The eruption also triggered massive mudslides, which surged down the valleys for over a hundred kilometers, engulfing all the villages and towns in their path.

Even more terrifying than the mudslides and lava were the pyroclastic flows generated by the eruption. Composed of superheated gas, rock fragments, and volcanic ash, they descended from the sky like an avalanche at speeds of at least one hundred kilometers per hour.

The flows had no open flames, but their temperature was terrifying, capable of reaching over 600 degrees Celsius. The people who had refused to evacuate, convinced the volcano would not erupt, were now buried under tons of volcanic ash. It was impossible to know if they had choked, suffocated, or been burned to death first.

Beneath the blanket of pyroclastic debris, all life was equal. The flowers, grass, and trees that had barely survived the long drought and scorching heat, along with every bird and beast, were all annihilated. Not a single living thing had the chance to escape.

The news updated nonstop, pushing real-time disaster reports. The government was desperately trying to stabilize the situation and reassure the evacuated residents.

The eruption of Skyfire Volcano affected dozens of surrounding towns and villages, impacting a total of over one million people.

On camera, the faces of those who had evacuated their homes were dazed and hopeless as they witnessed the cataclysmic eruption.

The year-long drought had already exhausted everyone’s spirits. To think that now they had to face such a devastating catastrophe.

Many couldn’t bear it any longer, collapsing to the ground and sobbing uncontrollably.

A thousand years ago, massive volcanic eruptions could destroy multiple ancient civilizations overnight. Today, a millennium later, despite countless technological advancements, humanity remains just as insignificant in the face of nature’s wrath.

This was the second time in her two lifetimes that Melody Summers had experienced this, and seeing these scenes, she still felt a sense of bewilderment.

The eruption of Celestial Volcano felt like the beginning of a nightmare. It was followed by a chain of major eruptions from five of the country’s largest volcanoes:

3:00 AM on the 6th, Gryphon Volcano erupted! The Five Calderas erupted!

4:00 AM on the 6th, Mount Mirovia erupted!

7:00 AM on the 6th, Vipera Volcano erupted!

12:00 PM on the 6th, Northryde Volcano erupted!

...

In less than a week, hundreds of volcanoes erupted across the globe, many of them on the scale of a once-in-a-millennium super-eruption.

Billions of tons of volcanic ash produced by the eruptions gradually filled the atmosphere, blanketing the entire planet in a layer of gray clouds.

Sunlight could not penetrate the layer of ash, and the entire globe slowly sank into twilight. Solar radiation decreased, and the year of scorching, unrelenting sun officially came to an end.

*

Though darkness shrouded the world outside, the Sutton Villa was still brightly lit. But the family’s once-peaceful atmosphere had been utterly shattered over the past few days.

"My son... My son... How could he be gone just like that!" Mrs. Sutton sobbed, leaning on Ethan Sutton’s shoulder. "How am I supposed to go on living!"

Elias Sutton had planned on returning to the country a while ago. But he had just gotten his hands on a new stash and was afraid he wouldn’t have a chance to do drugs once he was back home. So, he postponed his flight, determined to get his fill before he left.

During that time, Mr. and Mrs. Sutton called him countless times, urging him to return at once, but he brushed them off every time.

Elias Sutton thought his family was making a mountain out of a molehill. He had seen plenty of volcanic eruptions abroad and often went to eruption sites to take photos.

That viscous lava flowed so slowly, even an eighty-year-old could get out of the way in time.

Mr. and Mrs. Sutton even had one of Elias’s friends call to persuade him to come home immediately, but Elias still paid it no mind.

On the contrary, he shamelessly bragged to his friends back home that life there couldn’t compare to the thrill of his life abroad. If his parents weren’t constantly nagging him, he said he’d rather die overseas than go back.

So he fooled around in the villa with a few girls from the red-light district. The group of them got so high they couldn’t feel a thing. The hallucinogens made them lose all track of day and night, unable to tell if they were in heaven or on earth.

Elias Sutton partied like this for a solid week. Only after the week was up did he finally start to come down from his high. As his mind began to clear, he started organizing the Sutton family assets his mother had transferred to him and preparing for his return.

He never imagined that this delay would cost him his life.

He boarded a plane with the entire Sutton family fortune and departed. But the plane he was on flew right into the massive eruption of a volcano in Icelia!

The plane’s engines stalled as they took in volcanic ash, causing it to crash into the molten lava below. Elias Sutton was completely incinerated, not even a fragment of bone remained.

When the terrible news reached home, Mr. and Mrs. Sutton were devastated by the loss of their youngest son. For days, they had been crying inconsolably.

Losing a child in middle age, Mr. Sutton’s spirit completely shattered. The usually poised and elegant Mrs. Sutton no longer cared about her appearance, spending her days clinging to Ethan and crying. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Although Ethan Sutton had never liked his reckless younger brother, his own grief was now no less than his parents’.

After all, Elias had been carrying the entire family fortune that Mrs. Sutton had transferred overseas!

And now, the plane was destroyed and the man was dead! The man, the money—everything had been turned to ash.

Ethan Sutton was filled with bitter regret. ’If I had known this would happen, I would have flown over there myself and dragged Elias back personally!’

Sylvia Lancaster sat to the side, hugging her belly and not daring to make a sound. She was just as anxious on the inside. She knew Mrs. Sutton had transferred most of the assets to Elias. Now that the money was gone, the Sutton Family, much like the Lancaster Family, was probably nothing more than an empty shell.

Elaine Hughes had been pestering her for money lately, but where was Sylvia supposed to find any?

The Sutton family was watching her like a hawk, barely letting her leave the house. Sylvia didn’t even have a chance to see Flynn Adler.

Sylvia was beginning to think that Flynn Adler was no good either. ’If I don’t meet up with him, he won’t give me a single cent. It’s only after we... get together... that he transfers me money, like it’s some kind of transaction.’

Just as Sylvia was growing agitated, the housekeeper approached and said quietly, "Ma’am, Mrs. Lancaster is here to visit."

Sylvia’s heart sank. ’What good could possibly come from Elaine Hughes visiting at a time like this?’

Hearing this, Mrs. Sutton stiffened. She wiped her tears and forced herself to greet Elaine Hughes.

Elaine Hughes offered Mrs. Sutton a few words of comfort before pulling Sylvia into the backyard. "Sylvia," she asked, "do you have any money on you?"

Sylvia felt her vision go dark. She replied helplessly, "Mom, I really don’t have any money. My mother-in-law transferred all the Sutton family’s money overseas to Elias. Now that he’s had his... accident... the Suttons are just an empty shell. Where am I supposed to get money for you?"

Elaine Hughes grabbed Sylvia’s arm anxiously. "Sylvia, the family is completely out of money. If this keeps up, we won’t even be able to afford water. You’re my only hope. You have to help us figure something out."

Ever since Simon Lancaster was demoted, his salary and benefits were a fraction of what they used to be. A case of water now cost a hundred thousand yuan, and Elaine Hughes didn’t even dare to take showers anymore. As a society lady, she found such a life unbearable.

Elaine Hughes tugged on Sylvia’s arm again. "Why don’t you go and beg Melody again? If your brother can just get his old position back, it would at least ease some of our family’s troubles."

Lately, Elaine Hughes, Robert Lancaster, and the others had been trying to contact Melody Summers, hoping she would help get Simon reinstated. But Melody ignored them completely. They had been blacklisted by the security at The Metropolis Residences after the last incident, so they couldn’t even get in to see her.

Sylvia frowned. "Mom, I told you already. Melody was firm in her refusal. I practically got on my knees and begged her, but she wouldn’t give me the time of day."

Seeing the look on her mother’s face, Sylvia suddenly had an idea. "Mom, you know, based on what I heard from Melody last time, I think she’s quite interested in working for Rhodes. If we could promise her a job there, maybe she’d consider helping us."

Elaine Hughes paused, then frowned. "How could we promise that? We don’t have any connections at Rhodes."

Sylvia smiled. "But we still have my sister-in-law, don’t we? She’s a daughter of the Rhodes family. Arranging a menial job for a janitor or a cleaner at the company should be a piece of cake for her. If you get Sister-in-law to talk to Melody Summers, she might just agree to our conditions for a chance to get her foot in the door at Rhodes."

’Even if it’s just for a janitor position, Rhodes is so in-demand right now that college graduates are dying for a chance to even scrub their toilets, but they have no way in!’

’Melody Summers is just an unemployed college student, after all. In this job market, there’s no way she wouldn’t be tempted by an offer to get into Rhodes.’

Elaine Hughes frowned and thought for a moment after hearing the plan. Then, she nodded pensively.