Chapter 14: In the Grip of Extreme Cold, I Watch the World's Tempests with a Smile

The Ice Age had begun.

In Tianhai City in the south, heavy snowflakes were falling, stirring up much discussion online. Some complained, while others felt fortunate.

Yet none of them knew that this snowfall and the drastic drop in temperature were not temporary but would persist and intensify.

Ultimately, it would bring a catastrophe no one could endure.

At this moment, Zhang Yi lay comfortably on his sofa at home, enjoying the steady twenty-plus degrees inside his safe house. He sipped on an ice-cold Budweiser beer, feeling utterly content.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

Picking it up, he saw messages flooding his chat groups—former classmates, hobby circles, and the community owners' group.

“Oh my god, how did it suddenly snow so heavily? The weather forecast didn’t mention anything!”

“I woke up freezing in the middle of the night, had to turn on the heater right away.”

“Don’t say it—my crappy heater isn’t working well at all; it’s been half an hour and it’s getting colder.”

“I have no idea how long this cold snap will last; I haven’t even bought my winter clothes yet!”

Voices buzzed with complaints and surprise alike.

Yet Zhang Yi sensed most people weren’t taking the sudden chill seriously; some even found it thrilling.

He knew better — this was only the beginning.

Yawning, he decided not to dwell on it further.

Returning to his warm bed, he pulled up the velvet quilt and closed his eyes in comfort.

His bed was luxurious, hauled from a Walmart warehouse.

The mattress, reputedly the same model a certain female celebrity used, was valued at three million yuan.

Outside, heavy snow blanketed the city; the wind howled fiercely, while inside, the fireplace roared warmly, creating a cozy haven.

In such comfort, Zhang Yi soon drifted into a peaceful slumber.

...

The next morning, Zhang Yi was roused by the shrill ring of his phone.

Opening his eyes, he saw it was a call from Fang Yuqing, the sweet-faced white lotus.

Being woken from a good dream put him in a foul mood.

He grabbed the phone and grumbled, “Hey, what’s with the early morning call?”

Fang Yuqing was momentarily stunned by his cold tone but quickly composed herself.

“Zhang Yi, it’s freezing outside today! You stockpiled supplies before—did you know this cold snap was coming?”

Her voice trembled slightly, as if holding back some distress.

Zhang Yi smirked with a trace of mockery.

Of course, this white lotus would never call without a reason.

He replied lazily, “I just heard it mentioned by a friend casually. Didn’t expect it to get this bad.”

Throwing off his quilt, the warmth inside made him sweat slightly.

Slipping into his slippers, he walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window; the familiar sight caught his gaze sharply.

Outside, the snow had buried the entire city; streets and roadside shrubs vanished beneath the white blanket.

Only the outlines of buildings remained faintly visible, many of whose ground floors were submerged halfway in snow.

And the snow kept falling relentlessly, huge flakes drifting down without pause.

On the other end of the line, Fang Yuqing continued, “No wonder you hoarded so much stuff. Zhang Yi, you really should’ve told me beforehand. I got frozen out here!”

Zhang Yi frowned at her audacity to blame him.

He hung up abruptly and tossed his phone aside.

Then he headed to the bathroom for a leisurely hot shower.

Afterward, he pulled out a premium A5 Wagyu steak from his storage space and prepared a breakfast of steak and spaghetti.

While eating, he turned on the television.

Since the power hadn’t yet failed amidst the sudden cold, the TV still worked fine.

Even if the power did go out, Zhang Yi was well-prepared with various backup power sources, dozens of generators, and vast reserves of gasoline.

Energy supplies would last at least three centuries.

Switching to the morning news channel, Zhang Yi knew firsthand the gravity of the situation as a reborn man.

Still, observing the outside world was a form of entertainment.

The anchors were clad in thick down jackets, an unusual sight for a TV station, where central air conditioning was generous and prioritized during power shortages.

That they wore such heavy clothing indicated that even the central heating couldn’t cope with the extreme cold.

The female anchor addressed the camera in a steady tone:

“Last night, a strong cold front swept across the globe, causing severe temperature fluctuations worldwide. The average temperature drop ranged between 70 and 100 degrees Celsius.”

“Meteorological departments are currently investigating the cause of this cold air mass.”

“In the coming days, please keep warm and avoid frostbite.”

“If possible, refrain from going outside.”

“The authorities will manage this situation properly; please remain calm.”

“Do not spread or believe rumors, and refrain from panic buying. The snow disaster will soon pass.”

Hearing the anchor’s words, Zhang Yi scoffed.

With the Ice Age upon them, survival depended solely on oneself. Foolishly staying home doing nothing guaranteed being among the first to perish.

The screen’s upper right corner displayed Tianhai City’s outdoor temperature: minus 65 degrees Celsius!

Only yesterday afternoon, the city’s high had been 15 degrees, meaning an 80-degree plunge in temperature.

Zhang Yi shrugged. This kind of temperature drop was exactly what he’d experienced in his previous life.

But now, clad in pajamas, sipping wine and enjoying steak and pasta, he felt none of the outside cold.

After all, he had spent eight million yuan creating this safe house, emphasizing insulation, so the indoor temperature barely fluctuated.

At that moment, his phone buzzed again.

Curious, he wanted to see what his neighbors—who had mocked him before—were saying.

The first message was from Fang Yuqing.

“Zhang Yi, why did you hang up on me so suddenly?”

“It’s snowing so hard outside, I can’t go out. You bought so much food—could you lend me some? I’ll pay you back once the snow disaster is over.”

Zhang Yi raised an eyebrow, a cold smile curling on his lips.

The white lotus was clever enough to know that with such heavy snow, food would become extremely scarce and expensive.

She didn’t want to brave temperatures of minus sixty or seventy degrees, so she sought to borrow his supplies.

But Zhang Yi knew this Ice Age disaster would last for a very long time; it wouldn’t pass quickly.

Besides, he had no intention of giving her a single bite.

In his previous life, he had been deceived by this white lotus, giving her much of his food.

In the end, she had betrayed him, even going so far as to harvest his ribs for soup!

Such a woman now only deserved his cruel amusement as he watched her meet a miserable end.

With that thought, a mischievous smile appeared on his face as he sent her a reply:

“You should have said so earlier. I’m almost out of supplies myself. Look—this morning’s freshly seared steak!”

Along with the message, he sent a selfie featuring himself in pajamas, the steak, and a glass of red wine on the table.

He deliberately included his disheveled, casual appearance before sending it to Fang Yuqing.