Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

An hour later, the loudspeaker in the center of the camp, now connected to an emergency power source, sounded again.

Everyone instinctively looked up. A tense atmosphere about the future hung in the air, but at the moment, the sound represented order and hope.

"Attention all survivors, mobilization order number one is hereby issued. In order to cope with possible aftershocks and severe weather and to ensure basic survival, the command has decided to immediately launch the 'cave excavation plan'. The following options are available for selection."

1. Sign up for group digging or logging tasks. Each person will work eight hours a day and will receive 2 work points. Free meals will be provided. Tools will be provided by the camp. Tasks will be assigned to teams.

2. Individuals or families may excavate caves in the area designated on the western side of Qingshui Mountain Villa, at their own risk, and all excavation results belong to them.

3. Existing caves that have been excavated and meet safety standards can be purchased for 25 work points to create a family cave or 15 work points to create a single cave.

Those who are short of work points can apply for credit, but each person can borrow a maximum of 10 work points and must repay the debt within three months through labor or material deduction.

Work points are the only credential used within the camp. Those with surplus supplies can go to the supply depot to have them appraised and exchanged for work points, then use those work points to purchase the services they need, and so on...

The announcement echoed through the camp, like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, instantly creating ripples.

The crowd erupted in a buzz, the whispers quickly turning into a heated discussion.

A burly man, still covered in mud and grime, suddenly stood up, his face beaming. "Two work points a day! Eight days of digging will get us a ready-made hole! I'll do this job!"

Several other young men who also seemed to have energy immediately responded and rushed toward the registration point.

On the other side, a man wearing worn-out glasses and looking like an intellectual frowned as he pulled out a half-pack of flattened biscuits and a small, unopened bottle of mineral water from his pocket.

He weighed the options carefully, seemingly calculating how many work points he could earn, and whether that would be enough to provide a safe haven for his trembling wife and children.

A sorrowful whisper also drifted over: "Three months...can we afford it? What if I get sick and can't work..."

"Dig it myself? I don't have the strength..."

"Work points...work points...In this world, money is useless, and now we have work points. Are we going back to the era of the egalitarian system...?"

The soldiers and officers seemed to have anticipated this reaction, and they quickly set up several tables in the center of the camp.

The simple, handwritten signs read "Mission Registration Office," "Work Point Registration and Exchange Office," and "Cave Allocation and Management Office."

After a brief hesitation, people began to gather around the tables, forming a long, crooked queue.

Each person's face reflected a mixture of confusion, calculation, anticipation, and immense uncertainty about the future.

Without hesitation, Xu Xiaoyan walked towards the table with the simple wooden sign that read "Supplies Exchange Center".

The earthquake had just happened, and most people were still clutching the few supplies they had managed to save, reluctant to take them out easily. As a result, there were only five people sparsely lined up in front of her.

The man at the very front of the line was wearing a windbreaker.

He carefully took out a slightly crushed but well-packaged box of small cakes from his backpack, and then took out three 250ml bottles of mineral water, which he placed neatly on the table.

The staff member sitting behind the table was a young man wearing glasses, who looked tired but still maintained his composure.

He took out a handwritten, densely packed list of supplies and explained in a calm voice:

"We just received a notification from higher-ups that a cold front is about to hit. To encourage everyone to share their resources, the temporary exchange points for all resources will be doubled."

He ran his finger across the list: "Perishable food items are now priced at 2 work points per jin (500g). This box of small cakes of yours..." He weighed it on a fair scale: "Half a jin, converted to 1 work point."

He then pointed to the three bottles of water: "Drinking water, 250 ml each, 0.4 work points per bottle, 1.2 work points for the three bottles, totaling 2.2 work points."

The man listened, a hint of disappointment flashing across his face. He stared at the meager amount of food and water, pursing his lips.

In the end, he shook his head, silently put his things back into his bag, turned around and left the group, his figure quickly disappearing into the sparse crowd.

The next person immediately took his place; this was a middle-aged man with a dark complexion.

Without a word, he pulled eight packets of braised beef noodles from the tattered sack and placed them heavily on the table, his movements carrying a hint of determination.

The staff member's expression remained unchanged as he meticulously picked up each packet of instant noodles.

Under the dim emergency light, he carefully checked the packaging for leaks and damage. After confirming that all eight packs were intact, he said, "Instant noodles, 1 work point per pack, 8 work points in total."

The man nodded, his voice rough, "Exchange! I need a family cave! My wife and I will owe you the rest of the work points, just give me a note."

The staff member pulled out a sheet of rough paper and skillfully wrote down the contents of the IOU: 17 work points owed, to be paid off within three months. The man and his wife signed and pressed their red fingerprints on it.

Next, the staff took out a large, hand-drawn "Distribution Map of Caves in Qingshui Mountain Villa". On the map, the entire mountain was artificially excavated into eight clear terraces, like a giant honeycomb.

Each cave was carefully numbered, and the areas were clearly divided. The left side of the map consisted of family caves marked with "F", while the right side consisted of single-person caves marked with "S".

The most obvious difference is in width: family caves are about 2.5 meters wide, while single-person caves are 1.5 meters wide.

The man's rough fingers traced across the drawing for a moment before finally pressing down heavily on the first layer: "This is it, Zone F, first floor, hole number 5."

The staff circled the corresponding position on the drawing, registered it, and then handed him a wooden plaque that read "F-1-5".

After the previous people had made their selections, it was finally Xu Xiaoyan's turn. She took a deep breath and placed the backpack she was holding tightly in her arms on the table.

She took out fifteen individually packaged compressed biscuits, each one square and hard, and the packaging was intact.

A few scattered glances were cast over, and some people let out low gasps. At a time when food was the most precious commodity, this was definitely a "treasure" not to be underestimated.

The staff at the exchange counter showed a hint of surprise when they saw the compressed biscuits, but quickly regained their professional caution.

He picked up a piece, carefully checked the packaging seal and shelf life, and then counted the quantity one by one.

"Compressed biscuits, high-energy food, long shelf life," he said, while checking the list in his hand again. "Current emergency exchange rate: 1.5 work points per biscuit, fifteen biscuits, totaling 22.5 work points."

His voice was relatively flat, but it caused a slight stir among those listening. 22.5 work points! That was enough to directly exchange for a ready-made cave without any debt.