195: Formal electrification

Shen Xiaochuan stared at the current curves on the screen, his fingers brushing the copper gear pendant on his cuff.

The 6:18 broadcast had ended long ago; the main control room was very quiet, with only the hum of machines and the occasional data notification sound.

He hadn't moved, his eyes fixed on the voltage chart for Zone A; even if the voltage changed by just 0.3 volts, he would frown.

Karl brought in a cup of hot water and placed it on the edge of the console: "Boss, your hand is cracked."

Shen Xiaochuan looked down at his right hand; the frostbite on his knuckles hadn't healed yet, and he had scraped it open again while connecting the cables earlier. Blood stained the keyboard, already turning black.

He didn't speak, continuing to scroll through the data table with his left hand.

"I've checked three times," he said. "Those lines in the old town have issues; the thermal expansion and contraction aren't right. We need to observe them for another twelve hours to be sure they're stable."

Karl nodded and sat down next to him: "I've already arranged for two people to inspect them together; all operations must be confirmed by two people. We've also sent inspection robots to the Industrial Zone to patrol the lines twenty-four hours a day."

Shen Xiaochuan grunted and pulled up the historical records for Node 2. The curve was stable with no abnormalities. He checked Nodes 3 and 4 as well, and they were also normal.

"It's not that I don't trust you all," he said. "It's just that this weather is too strange. At minus seventy degrees, metal becomes brittle, and the insulation will shatter too. Just because we've fixed the electricity doesn't mean we're safe."

"Understood." Karl opened his terminal: "I've already had the robots focus on checking the interfaces for oxidation and set an alarm if the resistance rises. Also... five vassal divine domains want to connect to the main grid, saying they can't hold on anymore."

Shen Xiaochuan looked up: "Can their transmission towers withstand it?"

"The structure was built to standard, but the Materials are a grade lower. We use high-conductivity alloy cables, but they are still using ordinary copper wire."

"Then we can't connect them to the grid directly." Shen Xiaochuan shook his head. "Step down the voltage and send power for half an hour every two hours to see if they can handle it. Wait until the maintenance team finishes applying the anti-oxidation coating."

"Alright, I'll notify the frontline team to set off right now." Karl got up to leave.

"Wait." Shen Xiaochuan called him back. "Send two people to go with them; high-altitude work must be done with double safety ropes. The temperature is too low, people's reactions are slow, and even the slightest mistake will cost a life."

Karl agreed and left quickly.

The main control room quieted down again. Shen Xiaochuan took a sip of cold tea; his throat was a bit dry. He stood up to stretch his shoulders and walked to the window. It was still snowing outside, but less than last night. The streetlights were on, illuminating a path. The figures of the patrol team walked through the light, and warm light shone from the windows of the guard booth. The small shop on the corner had a new sign, the words "Open for Business" flashing in red.

He returned to the console and pressed the broadcast button.

"Attention, residents." His voice was steady. "It is now 10:07 AM. The power System is operating normally; please use electrical appliances in accordance with the 'Winter Electricity Usage Guide.' It is recommended to set floor heating to 22 degrees, turn off electric blankets two hours before sleep, and prioritize energy-saving lamps. Technicians will be visiting the homes of elderly people living alone today to inspect their circuits; please listen for knocks at the door."

After speaking, he released the button, posted the illustrated manual to the community bulletin board, and the electronic screen began scrolling safety tips.

In less than ten minutes, a message popped up on the Blue Star Channel.

[Skydome City user "Auntie Wang" posted an update: I woke up this morning and the soles of my feet were warm! My old TV can turn on too, and the kid has been laughing the whole time watching cartoons!]

[User "Old Li from the Blacksmith Shop" uploaded a photo: The floor heating is on, the temperature in the forge has come up, and the quality of the forgings is much better!]

[Anonymous user comment: How did your city do it? It's minus sixty-eight degrees here, the fire pits have frozen out, the statues are covered in ice, and the Believers are falling one by one...]

Shen Xiaochuan read them one by one, finally stopping at that comment. He didn't reply, saving this message into the internal log and naming the file 'External Death Critical Point Record'.

When Karl returned, this was the scene he saw.

"The first power transmission to the five vassal divine domains failed," he said. "The voltage in the East Third District dropped suddenly and almost brought down our main grid."

"Interface oxidation?" Shen Xiaochuan asked.

"Yes. Their junction boxes aren't sealed well; moisture got in and froze, causing poor contact. The maintenance team is already applying the coating, and it should take another two hours."

Shen Xiaochuan nodded. "Continue with the time-divided power supply; wait until the modifications are complete before sending full load power. Don't rush."

"Understood."

The two didn't speak. After a while, Karl asked in a low voice: "Do you think... people in other places really have no other way?"

Shen Xiaochuan watched the signal points constantly flickering on the screen. The cursors that originally belonged to the divine domains of various countries were going out one by one. Some dimmed slowly, as if their energy had been exhausted; others vanished instantly, without even an alarm sounding.

"Those with faith points can burn resources to keep warm," he said. "But it won't last long. Those without faith points can only rely on bonfires. But at this temperature, charcoal won't heat up, and a bonfire simply can't be maintained."

"Our electricity is saving more than just our own people," Karl said.

Shen Xiaochuan didn't respond. He opened the meteorological panel, where the red alert was still at the top: [Global extreme cold disaster continues, lowest temperature -70.6°C, feels-like temperature -98°C].

"Electricity isn't just energy," he said softly. "It's life."

Karl didn't hear clearly: "What?"

"Nothing." Shen Xiaochuan shook his head. "Go keep an eye on the inspection data; don't let any node have problems."

After noon, the first vassal divine domain was successfully connected to the grid. Shen Xiaochuan personally monitored the power transmission, not letting go until the voltage had been stable for fifteen minutes.

Then came the second and the third.

At 3:17 PM, the fifth vassal divine domain completed its line modifications and was officially connected to the Skydome City main power grid. The total System load increased by 12%, but it was within the safe range.

"It's done." Karl breathed a sigh of relief. "All five are connected."

Shen Xiaochuan stared at the screen, not responding immediately. He knew what this meant—in this global cold wave, only their city, along with its five affiliated territories, had survived.

And outside...

He opened the Blue Star Channel.

[Emergency notice: The North Territory's Seventh Alliance has announced its dissolution; all members have died of hypothermia.]

[SOS! Three divine domains in the South Territory request technical assistance! We are willing to trade all our faith points for any way to keep warm!]

[Only a few scattered messages remained on the channel, and then it went completely quiet.]

Shen Xiaochuan closed the pop-up window and set the System to "Automatic Alert Level." It would alarm if the low temperature exceeded the limit, and it would also alert him if the load changed significantly. He finally stood up and took off his work jacket.

The copper gear pendant on his cuff had turned black, stained with snow water and blood. He didn't take it off, just squeezed it gently.

"You go get some rest," Karl said. "I'll keep watch here."

"I won't go far." Shen Xiaochuan walked toward the door. "I'll just nap in the room next door. Call me immediately if anything happens."

"Understood."

He pulled open the door, and the light from the hallway shone in. The heating pipes in the wall hummed softly, like breathing. He looked back at the main console; the green area on the screen covered the entire city, and even the most remote places had power.

Walking to the door of the lounge, he stopped and looked up at the ceiling.

The light was on.

It wasn't an emergency light, nor was it a candle; it was an ordinary fluorescent tube, emitting a bright white light. The room temperature was twenty-three degrees, constant and unchanging.

He pushed the door open and closed it behind him.

The bed was a hard board bed, and the quilt was folded neatly. He sat on it to test it; the mattress was a bit thin, but it could support his body. He didn't lie down, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes.

His fingers were still aching, the frostbitten areas feeling like they were being pricked by needles. But he couldn't worry about that.

As long as the power grid was still running, he couldn't truly rest.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he heard footsteps outside the door, followed by a piece of paper being slid in through the crack. He opened his eyes and saw a printed sheet lying on the floor.

It was a summary of the latest community feedback.

[Grandma Zhang from East Street: The electric blanket is so useful; the old man's chronic leg pain is much better.]

[All teachers at the nursery: The children can finally sleep through the night; thanks to the gods for bestowing light and warmth.]

[Sanitation team report: Snow clearing efficiency has increased fourfold, as shift times have been extended after heating was provided to the guard booths.]

Shen Xiaochuan bent down to pick up the paper, read it through, folded it, and put it into his chest pocket.

He stood up and walked toward the door.

Although he had said he would rest, he knew he would only close his eyes for a moment. As long as the System was fine, he didn't intend to leave the main control room.

Outside, the heavy snow had not stopped, and the world was dead silent.

Only this city was brightly lit.