Natural Disaster: Back to the End of the World

Part 49

The second rain lasted for about four days, but combined with the previous accumulated water, it had caused flooding in many areas. Some low-lying areas or places where the underground drainage wasn't cleared in time were relocated to temporary shelters by the government.

Yao Ziqing's family had their diesel generator working in shifts to power some electrical appliances in the basement. As long as there was no thunder, the generator would keep running. This way, they could keep their mobile devices charged and stay updated on the outside situation.

The main difference between this rain and the last was that the temperature had dropped significantly. Citizens living in the flood-affected areas were growing accustomed to being trapped by the rain. The only downside was that the lack of food made life even more difficult, and the severity of the issues kept escalating.

For Yao Ziqing, the commotion outside was irrelevant. He just wanted to focus on his own little piece of land and take care of his family. He wasn't a savior, and he preferred to leave national and public concerns to others.

Before the temperature dropped, it was fine even if he got rained on, as it felt like just a cold shower. But now, even though it was only the end of August, the temperature had already dropped below twenty degrees Celsius, and at night it was below ten degrees. Getting sick from the rain now would be a real problem.

Lei Lang, feeling a bit bored, sat at the door watching the continuous rain. The cobblestones in the yard had been washed clean by the rain, with no small fragments left, making them particularly smooth. Xiao Wu sat next to him, its tail occasionally flicking, as they both watched the rain together.

When Lei Li returned from the fields and changed out of his wet clothes, he dried his hair with a towel, sat on the sofa, and glanced at the two solitary figures. He then spoke to Si'er, who was lounging on the sofa with his legs resting on the armrest.

"That fish had problems; your intuition last time was right."

Upon hearing this, Yao Ziqing immediately sat up, surprised, and looked at Big Brother. After what Second Brother had said that day, he had thought he was being overly cautious, and he never expected that his vague feeling would turn out to be correct.

"What happened? Did something happen to those who ate the fish?"

"You know Uncle Wen Hui, right? He took quite a few fish home that day. Over the past few days, they've been eating fish at every meal. They even ate the ones that had just died, saying that it was okay because they died from lack of oxygen. Last night, his fifteen-year-old daughter, Lei Xi, had severe vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. When they found the car to take her to the hospital, she was even vomiting blood. By the time they got to the hospital, she had already passed away."

Yao Ziqing gasped. He hadn't expected things to be so serious. Did this mean that anything exposed to the rain was unsafe to eat, and even well water might be undrinkable?

Lei Lang, having come closer while Lei Li was speaking, fell silent upon hearing the news. He then realized the core issue and asked the question Yao Ziqing was thinking about. If this was the case, it meant they would have to cut off their water and food supplies.

Lei Li sighed. "It's not just a matter of rainwater. The fish was poisoned."

"What?" Both Yao Ziqing and Lei Lang exclaimed in surprise.

Xiao Wu, sitting nearby, tilted its head and looked at Lei Li seriously, as if it understood. However, its puzzled and innocent expression showed that it was just reacting to the commotion and didn't grasp the complex situation.

"The fish pond was contracted by Liu Mingrong. You know Liu Mingrong, right? He lives just behind the house of the late Liu Laotai who froze to death last year. A few years ago, he lost his wife and had no children. Back then, he was poor and lived in the countryside with no one willing to marry him. Later, he made some money and became a prominent figure in the village. Then he started an affair with Lei Fugui's wife."