128: Chapter 128 Thirty Thousand People Come to Collect Meals! A Miracle in the Two-Hundred-Meter Snow-Free Zone

9:00 AM.

The first batch of protein nutrition bars from Polaris was produced simultaneously from the discharge ports of the twelve synthesis machines.

Each machine produced fifty bars per hour.

Twelve machines produced six hundred bars per hour.

Each bar weighed 150 grams.

Enough for an adult's basic daily protein intake.

"City-State Master Lin Xiao, the protein synthesis machines have begun production."

"They produce enough to meet the basic protein requirements of six hundred people daily."

"Your thirty thousand people can come in rotating batches to collect them daily," Lu Chen continued, watching the nutrition bars continuously falling from the discharge ports, "a fifty-day cycle."

"Or you can prioritize the elderly and children first."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the communicator.

"You want my people to come into your vehicle to collect the nutrition bars?"

"The fortress's first level has a main entrance," Lu Chen said in a steady tone, "Your people can come down from the side exit of the fourth level of The City-State."

"Walk across the 100-meter snow-free zone."

"And come inside to collect them."

"Walk?" Lin Xiao's voice raised.

"Within the 200-meter radius of the snow-free zone," Lu Chen said, looking out the window, "the ground temperature is above zero degrees."

"No snow accumulation."

"No wind."

Lin Xiao was silent again.

"Are you saying my people can walk outside?"

"They can within the snow-free zone."

"No need to wear cold-weather gear?"

"Normal clothing is fine," Lu Chen replied, "The temperature in the snow-free zone is between zero and five degrees."

"City-State Master Lin Xiao."

"Your people have been cooped up in The City-State all night."

"Let them come out for a walk."

Heavy breathing from Lin Xiao came through the communicator.

"Fine."

His voice was hoarse.

"I'll notify them."

Fifteen minutes later.

The first group of people appeared on the platform at the side exit of the fourth level of Black Rock City-State.

Thirty people.

All of them were elderly people and mothers with young children.

They were wearing the standard gray-blue work uniforms of The City-State.

No cold-weather gear.

When they stood on the exit platform and looked down.

Everyone stopped.

Below the platform was a set of metal stairs welded to the side of The City-State.

The stairs led to the ground.

The ground was dry.

No snow.

No ice.

Moist, rust-colored soil was exposed under the lights.

The snowstorm swirled at the boundary line over a hundred meters away.

It bypassed the space above the fortress and The City-State.

There was no wind in this 100-meter space.

The air was cold.

But not biting.

A five or six-year-old girl held her mother's hand.

She pointed at the ground.

"Mommy."

"There is no snow on the ground."

The mother bent down and picked her up.

"That's right."

"No snow."

Her voice trembled.

The first group walked down the stairs.

Stepping onto the ground of the Rustwind Wasteland.

The rust-colored wet mud made a faint sound beneath their feet.

This was the first time most of them had stood outside The City-State without cold-weather gear.

Some had lived in this Mobile City their entire lives.

From birth until now.

They had never walked upright in an outdoor environment above zero degrees.

A white-haired old man stood on the ground.

Looking up at the sky.

The sky was still covered in lead-gray clouds.

The snowstorm was still howling two hundred meters away.

But this small area where he stood.

Was quiet.

Warm.

No snow.

The main entrance on the first level of Polaris was wide open.

Inside the four-meter-wide and six-meter-high airtight door.

Lin Wan stood there.

She held a metal tray in her hands.

A row of nutrition bars was neatly arranged on the tray.

"Come on in."

Lin Wan waved to them outside.

The first group of thirty people walked into the first level of Polaris.

The ten-meter-high ceiling made everyone look up.

The temperature changed from the zero degrees outside to twenty degrees inside.

Warmth rose from the soles of their feet.

A few people stopped.

Twenty degrees.

They barely maintained around ten degrees on the fourth to seventh levels of Black Rock City-State.

The difference between ten degrees and twenty degrees was immense.

At ten degrees, you would still feel cold.

At twenty degrees, you could take off your coat.

Lin Wan handed the nutrition bars to each person one by one.

"Beef-flavored," Lin Wan explained patiently, "You can eat them directly."

"Or you can soak them in hot water to soften them before eating."

"Where is there hot water?" the white-haired old man asked.

"There is a water dispenser on the right side of the entrance," Lin Wan pointed the way, "The water temperature is fifty degrees."

"You can get it directly."

The old man took the nutrition bar and walked to the water dispenser.

He reached out and turned the water valve.

Hot water flowed out.

Clear, steaming hot water.

He filled half a cup.

He broke the nutrition bar in two and soaked it in.

Thirty seconds later, he took it out and took a bite.

He chewed a few times.

"It's beef-flavored."

"Is it good?" a young mother holding a child nearby asked.

"Not exactly good."

The old man chewed again.

"But it fills you up."

His eyes welled up with tears.

The old man lowered his head to hide it.

"As long as it fills you up, that's enough."

The second group arrived twenty minutes later.

Fifty people.

The third group.

Eighty people.

By twelve noon.

Over three hundred people had received their nutrition bars.

Lin Wan couldn't keep up by herself.

Lu Chen came down from the third level.

He set up four metal tables in the entrance area of the first level.

A discharge tray was placed on each table.

Twelve synthesis machines ran continuously.

The production rate of the nutrition bars kept up with the distribution speed.

The moment every person who came to receive a nutrition bar walked into the first level of Polaris.

They would do two things.

First.

Look up at the ceiling.

Because the ten-meter ceiling made them think they had walked into a building.

Second.

Stand still.

Because the twenty-degree warmth made them not want to leave.

"Brother Lu Chen."

Lin Xiao's voice came from the communicator.

"I'm here."

"People from the fourth to seventh levels are all asking the same question."

"What question?"

"That place where they receive the nutrition bars," Lin Xiao paused, "Can they stay a little longer before leaving?"

"They don't have to leave."

"What?"

"The residential area on the second level has sixty beds," Lu Chen said, looking at the queue outside, "Only two are currently in use."

"The remaining fifty-eight are for your people."

"Prioritize the elderly and those with children."

"The prerequisite is that they register through the City Resident Management System."

The other end of the communicator fell silent.

"Register?"

"Everyone residing long-term inside Polaris needs to register as a city resident."

"After registration, they will enjoy system-level life protection."

"Registered residents inside the vehicle cannot cause fatal harm to each other."

Lin Xiao's breathing paused for a beat.

"Your vehicle has this function?"

"After the fortress-level upgrade, it expanded to ten slots."

"Currently, two are used."

"Me and Lin Wan."

"Eight are left."

"Eight?"

"Eight Authorized Shield slots."

Lu Chen's tone was steady.

"The effectiveness of an Authorized Shield is higher than regular registration."

"Residents who receive the shield enjoy the highest level of safety protection inside Polaris."

There was only a faint buzzing sound of electricity in the communicator.

"Who do you intend to give those eight slots to?"

Lu Chen did not answer.

He glanced at the management system interface on the panel.

[Fortress-Level City Resident Management System.]

[City-State Master Authorized Shield available slots: Ten.]

[Used: Two. Lu Chen. Lin Wan.]

[Remaining: Eight.]

"We'll talk about it tonight."

"I'll finish distributing the remaining nutrition bars first."