The air conditioner in the office hummed softly, keeping the room at a comfortable 24°C.
But on the three high-resolution monitors in front of Lin Yan, everything was painted in a blinding, blood-red hue.
"Abnormal solar flares... Mantle convection index breaking historical extremes..."
Lin Yan's slender fingers flew across the keyboard. Lines of complex thermodynamic formulas and climate prediction models scrolled wildly across the screens.
Finally, the progress bar hit 100%. The system outputted a projected global isothermal map.
Lin Yan's pupils contracted slightly.
The red line on the screen was climbing at a terrifying, unnatural angle. According to the climate algorithm model he had built, this so-called "rare spring heatwave" reported by the meteorological bureau was never going to stop.
In 30 days, the global average temperature would break through 50°C.
In 45 days, the equator and surrounding regions would face an absolute death sentence of 65°C.
By then, asphalt roads would melt, reservoirs would boil dry, and the global power grid would completely collapse under the extreme overload. This wasn't just extreme weather. This was a slow-boiling apocalypse meant to cleanse the earth.
Lin Yan didn't panic. As a top-tier thermodynamics and materials engineer, his brain always reacted faster than his emotions.
He skillfully hit the Delete key, permanently erasing the predictive report that could have sent the entire world into a frenzy.
"Lin Yan, what are you spacing out for? Is the presentation for next week ready?"
An arrogant, condescending voice shattered Lin Yan's train of thought.
The glass door of the office was pushed open. Chen Zhiqiang, wearing a custom Armani suit and holding a Starbucks cup, walked in looking smug and refreshed.
Looking at this face, a trace of cold mockery flashed in Lin Yan's eyes.
Chen Zhiqiang. His "best bro" from college. His current direct superior.
Just last month, Chen Zhiqiang used his authority to secretly transfer the patent for the "Micro High-Efficiency Cooling Module"—something Lin Yan had sacrificed countless sleepless nights to develop—into his own name.
Relying on this era-defining technology, Chen Zhiqiang not only secured massive company stock options but was also hailed as a rising star in the tech world.
"This cooling system is the main event for our company's second half of the year," Chen Zhiqiang said, walking up to Lin Yan's desk and tapping it condescendingly. "The pre-orders from the luxury villa districts are already booked until next year. Be a good boy, finish writing the debugging code, and after the product launch, as your Director, I won't forget to toss you a few thousand in bonuses."
Hearing this carrot-and-stick speech, the old Lin Yan might have felt furious and bitter.
But now, looking at Chen Zhiqiang's insufferably arrogant face, Lin Yan only found it laughable.
Because only Lin Yan, the original creator, knew the truth. The material limits of that cooling system could only withstand a sustained outdoor high of 45°C. Once it exceeded 50°C, the core coolant would boil, generating immense pressure, and eventually...
BOOM. It would turn into a high-explosive bomb.
Chen Zhiqiang thought he had stolen a cash cow. Little did he know, he was hugging a death warrant.
"No need." Lin Yan's tone was deadly calm as he casually turned off his monitors.
"What do you mean, 'no need'? Lin Yan, don't think you can throw a temper tantrum just because you know a little tech." Chen Zhiqiang frowned, his voice darkening. "The patent is already in my name. What's the point of throwing a fit now? If you walk out that door, who would hire an engineer with no masterpiece to their name?"
Lin Yan didn't bother arguing. He opened his drawer, pulled out a plain white envelope, and tossed it lightly onto the desk right in front of Chen Zhiqiang.
Printed on the envelope were two words: Resignation Letter.
Chen Zhiqiang froze, then let out a harsh sneer. "Lin Yan, have you lost your damn mind? The economy is garbage right now. Where are you going to go if you quit? Can you even afford the mortgage on that crappy apartment of yours?"
"That is none of Director Chen's concern," Lin Yan said, standing up and grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair.
As he reached the door, his footsteps paused slightly. He glanced back at Chen Zhiqiang, the corner of his mouth curling into a meaningful smirk.
"Oh, right. As a former colleague, here's some free advice." Lin Yan pointed at the Director's name badge on Chen Zhiqiang's chest. "For the third cooling pipe of that module, I originally designed it to use a tungsten steel alloy. To cut costs, you replaced it with extruded aluminum..."
Lin Yan's eyes turned icy. "I hope that next month, when the temperature exceeds 45°C, you can run faster than the blast wave."
Without waiting to see Chen Zhiqiang's instantly pale face, Lin Yan pushed the door open and strode out.
Stepping out of the office building's main doors, a suffocating heatwave—one that absolutely shouldn't exist in mid-March—hit him in the face. The outdoor thermometer was flashing a glaring red "35°C".
Lin Yan put on his sunglasses, blocking the blinding sunlight.
There were exactly 30 days left until the extreme heat purgatory descended.
He took out his phone, checking the balance. 7 million in savings he had accumulated over the years, plus the 20 million in cash he had just secured by mortgaging his parents' old estate.
"27 million... Buying that abandoned air-raid shelter in the suburbs and building a micro-fusion thermoelectric generator... should barely be enough."
The real survival game was just beginning.
Author's Note: Welcome to the world of AFR! The apocalypse is ticking, and Lin Yan is about to start his crazy shopping spree. What kind of materials do you think he needs first to survive a 60°C hell? Let me know in the comments! Don't forget to vote with your Power Stones!