If it weren't for the dire situation, Zhang Jianwen wouldn't have wanted to come back. The house was a replacement for one that was demolished. Previously, their old house was quite large, and after the demolition, they were compensated with three new houses, which conveniently fit the three brothers in their family—each one received one. At that time, such a building was considered quite good compared to the generally low-rise residential buildings of the era. However, as development surged and well-organized neighborhoods emerged, their neighborhood, which had no property management, became particularly dirty and disorderly.
Zhang Jianwen had bought a larger house elsewhere at that time. However, the new house was still under construction, and after completion, it needed to be renovated and then left vacant for a year or two to air out. So, they used the Jinglin neighborhood as a temporary place. After moving out, they had considered selling the house, but given the state of the housing market, they thought it might be worth more in a few years, so they decided to keep it.
Initially, the vacant house was rented out, but the previous tenants had moved out the year before. At that time, the grandson was transitioning from middle school to high school, and with the busy preparations for school selection, there was no time to deal with renting out the house. With the old house's size—two bedrooms and a living room—the monthly rent was less than three thousand, which wasn't worth the trouble. The priority was the grandson starting high school. As a result, the house remained vacant until now.
They had to move back because their previous residence had caught fire. The cause of the fire was someone stealing electricity from the electrical utility box. In their neighborhood, the electrical utility box ran through the entire building, with a door on each floor. The doors were not locked to facilitate routine safety inspections, which unfortunately made it easier for others to steal electricity.
Zhang Jianwen wasn't sure when the theft of electricity by that household had started—whether it had always been the case or if they resorted to such actions due to high electricity consumption and financial strain. Either way, the wires had been illegally connected, leading to a fire that burned the entire electrical utility box for the building. Fortunately, the electrical utility boxes in the building were for low-voltage electricity, so while the fire did occur, it was at night when everyone was more alert. The fire was discovered before it spread too much, and many residents managed to evacuate before it got worse.
Initially, the fire wasn't very large, but due to the flammable materials in each apartment, it spread and caused significant damage. Fortunately, there were only a few casualties—two homes had their doors burned shut, and the occupants inhaled excessive smoke and couldn't be rescued. Most people escaped with just a scare.
However, with the fire out, the damage was severe: the homes were essentially destroyed, blackened, and waterlogged. Staying in a hotel was only a temporary solution, and Zhang Jianwen realized restoring their home would take time. So, the Zhang family, having packed up what they could salvage, hired an expensive vehicle and moved into their vacant house for a place to stay.
The return of the Zhang family didn't significantly affect Mu Nan and the others, except that the floor was now more crowded due to the increased number of Zhang family members, making it livelier. With their financial situation strained from the pandemic and subsequent heatwave, Qin Huai had only about a hundred thousand left. The economic difficulties had affected everyone, with skyrocketing prices due to the heatwave. As other households struggled financially, Mu Nan and Qin Huai had become more frugal, avoiding unnecessary spending, including group purchases. They started leading a more low-key life at home.
The persistent high temperatures had begun to cause water and food shortages. The heat resulted in two major problems: a drop in water levels and rapid food spoilage, causing prices to soar to unaffordable levels. Even with money, finding frozen meat was nearly impossible. Some unscrupulous vendors repackaged spoiled meat, making it inedible after thawing. Others went further, cutting into frozen meat to reveal maggots, leading to widespread distress and collapse under the pressure of living conditions.
Food scarcity was the first major crisis triggered by the relentless heat. Previously, during the lockdown, while expensive, food was still available within an acceptable range. Now, however, the price of a pound of frozen pork had skyrocketed to four or five hundred, and even then, it might be spoiled, which was unbearable for many.
The situation worsened as pigs, cattle, sheep, and chickens died in large numbers due to the heat and diseases spreading rapidly among poultry. Some markets had virtually no meat available, and vegetables and rice crops were extensively damaged by drought. In some rice fields, eighty percent of the ears of rice were empty.
Heat alone wasn't terrifying; staying indoors with power was manageable. But food crises were frightening, as many feared not being able to buy anything even with money. Hoarding behavior intensified, leading to conflicts at supermarkets due to crowd control and shortages on shelves, with deaths and injuries reported. Riots and vandalism broke out over stock shortages.
While the country is known for its order and safety, food panic was something new and difficult to manage even with government intervention. Without food, the fear of imminent death overshadowed concerns about heat or viruses. Another significant issue arising from the food crisis was home robberies, where people stole anything valuable or edible. Even though the famine had not yet reached the dire stage of eating tree bark or digging for roots, many were already taking drastic measures to ensure their security.
To address the increasing risk of theft, the residents of Mu Nan's neighborhood decided to install security doors at the building's entrance. Since the community served as the property management, they handled the arrangements. The cost for installing the security doors was shared among the residents. Although the price had risen due to increased thefts, each household only needed to contribute three hundred yuan.
The building had twenty-six floors, with five households on each side of every floor. However, not all units were occupied. Some had moved out due to old age or heat, leaving two hundred nine actual residents.
Three hundred yuan wasn't a huge amount, and most could afford it. For those facing difficulties, the community would provide assistance. After the community announced the price, residents responded quickly, and the next day, community staff arrived to collect the fees.
Director Li, who had previously avoided a severe injury thanks to Mu Nan's warning, was among those collecting money. He had remembered Mu Nan's warning with deep gratitude. If it hadn't been for that warning, he might not have been here today. His family depended on him, and with the current situation, he shuddered to think of what would have happened if he had been injured. As the days grew more difficult, his appreciation for Mu Nan only deepened.
This time, besides coming to collect the installation fee for the security doors, Director Li wanted to check if Mu Nan and his family needed any help. After all, Mu Nan was a recent graduate who hadn't entered the workforce yet and probably didn't have much savings. Given the frequent natural disasters, their situation might be challenging. Even if his older brother had returned, he was still relatively young and probably hadn't been working for long. Director Li imagined the two young people might be struggling a lot, possibly even going hungry and surviving on instant noodles while tightening their belts to eat just one meal a day.
Director Li hadn't had the chance to offer help before, but now he saw an opportunity and took it.
Hearing Director Li's intention, Mu Nan was somewhat surprised. "You mean working in a supermarket?"
Director Li nodded. "Although supermarkets might seem dangerous right now, the legal and social order in our country is still quite strong. To protect the normal operation of major supermarkets, each large store has some security presence. Our neighborhood's Yunshang Supermarket is close to home—just a ten-minute walk or a three-minute bike ride. The salary might not be high, but it includes two meals for employees."
Mu Nan hadn't expected his previous warning to have made such an impact. While working in a supermarket might seem risky, it was certainly a lucrative job given the current conditions. At least it was more convenient compared to the desperate competition for supplies. The broader environment had led to the collapse of many industries, with widespread job losses and skyrocketing prices, creating panic. Even having a job with just meal benefits was highly sought after.
Faced with this valuable opportunity, Mu Nan declined Director Li's offer. "I work in the online sector, so the current environment doesn't affect my job much. My income can cover living expenses, so I won't be able to work at the supermarket."
Director Li thought Mu Nan was still a child. Nowadays, network jobs lacked stability and could vanish at any time, whereas working at a supermarket offered more security. Even though supermarket work was tough, as long as there was a need for daily necessities, Director Li's connections ensured the job would remain stable. It was definitely more secure than working online.
Seeing that Mu Nan truly had no interest, Director Li added, "How about your brother? He could take the job instead." Though they were not biological brothers, living together and sharing meals meant that having a stable job would also provide some security for Mu Nan.
Since Mu Nan didn't want to take the job, he couldn't force his brother into it. Mu Nan helped Qin Huai refuse by saying, "My brother has company matters to handle and is even busier than I am. Director Li, we appreciate your kindness, but right now, we really can't spare the time. Even if we need to switch jobs, we must first complete our current tasks." He couldn't force his brother into a job under the guise of doing what was best for them, so he said, "If you find a suitable opportunity in the future, let us know, and I'll see if I can help."
Hearing this, Mu Nan felt relieved. This was a typical example of how the sudden concern of others could be unsettling.
Back inside the house, Mu Nan breathed a huge sigh of relief. His brother had been outside handling payments, and he hadn't expected the visit from Director Li to turn into a matter of gratitude.
Qin Huai, who had been listening to their conversation from inside, asked when Mu Nan returned, "Is there a problem with working at the supermarket?"
If there were no problems, working at the supermarket seemed like a good job. It offered access to various supplies and was a good shield, even if they didn't need to buy anything. Such a job would certainly be advantageous compared to struggling to grab supplies. Qin Huai believed Mu Nan would have considered these aspects, but since Mu Nan declined, he wondered if there was something Mu Nan had seen in a dream.
Mu Nan explained, "It's not really a problem. I saw that the government has started distributing daily supplies. Supermarkets are just distribution points, but the people doing the distributing are all soldiers, not ordinary people. This means that even if you work at the supermarket now, apart from the hard work and potential dangers, the job won't last long and will eventually be taken over by the government. So, there's no need to go through that hassle."
The most critical issue was that after the social order broke down, there was a period of rampant robbery and violence. It was as if people felt the world had ended, and there were no longer any nations or laws—survival was determined by one's own strength. This led to unchecked behavior.
Many shared this mindset, gathering in groups with similar goals. They targeted people who had worked in supermarkets, believing they might have stockpiled more than ordinary residents due to their positions. The truly wealthy lived in well-protected areas, making it difficult to target them, so these criminals opted for those who might hoard supplies due to their jobs. They reasoned that targeting people with access to stockpiles would yield better results than random violence.
Mu Nan wanted to avoid exposing himself and Qin Huai to such potential dangers. Even with the security doors downstairs and the seemingly secure iron gate at their front, these wouldn't provide real protection. If his space could accommodate people, there might be some security, but it couldn't match the advanced protection described in novels. Therefore, they had to protect themselves carefully.
For Qin Huai, the supermarket job was not essential. Since Mu Nan felt it wasn't necessary, they didn't need to think about it further. Instead, Qin Huai continued working on his crossbows, which were illegal. He had paid extra to acquire two sets, one large and one small, and had managed to get some assembly parts. However, the assembled parts were wooden with metal pieces and were not very durable. He wanted to make his own in the future but lacked the tools for fine crafting. Despite being rough, they would still be useful.
Aside from making crossbows, Qin Huai needed to prepare more for the shooting tools that go with them. It was simple—if steel needles weren't available, wooden ones would work as long as they could handle the pull and firing force. Sharpening the tips would make them dangerous enough to seriously injure someone, even if they couldn't kill. If he had more time, he could get some firearms. Mu Nan couldn't acquire them, but Qin Huai, having spent years abroad, was used to having one in the drawer at home. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to go abroad, or their safety could be better guaranteed.
Mu Nan lay on the bed, watching Qin Huai grind the wood, and asked curiously, "Are those things that you wear on your hands, like gloves, which shoot out and kill people, real or just fake?"
Qin Huai smiled. "Do you want me to get you a flying and transforming car too? Or a few laser swords?"
Mu Nan clicked his tongue and noticed something black moving out of the corner of his eye. He jumped up from the bed and instinctively screamed, "Ah!!!"
Qin Huai was startled, and the next moment, Mu Nan, who had just been lying on the bed, grabbed a slipper from the floor and rushed over, slapping it on the ground.
Qin Huai then noticed that a cockroach had emerged from the kitchen and was passing through their living room.
As Mu Nan chased and hit the cockroach, he shouted, "Hurry up, brother! Block it! It's going your way!!"
Qin Huai raised his foot to step on it, but the cockroach spread its wings and flew away.
A flying cockroach isn't very harmful but is extremely disgusting.
Fortunately, there wasn't much in their living room—just a small dining table and a bed, with no cluttered corners for the pests to hide. So, the flying cockroach ended up being crushed under Mu Nan's slipper.
After killing the cockroach, Mu Nan shivered, reflecting on how disgusting flying creatures were, especially when they were so large. He had become somewhat experienced with dealing with such things. The reason he didn't have many items at home wasn't just because it was more convenient to store them in his space but also because he had been tortured by these disgusting pests in his past life.
In his previous life, when things first heated up, cockroaches were very active for a period. The temperature of thirty to forty degrees Celsius was suitable for them. Later, as temperatures rose, cockroaches seemed to disappear. It was said that the highest temperature they could tolerate was around fifty degrees. At that time, the outside temperature was about fifty-one or fifty-two degrees, and the surface temperature was likely sixty or seventy degrees. Such high temperatures were unbearable for cockroaches, so they all perished.
However, cockroaches later adapted or mutated and began to invade human living spaces aggressively. Perhaps it was because it was too hot outside, so these pests kept trying to get inside. No matter how many were killed, new ones always appeared. Mu Nan wasn't afraid of them, but they were incredibly disgusting. The thought of cockroaches crawling on him while he was sleeping was something he never wanted to experience again!
Currently, the outside temperature hadn't reached fifty degrees yet, staying around forty-five to forty-six degrees. This meant that the cockroaches' first active period was around this time. Mu Nan kept this in mind and took precautions to prevent cockroaches from infesting their home. The door to the room where vegetables were grown was tightly shut, and the bathroom and kitchen doors were kept closed as much as possible. The living room windows and doors were sealed tightly, and even the air conditioner's vent was covered with multiple layers of tape. He thought he had done enough to prevent a cockroach infestation and that he would never be tortured by them again. Unfortunately, there was still one that got through.
Seeing Mu Nan's intense reaction, Qin Huai quickly reassured him, "It's okay, you've killed it. Just close the kitchen door, and cockroaches shouldn't get into the living room. It's normal to encounter such pests at this temperature. Later, we'll spray more insecticide in the kitchen and bathroom, seal them tightly, and it should get better."
Mu Nan shook his head. "No, we need to clear everything out of the living room and check every corner of the house. The bathroom drain must be sealed when not in use. Most importantly, the kitchen—we should seal it off and stop cooking. You don't know how terrifying these cockroaches are!"
Qin Huai couldn't help but laugh. "So scared? Where did your courage go when you were killing the cockroach? If there are more, just kill them."
Mu Nan gave Qin Huai a look of frustration. Those who haven't experienced a cockroach infestation just don't understand.
One advantage of having a space is that it's easy to clear out a house in no time. Qin Huai couldn't argue with Mu Nan and had to comply. Within a short time, Mu Nan cleared the living room. The bed hadn't been moved for several months, and after being stored in the space, it was still a bit dirty underneath. While waiting for the insecticide to work in the kitchen and bathroom, they thoroughly cleaned the living room.
Although they only cleaned the living room, they had installed several built-in wall cabinets, and each cabinet had to be carefully checked for any overlooked gaps. By the time they finished, it was already late at night. Seeing that power would soon be cut off, they stopped, took a quick shower, set up the air conditioning fan and battery, and lay down. Soon, the air conditioner beeped, indicating the power was off.
The air conditioning fan was gently blowing air at their bed, and Mu Nan was still worried. "The bathroom and kitchen are securely locked, right?"
Qin Huai replied, "Yes, they're locked. Go to sleep, we've been busy all night."
Mu Nan said, "Cockroaches carry many germs, they're so filthy."
Qin Huai covered his ears. "Stop thinking about it. There are no more cockroaches; the house is clean and disinfected. You can sleep now."
Mu Nan reviewed the house in his mind and felt reassured. He then closed his eyes and fell asleep.
The next day, Qin Huai saw a news story online and understood why Mu Nan had such a strong reaction to cockroaches. A netizen reported that their wooden floor had been making noises recently, especially noticeable during the quiet daytime. Unable to ignore it, the netizen pried open the floorboards to investigate and then they saw that the space under the floorboards was completely infested with cockroaches!