Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 334: (Extra 8)

It’s really not easy for H City to have lasted this long without a power outage. The first few cities hit by the typhoon and heavy rain have had their power grids collapse within two or three days.
It was precisely because of these early examples that, when other cities later faced heavy rain and even hail storms and strong winds, some emergency response mechanisms were quickly set into motion.
For the public, when disasters strike, the most important things are always a few essentials: electricity, signal networks, water, and supplies. Especially the first three, each city had spent a lot of effort to maintain them. The authorities knew very well that no matter how much encouraging and uplifting rhetoric was broadcast on the news or online, nothing was more convincing than maintaining an orderly and functioning water, electricity, and gas system.
In the eyes of the public, as long as there was water, electricity, and signal, it meant that the disaster was under control. However, large-scale, prolonged disasters were like a giant rolling wheel, and eventually, the already severely damaged power systems from the hailstorms gave way.
The power outage occurred late at night.
Over the past few days, the temperature has dropped rapidly. With the constant rain, people, trapped at home with nowhere to go, felt constantly cold. Without sunlight, clothes wouldn’t dry, and while some families had bought clothes dryers to at least have dry clothes to wear, blankets were impossible to dry.
The storm started at the end of summer, and most people were still using thin blankets, but as the temperature dropped, they couldn’t even take out last year’s bedding to air it out, so they just made do with whatever they had.
However, with the constant rain and high humidity in the air, over time, the blankets started to feel damp. When the temperature dropped to around seven or eight degrees, it became unbearable for people to sleep at night. Especially for families with elderly or children, without heating, even with blankets, it felt cold and damp.
People didn’t care about saving electricity anymore, and everyone turned on their air conditioners/heaters. Unfortunately, some houses had air conditioners/heaters without protective covers, and when the hailstorm hit, their external compression units were damaged, making it impossible to turn on the air conditioning.
Thus, electric blankets, heaters, hot water bottles… even hand warmers, everything for the winter was brought out, but most of these things relied on electricity. Once the power went out, the result was obvious.
Yu Zhenzhen woke up because of the cold. The heaters had been on when she went to sleep, and the room was warm, but now the heater on the wall had stopped. She wasn’t sure when it had stopped, but the room was now filled with a cold draft.
Yu Zhenzhen reached over to feel Sweet Treasure/Tianbao beside her. To avoid disturbing her daughter, she had laid two blankets on the bed, with Sweet Treasure/Tianbao covered by a thick down blanket, a fleece blanket on top, and a hot water bottle inside the blanket. When she reached over to touch her, she was still warm.
She wasn’t as sensitive to the cold as others, and had only used a thin quilt. She didn’t use a hot water bottle, and now she felt a cold draft, and the temperature in the room seemed low.
She reached for the remote by her pillow and pressed it several times, but the heater didn’t respond. Was the external compression unit damaged?
Worried, she quickly got out of bed, grabbed a thick cotton robe from the side, and went out of the room with her phone.
She went to turn on the lights in the corridor and living room, but none of the lights responded. Realizing what had happened, she opened the refrigerator in the kitchen. The light inside didn’t come on, and her heart sank.
She switched on the flashlight on her phone and went to wake up Yu Xi.
Yu Xi was sleeping soundly, covered with only a thin quilt, but her body was warm, like a little stove.
“What’s wrong, elder sis?” Yu Xi asked sleepily.
“I think the power’s out.”
**
It was indeed a power outage. Half an hour later, sounds of people stirring began to come from the residential building and the neighborhood — residents who had been woken up by the cold.
Those with thermometers quickly checked the temperature inside, finding it at minus 2°C. It was only early October, and the temperature already felt like mid-winter.
Even in the coldest of winters, the room temperature had never dropped to minus 2°C. People had usually turned on their air conditioners/heaters, and with the sun shining on the glass-roofed sunrooms, the temperature could easily reach over 10°C, which was comfortable and warm.
Now, with the power out and with no idea when it would be restored, how could anyone sleep?
While grumbling about the terrible weather, people began rummaging through cupboards for blankets and comforters, planning to add an extra layer to their beds. Some immediately filled hot water bottles for the elderly and children, using them as a form of warmth. Others simply wore sweaters to bed; it was so cold, and there was no point in being picky — just sleep when they could.
Many people were worried, but there were also many who remained carefree.
Normally, power outages would last just a few hours, but in this case, how long would it take for the power to be restored?
Some people, afraid of the cold, huddled under blankets and went online. Fortunately, even though the power was out and Wi-Fi was down, mobile networks still worked. The residents’ group chat was buzzing with activity, with numerous messages popping up, all asking about the power outage.
Some people, with wide social circles and having joined multiple neighborhood groups and work groups, started copying and forwarding the news they saw in other chats.
It quickly became known that the power outage wasn’t limited to just this neighborhood — the entire H City had lost power.
Only critical public buildings and facilities still had power, and that was due to backup power systems that had kicked in after the outages: such as hospitals, police stations, fire departments, and some hotels.
Hospitals generally have backup high-voltage power lines, ensuring that when one line fails, another can supply electricity power. They also have large diesel-powered generators for self-generation when completely cut off. Other public buildings also have similar setups, but diesel generators rely on diesel fuel, and they can’t generate electricity indefinitely. The energy output is limited, and these buildings must prioritize different areas based on the available power.
And once the diesel runs out, the power will be gone.
So, if this outage only lasted a few hours or maybe a day, people could manage; but if it lasted more than a day or two, it would be troublesome.
Some people who understood the situation immediately pointed out in the chat: “Usually, power outages only affect residential areas, like our buildings. Important places, like hospitals, won’t lose power because they have dual power sources. Diesel generators are the last backup power. If the generators are in use, that means we have a serious problem…”
Amid all the worrying speculation, someone also expressed a different opinion: “Well, fortunately our neighborhood is a high-end one. When we bought our home here, my husband thought the price was too expensive! Now I finally see the value in paying more. Every building and villa here has its own generator room, and we have plenty of diesel. Though there might be power restrictions later, like if we can’t use large appliances, at least we can still have lights and charge our phones, and small heaters will work. Otherwise, if we couldn’t even charge our phones, it would be unbearable…”
Unknowingly, the woman’s words, meant to boast, were shared and forwarded multiple times. Soon, the name and address of the neighborhood were exposed.
While the power was out for a short time, it wasn’t much of an issue. But if it wasn’t restored soon, things could become much more complicated.
Actually, across the entire H City, there were many neighborhoods with backup generators or generator rooms. However, most people understood the importance of keeping a low profile.
The woman in the high-end neighborhood didn’t realize that her casual boasting would bring trouble to herself and her neighbors later on.
**
Meanwhile, Yu Xi, who was just as adept at keeping a low profile, was discussing some matters with Yu Zhenzhen. Even a small gasoline-powered generator makes noise once it’s turned on. Yu Zhenzhen wasn’t someone who could be easily deceived, and with the limited space in the house, Yu Xi might have been able to hide small items like snacks, bottled water, tissues, and instant noodles, but trying to use a generator would have been much harder to conceal.
But Yu Xi didn’t want to live an unnecessarily tough life when she could maintain her comfort, so she decided to tell Yu Zhenzhen everything. She quickly recounted everything, from the heatstroke during military training to the changes in her body, the mysterious extra space, and the electronic watch that allowed her to draw a prize every day. She finished the explanation in ten minutes and sat in the living room with Yu Zhenzhen. The flashlight on her phone was still on, making it seem almost like a horror movie scene.
“Yu Xi, are you still asleep? Did you have a good dream?” Yu Zhenzhen furrowed her brows, looking at her sister with concern and reaching to check her forehead. “You’re not burning up, are you? Don’t joke around, with the situation outside, I have no way to send you to the hospital!”
“…” Yu Xi decided to take a bold move, pulling her hand from Yu Zhenzhen’s forehead, she said, “Look at your hand, sis—” As soon as she spoke, she placed the palm of Yu Zhenzhen’s hand upwards and, to her surprise, a box of cake appeared in her hand.
Yu Zhenzhen: …!?
“You’re not hallucinating. This is a box of cake. Now, look again—” Yu Xi quickly took the cake back into her space, “The cake’s gone!”
Yu Zhenzhen fell off the couch with a thud.
“Sis — are you okay? Don’t faint!”
Yu Zhenzhen, barely holding herself up, grabbed her sister’s hand and slowly spoke, “Have you told anyone else about this?”
“Of course not. Such an unbelievable thing, I didn’t even dare tell you. Who could I possibly tell?” As Yu Xi said this, several images suddenly flashed through her mind.
It was a similar situation before, the pressure of survival surrounding her. She had to make her family accept the unbelievable truth in a short time.
There were many people who were worried, but more were concerned.
**
Yu Xi’s family had not opened the front door for a long time. The situation outside was chaotic, and everyone was focused on their own homes. Compared to the more immediate concerns like water, electricity, and gas, their house’s sturdy stainless steel shutters, which could protect them from the wind and rain, didn’t seem so important, so they remained safe for the time being.
This small two-bedroom apartment became the safest and warmest refuge for Yu Xi and her family at the start of this catastrophe.
Two heaters kept the small living room and bedroom warm. Since they still had electricity, their phones worked, allowing them to stay updated on the situation outside.
In fact, the authorities were working tirelessly to coordinate rescue efforts and distribute supplies, while also trying to repair the water and power systems. However, much of the country was facing constant mixed storms of hail and heavy winds, which severely hindered rescue and repair efforts.
The network signal was also not as smooth as it used to be. The authorities had informed the public that some areas could experience signal loss, and they urged the people who were still able to receive notifications not to panic, as they were building refuge zones.
These refuge zones were mostly located on mountains outside the city. Using the natural advantage of high altitudes, some large caves or caverns from existing tourist spots were converted into mountain shelters.
The construction of these shelters required manpower, so priority was given to people with certain skill sets in the current relocation efforts.
In addition to the official shelters, there were also several makeshift shelters formed by local communities in higher, sturdier buildings. For instance, there is a history museum on a hill in the northern part of S City. It has high ground, was not flooded, has backup generators, and was a solid place to shelter. Similarly, in H City’s eastern sports stadium, a large building with no windows on the exterior, equipped with backup generators, allowed people to shelter on the higher floors even if the lower levels were flooded.
For people living on the lower floors, these locations provided good alternatives.
However, in the current situation, most people still didn’t want to abandon their homes. As long as they have food and clean water, they could endure.
For Sweet Treasure/Tianbao, life hasn’t changed much. Although her living space has shrunk, and she couldn’t attend kindergarten; whatever she wanted to eat, drink, or play with, they have it at home.
Sometimes, she would be surprised to find that, when she came out of her room after watching a cartoon, the table would be set with her favorite pizza, chicken wings, cream mushroom soup, potato salad, and almond tofu for dessert.
While chewing on the pizza, she wondered when her mom learned to make pizza. It tasted just like the one from her favorite pizza shop. How amazing!
Other times, she would complain that her dolls had no clothes and wished for a shiny new outfit for them. When she woke up from a nap, a new box of dolls, complete with dresses, would appear on her bedside dresser…
The only regret was that the handsome big brother no longer came over for dinner.
Also, her mom and aunt had been whispering to each other more frequently. Sometimes, Sweet Treasure/Tianbao would pretend to play with her dolls, but secretly listen in. Unfortunately, she couldn’t understand much.
For example, “What? Another 100 prizes? Are these all based on 100 prizes? You’ve even gotten 200 prizes before?”
Or, “I want to help, but I can’t. Everyone’s cooking in the corridor and stairs, and people will see. If they get more supplies, they’ll know it’s you.”
And, “Are you sure this advice is advice and not just a good suggestion?”
Ah, the adult world is so hard to understand. Tianbao sighed.
**
The new “advice” she drew from the lottery was: Go higher!
It was only three words, but with an exclamation mark.
The “good advice” she had drawn the previous day was also a single sentence, a second-prize one: “Sometimes, the collective isn’t necessarily good.”
This sentence seemed to be warning her to move to higher ground. They were already on the eighth floor, so how much higher could they go? This suggested that “higher” didn’t refer to the height of the building, but the elevation of the ground. In other words, the “advice” was telling them to relocate.
But once they relocated, there would be more uncontrollable factors, and they might end up joining a large group. This seemed to contradict the earlier “good advice.”
Yu Xi had a headache. Should she leave or stay?
If she left, which direction should she go? The official shelters?
She didn’t hesitate for long. The next day, when most people in the country woke up, they found that it was still dark outside.
The rain had been falling for so long, and everyone had not seen the sun in a while. But even on rainy days, day and night were still distinguishable because the sun wasn’t gone; it was just hiding behind the clouds.
However, when it neared noon that day, the view outside remained as dark and gloomy as it had been at dawn. The people, standing behind their windows, watched the strange sky and felt a heavy unease in their hearts.
Was the weather about to change again?