I Am Cultivating in the Apocalypse

Chapter 721: The Chosen One to Stay in the Underground City

Luo Dan felt so embarrassed she wished she could crawl into a crack in the ground. It was blatant humiliation! Just before, she was showing off in front of others, even deliberately mentioning Luo Jiwei’s power. Truth be told, her family’s Old Luo might not have as much food as Niu Jiwei, but in terms of power, he was definitely greater than Niu Jiwei. So many people came to offer gifts, whether it was about land approval or integration; wasn’t it all up to her family’s Old Luo to decide? But now...it seemed that this young girl wasn’t to be underestimated. So young, yet her position was so high. Originally, I thought she relied on her parents, but it turned out her parents relied on her! The key point was the connection with the Insect Cake Factory run by the Township Government, which was like a guaranteed job printing money, especially in the apocalypse when food was extremely precious!

Hmph! Knowing that this brat was humiliating her both openly and secretly, and that the attempt to become in-laws had not only failed but she had also offended her, Luo Dan felt extremely upset. So what if this young brat is formidable? I’ve already made a mental note of this family and planned to assign them a poor location after the relocation, where they’d have no valid argument even if they had one! Thinking about this, Luo Dan felt a bit smug again. When the time comes, I’ll make them beg for mercy. I’ve heard that Jing Shu’s family has a surplus of food; they’ll have to offer it all up. If I don’t make Jing Shu bleed, I won’t be a Luo anymore!

Jing Shu didn’t care about Luo Dan’s thoughts at all. Fortunately, she didn’t know Luo Dan was already planning to make things difficult for her after the relocation regarding housing, allocations, and even factory land. Otherwise, Jing Shu would have had to teach her a lesson. Taking a step back, Jing Shu wasn’t afraid of Luo Dan causing trouble. A house? Land allocation? Isn’t my luxurious RV comfortable enough? Besides, after the relocation, if anyone dares to give me a hard time with the Insect Cake Factory’s land, deliberately assigning me a poor site, I have every right not to sell insect cakes and synthetic meat to their unit. Let’s see if your unit dares to go without my family’s synthetic meat!

Jing Shu’s thoughts were interrupted by Niu Jiwei.

"Wu City is no longer suitable for human habitation. To be precise, all three provinces in the north need to relocate, with Wu City being the most urgent. The temperature might exceed negative 80 degrees in three months. According to tests, skin exposed to the air at negative 80 degrees will be frostbitten, and at negative 100 degrees, exposed skin will necrotize, meaning it’s ruined.

"The Underground City built in Wu City is still habitable, but it can only accommodate 10,000 people; the rest of the space is needed for storing supplies.

"Relocation is feasible, but surely not everyone has to leave? We were given a quota of 1,000 people to stay behind. Why?

"Firstly, we need to ensure some factories keep running to continue food production. Secondly, we need to protect the private property of various departments and factories from being infringed upon. Thirdly, we need to take care of logistics to ensure the food supply for the tens of thousands in the Underground City. Fourthly, we can’t completely stop the Artificial Sun; we still need people to continue farming and cultivating new crops, which is even more complex than your jobs.

"In general, professionals need to be left behind to take care of the property and heavy machinery that can’t be moved. They must promptly report any issues and continue to perform their duties. Staying behind isn’t for enjoyment; there’s a lot of work to do.

"They also need to be capable and trustworthy; otherwise, Wu City’s main assets in the Underground City might be at risk.

"Those staying must undergo strict assessments, and it’s preferable that they have family members. They need to be guaranteed by someone with an official position and be willing to take joint responsibility if something goes wrong.

"The benefits remain the same. Starting from the time of relocation, wages will be calculated based on working hours; additionally, the Township Government will provide a subsidy. This image shows the various positions available in the Underground City, from which you can choose the one you like. Each department and factory will consider the number of people needed and report the final list to me, which will then be vetted.

"Moreover, we don’t know how cold Wu City will get. If it drops to negative 100 degrees, the people in the Underground City will also need to relocate again. That would be extremely challenging. Once Wu City’s forces are withdrawn, no one will clear the snow from the roads, dooming Wu City to be buried under the snow. There are too many uncertain factors, and it’s unknown how long those left behind will be able to live there.

"I need to report the list in three days."

Once each department and factory had made their selections, not many people would be left, as it was necessary to ensure the minimum number of personnel for operations. In special circumstances, they might even need to rush work and then send supplies to the front lines.

For Jing Shu’s Insect Cake Factory and clothing factory, people needed to be left behind. The production lines that couldn’t be moved had to stay, as did some other heavy machinery. While theft wasn’t a major concern, these items needed to be properly secured, with dedicated personnel overseeing them to prevent accidents.

Why not just have Uncle’s family stay behind? Jing Shu thought to herself. Uncle’s family is trustworthy, familiar with the factory operations, and also in management. They could supervise the others left behind and wouldn’t have to join the thousands-of-kilometers-long migration. The RV is already full, and although Uncle’s family has the Hulk, their living conditions are still not great, and the journey would be tough. Anyway, they would return in two years.

But... Jing Shu glanced at her mother. Mom would be too reluctant, she thought.

Moreover, from her past life experience, she didn’t know what had become of those who stayed in Wu City’s Underground City, nor did she know if Wu City faced any major events or dangers. But it’s impossible for my family to stay behind; those staying are workers who need to toil and ensure minimal factory operations. Mr. Jing and Mrs. Jing have their own factory affairs to deal with, and I have my Medicine Association tasks as well.

After this issue was settled, the next matter was the order of migration. Who would go first, and who would bring up the rear? With millions of people in Wu City and only a two-lane passage, the queue could stretch for dozens of kilometers.

"You must have all received the news," Niu Jiwei continued. "The Township Government started repairing the tunnels south of Wu City six months ago, along the railway. There is a pre-apocalypse rest stop every 30 kilometers. These stops have been repaired, and during this period, food supplies have been gradually delivered to each stop. The military will specifically take charge of transporting and distributing provisions. However, due to time constraints, the tunnels aren’t complete all the way to the destination, so those food supply stops won’t extend that far. Everyone needs to be prepared for this."

Niu Jiwei was right. Even with rotten mermaids assisting and Xiao Wei’s insects digging tunnels, it was impossible to reach the distant destination in just a few months, not to mention encountering areas of disordered territory.

So, despite Jing Shu causing a stir with the butterfly effect in this life, the second half of the journey still needed to be completed.