Apocalyptic World: Surviving with my husband and my cute little babies

At first, Elena didn't notice much change in the temperature inside, but when she saw that several new cooling devices had been set up around the unit, a wave of unease crept over her.

Something wasn't right.

Only then did she realise the situation was far more serious than she had initially thought.

She had only rested for a few hours, yet the temperature had already spiked again.

She quickly got up from her seat and walked over to check the internal temperature inside the unit.

It read 20 degrees—two degrees higher than before.

The temperature change wasn't much, but the situation outside was clearly different.

"What about outside? What's the temperature now?" she asked, her eyes drifting toward Ethan, who stood by the window, quietly watching the scorching sun.

"It's 39 degrees," he replied. "A sudden spike. As for the situation, come take a look."

His tone was low and mysterious, making her heart tense a little.

Elena moved to his side and followed his line of sight through the glass.

The view from above made her eyes widen in disbelief.

Dozens of people were packed onto rubber boats, drifting over the flooded streets below, the harsh sunlight beating down on their backs as they rowed slowly forward.

"What are they doing?" she murmured. "Is this still part of the corpse retrieval team?"

"I'm afraid they're not noble enough to risk their lives for others," Ethan said flatly.

"As far as I know, those people rowing out into the flooded streets aren't after that task. They want to reach the jewelry stores area before anyone else raids it."

He then updated her on the situation with the other shops—both in the military evacuation center and in Jetro's building.

Many residents were already putting their lives on the line, scrambling to collect jade that had been buried beneath the ice or sunk underwater.

Now that the ice was starting to melt, it was only a matter of time before the jades reappeared—and people were desperate to snatch them up, knowing they'd need something valuable to trade at their shops.

"I see," Elena replied with a quiet nod, her expression unreadable.

If this had been her past life—when she had no access to supplies, and jade was the only accepted currency for trading—she might have done the same.

Taken the risk, seized the chance, and joined the looters.

Back then, survival had no place for the faint-hearted individuals.

They soon watched the residents paddling their makeshift boats, each one eager to be the first to arrive at the jade store.

In their rush, many rowed recklessly, crashing into hidden debris or submerged obstacles.

Some boats were damaged, their bows splintered from sudden collisions, and a few rocked dangerously, nearly tipping into the churning waters, putting everyone at serious risk.

"Help! Our boat is sinking!"

"Ahhh!"

"Please—someone help! I have lots of supplies! I'll give you everything, just save me!"

"Save me first! I have connections in the government!"

However, the other residents simply stood and watched as the boat sank.

They were struggling too, overwhelmed by their own hardships—barely able to steady their own boats, let alone offer help to others.

Elena saw everything from the window. She watched as the struggling residents were swallowed by the rising water.

She sighed. In just a matter of seconds, lives were already taken.

It was frustrating to think that the same residents who had fought so hard to survive the extreme cold were now dying so easily.

Noticing the tension in her eyes and the way her body stiffened, Ethan gently pulled her into his arms, trying to shield her from the cruel scene unfolding outside.

"I'm fine," she whispered, resting against him. "Surviving in this world is truly hard. By the way, what time is it?"

Elena returned his embrace. As long as they were together, that was what mattered most.

"It's almost 5 PM," Ethan replied, glancing at the clock.

"But the sun's still blazing above. I'm afraid we're entering a time when the days were longer than the nights."

Elena froze. A chill ran down her spine.

She remembered a disaster from her past life—one where the sun barely dipped below the horizon for days, even weeks.

If this unbearable stretch of endless daylight occurred—paired with the oppressive heat—it would surely drive people to madness.

'Could this be a double disaster? Extreme heat… and endless day?'

She prayed it wouldn't reach that point. People were already pushed to their limits.

Just a little relief—just a little mercy—was what they needed most.

Soon after, they had their late afternoon snacks with the kids.

The little ones sat around the table, munching quietly as they worked on their weekly lessons under Elena's gentle supervision.

At last, near 9 PM, the sun finally dipped below the skyline.

But the air outside grew hotter, not cooler.

In just a short while, the temperature surged, eventually settling at a scorching 40 degrees Celsius—nearly half the boiling point.

The ice that had covered parts of the landscape gave way, melting rapidly.

Water rushed through the streets and into buildings, flooding the lower floors in mere moments.

Panic spread like wildfire.

Residents scrambled to evacuate the flooded units, climbing the stairs to higher levels in search of dry, safer rooms.

This was especially true in the government and military evacuation center, where crowds of people had flocked to seek shelter.

The building had limited space, and with only a few available units, many were forced to cram together into a single room.

Such overcrowding could easily lead to new problems—fights, poor sanitation, and rising tensions.

And with the extreme heat looming, things could quickly spiral out of control if not managed properly.

Now, they were back again, returning to days stuck in the building.

But judging by the harsh intensity of the sun, it was only a matter of time before all the water began to evaporate.

Soon, the flooded ground would dry up, leaving behind only damp earth and scattered debris.

The pace of change was truly terrifying.

Sensing the sudden shift in temperature, Elena and Ethan quickly alerted everyone in their group.

Their message was clear: prioritize safety above all else.

They reminded everyone to stay indoors as much as possible and to drink plenty of water, making sure no one became dehydrated under the rising heat.

After a brief reminder, Elena glanced out the window one last time before heading to bed.

Even though night had already fallen and the sun had set, the world outside still held a faint glow, just bright enough for her to see.

Out there, a few brave—or perhaps desperate—figures continued to push their luck, scouring the flooded streets for jades that had begun to resurface, seemingly undeterred by the lingering danger.

"The extreme heat has truly arrived," Elena murmured, letting out a quiet sigh before drawing the curtain shut.

Ethan stepped beside her, gently taking her hand in his.

His grip was warm and steady, providing comfort.

He then changed the topic, trying to lighten the mood. "Wife, let's head inside the room. It's time to read a story to the baby."