334: Chapter 334 The Temperature Plummeted!

Lin Yuan was woken up.

Not by a person, but by the system notification sound.

【Warning: External ambient temperature is dropping abnormally. Current temperature is -147℃, and it is still continuing to drop.】

Lin Yuan glanced at the time.

5:42 AM.

He rolled over, intending to sleep for another ten minutes.

The system sounded again.

【Warning: External ambient temperature has dropped to -149℃.】

It dropped two degrees in two minutes.

Lin Yuan opened his eyes.

This speed was not normal.

Since the White Frost Era, the temperature of Blue Star had been slowly dropping, but the speed was very stable—about one to two degrees per week.

Two degrees in two minutes meant the cooling rate had increased by several thousand times.

Lin Yuan sat up, got dressed, and walked out of the room.

The chill could already be felt in the corridor.

The temperature inside the Shelter had always been maintained at around 15 degrees, but now the perceived temperature was only a little over ten degrees.

The alien alloy city wall could block wind, snow, and Evolved Beasts, but it could not block this penetrating extreme cold.

The -150 degree cold air did not sneak in through the door cracks; it seeped in at the molecular level.

The air itself was the carrier of the cold.

When Lin Yuan walked into the command room, Xia Muqing was already there.

She had a pile of data spread out in front of her, her hair was messy, her glasses were crooked, and there was a coffee stain of unknown origin on her lab coat—wait, where would there be coffee in the Apocalypse?

Lin Yuan glanced at the stain.

It was the Qilin meat broth prepared by Chu Yanran.

The color did indeed look like coffee.

"Lin Yuan!"

Xia Muqing's eyes lit up when she saw him.

"The external temperature has plummeted from -82 degrees to -147 degrees in the past six hours, and it's still accelerating! Based on the current curve projections, it may break through -200 degrees within 24 hours!"

When she said this, her tone carried an inappropriate excitement.

It was as if she hadn't discovered a disaster that could potentially wipe out everyone, but rather a paper worthy of publication in a top journal.

Lin Yuan was already used to it.

Xia Muqing's first reaction to any "abnormal phenomenon" was always excitement, even if that abnormal phenomenon was the end of the world.

"Give me the data."

Xia Muqing handed over the tablet.

Lin Yuan glanced at the temperature curve.

It wasn't a linear drop; it was stepped.

Every forty minutes or so, the temperature would plummet by a step, then stabilize briefly, and then drop again.

Like a heartbeat—a rhythmic heartbeat.

Lin Yuan stared at the curve for three seconds, then he put down the tablet and picked up the bowl on the table.

The bowl contained the breakfast made by Chu Yanran—a variation of the top-grade gene hotpot set, hotpot porridge.

Thinly sliced Qilin meat was spread over the porridge, paired with seasonings unlocked by the system, steaming hot.

Lin Yuan took a bite.

"...Not bad. Have Chu Yanran make it again tomorrow."

Xia Muqing was stunned.

"I'm talking about the temperature plummeting."

"I heard you."

Lin Yuan took another bite of porridge.

"Finish eating first."

Xia Muqing opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but she ultimately said nothing because she noticed that Lin Yuan was eating the porridge quite quickly.

He wasn't leisurely enjoying breakfast; he was taking in calories in the shortest possible time.

He was already making preparations, just in a... simple way.

Three minutes later, Lin Yuan put down the bowl.

"Call everyone."

Fifteen minutes later, the command room was full of people.

Ye Qingxue arrived first.

When she entered, her hair was still wet—obviously, she had hurriedly washed her face after being called from bed.

But her expression was already completely alert.

Ye Qingxue had an ability, not a Superpower, but an instinct—she could switch to work mode from any state within three seconds, whether sleeping, eating, or spacing out.

Three seconds.

Lin Yuan sometimes felt this ability was more practical than her SSS-rank Dark Attribute Ability.

Ling Shuanghan arrived second.

She looked like she hadn't slept at all.

Her ice-blue eyes were as clear as mineral water just taken from a refrigerator.

In fact, she really hadn't slept.

For someone who had lived in the Everwinter World for 100 years, the need for sleep had been compressed to the limit; sleeping four hours every three days was enough.

The rest of the time, she was patrolling the city wall.

"Secondary cooling." The first thing Ling Shuanghan said after entering wasn't a question, but a confirmation.

Lin Yuan glanced at her. "You know?"

"In the Everwinter World, this phenomenon is called 'Frost Tide'," Ling Shuanghan said.

"After the energy of the frost curse accumulates to a critical point in the earth's crust, it releases in the form of pulses. With each pulse, the temperature plummets by a step."

"How low will it go?"

"Depends on how much energy has accumulated in the earth's crust."

Ling Shuanghan glanced at Xia Muqing's data.

"According to the current energy density of Blue Star... the final temperature will be between -200 and -250 degrees."

The command room was silent for two seconds.

-250 degrees.

What did this number mean?

It meant that the oxygen in the air would start to liquefy.

It meant that steel would become as brittle as a biscuit.

It meant that ordinary humans would die within three seconds of exposure outdoors.

Not frozen to death, but the moisture inside the cells would instantly crystallize, shattering the cells from the inside out.

They wouldn't even have time to feel pain.

Ye Qingxue's expression didn't change, but her fingers tightened slightly.

"Can the Shelter hold on?" she asked.

This question wasn't for Ling Shuanghan; it was for Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan didn't answer immediately.

He looked at Su Yuyan.

Su Yuyan was already calculating.

She had a supercomputer in her mind—not a Superpower, but an instinct honed over twenty years as a business queen.

"If the temperature drops to -200 degrees," Su Yuyan said, "with existing thermal insulation supplies and energy reserves, the internal temperature of the Shelter will drop to about -5 degrees. People won't die, but it will be very uncomfortable."

She paused.

"If it drops to -250 degrees... it won't hold. The internal temperature will drop below -30 degrees. Ordinary survivors won't be able to last three days."

The command room was silent again.

Lin Yuan looked at Ling Shuanghan. "Is there a solution?"

Ling Shuanghan nodded.

"In the Everwinter World, we use a type of ore to counter the Frost Tide. It's called frost crystal stone."

She explained the properties of the frost crystal stone—this ore continuously releases constant heat in extremely low-temperature environments.

The lower the temperature, the more heat it releases. A perfect negative feedback mechanism.

"Does Blue Star have this kind of ore?" Ye Qingxue asked.

"There should be," Ling Shuanghan said.

"Blue Star's frost curse and the Everwinter World's are from the same source. Where there is a curse, there will be frost crystal stone."

The three words "should be" made the atmosphere in the command room subtle.

"Should" was not very useful in the Apocalypse.

In the Apocalypse, there was only "have" and "have not." "Should have" was approximately equal to "might not have."

Lin Yuan didn't dwell on this.

"Prepare for both scenarios," he said.

Everyone looked at him.

"First, Ling Shuanghan will lead a team to find the frost crystal stone in the ice. Your people have experience; you lead it."

Ling Shuanghan nodded.

"Second, Xia Muqing and Lan Xin will cooperate to use the Intelligent Building Module to retrofit the Shelter's insulation structure. Improve it as much as possible."

Xia Muqing pushed her glasses, and her eyes lit up again.

Lan Xin nodded quietly.

"Third, I will use the Origin Ember to make a temporary heating device."

The Origin Ember was a supply unlocked by Qin Ziyan.

Essentially, it was a high-temperature energy source. Using it for heating was overkill, like using a nuclear warhead to boil water.

But in the Apocalypse, overkill was better than having no materials to use.

"Su Yuyan."

"Yes."

"Calculate how long the existing supplies can last at different temperatures."

Su Yuyan was already calculating.

In fact, she had started calculating the moment Ling Shuanghan said "-250 degrees."

"If the temperature drops to -200 degrees, the existing supplies can last for 15 days at most."

"That's enough," Lin Yuan said. "Find the frost crystal stone within 15 days."

His tone was very flat when he said "that's enough," as if finding a mineral that might not exist in 15 days was a very simple matter.

But no one questioned it because everyone present knew—when Lin Yuan said "that's enough," it was enough.

He never said things he wasn't sure about.

After assigning the tasks, the crowd dispersed.

Everyone had their own things to do.

Ye Qingxue stayed until the end.

She stood at the door, looking at Lin Yuan.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You just assigned tasks to everyone. What about yourself?"

Lin Yuan thought for a moment.

"I'm going to make the heating device."

"And then?"

"Then see if there are any other ways."

Ye Qingxue looked at him for two seconds.

"You're planning to carry it alone again."

This was not a question.

Lin Yuan didn't deny it.

"I'm used to it."

Ye Qingxue didn't say anything else.

She turned and left.

After walking two steps, she stopped without looking back.

"I'll have Chu Yanran heat up another bowl for you when the porridge gets cold."

"No need. I can drink it cold."

"I didn't ask if you could."

Ye Qingxue left.

Lin Yuan watched her back.

This woman had become increasingly disobedient lately.

Previously, she always spoke in a consultative tone; now, it was a direct notification.

Lin Yuan thought about it and felt that this was probably the side effect of so-called "growing affection over time."

It wasn't that she had grown affection for him; it was that she had grown affection for the act of "managing him."

She got addicted to managing him.

Forget it.

Anyway, hot porridge really did taste better than cold porridge.

Outside the Shelter, the temperature was still falling.

-152 degrees.

-155 degrees.

-158 degrees.

Every number was like a knife, cutting through the thin safety boundary between the Shelter and the outside world one by one.

But inside the Shelter, everything was running in an orderly manner.

Ye Qingxue directed the internal affairs in the Core Zone, and all logistics personnel listened to her coordination.

No one questioned; no one delayed.

Whatever she said, everyone did.

It wasn't because how strong her Superpower was; it was because she had been doing this since the first day.

From when the Shelter only had a few people to the current five thousand plus, she had always been there.

Ling Shuanghan organized the exploration team on the periphery.

Her 60 Female Warriors gathered at an absurdly fast speed—it took four minutes from receiving the order to full assembly.

Four minutes.

Including getting dressed, grabbing equipment, and forming up.

Zhao Tieshan's soldiers were collectively silent when they saw this speed.

Their fastest record was seven minutes, and that was with Zhao Tieshan cursing three times.

Two women managed their own sections in the same crisis for the first time.

No conflict. No friction. Not even unnecessary communication.

Because there was simply no time, and because they were both smart enough to know when to cooperate and when to shut up.

Ji Wushuang volunteered to go with Ling Shuanghan to explore the ice layer.

The reason was— "This palace's Nanming Li Fire is more useful underground than on the surface."

Lin Yuan approved.

Ji Wushuang looked back at Lin Yuan when she left.

"You're not going?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because if I go, you won't have a chance to show off."

Ji Wushuang was stunned for a moment, then she laughed.

"Fine. Then this palace will reluctantly make this trip for you."

She left, walking very fast.

The Nanming Li Fire left a faint trail of heat waves behind her.

In the -155 degree air, that trail of heat looked like a golden tail.

Luo Qinghan did not participate in any action.

She stood in the corner of the command room, silent the whole time.

She was recalling. Recalling her previous life.

In her previous life, the secondary cooling occurred in the third year of the Apocalypse, not the first.

The timeline had advanced again.

This wasn't the first time.

Since her rebirth, many events had been happening earlier.

The cleanser had been earlier. The authority fragment had been earlier. Now, the secondary cooling was also earlier.

It was as if something was accelerating everything, pushing Blue Star in a direction she didn't recognize.

Luo Qinghan's fingers felt slightly cold.

Not because of the temperature, but because of fear.

The biggest advantage of a Reborn Person was "knowing the future."

But what if the future changed?

What if the future she knew no longer existed?

Then what was she good for?

Luo Qinghan suppressed this thought.

Can't think about this. Not now.

She took a deep breath and walked out of the command room.

In the corridor, Chu Yanran was walking out with a large tray.

On the tray were twenty bowls of hot porridge.

"Who is this for?" Luo Qinghan asked.

"For the people on duty on the city wall," Chu Yanran said. "In this weather, something will go wrong if they don't drink something hot."

She left after saying that.

Her footsteps were fast, and the tray was held very steadily.

Twenty bowls of porridge, not a single drop spilled.

Luo Qinghan looked at her back.

This woman looked ordinary, and her Superpower wasn't considered strong.

But in the Shelter, she might be the most indispensable person besides Lin Yuan.

Because she allowed over five thousand people to eat hot meals every day.

In the Apocalypse, this was more important than any SSS-rank Superpower.

Luo Qinghan suddenly felt that perhaps she didn't need to "know the future" to be useful.

Perhaps she just needed to be like Chu Yanran—do the things right in front of her.

She turned back to the command room, picked up a pen, and began to organize all the information she remembered about the "Frost Tide."

No matter if the future had changed or not, all she could do was write down everything she knew.

The rest would be left to Lin Yuan.

Outside the Shelter, the wind and snow grew heavier.

The temperature had fallen below -160 degrees.

But inside the Shelter, the aroma of hot porridge filled every corridor.

Over five thousand people wrapped their clothes tightly and huddled in their respective rooms.

They could feel the cold, but they weren't afraid, because they knew someone was thinking of ways for them.

That person was now sitting in the command room, with a bowl of reheated hotpot porridge in front of him.

The porridge was still steaming.

Lin Yuan picked up the spoon.

"Not bad," he said. "Tastes better than the cold one."