Night of the Apocalypse

“Minister Qian Xian, can we determine the cause of this extreme weather?” Long Yan asked with a slight nod.

“No, the meteorological satellites have also gone offline. Right now, we can only wait for the bad weather to pass and see if we can restore the connection,” Qian Xian shook his head and explained.

“I understand. Let’s wait until morning and see what we can find. Ensure other departments remain on duty,” Long Yan responded in a deep voice.

“Rest assured, Chairman. All departments are working in shifts and closely monitoring their respective areas,” an official replied quickly.

Long Yan nodded slightly, though upon closer inspection, it was clear that his tense expression hadn’t relaxed. He addressed the group:

“Everyone, it’s going to be a tough night. Stay here and be ready to respond to any emergencies.”

“Understood!” the group replied.

—

Qingkong City, Juewei Night Market.

Shen Qiu and Huang Lang continued drinking inside the restaurant, deeply engrossed in their conversation.

A deep rumble of thunder suddenly echoed from outside.

“Damn, it’s really going to rain,” Huang Lang shuddered in surprise.

Shen Qiu squinted, looking out of the restaurant at the dark clouds gathering over the city. The heavy thunder rumbled continuously, accompanied by flashes of lightning. In those brief flickers of light, the rolling clouds could be seen stacking up at an alarming speed.

Suddenly, strong winds began to howl.

Car alarms started blaring from the nearby neighborhood and along the streets.

The pitch-black sky crackled with lightning, streaks of forked electricity tearing across the night. One after another, the lightning bolts struck, writhing like a swarm of snakes, while the thunder boomed explosively, as if it might shatter the world.

The customers still dining at the night market were left shocked and terrified by the scene.

“The power of nature is truly terrifying,” someone muttered.

Even Shen Qiu, who had witnessed many natural wonders, was deeply awed by what he was seeing.

At that moment, a drunken young man next to them, with one foot propped on the table, shouted loudly, “Who dares to undergo a tribulation here?”

Shen Qiu’s mouth twitched hard upon hearing that, thinking to himself how much amusement these fools bring.

Huang Lang suddenly jolted in realization and quickly stood up, exclaiming, “I can’t stay any longer, man. It really looks like it’s going to rain, and I need to leave now! I drove my sports car today, and if the roads flood later, I’m screwed.”

“Go ahead,” Shen Qiu replied calmly, sipping his beer.

“I’m off then. You handle the bill, and I’ll definitely reimburse you later,” Huang Lang said, dashing off faster than a rabbit, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Unhurried, Shen Qiu continued drinking his beer. He glanced at his phone—it was midnight. The scarlet skull icon and countdown had vanished.

He squinted his eyes, thinking that this thunderstorm was quite fitting for the occasion. He wasn’t sure if it was just a coincidence or something more.

After finishing his beer, he casually called out, “Check, please!”

Receiving no response, Shen Qiu looked up and glanced around the restaurant, only to find that there was no one in the front hall.

However, he noticed that the kitchen lights were still on, and he could hear the sound of dishes being washed.

Shen Qiu stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

When he reached the kitchen, he saw Zhang Li washing dishes, tears rolling down his face.

Sensing some movement, Zhang Li turned his head and saw Shen Qiu standing at the kitchen entrance. He quickly wiped his eyes with his arm, composed himself, and asked, “Sir, what do you need?”

“Check, please,” Shen Qiu said calmly.

“Alright, I’ll check how many bottles of beer are left and calculate the total,” Zhang Li replied hurriedly, stepping out to see how many bottles remained from the case Shen Qiu had ordered.

Shen Qiu also returned to the front hall and, while watching Zhang Li count the bottles, said, “Aren’t you worried that if you don’t keep an eye on the front, someone might leave without paying? Then you’d have to cover the bill yourself, and your hard work these days would be for nothing.”

Zhang Li shook his head and replied.

“It won’t happen. The total is 55 Alliance coins.”

Shen Qiu picked up his phone and transferred the money, then grabbed the case and headed toward the door.

As he reached the entrance, a gust of wind blew in, and a torrential downpour started.

“Wow, it’s raining this hard?”

“Heavy rain! Run for cover!”

The night market on the street turned into chaos in an instant.

Shen Qiu stood still, frowning slightly. Although he lived in the nearby neighborhood, with such a heavy thunderstorm, he’d be drenched by the time he got home.

Thinking of this, Shen Qiu decided to wait by the restaurant door, hoping the rain would lighten before attempting to run home.

At that moment, Zhang Li came over, handing Shen Qiu an umbrella and said, “Sir, take this umbrella.”

Shen Qiu was a bit surprised as he looked at the umbrella Zhang Li offered.

“No need. If you give it to me, what will you use?”

“It’s fine. I still need to clean up the restaurant, so I won’t be going back for a while. By the time I’m done, the rain might stop. Besides, you’re carrying things, and it wouldn’t be good if they got wet.”

Zhang Li spoke earnestly.

Shen Qiu stared at Zhang Li for a few seconds before taking the umbrella from him.

“Thank you.”

“No problem, I’ll get back to work now.”

“Wait a moment. I have something to say to you, though it’s up to you whether you want to listen.”

“Huh? Please go ahead, sir.”

Zhang Li was slightly startled but responded politely.

“Life isn’t easy. Who hasn’t gone through something when they were young? Try to look further ahead, and you might find unexpected opportunities.”

Shen Qiu smiled as he said this while looking at Zhang Li.

Zhang Li froze in place after hearing Shen Qiu’s words, his expression turning complicated.

After speaking, Shen Qiu didn’t linger. He opened the umbrella and left.

A little while later, Shen Qiu returned home, placed the umbrella aside, and headed to his bedroom.

In the bedroom, the curtains were billowing from the wind, and a lot of rain had blown inside.

Shen Qiu walked over to close the window again, as the large raindrops continued to pound against the glass.

At this moment, Shen Qiu’s phone started vibrating.

He picked up his phone and opened the messages, his expression shifting slightly as he read them. There were not just one, but three messages:

Message 1: Red Alliance Meteorological Bureau has issued a Level 1 extreme thunderstorm warning. Please avoid going outside until the storm has passed. Those who are outdoors should seek shelter or return home as soon as possible.

Message 2: Red Alliance Communications Bureau has issued a temporary notice. Due to the extreme weather, international communication services are suspended, and regional communication within the Red Alliance is also affected. We apologize for the inconvenience and will repair the issue as quickly as possible. You will be notified immediately once services are restored.

Message 3: Third Administrative District Officer Qin Ang has issued a new safety reminder: Due to the abnormal weather, everyone should stay safe and suspend work if necessary.

As Shen Qiu read these messages, he keenly sensed that something was off.