As Qin Huai said, everything has signs before it happens. However, when things have not yet occurred, those subtle signs are easily ignored, or even if noticed, people may not associate them with the possible outcomes.
The alpaca incident served as a reminder for the military personnel. Although they knew there was a zoo nearby, they had too many other pressing matters to deal with. They hadn't even sorted out human issues, let alone those involving animals. However, when cities inhabited by humans were destroyed by earthquakes, and despite the rampant spread of diseases, it became a paradise for animals. They roamed freely, reproduced quickly, and the piles of ruins might have been more suitable for their survival than the once orderly steel cities. Whether these animals came from the zoo or from distant mountains disturbed by the earthquake, the lack of industrial noise and absence of vehicles made large beasts start wandering into human settlements.
In the following days, many people were injured by these animals. Some even encountered packs of wolves, resulting in heavy casualties. Notably, these wolves were very different from the ones once raised in the zoo. Their appearance and the look in their eyes showed a stark contrast between wild-born animals and those raised in captivity. As a result, some soldiers began patrolling daily in vehicles, searching for these dangerous wild animals.
Although there wasn't necessarily a direct connection, when Qin Huai encountered Shi Yuanfei at the power station, he still shared his premonition.
Shi Yuanfei didn't dismiss Qin Huai's feelings but reasoned, "Even if they are wild wolves, perhaps it's just a lack of food that has driven them into the city. Our home is destroyed, and their home might not be intact either."
Qin Huai shook his head. "If it were just a rare occurrence, I wouldn't think much of it. But lately, incidents of animals attacking humans have been frequent, and I feel like something else is about to happen. Of course, this is just a guess. Especially now with the temperature dropping, animals can always sense nature better than humans. We've experienced extreme heat, so extreme cold is not impossible either. But if the drop in temperature is merely a return to what it used to be, that would be better."
Shi Yuanfei nodded. "We will closely monitor the temperature changes. Speaking of which, how is your work going? Do you need me to help you get a permanent position?"
Qin Huai smiled at this and replied, "It's just a small matter. No need to use up Captain Shi's favor for that."
The temperature drop was noticeable to many people. The difference between fifty degrees and forty degrees was significant. After enduring such a long and brutal summer, when the temperature finally dropped to the unbearable forty-degree range, people started to feel as if the coolness of autumn had arrived. Indeed, everything is relative.
With the restoration of the power grid, everyone felt that things were improving. Their new homes were settling, new environments were being built, and as the government gradually implemented its rebuilding plans, life seemed to be on its way back to normal.
The military was far quicker at clearing supplies than civilians rummaging by hand. Soon, people could start exchanging points for household items, though the prices weren't cheap. An air conditioner, for example, cost at least twenty points, which was equivalent to a month's rent in a townhouse. These items were expensive because there weren't the resources to manufacture them, and the available supply was limited. Despite the high cost, many people still traded for them, as even though the temperature had dropped, it was still lingering around forty degrees.
Seeing the community bustling around the exchange point, Mu Nan reminded Jian Chu and the others, "You should exchange for some winter supplies."
Their points had been calculated, with the bulk of them coming from the canned goods they found on the way—dozens of boxes of corn and meat cans, as well as some crystal sugar and beans. After averaging everything out, each household ended up with more than seven hundred points. Considering that an average month's work could only earn around a hundred points, they were in a comfortable position. That's why Mu Nan suggested they should exchange for supplies.
Jian Chu looked at the sunshades that were still necessary outside. "Winter supplies? What winter are we expecting?"
Mu Nan replied, "The temperature is dropping, which means winter will come eventually—it's only a matter of time. Off-season purchases are much cheaper. Look, an air conditioner costs twenty points, but a quilt is only one or two points, even less than a can of meat. If you wait until it gets cold to exchange, not only might it be too late, but there might not even be anything left. There are no factories producing these items now. What's available is what's left, and I've already exchanged for some. You should consider it too."
Seeing Jian Chu hesitate, Mu Nan added, "Unless something unexpected happens, we'll be living here from now on. If you don't stock up while it's affordable, you might not be able to get what you need later."
Jian Chu glanced at Yu Zibai, feeling convinced. "Shall we exchange for some?"
Yu Zibai thought highly of Qin Huai's foresight and agreed with Mu Nan. The temperature had dropped, and winter was inevitable. Even if it didn't come soon, stocking up wouldn't hurt. If winter did come, supplies might be scarce, and everyone had arrived here with barely anything.
Three days after they rode their tricycle to exchange for winter supplies that nobody was yet interested in, the blazing sun was suddenly covered by clouds. During the day, while people were asleep, a cold front blew in from an unknown source, dissipating the year-long heat. The temperature dropped at an impossible speed—some people woke up freezing, while others never woke up, taken by the sudden cold in their sleep.
Mu Nan couldn't recall the exact date this harsh winter arrived, only that in his previous life, it had come unexpectedly, and by that time, people had long lost any sense of time. He hadn't known he would be reborn, so he hadn't kept track of the days. He only remembered that it was around June when it happened.
So, when the temperature dropped this time, it caught him off guard. Luckily, Qin Huai was alert. Noticing the temperature inside the house was becoming uncomfortably low, he woke up, pulled back the curtains, and saw the sky had darkened. Opening the window, he realized the air inside the house, even with the air conditioner on, was slightly warmer than outside.
Qin Huai quickly switched the air conditioner from cooling to heating, found a quilt to cover Mu Nan, then went downstairs to turn on the floor heating. He also used a walkie-talkie to check on the neighbors. The neighbors, likely still asleep, took a while to respond and thought something serious had happened.
As he checked the windows and heating system, Qin Huai said, "The temperature has dropped. Don't freeze to death. Make sure you check on Xu Ming too."
Yu Zibai, holding the walkie-talkie, paused, then opened the window to check. The cold air hit him like a slap, and he was stunned. Just before falling asleep, it had been over forty degrees, but now it had dropped so fast that it felt like it was barely in the teens. The speed of the temperature drop was unbelievable.
Qin Huai returned upstairs and tossed a couple of stones across the street to the neighbors' house. Soon, the sound of a dog barking came from inside, followed by someone peeking out the window, looking surprised to see Qin Huai. They quickly noticed the change in weather, opened the window, and were hit by the cold, shivering in response.
Qin Huai called out, "It's nothing, just letting you know the temperature's dropped." With that, he closed the window and went back inside.
In the short time he'd spent outside, the temperature seemed to have dropped even more. The house's heating hadn't caught up with the falling temperature, and the rooms were getting colder. Qin Huai added another blanket to Mu Nan, who was still not used to the weight after a year of using only a light sheet. The weight of the blankets finally woke Mu Nan, who, still groggy, instinctively pushed them away.
Qin Huai crawled under the covers and held him close. "The temperature's dropped. I've turned on the heating, but it hasn't warmed up yet."
Mu Nan, half-asleep, mumbled, "It's so heavy."
Qin Huai touched his hands and feet. Thankfully, they were still warm. "Without the weight, you'd freeze."
Mu Nan shifted under the blankets, seemingly trying to grab his phone to check the time. Qin Huai pulled his hand back under the covers. "Go back to sleep, it's still daytime."
Mu Nan murmured a response. He was still too sleepy to fully wake up but remembered he should remind others. Reaching for the walkie-talkie again, Qin Huai gently pulled him back into the blankets. "Sleep, I've already notified everyone. I even woke up Niu Niu's family by throwing stones at their window. They won't freeze."
Mu Nan finally felt at ease, snuggling closer to Qin Huai. The air outside was getting colder, so he instinctively moved toward warmth. However, before he could fall back asleep, he was awakened by the sound of banging gongs and knocking at the door. Qin Huai put on a thick coat, went to the balcony, and opened the door to see a group of soldiers outside.
Seeing someone come out, the soldier quickly said, "The temperature has dropped, keep warm and don't freeze to death in your sleep."
The noise from the gongs and knocking was so loud that it woke everyone in the neighborhood. Only then did some people realize the temperature had dropped drastically, almost as if winter had arrived overnight.
Some people got up and responded, and the soldiers recorded their house numbers in a notebook. For houses where no one responded, they would find a way to break in. Since every house in the resettlement area was fully occupied, if no one answered during the day, it likely meant something had gone wrong.
When Qin Huai returned inside, he saw Mu Nan sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He sighed, "Are you going back to sleep or not?"
Mu Nan yawned and stretched, seeing that it was only noon on his phone. He shook his head and said, "The days of darkness are coming to an end. We're about to see the light!"
Qin Huai chuckled, "You make it sound like the disaster is over."
Mu Nan replied, "At least we can go out during the day now. Sleeping during the day and at night feels different, no matter how long we've had our days and nights reversed. Sleeping at night still feels better."
He pulled back the curtains and looked at the overcast sky. The soldiers from the military department were all frowning as Shi Yuanfei stood by, expressionless, waiting for the logistics team to tally the supply data. Previously, it was cooling supplies, and now it was cold-weather supplies. Fortunately, when Qin Huai mentioned it earlier, Shi had the foresight to organize the winter supplies in advance, which proved useful much sooner than expected.
Looking at the gloomy sky and the continuously dropping temperature, no one in Base 713 looked pleased. Some couldn't help but curse aloud, "Are they trying to kill us?"
The more experienced veterans were also exhausted but still forced themselves to stay alert. "Put on winter gear and get every vehicle that can run out on the road. Drive around the city and surrounding areas—wherever we can reach. We might not be able to gather everyone, but we can at least wake people up. Waking them up might save their lives; it's better than freezing to death in their sleep."
Another round of rescue operations was about to begin, but many people were mentally drained. One disaster after another gave them no time to catch their breath. Some even began to feel it might be better to just die, to escape the suffering of survival. But those with responsibilities couldn't afford such weakness. If they didn't stand tall, their country would truly be finished.
Mu Nan noticed the dark sky and, worried that the power supply might overload, turned off the air conditioner on the second floor and left only the central heating on. The third-floor air conditioner stayed on since the heating wouldn't warm up quickly enough, and there were potted plants sprouting there that couldn't be allowed to freeze. They were using government electricity, so he decided not to touch their solar storage for now. If the power went out and there was no sunlight, they would at least have a backup.
The snow hadn't started falling yet, but the wind was fierce, whipping at the outdoor curtains as if ready to carry them away. After watching for a while, Mu Nan decided to take them down before the wind blew them off.
Just as he was about to head upstairs, Qin Huai came back. Mu Nan quickly leaned over the railing and called down, "Brother!"
Qin Huai looked up. "Get inside. Aren't you cold, dressed like that?"
Mu Nan glanced at his down jacket, thermal underwear, and two sweaters. He was fully dressed. When Qin Huai came upstairs, Mu Nan asked, "Do you have work today?"
Qin Huai shook his head. "Not for now. The sudden cold has thrown a lot of people into chaos. We'll wait for further instructions." He had just gone to Building No. 1, which had communication equipment linked to the power station office, to check whether they were still required to work today. But he guessed they wouldn't need to go to work for the next day or two, as the power station would likely be busy formulating rescue plans. If they moved too slowly, who knows how many people would freeze to death. The sudden drop in temperature caught many unprepared, and not everyone had clothes thick enough to withstand the cold. Sending people to work in such conditions would be asking too much.
Seeing Mu Nan head upstairs, Qin Huai guessed what he was about to do and pushed him back inside. "I'll take care of it. I'm already dressed."
Mu Nan followed behind him. "I'll go with you. I'm wearing a lot—this is an extreme-cold down jacket, super thick."
Qin Huai, worried that Mu Nan might catch a cold from the change in temperature, took off his jacket and sent him back to the room.
The outdoor curtains were easy to take down. Qin Huai had installed them, so he knew which knots to pull to untie them quickly. While he was working, Yu Zibai came up as well. The rooftops on both sides were connected, with the separating wall only chest-high, so it was easy to climb over. Wrapped in layers, Yu Zibai braved the wind and approached. "Did you guys turn on the floor heating?"
Qin Huai nodded. "It's on, but the temperature hasn't come up yet. It'll take some time."
Yu Zibai sighed, "Good thing you reminded us to exchange for thick clothes and blankets earlier. Otherwise, we'd be freezing to death right now. Those with air conditioners are fine, but those waiting for the floor heating are in for a long wait. Just hope the power doesn't go out. With the sun blocked, do you think the power station will hold up?"
Qin Huai shook his head. "No idea. But solar power isn't the only energy source. They've already started repairing other power stations as a precaution. Are you still going to work today?"
Yu Zibai tightened his collar against the biting wind. "Probably not. We get paid by the day, so we'll just wait at home and see what happens."
The two of them talked briefly before each went to remove the outdoor curtains. It was freezing outside, and the wind seemed to cut right through their thick clothing, chilling them to the bone. No one could have predicted that yesterday's heat would turn into today's bitter cold, where even wearing winter clothes outside made their teeth chatter.
Qin Huai placed the curtains he had taken down in the stairwell between the third floor and the rooftop. After returning to the room, he removed his coat and stood by the air conditioner vent to warm up a bit before sitting down on the couch next to the bed. Mu Nan, already yawning and hugging a pillow, was trying to fight off sleep. Now that the heat of the day was gone, they needed to reset their body clocks to get back on a regular day-night schedule.
Qin Huai pinched Mu Nan's cheek and said, "If you're sleepy, just go to bed. No need to force yourself to stay up."
Mu Nan flinched at the coldness of his hand, waking up a little more. "I can't sleep now if I sleep now, I won't be able to sleep tonight. Let's eat something. Eating will wake me up."
Qin Huai laughed. It was only around three or four in the afternoon—time when they would normally be waking up and getting ready to eat. But since they were trying to reset their schedule, mealtimes had to adjust as well. "If you're hungry, just have a snack. We're going back to three regular meals a day, so don't eat too much now, or you won't be hungry for dinner."
Mu Nan grabbed a small cake and piled some chips and fries on the coffee table in front of the couch. He also brought out some fruit and asked Qin Huai to move the projector so they could watch something. He picked a thrilling horror movie to help keep himself awake.
Qin Huai asked, "Aren't you going to be scared watching that?"
Mu Nan scoffed. "You underestimate me! I can watch Saw while eating a meal. This kind of atmospheric horror, with its eerie music and suspense but no actual monsters, isn't scary at all."
But as it turned out, Mu Nan's bravado didn't hold up for long.
Later, Mu Nan found himself sitting on the toilet, too scared to close the bathroom door, claiming it was too cold to shut it. He kept calling out to Qin Huai, not because he was scared, of course, but because he was bored and needed someone to talk to.
After a while, Qin Huai went quiet, making Mu Nan nervous. He craned his neck, trying to peer outside, but the bathroom was too far from the door for him to see anything. Feeling a chill of fear creep up on him, he called out, "Brother? Are you still there? What are you doing? Brother? Say something!"
When Qin Huai still didn't answer, Mu Nan grew even more uneasy. His mind began conjuring images of ghostly hands reaching out from the shadows, and he suddenly wanted to finish up and leave. Just as he was about to get up, Qin Huai appeared at the bathroom door, arms crossed and smiling. "And you said you weren't scared?"
Mu Nan quickly pulled up his pants. "Why are you here? I didn't even close the door! Get out of here!"
Qin Huai teased, "It's not like I haven't seen everything before."
Mu Nan, embarrassed, grabbed a pillow from his storage space and threw it at him. "Get away from the door! I can't finish if you're standing there!"
Qin Huai laughed. "Aren't you afraid? I'm just keeping you company."
Mu Nan pulled his pants tighter. "Qin Huai!"
Laughing, Qin Huai gave in and left, returning to the sofa and turning on a lively variety show, raising the volume to make the atmosphere less spooky.
Mu Nan sighed in relief. That Qin Huai, no matter how old he got, never stopped being mischievous!
The biting cold wind had only taken one day to chill the earth to its core. By nightfall, snow began to fall, and even though the authorities were doing their best to maintain power to the residential areas, some people were still freezing in their homes. Those who hadn't managed to get air conditioning were left waiting for the heating systems to kick in, which could take a day or more.
Many people, lacking proper winter clothing and unable to heat their homes, flocked to Building One, where soldiers were temporarily stationed. The building had become a refuge for those trying to survive the cold, with some people still dressed in shorts and t-shirts, completely unprepared for the sudden temperature drop.
The situation was even more dire for those still in quarantine at the school, who hadn't been transferred yet. Despite the authorities rushing to rescue them, many who were already ill couldn't survive the sudden drop in temperature. The freezing snow made things even worse, turning the cold snap into a full-blown disaster.