Chapter 1 – Torrential Rain

June 4th, 20XX, 6:30 PM. Subway Line 2, Fucheng City.

Xia Xiaoman sat on the bench with her backpack in her arms, nodding off drowsily.

Suddenly, a shrill female voice rang out beside her.

“Young people these days have no manners at all. Can’t even give up a seat to an elderly person. All that studying went right into the dog’s belly!”

Xia Xiaoman opened her eyes and glanced over. The speaker was an older woman wearing a blue-and-white dance outfit. Xiaoman closed her eyes again, ignoring her.

“Hey! I’m talking to you—stop pretending to sleep!” The older woman nudged Xiaoman with the tip of her shoe.

Xia Xiaoman opened her eyes again, slowly pulled a utility knife out of her backpack, and stared at the woman, turning the blade in her hand.

The old woman saw the cold look in her eyes and the sharp blade and immediately shut her mouth.

Finally enjoying some peace and quiet, Xia Xiaoman was just about to doze off again when a piercing alarm suddenly blared from the subway train.

She jumped to her feet, scanning her surroundings. The other passengers also looked around in confusion.

Outside the windows was nothing but pitch-black tunnels. Inside the carriage, everything still appeared normal.

Just as everyone was assuming it was a false alarm or system glitch, the train abruptly came to a stop.

Someone asked, “What’s going on? Why did the subway stop?”

But no one could answer.

The lights inside the train flickered, dimming and brightening—until, with a snap, they went out completely. The carriage was plunged into darkness. Tension rose instantly as passengers fumbled for their phones to call for help.

Xia Xiaoman thought she might be imagining it, but she could swear she heard splashing.

“Ahhh! Water—there’s water coming in!”

A woman screamed, backing away as she pointed at the train doors where water was steadily seeping through the cracks.

Panic spread through the carriage. Passengers began shoving each other, trying to get away from the door.

Xia Xiaoman turned on her phone flashlight and pointed it at the door—rushing floodwater was streaming in through the cracks. Her face turned grim. She reached for the emergency hammer and raised it, aiming for the window.

But before she could strike, someone grabbed her arm tightly. “Hey, what are you doing? You can’t smash that! If the window breaks, the water outside will flood in!”

Xia Xiaoman shook off his hand. “If we don’t break the window, we’re all going to die in here. If we open it and swim along the tunnel, we might still have a chance.”

The man blocking her said, “But not everyone knows how to swim.”

He gestured toward the others in the carriage. “Look around—there are elderly people, kids, people with disabilities. If you break the window, what happens to the ones who can’t swim?”

Xia Xiaoman frowned. “Then what’s your plan? Sit here and wait to die? The carriage is small, the air is limited, and the water is still seeping in.”

“There’s already a layer of water on the floor. At this rate, it won’t be long before it fills the entire carriage. We’ll all drown.”

Some of the passengers, overwhelmed by fear and anxiety, had already started crying.

Someone suggested, “Let’s find the train operator! Maybe he can contact someone to move the train to a station!”

Another person shot back, “Wow, genius idea. If the operator could do something, do you think we’d still be stuck here?”

“Use your brain—obviously the train’s broken. That’s why we’re stranded halfway.”

Xia Xiaoman walked to the door, pressing her phone against the window to see outside. “Right now, the water level outside is about up to my thighs. If we break the window now, we still have a chance.”

“Those who can’t swim can climb onto the roof of the train and wait for rescue. Swimmers can follow the tunnel wall toward the station. Once we find rescue teams, we can tell them where the train is.”

“No! You can’t break the window!” A skinny man blocked her path. “Who knows if you’ll even remember us once you’re out?”

“And what if the floodwater rises above the roof? Then we’re all doomed. At least inside the carriage, we can survive a bit longer.”

Xia Xiaoman pointed mockingly at the water pouring in. “You really think we’re safer in here?”

The man’s face darkened. He suddenly snatched someone’s suitcase and shoved it against the door.

“The subway staff have to know we’re trapped. They’re probably already on the way to rescue us.”

“We should try sealing the door with luggage to slow the water. Hold out a bit longer, and rescue should arrive.”

Some passengers believed him and started using their bags to block the door.

But it was useless. The water found every gap, gushing in relentlessly. Within minutes, the water in the carriage had already risen past their ankles.

Some passengers started vomiting or fainting from fear. Others, with trembling hands, began recording farewell videos on their phones.

As the water level continued to rise, Xia Xiaoman was done waiting for death.

Just as she was about to smash the window herself, someone else snatched the emergency hammer from her. Before she could react, he slammed it three times into the upper corner of the window, cracking it.

Someone tried to stop him, but he waved the hammer menacingly.

“Don’t you fucking touch me, or I’ll kill you!”

“You people keep stalling.”

“You can’t swim? Not my damn problem. All I know is, if I don’t get out of this carriage, I’m dead.”

“You wanna sit here and wait to die? Be my guest. I’m not dying with you.”

He kicked the cracked glass and squeezed out through the window.

The floodwater outside was a dozen centimeters higher than the window. The moment the glass gave way, the water surged inside.

Xia Xiaoman reacted quickly. As soon as he climbed out, she followed right behind him.

Other passengers who could swim also came to their senses and scrambled toward the window.

A few kind-hearted ones shouted for the elderly, children, and disabled to go first—but only a small number actually helped them.

After leaving the carriage, Xia Xiaoman followed the direction of the platform.

After a while, the water reached her chest, so she started swimming—it was faster that way.

She swam along the tunnel for nearly half an hour when suddenly, a bright light shone ahead.

Five minutes later, Xia Xiaoman was rescued.

She told the rescue team where the train had stopped and how many people were still trapped. They quickly dispatched several more inflatable boats based on her information.

Thanks to the rescuers, Xia Xiaoman and others were safely brought back to the surface.

From above, all she could see was water and tall buildings.

“Miss! This way—hurry!”

Not far off, a soldier rowing a rubber boat waved to her.

Xia Xiaoman waded over, and the other survivors helped pull her aboard.

“Where do you live, miss?” the soldier asked.

“Jiangshan Huacheng, No. 3 Funan Avenue.”

A nearby uncle heard and said excitedly, “Hey, I live there too!”

“Officer, the boat’s full. How about you take me and the girl home first?”

“No way! Jiangshan Huacheng is too far. Take me first. My place is just around the corner!”

The soldier ignored their arguments. Based on the addresses provided, he mapped out the most efficient route.

He delivered each survivor accordingly, picking up two more who were headed in the same direction.

Rain pounded from above. Garbage and debris floated on the floodwaters. Cars were overturned in the streets.

Many storefronts had their doors busted open by debris, and their contents were all washed out into the streets.

After more than two hours in the rain, Xia Xiaoman finally made it back to her apartment complex.