I Am Cultivating in the Apocalypse

Chapter 712: Zero Under Sixty Degrees Celsius at Wu City

This meant the Virtual Coins were deducted before boarding, just like on a public bus. This measure was also to prevent fare evasion. Jing Shu believed in being strict upfront to avoid problems, not giving anyone in these apocalyptic times a chance to take advantage.

The people who came to experience it felt no discomfort. On the contrary, with a sense of novelty, they hunched over to enter the Hulk’s interior, casually finding a place to sit. The seats were merely two long, protruding strips integrated with the carriage. Although it was a bit crowded, no one was particularly fussy.

Shielded from the heavy snowfall outside, the carriage, insulated with long-haired balls within the Hulk, felt surprisingly warm. Once it was full and could fit no more people, the Hulk slowly closed its mouth and headed towards the designated location.

The Hulk’s method of movement differed from ordinary creatures. Ordinary creatures used feet, but the Hulk utilized a sticky substance beneath its abdomen. This substance served as its feet, allowing it to roll quickly over the snow-covered ground at a considerable speed.

Normally, with heavy snowfall blocking the roads, covering a few kilometers on foot would take a very long time. But for the Hulk, there was no such thing as a blocked road. Any surface it could touch was considered a path, regardless of whether it was vertical or obstructed. It adhered to the principle of the shortest distance being a straight line, simply rolling over any obstacles encountered.

This proved difficult for those experiencing it for the first time inside the carriage. Initially, they chatted excitedly, remarking on the warmth and speed. Before long, however, the ride became like a roller coaster, lurching up and down. By the time they reached their stops, everyone was stumbling about, thoroughly shaken, dizzy, and disoriented.

"It’s just a bit bumpy!"

"A bit bumpy, you say? Ugh, I almost threw up!" Thinking about how expensive food was, the speaker, despite having vomit rise to their throat, forcibly swallowed it back down. That sour, burning sensation...

So, the most common feedback from the first day’s trial runs was about how many people had been shaken to the point of vomiting.

Alright, Jing Shu humbly accepted the feedback. The next day, she had Xiao Lu instruct the Hulks to maintain a steadier movement.

After the Hulk Bus began its trial operations, Jing Shu shifted her focus. It wasn’t the best time to expand the Hulk Bus service, as 80% of the population lacked the Virtual Coins to afford a ride. They were still hovering on the line of basic sustenance, and the entire country was gripped by famine. Thus, only regularly employed workers had the means to use this form of transport.

Therefore, Jing Shu didn’t plan to expand the bus service or its routes for now. Her next priority was to gauge how many people would be willing to spend money to hire Hulks for transporting goods or for passage during the upcoming migration. For now, the bus service was merely an advance scout, planting a seed for future market demand.

When the time came for the migration, Jingshu’s house could use these Hulks to transport their supplies, blending in with others doing the same, thus moving discreetly. It was crucial to maintain a low profile during the migration; although she wasn’t afraid of trouble, attracting unwanted attention was best avoided.

As the day of migration drew nearer, news within Wu City was suppressed more and more strictly. Only those with connections at the highest levels knew that the entire city was preparing to migrate.

The snow fell increasingly heavily, threatening to cover and consume everything. Wu City, once a central city situated in a basin, had been flooded in the second year of the calamities. In the third year, an earthquake caused countless buildings to collapse, and in the fourth, it was ravaged by mudslides. Now, it lay completely buried under a thick blanket of snow. Drone footage, taken with powerful lights, revealed only the tips of a few tall buildings piercing the snow; the rest was an endless expanse of white.

The temperature plummeted, dropping so low that stepping outside without being bundled in multiple layers meant freezing to death. At sixty degrees below zero, it was approaching the limits of human endurance. Before the apocalypse, when resources were plentiful and complete heating systems were in place, this wouldn’t have been a major problem.

But now... The Township Government had implemented an emergency heating strategy. Fuel was scarce, and energy sources like natural gas had to be prioritized for the Artificial Sun to ensure food production. So, what else could be done?

Items made from long animal fur were in high demand but short supply, with an availability rate of less than one in ten. The Township Government had preemptively borrowed from various sources to gather some cold-weather supplies to help people cope. Since individual households couldn’t afford heating, the solution was to gather people for communal heating, hoping to at least reduce the number of deaths from freezing.

The general populace still didn’t grasp the severity of the situation. They only knew that the country had received significant good news: after countless people in various places had starved to death, a new type of food had finally been invented—so-called "Giant Food." Starting that day, it was also available for sale at the Wu City Insect Cake Factory, and its price was only a tad higher than Insect Cakes!

Unlike synthetic meat, which only the middle class could afford, or Insect Cakes, the staple of the poor, there was now this "Giant Food"—actual meat!—that even those with modest incomes could afford.

This meant people would no longer starve; they would have more food choices. Furthermore, the resources saved could be allocated to other necessities.

The recent hot topics in Wu City revolved around a few things: those with spare Virtual Coins were eager to experience the Hulk Bus, or to buy some of that bizarre, cell-like meat.

"This meat is as tough as firewood to chew, even more fibrous than the driest chicken breast. If it weren’t for the salt, I’d swear I was gnawing on wood."

"To be honest, it’s not much better than Insect Cake. So why is it a tiny bit more expensive?"

"We’re lucky to have anything to eat at all. At least it’s real meat, better than Insect Cake, which is all exoskeletons and tough bits. And it’s more filling."

"Synthetic meat still tastes better, though."

"If you ask me, we should stock up. ’Food in hand, peace of mind,’ as they say. Who knows what we’ll face next?"

The general public hadn’t noticed, but some of the regularly employed workers had. The previous distribution of vegetables and white flour as welfare benefits had ceased quite some time ago.

And strangely, all the better quality foods had vanished from the open market. No one was selling them, and the usual vendor calls were absent. Previously, some ham sausages or canned goods could always be found on the Black Market, but now even those items had disappeared.

Some perceptive individuals immediately sensed something was amiss.

"Is something about to happen?"

"We should use our Virtual Coins to buy more synthetic meat while we still can. I’m afraid that soon, even synthetic meat won’t be available for sale!"

"The higher-ups are probably planning something big. We’d better prepare early."

The atmosphere in Jingshu’s house had also grown tense recently. As the day of migration approached, everyone felt a heavy weight in their hearts, uncertain about what the future held. All they could do was continuously make preparations.

Jing Shu had already packed up all unnecessary items. Next, she had to prepare various supplies that might be needed on the road. This was a tedious yet joyful process. Taking inventory and meticulously preparing supplies, much like a hamster hoarding food, was what Jing Shu found most fulfilling since her rebirth.

For daily breakfasts alone, Jing Shu devised dozens, even hundreds, of meal combinations. As the saying goes, "Eat well in the morning." Therefore, breakfast needed to be nutritious, yet also simple and quick to prepare.

Milk and eggs, for instance, were essential. Milk was processed into powder for easy reconstitution, and eggs were marinated and vacuum-packed. She also planned for other items...