The hailstorm lasted for nearly an hour. The constant crackling sounds echoed everywhere. Rong Hui remained inside the sealed bathroom the entire time, in case the hail became strong enough to break through the windows.
Gradually, the noise outside lessened. The hail finally stopped, leaving only snow pellets being swept by the wind across the windows, producing a rustling sound.
Rong Hui stepped out of the bathroom stiffly. She could clearly feel that the temperature had dropped. When she checked the thermometer, it had already fallen to 10°C.
She walked around the apartment and discovered that aside from the security bars on the balcony being bent out of shape by the hail, all the windows had survived.
Letting out a breath of relief, Rong Hui put on her down jacket and lifted a corner of the insulation cotton to look outside.
The sky was gray and gloomy. Rain mixed with snow pellets continued falling. The trees in the residential complex had been beaten down by the hail and were lying bent across the ground. The entire ground was covered with white hailstones of various sizes, now layered beneath fresh snow pellets.
Cars parked outside had dents in their roofs from the impacts. Rong Hui could not help feeling grateful that she had parked the little pink car in the underground garage.
Cries for help and painful groans could be heard everywhere.
Many people had not been as well prepared as Rong Hui. Not only had their windows shattered, but they had also been injured by broken glass.
Not far away, the sounds of sirens began echoing through the area. The brief pause in the hail allowed police and firefighters to finally come out for rescue operations.
Soon afterward, the sound of ambulances followed.
The husband from the household on the third floor was carried back on a stretcher. Judging by the way his family members were crying in despair, the situation was probably very serious.
Rong Hui sighed slowly.
She truly could no longer distinguish whether this was a simulated instance world or reality.
She swept away the snow pellets that had blown into the apartment and shut the windows tightly again.
Better to put away her sympathy.
Her goal was to survive in this instance.
With the insulation cotton covering the windows, the indoor environment was noticeably warmer than outside. The outdoor temperature might have already dropped below 10°C.
Still, Rong Hui prepared herself mentally. There could be a drastic temperature drop at night. Nighttime was when people were most likely to become careless.
As evening approached, she checked the time.
It was already five in the afternoon.
Rong Hui decided to eat dinner early.
Opening the system panel, she excitedly tapped the item interface.
This would be her first meal since entering the instance, and since no one else was around, she wanted to enjoy it properly.
She opened the Polaroid photo box.
Bright and appetizing photos of delicious food appeared one after another. Rong Hui felt as if she were an emperor choosing which concubine to summon.
What should she eat tonight?
The north wind howled outside.
At a moment like this, what could be better than a steaming hot pot?
Rong Hui found the photo she wanted.
In the picture, she sat at a table holding a bowl of sweet and refreshing ice jelly dessert, smiling toward the camera. On the table was a large traditional Chongqing nine grid hot pot. Tripes, fatty beef, preserved vegetables, pig brain, crispy pork, marinated chicken feet, and various other ingredients filled the entire table.
That photo had been taken during her first trip to Chongqing.
There she had tasted the most authentic nine grid beef tallow hot pot. The beef tallow broth was clear yet rich, and all the ingredients were fresh and generous. With just garlic paste and sesame oil dipping sauce, it became a feast.
Whenever the pure spicy broth became overwhelming, a bowl of refreshing ice jelly was the perfect relief. Brown sugar syrup poured over the crystal clear jelly, topped with hawthorn bits and raisins. She could easily eat two bowls without stopping.
Selecting the photo, Rong Hui silently thought, convert.
[Please receive Chongqing Nine Grid Old Style Hot Pot ×1.]
A square dining table instantly appeared before her.
On it sat a bubbling nine grid beef tallow hot pot, with various ingredients arranged across the table. Rong Hui nearly drooled.
She would not be able to finish all these dishes in one meal. When the photo had been taken, she had been eating with two friends.
Without further delay, Rong Hui moved the hot pot table into the dining area and plugged in the electric pot.
She placed her favorites, tripe, fatty beef, and duck intestines into the boiling broth, carefully following the classic seven up eight down timing rule.
The ingredients emerged coated in glistening beef tallow. After dipping them in sesame oil and garlic sauce, she stuffed them into her mouth.
The flavor was so good she felt as though she might swallow her own tongue.
The crispy pork from Chongqing was particularly authentic. It had been coated in egg batter before frying, producing a satisfying crunch with every bite.
Rong Hui tasted both the fragrance of eggs and the juicy richness of the meat. The flavor was extraordinary.
After eating for a while, Rong Hui felt warmth spreading through her body. Her lips tingled from the spice.
It was time for the ice jelly.
One spoonful of brown sugar ice jelly immediately soothed the burning sensation in her mouth. Rong Hui felt she could easily keep eating for ten more rounds.
Outside the window, the snow pellets continued falling.
Accompanied by the rustling snowfall and the howling northern wind, Rong Hui sat before the steaming hot pot and ate heartily.
This was the first time she had ever experienced something like this.
A strange sense of comfort and happiness filled her heart.
If every instance could be this comfortable, that would be wonderful.
Rong Hui allowed herself that wish, though she knew it was impossible. Even in this extreme cold instance, countless dangers were likely waiting ahead.
When Rong Hui finally finished eating, two thirds of the hot pot ingredients remained.
She covered them with plastic wrap. With the current temperature, she did not need to worry about spoilage.
She checked the time.
It was already 7:30 p.m.
Night had fallen outside.
After eating and drinking her fill, Rong Hui decided to prepare her sleeping area.
The thermometer in the living room now showed 8°C. The temperature was continuing to drop.
If she did not want to fall ill from the cold during the first night, she needed to make preparations in advance.
When she first arrived earlier that day, the temperature had been around 23 to 24°C. Therefore, the original owner’s bedding was quite thin, consisting only of a light summer quilt.
That would be completely insufficient for the current weather, especially if the temperature dropped further during the night.
Rong Hui searched the apartment and found two quilts that the original owner had previously compressed for storage. However, they weighed only about four kilograms each and were not very thick.
She spread both quilts across the bed, placed an electric heating blanket on top, and then took out the down quilt she had purchased from the outdoor equipment store and laid it over everything.
Tonight she did not plan to remove too many clothes while sleeping. If something unexpected happened, she needed to be able to respond quickly.
She placed some heat packs beside the bed as well. If the temperature dropped too much tomorrow, she could use them.
The bed was ready.
For now, Rong Hui did not intend to sleep yet.
She decided to reserve some time each day for exercise.
As a physically fragile university graduate and a new office worker, exercise had rarely appeared in her life.
But in the instance world, physical ability was extremely important.
For example, during the previous high rise fire instance, if her arm strength had been sufficient, she could have climbed up to the rooftop. She had seen someone mention doing exactly that in the Public Channel.
But with her slender arms, even climbing onto the balcony might have resulted in her falling to her death, let alone climbing higher.
The feeling of facing life and death without sufficient strength had been terrible.
Rong Hui resolved to train more. At the very least, she wanted to run faster and jump higher.
She performed three sets of burpees, fifty sit ups, and held a plank position for ten minutes.
Afterward, Rong Hui collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion.
She was still far too weak.
Exercise would have to progress slowly.
Checking her personal status again, she saw that her stamina had dropped to 850.
Rong Hui went to wash up, changed into clean clothes, and then settled comfortably into the warm bed she had prepared.
The bedding heated by the electric blanket felt like a warm embrace surrounding her.
She could not help sighing.
Electric blankets were truly wonderful.
One of humanity’s greatest inventions.
…