Looking outside the space, Bi Qiaoan saw so many guards showing respect to her husband, and her heart was filled with pride.
But Shen Yanming didn't know that he was still brewing medicine to dispel the cold for the guards.
After I finished here, I went to check on the patients who had just woken up.
Seeing that most people looked unwell, just like the guards, he set up another large pot and diligently brewed medicine for them.
Brewing medicine isn't actually a technically demanding task, and it's not like it can't be delegated to someone else. But Old Shen has to secretly add spiritual spring water, so he has to do it himself and dares not entrust it to anyone else.
This kept me busy all day, and for lunch I just had a bowl of thin porridge. It was really thin, you could almost count the grains of rice, and the thicker parts were left for the patients.
Shen Yanming thought to himself, "How can everyone survive on this kind of food?"
But he dared not complain, since the distribution of supplies was overseen by the Wen Alliance official. If they were doing it this way, there must be a reason. Perhaps the rice reserves were running low.
He wasn't wrong; due to temperature changes in recent years, Haishi has stopped growing rice. They've been planting wheat every year, but the wheat harvest hasn't been good either. Even the strongest reserves can't sustain so many "money-devouring beasts."
After the incident, he had someone take stock of the inventory and found that there wasn't much rice left, only some unhulled paddy rice.
Those that haven't shed their shells can be used as seeds, but most people don't dare to eat them.
Just as he was frowning, Li Gangtie walked over and whispered, "Don't worry, there will be big white steamed buns in a little while."
Shen Yanming breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, but still asked, "Is there enough food at the base?"
Li Gangtie almost burst out laughing when he heard him ask that. He suppressed his laughter and said, "So what if we have enough to eat? So what if we don't? These days, everyone's just living one day at a time, right? You shouldn't think so much about it, it's pointless!"
Shen Yanming felt very uncomfortable hearing this, but he couldn't refute it.
After gulping down a bowl of porridge, I followed Li Gangtie to get a steamed bun with mushroom sauce, and that was my lunch.
“Actually, in a year like this, it’s good enough to have anything to eat. Our base is considered lucky; we even give you refined grains,” Li Gangtie said with a smile.
Shen Yan rolled his eyes, wanting to retort. What do you mean by the base providing refined grains? It's obvious that the grains they stockpiled before were all refined grains.
Moreover, even whole grains are finely processed and no different from refined grains. They don't cause any throat irritation or unpleasant taste; on the contrary, they are very nutritious.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Li Gangtie nudged him with his shoulder and said, "When the snow stops, I'll take you outside to hunt rabbits."
Shen Yanming was startled by this and asked, "It's minus thirty or forty degrees outside, how can there be rabbits?"
Li Gangtie chuckled and lowered his voice, saying, "They're all hiding underground. You think only humans are smart enough to build burrows? Rabbits aren't stupid! Not just rabbits, many animals have learned to dig burrows. If we find their burrows, we can wipe them all out."
"Humans are evolving, and so are animals. Everyone is improving their tolerance to low temperatures," Shen Yanming remarked with emotion.
"That's a must, otherwise we'll be eliminated by the environment," Li Gangtie said nonchalantly.
"Alright, call out to your brother whenever we go out." He also wanted to scout things out and see if he could share the supplies in his space.
Li Gangtie smiled and nodded: "No problem!"
Because the base area was large, the guards had not yet finished checking areas C and B, so for the next few days, Shen Yanming went out early and returned late every day to brew medicine for everyone.
Although Bi Qiaoan didn't show up, thanks to Shen Yanming's publicity, the couple gained a good reputation at the base. Even if the reputation wasn't very useful, at least they were praised, weren't they?
A week later, the base completed its investigation, and those who had fainted were slowly recovering.
Thanks to the timely rescue, none of them suffered any serious injuries or aftereffects. Medical staff and patients alike exclaimed, "Thank God!"
Shen Yanming kept his achievements and fame hidden, smiling and saying things like "thank God" to everyone.
Perhaps because he acted so naturally, no one suspected him.
The commotion passed, and Old Shen returned to his winter hibernation. He spent his time at home with his beloved wife, son, and daughter, chatting around the fireplace, eating sunflower seeds and sweet potatoes—it felt wonderful!
Wen Mengguan was in a good mood because, in this incident, only their Haishi and Dijing were spared major trouble.
In other places, people died, more or less.
So the expected accountability didn't happen; instead, Li Zongmengguan praised him instead.
Wen Mengguan was secretly pleased, thinking that Haishi was truly a blessed land favored by heaven. However, there were also things that bothered him.
Subsequent investigation revealed that those people were afraid that the temperature would be too low next year and the harvest would fail, so they used all the credits they had earned to exchange for rice and flour.
The coal they obtained in this way was not enough, and their firewood reserves were limited. Once it ran out, they would have no choice but to endure the hardship.
I did consider going out to gather firewood, but it was too cold outside, and there was snow everywhere. If I accidentally got lost, it would be a matter of life and death.
So they could only hide at home, trembling with fear.
Last year, because people didn't understand climate change and didn't earn many credits, many people ate in the cafeteria.
We see each other often, and occasionally drop by for a chat, so if we haven't seen someone we know for a few days, we'll start asking about them. If anyone in trouble happens to anyone, we'll know immediately.
The guards also conduct checks every few days, and everyone is on tenterhooks.
This year is different, as many people are cooking at home to save credits.
The temperature kept dropping, and nobody wanted to visit each other or chat anymore.
Some people don't show up for ten days or half a month, and you don't even know if they are alive or dead.
Because the security guards checked too frequently last year, many people complained, so this year the number of checks was halved. But it was precisely because of the reduced number of checks that an accident almost occurred.
If those two houses hadn't collapsed under the weight of the snow, they wouldn't know when they would have discovered that many people in the base had fainted due to colds and fevers.
It can be considered a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.
After listening to his secretary's report for a long time, Wen Mengguan finally chuckled and said, "Indeed, his cleverness backfired!"
After the secretary left, Officer Wen called Chief Officer Li to report the results of the investigation into the incident.
After hearing this, General Li fell silent, unsure whether he should blame the victims.
While exchanging coal for grain may seem foolish, it was ultimately a means of survival.
If it weren't for the drastic changes to the planet, everyone would still be living in peace and prosperity. Why would we be so concerned about a meal or a piece of coal?
Ultimately, it's all the apocalypse's fault. But whose fault is this apocalypse?
"Alright, let's adjust the credits for coal and food slightly to ensure everyone can survive."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
