In the snow-covered residential complex, panicked voices suddenly erupted, a sound that quickly turned into wails of despair.
Many people had no idea what was happening, feeling utterly bewildered.
Soon, the clamor died down. It was simply too cold. Many couldn't bear it, adding several layers of clothing before retreating to their beds to huddle under blankets.
As the noise from outside faded to silence, Stella Sterling returned to the living room with a placid expression and sat on the sofa.
Her room was different from the outside. She had previously installed temperature-regulating materials, and her air conditioner was running continuously. So, even though the outside temperature had plunged, the impact on her room was minimal, only slightly colder than before.
But the other residents in the complex weren't so lucky. Even indoors, the cold was unbearable.
