Natural Disaster: I Started By Hoarding Tens Of Billions Of Supplies

Chapter 231: Severe Drought



The dried riverbed of Changlong River was stained with blood, as fights often erupted over a mouthful of polluted water.

In Juncheng City, not a single blade of grass grows. The survivors have already chopped down roadside trees and those on the mountains for firewood in extreme cold, leaving not even tree bark to eat.

People suffering from prolonged hunger have become emaciated or developed swollen stomachs. A long-term lack of water and salt has led to dizziness, trembling, weakness, fatigue, and even hair and tooth loss.

Despite the high temperatures, many survivors still grit their teeth and go out in search of supplies and water. Instead of waiting for death at home, most people still choose to fight for their lives.

Although insect pests, cholera outbreaks, and viruses have disappeared, heat stroke happened everywhere, causing countless deaths each day.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Even if the survivors knew their family members had heat stroke, they didn't dare to send them to the hospital during the day because of the rising heat wave and surface temperatures. By nightfall, however, many of the heatstroke patients have already passed away. Their bodies quickly decomposed, and their families had no choice but to burn them.

As soon as people leave their apartment buildings, their shoes burn, and large blisters form on the soles of their feet. These blisters burst immediately, causing them to scream in pain. Those who attempt to drive to the hospital soon find their tires melting on the road and are forced to find a cool place to hide. If they delay, they risk sun poisoning or severe burn injuries.

During the day, the city was empty, but within each apartment building, there were irritable roars and sorrowful cries. Staying indoors by day and going out at night have become survival patterns for the survivors.

Though nighttime temperatures remain high, the lack of direct sunlight reduces the risk of heatstroke or sudden death from exposure. However, this also increases the risk of being robbed when people go out to search for supplies.

As people gradually adapt to the high temperatures, the lack of water has become a critical problem that must be solved immediately.

Since the water level receded, temperatures have continued to rise. The ground has cracked, the earth has dried up, and even the tree stumps that died from extreme cold have dried and spontaneously combusted.

Fires of all sizes occur daily in Juncheng City. Rescuers want to put out the fires, but there is no water.

With no water to extinguish the flames and the survivors unable to find any even outside the city, many have died of thirst while searching for water and never returned home.

Shi Xuan and the others have water, but they use it sparingly. Even when their bodies and homes smell bad enough to make them nauseous, they don't dare waste water to clean them. They use water only for drinking and refrain from using it for cooking, washing clothes, or bathing.

For this reason, everyone has to shave their heads to conserve water for drinking. Except for Yao Ran and Long Yu, who still bathe daily, everyone is smelly and dirty.

Ten days after the cholera outbreak ended, the military sent experts to dig wells around Juncheng City. Soldiers also went to Fengcheng City and Yucheng City to transport water back by truck.

The water brought back was filtered and distributed to the survivors, but it was far from enough. There are more than six million survivors left in Juncheng City, and the amount of water needed every day is enormous.

Each water transportation trip takes a week, and the water brought back only lasts two days. Combined with the water from the newly dug wells, the water supply barely keeps everyone alive.

Yao Ran watched planes come and go every day from her apartment, carrying huge tanks filled with water.

The water shortage had grown so severe that the military was forced to transport it from outside the city by plane.

Ten days later, Quan Yuanwei arrived with news that people could go to the neighborhood committee at night to get water with their ID cards. Due to the scarcity, each person could only receive 300 ml, which wasn't even enough for one day's drinking needs.

Looking at Long Yu and the others, Yao Ran said, "I still have plenty of water, so I won't go." Since Long Yu had Yao Ran, he also had enough water.

"I won't go either." He said.

Shi Xuan and the others didn't know that Yao Ran replenished the water in their water towers every three days, so they decided to go. Although Yao Ran and Long Yu didn't go to get water, they still went out at night with the others.

Seeing them come out, Quan Yuanwei asked, "Did you decide to go with us?"

Yao Ran shook her head and replied, "I'm going to the trading center with Long Yu."

Hearing this, Quan Yuanwei didn't ask further. He had long known that the most capable people in the building were Yao Ran and Long Yu. Since they wanted to go to the trading center, he assumed they had a plan.

After separating from the others, Yao Ran and Long Yu headed to the trading center. Wearing constant-temperature clothing underneath and heat-resistant clothing on the outside, they didn't feel too hot.

While others endured nighttime temperatures of 80 degrees Celsius, Yao Ran, Long Yu, and their friends endured only 55 degrees Celsius thanks to their protective clothing. However, even with this protective measure, Yao Ran and others still felt uncomfortable and drank a lot of water to replenish their bodies.

Upon arriving at the trading center, Yao Ran and Long Yu looked around. Few people had opened stalls, and there were very few supplies available.

As they wandered around the trading center, someone patted Yao Ran's shoulder from behind. The moment the hand touched her, both she and Long Yu reacted at the same time.

Yao Ran grabbed the hand, twisted it, and pushed the person onto the scorching ground. At the same time, Long Yu drew his military dagger and pressed it to the back of the person's

neck.