binnovel Chapter 38 Surviving in a Cataclysmic World (Part 7)
Chapter 38 Surviving in a Cataclysmic World (Part 7)
Chinese people have no shortage of ways to pass the time. Although the internet signal is getting worse, they can still watch TV, DVDs, play mahjong, listen to the radio, play cards, do crafts, exercise, read books... as long as they don't leave the building. For the first time, city dwellers are so familiar with their neighbors.
Aside from a few essential factories and workplaces where people still work, many with mortgages and those burdened with heavy workloads feel more comfortable than before. They no longer have to pay their mortgages or go to work every day, thanks to the government's promise to weather this period for a year and a half before reopening recruitment for vacant positions. The currency in use is points, and everyone has been given a smartwatch to store and trade points. These points are distributed by the government based on a certain ratio, according to everyone's pre-apocalyptic savings. For those without savings, the government provides ways to earn points. As for "free points"? You're dreaming!
Taking advantage of the rain, the country is using all its resources to store water. Rain only makes it difficult to move around and crops cannot be planted, but drought is much more destructive. People can really die if they don't drink water for a few days.
After being confined indoors for over two months, people were starting to feel restless. Being in a closed space for extended periods could negatively impact their mood. The public began receiving announcements on the official website, suggesting that people log on when bored. The website offered job postings for various technical skills, with pay in the form of points or equivalent goods. Children could attend online classes under family supervision, while adults could find courses they enjoyed, such as learning musical instruments, singing, dancing, various crafts, photography, and more. Any industry you had previously encountered in real life could now be taught online, all free of charge. You could also participate in various online competitions, such as singing, dancing, drawing, knitting, calligraphy, and fitness, with government rewards for winning prizes.
The main message is to get people moving, to keep them from being idle, and to stop letting their minds wander and become depressed. Seeing the efforts the country has made, and the public's cooperation, what more could you want? Look at how chaotic things are abroad! People should be content!
During these six months, many people with personality defects, such as antisocial individuals, some wanted criminals, some stubborn individuals, and some deeply hidden "50" individuals, were arrested by the military as soon as they showed their faces. Although China is recognized as the safest country in the world, it still has a crime rate. This wave of cleansing has made the whole society more harmonious.
They endured it all, finally getting through the torrential rains. After that, the government provided basic food supplies; if you wanted better food, you had to spend some points (likely referring to points or credits). The people understood, given China's large population. As the drought approached, the government broadcast reminders to everyone to fill all water containers in their homes. Previously, people were advised to save mineral water and beverage bottles; they could now use those as needed. The drought was far more severe than anyone had imagined.
When it came to their own lives, the people naturally didn't object and took action. Then, at midnight on June 1, 2013, the rain that had been falling for half a year suddenly stopped. The water that had accumulated on the sixth floor was visibly falling. Some people opened a window a little. The temperature wasn't very high, but you could clearly feel the water molecules in the air decreasing rapidly, as if there was a black hole in the sky that was constantly absorbing all the water molecules on Earth. This process continued until six o'clock in the morning. At this time, people could see that all the water had disappeared, dust was flying on the ground, and there were small cracks. Almost all the plants had withered and died.
The public panicked. Water is the source of life; even a three-year-old knows that we can't live without it. Although the country had made preparations, would its reserves be enough for so many people? Just then, the loudspeaker announced: "Dear citizens, as you can see, the difficulties we face in the next six months will be even more daunting. From now on, please shave your heads as much as possible, don't waste a single drop of water, and use every drop as if it were your last. For the next six months, please refrain from bathing unless absolutely necessary, and use cat litter whenever possible. We will be recruiting people in various communities for a fee to search for any usable supplies. Please sign up actively. Finally, let's all hope we can get through this!"
The public sensed the government's uncertainty, given the severity of the water shortage. Online discussions revealed that streams and lakes that were once ubiquitous were now dried up. Residents near the coast reported a significant drop in sea levels, causing many marine creatures to become dried-up and stranded within the past six hours. It's likely that the government's first priority in gathering resources will be to collect these aquatic organisms, as most of them are edible.
The public understood that everyone needed to work hard and cooperate with the country to the best of their ability. The Chinese people did not want social unrest, and most prayed for a stable life. Therefore, after dawn, groups of soldiers led by officers could be seen spreading out from each neighborhood, beginning a thorough search for supplies. Everything movable and detachable was collected and sent to designated locations for professional processing. The most convenient mode of transportation was now tricycles, as storage capacity had decreased, so saving resources was key.
The people living by the sea did indeed go to the sea to collect dried goods, then transported them by the truckload to all parts of the country. There was no need to worry about preservation, as they were already completely dried. The further they went from the original coastline, the more alarmed they became. Did the sea even exist anymore? They couldn't see the horizon at all; as far as the eye could see, there was only pure white salt. The salt definitely needed to be collected and processed into table salt. Salt and sugar are both strategic resources. Based on the amount of salt they saw, it was estimated to be enough to supply the entire country of China for two hundred years.
The government has also dispatched a special task force to check how far the sea level has receded. Currently, it is known that Guangzhou and Hong Kong are accessible by foot. As for how much of the four oceans remain, we will have to wait for the latest survey results. From satellite images, the oceans have not completely dried up, but the remaining area is not large. The satellite photos now show a vast expanse of white.