[edited]

The floodwater stopped rising, but the ice was rapidly melting under the intense sun, and its surface was smooth without any grip, making it impossible for the person who fell into the water to climb out.

Two people reacted quickly and sprinted towards the direction of the apartment building, but unfortunately, their running speed was far slower than the speed of the ice cracking.

Slipping and falling on the ice, they immediately plunged into the icy water.

After more than a year of natural disasters, their bodies had reached their limits. They were already weak and with the bone-chilling water poured into their mouths and noses. In the midst of sinking and floating, they could no longer climb out.

The walkie-talkie rang, pulling Jiang Ning’s consciousness back.

“Ning, the extreme heat has come early.”

Jiang Ning couldn’t remember the exact date, but it’s not what they predicted, and the ice melting was especially fast.

A sense of unease arose in her heart. “Have you noticed how glaring the sunlight is?”

Huo Yishen knocked on the door from outside. “Yes, and the temperature is rising too quickly.”

Opening the door, their eyes met.

In their previous life, many people died of heatstroke. This time, with the temperature rising rapidly from the beginning, the consequences would only be more severe.

Thinking of the experience she had, which was like a “steamer sauna,” Jiang Ning felt her scalp tingling.

If given a choice, she would prefer the extremely cold weather, at least she could burrow under the blankets.

Seeing her serious expression, Huo Yishen comforted her, “We’ve prepared everything we need in advance. We’ll make it through.”

Yes, they would make it through.

In the past, she had survived alone, even without water or food.

Now, not only did she have space, a dog, but also a… boyfriend, and a few friends, the conditions are much better than last time.

After breakfast, the two discussed harvesting the potatoes.

Even with growth stimulants, the extreme heat came early, and the potatoes were not yet ripe.

They dug up a pot of potatoes, which were smaller than the previous batch and were harder to swallow.

If they were harvested now, not only would the yield be severely reduced, but the immature potatoes would be even harder to preserve.

Huo Yishen asked, “Should we harvest them?”

The potatoes on the balcony were exposed to sunlight, and as the temperature rose, the leaves had already wilted.

Jiang Ning thought for a moment. “Let’s not harvest them yet. I’ll put them in the black soil garden in the space and see if they’ll grow again.”

So, dozens of pots of potatoes were all brought into the space and neatly arranged in the garden.

“Brother, I’m hot.”

Since waking up, Doudou had changed her clothes three times. Even when wearing a skirt, she still felt hot.

Although the ice had just melted and the water was still cold, the 18th floor was the top floor, and the cement-poured rooftop had already turned white and gray from the sun.

Despite the temperature of 39 degrees, the surface temperature had reached 72 degrees.

Sitting in the living room, one could feel the continuous heat seeping down from the ceiling.

This was the biggest disadvantage of living on the top floor. Even with the air conditioning in summer, it could be unbearably hot, let alone in extreme heat.

Not only Doudou was hot, but even Coke couldn’t stand it.

The usually lively and active dog was now squatting quietly, sticking out its long tongue to dissipate heat.

Jiang Ning walked into the master bedroom of 1801, took out the power box and the air cooler, and added ice cubes inside.

She wanted to turn on the air conditioner, but the outdoor unit was too loud.

There were already quite a few water tanks on the 18th floor. If they turned on the air conditioner, it would undoubtedly tell all the survivors that the 18th floor had plenty of water and electricity, so come and grab it quickly.

No rush, let’s wait and see.

As soon as the air cooler was turned on, it was immediately occupied by the two. Cold air blew out from inside, and Doudou was extremely excited. “Wow, it’s so cool.”

Jiang Ning, wearing the thermostatic clothes, didn’t feel particularly hot—Thanks to the eternal 25 degrees.

However, she was a little worried at the moment.

“I want to go out for a bit.”

Zhang Chao and the others had been gone for several days, but they still hadn’t returned. Could something have happened to them?

Huo Yishen asked, “Do you want to go pick up Zhang Chao and the others?”

Jiang Ning nodded. “There are fewer people going out now, so it’s relatively safe.”

“Let’s wait a bit longer. Many areas haven’t thawed yet, and it’s even more dangerous for the rescue boat to be cut halfway.”

Huo Yishen analyzed for her, “Perhaps they are also waiting for the ice to break before returning, and it could be more troublesome if they miss that.”

His reasoning made sense, so Jiang Ning decided to wait a bit longer.

After finishing lunch and returning to take a nap, she brought out a large blocks of ice to cool down, and with the air cooler and fan blowing, the scorching air gradually cooled.

She woke up around four in the afternoon, and the sun was still scorching without any signs of going down. It seemed determined to make up for the lost year by continuously baking the steel and cement standing on the water’s surface.

Jiang Ning went to the balcony to check the temperature, and a hot breeze greeted her face, 43 degrees.

Looking around, the water surface shimmered, with no trace of the ice left.

She put on an extra layer of sunscreen outside her thermostat suit, and made sure not to forget her hat and mask. She then took the dog to 1801.

Huo Yishen was worried. “You stay at home; I’ll go get them.”

But Jiang Ning insisted. “No need, I can handle it myself.”

If 1803 wasn’t her friend, would he still go out?

She understood his intentions, but she didn’t want to develop a habit of relying on him for everything, eventually turning herself into a giant baby.

Besides, she wouldn’t suffer from heatstroke while wearing the thermostat suit.

Seeing her insistence, Huo Yishen didn’t force it. “Be careful when you go out.”

Carrying the heavy inflatable boat, Jiang Ning went downstairs to the 7th floor.

The 7th floor was noticeably cooler, but the indescribable smell assaulted her nostrils.

On the water surface, various garbage bags floated around, which was not good for the stomach to see too much.

Jiang Ning put on two layers of masks, set the boat, and skillfully drove it into the water.

The roaring engine attracted the attention of the survivors in the building.

It’s the 18th floor again!

Their rubber boats had hardened, and the inflated ones had burst. Why was the inflatable boat from the 18th floor intact?

Envy, jealousy, and hatred arose, but everyone knew the 18th floor was a tough nut to crack. At most, they would curse silently in their hearts, but no one dared to mess with them.

The heat was intense, but the water absorbed more heat, and it didn’t smell good.

Jiang Ning was right. There were hardly any inflatable boats or rubber boats along the way.

Some were damaged due to improper storage, while most survivors were hiding under blankets at home to fight the extreme cold. Who knew they would switch to extreme heat mode overnight?

However, some people were still trapped by the flood, desperately calling and waving at Jiang Ning, hoping for rescue.

Without even acknowledging them, she flew past.

Avoiding the garbage and bodies in the water, Jiang Ning swiftly headed towards her destination. It took her half an hour to reach the security patrol station where Zhang Chao and the others were located.

To her surprise, there are a lot of people crowding at the entrance, all waving for help when they see the inflatable boat.

Jiang Ning stabilized herself and stopped thirty meters away from the entrance.

Dozens of people were crowded at the entrance, including the security patrol officers and survivors who happened to be nearby, all clamoring for help.

“Miss, we are trapped. Could you give us a ride?”

They were trapped by the flood, and the municipal council would arrange rescue personnel, but they didn’t know when they would come.

Jiang Ning wanted to show kindness and send them back, but whether they could safely return home with the inflatable boat was uncertain.

Seeing her unmoved, many people felt uncomfortable. “What’s wrong with this person? What’s the big deal about giving us a ride? It’s not like she’ll lose anything.”

Some people spoke more politely. “Miss, I’ll give you half a kilo of grain. Can you take me home?”

“I’ll give you a kilo.”

“I’ll give you two kilos.”

“Miss, please take me, take me. You don’t have a boyfriend yet, right? My brother is very handsome. Let me introduce you to him.”

All kinds of noise annoyed Jiang Ning, so she took out her crossbow from her bag.

“Wow, she’s armed, so fierce.”

“No wonder she’s so aloof. Turns out she’s a tough cookie.”