Natural Disaster: Back to the End of the World

Part 42

Heaven seems to be constantly testing people's tolerance for new extremes. On the fourth day of the heavy rain, the entire village lost power. At least the town had been without power for two days already, so things were worse there.

Lei Xiao pulled two generators out of the basement. Since the whole village was without electricity, wired internet was down too, but fortunately, Yao Ziqing had a wireless network card, so they could still use the laptop for internet access. The generators were enough to power the household appliances.

Yao Ziqing had bought a lot of DVDs, including a soap opera with hundreds of episodes, which was just right for keeping Grandma entertained and passing the time.

Even though the sky was overcast during the day, there was still a bit of light. However, the strong wind and rain made the house dark with all doors and windows tightly shut. After the last power outage, many villagers had stocked up on candles, so now every household was burning candles.

With the doors and windows closed and the generators running, Yao Ziqing's house was bright inside. Outside, it was like the end of the world, but inside, it was a cozy haven.

In an era flooded with electronic devices and constant online activity, it's rare for people to sit together without checking their phones. Back when Si'er was at school, he rarely came home, and Lei Xiao, often on missions, was seldom around. Lei Lang came home once a week, so it was usually just Grandma and her eldest grandson at home.

The eldest grandson wasn't very talkative, so the house often felt a bit dull. Even though it was pouring rain outside, everyone was playing their own things, but just being together in one room made Grandma feel happy and content.

Lei Lang lost another round of his game, cursing several times. "Seriously, do you have to cheat? Si'er, you have good eyesight; come over and help me find the problem!"

Yao Ziqing was flipping through a recipe on his tablet, knowing that once the rain stopped, the weather wouldn't warm up. It would only get colder, so he wanted to use this transitional period to prepare more food and store it. Last night, he had discussed with Lei Xiao about revealing the space, but they hadn't settled on how to do it yet.

"Third Brother, playing these games too much can hurt your eyes. If you're bored, we have some soaked soybeans at home; why not make some soy milk?"

"Forget it. We'd never finish it, and it'd be a waste. This rain just won't quit. It feels like the sky is going to collapse. I saw on the news this morning that ten people had died in Ryan City. One person ran out of food, but the water downstairs was so high it was like swimming. They tried to climb from the window to a balcony to see if anyone had food to spare. They ended up falling, hitting their head, and drowning in the water."

Grandma couldn't stand hearing about such tragic accidents, young lives cut short was truly lamentable. "It's really a cruel fate. The countryside has its advantages, and the city has its own. It's good you're all back. Otherwise, you'd be stuck too. Times are really getting harder."

Yao Ziqing put down his tablet and sat next to Grandma, taking her hand. "Grandma, don't worry. We've got enough supplies to last a hundred years. We won't go hungry. Once the weather cools down and the rain stops, I want to make some of your beef jerky and pork preserved. Will you make them for me? Teach me how to make them, and I'll handle it from there!"

Grandma smiled and pinched Yao Ziqing's nose. "You little glutton! I haven't seen you gain much weight, but fine, I'll make plenty for you!"

"He's just all appetite and no weight gain."

Yao Ziqing immediately protested, "Who says I haven't gained weight? Second Brother says I have!"

Everyone in the room turned to look at Lei Xiao, who just gave them a calm glance and stated, "Gained a few pounds."