Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Xu Xiaoyan didn't move, just leaned against the stalactite, looking at them expressionlessly.

The middle-aged man paused, his gaze lingering on her for a second before quickly sweeping over the small space behind her enclosed by plastic sheeting.

He saw the silvery-gray ground cover, the three stalactites that formed a natural barrier, and a corner of the dark green tent peeking out. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing.

Then he turned around, took the woman and child's hands, and walked further away. There were a few open spaces there, which, although not as secluded as this place, were still enough to pitch a tent.

Xu Xiaoyan raised an eyebrow and watched their figures disappear into the darkness.

Several more people ran over, some alone, some in twos and threes.

Everyone who ran over here saw the spot she had already reserved, but they only glanced at it and then silently went to find another place to play.

No one came over to talk to her, no one tried to take over her territory, and there wasn't even a second glance. At most, someone's gaze would linger on her for a few seconds, as if they were pondering something, but they would quickly look away.

Xu Xiaoyan understood. These people were all shrewd and knew how to weigh the pros and cons. That made sense; anyone who had followed the army all the way here was a shrewd and capable individual.

Although she hadn't seen the situation on the flat land of the riverbank with her own eyes, she could guess from the faint shouts that it must be a complete mess.

In order to get ten or twenty meters closer to the water source, some people may have already started to fight. But that place is a good place. The terrain is flat and it is close to the water source. Who wouldn't want to take it?

So what's the big deal about conflicts over there? It's perfectly normal. The most important thing is to get a good spot. Even if it's just a fight, it's worth it as long as you can get a good position.

But this place is different. This area is a stalactite area, and you have to climb a slope. Moreover, the ground is full of stalagmites and columns, and it's full of pits and bumps. It's not a good place at all.

The location she occupied was already considered the best in the area, but that was only relatively speaking. In such a place, no one wanted to waste their energy, get into conflicts with others, exhaust themselves, waste time, and potentially make enemies over a "decent" spot.

Instead of wasting time, they might as well walk a few more steps, find a decent spot, and settle down to rest. So, after glancing around and finding that someone had already taken the spot, they simply left.

Xu Xiaoyan was finally relieved when she saw that everyone who had come to check had dispersed.

She retreated into the small world enclosed by stalactites and plastic sheeting, crawled into the tent, and wrapped herself in her sleeping bag.

The tent was small, just big enough for her to lie down, but in this unfamiliar cave, the cramped space gave her a strange sense of security. The noisy sounds outside gradually faded away, leaving only the occasional footsteps around her.

She closed her eyes and fell asleep almost instantly.

She didn't know how much time had passed when a loud horn blared, pulling her out of her sleep.

"Please assemble here—Important announcement—" The voice was so loud that it echoed back and forth in the cave, buzzing and shaking so loudly that it made my ears tingle.

Xu Xiaoyan suddenly opened her eyes, feeling a little disoriented and unsure of where she was. Several seconds later, her consciousness slowly returned.

She took out her phone and checked the time; she had slept for about two hours.

She rubbed her eyes, sat up, and listened intently to what was happening outside. The horn was still blaring, repeating the same message over and over again.

Xu Xiaoyan sighed, climbed out of her sleeping bag, and crawled out of the tent.

It was still so dark outside, with only the beams of flashlights flickering in the distance, and the sound of horns seemed to be coming from the direction of the first platform.

She walked out of the stalactite area and looked to her right. She noticed a high platform in the distance, roughly between the water source and the first platform. Several soldiers carrying megaphones were standing on the platform.

In such a short time, I wonder what solutions the military has come up with.

Filled with curiosity, she walked in that direction. After walking for about five or six minutes, she saw a dark mass in front of her.

People were packed together; those who were just scrambling for space and setting up tents had all flocked here.

Some carried bags, some were empty-handed, some were holding children, some were helping the elderly. The beams of flashlights swayed back and forth, illuminating blurry faces. Some looked bewildered, some were wary, some were tired, and some were irritable.

Once a sufficient number of people had gathered, the horn blared stopped.

But the crowd was still surging, with people behind pushing forward and those in front being pushed so hard they could barely stand, cursing and shoving backward.

In an instant, the sounds of talking, footsteps, children crying, and the coughing of the elderly filled the air, creating a noisy sea.

Xu Xiaoyan stood at the edge of the crowd, not squeezing in. She stood on tiptoe and glanced at the number of people.

As far as the eye could see, a dense mass of heads stretched from below the platform into the darkness. She roughly estimated that there were at least ten thousand people.

Above us were dark, rocky walls, beneath our feet were uneven stones, and all around us was damp air and the faint sound of water.

With so many people crammed together, it was difficult to even turn around. The air felt thick and sticky, carrying an indescribable smell of sweat and body odor. She took a few steps back, wanting to get away from the crowd.

On the high platform in front, someone waved to the crowd below, and the crowd gradually quieted down, with all eyes focused on the platform.

Xu Xiaoyan stood at the edge of the crowd, tiptoeing to look at the high platform.

The man took a piece of paper out of his pocket, unfolded it, and held it up to the loudspeaker. All eyes were on him.

The man cleared his throat and began to read, "In accordance with the latest base management regulations, this place is named Water Source No. 2."

His voice, amplified by a loudspeaker, echoed through the cave, buzzing and making people's eardrums tingle.

"The signal tower has just been completed. We have received news that another water source has been found. In order of priority, that location will be named Water Source No. 1."

A commotion arose in the crowd; some gasped in surprise, some exchanged glances, and some whispered among themselves.

Xu Xiaoyan heard someone next to her say, "There's another water source? Does that mean we've come all this way for nothing?" Another person said, "Don't worry, just listen."

The horn continued to sound.

"We calculated the distance between the two, and Lintong City, located in the middle, is suitable as a base for people to live in."

Lin Tong City, Xu Xiaoyan silently repeated the name in her mind. She had never heard of it and did not know where it was, but since it was the central line, it should not be too far from either side.

"Both sides have completed communication and will use water tickets uniformly from now on."

The man paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below the stage. "We promised everyone a month's worth of water tickets in advance, and we will issue them in full."

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