To the guard, Gou Fugui's words sounded rather arrogant and conceited.
But the guard didn't say much. He just took a metal number plate from the basket next to him and handed it to Gou Fugui. In any case, reality would teach him a lesson.
Gou Fugui looked at the number "44" written on the number plate and felt that the number was a little unlucky, but he quickly realized what the number meant: "There are still forty-three people who have taken on this task?"
The guard nodded matter-of-factly, then shook his head and said, "There are already forty-three people who have taken on the mission, plus you, you are forty-four. Stand aside and let me see if we can make a hundred today."
Gou Fugui's eyes widened: "So many people are taking on this mission?"
The guard shrugged: "This task offers the most contribution, so everyone wants to give it a try, regardless of their actual skills."
If you're lucky enough to actually get the mission machine, that's a reward of three Survival Orbs! Whether you resell them or use them yourself, Survival Orbs are much more valuable than millions in the lottery, aren't they?
As the guard said this, his eyes were practically screaming at Gou Fugui, "Aren't you one of those people who want to gamble and speculate? Don't you know what people like you are thinking?"
Fu Gui, a humanoid otter who is truly skilled at swimming and diving: "...Alright then."
Strength is the best way to prove someone wrong. Once he brings back that machine and gets the three survival orbs, the guard will stop looking at him like that.
He had met every guy along the way, and every one of them ended up being proven wrong. He refused to believe that this guard would be an exception.
While the humanoid otter Fugui was talking to the guard, Xie Tianlang had already accepted the same task.
His number is 45. It feels a little more auspicious than "Otter Rich and Noble".
Then, the werewolf brother very tactfully offered to exchange number plates with Fugui'er, but Fugui'er refused with an otter-like disdain: "Keep it! I may not be able to beat you on land, but I'm definitely the one who can survive the most in the water."
He, Otter Fugui, will never drown in the sea!
Even if he encounters great danger at sea, he still has one last trump card – his transformation ability – unused. He's not afraid at all.
Then Fugui'er and Xie Tianlang waited together in the rescue mission hall.
Only then did Gou Fugui have the opportunity and time to observe the mission hall and the people who came to it.
The mission hall is using the lobby of the Qingchuan City Public Service Building, which was previously where Qingchuan residents handled their medical and social security matters. It has now been taken over by the authorities to handle the reception and registration of newcomers to Qingchuan City.
In addition, the site also publishes various official emergency requests and special work assignments, which can be considered another way to recruit talent and improve efficiency.
Unlike the peaceful and tranquil Jin family's planting base more than 20 kilometers away, the entire mission hall was filled with an atmosphere that made people anxious and uneasy.
Almost all the people who braved the wind and rain to finally arrive here looked bewildered and pained. Most of them kept sneezing, hugging themselves or shivering from the cold, and many had tears still on their faces and were cursing the heavens in hoarse voices.
"My poor Sen Sen! Sen Sen was only six years old! He was gone just like that from a high fever! I dressed him up warmly and wrapped him in a raincoat the whole way, but he still got soaked!" A grandmother cried out sadly, "Why does it keep raining like this?! Our family are all good people who have done nothing wrong! Why couldn't we save my little grandson?"
Perhaps because she was too sad and in pain, the grandmother fainted after calling out several times! Someone in the mission hall immediately exclaimed, but the staff in charge of reception in the mission hall skillfully pressed the emergency communication button and summoned paramedics.
Clearly, this wasn't the first time they'd dealt with such a situation; in fact, judging by their skill level, they'd probably done it countless times in the past month.
"...Alas, there's little chance this old lady can be saved. She's lost her will to live, and after being soaked in the rain and exhausted all the way, her body was already at its limit. If she still had the will to hold on, she might have recovered from a minor illness in a few days, but judging from her current condition, she's likely to become seriously ill."
If someone has a serious illness, there's basically no hope of recovery.
The speaker was another muscular man standing next to Gou Fugui and Xie Tianlang, holding a number plate. He looked like a distinctly Tibetan man, with dark skin but a very energetic appearance.
Seeing Gou Fugui turn his head to look at him, the man smiled at him and said, "Young man, you must be one of the earlier ones to arrive in Qingchuan, right? Judging from your appearance, you haven't suffered too much in the past month."
"But in the past month, I've come to the mission hall every day to accept missions, and I've seen too many people rushing over like this. At first, although the people who came were a bit disheveled, everyone still had spirits, and most of their families were still present."
But the later people arrived, the worse it got; they were either injured or sick. The worst I ever saw was a family of more than ten who set off together, but by the time they got here, only the father and son were left alive.
They said they first encountered a small earthquake on the way, barely managed to escape the earthquake zone, and then tragically ran into two crocodiles. The crocodiles mauled and killed several elderly people in the family, and the rest were injured. They had been fleeing in the rain all the way here, and their spirits lifted as soon as they relaxed, and then they collapsed.
Gou Fugui remained silent.
Although he was one of the first to encounter a major storm and tsunami at sea after entering this world, he did not actually suffer any major hardship.
The most dangerous tsunami didn't kill him and Xie Langren; instead, it sent them flying to South China Sea City.
Although the ten-odd days spent taking refuge at the South China Sea Stadium were somewhat frustrating, the disaster had only just begun. He had a golden touch that allowed him to handle the seawater well, and they made the decision to come to Qingchuan at the first opportunity. They were ahead of the curve in every step, avoiding the real suffering and death brought by the rising sea level.
During the past month at the Jin family's plantation, he had plenty to eat and drink. He spent most of his time worrying with Grandpa Jin about the lack of sunlight, which caused many plants to stop growing. He also watched the news about flooded areas and how many people were homeless. But when he came here from the plantation, it was as if he had seen a real "apocalyptic world".
The Jin family's peaceful and leisurely life was like a beautiful bubble, but it was immediately burst by the oppression and struggle that followed them into the mission hall.
Gou Fugui also knew that the Jin family's comfort wouldn't last long. As more and more people came to Qingchuan, and as the rains intensified and the sea level rose higher, they would eventually have to board the ship.
Gou Fugui's mind wandered slightly, but he snapped back to reality at the guard's shout: "Is anyone else going to take on mission number one? If not, let's set off!"
After shouting this three times, no one came over. The guard then looked at the dozens of people on Gou Fugui's side and said, "Alright, there are fewer people today, so it will be a bit easier for us on the cloud boat. Come with me, we'll go to the Yalu River to board the boat. It will take five hours to go downstream on the Yalu River to reach the research base where Sichuan Province and Qinghai Province meet."
"We'll have to walk for an hour by water first! Make sure you wear your raincoats and hats. Although the temperature isn't as noticeable due to rising sea levels, it's already autumn, and there have been a lot of colds and fevers lately... Don't say I didn't warn you, all the hospitals in Qingchuan Province are overcrowded right now, and more and more people are dying from colds and fevers."
Gou Fugui and Xie Tianlang, along with more than sixty others, followed closely behind the guard. After hearing what the guard said, he hesitated for a few seconds between the humanoid otter Fugui and the humanoid badger Fugui, but ultimately chose the sea otter Fugui who was rubbing his face.
While the honey badger's bloodline grants it greater stamina and fighting prowess, its ability to withstand rain is very low, given its habitat on the African continent. In contrast, sea otters have thick, waterproof fur and live in the sea, practically raised in seawater, making them less susceptible to illness or colds caused by rain.
In the current situation, a strong fighting ability is not as important as a healthy body.
So Xie Tianlang, who was walking behind the wealthy and beautiful woman along the way, noticed that the long-haired Yuanyuan he had identified had to comb her hair almost every three minutes and rub her face every five minutes.
In the end, he even took out a small comb from his backpack and kept combing his ponytail.
Amazingly, at this point, the silvery-white hair on his high ponytail and forehead was gone; it was now long, thick, and glossy black hair. I secretly touched it and it felt wonderful.
What's even more amazing is that this time when he secretly touched his hair, he didn't get a hard claw or a kick, but instead a glare that was both cute and aloof, making him look even more like Yuanyuan.
Or rather, Fugui'er, without its silvery-white fur, is not short-tempered, and Fugui'er, who loves to comb its hair, seems to be a good swimmer.
Xie Tianlang followed Gou Fugui, lost in thought and enjoying the ride. He didn't find the change strange or unacceptable at all. The more unknown and mysterious things there were, the more he wanted to explore and pursue them.
What an interesting and amazing person he is, isn't he?
After enduring so many boring years, he's only now truly realizing how wonderful it is to be alive.
An hour later, Gou Fugui and his group, braving the wind and rain and wading through countless puddles, finally arrived at the Yalu River.
The wind and rain were even stronger by the river, almost blowing everyone's raincoats and hats off. The biting cold wind made people shiver slightly, and the alternation between body temperature and the cold wind made it easy to catch a cold.
But Gou Fugui was not paying attention to the strong winds and waves on the riverbank; rather, he was looking out from where he was standing on the riverbank at the vast, gray, and seemingly endless sea.
Gou Fugui had seen all kinds of seas and climbed countless mountains in his original world, considering himself quite worldly-wise. Yet, standing here now, he was still deeply shaken, even awestruck, by this world and its surroundings.
The place where they stood should have originally been a high mountain, with deep gorges between the mountains and a rushing river flowing through the gorges; this should have been its original appearance.
However, the mountains are still there, but the deep canyons have been filled in by the river. The river no longer needs to flow eastward for long; after falling down, it can flow into the sea.
Returning to that vast expanse of white.
"Alright! Everyone, hurry up and get on the ship, don't waste time on the riverbank! Remember to follow me and don't get separated! I've already told you on the way, right? There are several different mission areas on this ship. If you go to the wrong area, you'll have to disembark in another area!"
The deliveryman was shouting at the top of his lungs, afraid the wind and rain would drown out his voice. Only after everyone was on board the enormous ship, which looked completely different from ordinary cruise ships, did the deliveryman breathe a sigh of relief.
"Everyone has seen this ship, right? Isn't it incredibly big and sturdy? This is the initial version of the specially designed giant seagoing vessel that was mentioned in the news last night! It can accommodate up to five thousand people. It was mainly used to test the storm resistance of new materials. Only after the successful testing of this 'Pioneer' did we start building ever larger and larger giant seagoing vessels."
The mission officer counted the heads to make sure all sixty-eight people were there before he became interested in telling them about this special ship.
"If you're interested, you can take a look around this area, but please don't wander around unnecessarily. Most of the people on board are soldiers on an emergency mission; only a small number are ordinary people on a mission."
The task manager paused here, his expression very serious: "Don't cause them trouble, don't disturb them. They are already extremely tired compared to you."
No one dared to object at this moment. Everyone either sat in their cabins with their eyes closed and rested, or quietly gazed at the sea outside the windows.
After thinking for a moment, Gou Fugui tiptoed out. He wanted to see the city, the land, and... the world that had been submerged by the sea.
Then, amidst the wind and rain, he saw what he wanted to see.
But none of those scenes were what he wanted to see.
The giant ship surged forward, rapidly descending with the river and sea currents, wind and rain sweeping past his eyes. He saw magnificent mountains rising from the sea, like giant beasts hidden in the deep ocean; he saw towering buildings, some collapsed, some standing, in the water; the further he went, the more numerous, varied, awe-inspiring, and terrifying the sights became…
When they arrived at their submerged destination five hours later, all they saw were countless corpses floating on the sea, battered by wind and rain.
Gou Fugui stood by the boat, thinking that he had never felt so sincerely that there were so many lives on this land.
I have never felt life so precious as I do now. So precious that even if I give up all my wealth, I cannot hold onto it; so heavy that even if I give my all, I cannot sustain it.
"According to Sanchuan's calculations, in just one and a half months, more than half of the world's human population has died." Xie Tianlang's voice rang in my ears, making it hard to breathe.
"At least 70% of land animals have become extinct."
"It is heading towards its death."
Gou Fugui closed his eyes. He knew who "it" was.
But then he suddenly opened his eyes: "But it's not dead yet, is it?"
"How can you know the outcome until the very last moment?"
Even at the very last moment, as long as the core of the world is found and repaired, survival is possible!
Gou Fugui jumped off the giant ship into the wind and waves, and Xie Tianlang smiled admiringly as he watched the young man's agile figure in the sea.
"What a coincidence."
He's the kind of person who won't give up until the very last moment.
The giant ship is like a massive bus at sea, and Sichuan Province is just one stop on its journey. Next, it will carry a ship full of soldiers to other regions to carry out even more difficult missions: salvage, rescue, and search—all for the better survival of more lives.
A cruise ship serving as a floating home is moored here at the Sichuan Provincial Laboratory. While it's no longer suitable for navigating the current stormy conditions, it's perfectly adequate as a temporary docking point and gathering place for explorers.
When Gou Fugui and his group of 68 people disembarked from the giant ship at sea, lifeboats came to pick them up.
Most of these people were on missions in Sichuan Province, while others paid for their boat trips with food or daily necessities, hoping to come to this relatively nearby and bustling place to retrieve some items to take back with them.
After all, compared to simply working mechanically in a factory on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau or staying in a safe zone like being in prison, this method is more likely to give one a chance to turn their life around.
When they arrived on that enormous cruise ship, Gou Fugui was momentarily dazed—
The cruise ship had clearly been modified; a canopy had been erected over the original open-air platform to protect it from the wind and rain, and there were even quite a few people setting up stalls and hawking their wares under the canopy.
"All kinds of mobile phones, laptops, and game consoles that can be turned on! Power banks are fully charged! Three packs of instant noodles or two fish can be exchanged for a mobile phone or a power bank! Come and have a look!"
"Freshly retrieved jewelry! You can pick whatever you like, like a pack of instant noodles or a fish! Although these pieces aren't very useful right now, who knows if the rain will stop tomorrow? Come and buy them, they're all genuine items originally priced at thousands or tens of thousands!"
"Just got some really good stuff from the clothing market! Down jackets, sweaters, thermal pants—the prices are negotiable. Why not get one for your parents and kids? With so many clothes being mass-produced or even discontinued, why not stock up now?!"
The sight of people setting up stalls and hawking their wares almost made Gou Fugui think he had wandered into a small market, but a real small market wouldn't use instant noodles or fish as currency.
There won't be any small market where jewelry and mobile phones are worthless, while food is sold at exorbitant prices.
"Look, look! These are the sardines we caught today! A whole bunch! Selling them cheap! You can trade anything of value with us, we'll take it all! If you have any pork, beef, lamb, chicken, or any other non-spoiled food, we'll buy it at a high price!"
"It's quite lively," Gou Fugui couldn't help but exclaim. Before disembarking, he felt that the storm was tragic and that humanity was doomed, but after boarding the cruise ship, he discovered that the power of life was not so easily defeated.
A nimble cat darted past Gou Fugui's feet and snatched a sardine from the large fish stall in front of him.
Gou Fugui thought the men at the fish stall would be furious and kill the cat, but instead, they just laughed and cursed at the cat, saying, "It's you again, you fish-stealing cat!"
"Eat my fish, and you'll live a few more days! Don't lose to this damned fate!"
The wealthy and beautiful woman smiled.
"Hey, you long-haired guy, stop staring! Come with me and let's familiarize ourselves with the house. After we're done, before it gets dark, let's head straight to the research base!"
Although the guard in charge had little hope for his difficult mission, the first one he was responsible for, a few people who seemed promising did show up this time.
For example, there's that tall, handsome man who exudes an aura of power just by standing there; there's that Tibetan man who supposedly lives by Qingchuan Lake year-round; there's that petite, short-haired woman who works as a pearl diver; and there's that diver with his own diving equipment. The mission officer thinks that these four people might be able to dive into the research base and find those three machines.
Yes, there are actually three high-precision machines in the research institute in Sichuan Province that can synthesize materials for making "survival balls".
Only one of the three machines was located in a relatively easy-to-find experimental factory on the first floor of the research institute. The other two were in the underground storage room of the research base.
The vertical distance from the sea surface to the experimental base below is already fifty meters deep. To enter the research institute in fifty meters of water, and then search for heavy machines that are unfamiliar and unknown to us in the face of breathlessness, water pressure, and complex architectural environment, is a truly arduous task.
Not to mention the two in the underground warehouse.
In addition, given the lack of professional diving equipment and available tools, it's no wonder that more than a thousand people applied for the task more than half a month after it was posted, but none of them managed to complete it.
Arriving at the top of the research base in a lifeboat, the mission officer gave everyone a detailed introduction to the research institute and the mission.
"Actually, this task was originally intended for the military. But there are only three machines here, and it would be a waste for the military to send them here once, as they also have more important tasks to collect supplies. So they couldn't call on those of us who are capable to do it."
However, this mission will only be available for a maximum of five more days. If no one has completed the mission by then, the military will intervene. After all, survival is the most important thing right now.
"So everyone, you only have five days left to try. If you can't retrieve that machine within five days, you won't have another chance," the mission officer said.
"Now, everyone can go about their own business. You've all seen the map of the research institute, and I've told you where the machine is located."
"Now is the time for everyone to show their unique abilities."
The young man handling the task turned to look at the long-haired youth who had been standing beside him. His eyes seemed to say:
Come on, let's show it off?
The humanoid otter Fugui reached out and grabbed a handful of his hair, then, in front of a group of people who were doing various warm-up exercises before diving, he took a deep breath and jumped into the water with a rather graceful posture.
Let's just show it off then.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
