Chapter 29: The Arrival of Extreme Cold

A drop of cold sweat dripped from Fei Jun’s forehead, trailing down his neck. He swallowed with difficulty, his body twisted in an uncomfortable posture, yet he dared not move a muscle. He was terrified that a mere tremor in Ye Yu’an’s hand would mean the end of his life.

“Do not show up on the 24th floor again. If you do, the next time, the blade will slice through your carotid artery. Your blood will flow into your damaged trachea, and as it seeps in, you will struggle to breathe. The blood or clots will clog your airway, suffocating you. You will feel every second of the slow death process. If you wish to experience this firsthand, go ahead—come back and seek your own demise.”

The cold blade pressed against the man’s throat, lightly breaking the skin and drawing a thin line of blood. The chilling sensation, coupled with Ye Yu’an’s icy voice, left Fei Jun with no thought of resisting. He didn’t even dare to nod, only blinking frantically to indicate his understanding.

“Get lost!” Ye Yu’an withdrew the knife, watching as the group scrambled away from the 24th floor in terror before turning around and going home.

The people living in this building were no threat to her. They were merely annoyances.

With the stairwell door on the 24th floor now destroyed, squatters would undoubtedly move in. But they wouldn’t dare enter the hallways—she had no intention of allowing trash and filth to pile up outside her door. However, this incident meant that leaving the apartment alone in the future would be much more difficult without drawing attention.

“Tsk—”

The more she thought about it, the more irritable she became. The urge to kill surfaced again. Instead of acting on it, Ye Yu’an retrieved some ingredients from her storage space, choosing to distract herself with cooking to calm down.

As time passed, the torrential rain that had plagued them for three months finally showed signs of stopping. Society, which had barely held together, was now on the verge of complete collapse. The government’s credibility had plummeted to an all-time low, and while other buildings in the residential area were in chaos, the one where Shu Xin and Ye Yu’an resided remained unusually quiet.

Under the grueling training of Yan Mo and Mu Qimai, Shu Xin and Bu Xiangwen had improved significantly. While they hadn’t undergone an overnight transformation, their progress was rapid. Any excess fat was long gone, and although their outward appearances hadn’t changed much, their spirits were noticeably stronger.

The rain visibly weakened, giving people hope that normalcy might soon return. Even though Shu Xin and the others rarely left their apartment, they could hear the excitement of those sheltering in the stairwell whenever they opened the door.

Finally, after three days, the rain stopped in the afternoon.

Across the country, people erupted into cheers of relief, celebrating the end of the disaster and the imminent return to normal life.

The floodwaters, which had risen to the 18th floor, receded at an astonishing rate. Within half a day, the water level dropped below the 10th floor. People hurriedly packed their remaining belongings, eager to move back into their homes as soon as possible.

Shu Xin knew that with the rain gone, the next catastrophe was imminent. She retrieved everything they would need for the impending extreme cold from her storage space—stoves, thick down comforters, heavy bedding, winter clothing, portable heaters, and heat packs. The sheer volume filled an entire room.

As Shu Xin finished unloading supplies, Yan Mo led Bu Xiangwen and Mu Qimai upstairs to help move and organize. They spent the entire afternoon and half the night remodeling their living space to prepare for the cold.

A large stove was installed in the living room to provide underfloor heating. Each bedroom was fitted with a highly efficient smokeless heater. Thick cotton blankets covered the beds, and all the bedding was switched to plush fabric. Additional comforters were stacked on each bed to ensure warmth throughout the night.

A thick carpet was laid across the floor, and even the doorknobs were wrapped in fleece for added insulation.

The water would continue to recede for another day—one final day of respite before an even harsher disaster struck. If people seized this brief window to gather food, they would fare much better in the initial phase of extreme cold. Unfortunately, very few recognized this opportunity.

Most were still celebrating the end of the downpour, blissfully unaware that a new danger loomed ahead.

As the clock struck midnight, the temperature plummeted.

Inside the apartment, the stoves were already lit, filling the rooms with comforting warmth. Wrapped in a wool blanket, Shu Xin stood by the window, watching as the outdoor thermometer dropped from 20°C (68°F) to single digits in mere seconds. The rapid decline caused the gauge to malfunction.

The temperature continued to fall. Tonight, countless people would perish silently in their sleep, unaware of the deadly cold creeping upon them.

The rain-soaked windowpane quickly frosted over. Without another glance, Shu Xin drew the curtains and climbed into bed, resigning herself to sleep.

The fate of the world had already been decided.

Right now, she was still struggling to adapt to this new post-apocalyptic reality. Even surviving on her own was a challenge. She had no power to help others—not yet. In the face of such catastrophic upheaval, even an entire nation with all its resources could barely do anything.

The following morning, people awoke in terror.

The unnatural cold gnawed at them, and they instinctively curled up, shivering under their blankets. But as they turned to check on their loved ones, many were met with a horrifying sight—their family members had frozen solid in their sleep, lifeless and unbreathing.

Heart-wrenching cries of grief echoed throughout the residential complex. In every building, there were families mourning the loss of their loved ones. Just yesterday, they had rejoiced over surviving the flood, believing the worst was over. Today, they realized that their suffering had only just begun.

Overnight, the floodwaters that had not fully receded turned to ice. A vast expanse of white stretched as far as the eye could see—the world outside had become a frozen wasteland.

Even the most ignorant among them now understood that this was no ordinary disaster. It was the end of the world.

For those who had already lost all hope or suffered the agony of losing their families, the shock was unbearable. Some collapsed, unconscious, refusing to accept the cruel reality.

But for another group—the ones who had taken advantage of the chaos during the floods—the extreme cold came as a relief.

They had spent the past day worrying that, with the floods gone, they would be arrested and held accountable for their crimes. They had feared the return of order and law.

Now, with the arrival of extreme cold, their worries disappeared. Just like the rumors had foretold—the world was truly ending. No one would be coming to punish them. No justice would be served.

The civilization and societal order that had taken thousands of years to build finally crumbled into nothing with the onset of the extreme cold.