Chapter 320: Chapter 320
After days and nights of relentless practice, Jing Shu’s ability to control her Illusion Technique had indeed improved dramatically. Even if something happened with the chickens, ducks, or cows, she could completely suppress the Domestic Poultry using her illusions.
Speaking of which, it was a bit embarrassing. While others in the apocalypse had abilities to control fire or manipulate thunder and lightning and were flourishing as a result, I had no such ability. My only skill was the Illusion Technique, and its greatest use was to calm the animals... and occasionally lead stray lambs back to the fold.
At this moment, screams echoed throughout Banana District, with everyone frantically running out. Some were even heading towards the flat areas of the villa district, and the community instantly became a chaotic mess.
Having settled Zijin into the house, Jing Shu skillfully pulled down the household’s electric fence to the entrance in the violently shaking villa yard. Taking refuge outside was one thing, but if anyone tried to take advantage of the situation to break into the villa, they shouldn’t blame the electric fence for shocking them. The fat chicken followed closely at her feet, helping Jing Shu drag the electric fence around.
Jing Shu had drained some water from the villa’s pool. Although the shaking was severe, at least it hadn’t overflowed. Two trees, which had been shaking as if about to fall, had their roots deeply entrenched by her a few days prior.
It was the vegetable patches in the villa yard that had suffered. The weather had dropped severely these days, and Mr. Jing had covered them with plastic film, which was now tossed about haphazardly.
Such a pity for the vegetables, Jing Shu mused, touching her chin. The tempered glass frame she had made, considering earthquakes, was designed for maximum stability with a hexagonal shape. Despite the friction from the shaking, it had not shattered. Since it’s getting colder anyway, I might as well add another layer of insulation and soundproofing right under the tempered glass.
That way, I can plant more vegetables in the yard without it being too cold, and there’ll be no need to use air conditioning for the Domestic Poultry’s house, or else they’ll freeze to death. There are also the fish in the pond. Although I add a bit of Spiritual Spring water each day, it would be tragic if they all froze to death, especially since I’ve never raised any in my previous life.
Furthermore, to be prepared before the apocalypse, I had installed triple-pane windows for soundproofing and insulation. However, today’s experience showed they weren’t as effective as hoped. The noise from outside is still very loud.
"Jing Shu, come in quickly! Is your head hurting again? Let Dad take a look. Just hold on a little longer; once this is over, Dad will find you a Doctor," Mr. Jing pulled Jing Shu into the house. The child, who was previously hopping around with a healthy complexion, didn’t look sick at all.
Jing Shu came back to her senses and entered the villa, only to find her family huddled in a corner, shivering. Zijin, on the other hand, had red eyes, which reminded Jing Shu that Zijin’s childhood sweetheart had died during the earthquake in ’08 while volunteering for the rescue.
This was Zijin’s first time inside the villa. She usually worked in a small house outside the villa yard. Today, however, she was clearly in no mood to observe her surroundings. She approached Jing Shu, her expression determined, and said, "Boss, don’t count my wages for the next few days. I want to volunteer outside and help rescue people with the government. This earthquake is so terrifying; the disaster in Wu City must be severe."
Jing Shu had a strange expression on her face but eventually nodded. "Alright, call me when it’s over. After all, it’s getting cold now, and we need you to make more clothes. The deadline is tight, so be quick in handling everything."
Rescue efforts? Unlikely. At best, they might be digging out dead bodies, and that could earn 0.1 Virtual Coin each.
The Jing family didn’t have to run out after all, as the vast mountains were right behind the villa. The family went to the room closest to the back mountain, thinking that if things really went south, they could just climb out the window to escape, which was very convenient.
The earthquake followed a cycle: a minor tremor approximately every seven seconds, a major one every twelve seconds, and a thunderous roar every twenty seconds, with these events alternating. Each time a major tremor occurred, the entire villa shook violently, and some dust was shaken loose.
"This earthquake doesn’t look like the ones on TV that collapse all at once. What magnitude could this be?" Grandma Jing asked.
"At least four or five," Mr. Jing said as he started sending messages on his phone. "The communication devices might fail after an earthquake, so I’m getting in touch with the livestock farm now."
Communication wouldn’t cut off entirely. It would just drop from a 5G network to 2E because more than half the signal towers would be toppled by the quake.
It wasn’t long before Third Aunt Jing Lai’s call came through. After inquiring about the situation, she said not to worry about her as she was managing the aftermath in the canteen. If there were any problems, they could call her at any time.
Wu You’ai also made a call, telling the family to refrain from leaving the house for now and to run directly to the back mountain if the shaking became more severe.
The outside was chaotic, with many stampeding incidents occurring as people pushed against each other. The gates of Wu City were about to be crushed, and even if one tried to run now, escape was impossible. She was working with the management to evacuate the people, preparing to gather them in batches at the square behind the mountain. She reassured the family not to worry and promised to contact them with any news as soon as possible.
I obviously knew this, which was why I was so calm about having my family stay at home. In my previous life, my family and I had rushed out, only to meet a tragic fate: stuck in the middle, unable to move forward or back, unable to even return to our house. After all, tens of thousands of people had poured out of Banana District at once, and a stampede had occurred. In such continuous quakes, everyone’s instinct is to flee outside, and the results are predictable.
Various loud noises could still be heard outside the villa—cursing, arguing, frightened screams, and so on.
Mrs. Jing, holding the highest authority in the family, started to get busy. Despite being shaken by the earthquake, she still said, "Jing An, go and gather some thick clothes and necessities for the entire family. I’ll organize food, water, and other supplies. We must be ready to flee at any moment and have everything we need for it. If there are too many people outside, we won’t take the motor home but bring more tents instead. Jing Shu, are you feeling any better? I can’t look after you right now."
Lying in bed pretending to sleep, Jing Shu opened one eye upon hearing her mother. "Mom, every time the thunder strikes, my head hurts terribly, I feel weak all over, and my ears are ringing." Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩•𝗳𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝕟𝕖𝕥
Mrs. Jing brought earplugs for Jing Shu. "Wait for me to pack up. I’ll come back and find a way to help you. Until you’re better, I’ll stay by your side."
"Okay." Jing Shu nodded in relief. I can leave with peace of mind now, knowing the family has such a pillar to rely on. In an emergency, both Mr. Jing and Mrs. Jing can make accurate decisions. This justifies all my hard efforts.
I could have used my ’foreknowledge’ or arranged things directly to avoid many disasters in the apocalypse and prepared well in advance. However, letting Mr. Jing and Mrs. Jing handle things themselves is better. Indeed, a job position can truly refine a person. In just two years, they’ve changed so much. As their horizons broadened, so did their scope of vision.