Natural Disaster: Back to the End of the World

Part 54

By around six in the evening, the thick fog gradually began to dissipate. However, instead of the sun setting and nightfall approaching, a blazing sun took its place. With the fog gone, the temperature visibly rose, and the heat waves in the air seemed almost scorching.

"This weather is insane. It's six o'clock, right? Why does it feel like it's noon? It's even hotter than noon. It's only April. By July and August, we'll be cooked alive!"

Ma Chen complained while fanning himself with a hand fan. Lei Lang was sitting on the floor, which was covered with marble and still somewhat cool. However, sweat stains were visible where people had sat. The sofa was unbearable; even a cooling mat wouldn't help with the heat.

Yao Ziqing sat on the stairs, observing the several men in the living room who were slouching unceremoniously. Xiao Wu lay next to him, panting with its tongue out. Occasionally, a small ice cube appeared in Xiao Wu's palm. It would lick it up, crunching loudly.

Seeing his older brothers, Lei Xiao and Lei Li, coming out of the small back room, Yao Ziqing quickly looked at them. Lei Xiao nodded to him, and Yao Ziqing instantly relaxed. The hottest part of the day hadn't arrived yet; this temperature was just the beginning. If it got any hotter, Grandma would probably really struggle. As long as the generator still worked, the diesel that Second Brother had gotten would last for several years.

Unfortunately, the solar panels were unusable. With such strong sunlight, there was no need to worry about a power shortage. No one knew what caused the thick fog, but most of the electrical appliances had malfunctioned, and high-tech products had become useless.

Ma Chen looked at the blazing sun outside and sighed to Ma Xin, "It's a good thing you're back. If you were any later, we'd really be in trouble."

Lei Lang was also worried. "With this scorching sun and high temperature, even the corn fields can't handle it. If this year's harvest is poor, it will be like the heavens are cutting off our means of survival."

Ma Chen's land hadn't been planted yet, but now it was dried into clumps of soil, impossible to cultivate.

Yao Ziqing took water buns out of the freezer, which still had a bit of chill left, cut them into pieces, and put them on a plate. "Hurry and eat these, or they'll turn sour once the ice melts."

Girls generally enjoy sweet treats, especially in this heat. The slightly sweet and tangy, cool buns were very appetizing. Soon, everyone had divided the remaining five water buns, and Xiao Wu had eaten two pieces.

Ma Xin looked at Xiao Wu and said with concern, "Can it eat this? I hope it doesn't get a stomach ache. There's no vet open right now."

Yao Ziqing laughed. "Don't worry, Xiao Wu isn't a delicate pet. It eats whatever people eat, and it's not picky."

Xiao Wu wagged its tail, but aside from a small tuft of black hair at the tip, the rest of its tail was bald. Without its proud furry tail, it felt a bit dejected and curled it up, thinking it looked too ugly and should be hidden.

Around ten at night, the sun finally began to set, and by midnight, the sky was completely dark. Taking advantage of the darkness, Village Chief Lei Rongshi quickly gathered all the villagers for a meeting.

However, the ancestral hall was definitely not a suitable place; it was too stuffy inside. With so many people and no ventilation, the smell of sweat was overwhelming, almost like a biological weapon. Instead, they decided to hold the meeting under the large tree in the drying yard. It was spacious, and a breeze occasionally blew through. Though the wind was hot, at least it was wind.

When Lei Chenggen arrived, he saw Lei Gaoming and Lei Li sitting together, with Lei Lang and Lei Lin also sitting with their small stools.

"You guys got here early. With this crazy weather, it really feels like the end of the world!"