Chapter 165: Chapter 165: The Base’s Response Chapter 165: Chapter 165: The Base’s Response Gu Pan believed that all her friends must be alive because they had studied various disasters more than once and fully understood how to protect themselves. This was also why Gu Pan had prepared for such contingencies in the past, so the likelihood of them surviving was still great.
She just didn’t know where they were or whether they had been caught in the acid rain when it ca. She prayed that they were all safe and sound.
Lu Ruisheng knew what was on his wife’s mind, but anything he said now seed pale in comparison. All he could do was hold her and reassure her.
The acid rain was neither too heavy nor too light and continued to fall. By nightfall, it still hadn’t stopped.
That’s why, even though it was the end of the workday, there was no sound in the hallways and the outside lights ca on earlier than usual.
However, a look outside showed that many of the apartnt buildings were dark, with no lights on, because most people were out working and their hos were generally unoccupied.
The broadcast ca with new ssages, “Residents of No.7 Base, please do not panic. Rest where you are. The leaders of each departnt are coordinating resources to ensure that everyone gets to eat, and everyone has a place to sleep. The base leadership will not abandon anyone. The hospital has organized doctors to go out and treat injuries in various places. If you have injured people, please hang a red cloth at your door, or replace it with clothes or red items if you have none.”
The broadcast repeated over and over.
Doctors in the hospital, now donning chemical protection suits that had just been delivered by the base’s military, had already co out. Wearing the bulky suits, they set out to various places to provide treatnt.
They left by car, which were reinforced with thick protective blankets for the sake of saving ti, and the wheels had been protected as well.
Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng skipped dinner that night. They really didn’t feel like eating; they had no appetite. Who could think of eating at a ti like this?
Lu Ruisheng went to the restroom to fetch water again.
Gu Pan had an idea and said to Lu Ruisheng, “I’ll go across the hall to tell her to store so water as well, in case there’s a problem with the pipes that affects the water supply.”
Lu Ruisheng agreed.
Gu Pan then went to knock on their neighbor Yang Jia’s door.
Yang Jia opened the door quickly: “I’m, I’m a bit scared.” Her eyes were full of fear, but she knew it was the apocalypse, and asking for help was futile, so she had to endure. She was doing well not being injured.
Despite thinking this way, when she saw Gu Pan, when she saw soone she could talk to, she still felt like crying.
Gu Pan gently patted her on the shoulder: “Don’t be afraid, you’re very safe indoors. Doesn’t your ho have plenty of supplies? Now go back and store more water, because we don’t know if the acid rain will affect the water supply. So take advantage of the situation now and store so more. Do you have enough containers in your house?”
Yang Jia nodded: “Yes, I have three large barrels, and I’ve always made a habit of storing water. If I don’t bathe or wash my face, it can last a very long ti.”
Gu Pan said, “That’s good. Just relax. As long as we don’t go outside, we’ll be fine. Besides, this is the base, much safer than the outside.”
“Right, I’m already fortunate to be alive now. I’ll keep going. Thank you.”
“You’re welco. Now go back, don’t be afraid.”
“I got it. I’m glad you guys moved in.”
Gu Pan waved her hand and went back to her ho.
Yang Jia returned, locked her door and was truly grateful that such good people had moved in next door. A word of comfort now really made her feel much more at ease…
Night fell. Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng did not sleep, but lay in bed talking until they fell asleep in the early morning hours.
The next day, they were awakened by the broadcast. Early in the morning, the repetitive announcent said, “The acid rain will continue. We do not know how many days it will last. Those injured yesterday have been moved to the hospital. Now, the base will help everyone get ho to wait out the acid rain.”
Gu Pan sat up, didn’t go out or change, just draped a large shawl over herself and gazed out at the acid rain.
Lu Ruisheng also stood up, “Let’s have sothing to eat.”
Gu Pan nodded, “Yeah, get up and wash up, let’s have sothing warm in a bit.”
The two of them left the bedroom and took turns washing up in the bathroom since it was too small to accommodate both of them at the sa ti.
After freshening up, they ate soy milk and dough sticks by the small table by the window.
After finishing their al, Gu Pan looked around the house, “Let’s turn the bedroom against the wall into a living room and a lounge. We’re going to be staying at ho for a while, so it’s better to make it more comfortable.”
Lu Ruisheng nodded, “Sure, I have nothing else to do these days anyway, let’s give it a good makeover.” He felt it was good to be distracted by sothing.
First, they stored the bed in the Space, then took out a sofa, a coffee table, and a TV stand. Once set up, the room had style – all in a pastoral the, matching the original color sche and decor. The room was small, and luxurious furniture would not have looked good; this simple rural style was more appropriate.
Afterward, Gu Pan took out a large round carpet and placed it in front of the sofa.
She then found so floral fabric with a country style and used a sewing machine to make curtains. There was no need for anything too elaborate; there was no perpetual daylight or darkness now. Light-blocking curtains weren’t necessary; what mattered was a good mood. The floral pattern, with hints of green, would lift the spirits.
Once that was done, she hung up the curtains and took out so decorations, giving the room a whole new look.
Gu Pan then took out the television, playing old TV dramas.
With the sound on, it distracted them, preventing their thoughts from returning to the horrific scenes of acid rain.
By this ti, the base workers had started to send so workers, not required to be on duty, back to their hos.
Everyone had realized that although acid rain was terrifying, if one could protect oneself properly and avoid skin contact with the rain, it wasn’t a problem to go outside, and there was even no need for protective suits.
Despite this, danger still existed; if the rain intensified and water pooled on the ground, wet shoes could be hazardous. The slightest miscalculation could prove fatal. Thus, those who weren’t essential workers didn’t need to co to work. Essential personnel stayed at their posts, eating communal als and sleeping in dormitories en masse.
The departnt store staff were considered non-essential, so they could go ho, but those at the vegetable greenhouses or research institutions couldn’t leave; they were busier than ever. The greater the disaster, the heavier their responsibility.
Looking out the window, Gu Pan could see that the base’s customized vehicles were busy transporting people around. Their location offered the best view, and they could see everything clearly.
In the afternoon, many residents had returned to their building, bringing noise back to the hallways.
Neighbors who t in the hallway began talking about the acid rain. No one could have imagined rain corroding objects like sulfuric acid. Who could have expected that?
A middle-aged man’s voice said, “I saw with my own eyes people on the streets affected by the acid rain, their scalps completely dissolved, flesh blurred and bone-exposed. Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine. If I had been outside, it would have been worse than death.”
A slightly younger man’s voice replied, “I saw it too. I was inside the departnt store when we heard shouting outside. We thought there was a fight, but when we went out, we saw people covered in blood. I almost fainted.”
“Do you have enough supplies at ho?”
“Enough or not, the base has to take care of us. And besides, as long as the acid rain doesn’t touch the body, it’s not a problem. It’s actually easier to guard against than the previous heat or cold.”
“That may be, but it’s more dangerous, and really hard to endure.”
“That’s true. Now that we’re all back, let’s just stay ho and take it easy.”
“Right, and store more water, who knows if the acid rain will affect the drinking water? Better to have more stored.”
“Thinking about the days of extre heat when we had no water, I’m truly scared. This ti, I’ll definitely store as much as I can.”
“Well, I better head ho and make more preparations.”
“ too.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)