Chapter Three

00:00.

The thermometer on the monitoring screen started to fluctuate continuously.

-10 degrees Celsius.

-20 degrees Celsius.

-35 degrees Celsius.

A cold wind was blowing outside, but the diesel generator inside had been running for a long time, keeping the bunker temperature at a comfortable 25 degrees Celsius.

"This speed..." Craig muttered to himself, staring at the screen.

I patted him on the shoulder and told him to take the little girl to bed early, and we'd see how things went tomorrow morning.

The blizzard lasted all night, and the temperature continued to drop.

-50 degrees Celsius.

-68 degrees Celsius.

-80 degrees Celsius.

By the next morning, the temperature had stabilized at -80 degrees Celsius.

I got up early and went to the monitoring room with Craig, where we switched to the monitoring footage from last night.

In the surveillance footage, the city's streetlights went out one by one, plunging the entire city into complete darkness.

Next, the power supply system became overloaded in several places.

There were still some people on the street trying to drive away, but the vehicles quickly stalled, the tires froze and cracked, and the doors were frozen shut.

Someone pushed open the car door, trying to run home, but after only a few steps, they collapsed to the ground, curling up in a ball.

"Master, it's so scary outside." Dafu lay down at my feet.

"Hmm." I glanced at the thermometer on the wall. "But the temperature inside the bunker is a constant 25 degrees Celsius, so we're safe for now."

Craig couldn't stand it anymore, so he got up and went to check the equipment in each room.

His daughter sat quietly in the medical room, organizing the medicines.

I opened my laptop and connected to the city's only remaining local area network.

The forum is in an uproar.

"The power's out! The heating's off too! What do we do?!"

"All the water pipes in my house have frozen and burst! There's ice everywhere!"

"Help! Someone, please help me!!"

"Does anyone have extra firewood? I'm willing to pay ten thousand US dollars!"

"Wake up, upstairs! Ten thousand dollars can't buy anything these days!"

As I scrolled down, more and more posts appeared.

My son fainted from the cold! Does anyone have a doctor's contact information?!

"Don't count on it, the hospital's lost power too."

"Three people in our neighborhood have already frozen to death..."

I suddenly saw a familiar ID: JessicaSweet.

Jessica posted this ten minutes ago.

"Is anyone home? My power and heating are out, and we're only able to keep warm by burning furniture! Can anyone help us? I'm in a luxury residential area in Victoria, please help me!"

Below are a few replies.

"A luxury residential area? You're so rich, why do you need help?"

"Is the original poster here to show off?"

"So what if it's a luxury house? It's all the same now, just waiting to die."

Jessica replied again: "I'm not bragging! We really need help! Does anyone know where there's still electricity?"

I sneered.

That's my house in the Victorian upscale neighborhood.

No, it's their house now.

"Master, how are they?" Dafu asked.

"I don't know." I shook my head.

However, since they're burning things for warmth, their situation probably isn't too bad.

I stopped thinking about them and got up to go to the storeroom.

Rows of tomahawk steaks were neatly stacked in the cold storage, next to cases of red wine.

I took out three steaks and a bottle of red wine, and went to the kitchen to put the steaks on the grill.

The oil sizzled and the aroma of meat filled the air.

"Craig, come eat with us."

Craig called his daughter over, and the three of them sat around the dining table.

"M9 Wagyu beef, enjoy it."

Craig cut off a piece, put it in his mouth, and nodded: "Not bad."

His daughter took a bite, her eyes lighting up: "Daddy, it's so delicious!"

"Then eat more." Craig cut her another piece.

I opened a bottle of red wine and poured myself a glass.

"Craig, want some?"

"No," Craig shook his head. "I don't drink."

"what ever."

After finishing his steak, Dafu also took a large bone and ran to a corner to gnaw on it.

I picked up my phone and opened social media.

Uploaded a photo: a freshly grilled steak and a bottle of red wine on the table, behind which are various vacuum-packed foods and canned goods, densely packed on the shelves.

The background shows a heater with a thermometer displaying 25 degrees Celsius.

There was no accompanying text.

Jessica's private message came almost instantly.

"Raine, where are you?"

"Please, please let me come to you?"

"I'm freezing to death."

I stared at the screen expressionlessly, without replying.

My phone vibrated again.

This is a video call request.

I hung up, and Jessica called again. I hung up again, and she called again.

I pursed my lips, but answered the call anyway.

On the screen, Jessica was wrapped in a blanket, her face pale and her lips purple.

Behind her was a dimly lit living room, with a faint firelight from the fireplace.

"Rain!" Jessica saw me and tears immediately fell.

"Rayne, please let me go to you!" Jessica cried. "I know I was wrong! I really know I was wrong!"

"I shouldn't have done that to you! I shouldn't have been with Brad!"

"We can start over! I can be your girlfriend! No, I can be your wife! As long as you let me in!"

I still didn't say anything.

Carter's voice rang out, "Rayne, I'm begging you. For your parents' sake, please save us..."

I looked at them, a cold smile playing on my lips.

"Master, what do you want to say?" Dafu asked.

"No." I turned the phone camera towards Dafu. "You come here."

Daifuku just finished eating a whole piece of M9 Wagyu beef.

Facing the camera, it let out a loud, long, and meaty burp.

"belch--"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the video call.

Then came Jessica's piercing scream.

"Aaaaaah!! Raine! You bastard!!"

Off-screen, Brad is yelling, "You fucking bastard! You just wait!"

I hung up the video call.

Block.

Turn off your phone.

"Master, they seem very angry." Dafu wagged its tail.

"Let them be." I stood up and walked towards the bunker exit.

After dinner, it's time to get back to work.

Two million US dollars has incredible purchasing power. I've stored supplies in various hidden corners of the city and locked them up. Now is the time to open these supply depots.