Gerald gulped quietly and turned toward the line of thugs.The moment his eyes landed on the man standing near the front, recognition flashed across his face.Feran. Another bully.Back in high school, Feran had been one of the biggest reasons Gerald's life had been miserable. He and his gang had bullied him relentlessly, stealing his lunch money, destroying his books, and humiliating him in front of the entire school just as Marcus. Even after graduation, Feran had only grown worse, becoming one of the most notorious street snatchers during the early days of the apocalypse. His gang had been enormous, and countless innocent people had suffered because of them.At the same time, the thug leader's eyes widened. He stared at Gerald for several seconds before suddenly laughing."Well, well..." he said with a grin. "If it isn't Gerald."He looked Gerald up and down before bursting into even louder laughter."So, Gerald, are you a construction manager now? I can't believe it. A lonely orp

That very evening, after wrapping up the discussion with Superintendent Tom, Gerald drove away from the mountain construction site. The setting sun painted the sky orange as he headed toward one of the largest luxury automobile dealerships in the city.He wasn't there to buy an expensive sports car. He already knew exactly what he wanted.When the apocalypse arrived, flashy supercars would become nothing more than useless decorations. What truly mattered was reliability, durability, and the ability to survive harsh conditions. That's the kind of model he would bought. Just as Gerald stepped through the dealership entrance, someone suddenly bumped into his shoulder."Watch where you're—"The words stopped halfway. Gerald looked up and immediately frowned. Standing before him were Tina and Henry.The two of them stared at Gerald for a brief moment before exchanging glances. The next second, they burst into loud laughter, drawing the attention of several customers inside the showroom.

Gerald frowned slightly. "The human race is at risk? What do you mean by that?"Mr. Lance took a deep breath before opening a folder that had been sitting on his desk. Inside were charts, weather simulations, satellite images, and pages filled with scientific data."For the past three years," he began, "NewTop has secretly funded one of the world's leading climate research teams. At first, we believed they were studying an unusual shift in global weather patterns. But as the data came in, we realized this wasn't ordinary climate change."He slid a report across the table. "Our researchers discovered an unknown atmospheric phenomenon. A massive cold front unlike anything recorded in human history is forming. It isn't moving naturally. It's spreading at an impossible speed, as though something is forcing it across the planet."Gerald silently looked at the report.Mr. Lance continued, "According to every simulation we've run, when this cold wave fully arrives, global temperatures will p

That very night, Gerald got himself ready for the banquet.He didn't bother renting an expensive suit or trying to look like the wealthy businessmen who would be attending. He simply put on a clean black jacket, a neatly pressed shirt, and a pair of polished shoes. To him, appearances meant very little. The only reason he was attending was because of Mr. Lance's invitation.After leaving his apartment, he hailed a taxi and headed straight toward the luxurious five-star hotel where the banquet was being held.A few minutes later, the taxi stopped at the magnificent entrance.Gerald paid the driver, stepped out, and looked up at the brightly illuminated building. Luxury cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars lined the entrance one after another as elegantly dressed guests walked inside while attendants respectfully welcomed them.Gerald quietly adjusted his jacket and let out a slow breath."Let's get this over with," he muttered before walking toward the entrance.Just as he had

After Gerald entered the banquet hall, Mr. Lance suddenly remembered something important."Gerald, go ahead first. I have something I need to take care of," Mr. Lance said.Gerald nodded. "Okay."He then walked deeper into the banquet hall and found an empty seat. Sitting down, he calmly picked up a glass of drink and quietly observed the surroundings.Meanwhile, Tina and Henry, who were still inside, caught sight of him.Tina's eyes widened immediately."What?" she said in disbelief. "That bastard actually managed to get inside?"Henry frowned as he looked at Gerald."How is that possible?" he muttered. "He must have sneaked in somehow. We need to drive him out."The two of them immediately walked toward Gerald.Tina stopped in front of him with a mocking expression. "Look at this rat," she said coldly. "You still found a way to sneak in after being chased away?"Gerald didn't even bother looking at her. He simply continued drinking.Tina's expression changed when she noticed he was