They exchanged names with each other. The short haired young man was called Shen Li. He had previously studied in Russia and had been pulled into the Doomsday Train System while riding a train returning to China from Russia, which was very far from the train Rong Hui had taken.
After exchanging the information they each knew, Rong Hui could not help sighing with emotion. It turned out that the system also had a random element to it. Here, right in front of her, was a living example of terrible luck.
Although Shen Li’s beginner instance had also been a fire, he had been placed directly at the source of the flames. If he had not exercised regularly for years and possessed great arm strength, allowing him to hang himself beneath an outdoor air conditioning unit outside the building, he would probably not have survived the beginner instance.
Rong Hui tried hard to control her expression, though a trace of admiration still slipped through. With luck this bad, yet he had still survived until now. He was definitely a strong person.
Shen Li inexplicably touched his face. Why did the way this girl looked at him feel as if she were staring at a piece of fat meat?
Still, Shen Li was quite pleased. During the past few days he had encountered other survivors, but they were either unstable and half insane, or deeply scheming people trying to extort things from him. Rong Hui carried herself calmly and gave off a sense of uprightness. She was also clearly doing better than he was. He was very willing to interact with her.
Suddenly, the system interface popped up. A window appeared that read: “Survivor Shen Li requests to add you as a friend. Do you agree?”
Shen Li flashed a wide grin, his white teeth showing. “Let’s add each other as friends. It’ll be easier to exchange information and supplies in the future.”
Rong Hui agreed with a nod. Although this person seemed somewhat carefree, he had managed to get along with so many women and children for several days, and the children were not afraid of him either. It was clear that his character was not bad. Having one more friend meant one more path.
After adding him as a friend, the Friend List in the system flickered once and Shen Li’s small avatar appeared. When she tapped it, there were options for “Private Chat” and “Trade.”
They did not chat much more. In an instance, one ultimately had to rely on oneself. The two of them walked back to the fire. The others were happily packing up their belongings, their faces filled with joy at finally being able to go home.
Rong Hui did not feel nearly as relaxed, but she did not dampen their spirits. Instead, she told everyone about the recent temperature changes outside. As expected, the group quickly calmed down, stunned by the sudden drop in temperature.
“Whether you plan to walk home yourselves or wait for military rescue, you’ll have to face temperatures of at least minus 45°C. Everyone should wear every piece of clothing you can find. If anything is missing, try searching the mall. This is a special emergency situation, so it won’t be pursued afterward.” Rong Hui looked directly at the group. The temperature on the second basement level was much warmer. If these people suddenly went outside, they would definitely not be able to withstand it.
Everyone began discussing quietly among themselves. People in the south rarely experienced temperatures of minus forty degrees. The clothes they were currently wearing were definitely not enough.
“Right now the mall is selling spring clothing. We probably won’t find any thick clothes. What should we do?”
“Let’s see if we can find any stores selling down jackets.”
“Or maybe we can wear several thin layers. That should be almost the same as winter clothing.”
“Didn’t you hear that it’s minus 45°C outside? A few thin clothes won’t do anything.”
The discussion grew lively. Rong Hui did not interrupt. She could only lend a helping hand. The rest depended on them.
In the end, Rong Hui, Shen Li, and four selected young men decided to go upstairs to bring back some clothing. Rong Hui checked the time and saw that it was already past seven in the evening. She probably would not be able to return home tonight and would have to make do with spending the night in the mall.
When she led the five trembling men up to the first floor of the mall, they finally experienced the extreme cold Rong Hui had described. Their hands and feet grew numb and itchy from the freezing temperature, and it felt as though their joints could barely bend.
Afraid that they might freeze, Rong Hui directly led them up to the second and third floors to find cold resistant clothing first.
After searching for a long time and even breaking open the locks of several clothing stores, they finally found one shop that was clearing out winter clothes. Each person first put on a set of winter clothing. Then they collected many sets of thick clothes and pants for the people on the second basement level. Using bedsheets from a home goods store, they wrapped everything into a large bundle.
Rong Hui then went to the general goods shop and carefully searched it again. In the storage room she found two boxes of heating pads and took them all.
By the time they returned fully loaded, it was already eight thirty in the evening. The wind and snow outside had begun to howl again.
After distributing clothing and heating pads to everyone, they ate the pot of porridge with ginger candy. Then everyone rested in preparation for tomorrow.
Rong Hui did not enjoy chatting. She spread out a blanket she had just found upstairs in a corner, leaned against the wall, and closed her eyes to rest. Her personal stats had not dropped too much. She could hold out until tomorrow.
…
In the early morning, the fire crackled. Rong Hui woke up to the sounds of people moving around and quietly talking. When she opened her eyes and saw more than twenty people in front of her, she was momentarily confused.
Shen Li approached her carrying something in his hands. “Have some porridge. There’s plenty of rice here anyway. How are your personal stats recovering?”
Rong Hui accepted the bowl but did not elaborate. “Not bad. How about you?”
She had asked casually, but Shen Li revealed a bitter smile.
“My cleanliness value isn’t very good. Living with so many people for a week, it’s inconvenient to wash or clean myself. My cleanliness value has been flashing red.”
“By the way, there’s actually something I might need to ask you later. Once we get out of danger, we can talk through the system.” After saying that, Shen Li returned to the fire and added more wood to it.
Rong Hui did not pay it much attention. There was still a tough situation to face today. After greeting Shen Li, she put on all her equipment and prepared to go outside to check the situation. She still had a thermometer in her backpack, which would allow her to measure the temperature.
The first floor of the mall remained deserted. The only sound was the wind blowing snow through the broken windows.
As soon as she stepped outside the entrance, the oncoming snow made her shiver.
The wind and snow outside had become even more violent. The situation seemed worse than yesterday. Large snowflakes drifted everywhere. Looking toward the distant buildings felt like watching a television that had lost its signal. Visibility was extremely low.
She checked the temperature. Minus 48°C. A new record low.
Rong Hui’s expression darkened. The reason the end of the world was called the end of the world was because there was no hope in sight. So would the temperature keep dropping indefinitely?
She took out her map and tried to determine the direction. A few landmark buildings along the streets could still barely be seen. For those whose homes were nearby, it should still be possible to find the way.
However, it was still too early in the morning, the coldest time of the day. It would be better for them to depart around noon.
After returning to the second basement level, Rong Hui informed everyone about the latest temperature. Their expressions all turned grave.
“I’ll first lead the group who plan to walk home and set out together. Once I point out the directions for you, I’ll go to Citizen’s Square to find the military and request rescue, and see how they plan to handle things.” This was Rong Hui’s general plan. Her personal strength was limited. She did not know whether everything would proceed smoothly.
She also suggested that everyone move to the first basement level first and gradually adapt to the lower temperature. Otherwise, they might lose mobility in the extreme cold.
Although their expressions were bitter, their attitudes toward her were appreciative and grateful. One little girl with slightly messy twin ponytails seemed especially fond of her. As soon as she saw Rong Hui return, she immediately ran over and grabbed Rong Hui’s hand. Rong Hui lowered her head and gently rubbed the little girl’s hair.
…