Chapter 14 I Smile at the World's Turmoil

The Ice Age had begun. In the south, Valkyrean was blanketed in heavy snowfall, sparking various discussions online. Some complained, others felt fortunate. But none of them knew that this snowfall and drop in temperature were not temporary; they would persist and intensify. Eventually, it would lead to a catastrophe that no one could withstand. At that moment, Kenneth lay comfortably on his couch at home, enjoying the cozy warmth of over 30 degrees in his safehouse, while sipping chilled Budweiser beer—utterly content. Suddenly, his phone began to ring. Picking it up, he saw that it was people chatting in a mobile chat group. Included were groups from his old classmates, hobby clubs, and the residential community. "Wow, how could it suddenly snow so heavily? The weather forecast didn't mention this!" "I was frozen awake in the middle of the night, had to get up and turn on the heating." "Don't even start, our heater isn't powerful enough. It's been on for ages and it's just getting colder. I wonder how long this cold will last. I haven't even bought my winter clothes yet!" The discussions were lively, everyone expressing their feelings in various ways. However, Kenneth could sense that most people didn't take the sudden drop in temperature seriously; instead, they found it somewhat exciting. Kenneth knew very well that this was only temporary. He yawned, deciding not to continue reading. Returning to his warm bed, Kenneth pulled the velvet comforter over himself and comfortably closed his eyes. His bed was luxurious, procured from a Walmart warehouse, including a mattress rumored to be the same model used by a certain female celebrity, worth a few hundred thousand. Outside, the heavy snowfall and howling winds contrasted with the burning fireplace inside, creating a comfortably warm environment. In such a cozy setting, Kenneth quickly drifted into sleep. The next morning, Kenneth was rudely awakened by his phone ringing. Opening his eyes, he saw it was a call from Two-faced Grace. Disturbed from a pleasant dream, Kenneth was understandably irritable. He picked up the phone and asked gruffly, "Hello, why are you calling me so early?" Grace paused at Kenneth's icy tone. However, she quickly said, "Kenneth, it's so cold outside! Did you stock up because you knew it was going to get this cold?" Grace's voice trembled, seemingly struggling with something. Kenneth smirked sarcastically. True to form, Two-faced only shows up when she needs something. He lazily responded, "I just heard it offhand from a friend, but I didn't expect it to drop this harshly." He threw off his covers; the room was so warm that he was starting to sweat. Kenneth slipped on his slippers and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, where the familiar scene before him made his eyes narrow. The heavy snow had engulfed the entire city; he could no longer see the streets and roadside bushes. He could only faintly make out the outlines of city buildings, many of which had their first floors submerged. And the snow continued, large flakes falling ceaselessly to the ground. On the phone, Grace was still speaking, "No wonder you stocked up so much, Kenneth. You really should have told me about this." Kenneth frowned, annoyed that she had the nerve to complain to him. He hung up abruptly and tossed the phone aside. Then, he indulged in a hot shower in the bathroom. For breakfast, he prepared a top-grade steak with pasta, a luxurious start to the day. While eating, he turned on the TV. The sudden drop in temperature hadn't yet caused a power outage, so the television was still operational. Even if the power went out, Kenneth was prepared with various backup power supplies, dozens of generators, and a massive stock of gasoline. He had enough energy supplies to last at least three hundred years! After turning on the TV, Kenneth first tuned into the morning news. Although as a reborn individual, he knew what was happening outside. But watching the current situation was also a form of entertainment. On the news, both anchors were wearing thick down jackets. Normally, a place like a TV station wouldn't skimp on central heating and would be prioritized for power. But the fact that the anchors needed down jackets showed that the temperature had dropped beyond what central heating could handle. The female anchor tried to maintain a calm demeanor as she spoke to the camera, "Last night, a strong cold front hit globally, causing a severe temperature drop. The average drop was between 158 to 212°F." "The meteorological department is investigating the cause of this cold front. In the next few days, please make sure to keep warm to avoid frostbite. If it's not necessary, try to stay indoors. The government will resolve this issue properly; please do not panic. Do not spread or believe rumors, and do not hoard supplies. The snow disaster will soon pass." Hearing the anchor's words, Kenneth scoffed. After the onset of the Ice Age, surviving was up to oneself. Staying naively at home without preparing would surely lead to an early demise. The TV's top right corner now displayed Valkyrean's outdoor temperature at a chilling -149°F! Just yesterday, Valkyrean's peak temperature was 59°F, meaning it had dropped by 176°F in a day. Kenneth shrugged; this degree of temperature drop was exactly like his previous life. But now, dressed in his pajamas, sipping wine, and eating steak with pasta, he felt none of the cold from outside. After all, his safehouse, built at a cost of a million, had specifically enhanced insulation, nearly eliminating any loss of heat. At that moment, Kenneth's phone rang again. He was curiously amused, wanting to see what those neighbors who had laughed at him before were now discussing. The first message he saw was from Grace. "Kenneth, why did you suddenly hang up on me! It's snowing so heavily outside, I can't go out. Didn't you buy a lot of food? Could you lend me some? I'll return it after the snow disaster." Kenneth raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a cold smile. Two-faced was smart, knowing that with such heavy snow, food would become extremely expensive. She didn't want to risk the sub-zero temperatures to go out, so she turned to Kenneth for food. But Kenneth knew that this Ice Age disaster would last a long time and certainly wouldn't pass quickly. Moreover, he had no intention of giving Grace even a bite to eat! In his previous life, he had been deceived by this Two-faced woman, giving her much of his own food. In the end, she had caused his death and even planned to boil his ribs for soup! Such a woman, Kenneth now only wanted to toy with her and then watch how miserably she would die. With this thought, his lips twisted into a mocking smile as he messaged Grace. "If only you had said so earlier, most of the stuff I stocked is almost gone. Look, I just fried this steak this morning!" After saying this, Kenneth took a selfie with himself and the steak and wine on the table, deliberately including his pajama-clad figure, and sent it to Grace.