When someone shouted that there was a fire, the people around didn't seem to react much. After all, in this kind of hot weather, aging circuits and unsafe use of fire can cause fires. In the past month, there have been several fires in Zone 3, so everyone has become used to it.
However, the fire showed no signs of stopping, and people only began to take it seriously when the firefighters started evacuating residents near the fire site.
With a loud crash, Mr. Lu rushed in, coughing. His face was covered in soot, and he shouted breathlessly, "Xiao Yuan, let's go! Let's put out the fire!"
The family rushed out and panicked when they saw Lu's father, who was covered in black soot from the burns.
"Dad! Where have you been? Why are you burning up like this?" Lu Yuan checked his father's body and thankfully he wasn't seriously injured, except for a cut on the back of his hand.
"Oh! Don't even mention it. One house in the village caught fire, and the fire, carried by the wind, went west and burned more than ten houses! It's still burning now!" Dad Lu said, wiping his face with a wet towel handed to him by Mom Lu.
Lu Yuan quickly went outside and looked out. Sure enough, the towering flames even overshadowed the sun, and more than a dozen houses to the west were engulfed in flames, with thick smoke billowing in the sky.
Moreover, the wind was particularly strong at the time, and the fire was spreading westward toward the houses, posing a constant threat of spreading to the area.
Back in his room, Lu Yuan pulled out a bundle of hoses and said to his mother, "Mom! You and Grandpa and Grandma shouldn't go out. Dad and I will go see if we can help, otherwise the fire might spread to our house!"
Although there were no other houses built next to Lu Yuan's house, there was a large pile of bundles of weeds and withered crops that had just been cleared yesterday but had not yet been moved away.
Lu Yuan glanced at the surrounding grass, then said to his father, "Dad! I'll go help over there first. You connect the water pipe and water all the ground around here, then move all these bundles of grass to the main road!"
After hearing this, Mr. Lu immediately nodded and said, "Okay, be very careful when you go there. Don't be reckless, and especially don't rush into the fire. It could collapse anywhere!"
Lu Yuan waved his hand and rushed directly towards the fire.
The closer he got to the fire, the hotter the air became. Lu Yuan felt that his back was soaked with sweat, while his chest was dried by the intense heat of the fire.
The air was thick with the smell of smoke. Fortunately, the wind was blowing from the west today, and the fire was located in the southwest of Lu Yuan's house, which shielded it from some of the smoke. Moreover, the lush foliage of the various fruit trees in the house was able to completely block the smoke, so the smell of smoke in the house was not very strong for the time being.
As they approached the fire, they heard a series of wails. On one side of the road lay more than a dozen charred corpses. Some of the deceased's relatives were identifying their loved ones while weeping bitterly, their voices extremely shrill. Lu Yuan couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow in his heart.
Firefighters were pulling long hoses and spraying water at the fire, but the fire was too intense, and the four hoses were not very effective.
Due to the lack of rain for several months and the high temperatures, the air was extremely dry, and some wooden furniture was practically flammable.
The crackling and popping sounds of burning wood filled the air, and everyone joined in the firefighting efforts.
Since there was no water, they could only dig up soil from nearby fields to bury small fire spots.
Lu Yuan grabbed a shovel and started frantically shoveling soil. The young men, their faces blackened by the smoke, didn't bother to wipe their sweat, and carried away a bamboo basket full of soil.
At this moment, the people of Zone 3, who usually only care about themselves and not others, showed a long-lost sense of unity.
Everyone worked very hard, and it was all spontaneous. Although many people's homes were not affected by the fire this time, they were all afraid that their homes would be the next to burn down.
At this moment, a portly man in a short-sleeved shirt walked over anxiously, his face covered in sweat, and shouted something to the crowd.
"My house is about to catch fire. There are still some calligraphy, paintings and wood carvings in the house. Please help me move them out! I really can't move so many by myself."
Everyone was furious upon hearing this.
"So many people have died here, and you still care about your lousy calligraphy and wood carvings? Go back and move them yourself! We don't have time!" A man with a greasy face got angry and retorted directly.
"No, these are all very expensive items. Please help if you can! We're neighbors!" the other person persisted.
Lu Yuan smiled. In this post-apocalyptic era, things like calligraphy, paintings, and antiques are worthless, but some people still treat them like treasures.
"Sure! I can help you, but you have to offer something in return, right? There's such a water shortage here right now, you might as well bring some water!" Lu Yuan said with a hint of sarcasm.
A hint of embarrassment appeared on the man's face.
"Okay, but I don't have much water. I can give you some, as long as you help me move my things out!"
"Oh, right, you just said your house is on fire. How about we put it out while we're at it? But you'll have to bring at least half the water!"
The other person hesitated for a moment, but seeing that their house was about to burn down, they gritted their teeth and said, "Fine! I'll take half the water!"
So Lu Yuan put down his shovel, looked at the people next to him, and asked, "Are you going or not?"
Actually, everyone was quite tempted, but in such a critical moment, most people can still distinguish right from wrong, although only now. In the future, it is unknown whether they will still have a trace of conscience.
No one moved; clearly, no one wanted to become the target of public criticism.
"It's alright. Saving his family is equivalent to saving the next few families. There's still water to get, so don't be so tense!" Lu Yuan put down his guard and let the man lead the way.
Although many people behind him were whispering, they ultimately couldn't resist the temptation, and seven or eight people followed Lu Yuan to the man's house.
Zone 3 is an agricultural reform zone. Previously, the residents here were all farmers. The villagers loved to visit each other's homes, but after becoming city dwellers, this activity disappeared. Visiting each other without a reason would even make others think that there was something to gain. Now, apart from a few families next door, the residents here are not very familiar with each other.
"Here, here, and the calligraphy and paintings here, and the wood carvings outside should all be taken with us!" the middle-aged fat man said breathlessly, pointing to the things he was moving out.
People weren't very interested in his calligraphy and paintings; they were more interested in the dozen or so water tanks in his house.
The man became wary after noticing the gazes of the crowd.
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