The prohibition of bringing guns to the base was for the sake of convenient management, and they could understand that. As long as firearms were not taken out, the personnel of the base wouldn't conduct searches in every household.
Alice agreed, saying, "That's right, . Carry a handgun with you, just be discreet about it around others."
The Allen family, father and sons, nodded in agreement.
Half a month later, another piece of good news came from the base— the vegetables they had planted had sprouted.
The construction outside the base was still ongoing, making it impossible to plant crops. However, inside the base, it was a different story. After the temperature-controlled greenhouse was covered, the base turned over the soil in the ground and replanted the vegetables. Now, all of them had taken root and sprouted, showing robust growth.
This news excited everyone in the base. Growing their own vegetables gave them hope for the future.
Knowing that the base had sufficient supplies, they were motivated to earn work points. This was not just a number; it meant actual food.
The base also opened up an area specifically for raising chickens and ducks. Currently, there were already hundreds of chicks and ducklings, and in the future, people in the base would also be able to enjoy fresh eggs.
As the base improved, there were fewer troublemakers because as long as one worked diligently, there was no worry about going hungry.
Blanche's rooftop garden also had vegetables growing about ten centimeters tall. She was overjoyed and watered them every day.
Outside the base was too cold, so those who didn't want to go outside found their own ways to have fun. Some people danced square dances in open spaces, and gradually, more people joined, attracting even more onlookers, creating a lively atmosphere.
One morning, Alice woke up on time. She opened the curtains and was momentarily stunned.Outside was pitch-black, and she thought she had woken up early. She picked up her phone to check the time.
Eight o'clock in the morning.Looking outside again, it was still dim, resembling the appearance of four or five in the morning.
How did it come to this? Could the haze have arrived early? She opened the door and walked in. Blanche and Wenhe were on the balcony, looking outside.When will this fog disperse?"
"The recent weather has been strange. Let's wait for the sun to come out and see if it gets better," Atticus said.
A whole morning passed, but the fog still hadn't cleared. Outside was a hazy gray, with very low visibility.The forum at the base exploded again.
"There's a temperature-controlled greenhouse in the base, and you can barely see things. Once you're outside the base, it's like murky water, and you can't see anything."
"I just came back from outside the base. Several cars have already hit people. Even with headlights, you can't see anything. I suggest not going out recently."
"It's not much better inside the base. Areas that can't be seen are prone to crime. Everyone must watch their belongings and be vigilant about people within half a meter around them."
"Forget it. Someone stole the bun I had in my pocket. It's the first time someone has stolen from me since I came to the base."
"Bro, you're luckier than me. I got robbed today and injured my hand. After chasing a few meters, I couldn't see the person anymore."
"I hope the research institute can quickly develop something to deal with haze. If this continues, it will cause big trouble."
"..."
The messages on the entire forum were full of bitterness and constant complaints. The base didn't have a good solution for the time being because they didn't know how the haze came about. It seemed to appear out of nowhere, without any warning.
All they could do was advise everyone to protect themselves, avoid going out as much as possible, wear masks, etc. For safety reasons, driving within the base was strictly prohibited.On this day, Alice went to the supermarket to buy groceries. Along the way, she could feel someone following her. When she turned around, she only saw a vague figure.
Just as she reached the entrance of the supermarket, a man shouted, "Robbery!" The victim shouted and chased, but in the end, couldn't catch up, not knowing which direction the person had fled.
Under the cover of thick fog, even the appearance of the robber couldn't be clearly seen. Suddenly, hands were placed on Alice's shoulders. She quickly reacted, and the person withdrew their hands, exclaiming, "It's me!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Alice looked up. Hurley took off his mask, revealing a finely crafted handsome face. He was about to speak when he suddenly coughed and had to put the mask back on.
"Are you okay?" Alice asked, concerned.
Hurley shook his head, "I'm fine, just put on the mask."
The two walked into the supermarket together. The entrance was covered with a curtain to block the outside fog, providing clearer visibility inside.
"Lately, the base has been trying to contact other bases, learning how they cope with the haze. There might be progress soon," Hurley explained while casually putting a pack of tissues into the shopping cart.
"It's useless. This haze is different from environmental causes; it can't be eliminated."It would take half a year for the haze to disappear.Alice said
Hurley fell silent for a moment, "The weather is bad, and the vegetables that just sprouted have become mushy."
Alice had no words. Everyone had hoped for better days not long ago, but an unexpected haze had shattered those dreams.
"People in the base are very pessimistic now. Some don't even believe in the base's reserves. They're looting for more supplies to survive. Those who had personal grievances are taking revenge now. Several incidents have already occurred..."Hurley didn't look at prices or what the items were. If he liked something, he put it in the cart. Before long, the cart was already half full.
Alice bought a bottle of rice wine and two toothbrushes. She remarked, "The most dangerous now are the pessimistic people. Some people's pessimism only brings difficulties to themselves, while others vent it onto others."
As Alice spoke, a scream echoed through the supermarket. Everyone subconsciously looked over and saw a man with a kitchen knife crazily attacking people. Those who ran slowly were injured by him.
The supermarket security guard walked in with a long stick. "Drop the knife!"
"What can you do if I don't? Anyway, it's the end of the world, none of us will survive. Isn't it better to die together, with a companion on the journey to the afterlife?"
"You don't have the right to decide others' lives. If you want to die, go ahead and die. Put down the weapon and surrender, don't harm others."
The man with the knife didn't listen at all. The more they tried to persuade him, the crazier he became, his face contorting.The man looked around for a target, stepping back step by step, picking up things around him and throwing them at the security guard.As he turned a shelf, he saw Hurley and Alice standing not far away. He rushed towards them.
A security guard shouted, "Get out of the way, that person has gone mad."
The two of them stood there calmly. When the man was about to approach, Hurley kicked the shopping cart, slamming it into the man's stomach.
The knife fell from the man's hand, and he staggered. Hurley walked over, elbowing him under the chin.With a few easy moves, they subdued the man.
Hurley clapped his hands, mocking, "Example given."
Alice: "..."
The man was tied up by the security guard and taken away. As he left, he yelled, "Living is so painful, why not die together? You don't dare to take action; I'll help you."