On the streets of Boulder City, the closed doors and windows were rattling in the wind.
No pedestrians were seen on the streets, only a line of ragged poor people in the middle of the road, pushing carts of snow to dump outside the city.
In the slums on the edge of the outer wall, there were collapsed shacks everywhere. People with dishevelled hair and dirty faces braved the howling wind and snow, searching for missing relatives and friends in the snow. Some people stood numbly beside the collapsed shacks, or knelt on the ground to pray.
The wooden poles blown crooked by the wind were lying across the door of the slums, and no one cared. Two loudspeakers were tied to them with wires, and they intermittently emitted the annoying glib tune.
"...Hello, dear listeners, hello, this is the Voice of Boulder City, I am your dearest host Mr. House."
"Just ten minutes ago, a sudden snowstorm swept across the southern part of the River Valley Province. This blizzard is expected to last for two hours, but please don't worry, in front of the towering giant wall, neither the surging 'waves' nor the howling cold wind can hurt us at all! Under the leadership of the great city lord, we are invincible!"
"However, our neighbors are not so lucky."
"Although our observation station cannot see the situation in our neighbors' homes due to the heavy snow blocking our vision, I can imagine what a miserable scene it is."
"If your house collapses, please don't be sad, the Far Wind Hotel will always welcome you!"
"This will be your second home!"
...
The sudden snowstorm made the entire northern suburbs of Qingquan City a mess.
Especially for the young players who hunted in the Elm District, they were lucky that VM had built-in map and compass functions, otherwise they would have almost not walked out of the forest.
There were trenches and foxholes left by the legion everywhere. If you didn't make a sound, you would step into the ditch. Occasionally, you could touch the dead bodies that had not been eaten by jackals, hyenas, and rats...
In general, the players were not affected too much by the blizzard.
Even if someone occasionally got into trouble, they could send a distress signal through the map. When the nearby players saw it, most of them would rush over to help enthusiastically.
However, compared with the optimism of the players, the situation of the NPC was not so optimistic.
Two wooden houses of the tribesmen collapsed, and a cowshed collapsed.
Chu Guang issued a task and asked Teng Teng, who often dealt with the tribesmen, to send them two boxes of bandages, and asked players with experience in rescue and veterinary medicine to go over to help rescue the wounded and livestock.
As for the brick factory and industrial area by the river, the situation was relatively good.
Since they were all brick houses, they were not greatly affected by the blizzard. The workers stayed in the factory, where the temperature was much higher than outside, so the problem of keeping warm was not a big problem.
However, the situation at Changjiu Farm was a bit tragic.
Although the "foam houses" built by the Pioneer were fine, and some brick houses built later were also good, the refugee camp at the east gate was in a mess.
The nomads' houses were at least made of wood, and most of them had good resistance to blizzards.
Most of the shacks where these refugees lived were made of garbage such as aluminum alloy plates and steel bars picked up from the wasteland. Not to mention resisting blizzards, they would be blown everywhere if the wind was a little stronger.
Facing this sudden blizzard, the shacks in the entire refugee camp can only be described as "completely destroyed".
The entire camp seemed to be razed to the ground!
"Is this our new home?" Looking at the messy camp in front of him, the man standing at the entrance of the camp had a frozen face full of confusion.
The remains of the shack.
Garbage buried by the snow.
And the wounded lying on the stretcher...
Standing behind the man was a group of villagers carrying large and small bags. They came from the Dongliu camp, and many of them had just escaped from the butcher's knife of the plunderers, with wounds on their bodies, which were only simply bandaged.
After a night of rest at the New Union Gas Station, they were arranged in the first group to go to Changjiu Farm.
However...
When they came here with a vision of a new life and a sudden snowstorm, they saw such a picture.
That vision of a new life was also shrouded in a haze.
"So where is the camp?"
"Maybe there wasn't one in the beginning..."
"I'm starting to miss my hut. I just built a fireplace for it... Damn it."
"Don't think about it. There's no way back there."
Just as the villagers from the Dongliu camp were looking at everything in front of them in silence, the refugees standing in the messy camp were also looking at them.
Most of those eyes were filled with suspicion and vigilance.
Although there were new people joining them occasionally, there had never been so many people like today, more than a hundred people at a time.
"Is the disaster so serious?"
"Chew bones... the chaos is spreading."
"Bighorn Deer, please bless us with peace..."
Jiuxun, who led his tribe to search for his compatriots, frowned at the new refugees, turned back to the camp, and went to find his brother.
In the crowd.
Ma Shan, who was shivering with cold, opened and closed his lips with trembling, and his eyes were desperate.
"I've said it before... We should have fled south a long time ago. Now, hell is everywhere and we have no way to go."
The soldier in the exoskeleton said that he would take him to see the manager, but up to now, except for the guards who came to ask him a few questions, there seemed to be no follow-up to this matter.
Maybe the manager didn't want to see him.
There was no hope of entering the shelter, and there was only despair in his heart.
The cold north wind cut his face like a knife, and Ma Li's Adam's apple moved, feeling the pairs of eyes behind him, and his neck felt like it was frozen.
"... Or, I'll go find the manager."
After all, he represented the Dongliu Camp and agreed to the transfer plan of the shelter.
Hearing his son's words, Ma Zhanqiu shook his head slowly.
"When everyone is unlucky, it doesn't matter who you ask."
No one has the obligation to save them.
Only they can save them.
After a moment of silence, he looked back at the villagers and shouted in a hoarse but still loud voice.
"It seems that the warm quilt and hot soup will have to wait for a while."
"The wounded, the elderly and the children, look after the luggage, and the others follow me."
"Our saviors are in trouble, we have to help them!"
The survivors of the Dongliu camp joined the search and rescue work.
Thanks to their participation, more people buried under the snow were soon carried out.
Many people still had weak breathing, but they were still alive, just frozen.
They were carried to the temporary trenches dug, where they could avoid some of the wind and snow.
The guard team set up a temporary rescue station on the trenches, gathered the wounded for rescue, and helped the wounded with fractures to fix their affected limbs.
Because the truck broke down on the road, Chu Guang was delayed for a while, and the second half was to walk to Changjiu Farm.
After arriving at the farm, he quickly found Luca who was directing the search and rescue work at the east gate.
It happened that the guard captain Wrench and Jiuli, the person in charge of the refugee camp, were also here.
Without exchanging pleasantries, Chu Guang went straight to the point.
"What's the situation?"
Luca said with a solemn expression.
"Sir, the refugee camp is severely affected by the disaster. Almost all the shacks have been destroyed. I have arranged for the workers of Changjiu Farm to put down their work and go to support the search and rescue work. It has been confirmed that 7 people have died, 21 have been injured, and two people have not been found... It is likely that they are in danger."
Chu Guang's mood sank slightly.
Jiuli, who was standing aside, followed up.
"Sir, the original camp is no longer habitable. I beg you to allow us to enter the farm. We can assure you that we will not cause you any trouble."
Before Chu Guang spoke, Wrench looked at Jiuli and spoke for him.
"Even if you enter the farm, there are not enough rooms for you to live in. The new apartment is still under construction. Even if you come in, you can only sleep on the ground, which will not solve any problems."
Jiuli said anxiously.
"At least the wall can block some of the wind..."
"How is that possible?" Wrench shook his head and said, "The roof of our guardhouse was blown away. I just had someone pick it up."
Jiuli was speechless for a moment and wanted to say something. Seeing this, Old Luca also persuaded him.
"Wrench is telling the truth. Even if we allow all of you to come in, it won't make the situation better."
Wrench was telling the truth. Changjiu Farm couldn't accommodate so many people.
The scale of the refugee camp has grown from the initial 187 people to nearly 300 people now. Add to that the more than 100 households of villagers in Dongliu Camp, and the population may exceed 500.
The dormitories left for them by the crew of the Pioneer before only had a total of 200 single rooms, and more than half of them have been rented by players active in Changjiu Farm and Yumu District as places to log off. The other half is used to provide for those who have found jobs in Changjiu Farm.
The two "home for refugees" apartments currently under construction have a total of more than 400 rooms. Even if the third one is started now, it will not be useful until the beginning of next spring.
Putting people in is a temporary solution, not a fundamental solution. It cannot solve any problems. At most, it can give them some psychological comfort.
Chu Guang thought for a moment and looked at Wrench.
"Do you have a map of the northern suburbs of Qingquan City? I mean a paper map."
"I have it, sir."
Wrench immediately took out a map from his arms and handed it to Chu Guang with both hands.
Chu Guang unfolded the map, stared at it for a while, and finally locked on the abandoned department store not far from the new industrial zone.
His cattle and horses team had found a personal shelter there before, and Boss Xia's workbench was found there.
Chu Guang still remembers clearly that there is a two-story underground garage with a very large space. The radioactive materials and slime mold species inside have been cleared before.
Although a small number of species may have spread there during this period, the number should not be large, and it is not difficult to clean it up.
The most important thing is that the location of this department store is not too far from here, only about five kilometers, and it is close to the new industrial zone, which may be able to find some work for some of the people.
The only flaws may be ventilation and sanitation problems, but these problems are minor problems in the face of severe blizzards.
Before the beginning of next spring, Chu Guang plans to temporarily settle the refugees here. The conditions here are not very good, but it is better than leaving them to fend for themselves in the wilderness.
Drawing a circle on the map with a pen, Chu Guang handed it to Jiuli standing beside him and said.
"The area around Changjiu Farm is all wasteland. Apart from withered trees and shrubs, there are only ups and downs of mud. There is no place to shelter from the wind and rain, and there are not enough materials for you to rebuild the camp in a short time."
"I don't know when this blizzard will come again. It is not a wise choice to rebuild a camp. Before the end of winter, we must use the ruins left over from the pre-war society to build a temporary shelter. I know it is not easy. There are many problems such as alien species and diseases that need to be overcome, but this is the only option that can keep more people alive."
"I need you to organize people to bring the refugees to the resettlement area on the map. I will arrange for the guards to help you build a temporary shelter there."
"A batch of wood will be delivered to you later. I will arrange people to help you make fuel. I will try my best to find a way to solve the problem of food. The rationing standard will be the same as when you are here. I can't guarantee how good it is, but I can guarantee that no one will die of hunger and cold."
Although he was in a heavy mood, Jiuli knew in his heart that this was the most realistic choice.
He nodded slightly and said respectfully.
"Thank you for your generosity, sir."
It takes time to appease the refugees and arrange the transfer. Jiuli did not delay here and quickly turned around and left with the map and the manager's promise.
After asking Luca to assist him and explaining the work, Chu Guang was not idle. He immediately used the manager's authority to publish a task with no threshold restrictions in the task channel.
The task will also be posted at the door of the warehouse for newbies who have not yet obtained VM.
[Task: Changjiu Farm needs wood! ]
[Published to: All players]
...
Outpost.
A group of newbies gathered in front of the task notice board at the door of the warehouse, staring at the line of words on the list, and their eyes were almost bulging out.
[Task: Changjiu Farm needs wood! ]
[Requirement: Cut down the marked trees in the selected area and drag the felled trees to the designated location for loading]
[Reward: 2 silver coins, 5 contribution points, 10 regional reputation points (Long-term Farm) for each tree]
There was a lot of discussion around, and the voices were all surprised and surprised.
Even unbelievable!
"What the hell? 2 silver coins for a tree?!"
"Give me 5 contribution points and 10 reputation points!"
"Oh my god, is this a limited-time event? Why is the reward so high!"
As we all know, a LV0 liver emperor can only earn 10 silver coins a day.
After LV3, the daily income will gradually increase to 15~20 silver.
The reason for this is that the game mechanism determines that the role of contribution points in the early stage will be greater than that of silver coins. After reaching the citizen level, the income of money will rise with the tide.
According to the operator, only those who have made sufficient contributions to the shelter are worthy of enjoying the fruits of their predecessors' efforts and occupying more "social resources".
For ordinary daily tasks, the reward for chopping down a tree is only 5 copper coins, and a smaller one may be 2 copper coins.
Now, it has quadrupled!
And there is no upper limit on the income!
Not only new players, but also many old players above LV6 are tempted by such an inflated reward.
Canyon Fleeing Mole: "Could it be that the AI made a mistake when issuing tasks? This income is too unreasonable. Strength-related players must be able to earn money quickly! I strongly request the planner to add tasks that can also earn money quickly for Agility-related players!"
Fountain Commander: "+1, Intelligence-related players are going to cry."
Midnight Killing Chicken: "The logging convoy is leaving. Is there anyone following the car? Speed privately."
Kakarot: "Brother Killing Chicken, please lead me! Hahaha, I'm a Strength-related player!"
Elf King Fugui: "Brothers, let's go! While the dog planner hasn't discovered this bug yet, let's quickly earn silver coins to the sky!"
Spare someone from the knife: "I'm so exhausted!"
Quit smoking: "Oli Ge!"
A group of players rushed to the Elm District.
Especially the Strength-related players, each of them was as excited as a 200-pound child. The logging axes in the warehouse were all sold out, and they vowed to cut out a piece of sky.
Unlike previous logging missions, this time the felling area is specified, and NPCs will mark the trees. Only by felling the marked trees can you get rewards.
The total area of the development area is about 10 acres, showing a rectangular area on the map. Pine and cypress trees with a diameter of more than 30 cm and a height of more than 10 meters are all marked.
Three guards and eight NPC workers set up a temporary camp next to the felling area, using simple cutting equipment such as saw blades to process the wood, and load it into trucks in sections and drag it to Changjiu Farm and the abandoned department store where refugees are temporarily accommodated.
Some children will definitely want to ask, what if I mark it myself and cut a slightly thinner tree?
Of course it's bad.
That's really bad.
As long as the NPC is blind enough, it will definitely not be found...
Within the range of 10 acres, the NPC sent by Chu Guang to mark the wood has placed a full 6,000 marks.
The duration of the entire mission is preset to be one week.
However, what Chu Guang did not expect was that in just three days, without modern logging tools such as chainsaws, his little players relied on an axe to clear all the more than 6,000 marks!
According to 2 silver coins per tree, Chu Guang issued a full 12,000 silver coins for these woods in just three days!
A total of 170 players participated in this task, with an average income of 70.5 silver coins!
The best midnight chicken killing, only two axes were broken, one person contributed 120 trees, earned 240 silver in three days, and the logging level was raised from 5 to 6. Chu Guang couldn't help but want to give him a forest destroyer achievement.
According to this trend, the chicken killer may become the second awakening in the shelter.
The strongest power version is confirmed!
...
Changjiu Farm.
Temporary office.
Looking at Chu Guang sitting behind the wooden table, Luca reminded carefully.
"Sir, we have enough wood now, and the fuel reserves have returned to the reserve line you set, but food is still a big problem."
"The weather is getting colder, and there are fewer and fewer prey to hunt. We now have nearly two thousand mouths to feed. At the current rate of consumption, our food may only be enough to last until the end of this month..."
After listening to Luca's report, Chu Guang fell into deep thought, tapping his index finger on the table.
The first batch of corn will mature in the greenhouse ruins in two months.
The actual planting area is about 40 mu, and the estimated yield is 700~800 kilograms per mu, which can be calculated to be about 30,000 kilograms.
The yield of the seeds sold by the Pioneer is still guaranteed.
When the breeding of the planting area on the B3 level of the shelter is completed and the entire greenhouse ruins are completed, a new batch of seeds can be planted soon.
However, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst.
He can print money at will, but after all, he can't exchange the printed money for food.
After a moment of silence, Chu Guang said.
"We need to hold on for another two months."
"As long as we can hold on until the end of January next year, victory will belong to us!"
There is no more food to be looted around. Chu Guang even sent someone to Brown Farm to check. There is indeed not much left in the granary there. The farmer did not hide the truth from him.
It is already difficult to find prey in the forest farm in Yumu District. As for the city... even the mice are almost killed.
Those slime mold aliens are not edible after all. Even if they are made into active substances, those paste-like liquids cannot be absorbed by the digestive system at all.
If you don't intend to break the moral bottom line.
Then there is only one way left...
Chu Guang, sitting at his desk, pondered for a long time and finally made a decision. He opened the drawer to find a piece of paper, picked up a pen and wrote six words on it
"Wartime Management Regulations"
"Put some food varieties under control, restrict purchases, unify rations, and centralize supply."
Perhaps, he should have done this a long time ago.