Chapter 1

The shelter system is now activated.

[Countdown: 24 hours 00 minutes 02]

[Every $5,000 = 1 spot (10 people in total)]

[If the countdown fails to complete: You will perish with the world]

I stared at those words, my palms sweating profusely.

These words appeared directly in my field of vision, a cold, impersonal countdown.

24:00:00.

There was no time to hesitate.

I immediately messaged my girlfriend of five years, Camilla:

"Could you lend me 5000? It's urgent, I need it tonight."

I felt that after so many years of relationship, and now that we've reached the point of marriage, she would definitely lend me the money.

She replied with a question mark instantly. Before I could explain, she sent a screenshot of the message to our shared family group chat.

Immediately afterwards, the group chat exploded.

"He actually came asking for money?"

"5000? What's he planning to do with it, gamble?"

"That's how people in the lower town are; they're poor but they pretend to be in a hurry."

"Hilarious, they must be desperate for money."

My phone kept vibrating, like I was being slapped in the face by a group of people.

Camilla initiated a video call. I answered.

In the video, she sits on a soft sofa, laughing easily, as if she's watching a joke.

"Owen," she said slowly, "are you out of your mind? Asking for five thousand like that."

My throat was dry and sore: "Camilla, I'm really worried. I—"

"Get out of here, you poor wretch from the city."

The call was disconnected.

I stood in the kitchen, my legs suddenly went weak, and I knelt on the floor, my fingers digging into the cracks in the floorboards.

The TV was on. The presenter spoke very quickly, saying that "abnormal tides" had appeared in the coastal waters, but then a government spokesperson appeared on screen shortly afterward.

"The situation is under control; please do not panic."

I didn't sleep all night.

The countdown was etched into my mind like a nail. I ran out into the street and told everyone I met:

"Lend me $5,000! I'll pay you back tomorrow!"

Someone rolled their eyes and said, "Get lost, don't touch me."

Someone even took a picture of me with their phone, captioning it: "The downtown madman has struck again."

I went to the company to see the manager. After listening to my story, the manager only said one thing: "Your performance this month hasn't met the target. Once you do, the company will naturally give you a bonus."

I gritted my teeth and didn't explain. After all, who would believe that the end of the world was really coming? Explaining would be a waste of time.

I returned to my rented room, and the countdown had increased from 24 hours to over 20 hours. I sat on the edge of the bed, with only one thought in my mind: money.

Just then, Camilla messaged me: "Come see me at Uptown Cafe. Now."

My heart felt like it had been yanked.

For a fleeting moment, I even felt a sliver of hope—maybe she finally believed me. After five years of dating, at least a shred of humanity remained.

I rushed to the Uptown Cafe, pushed open the door, and was greeted by a wave of warmth.

Camilla sat by the window, next to a man in a sharp suit.

Everyone around me was looking at me with eyes full of superiority.

I sat down and just started to speak: "Camilla—"

She shoved a document in front of me, her tone like announcing a result: "My dad and I have frozen your joint account."

I was stunned: "What?"

She smiled and said, "I've taken the 300,000 yuan you saved by working three jobs. It's compensation for deceiving me for five years."

"What did you say?" I stared at her. "That's my money."

"You want to cause trouble? Go ahead and sue. Who can the people of the lower town win a lawsuit against?"

Jeffrey gently put his arm around her waist, as if showing me a trophy.

Camilla took out her phone and posted a status update in front of me:

"A new life begins."

The accompanying picture is of her kissing Jeffrey on the cheek.

Someone in the coffee shop burst out laughing.

Camilla put down her cup and delivered the final blow: "Let's break up, Owen. Someone like you deserves to stay in downtown."

I know that when the end of the world comes, all money will just be a string of numbers.

I simply pushed the documents back, my calmness almost alien to myself: "You'll regret this."

Camilla laughed even louder: "Regret? You even had to borrow 5,000 from me, how can you expect me to regret it?"

As I walked out of the coffee shop, the countdown timer with the system logo popped up again.

[Countdown: 18 hours, 7 minutes, and 29 seconds]

I heard another sound mixed in with the hustle and bustle of the city in the distance—a deep, continuous sound, like the roar of the sea.

I stood on the bridge where the upper town and the lower town met, looking into the distance.

The sea level is ridiculously high. The city's coastline seems to have been swallowed up, the water reflects the gray-black sky, and that black wall is even closer than last night, making it hard to breathe.

My phone rang.

Caller ID: Luna.

I answered the phone and heard her voice, almost breaking down in tears: "Owen, the TV says there's going to be a huge tsunami... I... I'm scared. What do we do?"

Hearing her words, I instantly felt at ease.

Yes, I should go back to the lower town; there are people there who trust me.