Returning to hometown to farm: The apocalypse system arrived ten years earlier?

Chapter 334 The scorching wind howls, the clouds split in the sky and thunder roars. The thunder roars, the arid plains are scorched, and the rivers are about to choke.

46 degrees is not the limit; the temperature is still soaring.

In some parts of the south, the highest temperature has already exceeded 50℃. While the temperature in the north has risen to 50℃, some parts of the south have already exceeded 60℃.

Such extreme heat is so intense that it's no exaggeration to say it occurs only once every few thousand years. In fact, it seems there's never been any record of it in history.

There was a lot of discussion online.

Some researchers have pointed out that "the highest recorded extreme temperature in history is 44.4 degrees Celsius. This record was set in the eighth year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, in 1743, when the temperature in the capital reached 44.4 degrees Celsius. In addition, there are records showing that the temperature in some areas even reached 46 degrees Celsius."

Many people don't believe it, asking, "Did the Qing Dynasty have such sophisticated monitoring methods?"

The research enthusiast posted a lot of historical materials about the "scorching heat" in the eighth year of Qianlong's reign. In addition to historical records, there are also many letters preserved by early missionaries who came to China, including eyewitness reports of the heat, astronomical observation data, and weather information.

It seems there is some verifiable evidence.

As for monitoring instruments, in addition to the air thermometer designed by Ferdinand Verbiest during the Kangxi era, there was also a new type of alcohol thermometer used by the French missionary Antoine Gobbier in the eighth year of the Qianlong reign (1743), which measured and recorded the high temperatures in Beijing at that time using the Lamour scale.

Song Junrong, who was in Beijing at the time, exclaimed in a letter to his colleagues at the Paris Academy of Sciences: "The elderly in this city say they have never seen such high temperatures..."

In modern times, on July 10, 1913, the highest temperature recorded at a Greenland ranch in Death Valley, California, was 56.7 degrees Celsius, but the accuracy of this data is questionable.

On August 16, 2020, the temperature in Death Valley reached 54.4 degrees Celsius, which may be the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth.

As for even earlier times, such as before the Qing Dynasty or in ancient times, there may have been extreme high temperatures, but there were no thermometers then, so accurate data could not be obtained.

This summer, record high temperatures have been broken repeatedly. Some places have even reported temperatures exceeding 70 or 80 degrees Celsius, making it unbearable for ordinary people.

Quite a few people have died from the heat. They really died from the heat.

Many people cannot be saved because of heatstroke.

For example, in places with poor medical conditions, or if one arrives late and the delay is too long, multiple organ failure can occur, leading to death.

Some people have no idea about this disease and just think it's heatstroke. They drink some Huoxiang Zhengqi Water (a traditional Chinese medicine) to try and tough it out, but then they die.

There were quite a few people who used abusive language.

"Damn it, is this weather trying to kill us with heat?!"

"Where's the promised massive flood? Where's the continuous torrential rain? People are practically dried out by the sun! Did the meteorological bureau get the drought and flood mixed up?"

"If the high temperatures continue, not only will crops wither, but even weeds will die! The food crisis will come even faster than a flood!"

With such high temperatures, poor harvests and reduced crop yields are to be expected.

"Don't worry, our country's grain reserves are enough to feed everyone for more than a year. If extreme weather continues like this, I estimate that in two years, maybe next year, we'll have to promote Grandpa Yuan's high-yield rice. We won't starve."

A pessimist commented: "Is this a sign of the end of the world? First they're dried up, then they're drowned; humanity has no chance of survival..."

"I suggest that high-temperature subsidies be calculated per minute! Five minutes outside feels like two hours of sweating!"

A news outlet reported: "Delivery drivers go on strike: Electric bike batteries are so hot they spontaneously combust; delivering food is like risking their lives!"

A comedian joked, "I suggest the mysterious armored man come out and take a spin around; even the wind he creates when he flies at Mach 20 can cool things down!"

In fact, this news was outdated; Li Xiang had already broken the Mach 40 barrier. Some countries had detected it, but kept it a secret. They didn't dare mention it.

As for China, that was also kept secret.

"I really hope it rains." One netizen prayed, asking on the official meteorological bureau account, "Is it possible to create artificial rain?"

In fact, the meteorological bureau also wants to create artificial rain, but unfortunately, the conditions are not yet in place.

The weather bureau tried firing a few shots, but it was completely useless.

Some insightful people are very worried: "After a severe drought comes a severe flood. This year's major flood is probably unavoidable. It may really exceed everyone's imagination."

As news reports emerged, some people belatedly realized: "Wow, this extreme heatwave is actually global! That's incredible!"

"Were the previous doomsday prophecies true?"

"The phenomenon of severe floods following severe droughts is actually based on scientific evidence." A blogger explained three reasons in an online science popularization.

Firstly, the soil's physical properties change, reducing its permeability. Prolonged drought weakens the bonds between soil particles, creating an impermeable layer resembling a "hardened crust." Experiments at the University of Reading in the UK show that dry soil takes fifteen minutes to absorb a cup of water, while moist soil absorbs it in just a few seconds. After a severe drought, a sudden heavy rainfall will result in approximately 70% of the rainwater flowing directly to the surface as runoff rather than seeping into the ground. This essentially turns the earth into a "natural skating rink," making it highly susceptible to flash floods and mudslides.

Secondly, there is the cumulative effect of meteorological systems. When the subtropical high pressure system is abnormally strong, it creates a "dome effect" that suppresses the rise of water vapor, leading to prolonged drought. When the high-pressure system collapses, the accumulated water vapor is released in a concentrated manner, resulting in torrential rain.

Third, the amplifying effect of compound disasters. Drought followed by flooding leads to vegetation death and reduced surface erosion resistance, exacerbating the risk of secondary disasters. It's like pulling back before punching; the force (damage) will be greater.

Furthermore, "a major flood is inevitably followed by a major epidemic"—this is a combination of factors, and the high temperatures are just the beginning!
The post quickly became a trending topic, causing an uproar among many people.

Many things I didn't understand before suddenly made me feel inexplicably afraid.

However, some people are very excited because they don't have to go to work.

Due to the extreme heat, many businesses have already suspended operations in accordance with their previously established emergency plans.

Another reason is that during peak electricity consumption periods, there is already a shortage of electricity. With every household running their air conditioners 24 hours a day, if factories also operate at high capacity, the electricity supply will indeed be critically low.

Some students lamented that it wasn't during the start of the school year, but had to be during summer vacation. Otherwise, they could have had a longer break.

But most people are still worried.

Especially for those burdened with mortgages and car loans, the factory shutdown means no income, but these expenses won't decrease much.

Ice makers are selling like hotcakes, but unfortunately, courier services have been disrupted in some areas, causing delivery delays.

"If the high temperature makes delivery impossible, are we supposed to wait until it cools down before delivering? What am I supposed to do then?" As a result, many people chose to cancel their orders directly.

As for physical stores, home ice makers have long been sold out.

Of course, you can freeze ice cubes and make cold drinks using a refrigerator even without an ice maker, it's just a little less efficient. Besides, many people's refrigerators and freezers are already crammed full of supplies, leaving little room for other things.

In response to the massive floods, many families with the means have purchased extra large freezers specifically for stockpiling meat, vegetables, and other food items.

As for items that can be left out, such as salt, sugar, rice, noodles, oil, snacks, instant noodles, purified water, paper towels, compressed biscuits, canned food, and common medicines, there's not much more to say.

Fortunately, Li Xiang warned us early, and the government was prepared, so there was no panic buying or price surge.

The supplies for Lijia Village were distributed directly to the villagers by Li Xiang. In addition to supplies, there were also various high-temperature benefits, allowing the people in the originally impoverished mountain area to enjoy the same treatment as those in developed areas.

Li Xiang, along with Lei Jiaming, Lei Xiaonan, Han Qifeng, and a group of security guards, visited each household to deliver supplies. They repeatedly emphasized that the village would cover this month's electricity bill, urging everyone not to skimp on usage and to use the air conditioning when necessary.

Some elderly people are reluctant to spend the money on electricity, thinking that the heat is nothing to worry about and they can just tough it out. Little do they know that if they get sick from the heat, the medical expenses will far exceed the electricity bill.

Several shops and clothing factories have long since closed down, but employees are still being paid their basic wages, with benefits comparable to those within the public sector.

The ice makers in the coffee shop and milk tea shop are turned on, making large quantities of ice, which are delivered to everyone every day.

Li Xiang's cousin, Shen Wenqian, also awakened an ice-based ability, so she was recruited to make a large number of ice blocks.

Shen Wenqian makes extra-large ice blocks directly from Tiger Mountain, Elephant Mountain, and Panda Mountain, because the elephants, tigers, and pandas are also suffering from the heat, especially the five Siberian tigers, who have always lived in harsh, cold places and can't stand the heat now.

The three extraordinary tigers were somewhat better off, but the two ordinary tigers were constantly panting with their tongues out to cool themselves down. And there were ordinary elephants among the elephant herd, and ordinary pandas among the pandas.

Li Xiang expanded their nests and even built ice pools in the caves. The large ice blocks that Shen Wenqian made were placed in these pools.

The tigers jumped in and licked the ice, which finally relieved their discomfort. The elephants, on the other hand, crunched away, chewing on the ice, eating a piece of ice and then a carrot, looking incredibly happy.

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan were playing with their three cubs, holding several ice balls. Huan Huan and Le Le were soaking in a mixture of ice and water, unwilling to get up. Tuan Tuan's mother lay in a hammock, with a pile of ice balls and tender bamboo on her belly. She swayed gently while slowly nibbling on the bamboo, taking a bite of bamboo and then a small ice ball, her movements leisurely and elegant, far more graceful than an elephant.

……

That night, Li Xiang flew to the capital and brought Jiang Cai'er back. Because Jiang Cai'er was pregnant, the flight was slower and more leisurely. What usually took only a few minutes took more than an hour, but it was still quite nice; he treated it as a leisurely flight.

Wearing a purple mirage armor, Jiang Cai'er was not afraid of the cold and strong winds at high altitude.

While flying in the sky, Jiang Cai'er nestled in Li Xiang's arms and told him about some of the school's progress.

Her graduation defense went smoothly, and she has already obtained three doctoral degrees and five master's degrees.

"So you've graduated? My darling is amazing. It takes others seven or eight years, or even ten years, to get a doctoral degree, but you got so much in just two years."

“I could choose not to graduate. Although several colleges offered me the position of associate professor and even suggested that I lead a laboratory and establish my own research group, I think I should continue to be a student for two more years and get some master’s and doctoral degrees first.”

A bachelor's degree is no longer of any interest to Jiang Cai'er. She plans to complete four years of study before officially starting work and dedicating herself to building the comprehensive laboratory.

Although she has already graduated from the programs for which she obtained her degree, there are many other programs that she is interested in but didn't have time to graduate from, and she can still continue to be a student in those programs. The school also allows her to pursue these programs as she pleases, and has opened a special fast track for her.

"You can manage it yourself." Li Xiang could no longer offer any help with Jiang Cai'er's studies. How could he, a mere undergraduate, be qualified to give advice to a research prodigy with so many master's and doctoral degrees?

Only in terms of cultivation can he still fly with Jiang Cai'er!
However, due to the inconvenience of cultivation and advancement during pregnancy, Jiang Cai'er is currently at the sixteenth level and will remain at this level until the child is born.

Breaking the bond during pregnancy poses risks to the baby. ...

As the temperature rose higher each day, even the air conditioning wasn't very effective, so Li Xiang led the villagers into a shelter, where it was cooler. The small animals also sought refuge in the shelter.

The vegetable garden, flowers, persimmon trees, peach trees, gourds, wintersweet trees, and chili pepper trees in Li Xiang's backyard, which Zhao Xueqing tended to every few days, not only survived the high temperatures but also grew lush and vibrant.

The persimmon trees and the few chili pepper trees, in particular, are laden with fruit. Meanwhile, the other trees are sweltering in the heat; watering them morning and night and covering them with shade structures doesn't help.

This amazing scene amazed everyone.

Although the village elders weren't highly educated, they were shrewd and had long since realized that Li Xiang wasn't an ordinary person, nor were those girls. They naturally gossiped about it privately, but everyone kept quiet and didn't say anything aloud.

Many migrant workers also rushed back.

With plenty of food and drink and no need to go to work, the elderly are happy to reunite with their children, and the shelter is as lively as during the Lunar New Year.

Yao Yao, Zhao Xueqing, and Lei Xiaohui also went to Lijia Village every day. They were high-level executives in the company; while the other employees were on holiday, they couldn't take a break.

Of course, they have settled the family very well. All three of them are now the pillars of the family, holding very high positions within it.

Although Jiang Cai'er returned with a big belly, San Niu had some tricks up her sleeve and made Jiang Cai'er very happy. She took good care of her and even gave her a lot of baby clothes and jewelry. They got along extremely well.

Yao Yao had previously said that if Li Xiang could help her reach the Saint Rank, she would be willing to take care of Jiang Cai'er during her postpartum period. Li Xiang initially thought it was a joke, but now he realized that the three girls were serious.

They're already taking care of him before he even reaches the Saint rank.

In fact, Yao Yao and the other two girls started from a relatively low point. They cherished this opportunity and were good at seizing it. Yao Yao and Zhao Xueqing were cunning and shrewd, while Lei Xiaohui was slightly less so, but still had a few hundred cunning ideas. However, all three of them were actually quite kind-hearted.

Li Xiang actually likes girls like this. Being shrewd isn't always a bad thing; it's a skill. Just like Wang Xifeng, many families actually need a leader like that.

Luo Feifei, on the other hand, became famous at a young age and reached her peak right from the start. By the age of fourteen or fifteen, she was already a top-tier actress in China. Every film or television series she starred in was a huge hit, making her a guarantee of popularity and box office success. She used to be richer than Li Xiang, and she also had exceptional talent in cultivation. She was confident that she could reach the Saint Rank on her own.

Even if Li Xiang doesn't provide her with elixirs now, she can still soar to great heights when the apocalypse arrives and extraordinary particles emerge. Therefore, it's inevitable that she has high aspirations.

With a major flood looming, Li Xiang visited Luo Feifei's villa in Suzhou several times, but Luo Feifei refused to see him. However, Luo Feifei's mother warmly invited Li Xiang to drink tea several times, always serving him the finest Biluochun tea.

Li Xiang felt embarrassed to stay there any longer, so he left some valuable gifts and departed.

The gift is for Luo's mother, how can I come empty-handed?

Luo Feifei's mother sighed every time she watched Li Xiang leave. Actually, her family owned many properties, including more than one villa, but Luo Feifei chose to retreat to this place for seclusion.

That's because this is the only address Li Xiang knows.

"This girl, she can't forget him, but she doesn't want to see him either, and she's afraid Li Xiang won't be able to find her. She's really a handful..."

What Li Xiang didn't know was that every time he came, Luo Feifei's anger would subside a little.

……

"The wind and smoke roll on, singing of heroes; the green mountains on all sides listen attentively, listen attentively; thunder in the clear sky beats like a golden drum, the waves of the sea join in the chorus... A bolt of lightning rips through the sky, rips through the sky; the earth sinks in, he alone blocks it; the sky collapses, he holds it up with one hand; his feet blaze through raging fire, his whole body shimmering with rainbows..."

The villagers were quite bored staying in the shelter all day, so at Yao Yao's suggestion, Li Xiang organized a patriotic song concert.

The villagers took turns singing, either solo or in chorus, and the atmosphere immediately became lively.

Then, Li Jinyu, Li Yucheng, Jiang Jianguo, and others who loved opera performed Sichuan opera, playing instruments and singing with great enthusiasm. The children also ran and played in the spacious shelter, playing hide-and-seek everywhere, their laughter echoing throughout.

The small animals also hid inside. With them there, patrolling the entire shelter, there was no fear of snakes, insects, or rodents.

Finally, Li Xiang recited a poem, written by Jiang Cai'er, imitating the teacher's "Remembering Qin'e: Loushan Pass." The villagers of Lijia Village applauded and cheered in unison!
"Yi Qin E" is the name of a ci poem title, derived from Li Bai's line "Qin E's dream is broken by the moon over Qin Tower".

Li Xiang said that most of the teachers' poems, especially the classic ones, were written during difficult times. What is most admirable is that no matter how difficult or how much pressure they faced, the teachers always maintained a poetic and artistic spirit.

What are difficulties? Don't rush, take a puff of your cigarette, write a poem, take your time. "Protracted War" is the famous military theory he founded.

So Jiang Cai'er wrote a poem. The wording was acceptable, but in terms of spirit, it couldn't compare to the teacher's.

This is a poem titled "Remembering Qin'e: Fighting the Flood": "The scorching wind is fierce, the clouds in the sky are torn apart and the thunder is deafening. The thunder is deafening, the dry plains are like scorching fire, and the rivers are about to choke. The flood peak is as heavy as a thousand pounds of iron, but the world is rebuilding and the mountains and rivers are overcoming difficulties. The mountains and rivers are overcoming difficulties, the whole country is united, and we are smiling as we welcome the sky to break apart."

This self-entertainment in Lijia Village was naturally broadcast live and became quite popular online, especially Li Xiangyin's poem, which was rather pretentious, as it was actually a copy of the teacher's "Loushan Pass".

At the same time, it did give everyone a lot of encouragement.

……

Global heatwaves have sparked heated discussions and complaints among netizens worldwide. Just when everyone was about to give up, dark clouds began to gather in the sky, growing thicker and more extensive each day.

Satellite images show that it covers almost the entire globe.

Dark clouds covered the sky, obscuring the sun and making daytime as dark as night.

The wind started to pick up, with gusts of strong wind.

Domestically, the National Meteorological Center issued an emergency red alert for strong winds, with gusts reaching level 15 or higher in some areas. Red alerts are extremely destructive and can lead to serious disasters such as collapsed buildings and capsized ships.

Official advice: There's no need to stay indoors, especially if you weigh less than 100 pounds. People under 100 pounds are easily blown away by the wind. Then, netizens from coastal areas shared their experience: try to cover windows with cross-shaped tape.

Applying "X" shaped tape can increase the toughness of glass, which can not only withstand greater wind pressure, but also prevent glass from shattering and injuring people.

Originally, some areas wanted to use artificial rainmaking, but before that could happen, a torrential downpour was about to hit!

The rain is coming and the wind is all over the building.

A netizen living in a high-rise building was in high spirits and went to his balcony to try reciting a poem like Li Xiang, planning to film it and post it online: "The wind rises, the clouds fly..."

He had just uttered a sentence when the tall building shook, startling him so much that he stumbled and immediately rolled back.

Yes, his girlfriend, who was filming him from inside the house, still posted the embarrassing scene of him. It was precisely because of this embarrassing scene, the obvious contrast between before and after, and the lack of any trace of acting or pretense, that it attracted a lot of attention.

"The higher up are too dangerous," one netizen couldn't help but comment below, expressing their feelings.

Those living in high-rise buildings retorted: "Do you think we like living in high-rises? It's just that we can't afford a garden villa. Who doesn't want to live in a detached villa? It's easy for you to talk when you're not in our shoes."

A netizen from Wuhan commented: "Can you imagine? In a non-first-tier city like ours, there are countless residential buildings over 180 meters tall, and some are close to 270 meters. I live on the 63rd floor, and I'm terrified."

Wuhan has the second-largest number of high-rise residential buildings in China, surpassing Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, second only to Shenzhen. If Hong Kong Island is included, it ranks third. Hong Kong Island has 115 high-rise buildings, while Wuhan has 101. Shenzhen has 236. However, Wuhan's economy and housing prices are incomparable to those cities.

Some companies haven't given employees a holiday yet. A worker, a timid old man, wrapped himself tightly in his clothes and struggled to walk down the street. He watched as trees in the distance swayed violently and were blown down. The wind howled in the street. Luckily, he ate a lot of junk food and weighed 180 pounds, so he was as steady as an old dog.

This guy saw an electric scooter "blown over" on the side of the road and, out of kindness, wanted to go and help it up. But when he got closer, he saw that the scooters all had notes left by the owners beforehand: "Don't help me up."

It was obviously knocked down on purpose.

Then, this guy also discovered that some of the large streetlights had been removed and placed in sheltered spots on the ground.

"Oh my god, I have to get home right away." Although he was not afraid of being blown away by the wind because of his weight, he felt inexplicably panicked at this moment and quickly fled back to his rented room. However, he still managed to shoot some footage along the way, posted it on Douyin when he got back, and tagged his company leader.

The meaning is clear: they hope the company's management will be sensible and issue a notice tonight that no one needs to come to work tomorrow.

Instead of receiving a notification, this video went viral.

One person replied: "You're really bold, daring to openly @ the company leader?"

One person commented, "I don't have to go to work, but I've already booked my ticket to Wutai Mountain. I'll go even if it's raining knives."

"Are the scenic spots closed for the holiday too?" some netizens questioned.

At this time, public institutions are naturally the first to grant leave. Otherwise, how could a permanent position be so sought after? And it's usually paid leave.

Forget about private companies.

"We've already bought the tickets, it would be a shame not to go," the man said.

Some netizens advised: "You can get a refund if you buy a ticket, but please don't go. If you get lost on the way, you won't even have a chance to regret it."

A netizen from northern China commented: "This solves the bug that we northerners have never experienced typhoons."

……

Finally, the rain started pouring down, a torrential downpour, as if someone were splashing water from the sky.

Some people cheered: "Finally, it's raining. This damn heatwave is finally over."

Unfortunately, this went on and on without end.

Moreover, there was thunder and lightning, so people couldn't go out.

Fortunately, everyone had made preparations beforehand and stored up grain.

(End of this chapter)