Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

"...temperature checks and criminal record screening," a young man who had just run back explained to his companion.

"Only those who pass both tests will be allowed to pass. Those with high body temperature will be taken directly to the quarantine point. Those with criminal records, especially those with recent violations, will be turned back."

A commotion arose in the crowd; clearly, this "criminal record screening" was more unexpected than the temperature check.

Just then, a black sedan was guided by staff to turn around and leave.

The driver seemed to be trying to argue something, but two soldiers had already stood beside the vehicle, firmly but politely indicating that he should return the way he came.

"Please have your ID ready, roll down your windows, and cooperate with the temperature check!"

A staff member dressed in camouflage and holding a megaphone walked forward along the traffic.

The voice was clear and steady: "To ensure the safety of the gold market, special control measures are temporarily implemented. We appreciate your understanding."

Xu Xiaoyan noticed that not far behind the main checkpoint, there were several offices with signs that read "Temporary Command Post".

The people coming in and out looked serious and kept talking with their heads down, as if they were dealing with some special situation.

Perhaps, as people have speculated, the number of people with criminal records has exceeded expectations, which is why direct intervention from higher-level management departments is necessary.

The convoy moved forward slowly and orderly. Xu Xiaoyan took a deep breath and took out her ID card from her bag, holding it in her hand.

Looking at the serious and professional inspection scene not far ahead, she secretly rejoiced that she had always abided by the law and had no bad records.

Even so, she still felt a subtle pressure in this tense atmosphere.

When it was finally her turn, a young soldier took her temperature first.

After confirming that everything was normal, another staff member scanned her ID card with a device and carefully checked the information on the screen. Those few seconds of waiting seemed to be stretched out indefinitely.

"Okay, thank you for your cooperation." The staff member handed her the documents back, giving her a brief smile.

"Please drive safely." Xu Xiaoyan breathed a sigh of relief, gripped the steering wheel, and drove past the last checkpoint.

The Jinxi River, serving as the mother river and natural boundary of Jinshi, meanders through the city center in an east-west direction, dividing the entire city into two distinct areas.

The Jinbei District on the north bank of the river is the commercial heart of the entire city.

The riverbank is densely packed with high-rise office buildings and large commercial complexes, whose glass curtain walls reflect the sunlight to create a modern urban skyline.

The Jinan District on the south bank is mainly residential, with numerous residential communities and supporting facilities, creating a strong sense of community. Across the river, the city is clearly divided into "business in the north and residence in the south".

She followed the navigation to a relatively wide street in the southern district and parked the small truck on the side of the road.

After a long journey and traffic jams in the early morning, my stomach was already empty and I was feeling restless. A small restaurant on the street corner with a sign that read "Old Flavor" looked relatively clean.

She pushed open the door and entered, the bell ringing crisply.

The shop was small, with only six tables, the plastic tablecloths printed with faded peony patterns. The menu posted on the wall immediately made her gasp—

"Pork rice bowl, 500 yuan"

"Vegetarian noodles, 400 yuan"

"Braised Beef Set Meal, 2500 NTD"

Xu Xiaoyan could hardly believe her eyes. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she hadn't misread the decimal point.

This price is enough for dozens of meals under normal circumstances! She turned to leave; this was clearly a shady shop taking advantage of the chaos.

"Young lady, are you new to Jin City?" a voice came from behind.

The proprietress, wearing an apron and with flour still on her hands, peeked out from behind the kitchen curtain. "Don't be fooled by the scary prices; this is the fairest price in the South District."

Xu Xiaoyan stopped in her tracks. She turned around and looked at the seemingly unassuming middle-aged woman. "Boss lady, what's the price..."

"I know what you're trying to say," the proprietress said, wiping her hands on her apron and sighing.

"The price has been like this for five days now. The currency is becoming less and less valuable every day. I heard that the government is already piloting a new currency."

Our small businesses also have to adjust. If it weren't for the government's supply guarantee, our restaurants would have closed down long ago.

Xu Xiaoyan stood there, stunned. How long had it been since social order collapsed?

Is the monetary system about to change?

Although I sensed something was amiss along the way, I never imagined the situation was this dire.

"Five hundred it is," she gritted her teeth, pulled five bills from her wallet, and placed them on the table. "A pork rice bowl, please. And while I'm at it, could you tell me what's going on in the gold market?"

The proprietress deftly collected the money and called out to the kitchen, "One serving of pork rice."

Then he pulled up a chair and sat down. "Girl, you've come to the right person. Don't be fooled by how calm the streets are now. Half a month ago, it was a real mess. Prices skyrocketed, panic buying was rampant, and supermarket shelves were emptied."

She lowered her voice and said, "Later, the troops came in and the situation was brought under control with their guns. Now all the supplies in the farmers' markets, shopping malls, and small shops are under the unified control of the army."

If you want to buy something, you can only go to the government-run designated shops, register with your ID card, and there is a daily limit on the quantity per person.

Xu Xiaoyan seemed thoughtful. "So, your restaurant..."

"We operate under a franchise. Once the store sells a certain amount each day, it can continue to receive the corresponding quota of rice, flour, and cooking oil from a designated warehouse."

The specific reason is unclear. Some people say that a high-ranking provincial leader came to conduct an unannounced inspection of the supply situation in Jinshi, and the municipal government selected twenty stores to continue operating as usual.

There are all sorts of speculations, but anyway, I'm not being greedy with this price; it's just that the price of grain is high, so I raised it accordingly.

The proprietress glanced at the door and lowered her voice, "I heard it's even more expensive in the North District. A simple meal at a restaurant in the commercial complex costs five thousand yuan."

The kitchen bell rang, and a steaming bowl of pork rice was served.

A few thin slices of pork and half a braised egg are placed on top of the rice, along with a few green vegetables. In the past, this would have been a typical fast food meal.

Xu Xiaoyan picked up her chopsticks and suddenly felt that the five hundred yuan was not just for a meal, but more like a tip for finding out information.

She ate her meal slowly, listening to the landlady's rambling story, while her mind began to make plans for the future:

Since I was completely clueless and knew nothing at the moment, I might as well go to the government supply point to find out what was going on.

Following the proprietress's directions, she searched for the so-called "government-designated shop":

A square surrounded by barbed wire and temporary roadblocks, with uniformed personnel on duty at the entrance, and a conspicuous sign next to it that reads "Fifth District Living Supplies Supply Point".

The crowd in the square was orderly, a far cry from the scene of a shopping frenzy that Xu Xiaoyan had imagined.

People lined up silently, registered with their ID cards, and then received pre-packaged food and daily necessities from the staff.

The entire process was so quiet it was almost oppressive; the only sounds were the rustling of plastic bags and the occasional hushed conversations.

Xu Xiaoyan parked her car and walked towards the supply point.

A tired-looking middle-aged staff member glanced at her out-of-town ID card and registered her information on a tablet. "New here? If this is your first time receiving it, here is your quota list."

He handed over a printed sheet of paper. "It's once a week for each person, supplied in portions. For now, we're still using the old currency for accounting and deduction. Once the new currency system goes live next month, you'll have to redeem it with points."

清单上列着基础物资：大米2公斤、麵粉1公斤、食用油0.5升、肉类罐头2个、蔬菜1斤，谈不上丰盛，但足够一个人勉强度日。