Chapter 115: Fatherland

Bi Qiao’an thought for a moment. Since mosquitoes had been plentiful in her previous life, she nodded. “Let’s prepare what we need. If we don’t use those supplies this year, we can always use them next year.”

“You have no idea,” Xia Ran pouted. “There’s a dry toilet near my house, only a couple hundred meters away. It’s convenient, but the smell is terrible. I think with the way things are going, mosquitoes and flies will be a huge problem.”

Bi Qiao’an sympathized with Xia Ran. Fortunately, the toilets in Qingyu Community were far from Building 6.

The two women spoke openly, and other young ladies joined the conversation. Some suggested preparing masks, while others mentioned ginger and chili peppers. Bi Qiao’an appreciated everyone’s ideas, recognizing their suggestions as winter essentials.

Seeing a group of people around Bi Qiao’an, Mi Xue’er couldn’t help but feel jealous. She believed she was better in every way, so why didn’t anyone like her?

Clearly, Mi Xue’er had a severe misconception about herself. If she hadn’t barely passed the entrance exam and hadn’t made so many mistakes since starting work, Zhu Shiliang would have already found an opportunity to fire her. However, a certain someone lacked self-awareness.

At noon, Shen Yanming took his and Bi Qiao’an’s lunch boxes out of his bag. They didn’t mind the cold food and started eating immediately.

“Why do you two always eat cold food instead of heating it in the cafeteria?” Chen Qing asked, holding his own lunch box, while trying to persuade them to heat their meals.

Shen Yanming smiled. “It’s fine, we’re used to it. You should go quickly, or the line will get too long.”

Once again, Chen Qing couldn’t convince them. He sighed. “Alright, alright, but eating cold food isn’t good for your stomach!”

Shen Yanming smiled without responding. It wasn’t that he and Bi Qiao’an enjoyed cold rice and dishes, but without water, how many people truly cleaned their lunch boxes every day? And how many people washed their hands after using the toilet?

The thought of how many people touched the microwave daily made Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an too nauseous to eat. If that was the case, they might as well eat their food cold.

When the office emptied a bit, the two opened their lunch boxes. Inside were eggs with toon sprouts, fried vegetables with shiitake mushrooms, and rice.

Compared to others’ meals, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an’s lunches were unremarkable. Since they ate cold food daily, they never brought dishes with meat or fish.

However, this standard was perfect. It neither starved their taste buds nor attracted unwanted attention. Shen Yanming believed that with less envy and hatred from others, their future days would likely be much more peaceful.

After finishing lunch, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an sat together and turned on the news. They saw Qinghe TV station connecting with overseas reporters.

A reporter spoke, “Dear viewers and friends, I’m currently in Weizhou, part of Sili Country Alliance. Investigations reveal that Sili Country has experienced water shortages since November. The government failed to prepare for the dry season.”

“There is now a desperate lack of surface and groundwater in urban areas, posing a severe survival crisis for Sili citizens. Online, citizens are demanding answers from their government, questioning why they received no early warnings about the drought.”

“Seeking to regain public trust, the Sili government has sent its national guard to the Masen Primitive Forest. They hope to find untapped water sources deep in the mountains to ensure enough drinking water for their citizens.”

Another reporter said, “Dear viewers and friends, I’m now in Qier City, Aoya Country, where devastation is evident. Aoya Country also failed to prepare for the dry season. Now, over 30% of residents in ten states near the Xila Mountain Range, including Qier City, show severe signs of dehydration. Without urgent government action, these residents, or even the entire country, could face a devastating crisis.”

The reporter’s voice choked up at this point. “Aoya Country already suffers from water scarcity. This disastrous decision has already caused over 500,000 deaths. The white house behind me is Qier City’s morgue, overwhelmed with hundreds of cremations daily.”

“Drought transcends national borders. Its global consequences are terrifying. I urge everyone watching to conserve water and prioritize your well-being.”

“Dear viewers, you’re likely wondering why I’m wearing a mask. Please ask the cameraman to reveal the situation on the ground here.”

Then, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an witnessed a deeply disturbing scene: sewage, feces, and rotting animal carcasses littered the area.

Yet another reporter spoke, “I am reporter Jin Jin, currently in Linling Country. As you can see, a severe water shortage has forced residents of Linling Country to resort to open defecation for over half a month. This has created an unsanitary environment with a horrendous odor. Even worse, decaying animal carcasses are breeding maggots and spreading disease throughout Linling Country.”

“Many people in Linling Country have contracted unknown viruses. Tragically, the current conditions prevent hospitals and research institutes from functioning properly, hindering efforts to contain the outbreak.”

“Patients lack appropriate care and treatment, leaving them to await their fate at home. Consequently, Linling Country’s cremation pool receives a constant stream of bodies for disposal.”

“In Fumei Town, Linling Country, an operational error at the cremation pool ignited a wildfire that has raged uncontrolled for over ten days.”

The reporter, perhaps believing the camera was off, muttered, “I hope our country will bring us home soon!”

Hearing this, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an felt a wave of sadness, particularly Bi Qiao’an, who was moved to tears by the profound distress.

Shen Yanming took out a tissue to wipe Bi Qiao’an’s tears. “They are all very brave,” Bi Qiao’an said in a muffled voice. “The environment abroad is so dire, yet they still persevere. They must miss home and feel scared too, right?”

“The country will see their dedication and provide them with the greatest support and help,” Shen Yanming reassured Bi Qiao’an.

After the video ended, Bi Qiao’an opened Weibo and found that today’s discussions had exploded again!

Netizens felt deeply somber. They had been complaining daily about the inconveniences and difficulties of their current lives. However, upon seeing those videos of people barely surviving abroad, and discovering posts and pictures from foreign netizens awaiting death, they realized how fortunate they were. They understood the immense effort the Qinghe Alliance had made to ensure their current stable and worry-free lives!

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Translator’s Notes:

Since mosquitoes nest in standing water, you would think that droughts would slow down their spread. However, there are mosquito species such as the Culex tarsalis, which are able to thrive in dry conditions. In fact, the drier and hotter the weather, the better these disease-carrying mosquitoes fare. Source.

Sorry guys I’ve been really busy these days. New locked chapters might come out late this week month.

Update: Hello guys. I’m back~ Notice of break was made in the discord. I forgot to put one here, sorry about that. Anyway, I’m back and releases will resume tomorrow, June 27.

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