Ice Apocalypse (Season 1)

Chapter 66: Declaration of Intent

While standing on the balcony, Zhang Ye was leaning against the window, ready to retreat into the room at any sign of trouble. Chen Zhenghao and his henchmen were on the adjacent balcony, seemingly passed out from the effects of whatever Zhang Ye and Dr. Zhou Keren had done.

However, Zhang Ye couldn't be certain that they were truly unconscious. What if this was a trap set up by them and Dr. Zhou Keren to lure him in? If he went over, they might spring back to life and attack him. Furthermore, there was a gap of more than ten centimeters between the two balconies, separated by a slippery stainless steel fence, especially treacherous in the heavy snow. Climbing across might make him vulnerable, as Dr. Zhou Keren could easily push him off from the 24th floor.

So—

Pointing his gun at the figures on the ground, Zhang Ye instructed, "Use these ropes to tie their hands behind their backs. Also, I remember that Chen Zhenghao has a gun on him. Hand it over to me."

Dr. Zhou Keren looked at Zhang Ye with a puzzled expression. She hadn't eaten for two days, had only drunk a little water, and had just dragged ten people onto the balcony, leaving her with little strength. Seeing Zhang Ye's cautious approach, she bit her chapped lips and exclaimed, "You are being overly cautious!"

"One can never be too cautious. I won't take any risks." Zhang Ye replied indifferently.

Left with no choice, Dr. Zhou Keren followed Zhang Ye's orders. She picked up the ropes and securely bound the hands of the incapacitated figures. When she fished out the gun from Chen Zhenghao's pocket, Zhang Ye aimed his own gun at her head.

"Remove the magazine from the gun and toss it to me," Zhang Ye ordered.

Looking at Zhang Ye, Dr. Zhou Keren bit her lip and asked, "How can I trust you? What if, after I do all this, you turn against me?"

"You have no other option but to trust me. Only by trusting me do you have a chance to survive in this harsh environment." Zhang Ye replied calmly.

After a moment of contemplation, Dr. Zhou Keren realized that she had no other choice but to trust Zhang Ye. She couldn't violate her own moral principles to resort to cannibalism, as that would inevitably lead to her demise.

Following Zhang Ye's instructions, she dismantled the magazine from the gun and threw it to the ground. Satisfied that the gun was indeed Chen Zhenghao's, Zhang Ye gestured for Dr. Zhou Keren to return to the room.

She cautiously went back into the room, her heart still pounding. If Chen Zhenghao and the others woke up, Zhang Ye could retreat into the room for safety, but she would be left defenseless.

However, as Zhang Ye had said, she had no other option.

Inside the room, Zhang Ye didn't immediately step onto the balcony. He picked up Chen Zhenghao's gun and glanced at the magazine, confirming that it still contained three bullets. He stashed the gun away in his spatial dimension and returned to the room, taking out a water pipe from the bathroom.

Zhang Ye directed the stream of water toward the figures on the other balcony, who were gradually coming to. He avoided using a gun to conserve bullets and minimize noise, which might attract unwanted attention.

A torrent of water sprayed from the pipe, dousing Chen Zhenghao and his men. The sudden shift from an indoor temperature of over 20 degrees Celsius to the outdoor temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius created nearly a 100-degree temperature difference. Though the water emerged hot due to the indoor conditions, it quickly turned into ice upon contact with their bodies.

In the room, Dr. Zhou Keren observed the scene, hugging herself as the chilling water soaked the frozen figures. Witnessing the cruel sight of people freezing to death left her trembling, but Zhang Ye's focus on survival prevailed.

As the icy water permeated their bodies, the group gradually regained consciousness. The frozen water penetrated every inch of their bodies, creating an intense and numbing sensation. The once-liquid clothes froze into rigid blocks of ice.

"Ah!!!"

A smaller figure, whose lips had turned purple, emitted a terrified scream. Attempting to rise, they discovered their hands securely bound behind them. The frozen ground and their frozen clothes made it impossible for them to get up.

Chen Zhenghao, also roused by the icy water, displayed a bewildered expression. Suddenly, he realized that he had been drugged. However, there was no time to investigate who had done it. The relentless cold water drenched him, and the freezing sensation pierced through him like ten thousand needles, causing every inch of his body to convulse.

Everyone awoke, emitting terrified screams. Despite their desperate struggles, they couldn't get up due to their bound hands, the frozen ground, and the crowding on the balcony.

"Zhang Ye!!"

Chen Zhenghao, noticing Zhang Ye on the neighboring balcony, roared furiously. Zhang Ye finally emerged from the room, opening a narrow slit in the unbreakable window.

Unfortunately, with his hands bound, Zhang Ye could not protect himself. Chen Zhenghao had already killed nearly half of the building's residents, rivaling Zhang Ye's body count. Leaving them alive would eventually lead to a confrontation, and although Zhang Ye was not afraid, he decided it was safer to eliminate the threat.

"Howl as much as you want. It's time for you to die." Zhang Ye coldly remarked.

Chen Zhenghao and the others struggled and howled in vain, unable to rise. The cold water continued to pour down, freezing their clothes and forming a layer of ice. Within two minutes, they lay on the ground, unable to make any sound, only convulsing with their bodies turning blue and purple.

After three minutes, their struggles ceased, and their bodies became motionless. They had transformed into ten large blocks of ice, merging together.

Five minutes later, the mass of ice grew even larger, congealing into a solid block.

To conserve water, Zhang Ye stopped spraying water. In their frozen state, without modern medical facilities, survival was impossible.

Zhang Ye returned to the room, firmly locking the sliding window. He then removed his thick winter coat, dialed Dr. Zhou Keren's number, and spoke into the phone.

"You have passed the test. You can come in now."

In the adjacent room, Dr. Zhou Keren heard Zhang Ye's voice, and the tension in her heart finally eased. Trembling, she replied, "Okay, I'll come over right away."

Gathering her medical kit, she rushed to the door like escaping from hell.

Zhang Ye unlocked the four layers of heavy security doors and retreated two steps. His right hand held the gun, aiming at the doorway.

Glancing at the monitor, he confirmed that Dr. Zhou Keren was in good condition. He used the mobile app to unlock the final electronic door lock.

"You can come in now!"

Outside the door, Dr. Zhou Keren heard Zhang Ye's voice. Raising her cold, pale hand, she pushed the door with all her strength.

The door was heavy, and she struggled to push it open. However, as the door revealed a small gap, a warm flow instantly surrounded her, wrapping her up.

Excitement sparkled in Dr. Zhou Keren's eyes. She hadn't felt this warm in a very long time! Increasing her effort, she pushed the door open, and with a step, she entered the room.

The moment she entered, the warmth enveloped her like entering a hot bath.

Previously, the cold had covered her entire body, but now, it was rapidly dissipating. The delightful warmth felt like soaking in a hot tub.

Slowly, she even began to feel an unbearable heat. Wearing six layers of clothing, including two layers of down jackets, she found it difficult to endure in Zhang Ye's 27-degree Celsius home.

She couldn't help but remove her clothes, disregarding the gun pointed at her by Zhang Ye.