Chapter 118
In the conference room of the Southern Base, the light from the incandescent bulbs cast a rather unfriendly glow on everyone's faces.
At the far end of the round conference table, the base's top leader tapped his fingers on the surface, his gaze sweeping over the stack of report materials still smelling of ink—delivered overnight by Qian Daqiang.
“Let’s get this straight,” he said, his voice slightly hoarse. “Will another cataclysm happen? The researchers’ evidence is geological monitoring data and a few unusual biological migrations. How credible is that?”
A middle-aged man wearing glasses on the left immediately chimed in: "I had the technical team review the data overnight. The abnormal fluctuations do exist, but to say that it will 'happen again', we haven't found a direct link yet. After all, the precursors to the last one were much more obvious. Crustal activity and climate anomalies were chain reactions. This time... it's more like a localized anomaly."
"Even localized anomalies shouldn't be taken lightly." The woman in uniform across from us put her pen on the table. "Our base doesn't have many resources; we simply can't withstand the impact of another catastrophe."
Just seconds after those words were spoken, someone in the corner interjected in a low voice: "But relocation isn't like moving boxes, you can't just leave whenever you want. Our base isn't a super-large one like Ancheng, but it still has seven or eight hundred thousand people—the elderly, children, the sick, and those defensive perimeters that we worked so hard to build... How can we relocate them? The people at the Ancheng base said they would help, but how much can they really help?"
“I won’t say anything else, but if the news from Ancheng Base is true and our land is destroyed, who will pay for the consequences?” The woman in uniform immediately replied, “A large population is not an excuse. If a catastrophe really comes, seven or eight hundred thousand people guarding this place will just be waiting to die.”
“That’s true,” the bespectacled man pushed up his glasses, his tone becoming serious, “but what about the cost of relocation? Will the food reserves be enough for the journey? After we move there, how will the Ancheng base accommodate us? Will it be managed as two separate bases, or will it become one? There’s also the food rations and accommodations for seven or eight hundred thousand people. If any of these things go wrong, it will cause a huge mess. If it turns out to be a false alarm, who will bear the losses?”
The meeting room fell silent, with only the faint sound of the recorder taking notes.
After a moment of silence, the base leader looked up at everyone: "Regarding the credibility, have the technical team produce another detailed report before dawn. Also, have Qian Daqiang and Professor Liang contact the Ancheng base again to clarify the specific situation. As for the relocation—"
He paused, then added a touch of decisiveness to his voice: "Make contingency plans first. Group the 700,000 to 800,000 people by region, and start ranking the able-bodied young people who can be quickly transferred, the elderly and infirm who need special protection, and the material transport teams. Whether you believe it or not is up to the data, but the preparation for relocation cannot wait."
Under the lamplight, the hesitation on everyone's faces was gradually replaced by a tense solemnity. The scratching sound of pens on paper quickly drowned out the heavy breathing of the crowd.
Believe it or not, this game about "possibility" can no longer be delayed.
Finally, the leader looked at Professor Liang and asked, "Professor Liang, what's your opinion on this matter?"
Professor Liang did not answer his question immediately, but looked at Qian Daqiang and asked, "Qian Daqiang, where did the information about the Ancheng base come from?"
Captain Qian was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Professor Liang to ask this question.
He said, "It was Comrade Jiang Zhi and that white eagle that made the prophecy."
Professor Liang paused for a moment, then said with certainty, "If it's that girl, I trust her. She and that white eagle never made a mistake back in Hunan Province."
He looked up at the base leader and said decisively, "If you're asking for my opinion, then it's about moving there."
The leader was somewhat surprised: "Professor Liang, who is this Comrade Jiang Zhi that you trust so much?"
Professor Liang: "It's not that I believe her out of thin air, but that she has the ability to make me believe her."
Upon hearing this, Qian Daqiang nodded in agreement, “Governor Liu, this Comrade Jiang Zhi is the one we reported to before, the one who can treat mental pollution and who brought us out of the other dimension.”
Governor Liu, sitting at the head of the table, looked at Qian Daqiang and said, "When I first saw the report, I thought you were exaggerating. Now that you say she has the ability to predict the future, I'm quite curious about what kind of legendary figure this girl is."
Qian Daqiang laughed and said, "You can ask Tang Mao. He's a big fan of Comrade Jiang Zhi, and he'll definitely be able to tell you everything clearly."
Governor Liu neither confirmed nor denied the statement.
In any case, the name Jiang Zhi has left an indelible impression on the leadership of the Southern Base.
*
Like the Southern Base, the conference room at the Ancheng Base was brightly lit. The emergency meeting lasted from nightfall until late into the night. A thick stack of draft plans was spread out on the long conference table, and the faces of the attendees were all solemn as if covered with frost.
The first issue raised was the resettlement of ordinary people.
The head of the security protection center circled several red circles on the map with a pen: "We need to move the scattered people living on the edge of the city wall to the center first. Also, the old buildings in the low-rent housing have poor earthquake resistance. If the disaster is a strong earthquake, it will be a matter of life and death if they collapse."
Someone immediately chimed in: "It's not just about moving people; the temporary resettlement sites need to be cleared out in advance—the newly built temporary housing in the east of the city is perfect for use. Two grid workers will be assigned to each building, and we need to count the number of households tonight. The elderly, children, and those with mobility issues should be recorded separately, and those on lower floors will be given priority."
Someone else added: "We also need to prevent stampedes. There are three entrances at the resettlement site, with men, women, the elderly and children lined up in three separate lines. Security personnel from the patrol team are on duty. The route map is posted on the bulletin boards of each community in advance so that everyone knows where to go."
The focus then shifted to food and supplies.
The logistics staff flipped through the ledgers, their voices a little tense: "The grain currently stored in the warehouse is enough to feed all the base personnel for a month and a half, but we have to be careful with the amount—supplies will definitely be cut off after the disaster. In this kind of weather, we can't grow grain on the spot. We have to distribute the nutritional canned food made from mutated cockroaches to each person first, and the grain distributed to each household every day will be reduced by 20%, so that we can give enough to children and patients."
As soon as the words were spoken, someone frowned: "Just saving isn't enough, we need to find a way to stockpile. Isn't the situation in Haishi alright? Have the mutant team go fishing more these next few days, set up the tasks, and try to stockpile enough food for more than three months."
Furthermore, we don't yet know the plans of the southern base, so it's best to include their numbers. Otherwise, we might run into a food shortage.
"Should we notify the Beijing base?"
"Although the prophecy said that there wouldn't be much of a problem over there, out of humanitarian considerations, I still called to ask what they meant."
"yes!"
"In addition, the number of mutated creatures outside has decreased. If there are still people available, we should try our best to find humans who have survived outside and save as many as we can."
"yes!"
Others suggested: "We also need to keep a close eye on medicines. We should minimize the release of commonly used medicines such as calming agents and radiation decongestants during this period, even those that are about to expire, as they could be life-saving in the event of a disaster. We should also set up a few backup medical stations so that if the clinics are destroyed, there will still be places to treat the injured."
Then the conversation circled back to safety and protection.
The armed forces officer tapped on the table: "We need to increase the number of patrols. People are easily panicked after the disaster, and there's no guarantee that someone won't steal things. We need to focus on guarding the warehouse, the research institute, and the power plant. These three places cannot be compromised. We must send a platoon to the warehouse, working in shifts 24 hours a day. The power plant needs to be equipped with special mineral energy storage generators. We must ensure the power supply to the clinic and the new government building first."
Someone nearby chimed in: "We also need to teach the people how to save themselves. Tomorrow morning, we'll have the heads of each district take volunteers to each household to teach them how to avoid aftershocks."
"We can't delay dealing with that special mineral vein. We're currently short of resources. If we could get those resources, not to mention the earth-based minerals, they could help us reinforce our infrastructure, and we would suffer much less damage."
"Have the people who went to explore the Qiling Mountains returned?"
When Jiang Zhi mentioned the mineral veins in the Qiling Mountains, Wang Jianguo immediately sent people to verify the situation of the dead trees on the mountain overnight.
"We're back. We've confirmed that the miasma was indeed coming from the top of the dead tree."
"Okay, draft a plan immediately. Let the locals go logging tomorrow. Remember, prioritize the safety of the locals. Try not to let the trees exceed 100 meters in height."
"yes!"
Having recently experienced a cold wave, the relevant personnel have some experience in dealing with disasters.
Everyone chimed in, adding their own suggestions to the preparatory plans for the impending catastrophe.
Just then, someone asked, "What should we do about the water? And what specific arrangements should we make for that vine?"
The atmosphere in the meeting room was already heavy, and these words seemed to freeze it even more.
The people around the long table paused, their hands holding pens hovering over their notebooks.
After the cataclysm, everything on Earth was affected by radiation.
The water used at the base was initially drawn from the upper reaches of the Weihe River. The water was filtered and treated to remove radiation before being delivered to the residents.
If a great catastrophe were to occur, causing the heavens to collapse and the earth to split open, the Weihe River would likely be gone.
When the water source is gone, the filtration system will become useless. What will the people at the base drink? How will they survive?
No one responded.
The meeting room was so quiet you could hear the howling wind outside the window, but no one spoke.
There are effective ways to store water, but the amount of water stored is pitifully small—how much can a few large barrels hold? It's good enough to feed a hundred or so people at the base for two days.
Or it would be too costly to use special radiation-proof materials to make water tanks? The base doesn't have that kind of budget right now.
Disaster.
It's really too difficult.
When you actually put something into practice, you'll find it's a hundred times more difficult than you imagined.
Even if we could manage to save some water and distribute it to everyone, how long could it last?
When no one responded, the person who asked the question moved his lips, but ultimately swallowed the rest of his words.
Commander Wang glanced at everyone.
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a commanding presence: "We can't wait until the river dries up to think about water."
He paused, then continued, "From today onwards, fill all the tanks at the water station to the brim. Any excess filtered water, besides what we use daily, will be diverted to the underground water storage tanks. Also, have the exploration team investigate the surrounding underground water veins. Even if the water quality is poor, mark their locations first—it's better to have no water than to be in dire need."
At this point, he glanced at the person who had just asked the question and said decisively, "The matter of the vines is under Comrade Jiang Zhi's jurisdiction."
He paused, then added with emphasis, "Immediately pass on the word: everything related to the vines, no matter how small, must be recorded. All arrangements and changes must first be consulted with Jiang Zhi and listened to her instructions."
Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed across everyone's faces.
Even the researchers who had been diligently taking notes stopped writing. One of them pushed up his glasses, which had slipped down to the tip of his nose, and couldn't help but ask, "Commander, this matter concerning the vines is of great importance. Entrusting it all to Comrade Jiang Zhi... isn't that putting too much pressure on her?"
Before he could finish speaking, Commander Wang raised his hand and waved it, his voice deep and steady: "A heavy responsibility?"
He glanced at everyone: "Who among you knows the origin and details of the vine better than Jiang Zhi? Which of Professor Shen's previous records was made without the information she provided?"
That was a perfectly valid point. The people from the research institute opened their mouths but didn't say anything more—indeed, the relationship between Jiang Zhi and that vine was unusual, and they might have been pulled back by the vine's branches before they even got close.
Commander Wang added, "Let her manage it, but don't let her shoulder the burden alone. Just allocate the necessary personnel and resources to her. But we must also keep a close eye on the growth of those vines."
If what Jiang Zhi said is true, these vines are their only hope for survival, and they absolutely cannot afford to make a mistake!
Commander Wang's tone left no room for negotiation, and the quiet murmurs in the meeting room gradually subsided.
As dawn broke and a pale blue hue began to appear on the horizon, the lights in the conference room remained on all night until the sky began to lighten, at which point the meeting, which had lasted all night, finally came to an end.
The attendees had dark circles under their eyes and their steps were somewhat unsteady, but everyone had a task at hand. Ignoring their physical exhaustion, they hurried to their posts to carry out their work.
On a winter morning, just as dawn broke, the alleyways in the residential area were quiet and deserted.
Only a few wisps of smoke drifted slowly out of the chimneys, quickly dissipating into the gray sky.
Apart from the second batch of residents who were still busy heading to Haishi, most of the rest stayed at home, and no one dared to go out easily.
The Jiang family had just had a good harvest yesterday, and the elders in the family were enjoying a rare moment of relaxation, so they took a break and slept in.
At this time, they were all still huddled in their warm, heated beds, unwilling to move.
Jiang Zhi didn't dream last night, which was unusual.
However, in the middle of the night, I vaguely heard my mother crying in the next room. I guess she learned what was going to happen next from my father.
After that, Jiangzhi never closed her eyes again, keeping them open until dawn.
Not long after, there was a rustling sound from the next room.
Jiang Zhi stayed in the room for a while, then lifted the covers and got up.
When she got dressed and opened the door, she saw Ye Qingyun standing by the stove adding water to the pot. Hearing the noise, she turned around.
Her eyes were still red at the corners, and her eyelids were noticeably swollen, clearly showing the traces of crying.
Their eyes met, and neither of them spoke. Jiang Zhi opened her mouth, about to say something—
The loudspeaker, hanging on the utility pole, had been silent for a long time, and even its wiring looked like it was covered in a layer of dust. Suddenly, it made a "zzzz" sound, and the sound of electricity made people's ears jump.
Immediately afterwards, a clear static tone came from the previously silent loudspeaker, followed by the slightly hoarse voice of the head of the base's logistics department, who had clearly just come from a meeting: "Attention all residents, an emergency announcement is now being broadcast—"
Inside each house, those who were busy stopped working, and those sitting on the edge of the bed straightened up, raising their heads that had been lowered.
Whether they were tending the fire in the kitchen or had just finished dressing, they all subconsciously tilted their ears and even held their breath, afraid of missing a single word from the loudspeaker.
Upon hearing the broadcast, which was an emergency announcement, the members of the Jiang family quickly dressed and went to the courtyard.
Grandma Jiang came running out while getting dressed, asking, "What's going on? What important announcement is coming from the base?"
Jiang Shu: "Grandma, how did you know it was something important?"
Grandma Jiang gave a "heh".
"How could I not know? The base still hasn't had its power restored after so long. Before, any notices were just posted on the bulletin board, and people would glance at them when they had time. This time is different; they actually went to the trouble of turning on the loudspeaker. If it wasn't something extremely important, would they go through all this trouble?"
Grandpa Jiang shushed the two of them.
The two of them immediately fell silent.
Everyone in the courtyard was straining to hear the loudspeaker on the telephone pole outside.
The sound came from the loudspeaker again.
"The situation is urgent. Due to the base's need for supplies, it was decided in an overnight meeting that, starting today, all districts will lead teams to the Qiling Mountains. The main task is to cut down dead trees. Every household is required to contribute personnel. The firewood will belong to each individual. Please prepare your logging tools immediately and report to your designated assembly point in your district before 10:00 AM. Do not be late. Repeat..."
The loudspeaker's sound echoed in the morning air, immediately bringing the previously quiet environment to life.
"What's going on? Didn't they used to forbid us from going up the mountain? They said there were dangerous mutated creatures on the mountain. Did they take care of all those mutated creatures this time?"
"Of course! Didn't you hear? We're going up the mountain to cut down dead trees. If it were a dangerous base, why would they send us? They even forced every family to send someone."
"It would be good to be able to cut down trees. The weather has been getting colder and colder these past few days. I couldn't sleep all night last night because I was so cold. With firewood, I can keep warm..."
"If we get all the timber, then we definitely have to go! Let's go! Quickly get things ready!"
People hurriedly got up, and the sounds of people looking for tools and asking about the meeting point gradually increased.
The Jiang family was also in an uproar because of this news.
Wu Xiu was overjoyed. "We can really go up the mountain!? Is it because A-Zhi found a way to deal with the miasma that the base notified everyone to go?"
Seeing her family's excitement, Jiang Zhi's initial desire to tell them the truth vanished instantly.
She glanced at her parents beside her, and seeing that neither of them seemed inclined to speak, she sighed softly and said slowly, "The base is stockpiling resources in advance. I guess they're worried about encountering another natural disaster like a cold wave in the future, and then running out of things. It's always safer to have them in reserve."
Grandma Jiang smiled and said, "That's great! We're definitely going to use up our firewood quickly. We'll definitely take this opportunity."
He then instructed Jiang He and Jiang Wen, "You two, hurry up and find the saw and sharpen it! Don't let everyone else leave by the time we get to the meeting point before we're done!"
Wu Xiu said, "From what I heard on the radio, it seems like the more people the better. Mom, how many people from our family are going?"
Grandma Jiang said, "Such a good opportunity, and with so many of us, of course we should send more people."
"The two of us old folks, along with Sui Sui and Si Si, won't go to join the fun. Xiao Na is pregnant, so it's not convenient for her either. If the others don't have anything else to do, they can go together."
Xu Na was already more than three months pregnant when she found out she was pregnant, and now more than a month has passed. Although the pregnancy is stable, it is still best to be cautious.
Just as Jiang Shu was about to say that he would take the lead, he heard someone knocking on the door.
Jiang Wen jokingly said to Jiang Shu, "I think it must be the people from the base who asked you to come and help."
Jiang Wen's prediction was right.
As soon as I opened the door, it was indeed an old acquaintance.
"Uncle Luo?"
Luo Yonghui didn't rush to answer. He first glanced around the courtyard before lowering his voice and saying, "Young Jiang, I was just looking for you two. The higher-ups just gave us a rundown of the situation in the mountains. It's not an easy task—we have enough manpower for this trip to the Qiling Mountains, but we'll need your help in some areas. The base sent me to ask if you two could come along and lend a hand?"
Jiang Zhi had actually guessed that she would be asked to help.
After all, with Qiuqiu and Ershun's abilities, their presence provides some degree of security.
Jiang Shu glanced at Jiang Zhi, and seeing her nod, he replied, "Okay, Uncle Luo, wait a moment, we'll be right there after we've packed up."
"Then I'll wait for you in the car."
After closing the door, Jiangzhi looked at her family.
"Grandma, we can't go with everyone."
Hearing this, Grandma Jiang said directly, "Since the base needs you, then go. We'll take care of things at home, so don't worry. Besides, your second uncle and the others are skilled at cutting down trees, and Dali is here too, so it's no big deal."
Ye Qingyun looked at the brother and sister with concern, and finally said, "I'll go pack some dry food for you to take with you."
Jiang Shan didn't say much, but patted Jiang Shu on the shoulder: "Be careful, the two of you should look after each other."
Jiang Shu: "No problem! Dad, don't worry."
After the brother and sister set off, Grandma Jiang said, "Alright, let's hurry up and get ready. Wen, go and get the wood-chopping knife from the house, and find some thick gloves!"
Jiang Wen responded with "Yes," and headed towards the side room without stopping.
The once quiet residential area outside gradually began to see people emerging in twos and threes, gathering information.
Are you going to your house?
"Why not go? Didn't the broadcast say that every household needs to send someone?"
“My family is small, this is a huge disadvantage for me.”
"Look at the Jiang family, so many people, they're making a killing."
"Who told you to be a small family and not stick together?"
...
Before long, the residents of the entire neighborhood sprang into action, and the long-standing dullness in the base was dispelled by their busy activity.
*
After saying goodbye to their family, the brother and sister got into the car with Luo Yonghui. After leaving the base, Luo Yonghui turned around and looked at them: "Zhiya, you two... do you know why the base issued this mission?"
Jiang Shu was confused. "What's going on, Uncle Luo? Isn't this the base improving the living conditions of the people? That's a good thing!"
Although Jiang Zhi just sat quietly to the side, without saying a word.
Looking inside the car, Wu Bing and the others were no longer as lively as usual. They were all leaning back in their seats, or looking out the window, and none of them said a word.
The carriage was quiet; even breathing seemed to have become softer, creating an indescribable sense of oppression.
Luo Yonghui's expression was not good. "It's not that simple. The higher-ups released some information to the middle management today, saying that there will be another major catastrophe. This time, they asked the people to go up the mountain to stockpile firewood, which is also to guard against this."
Jiang Shu's eyes widened upon hearing this: "A cataclysm? This... the base really said that?"
Luo Yonghui grunted in agreement, clearly unable to accept the situation either.
"I heard it was foreseen by someone. I wonder how much of it is true..."
Jiang Shu remained silent for a long time before finally cursing, "Are we going to have to deal with biological mutations and tectonic shifts again, just like before? Is this damned God trying to kill us all?!"
Jiang Zhi, who was standing to the side, remained relatively calm. She glanced at Jiang Shu before whispering to Luo Yonghui, "Uncle Luo, I actually foresaw that prophecy."
Upon hearing this, both Luo Yonghui and Jiang Shu were stunned.
Wu Bing, Chen Shaoting, Hu Yang, and the others in the car in front of him all widened their eyes upon hearing this.
They initially thought it might just be a rumor, but if these words came from Jiang Zhi's mouth, the possibility was almost 100%!
Luo Yonghui turned around abruptly, his already serious face now filled with astonishment. His eyes widened as he stared at Jiang Zhi for a long while before finally speaking with difficulty: "You... what did you say? You foresaw that prophecy?"
Jiang Shu's mouth gaped open, unable to close it for a long time. He looked at Jiang Zhi, then at Luo Yonghui, his face full of disbelief. The complaints that were about to come out were swallowed back, leaving only a dry "A-Zhi...you? This...is this real?"
Jiangzhi sighed and recounted the events of her dream and Qiuqiu's abilities.
Everyone fell silent.
After a moment, Chen Shaoting suddenly said, "In the face of such a disaster, is there really any point in us struggling?"
This statement resonates deeply with everyone.
In such a precarious situation, anyone would probably have had such thoughts lingering in their mind, right?
This is probably why the base has been reluctant to release the news—fearing that such despairing news would become a crushing burden on people's hearts.
Luo Yonghui took a deep breath. "Don't talk about being discouraged. The base leaders haven't given up, so why should we? We've come this far over the years; we can't give up at this crucial moment."
Hu Yang nodded repeatedly: "That's right, that's right. Sister Jiangzhi also said that with that vine, we will definitely be able to get through this!"
Jiang Zhi remained silent for a moment before whispering, "Survival of the fittest is an ironclad law, but now survival is no longer just a personal matter; it's about whether humanity can continue."
She recalled Commander Wang's unwavering commitment to preserving the human race, and a lump formed in her throat, followed by an even stronger surge of emotion.
She slightly raised her chin, her originally soft profile now showing a hint of stubbornness. When she spoke again, even her voice carried a subtle resilience: "No matter how difficult it is, we can't let our guard down—if we do, we'll really lose everything."
Chen Shaoting was taken aback, stared blankly at the other person, and after a long while, smiled and said, "That's true."
Wu Bing remained silent for a while, then muttered, "That sounds like something Commander Wang would say."
Jiang Zhi laughed: "Yes, Commander Wang is my idol."
A person who always puts the interests of humanity first deserves everyone's respect.
Jiang Zhi knew she couldn't do it, which is why she admired him even more.
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