I was added to a weird group chat with the whole class. The group name: **[High-Temperature Apocalypse]**. Everyone else picked a safe house in the wilderness or a place with abundant water. I chose a high-rise apartment with no water or electricity. Chloe, the school’s queen bee, mocked me. No one wanted to team up with me, betting I’d die within three days. When it came to choosing abilities, everyone went for spatial or water-based powers. I picked reverse photosynthesis, which lets me get energy from air humidity. The group chat immediately muted me. They didn’t want to see my dying pleas for help. When the system removed the team-up and admin functions, everyone saw the group name reset: **[Heavy Rain Apocalypse]**. On that scorching summer day, my whole class and I were dragged into a strange group chat. **[Hello, 50 Hosts. Your group admin is the Apocalypse System.]** **[Survive for one week in the game, and you’ll receive a 100 million bonus.]** As if expecting skepticism, it immediately sent out a 1 million cash bonus in the chat. The students, who’d initially thought it was a prank or scam, instantly perked up. They frantically scrambled to split the bonus. “Holy crap, a week from now, I’ll be set for life!” “Quick, open it! Open it!” Only Finn, the class Vice President, seemed confused. “And if we don’t make it, do we die?” **[A total wipeout will reset the game. If there’s a winner, the game closes. Mid-game quitters must return the 1 million.]** Everyone exploded. Those who hadn’t snatched a bonus screamed even louder. “See, I knew it was a scam! I’m leaving the group!” “Go ahead, let’s see if you really have to return the 1 million.” But half an hour passed, and the number of members didn’t drop. Everyone was successfully hooked. The admin ignored the commotion and presented an option. Choose your safe house: 1. A 20th-floor apartment in a downtown city complex, no water, no electricity. 2. A countryside cabin, suitable for farming. 3. An uninhabited island, rich in food resources. 4. A city air-raid shelter, sturdy door, low temperature. 5. A food factory, abundant resource reserves. “Vice President, pick the food factory! You’re always so nosy and like managing things anyway.” “Yeah, Iris, then we can be merciful and team up with you.” Ultimately, no one chose option 1. Except me. Chloe, the school’s queen bee, gasped dramatically. “Iris, are you insane? A high-rise apartment with no water or electricity in a high-temperature apocalypse? You’ll be baked alive by the third day!” “Is it because you want to seem trendy living in the city, so you picked it without thinking it through?” “And she’s the Vice President, how dumb~” Chloe was usually everyone’s darling. As soon as she spoke, several guys agreed with her, mocking me. Even a few students who were about to pick option 1 canceled and chose something else. Five minutes passed, options closed, and the admin spoke again. **[Each Host is a temporary administrator. Hosts with the same option can choose teammates. Teammates will be allocated to the same safe house by default.]** Chloe immediately got excited. “Are there any lucky souls who chose the island like me? We can have a party there!” As soon as she said that, a dozen guys jumped out, begging to team up with her. She beamed, then mockingly @-ed me. “Oh my, so many classmates want to team up with me! Maybe I can spare a few for Iris @Iris? No one picked her, how pathetic!” Yes, everyone had teamed up. Except me.
After enduring dozens of mockery messages, Finn finally stepped in to restore order. “Hey, everyone, stop fighting! Admin, when does it start?” **[One more option: your ability for the coming week.]** 1. Infinite fresh water resources. 2. Invulnerable steel body. 3. Teleportation. 4. Infinite storage space. 5. Reverse photosynthesis. The chat instantly grew serious. Everyone started analyzing these abilities for high-temperature survival rates. Chloe got excited, giving a bunch of totally illogical advice, urging her male admirers to pick the infinite fresh water resource, claiming it would boost their survival rate. She chose infinite storage space herself: “I can help everyone store resources and avoid conflicts, after all, you’re all my good little babies~” Finn chose teleportation: “I can instantly go to your locations to save people.” In the end, no one chose option 5. Except me. I was mocked for dozens of messages again. “What kind of weird ability is that? Sounds like some random filler picked by the test setter to make themselves look smart.” “Hahahaha, what the hell did Iris pick? Doesn’t that mean she gets hungrier in the sun? Won’t she die even faster?” “Must’ve studied herself silly. Good thing we’re not in the same safe house as her!” “Some people act like Miss Perfect on her high horse, but now she’s just picking random abilities for herself. She should learn from Chloe and actually think about others!” I just took all their mockery, saying nothing. Finn, however, seemed to sense something subtly. He private messaged me. “Why are you being so foolish? You’ll be eliminated so quickly!” “Are you still mad I rejected your confession? Are you trying to make me worry this way?” I rolled my eyes and blocked him. Back in the group chat, everyone had confirmed their choices. The admin spoke again. **[Preparations complete. Game starting soon.]** **[Admin privileges will be disabled on the third day. Everyone can modify their teams before then.]** **[Deploying safe houses.]**
Day one, light rain. My apartment was calm and peaceful, with only the patter of rain outside. “Chloe: @everyone See? It’s raining! It definitely has to rain to cool things down before the heat wave, right?!” She followed up with a smug, sassy head-toss emoji. “Some people @Iris, feeling scared now? While it’s not hot enough to die today, hurry up and get a basin to collect water! Tomorrow, the moment the sun comes out, your crappy building will turn into an oven. Don’t go crying and quitting the group on the second day, that’d be so embarrassing!” The others, who had been wondering about the rain, immediately became lively, praising her intelligence. Finn’s message seemed out of place. “@Iris, how are things on your end? Did you find any supplies in your safe house?” This concerned inquiry provoked Chloe’s displeasure. “Vice President! Why are you so worried about her?!” “If you were so worried, why didn’t you team up with her back then? Feeling sorry for her now? Then go find her yourself! Humph!” Followed by a string of exaggerated emojis. Finn fell silent. The group chat also became eerily quiet for a few seconds, with only the faint sound of raindrops hitting the window. Soon, one of Chloe’s minions jumped out, directing his anger at me. “What’s wrong with the Vice President caring about everyone’s safety? Iris, you’re digging your own grave, don’t drag the Vice President into getting yelled at by Chloe!” “Exactly! Just seeing her message annoys me. Let’s mute her. That way, if she’s really dying, she won’t be whining and crying for help in the group, wasting resources and ruining everyone’s mood. Anyway, zero people want to save her!” **[Administrator ‘Mike’ has muted ‘Iris’.]** The cold system prompt popped up on my phone screen. No one said a word for me. Good. Peace and quiet. I put down my phone and started searching the apartment. The space wasn’t large, the layout was straightforward, but it was empty—not a single grain of rice. Finally, I pushed open the balcony door and took a deep breath. The scent of water molecules in the air filled my body. Reverse photosynthesis. As long as there are water molecules, I can replenish my energy. This time, I wouldn’t be troubled by any resource shortages. I felt mentally refreshed, and the faint hunger disappeared.
I sealed all windows except for the balcony, making sure the house wouldn’t get damp later, then I checked my phone. The class group chat was still flooded with messages. “Haha, the heavens sent us water! The field was just tilled, perfect for planting! I’m going to grow a whole vegetable garden in these ten days!” “Good haul, guys! Just went to sea and caught a few big fish! Fish BBQ party tonight!” Chloe also sent a photo: a beach and palm trees on an island, with a mountain of supplies in the center of the frame. Cases of bottled water, vacuum-sealed meats, canned goods, and even a few bottles of red wine. A few guys were gathered around her, their faces plastered with fawning, ‘look what I got for you’ smiles. “Oh my, I just can’t with them~” “I told them not to give me so much! Good thing my portable space is big enough, so I’ll grudgingly help everyone store it~ To be fair, if anyone needs anything, remember to register with me, okay~” Messages of envy and flattery flooded the screen. Some also grumbled about the piled-up resources. “…So much stuff, can it really all be registered and distributed? Feels like it’ll be a mess…” “Alex, what do you mean? Are you questioning Goddess Chloe?” “Chloe is doing this to prevent a free-for-all! If you’re not happy, go team up with Iris! Her crappy high-rise, not even a bottle of water there, absolutely no one will fight you for anything!” I closed the group chat, and with the sound of rain outside my window, I fell into a deep sleep.
Day two, heavy rain. It was no longer yesterday’s gentle drizzle but a torrential downpour. Water quickly accumulated in the city’s low-lying areas. The balcony of my 20th-floor apartment had become like a grotto with a cascading waterfall. I walked barefoot to the balcony door, greedily soaking up the water molecules. My whole body surged with power! I reinforced the balcony door and carved out the bottom of the railing to create a simple drainage system. Unless the balcony’s weight bearing capacity failed and it collapsed, the rainwater wouldn’t get into the house. The class group chat had already exploded. “Damn it, the rain’s too heavy! All the seeds we just sowed are ruined! The water’s almost flooding into the house!” “Help! The island’s tide is rising! Our high ground is almost submerged, and a lot of our food has been washed away!” “My ability is even water generation, completely useless now!” “@Chloe! Didn’t you say this ability was life-saving? What do we do now?!” With their interests jeopardized, many people turned their anger towards Chloe, who had been everyone’s darling just yesterday. Chloe looked aggrieved: “?? My fault?” “Did I hold a knife to your throats and force you to choose fresh water resources? You were all fawning over me, scrambling to pick it just to show off to me! And now you’re blaming me?” Finn tried to maintain order, his voice betraying a hint of imperceptible anxiety. “Everyone calm down!” “Chloe, this isn’t the time to argue. You have so many resources stored in your space, quick, take them out for everyone in this emergency!” Chloe’s voice rose even higher, laced with a tearful, spoiled tone. “Why should I?!” “I worked hard to collect those! I haven’t even finished registering them! And you want me to take them out now when the situation is unclear? What if the sun comes out tomorrow? Fifty-degree heat! That water will be life-saving!” Her words were like cold water splashed into a hot oil pan. “Chloe, are you still thinking about your registration at a time like this! Still thinking about high temperatures tomorrow? Does this rain look like it’s going to stop?” “You hoarded so many resources in your own space, aren’t you just trying to hold us hostage?” “Vice President, say something!” The group chat erupted into chaos, full of accusations and dissatisfaction directed at Chloe. Finn, overwhelmed trying to mediate, seemed to suddenly have an idea and @-ed me. “@Iris, aren’t you in a high-rise? It must be safe! Quick, tell us your address, I’ll teleport the people from the island over there to take shelter!” This move, however, triggered Chloe again. “Vice President, why are you always thinking of being with Iris! Do you like her?!” “I forbid it! Anyone who dares to go find her, I’ll never give them resources!” Finn said helplessly: “Chloe, stop messing around, lives are at stake!” “Who’s messing around? Don’t people need my space? Whoever swears not to go suck up to Iris, I’ll let them into my space for shelter!” With Chloe’s interference, I, who had just regained some attention, was once again forgotten by everyone. They went back to begging her for resources. She was once again the center of attention. I put down my phone and walked to a corner of the living room, where several unassuming cardboard boxes were stacked. Opening one, inside were neatly arranged power banks, laptops, and tablets, their indicator lights showing full charge. Another box held several thick physical books, a few board games, and even a small projector. These were the supplies I had quickly gathered in the few minutes when the system announced the rules, and everyone else was busy snatching cash bonuses and mocking me—some of the most useless items in a high-temperature apocalypse, but essential for maintaining sanity in a confined environment, “non-survival necessities.” I picked up a fully charged power bank, plugged it into my phone, and watched the heated arguments in the group chat. Day three, precipitation doubled again. If yesterday’s downpour was somewhat normal, today was a hurricane-level storm.
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