Chapter 1

The extreme cold apocalypse has arrived.

The sun has vanished, plunging the entire Earth into eternal night. Wall Street's skyscrapers sway in the blizzard, their glass facades encased in half-foot-thick layers of ice. Scientists say this could last months, even years.

But Wall Street's financial sharks aren't sitting idle. Major investment banks have hastily established over-the-counter apocalypse asset trading markets, specifically for private equity transactions involving survival-related options, bonds, and stocks. Everyone is frantically reallocating assets, preparing for the potential end of the world.

And I, Leo Campbell, Starvein Capital's most senior investment director, sit in the top-floor conference room facing an even colder betrayal.

Carter pushes a stack of documents toward me, his voice more cutting than the polar storm outside.

"Mr. Leo, please cooperate. For the company's sake, and for everyone's survival."

I look at this young man who was once so deferential. Five years ago, he was just a debt-ridden Columbia Business School graduate. I gave him his first job, personally taught him how to survive in Wall Street's bloody arena. Now he sits across the conference table, his eyes filled with the greed and ambition I know all too well.

"Carter, do you know what you're doing?" I don't touch the documents, just quietly observe him.

"Of course I know." Carter leans back in his chair. "I'm saving this company. Look at these records, Mr. Leo. Your hedge fund has performed well, but your personal operations have violated too many regulations. The board has voted—you must resign in disgrace and surrender control of the fund."

I glance around the conference room at the others. Starvein's three directors, two external consultants from Goldman Sachs, and armed security Carter brought from outside. Every face conveys the same message: Leo, time for you to get lost!

The wind outside grows more shrill. Despite the conference room's heater running at maximum, I can still feel the chill penetrating to my bones. Since the endless night began, all of New York has fallen into semi-paralysis, but everyone on Wall Street frantically seeks apocalypse survival opportunities. For this, they don't hesitate to turn their blades on former colleagues and mentors.

"Regulatory violations?" I can't help but laugh. "Carter, do you think everyone present would believe such crude forgeries?"

"Forgeries?" Carter pulls another stack of materials from his briefcase. "These are your trading records from three months ago—unauthorized appropriation of company funds for unauthorized futures operations. The amount: twenty million dollars."

All fabricated, but exquisitely done. Carter has clearly prepared for today for a long time.

"Even if we take ten thousand steps back," I cross my hands on the table, "what do you want?"

A flash of triumph crosses Carter's eyes. "Simple. Your hedge fund—3.8 billion dollars—invest it all in the Ark Bunker project."

The Ark Bunker—I've heard of this project. Some insane tycoon spent enormous sums excavating an underground survival facility in Nevada, claiming it could house 100,000 people through any apocalyptic disaster. Since the endless night began, the bunker's option prices have increased fifty-fold in over-the-counter markets, becoming the most coveted apocalypse asset.

"You're insane, Carter. Betting all funds on a single options project? That's not investing—that's gambling."

"This is the apocalypse, Mr. Leo." Carter stands and walks to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking through the frost at the dead world outside. "The world out there is dying. The sun will never rise again. The Ark Bunker is humanity's last hope and our only chance for survival. Your traditional investment theories are worthless in times like these."

I quietly watch his silhouette. This protégé I personally promoted now attempts to devour everything I have. Not just the funds—control of all of Starvein Capital.

"What if I refuse?"

Carter turns around, his face bearing a cruel smile: "Then you'll have to fend for yourself in the blizzard. It's minus forty-two degrees out there—I don't think you'd last long. And..." He pauses. "The board has passed a resolution. If you don't cooperate, we'll freeze all your personal accounts. In times like these, no funds equals a dead end."

Two security personnel step forward, the threat implicit. In this endless night and cold wave, killing someone is easier than crushing an ant.

I smile bitterly, feeling somewhat desperate. The endless night has consumed not just the sun, but humanity itself.

I reach for the pen on the table, feeling the cold metal.

Just as the tip touches the paper, my retina is suddenly covered in blue light.

What the hell?!

I jerk backward, nearly falling from my chair. A semi-transparent interface suddenly appears before my eyes, like countless lines of text falling from the sky, scrolling densely.

【Holy shit, Carter this ungrateful bastard, betraying his mentor so arrogantly】

【Brothers, Starvein's about to get screwed. This Ark Bunker is garbage engineering, and the extreme cold will recede in three days—the bunker's useless!】

【What? Only three days? Doesn't that make Carter an idiot?】

【Of course he's an idiot. The Ark Bunker will collapse in days, and he's still going all-in】

"What the hell is this?!" I instinctively reach to touch the text, but my hand passes through it.

"Mr. Leo, what's wrong?" Carter frowns. "Don't think pretending to be crazy will work—that trick won't fool me."

I struggle to stay calm, but my heart pounds wildly. This text... looks like some kind of bullet comment system? Like in online livestreams? But the content is about future information?

【Leo wake up! Carter's been secretly shorting your assets】

【Yeah, this bastard calls you teacher to your face while stabbing you in the back for fifty million】

【Ark Bunker options are about to go to zero, let him die】

【Suggest Leo buy solar stocks, Defense Department's about to place huge orders】

What?!

I stare intently at the continuously scrolling text. Only three days? The Ark Bunker will collapse? Carter's shorting me? This bastard calls me teacher while secretly shorting my assets?

If this information is true...

【Helios Solar is only ten cents now, but it's about to skyrocket ten thousand times】

【Leo hurry up and realize, play weak then counter-kill】

【Can't wait for Carter begging on his knees】

【In three days he'll know what despair means】

My brain races. Regardless of what these strange bullet comments are or where they come from, if the content is true... then this current crisis is actually a tremendous opportunity!

"Mr. Leo, what exactly are you doing?" Carter's voice carries mockery. "Is the pressure too much? Having mental problems?"

【Look at Carter's disgusting face】

【Leo ignore him, this guy's dead meat】

【Ark Bunker is tofu construction, let him go all-in and die】

【Wait for the show, he'll be crying in three days】

I force myself to calm down. Maybe this is alien information, maybe some supernatural phenomenon, but none of that matters now. What matters is these messages give me a direction for counterattack.

I slowly raise my head, looking at Carter, still smug about his "victory." This foolish young man thinks he's playing a master game, but actually he's jumping off a cliff.

I put down the pen, push away the security personnel, and let a cold smile cross my face.

"Carter, do you really think you've won?"

He frowns: "Mr. Leo, do you have any other options?"