The glass windows of the restaurant on the second floor of Times Square are now crowded with people peering out from under the glass.
Besides people's natural inclination to enjoy a spectacle, the main reason is that everyone has been in the mall for three days and is getting bored out of their minds.
Moreover, there were far more refugees in the shopping mall than in other places. Although there was a large supermarket on the first floor and restaurants on the second, third and fourth floors, at least four or five thousand people crowded into the mall when the fog arrived. Even though there was enough food stored in the mall, the average amount distributed to each person was less than that of the survivors in the small supermarket.
In this situation, any changes in the outside world will attract the attention of people in the mall.
Everyone longed for rescue, yet feared the unimaginable horrors that might lurk in the fog.
However, it now seems that the three people who appeared in the fog, walking abnormally slowly and not like humans, are probably not good people.
"Hey, they moved again! So the one in front must be alive; he's been leading the way into the mall. Those two behind are jumping around like that, are they even human?"
"It's a bit risky, but someone has already notified the people on the first floor. They're on guard there now to prevent them from suddenly ramming or smashing the doors. The mall's main entrance has two layers of glass and two layers of thick plastic magnetic doors! Even if it's those three... people? It's almost impossible for them to force their way in."
"If those three people are real people, and they were attacked or injured in the fog and became like that, as long as they can answer some basic questions correctly, everyone will still let them in in the end."
Most importantly, there are at least four thousand living people in the mall. Unless those three slow-moving, tortoise-like guys are super Saiyans, they cannot pose a threat to so many people in the mall.
Therefore, people were more interested in watching the excitement from the windows than in being afraid.
Forty minutes passed, and the people playing Snake in the restaurant had all put down their phones. The three guys finally reached the mall entrance.
"Oh dear, they've arrived and are climbing the steps! They've finally made it! It's been such a long time. I was so anxious for them, leaning against the window. I was worried they'd be so close to the gate and then give up at the last step! I was going to be so upset."
Xie Tianlang glanced at this obsessive-compulsive person who always sees things through to the end, and finally stood up from the chair by the second-floor window.
He didn't need to rush at all. By the time he went downstairs and walked to the main gate, the three people had probably just reached the glass door.
Xie Tianlang's imagination was far more imaginative than Song Sanchuan's; after all, he was the one who dared to imagine sea otters becoming spirits in the very first world.
He didn't even need to check his computer or phone. After watching his Yuanyuan's extremely slow but perfectly synchronized steps for three minutes, he had already identified the peculiar animal as a "sloth."
So, it's true that there's poison in the fog. And the unknown poison contained within the fog is probably very troublesome, something only the sloth Fugui's skills can handle.
Thinking of this, Captain Xie couldn't help but frown slightly. In that case, they would probably have to find a specially made, completely sealed vehicle to move around freely.
When Xie Tianlang came down to the door on the first floor, dozens of people had already gathered there.
These people all carried their favorite weapons—sturdy baseball bats, frying pans that looked and sounded quite heavy, and slippers that were sometimes particularly convenient to use.
However, the most capable one was the guy with the durian shell. That half-durian shell in his hand looked more formidable than a baseball bat or a slipper, and could even rival a frying pan in damage.
At this moment, the young man holding the durian stood by the door, waving the durian and shouting to the outside:
"Who's outside? Squeak out if you're human, ghost, or zombie!! Anyone alive and with a brain, squeak out and answer our questions! That'll prove you're a normal person."
Xie Tianlang twitched his lips speechlessly, feeling that the question was really silly.
Then he started to squeeze in from the outermost edge of the crowd. I don't know what strange method he used, but he just walked a few steps forward in a very ordinary way and squeezed into the middle of the dozens of people surrounding the door.
The young man holding the durian started asking strange questions:
What is one plus one?
"Speak a foreign language you know to prove you've been to school!"
"Take off your mask and diving gear so we can see if you have any bite marks on your face!"
"And I also need to explain why it took the three of you forty minutes to get to the mall entrance?! That's not a normal speed at all!!"
"We're packed with people here, if you... hey! My God, what are you doing, bro!"
The young man holding the durian was halfway through his question when he suddenly noticed someone standing next to him. This person opened the first layer of glass doors, quickly lifted the two middle plastic magnetic doors, and finally opened the outermost glass door that they had locked. This immediately made the dozens of people blocking the door anxious.
"They haven't even answered your questions yet and you're already opening the door? What if they have problems? Are you going to take responsibility?!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the three "people" who were wrapped up tightly and whose speed was 0.25 suddenly moved!
Amid everyone's vigilance, the man in black at the front revealed his handsome features.
As he removed his mask, he gave the group of people who were defending themselves with weapons a look that was both speechless and mocking.
Ah, this young man seems quite normal, unlike the slow-moving zombies they imagined.
Everyone awkwardly put down their weapons. At this moment, Song Sanchuan and Si Wuyai, who had been dragged over without listening, looking, or thinking, also came to their senses. Song Sanchuan shook his head and saw Xie Tianlang, and immediately shouted happily:
"Boss! We arrived safely!"
Xie Tianlang very sparingly gave Song Sanchuan only a glance, and then looked at Xin Shangyuan, whom he hadn't seen for three days.
"Sloth?"
Fu Guiyuan smiled, her arched eyebrows and eyes particularly beautiful: "Yes. It can make you immune to the toxins in the mist."
"The toxins in the fog have a strong hallucinogenic effect. Those specially made filter masks are useless, and the joints of the oxygen cylinders that can be used need to be reinforced to prevent corrosion, otherwise they won't work. So it's better to use the most natural method."
"Moreover, as long as it is not completely sealed, there is a possibility of infection. If necessary, we should get a few sets of the official full protective suits here, as well as sealed vehicles for transportation."
Xie Tianlang nodded; this was exactly what he had thought.
Looking at Xin Shangyuan, who seemed relatively energetic, he couldn't help but reach out and smooth his hair. Then, amidst Song Sanchuan's disapproving glare and Si Wuyai's disapproving look, he said, "Let's go find a quiet place and discuss the problems of this world."
The wealthy and beautiful woman smiled and said, "Okay."
Song Sanchuan and Si Wuyai walked ahead without any expression, while Xie Tianlang and the wealthy beauty followed behind.
After the four of them left normally, the young man holding the durian, with the expression of an old man on the subway looking at his phone, dragged the durian shell in his hand and spoke for everyone:
"Isn't this perfectly normal?!"
Was that incredibly slow walking style a peculiar hobby of these three people?!
That's fucking outrageous!
At this moment, Xie Tianlang and his three companions had found a secluded corner and were discussing the mist.
Si Wuyai will analyze the composition of the fog and its effects on the human body, and will not participate in the discussion.
Gou Fugui and Song Sanchuan then discussed their plan to visit "Water Mist County," the earliest place in the southwest to experience fog.
"No matter what kind of disaster it is, we must know the source to save it. If it is a natural and unsolvable apocalypse like the ocean world or the high temperature world, we should do our best to preserve the power of life and stimulate the power of life."
"But if the root cause of the apocalypse, like in the zombie world and the giant world, is traceable, then it must be eradicated at its source."
Xie Tianlang nodded, "So now we need a completely sealed special rescue vehicle or supply transport vehicle, preferably with four sets of full-body protective suits."
"That's right, but then we'll have to deal with the authorities. If we had the power that the authorities cared about, like in the last world, it would be relatively easy to get a completely sealed car with a purification system."
Gou Fugui shrugged: "Right now, we don't have anything that can persuade the authorities. If we want protective suits and enclosed vehicles, we either have to steal them or go to great lengths to trade with the authorities."
"I wonder how many supplies it would take to buy a single enclosed rescue vehicle?"
Xie Tianlang shook his head: "At this time, enclosed vehicles are a scarce resource. The entire city is waiting for rescue, and the authorities are unlikely to be willing to give us one."
The discussion then became somewhat quiet.
Song Sanchuan clicked his tongue: "We still don't know if there are any emergency rescue vehicles in this city. We've been waiting for three days and there's still no news from the authorities."
Just as Song Sanchuan finished speaking, an announcement suddenly rang out over the loudspeaker in the mall.
[Good afternoon, citizens. The communication is finally connected. This is Mayor Liang Decai. I will keep it brief, so please listen carefully.]
According to monitoring results from the Capital Meteorological Observatory, more than half of Washington State was covered by the sudden fog. The fog shows no signs of dissipating for at least the next four days.
Citizens who are staying at home are urged to remain indoors and refrain from wandering around, and quietly wait for the fog to dissipate.
Citizens who have taken refuge in the streets and shops need not worry, as rescue teams have been carrying out rescue operations in various areas since early yesterday morning.
However, because the closed rescue team has relatively few vehicles and members, and there are relatively many people to be rescued, the rescue progress may be slow at present. We hope everyone will persevere and wait with confidence.
Even if immediate assistance isn't possible, the supply transport team will operate throughout the city, and we believe they will soon deliver the much-needed basic necessities such as water and food to everyone.
The nation is still working hard, and we urge all citizens to persevere as well. The sunshine of faith will eventually dispel the gray smog.
The mayor's broadcast cheered up the survivors hiding in the mall and put most of them at ease about their worries about food and supplies.
Now it all depends on when the supply team will arrive. As if to add to everyone's joy, within five minutes of the mayor's broadcast, the mall doors were quickly pushed open by five or six people who looked particularly agile and were wearing fully sealed protective suits.
All the survivors on the first floor of the mall looked over, their eyes filled with anticipation.
"Big brother!"
Before the young man holding the durian shell could even try to strike up a conversation, the leader of the group spoke up somewhat anxiously:
"Our supply truck is just 300 meters ahead. We tried to force our way through, but it got stuck on the protective stone railing and can't get out!"
"We need a few strong young men to help us unload the truck, and then we need dozens more to transport the compressed biscuits and water! Who can help?"
The leader of the supply team looked around, only to find that everyone around him was either looking up at the sky or down at the ground, unwilling to make eye contact with him. Clearly, none of them wanted to go into the fog to help.
Even though he had anticipated this situation, he was still somewhat unwilling: "The supply truck is related to everyone's food supply for the next few days. If you don't unload the supply truck, your entire mall and the whole street will be out of supplies!"
We brought twelve sets of absolute protective suits. Although the oxygen inside will only last for ten minutes, twelve people working together can unload the supply truck in less than five minutes. Is there really no one willing to go?
If no one can help them unload the supply truck, not only will their team fail to complete their mission of transporting supplies, but the people in this mall and on this street will go hungry, and they themselves will likely be stuck here and unable to return to the resource transport station.
The transport team leader shouted loudly into the mall several more times, and just when he couldn't help but feel extremely disappointed, someone finally stood up.
However, there are only four.
The transport captain's eyes, visible through his protective goggles, first lit up and then dimmed again.
How can four people be enough?
Then he heard the long-haired youth ask him, "If the four of us help you unload the transport truck, can we have all twelve sets of protective suits?"
The transport team leader thought this was utter nonsense.
"Our supply trucks are very heavy! And very big!"
Even if the front of the car wasn't connected to the body, it was still impossible for four people to lift the front of the car.
But the young man, who had no sense of his own limitations, still asked, "It's okay, I'm naturally strong. I'm just asking if we can have twelve sets of protective suits if we help out?"
The lead transport team leader was about to speak again when another transport worker next to him spoke up: "If you can really help lift it, of course you can have it all. But if you're joking, the consequences will be severe, you know?"
The long-haired young man smiled.
Then, with a solemn expression, he uttered three words: "I...know..."
This made the transport team leader and the six transporters behind him even more convinced that this guy was unreliable.
But no one else stepped forward. They figured that with the six of them plus these four, that would make ten people, and maybe they could lift the front of the car.
Then, the transport team leader, along with four people dressed in full protective suits, quickly ran to the side of the supply transport vehicle.
Just as he was about to assign which part to lift, he saw the long-haired youth and another tall youth walk to the left and right sides of the truck's cab. The long-haired youth shouted "One, two, three!"
By the third point, the two men had lifted the cab of the transport vehicle, which weighed at least several hundred kilograms.
Yes, two people lifted it up.
The transport team leader thought that he might not have worn his protective suit properly and had unknowingly been invaded by the fog and entered a terrible hallucination.
Is the next thing these two are going to do is jump onto the truck bed and drag all the supplies off?!
"!!"
They actually did it!
Transport team leader: "Hehe."
He's indeed entered a hallucination. It's alright, he can stay calm. As long as it's not a terrifying, catastrophic hallucination, there's nothing wrong! Just have the team members take him into the sealed transport vehicle.
Then, the transport team leader, who thought he was as steady as a rock, finally lost his balance when he saw the long-haired ponytail youth lift the front of the transport truck with just one hand.
Holy crap! This hallucination is ridiculous!!
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