Chapter 13

When the news that the volcano in Country T had erupted and was officially rated level 7 was urgently broadcast across the world, Chao Youqian was still deep in a sweet dream.

After officially moving into their large apartment in H City and putting their belongings away, they finally relaxed from their previously hectic lives. The villa was stocked with supplies with a long shelf life. The garden was weeded, and after reinforcing the walls, short fruit trees were transplanted. No further landscaping was done, leaving the exterior to resemble a half-furnished house.

The ordered and modified new energy Jeep truck finally got the H city license plate. The roof of the car was filled with semi-flexible solar panels, the rear seats were removed and replaced with an in-car refrigerator and solar batteries, and the loading area at the rear was lengthened and converted into an opaque cargo box.

Both underground garages are equipped with new energy charging stations, which can fully charge the car three or four times even after a power outage. I used the modified new energy vehicle twice to load a full truck of fresh food and a full truck of drinking water. After testing its function and power consumption, I locked it in the garage for backup use, resuming my daily travels with the gasoline-guzzling off-road vehicle.

The empty space on the 26th and 27th floors of the house was gradually filled up. Chao Youqian and Lang Xin lived there together, selectively modifying and adding equipment and items.

Of course, the natural gas pipeline was still blocked, and a quarter of the free space in the 26th-floor living room was occupied, filled with gas tanks. In addition to the solar and electric water heaters in the two bedrooms, a gas water heater was installed. One tank of gas was enough to provide hot water for a daily shower for six months. I also stocked up on a dozen more gas cylinders for gas stoves. Although a larger tank of gas lasted longer, smaller cylinders could be used as backup and heating fuel.

The virus's spread intensified, and the number of people coughing and sneezing on the streets increased significantly. Yesterday, when Chao Youqian left the house, he'd said Lang Xin was making a fuss about asking him to wear two masks. The doctor he knew had reported information from City B, and that the situation in City H wasn't as serious. But once he got outside, he tugged at Lang Xin's sleeve, implying he was wrong.

Chao Youqian was sleeping so soundly now because he was very tired yesterday. A shopping trip that was no less than the moving trip had exhausted all his energy.

After settling down and carefully studying the doomsday survival manuals circulating on the Internet, I realized that it is better to stock up on some equipment and parts just in case. The most painful thing is to reach the point where you can't even buy them.

The ventilation system was specifically equipped with easily replaceable filters, so I bought a few dozen as a backup. My home only has the most basic hardware, so I compared and bought enough kits at the hardware market to repair appliances and other household items. I originally thought the solar panels would just cover the entire balcony, but this time I stocked up on a bunch and placed them in the living room on the 27th floor to prevent damage.

I bought a bunch of items I couldn't find online, scooped up a few powerful weapons on the gray market, and once again went through the list of essential non-food supplies recommended by a highly-rated netizen. I went to the farmers' market and bought two more sets of soilless growing racks for the balcony, as well as nutrient solution, insecticide, and other supplies to fill the remaining space on the 26th-floor balcony.

It took several trips back and forth to buy all the things and bring them back, and then there was another round of disinfection and sorting. No wonder he slept until half past ten today.

Chao Youqian got up and brushed his teeth, half-closed, in front of the bathroom mirror. The weather in H City had been pleasant as usual these past few months, with sunshine and a low temperature. The Bluetooth-connected mirror played soothing music when a news feed suddenly popped up at the top. He double-clicked with his free hand to zoom in, his electric toothbrush forgetting to pause and change areas, and only brushed one side of his teeth.

After quickly glancing at the news and finishing his wash, Chao Youqian walked into the living room. The TV was playing a report from a CCTV reporter on Country T:

"Country T is currently affected by a tsunami and volcanic ash wave generated by a magnitude 7 volcanic eruption. All submarine optical cables and above-ground infrastructure have been destroyed, making it impossible to determine the local situation and the extent of the damage. The Chinese team that went to Country T to deliver aid the day before yesterday returned last night. No Chinese residents are currently in Country T."

"Multiple countries have issued tsunami warnings. A magnitude 7 volcanic eruption has caused a tsunami that has swept across coastlines around the world. Please pay attention to the safety of your life and property. Do not go out to sea or approach coasts with warnings in place in the near future. Cherish your life."

Lang Xin sat on a mat on the floor, his back resting on an ergonomic pillow that was said to have won an award. On the large coffee table were placed a computer, a mobile phone and a cup of coffee.

Chao Youqian naturally sat down next to him, leaning against the pillow, and kneading another pillow in his hand. "What time did you get up? Is there any more news about the 7-magnitude volcanic eruption in Country T?"

Lang Xin leisurely adjusted his pillow, then stood up and poured a glass of warm water, motioning for Chao Youqian to drink it first to moisten his stomach. "I got up a while ago, and when I turned on the TV and my phone, there were reports of the volcano in Country T. Right now, aside from Country T and its nearby neighbors, no other places have been seriously affected. Country R shielded our country from the tsunami, and after the warning, the only casualties were a few fishermen out at sea. It's all over social media right now."

Chao Youqian drank most of the glass of water in one gulp, and the thirst brought by a good night's sleep disappeared. He took out his mobile phone and sure enough, the screen was full of news pushed by major platforms. The headlines were more exaggerated than the other, such as "Little Ice Age is coming", "Magnitude 7 volcanic eruption may cause food harvest failure", etc.

He clicked on them one by one, and they were all familiar, clichéd phrases copied from history. Pursing his lips, Chao Youqian was now irritated by the ever-changing and complex realities of reality. You know, the original novel he dreamt about had no mention of this at all; it only discussed the virus. A magnitude 7 volcanic eruption, a clear sign of an apocalyptic eruption, was a clear sign of apocalyptic events. How could it not be mentioned at all?

He anxiously put his hand to his mouth and wanted to bite it, but Lang Xin quickly grabbed his hand and pressed it down, "What's wrong? What's bothering you so much?" He knew every little habit of Chao Youqian. When he was nervous and couldn't figure something out, he liked to bite his fingers. Since he refused to change, Lang Xin had to stop him manually.

"I'm fine..." Chao Youqian didn't want to convey his negative emotions to Lang Xin, but the other party's firm eyes told him that they were close enough to trust each other and prepare for the end of the world, so what else could not be said?

Chao Youqian sighed and said, "It's not a big deal. I just didn't dream of a magnitude 7 volcanic eruption. I had no idea something so big was going on. It's just a small deviation, but I'm afraid there will be more different situations in the future."

Lang Xin peeled a chocolate bar for him and put it in his mouth. "Is this what you're worried about? Reality is constantly changing, just like the parallel universes in many movies. We have done our best to prepare in advance, and we will definitely be able to survive smoothly."