the sound.
33:38They hovered in the trap, listening closely.
33:40Whoosh!
33:41I pulled the trigger.
33:42The arrow pierced its left eye into the brain.
33:44The other tried to flee.
33:46I yanked a rope.
33:47Crash!
33:48The chard net fell from the ceiling.
33:50The more it struggled, the deeper the cuts.
33:54I finished it calmly, like a skilled butcher.
33:56Half an hour later, I had two new crystals.
33:59One red, and one blue.
34:01And another blue one.
34:03Dropped the blue one in water.
34:04It froze instantly.
34:06Red one went in the water tank.
34:08Hot water all day.
34:10Blue crystal in the food cabinet became a fridge.
34:13From now on, life felt manageable.
34:17Crystals kick-started my shelters.
34:18Industrial revolution.
34:20I placed 10 red crystals.
34:21In a custom-made metal box.
34:23I made a crystal generator with thermal electricity.
34:26I flipped the main switch.
34:27Hung.
34:28The underfloor heating roared to life.
34:29The room temperature shot.
34:31From 0 to 25 degrees.
34:32I finally shed that heavy coat.
34:34Slipped into light silk pajamas.
34:36I even broiled a huge tub of hot water.
34:37In the minus 70 degrees Celsius apocalypse.
34:39I lay in the bathtub.
34:40Enjoying a 40 degrees Celsius hot bath.
34:42Steam swirling.
34:42I stared at myself in the mirror.
34:44Rosy cheeks.
34:45Sharp eyes.
34:46Glowing skin.
34:47Boom.
34:47Just as I savored the peace.
34:49A loud crash shook the floor below.
34:51The tub water sloshed violently.
34:53I jumped up.
34:54Wrapped a robe.
34:55And ran to the monitors.
34:56On screen.
34:57An armored truck.
34:59Smashed the gate.
35:00A team of fully armed men got out.
35:02They wore infrared night vision goggles.
35:03And carried automatic rifles.
35:05Moving in perfect formation.
35:06Clearly.
35:06They weren't ordinary survivors.
35:07They were the marauder core.
35:09Trouble had arrived.
35:10These guys weren't here to survive.
35:11They came to raid.
35:12The leader was a bald man.
35:14Massive like a bear.
35:15One eye was prosthetic.
35:16Glowing red in the dark.
35:18Team 1.
35:19Search left.
35:19Team 2.
35:20Search right.
35:20Survivors and crystals only.
35:22Kill anyone who resists.
35:23This place is solid.
35:24Clear it.
35:24We'll make it a base.
35:25They began blasting through each unit door.
35:27Now.
35:28They were heading toward my building.
35:29Sir.
35:30Something's off with this building.
35:31All first floor windows were sealed.
35:33And heat readings were strong.
35:34It was practically a furnace inside.
35:36The bald man grinned cruelly.
35:38Licking his lips.
35:39There must be a generator or someone with power.
35:42I took a deep breath.
35:43Donned my tactical vest.
35:44And checked my weapons.
35:45They had guns.
35:46Explosives.
35:47And mutant too.
35:48I had to use the terrain for guerrilla tactics.
35:50I pressed a red button on the wall.
35:52Click.
35:52Throughout the hallways.
35:53Sealed compartments sprang open.
35:55My surprise for this day.
35:57The trap was ready.
35:58Bring it on.
35:59Two demolitions experts reached my security door.
36:01They skillfully stuck bombs onto the locks.
36:03But I wasn't inside anymore.
36:05I crawled up the passage to the second floor.
36:08Hidden in the stair gap.
36:09I clutched a remote.
36:11Through the gap.
36:12I saw their tactical spotlights swaying overhead.
36:15As they are setting the explosives.
36:17Ready to retreat.
36:18I pressed the button.
36:19Boom.
36:19It wasn't their bombs that went off.
36:21But my ceiling mounted shrapnel.
36:22Bomb exploded.
36:23Steel balls and nails flew everywhere.
36:25The two demolition experts were shredded.
36:28The squad behind was thrown by the blast.
36:30Wailing.
36:31Ambush.
36:31Scatter.
36:32The bald leader shouted.
36:33His red prosthetic eye flared instantly.
36:35And he smashed a nearby wall with one punch.
36:37He pressed against the wall.
36:38For cover.
36:39Concrete crumbled in his hands.
36:42Interesting.
36:43I hid in the second floor dark.
36:44Aiming my nail gun.
36:45This gun makes no muzzle flash.
36:47And is almost silent.
36:48Up close.
36:49It hits as hard as a pistol.
36:50If you want to play.
36:51I'll play too.
36:52In this building.
36:53I'm.
36:53A ghost.
36:54Master of the dark.
36:55A game of blood begins.
36:57Explosions rocked the hull.
36:59Smoke everywhere.
37:00I underestimated the bald leader.
37:02He's a rare strength type mutant.
37:04Nail shots barely left white marks on him.
37:07Bronze skin shone like metal in light.
37:10Found you.
37:11Little rat.
37:11He grinned.
37:12Ear to ear.
37:14Ignoring traps.
37:15He leapt forward.
37:16Grabbed the railing.
37:17Hauled himself up.
37:18Blow this floor to bits.
37:20Things were dire.
37:21I pulled out my last card.
37:23Crystal bomb.
37:23Three high level red crystals.
37:25Rigged with c4.
37:26Since you're tough.
37:27Try this.
37:28I pulled the pin and threw it at him.
37:30He reached for it.
37:32A rock?
37:32Cute trick.
37:33The package touched his hand.
37:35I pressed the remote.
37:36He behind shield.
37:37Ears clamped tight.
37:38Boom.
37:39A dull, deafening boom.
37:41Blinding white light.
37:42A scorching heat wave swallowed the hull.
37:44The shock wave flattened everything around.
37:46He let out a piercing.
37:47Horrific scream.
37:48Smoke cleared.
37:49The air reeked of burnt flesh.
37:50The stairs too.
37:51The second floor were gone.
37:52He was charred.
37:53His cyber eye shattered.
37:55Before I could finish him, worse things came.
37:57The ground shook violently.
37:59A three-story light eater stormed in.
38:00Drawn by heat.
38:01It smashed through the unit door.
38:03Huge claws swept the first floor lobby.
38:05The surviving raiders were snatched up.
38:07Stuffed into it spiked.
38:09Massive maw.
38:09He froze as the monster's paw came down.
38:12I crouched on the second floor.
38:13Raising my crossbow.
38:14Next life.
38:15Don't mess with women.
38:16An arrow pierced his throat.
38:17He died by my hand before the monster struck.
38:20His crystal is mine.
38:21The monster devoured the raiders, crushing rubble.
38:25Finding the heat gone, it lost interest.
38:27It stomped away, vanishing, into the snowstorm.
38:30The blizzard returned, covering all the blood.
38:33Silence reclaimed the world.
38:34Once I was sure it was safe.
38:35I donned the hazmat suit, rappelling down from the second floor.
38:38His corpse rotted, but the gear was still intact.
38:40I fumbled through it.
38:41Finally, I found a heavy bunch of keys.
38:43They unlocked the armored truck outside.
38:45I ran out and jumped into the truck.
38:47Engine roared to life, heat kicking in.
38:49Inside was an arsenal, rifles, grenades, rations.
38:53Even a field surgery table and med kit.
38:56This delivery was pure jackpot.
38:58I reversed the truck into the lobby.
38:59Blocked the entrance with materials and doors.
39:02I sat inside, hand on the armor, feeling safe.
39:05I'm no longer a mouse hiding in a hole.
39:07With this truck and heavy guns, I'm the lion.
39:10In this building, I wasn't the only survivor.
39:13A young couple lived on the sixth floor.
39:15And a retired teacher on the seventh.
39:17They hid in a loft, surviving on moldy bread.
39:20They saw me wipe out the marauders.
39:22To them, I wasn't human.
39:24I was a god.
39:25Next day, I was sorting out loot on the first floor.
39:28They came to the second floor stairs.
39:30The guy knelt, holding the last chocolate in his hands.
39:34Jade, we want to follow you.
39:36We'll do anything.
39:37Clean, corpses, even be bait for you.
39:39Please don't leave us.
39:40We won't eat much.
39:41I stared at them, lowering my gun.
39:43One needs no friends.
39:45Only obedience in this apocalypse.
39:47I kicked the chocolate back coldly.
39:48I don't feed freeloaders or trash.
39:50I pointed at the corpses in the hall.
39:53Clean it up and dump it two kilometers away.
39:55Once done, each gets a bowl of noodles and water.
39:58Hearing about the noodles, they got excited.
40:01They cowed out madly.
40:02Green liquid on their foreheads.
40:04Thanks, Jade.
40:05We'll get right to it.
40:06Order was built on food and force.
40:09With three free workers, the defense went up faster.
40:12I had them break through all walls from 1F to 3F.
40:15Using cement, steel, and materials left by raiders.
40:18We built a complex maze as a buffer.
40:20No more simple hallways inside this maze.
40:22The floor was filled with traps and landmines.
40:24Walls had countless shooting holes.
40:26Ceilings held glass bottles filled with acid.
40:28Anyone reaching the core must pass this death maze.
40:31I had the teacher mix a special potion.
40:34Walls were coated with chemical powder.
40:36Now my home is an unbreakable fortress.
40:39A black hole that devours life.
40:41The three survivors lived on 3Fs sentries.
40:43I gave them radios and simple self-defense gear.
40:46They were loyal, devoted, and unwavering.
40:48I'm the only one providing food, heat, and safety.
40:51Once, the guy found a mutated rat on patrol.
40:54He brought it to my door as a snack.
40:56Absolute obedience beats any contract.
40:58The armored truck had a high-powered military radio.
41:01One night, the blizzard finally eased a bit.
41:03The radio picked up.
41:04A sudden encrypted message.
41:06ZZZ, this is Core, dungeon number 3.
41:08The service is now unlivable for humans.
41:10The eternal night is expected to last 10 years.
41:12We're opening an emergency.
41:13Entry, priority, techs, doctors, and healthy women.
41:17Survivors, please go there for humanity's sake.
41:19I heard it and gave a cold, mocking smirk.
41:22Last life, I'd been to a dungeon.
41:25It was hell on earth.
41:26Men mined 18 hours every single day.
41:27Women became breeding machines.
41:29No dignity.
41:30They ate synthetic starch, drink recycled water.
41:32I have endless supplies, heat, and hot showers.
41:35My life now is even better than the dungeon lords.
41:37Why would I become a slave?
41:39I switched off the radio and blocked that frequency.
41:41The surface is dark and cold, but it's free.
41:43Freedom is the rarest luxury in this apocalypse.
41:45Over time, I noticed strange changes in my body.
41:49It started with a high fever that lasted 3 days.
41:51Every organ felt like it was on fire.
41:52I even prepared to end my own life.
41:54But after 3 days, the fever broke.
41:56And in its place came a terrifying rebirth.
41:58I saw strange changes in the mirror.
42:00Red veins showed on my collar and neck.
42:03When I get excited, they glowed faintly.
42:05My genes had been rewritten.
42:07With all lights off, I could see every cobweb.
42:10Through 3 blast doors, I could hear people breathe.
42:12I could lift that ammo crate with one hand.
42:14I cut my fingertip with a dagger to test it.
42:17The wound closed fast, leaving no scar.
42:20I traced the veins on my collarbone, smiling wildly.
42:23This is my ticket to evolution.
42:24Only by becoming stronger.
42:26Can I top the food chain?
42:27I am the chosen new human.
42:29In this world of monsters, I have evolved.
42:31The calm days didn't last long.
42:333 months passed.
42:34Jade, a huge squad's approaching.
42:3650 men.
42:36They have heavy weapons.
42:38And a few modified trucks.
42:39I switched to the outside cameras.
42:41Zooming in, I saw the leader.
42:42A wave of hatred surged through me.
42:44That figure, I'd recognize him even in ashes.
42:47Felix, he was my ex-husband, who sold me to cannibals last life.
42:50He wore polar gear, a scar cutting across his face.
42:53Sir, this is the place.
42:54I heard a woman here has a red stone that heats.
42:56A heating stone?
42:58That's a treasure.
42:59Surround the building.
43:00Kill the men.
43:01Keep the women.
43:01I'll interrogate the leading woman.
43:03Hearing this, I laughed, trembling all over.
43:06Tears almost came out.
43:07God's really been kind to me.
43:09I thought I'd never get this revenge.
43:11But here you are, delivering yourself here.
43:13Felix, this life, I'll show you hell.
43:16His group was cautious, sending scouts first.
43:18I decided to play along, feigning weakness.
43:21Killian trembled, standing at the window, yelling.
43:23Don't shoot.
43:24We surrender.
43:25Our boss is a woman.
43:26She's terrified.
43:27She has lots of crystals.
43:28She'll give them all.
43:30Felix eased his guard a little.
43:31A woman?
43:32Fine.
43:33Let her strip and come out.
43:35She's having a bad fever.
43:37Just come in.
43:39Greed is the original sin.
43:40He wanted all the credit.
43:41He waved.
43:42Team one, team two, follow me.
43:43He led his elites through the unit door.
43:46Into the maze entrance I designed with care.
43:48I sipped red wine in the control room.
43:50My eyes were cold as ice.
43:52My finger hovered over a red button.
43:54Welcome to my world, Felix.
43:55I pressed the button.
43:57A thousand pound stone fell, blocking the exit.
43:59Lights went out in the maze, plunging them into darkness.
44:02What's happening?
44:03Why did the lights go out?
44:04The doors blocked.
44:06Boss, it's a trap.
44:07Hidden nozzles on the walls.
44:09Activated.
44:09They sprayed a high concentration blood lure.
44:11What's that smell?
44:12So bloody.
44:13The maze's underground gates opened.
44:15Hundreds of starved mutant rats poured out.
44:17Ah, rats.
44:18So many rats.
44:19Shoot.
44:20Random shots hit their own teammates.
44:22Screams rose, green fluid agitating the swarm.
44:25Felix clanned over his men's corpses.
44:28He actually reached the maze.
44:29Exit on the second floor.
44:31But the platform was a suspended cage.
44:33I sat outside, watching silently.
44:36Felix, long time no see.
44:38Seeing my face, he froze in terror.
44:40Jade, it's you.
44:41Impossible.
44:43Honey, I'm sorry.
44:44Spare me.
44:45I'll be your dog.
44:45I set down my wine.
44:46Expression cold as ice.
44:48I pressed the switch in my hand.
44:49The cage floor dropped instantly.
44:51Below was a bottomless rat pit.
44:52Eyes glowing red.
44:54A dog?
44:55You don't deserve it.
44:56Enjoy yourself.
44:57Felix screamed as he fell in.
44:58He struggled as the swarm ripped him apart.
45:01All the grudges for my last life vanished.
45:04After Felix died, I announced his fate.
45:07His remaining men outside, instantly lost all will to fight.
45:10Seeing what I could do, they switched sides.
45:12They became my outer guards.
45:14My power peaked.
45:15Second year of the eternal night.
45:16Temp hit minus 100 degrees Celsius.
45:18Air started to condense.
45:20White miss settled.
45:21Ordinary metal became brittle like glass.
45:23Even the raiders armored trucks.
45:25Cracked their engines.
45:27Absolute silence.
45:28Not even the wind blew.
45:29Monsters froze or burrowed.
45:30Deep underground.
45:31I led my core team to the first floor shelter.
45:34Inside, the temperature barely stayed at zero degrees Celsius.
45:36We wore layers.
45:37Huddled together like a ball.
45:38Huddled together.
45:39Using crystals to stay alive.
45:40I entered a half hibernation.
45:41I woke only two hours a day.
45:43To check the crystals.
45:44I ate some high calorie liquid food.
45:46In dreams, I saw the sun rise.
45:47But it burned me to death.
45:49It was a marathon against death itself.
45:50We had to survive.
45:51After what felt like forever, the deep freeze eased.
45:55Temp stabilized around minus 40 degrees Celsius.
45:57I pushed open the frozen blast door at last.
45:59With metal screeching, I stepped outside.
46:02The world had changed.
46:03Only tower tops were visible.
46:05Like white tombstones sticking out.
46:06Sky was still black.
46:08Aurora shifting wildly.
46:09Air smelled of rust and sulfur.
46:11On distant ruins, shadows leapt about.
46:14They were evolved humans.
46:15Adapted to dark and cold.
46:16Their eyes glowed green or red in the dark.
46:19I changed too.
46:20Gloves off, skin bare to air.
46:22There was no sting, just a strange comfort.
46:25I stomped, feeling vibrations miles around.
46:28A group of new humans saw me, and got ready to strike.
46:31But seeing me, they sensed.
46:33A top predator.
46:34They froze and bowed their heads in unison.
46:36On this ruined land, I was no longer prey.
46:39I was master of this snowland.
46:40A new era had begun.
46:41My block became the only holy city nearby.
46:44Only I had heat, running water, and greenhouses.
46:48Scattered survivor groups flocked here with families.
46:51They knelt in snow, begging for a warm red crystal, or just a bowl of soup that wouldn't
46:56freeze.
46:56I no longer turned them away, but I wasn't normal.
46:59I built a ruthless new order.
47:01First, no freeloaders.
47:02No matter, old or young, everyone works.
47:05The useless got thrown to the light eaters.
47:08Second, crystal first.
47:09Crystals are currency.
47:10A low-level red crystal buys a week's rations.
47:13Third, absolute obedience.
47:15Questioners die.
47:16My armored trucks patrolled.
47:18The land daily.
47:19Black flags flapped in wind and snow.
47:20It's fixed by the teacher.
47:22No one called my name.
47:23I was the night queen.
47:24I sat by the tower window, watching the crowd.
47:28They scrambled under my shelter, busy to survive.
47:31I realized the apocalypse hadn't ended, only changed, and I became the lawmaker of this
47:36new world.
47:37I am the night queen.
47:38Early morning, year three of eternal night.
47:41Queen, the horizon, it's glowing.
47:44The news spread like wildfire.
47:46The crowd erupted.
47:47The sun, the sun's out.
47:49We're saved.
47:50Some knelt, crying their eyes out.
47:51Some wildly tore off their protective suits.
47:53Some ran past guards, reaching for sunlight.
47:56I stood atop the tallest tower, watching coldly.
47:59I put on radiation goggles and a lead suit.
48:02I knew this was death's beam, not salvation.
48:05If you don't want to die, go back underground.
48:08Hide.
48:08But no one listened.
48:10They craved the light.
48:11The first ray pierced the clouds.
48:13It hit the face of the lead reveler.
48:15No warmth, only scorching.
48:17His skin blackened.
48:19Next came the second, the third.
48:21Flesh peeled off.
48:22Cheers turned to shrill, horrid screams.
48:25The sun shone, bringing silent slaughter.
48:27The world turned into a giant microwave.
48:30All exposed flesh quickly charred.
48:32Screams went on all day long.
48:34Those who ran to the sun turned to pools of blood.
48:37Only those hiding in shadows survived.
48:40Night fell again, and the sun went down.
48:42The survivors stared at me, eyes full of frenzy.
48:45I saved them, or maybe darkness saved them.
48:48In this world, daylight brings death.
48:49Only darkness is safe.
48:51I sit on a throne built from black crystals.
48:53No lights.
48:54Only the crystals faint red glow.
48:56The patterns on my arms pulse faintly.
48:58Outside, the world seems completely dead.
49:01But in infrared, countless creatures rise.
49:04The next round of revelry begins.
49:05This world will never go back to before.
49:08Civilization and sunshine were long gone.
49:10I stand, my black robe drags on the floor.
49:13All my followers kneel in unison.
49:15I smiled coldly.
49:17Remember, light will deceive, heat will burn.
49:20Only darkness is eternal shelter.
49:22In this world, I am the only light.
49:24I am the queen of eternal night.
49:25This is my kingdom.
49:26Eternal night is the new beginning.
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