Hearing that the medicine was almost gone, everyone’s spirits collapsed immediately. No one felt like talking anymore; the group fell into silence.
Seeing this, Gu Kai tried to comfort them: “Let’s talk it over in a bit, think of some solutions together. There’s always a way to deal with it.”
Shen Jianyi quickly chimed in to encourage everyone: “Exactly, exactly, there are always more solutions than problems.”
Shi Lei gave a wry smile but accepted the reassurance from the Shen family.
He nodded and then looked at Shen Cong: “Alright, Doctor Shen, you focus on your work first. We’ll get organized and notify people.”
He then glanced at the tools they had brought and asked, “You’re going to seal the door? Need any help?”
Shen Jianyi waved him off: “You go do your thing. We’ve got plenty of people here. Later I’ll come over and we can plan together.”
After Shi Lei and his team left, the Shen family continued thinking about how to seal the main door.
As night fell completely, finding bricks became difficult. Everyone had things on their minds and lacked the energy, so they decided to abandon the idea of sealing the door with bricks.
Shen Cong, with her well-stocked space, took out a welding machine and moved an outdoor portable power supply.
Shen Jianyi and his son-in-law worked together to straighten the security door, then used the welder to firmly fix it to the doorframe.
The door they had bought was reinforced and very sturdy; securing it this way was actually more durable than using bricks to block the entrance.
With the right tools, the job went quickly, they finished before eight o’clock.
After tidying up and thinking a moment, Shen Cong put on an unwashed jacket over her clothes before stepping out the door.
Gu Zhengchu had originally planned to go with them, but he decided to stay home to prepare Chinese medicine.
In his words: “Drink a bowl of what we can tonight, otherwise, who knows how many more will collapse tomorrow.”
Since the afternoon, his brows hadn’t relaxed, and the worry in his eyes was impossible to hide.
Having lived through a major disaster herself, Shen Cong understood her father-in-law’s thoughts. To be honest, she was worried to death too.
After a great disaster comes a great epidemic.
Especially considering so many people had died this time.
And they had died within the community, too close to where everyone else lived.
If the disinfection and sterilization work isn’t done upfront, in weather this hot…
Just thinking about it made her shiver uncontrollably.
But what could they use for disinfecting?
The bleach and disinfectant powder her family had prepared, if they used all of it, it still wouldn’t be enough to spray the entire community for a whole day.
And then there was that bottomless abyss to deal with.
So seeking outside help was an urgent priority.
When Shen Cong and the others arrived at the western villas, candles had already been lit inside.
The number of people had also increased significantly compared to before.
Obviously, everyone in the community willing to step up and take responsibility had gathered.
After a full day of work and with night falling, no one bothered with small talk, they went straight to the point.
Shen Cong first addressed the medicine situation: “Our community originally didn’t have much medication. When I came over, I only had one medical kit with me, containing things like iodine, gauze, and hemostatic powder.
Later, the medicine we used was brought over by my father-in-law. As you might know, he used to run a small clinic, which is temporarily closed due to relocation. The medicine was all leftover from that clinic.”
Hearing this, everyone present nodded, especially the two representatives sent by the property management.
They understood the situation clearly.
Shen Cong continued: “The medicine we have at home is almost used up. My father-in-law just checked, hemostatic powder, bandages, all of that is gone. There’s only some gauze, Yunnan Baiyao, iodine, and alcohol left.
The supplies are limited. Even with the current number of wounded, there won’t be enough for dressing changes tomorrow, and we don’t know if more people will get injured.
And the seriously injured…”
Shen Cong didn’t finish the sentence, but everyone present understood her meaning—
Without someone to manage this, those who were barely rescued would still be facing certain death.
She didn’t dwell on the weight of their thoughts and went on to stress the importance of epidemic prevention.
Upon hearing this, the expressions on the people’s faces shifted from heavy concern to outright fear.
“So, we cannot just sit and wait to die, we must go out and seek help,” Gu Kai summarized on behalf of his wife.
“It’s not that we don’t want to go out, it’s that we can’t.” A man of around forty sighed.
“Since morning, I don’t know how many people have tried to leave, but most came back. They said there’s no road outside; you simply can’t get to the city.”
“That’s just because they’re scared and clinging to luck, thinking the government won’t abandon them. Rather than risk going out blindly, it’s safer to stay in the community.”
Shen Cong replied coldly.
Her words struck the man silent, leaving him unable to respond.
Gu Kai held his wife’s hand, smoothing the tension.
“At lunch today, I specifically asked people who had gone out earlier. From what they said, the main reasons they feel they can’t leave are twofold.
One is the terrain changes. Less than a kilometer from the community, there’s a massive fissure that stretches endlessly. Going either way, you walk far without reaching the end.
And to the east, toward the town, a newly built housing complex collapsed, blocking the road completely. There’s no way through.
The second reason is the several aftershocks this morning, they terrified everyone. People feel it’s safer to return to the community, at least it’s familiar.”
Gu Kai looked around before continuing: “But, as my wife said, these people returned because they still have hope in the community, they think it’s safer than outside. But what if that hope disappears?”
“Exactly. We don’t even know when government aid will arrive. We can’t just sit here and wait to die. I agree with Doctor Shen, we really need to find a way to seek help.”
Shi Lei was the first to voice his agreement.
A faint warmth appeared on Shen Cong’s usually stern face.
She looked at Shi Lei and said, “We do need to take the initiative. There are certainly other disaster-stricken areas besides ours. Just because we don’t go doesn’t mean others won’t.
If resources run out, waiting too long will be disastrous. Even getting a little food or disinfectant powder from the city is far better than sitting here to die.”
“Also,” she glanced at everyone, “we can’t place all our hope on government aid, we must also find ways to save ourselves.
We’re only an hour’s drive from the city. With the severity of this earthquake, the government can’t possibly be unaware.
The fact that no help has reached us yet tells us one thing, the city may be even worse hit, and the government can’t spare attention for us.”
The moment she spoke, everyone’s faces changed dramatically!
“Xiao Shen, what you’re saying is a little… frightening!” The man from before blurted out, instinctively questioning her.
Shen Cong looked at him. “And you think I’m wrong?”
The man’s lips pressed tightly together.
After a long silence, he shook his head and replied bitterly, “I just wish you were wrong.”
The expressions of the others grew even darker. A few of the younger people were already turning pale.
After all, in the face of a major disaster, people feel just how weak an individual’s power is, and their dependence on the state and collective support grows stronger.
Shen Cong’s words nearly crushed everyone’s remaining hope.
Shen Jianyi sighed quietly in his heart.
He knew his daughter meant well.
But perhaps because of her past experiences, her inner strength was far greater than most people’s.
This made her unable to sense the fragility in people’s hearts when they first face a disaster.
She only thought about solving problems, without considering how much others could bear.
He spoke: “The state certainly won’t abandon us, but it might not act quickly. Until then, we have to think about how to save ourselves.
It’s not just medicine, food, water, even clothing and daily necessities are all critical.
I know our community still has some supplies, but they won’t last long.
Since we’re sitting here, let’s discuss what we do next. Where do we get resources, who goes, and how do we distribute them? Let’s think it through.
At least come up with a plan that lets those of us who survive hold on until the national rescue teams arrive.”
At this, everyone finally understood.
Shen Cong’s words were sharp, but they were undeniable truth.
She had pierced the thin veil of comforting illusions that lingered in everyone’s hearts.
And that, in itself, was a good thing.
The earlier they woke up to reality, the sooner they acted, the better the chance… of squeezing out an extra life.
Shen Jianyi’s calm attitude also helped rekindle a spark of hope in everyone.
Yes, the state wouldn’t abandon them. As long as they could hold on until the rescue teams arrived, they’d be okay!
“Uncle, tell us what we should do!” a young man sitting among the group shouted.
“I’m thinking we divide the people. Some stay behind to continue the rescue efforts, while the others go out to seek help and gather supplies.
Once the supplies are found, keep a portion for the squad itself, and hand over the rest for centralized management, so it can be distributed to those staying behind and the elderly, weak, or sick who can’t leave. Does that sound reasonable?” Shen Jianyi said.
“That could work, but how do we decide the proportion? And how do we supervise it? What if members of the squad secretly hoard what they find? How will the people left behind survive?” Shi Lei asked, thinking it through.
Shen Jianyi waved his hand. “I’m just making a suggestion. You all discuss it. I’m old, I can’t handle this labor, and my mind can’t work that fast.
Just tell me once you’ve decided. I can go out if needed, or stay in the community to help, either way is fine.”
Shen Cong breathed a small sigh of relief.
Under the current circumstances, the community was beginning to show signs of developing into a small-scale base, something that hadn’t happened in her previous life.
Back then, there were more survivors in the community and nearby Yingshui Village, but they were scattered like loose sand, each living for themselves.
In the end, it was still the government that took over.
That might have been because the disaster wasn’t as severe in the previous life; people never reached the point of having to unite and fight for survival as a single force.
Regardless, she didn’t want her family to get too deeply involved.
Whether it was setting up a base or taking temporary responsibility, it would take a lot of energy and worry.
Her father was old, she didn’t want him expending mental energy on this.
And there was one more thing, they were soft-hearted.
Every single one of her family had a strong sense of responsibility.
If they didn’t see suffering firsthand, it might be okay. But to watch misery and hardship day after day… with her family’s nature, it wouldn’t take long before the supplies from the space would start flowing out uncontrollably.
Even without looking at anything else, you could tell just from how her father hadn’t relaxed his furrowed brows since the afternoon.
If they didn’t figure out a way to bring back the disinfectants before an outbreak hit the community, her father-in-law wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer, he’d start discussing going out for medicine with her.
Shen Cong had seen situations like this countless times before.
She knew clearly that this was only the very beginning of the disaster; far more brutal things were still to come.
Only by conserving their strength could they leave their family a better chance of survival.
Even if it sounded selfish.
Her family could worry and work hard for the collective, but the supplies in the space—
Could not be touched.
Shen Cong stood up and pulled Gu Kai to his feet as well.
Then she turned to Shi Lei and said, “You all discuss things among yourselves. We’ll head back first, I still want to check on the care station, so we won’t stay long here.
Tomorrow, when you assign tasks, don’t include me or Gu Kai. The two of us are going out; I want to see if we can find any medicine nearby.”
Her words startled Shi Lei and the others.
“Doctor Shen, where are you planning to look for medicine?”
Shen Cong shook her head. “I don’t know yet. I’m thinking there should be pharmacies in the town, right? If nothing’s buried or destroyed, we have to try. We’re really out of medicine here.”
Her words fell silent over the group of men across from her. You could see how deeply moved they were.
The man in his forties spoke up: “Xiao Shen, it’s still dangerous outside. You shouldn’t go. Besides, the injured here can’t do without you. We’ll handle the medicine, and we know the town well.”
Most of these people had worked in the town before, so their familiarity with it was indeed better than Shen Cong’s.
But his words reminded Shen Cong of something. She pulled out paper and pen from her backpack and handed it to him: “Could you help me draw a rough map? Nothing else, just mark where the pharmacies are, supermarkets, and any larger restaurants in town. If we get lucky, we might find other useful things too.”
The man took the paper and pen and even tried to dissuade her: “Shouldn’t we go instead?”
Shen Cong shook her head. “I feel more at ease going myself for the medicine. You don’t know much about it, and some items aren’t only found in pharmacies. Things like alum or activated carbon for purifying water can be found in other shops. The two of us can adapt as we go.
As for the injured, my father-in-law is at home, and my sister can help too.”
Hearing this, they stopped trying to dissuade her.
While the man drew the map, Shen Cong added one more reminder: “You can also try buying grain from Yingshui Village. If I remember correctly, they haven’t handed over this year’s new summer grain yet.”
The remark immediately reminded Shen Jianyi, and he slapped his thigh: “Right, right! When the grain was being collected earlier, I even went back to the village. This year’s harvest is huge!
It just so happened that the Qingzhou earthquake happened last year. I specifically told the village chief to hold off on selling the grain this year, wait a bit, maybe they could get a good price.
Then, just a few days later, this earthquake hit. They definitely have stored grain, and it won’t be little!”
“Then let’s go buy from them, or at least talk to see if they can lend us some. There’s no internet now, so we can’t transfer money. We can write an IOU and pay them back once the network is restored.”
“I think that works! We’re buying, not taking it for free. That’s definitely fine.”
“Exactly. Weren’t some of the villagers here to shelter during the quake before? In a major disaster, everyone should look out for each other!”
Shen Jianyi’s words were like a shot of adrenaline, instantly exciting everyone. Each person seemed to see a glimmer of hope.
Shen Cong, however, wasn’t as optimistic.
Would the people of Yingshui Village actually lend grain?
Ha, she didn’t believe it for a second.
If they didn’t demand an exorbitant price, that would be considered generous.
Thinking back to the land-buying issue and how they had tried to force their way into their home, Shen Cong had no faith that they’d lend any grain at all.
But she didn’t say so; she only reminded everyone that if they went, it was best to bring money. After all, they hadn’t dealt with them before.
If the villagers were willing to lend, great. If not, at least they could buy a little.
The road was difficult enough already, and they still had to cross a mountain, there was no point in going empty-handed.
Everyone naturally agreed.
Because they didn’t know the outside situation, Shen Cong and Gu Kai didn’t leave too early. After finishing breakfast, they set out from home just after seven.
Before leaving, Shen Cong left enough food and water at home for a week and also set aside candies and snacks for the children.
In addition, she left a personal defense stick for Shen Xi and Cheng Ru, and placed a few cans of pepper spray in the house.
Actually, for their first outing, the two of them didn’t plan to go far.
The plan was simply to make a round trip to the town in one day.
Even so, Shen Cong couldn’t help feeling uneasy, always worried that something unexpected might happen.
They lingered in the house for a long time, hesitating to leave, afraid they might forget something that would make things inconvenient for their family.
Seeing her unease, Gu Zhengchu said, “Once things calm down a bit, I’ll find time to teach you the breathing techniques from that book. Learn them all. Even if you can’t awaken abilities like Congcong, at least it will strengthen your body. Right now, having a strong body is more important than anything else.”
Everyone was surprised to hear him say this.
“Dad, have you really figured out that book?” Shen Cong asked first.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve completely figured it out, but I understand a bit. I’ve been practicing for a while and overall, these methods won’t harm the body. There’s no harm in learning them.”
“That’s great. Uncle Gu, don’t wait until things settle down, who knows when that will be? Teach us tonight. I want to start practicing as soon as possible. Also, Congcong, teach us that fighting technique from the other day. I want to learn that too,” Shen Xi said eagerly.
She was becoming increasingly aware of the importance of self-protection. At the very least, she wouldn’t hold her family back or make her younger sister afraid to leave the house.
She was part of the Shen family, an older sister. And she had two children of her own. Shen Xi didn’t want to stay in a position of always being protected at home.
“I don’t really know any martial arts. I was just practicing randomly. Once your body gets stronger, you’ll naturally pick it up,” Shen Cong said.
She didn’t mention that what she knew came from a past life, trained through sheer desperation. Without giving everything, risking her life, she might have died instantly. There was nothing to teach about moves learned that way, practicing enough would naturally make someone proficient.
After a few more words, the sun rose, and the couple finally left the house.
They exited the community gate and followed the old road straight ahead. As those who had gone out before had said, the beginning of the road was still easy to walk. The community was near the village, far from the city.
On either side of the road were mostly farmland.
It was just after the summer harvest, so the fields were empty, with no crops and very few people.
Thus, the earthquake hadn’t caused much harm to people in this area.
The road, however, was badly twisted, and the fields had become pitted and uneven. Some places had collapsed, others had bulged up, and the area no longer resembled its original form at all.
But overall, it wasn’t completely impossible to recognize the path.
After walking another half hour, they finally reached the large fissure people had talked about. Even though they had been mentally prepared, the couple still felt their hearts sink.
This crack was far wider than the one at the Shen family’s gate, more than twice as wide.
Standing at its edge made them feel incredibly small.
The power of nature was truly terrifying.
The fissure wasn’t just wide; one side was higher than the other.
Shen Cong and Gu Kai were on the lower side, so from the edge they couldn’t see what was happening on the opposite side at all.
Crossing it was clearly impossible, but to get to the town, this was the only route.
They had no choice but to follow the slope of the fissure eastward, at least in the direction of the town. Even if it meant taking a longer, winding route, it would eventually lead them there.
The path here was much harder than before. Fallen trees littered both sides, along with scattered stones and debris from collapsed buildings.
Shen Cong and Gu Kai each leaned on a hiking stick, moving cautiously.
After another half hour, they arrived at the construction site of the building that had supposedly collapsed before it was even completed.
Seeing this, they finally understood why the people from the community had turned back before.
The road was completely blocked, impossible to cross.
Directly ahead, a high-rise building lay toppled, as if it had been cut in half at the waist.
The building had been well-built; even fallen, reinforced with steel, the structure remained largely intact, stubbornly standing as a jagged ruin.
It must have been twenty meters tall or more. Without tools, there was no way to climb over it.
To the north of the building was the massive fissure, and to the south was a deep water pit, at least ten meters from the ground, half-filled with rainwater.
It was especially wide, so wide that from where Shen Cong stood, she couldn’t even see where the edge ended.
“What kind of pit is this? How can it be so wide?”
“Looks like they were digging an artificial lake… and this was supposed to be a scenic-view building?” Gu Kai muttered, equally baffled.
No matter what this pit had originally been for, with the fissure to the left, the water pit to the right, and a tall building blocking the way ahead—
Shen Cong and Gu Kai were at a loss, not sure which path would be safest.
“Two options: either we go back the way we came and take the other route, or we follow the edge of this big pit southward, see how wide it really is, and try to go around it to reach the back of the building,” Gu Kai suggested after scanning the surroundings, clearly frustrated.
Shen Cong, however, didn’t want to change course.
She didn’t want to turn back, nor did she want to detour around the pit.
They had already started out late, and the journey so far had taken nearly two hours.
Going back the way they came to head west again wouldn’t get them far in a single day.
And would heading west even be passable?
That was uncertain.
Most importantly, their goal was the town, going west would be the opposite direction.
A detour around the pit?
This was a construction site to begin with; what if they encountered another collapsed building halfway through?
And detour again?
The more Shen Cong thought about it, the less feasible it seemed.
She glanced at the toppled high-rise ahead, clenched her teeth, and said, “Why don’t we try walking along the side of that building? Maybe we can find a way over it.”