In the apocalypse, I hoarded goods and handed over my storage space to the government.

The signal from the Central Broadcasting Station of Daxia was forcibly switched to all frequency bands nationwide through the highest level of authority.

Twelve main bases and tens of thousands of underground shelters.

All the loudspeakers simultaneously emitted a hissing sound of electricity.

Immediately afterwards, holographic screens lit up in the center of each plaza.

The scene changes.

Mohe in northern China.

The soldiers of the 38th Group Army stood tall and straight.

A bright red flag was firmly nailed to the boundary marker.

Pamir Plateau.

At the front of the armored division's tracks, soldiers covered in gunpowder smoke faced the boundary marker and solemnly saluted.

Qiongzhou Strait. Sea

The Marines stood on the rocky reefs, facing the sea, with their rifles at the ready.

A voice-over rang out.

It was the leader's slightly hoarse, yet heavy-as-a-mountain voice.

"All citizens of Great Xia. I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Supreme Operations Command."

"Just now, our army has completely annihilated the last organized alien biological community within our territory."

The old man paused, then his voice suddenly rose, "I hereby declare that Great Xia has become the first country in the world to have its entire territory restored!"

"Effective immediately, a half-day holiday will be observed nationwide. All bases will immediately distribute special rations for victory!"

"Open the dome of the underground city. Let the people see the sun!"

As the leader finished speaking.

The operators in the central control rooms of each main base, with red eyes, pressed the green button that was usually locked away without hesitation.

"Boom!"

The ear-piercing sound of mechanical gears meshing boomed overhead.

The heavy, several-meter-thick blast-resistant dome armor slowly retreated to both sides along the track.

A blinding beam of light cleaved through the dim underground city like a sharp sword.

That's the sun.

The long-awaited, warm, and real sunlight.

The beam of light fell on the central square of the Yanshan Base.

It illuminated thousands of pale, numb, oil-stained faces, turning them a deep red.

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

A few seconds later.

In the crowd, someone knelt down first, though it's unclear who it was.

Immediately afterwards, a suppressed roar suddenly exploded out.

"We won! We won!"

The 1.2 billion survivors were in a state of utter jubilation.

Strangers embraced each other tightly.

A worker with a face covered in grease grabbed the young man and burst into tears.

He knelt on the ground and kissed the steel plate that was bathed in sunlight.

The oppression and fear poured out with the sunlight during this half-day holiday.

Emotions need an outlet.

In the plazas of various bases, people spontaneously pieced together makeshift stages using discarded ammunition boxes and scaffolding.

There were no fancy lights, just a few spotlights shining on the center of the stage.

No custom-made clothing was provided.

The performers wore work clothes or old military uniforms.

A veteran who had lost his left arm jumped onto the stage of the Yanshan Base with the help of his comrades.

Holding the megaphone in one hand, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "I don't have any special talents, but I'll sing 'Serving the Country with Utmost Loyalty' for everyone!"

There was no accompaniment.

His voice was hoarse, and even off-key.

"When the smoke of war rises, one looks northward across the land..."

At first, only a few men with red eyes hummed along in the audience.

Next came hundreds of loud-voiced workers.

It eventually evolved into a massive chorus of a thousand people.

"The horses' hooves head south, people look north, people look north, the grass is green and yellow..."

The song pierced through the dome and soared into the sky.

The veteran finished singing.

After the veteran finished singing, he saluted with red eyes and stepped off the stage.

A seven or eight-year-old girl was pushed up by her mother.

The little girl, dressed in her cleanest dress, timidly performed a dance she wasn't very skilled at.

No one cared whether the movements were standard. The entire audience erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.

Everyone is using the most primitive and brutal methods to declare to this messed-up apocalypse:

Humanity is still alive, and living more resiliently than ever before!

And at the edge of the square.

In the shadows away from the hustle and bustle, several middle-aged men, dressed in the same work clothes but with a demeanor quite different from ordinary workers, gathered together.

Liu, a media tycoon who was once worth hundreds of millions, took out half a crumpled cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag.

"The war is over. The land has been reclaimed. Gentlemen, can you smell it?"

She exhaled a smoke ring and spoke in a low voice.

Beside him, former real estate tycoon Mr. Zhao rubbed his hands together, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes.

"Surface reconstruction. That's a done deal. Sixty million people are returning, and hundreds of millions more will be moving there. How many houses will that require, how many roads will need to be built?"

"The government will definitely take the lead in infrastructure and military industry."

Another building materials supplier chimed in, "But the government can't possibly cover everything regarding the supporting facilities in the residential area. That's where our meat comes from."

After the apocalypse ends, we'll inevitably have to rebuild the economy. If we can secure a single earthwork project in the outer residential area and survive until full recovery, we'll be among the first to reap the benefits.

Mr. Zhao shook his head, pointing to the bustling stage not far away.

"You're only focusing on steel and concrete; your vision is too narrow."

He pointed to the crowd whose eyes were red and who were both crying and laughing.

"Having narrowly escaped death, what do they need most now that they've survived?"

"It's spiritual nourishment!"

As he spoke, General Manager Zhao slapped his thigh, his tone resolute.

"Entertainment industry! Just set up an open-air screening room in the residential area and show some old movies from before the catastrophe."

Or we could assemble a makeshift troupe and put on a play. I'd offer it for free initially, not even charging admission, just to capture the market!

"We can't even get enough to eat, who's going to watch that stuff?" Old Liu frowned.

"You don't understand."

Mr. Zhao's eyes were deep. "It is precisely because life is hard that we need anesthetics even more."

In the apocalypse, emotional value is a hard currency more valuable than gold.

Tomorrow I'll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to submit a report and apply to establish a cultural troupe!

Several business tycoons who once dominated the business world are now baring their fangs once again under the roaring gears of this era.

……

Kunlun Base, Headquarters of the Awakened.

The noise from outside could be faintly heard through the thick alloy walls.

There's none of the frenzy outside, but a rare sense of relaxation permeates the air.

Mo Yun and Zhu Jingye worked together to move a large solid wood dining table to the center of the Awakened Ones' lounge.

"Move it a little to the left. Yes, put it here." Mo Yun patted the dust off his hands.

The door was pushed open.

Lu Yuan timidly poked half his head in, holding a blueprint in his hand.

"Commander Su, these are the blueprints for the mecha modification. I've calculated the data..."

"Let's not talk about work today."

Before he could finish speaking, Su Ran pulled Lu Yuan in and pressed him into a chair.

If Su Ran hadn't given him a strict order to come over, he would definitely have stayed in the lab during this precious half-day off.

Ye Xiao walked in carrying two glass bottles and casually handed Lu Yuan a wine glass.

"This is good stuff."

Ye Xiao slammed the bottle on the table. "Pre-apocalyptic vintage liquor. On a day like today, it would be a shame not to have a drink."

On the other side of the hall.

Bai Lu, wearing a loose white sweatshirt, crossed her arms, her brows slightly furrowed, staring at the bare alloy wall.

A hint of the anxieties typical of a girl her age appeared on her face.

"Su Ran," Bai Lu suddenly called out, turning around.

Su Ran was sitting on the sofa, watching her brothers bicker.

Hearing the sound, she looked up. "What's wrong?"

"This wall is too white."

Bai Lu pointed to the wall, her tone serious.

"It's cold and sterile, like a hospital ward. Isn't today a celebration? We need to add some color."