Chapter 43 It's Raining

The process of drawing and sheathing the new weapon seemed complex, even somewhat magical, but because the transformation completed in an extremely short time, its details couldn't be clearly seen by outsiders. They only perceived a flash of cold light, and the silver sword was already drawn. If hidden under long sleeves, others would simply assume it had been concealed there all along.

Setting aside the matter of becoming proficient with the sword for now, Bai Xiao returned to the Game Mall interface and purchased another enhancement potion. The potion hadn't even warmed up in her backpack before she took it out again.

The small red vial appeared in her hand once more. Bai Xiao, now familiar with the routine, unscrewed the cap and drank it.

This time, unlike the last, she didn't break out in sweat or emit a foul, sour odor. Only a faint warmth emanated from her lower abdomen. After drinking the potion, she didn't bother testing the extent of her increased speed and strength again. It seemed her body already understood the changes brought by the second dose, eliminating the need for a clumsy, step-by-step trial.

If, after the first potion, her strength and speed had grown to be slightly superior to an average man's, then after this second dose, she felt her speed and strength had increased by another 60% over her previous level.

According to the enhancement potion's description, she could still drink two more bottles at this grade. Once she finished them all, she felt her strength and speed might surpass human limits.

The weapon and potion cost a total of 60 points. With 30 points remaining, Bai Xiao didn't make any further purchases. She thought it wouldn't be too late to wait and see what she might need later before buying.

During those three days in the game, her body and mind had been in a state of constant tension. After returning to her real-world home, exhaustion washed over her like a tidal wave, and Bai Xiao quickly fell into a deep sleep.

...

The next morning, she received another notification from the Neighborhood Committee. The power supply was no longer restricted to specific time blocks. Instead, different districts would now have rolling power supply at varying times.

The district Bai Xiao lived in would have power for one hour at 9 AM, 2 PM, and 7 PM.

Water supply was also reduced from the original three hours at noon and evening to two hours each. Resource consumption was intensifying further.

Rumors ran rampant online. Theories about the apocalypse spread far and wide, becoming increasingly outlandish, and they had gained quite a following.

A few days ago, one could still find many videos and news reports about cities suddenly engulfed by the fog. Recently, such content had gradually become scarce.

Bai Xiao guessed it was highly likely that these cities' functions had completely collapsed. Once power plants were left unattended, they would probably lose all power within a day or two.

After a blackout, the backup power at mobile network base stations wouldn't last long. Soon, the internet would go down too. Only water treatment plants would have some water remaining in the pipes after losing power; a complete water cutoff would take one or two days longer.

Compared to those cities, Yunzhou City where Bai Xiao lived, and other cities where the fog descended slowly, were considered extremely fortunate. For half a month now, the power plants here had not failed, and the city's functions still existed, albeit at a minimal level.

However, as long as the fog didn't lift, the power plants would eventually consume all their coal. After a complete blackout, water and the network would also be completely cut off within the next day or two. Then, except for a very few cities relying on hydropower or nuclear power, the functions of cities like Yunzhou City, which depended on thermal power, would vanish entirely with the loss of electricity.

It was hard to imagine what level society would devolve to by then.

Bai Xiao sighed. Even though she had been chosen to enter the game and had won two rounds, in the face of this vast world, her efforts were still a drop in the bucket. She couldn't save anyone, let alone prevent this continuously worsening situation.

Buzz—

A new message arrived on her phone.

It was from the residential community owners' group chat. Bai Xiao opened it to look.

[Binhefu Owners' Group (496)]

[5#-2-1103]: Did you guys notice it's raining outside?

[3#-1-502]: Raining? I just opened the window to look. It's not raining.

[5#-2-1103]: It really is, just very lightly. If you don't believe me, stay by the window and feel carefully.

[6#-1-101]: I went outside to check. It really is raining, very lightly indeed.

[1#-2-803]: Ever since this fog, clothes at home never dry. Now it's going to rain again? Won't it just get even more humid?

[4#-2-604]: Have any of you seen that Taoist blogger called 'Dust Cleanser'? He says there will be a series of disasters to come, that it's divine punishment, and that things won't return to normal.

[3#-1-501]: I saw him. He described it so vividly. Given the current situation, I actually believe him. I've already set up a temporary altar at home as he suggested, praying for heavenly protection.

[2#-1-901]: There are actually people who believe him? I came across this guy before the fog. This is already the third nonsense version he's peddled. He's always been spouting mystical mumbo jumbo.

...

Bai Xiao didn't scroll through the following messages. Her mind was completely occupied by one thought: It's raining?

She walked to the balcony. The outside world remained the same; within the vast, dense fog, there was no visible sign of rain. She opened the window and waited quietly for a while. Sure enough, sporadic, fine raindrops were occasionally carried in by the gentle breeze.

Fog combined with impending rain... if the rain intensified and persisted like the fog, even if only for a week, let alone longer, who knew what kind of damp hell this world would become.

Then, the last remaining shred of harmony between people would completely vanish.

Bai Xiao felt she had been holding onto a sliver of naive hope before. She had only considered that the fog would trap people where they were, without deeply contemplating that other disasters might compound the fog calamity.

If the rain gradually increased in intensity and lasted for three days, five days, ten days... the entire city wouldn't just be damp. It would likely lead to severe waterlogging. How deep would the water accumulate then? Five meters? Ten meters?

If the power grid completely failed, how would the city's drainage stations operate? Would water backflow?

...

The more she thought about it, the more terrifying it became. Although she lived on the 12th floor, and water depths of five or ten meters wouldn't immediately threaten her living environment, if severe waterlogging did occur, who knew how chaotic the residential complex would become. If nothing else, one couldn't predict what the lower-floor residents might do.

If the situation turned out even worse than she imagined, might this place become uninhabitable?

Thinking of this, Bai Xiao immediately opened her storage slots to check the supplies she had stockpiled earlier. She wasn't lacking in rainproof gear: waterproofwindproof jacket (windproof jacket = windbreaker/hiking jacket? Context suggests outdoor/rain gear. 'Waterproof jacket' is safe), hardshell jackets, raincoats, water shoes, rain boots, waterproof backpacks, life jackets, thermal blankets, safety ropes—she had all these.

But what she lacked were means of transportation, such as rubber rafts.

It was a shame that with the current fog, one couldn't travel very far. If she could go out, she would definitely stockpile some of these water transportation tools, along with the generator, diesel, and gasoline she had been thinking about.

Considering the stockpiling issue, her storage slots were already packed full. Even if there was an opportunity to gather supplies, there seemed to be no place to put them.

Her previously satisfied heart, content after buying the weapon, was now unsettled again by the potential new difficulties.

She thought of the expander in the Game Mall, priced at 25 points.

expander:

[Can choose either storage or backpack as the expansion target;

Choosing storage allows for a one-time selection to either double the space of one specified storage slot or directly add one new storage slot;

Choosing backpack allows for a one-time addition of 2 slots]

With her remaining 30 points, she could still buy one, using it to double the space of one of her existing storage slots.

Bai Xiao had initially thought 90 points was a huge sum. She hadn't expected to run out of money again so quickly.