Just like that, another half month passed, and it was already mid-August. During the daytime, the outdoor temperature had reached over 70°C. Even at night it stayed around 40–50°C. Weather forecasts had already become unreliable, they still reported around 40°C, but the actual temperature was far higher. Factories had completely shut down, and the internet, affected by the shutdowns, was unstable and intermittent. It only improved slightly at night when technicians went out to maintain the network.
The continuous extreme heat caused widespread panic. More and more people went out to stock up on supplies. Rationing had already begun in many places, and prices kept rising, with signs of disorder starting to appear.
In one location, someone fainted from heatstroke on the street and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
At a supermarket, two people fought over a bag of rice.
Someone carrying groceries home was robbed on the way.
Some were admitted to hospitals due to heat radiation injuries.
Elsewhere, fires broke out…
The sounds of ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars echoed constantly in the streets, while all kinds of discussions and rumors flooded the internet.
The anti-theft door Jiang Li installed was a metal mesh-style door. After connecting it to electricity, she went to sleep.
That morning, Jiang Li woke up because of the heat. She had been sleeping when she gradually felt it getting hotter and hotter. When she opened her eyes, she realized the air conditioner had stopped working, and all the electrical appliances in the house had shut down as well.
She quickly took out the air-cooling fan she had bought earlier and plugged the fan into the solar power storage panel. Then she stored the ice machine and refrigerator into her space.
From her space, she took out an ice cream bar. One bite was cold and refreshing. Then she slowly checked her phone and, as expected, saw over 99 messages in the property group chat.
Building 19, Room 502: “What’s going on with the property management?! Why is there a power outage?”
Building 23, Room 201: “Exactly. How are we supposed to survive without electricity in this kind of heat?”
Building 13, Room 401: “When will the power come back on!”
Building 6, Room 1202: “Yeah, when is it coming back? At least give us an answer!”
Building 5, Room 902: “We can’t just keep waiting forever.”
Building 9, Room 1801: “It’s really so hot!!!”
Building 18, Room 1002: “@Building 9, Room 1801 Want to go to the supermarket together?”
…
Soon, the property management responded, saying that the external power lines had short-circuited due to the extreme heat. The maintenance team was already working on repairs, and electricity was expected to be restored around 8–9 p.m.
The group chat was flooded with more messages. In such extreme heat, the maintenance crew definitely could not work during the day and could only come out in the evening when it was slightly cooler. Similar situations were also occurring in other areas.
In the afternoon, the water supply was also cut off. The reason was that a section of underground pipes not far away had burst due to the high temperature. The affected area was near an old residential district, where the materials used in the past were not as durable as modern ones. Although they were regularly maintained, they still could not withstand such extreme heat. Repairs were currently underway, and as expected, more messages appeared in the group chat.
Building 9, Room 1801: “I live on the top floor. It was already unbearable before, but now with no power it’s even worse. Now the water is gone too, I’m already sleeping in the corridor.”
Building 12, Room 301: “No water, no electricity… when is this going to end?”
Building 30, Room 502: “I was halfway through washing my hair when they suddenly told me there was no water anymore. Who understands how I feel (crying emoji).”
Building 19, Room 102: “At least I just finished showering…”
…
Around 8 p.m., electricity was finally restored. Not long after, water also came back. However, an official notice stated that both water and electricity would now be supplied on a limited schedule.
Electricity would only be available until midnight today. Starting tomorrow, it would only be available daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Water would be supplied from 7–9 a.m. and 1–3 p.m. every day.
The group chat erupted in another wave of wailing and complaints.
This situation was not unique to this residential area, it was happening nationwide. The restriction schedules varied by region, but everywhere was affected. The internet was already full of complaints and criticism, though it remained nothing more than venting.
Jiang Li saw a post online claiming that the apocalypse might be coming. Many people commented in agreement, and the post quickly gained popularity. However, not long after, it was suddenly taken down. Jiang Li guessed that it was likely being controlled by the authorities.
Even though the post disappeared, it did not stop people from discussing it intensely. In fact, more and more similar discussions appeared. Whenever something gained attention, it would quickly vanish, which only fueled even more speculation. People began using coded language and alternative expressions to continue talking about it indirectly.