Whirrr—Crunch.
The sound of industrial drills biting into concrete echoed through the 24th-floor penthouse of Riverside Gardens.
The luxury apartment, once a model of minimalist design, now looked like a war zone. The expensive marble floors were covered in dust sheets. The floor-to-ceiling windows were gone, leaving gaping holes that let in the oppressive 40°C heat.
"Mr. Alex," the foreman from Titan Security, a burly man named Stone, wiped grease from his forehead. He gestured to the exposed steel beams. "I have to ask again. You want us to line the interior walls with 20mm lead-lined steel plating? And install triple-layer vacuum insulation? In July?"
Stone looked at Alex like he was insane. "Sir, this apartment will turn into an oven. It'll be airtight. You'll suffocate without industrial ventilation."
Alex stood by the kitchen island, drinking a cold bottle of Coke. He looked calm, almost bored.
"That's why I paid for the military-grade air filtration system with the internal oxygen cycler," Alex said. "Is it installed?"
"Yes, but..." Stone hesitated. "The weight load. We had to reinforce the floor joists. This place is built like a bank vault now. A nuclear bunker in the sky."
"Good," Alex nodded. "Now, the windows. Show me."
They walked to the balcony edge.
The original glass was gone. In its place, workers were hoisting massive, dark panels into the frames.
"Polycarbonate-laminated ballistic glass," Stone explained, tapping the pane with a heavy wrench. Thud. It didn't even vibrate. "RPG-proof. Thermal insulated. And as you requested... One-Way Mirror coating."
Alex stepped up to the glass.
From the inside, the view of the city was crystal clear, tinged slightly blue. He leaned forward, pressing his hand against the cool surface.
"Go outside," Alex ordered.
Stone walked out onto the balcony (which was now enclosed) and looked back in. He saw nothing but his own reflection.
Alex smiled. Perfect. When the apocalypse hits, he could stand right here, naked, drinking wine, and watch his neighbors freeze to death inches away from his face. They would see nothing but their own desperate, dying reflections.
"Excellent," Alex said. "Finish the installation. I want this place sealed by midnight."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The heavy security door (which hadn't been reinforced yet) shook violently.
"Alex! Open this door right now! Are you crazy? The noise is unbearable!"
The screeching voice belonged to Madam Li, the self-appointed head of the Building Owners' Committee. A woman who, in Alex's past life, had suggested "confiscating" Alex's food supplies for the "collective good" before leading the mob to eat him.
Alex signaled the workers to keep drilling. He walked to the door and flung it open.
Madam Li stood there, red-faced, holding a Pomeranian dog. Behind her was Johnson, the "Rich Kid" from the group chat, wearing a limited-edition Gucci shirt.
"What the hell are you doing?" Johnson sneered, covering his nose from the dust. "My dad is trying to sleep! You're vibrating the whole floor. Do you know who my dad is?"
Madam Li chimed in, pointing a finger at Alex's nose. "Unauthorized renovation! You damaged the load-bearing structure! I'm calling the police. I'm fining you $5,000!"
Alex looked at them. The humidity was stifling. Madam Li was sweating through her makeup. Johnson looked annoyed. They had no idea that in 48 hours, they would be frozen statues.
"You want money?" Alex asked.
"I want you to stop!" Li screamed. "And pay the fine!"
Alex reached into his pocket. He pulled out a stack of cash. The rubber band snapped as he fanned it out. About $10,000.
He didn't hand it to her. He threw it.
The bills fluttered into the air, raining down on Madam Li's face and scattering onto the dusty hallway floor.
"Pick it up," Alex said, his voice devoid of emotion. "That's for the noise. Now get lost."
Madam Li froze. She had expected an argument, not a money shower. Greed instantly fought with indignation on her face. $10,000 was a lot of money.
Johnson scoffed, but his eyes lingered on the cash. "You think you can buy us off, you nouveau riche trash?"
"I think," Alex stepped closer, his eyes cold and dead, "that if you knock on my door again, I won't use money next time."
He radiated a terrifying aura—the killing intent accumulated from three years of surviving in hell. Johnson instinctively took a step back, faltering.
"You... you're crazy," Johnson muttered.
"Let's go, Auntie Li. Let the police handle him."
As they scrambled to pick up the cash from the floor—humiliating themselves without realizing it—Alex slammed the door.
Click.
[System Log:] [Harvested Mild Envy from Johnson: +10 EP] [Harvested Greed from Madam Li: +5 EP]
"Peanuts," Alex muttered. "Wait until you're hungry."
July 15th, 2026. 11:55 PM.
The renovations were done. The workers had left hours ago, confused but happy with their triple wages.
The penthouse was transformed.
Walls: 20mm Steel + Vacuum Insulation.
Windows: One-way Ballistic Glass.
Power: A heavy-duty diesel generator in the soundproofed utility room (plus the System's eventual rewards).
Heat: Electric floor heating installed throughout.
Security: A solid steel door, 10 inches thick, with a digital bio-lock.
Alex stood in the center of his living room. It was silent. The air filter hummed softly.
He checked his phone. Temperature: 32°C. Time: 11:58 PM.
"It's time," Alex whispered.
He poured himself a glass of whiskey and walked to the massive window. The city lights were bright. People were sleeping, partying, living.
11:59 PM.
A strange wind began to howl. It wasn't the usual summer breeze. It was a low, mournful wail that shook the skyscrapers.
00:00 AM.
The sky changed. The purple bruises in the clouds turned pitch black. A bolt of lightning—not yellow, but icy blue—shattered the darkness.
Then, the temperature gauge on his wall flickered. 32°C... 20°C... 10°C...
It was dropping by the second.
Outside, the first snowflake fell. It was the size of a dinner plate. It hit the window and didn't melt.
Down on the street, a homeless man wrapped in newspapers looked up, confused. He sneezed. Then he sat down. Within seconds, a layer of white frost covered his eyebrows. He didn't move again.
[System Alert] [The Eternal Freeze has begun.] [Current Outdoor Temperature: -15°C. Dropping rapidly.]
Alex took a sip of whiskey. The ice cubes clinked in his glass.
"Cheers," he said to the dying world.
Then, his phone buzzed. A text message from Linda (Ex-Girlfriend).
"Hey Alex, I heard you renovated your place? I'm nearby. Can I come up? It's getting weirdly cold out here lol."
Alex looked at the text. He looked at the snowstorm raging outside, burying the city in white death.
He didn't reply. He turned on the fireplace.
[Cliffhanger] Suddenly, the lights in the entire city flickered and died. The grid had failed. Except for one window on the 24th floor of Riverside Gardens, which glowed with a warm, golden, inviting light in the darkness.
A beacon for the moths. A trap for the desperate.