When Mortals First See the End of the World

When the dark clouds that enveloped the world suddenly descended, announcing that the "apocalypse" was no longer a fictional script, only then did we—thousands of ordinary people—realize what "the first time" is. ‌For the first time, I witnessed the disintegration of order. ‌ The peace and rules we were accustomed to collapsed, and the familiar world twisted and collapsed before our eyes. The impact was a deep-seated confusion and helplessness, far beyond what any early warning could simulate. ‌The first time, struggling for survival. ‌ Access to clean water and safe food, which used to be within easy reach, suddenly become "firsts" that require exhaustion of effort and even risking one's life. Every step I tried was filled with unfamiliarity and apprehension. ‌For the first time, I faced the abyss and glimmer of human nature. ‌ Under the pressure of survival, I witnessed the evil caused by fear, and also felt the good that burst out in desperate situations. This complex picture of human nature is a "first time" that has never been described in textbooks. ‌"For ordinary people, who has not experienced it for the first time?"‌ This sentence expresses the essence. No rehearsal, no experience package. Facing the end of the world, every ordinary person is a "new student" who stumbles forward. Acknowledging the clumsiness and fragility of this "first time" is precisely the starting point for us to understand each other, gather strength, and explore for hope in the ruins. The "first sight" of the apocalyptic scene is imprinted with fear, but it also breeds the most primitive tenacity and learning instinct under the survival instinct.