Chapter 95: Find an Opportunity to Dig

With the assistance of the searcher, Jiang Huan listed numerous reasonable plans. First, they needed to excavate deeper into the shelters—either reaching areas with even lower temperatures underground or establishing an additional backup shelter. Second, supplies—regardless of the type of disaster, having more was preferable to having less. Third, water. Fourth, encompassing dual management in terms of community building and the enhancement of personal physical fitness. If they could accomplish these four things, a drought would pose no threat.

Water was essential, and there were underground rivers; the other three were the top priorities. But at this moment, how could they reveal to everyone that the ice would transform into drought or other extreme disasters? The unbelievable event had occurred on her own body. Jiang Huan herself had witnessed something incredible, which was why she chose to believe in the anomalies she observed on Xie Congzhou again and again. But what about others? It appeared that even the most solid relationships could not withstand the impact of this godlike phenomenon. Especially when these people recalled the loss of their loved ones during the disaster, might there be a possibility that they would blame the capable individual for not issuing an early warning and saving their relatives? Even if a warning had been given at the time, it might not have been heeded. Would they listen to their own inner voice or others’ deceptions?

Jiang Huan was prone to suspecting the worst, so she shook her head to dispel this emerging dark thought. She decided to wait until there were clear signs outside before publicly announcing the possibility of a disaster.

In the following days, Jiang Huan continued as usual, descending into the pit every other day to build several sheds with everyone and plant what were called new varieties of crops. On this day, Wang Ping, who was patrolling the tree house, jumped down.

“Little Jiang, I saw smoke coming from the direction of our community.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huan quickly ascended the tree house as well. Indeed, she saw smoke rising from the direction of their former community. She switched to a clearer telescope and faintly detected several very tall heavy trucks parked nearby.

She didn’t understand why these people were setting fires, nor was she certain whether they were affiliated with the official base. To gain information as quickly as possible, descending the mountain or approaching the foot to observe became necessary.

After Xie Congzhou learned of it, he descended himself and, upon returning, was followed by two men. He also carried several bags. Someone inquired, and Xie Congzhou simply said to first have the doctor check their injuries. Bai Weishuang walked out to examine the two, bandaging their wounds, but her face showed a grave expression.

In front of the surrounding crowd, she said, “They have been bitten by rodents, and there are also old marks from insect bites.”

The crowd erupted in discussion. The disaster wasn’t enough; now these various animal attacks on humans?

At this point, Xie Congzhou explained why he had brought two people up. Besides the need to understand the smoke incident below the mountain, these two had some newly distributed base supplies that could be shared.

Jiang Huan took the materials brought by the two survivors, which included a kind of grass-scented ointment for application and protective hoods. The ointment she understood was likely for stopping itch and repelling insects, but these mesh hoods couldn’t possibly protect against insect bites, so why give each one?

The two, having received treatment and being brought up by Xie Congzhou, were open about everything. “This is a helmet designed to defend against snow rats. Currently, the snow rats outside seem to have been stimulated by something; they’ve grown to twice their original size, with greatly increased flexibility and aggressiveness. They attack humans upon seeing them. What makes them hardest to defend is strikes from the neck, ears, and similar areas. Now, outside temperatures occasionally drop to minus twenty degrees or lower, so many people don’t even wear ear protection hats and have been affected. This helmet protects the back of the neck and ears, it’s simple but very effective, breathable, and won’t get caught by scarves or similar items to be pulled away.”

As for the ointment, just as Jiang Huan suspected, it’s for preventing mosquitoes. “These mosquitoes have always been present. I heard from people at the base that before the apocalypse, there were studies on cold-resistant mosquitoes. After the apocalypse, the habitats of these mosquitoes were likely frozen, and the cold-resistant mosquitoes evolved in this environment… When they feed, they also transmit viruses. There are corpses everywhere outside; who can ensure they haven’t bitten in those places? This ointment not only stops itching and repels mosquitoes but reportedly includes a detoxifier to neutralize viruses. Each person will be issued one box, but afterward, it will need to be exchanged using contribution points or other items.”

“Can’t you have any?” The survivors’ question left the people in the air raid shelter quite bewildered.

After going up the mountain, they hadn’t encountered these two types, and they descended every few days without ever meeting the mosquitoes and mutated snow rats described.

Jiang Huan and Xie Congzhou’s gazes met and then separated. One who frequently took people down the mountain not only returned without empty hands but each time evaded dangers by luck. One who planted crops in a relatively lush area on the mountain yet saw no mosquitoes. They could be considered two guardian deities.

These two new survivors were brothers, Liu Yue and Liu Xing. After receiving treatment, seeing how well everyone was doing here, they chose to stay. Jiang Huan seized the opportunity to suggest covering the underground shelter.

This decision naturally sparked discussion among everyone: “Even with two more people, it’s not necessary to go to such lengths to dig tunnels, is it? Originally, two meals a day were barely enough for our basic needs; now doing this…”

“I believe it’s necessary. During this time, some companions have been sleeping against the walls or curled up on the ground, and I think we all feel uncomfortable. Rather than having conflicts and disagreements in the future, it’s better to expand now. We can have more choices and opportunities, and we can have an additional place to store supplies.”

If phrased like that, no one could object. It was tiring, but Jiang Huan wasn’t saying anything unreasonable. Over time, as they worked together more, bonds formed. Now, seeing the Xie family members lying in the corner without doors, with one cardboard box and one sleeping bag, no one could ignore it.

But when living together, no one likes to have someone else’s good quarters occupied. If it were like this, everyone would feel better.

This time, besides the two resting newcomers and the one on patrol, Xie Congzhou took the two to plant and descend into the pit, while the rest all threw themselves into the excavation. Following Xie Congzhou’s suggestion, they dug near the underground river. The pattern had been retrieved by Jiang Huan, printed in color, and included in Jiang Xi’s basic drawing album; everyone excavated according to the living quarters (entertainment, restaurant, etc.), conference hall, snow storage area, bedroom, and several major sections, with the bedroom dug for thirty rooms.

Every day, piles of dirt were dug out and piled elsewhere for use. Jiang Huan secretly descended the mountain, discovered the inventory of the agricultural tools store, and went to the official base to exchange some tools.

A few days later, the mutated snow rats they had never encountered finally climbed up the mountain, more than ten in number, and none entered the air raid shelter; they were all caught by the people.