#199 - Chapter 199: Heavy Snow Closes the City
December 15th.
Half a month has passed since the establishment of the Green Source Base.
The three residential areas outside the base now have a population of over 270 people!
At this number, it is estimated to be the final number for this year.
As for the reason?
Because no new survivors have arrived in the past two days.
The temperature has continued to drop recently, falling below -30°C!
The roads outside have been completely covered by heavy snow, with the accumulated snow reaching an astonishing 70cm!
Covering more than half a person's body!
With this thickness of snow, normal vehicles cannot travel at all, and it is impossible for humans to walk outdoors for extended periods.
So, it is foreseeable that no survivors will come until the snow melts.
At this time, except for a very few people, the activities of all humans and zombies have basically stopped.
The whole world seems to have been put on pause.
Naturally, the Green Source Base has not sent out any members to do patrols or similar work.
Except for places responsible for base security, such as the walls and sentry posts, which require people to be on duty for long periods, wearing specially made windproof and cold-proof clothing.
Other outdoor work is kept as short as possible, and the base personnel basically stay indoors doing some manual work.
For the three residential areas outside, they can still monitor the general situation inside through surveillance.
Qin Jin had naturally anticipated this state of heavy snow sealing the city.
There is nothing that needs to be done outside during this time. He was indeed busy frantically searching for supplies before, so now he can just let the team members rest well in the base and hone their skills.
Qin Jin himself is also immersed in learning.
Zhou Qihang has completely become his personal teacher, specially equipped with a walkie-talkie for him, and has to come over every day to answer the learning questions raised by Qin Jin.
Naturally, he did not dare to hide anything from the leader's questions.
Not only did he answer carefully during the day, but he also had to rack his brains every night when he returned to the dormitory to prepare lessons for the leader's learning progress.
Recently, Qin Jin's knowledge in biology and virology can be said to have advanced by leaps and bounds, from a blank piece of paper to a beginner with a certain amount of knowledge.
At this point, he can roughly participate in some simple experiments.
Not him doing it, but watching.
"Starting tomorrow, I will take you into the base's laboratory, you start doing some research, and you will slowly take over the base's scientific research work in the future."
"If you do well, the position of the head of the base's scientific research unit will be yours in the future."
In the office, Qin Jin sat in his chair and said to Zhou Qihang, who had just finished answering his questions.
"Oh... okay... yes, President Qin."
Zhou Qihang was a little flattered.
He didn't expect the leader to have plans to establish a scientific research department.
But it doesn't prevent him from being ecstatic in his heart.
He has been in Green Source for quite some time, and of course he knows how high the status of a captain here is, not to mention that he is doing what he loves.
He has long been extremely interested in the zombie virus and various things that have appeared recently, and having the opportunity to study it is definitely N times better than working on screws every day!
The laboratory that Qin Jin arranged for him was naturally not the one on the second underground floor.
That is the private laboratory he plans to use for himself in the future, and he has no plans to share it with anyone yet.
He had already cleared out a building next to the office building, done a certain amount of sealing and safety treatment, and put some instruments and equipment found from outside, planning to let Zhou Qihang use it first.
He doesn't expect him to immediately research any major results, he just needs the laboratory to let him watch and learn practical operations.
After he has accumulated to what he considers to be an appropriate level, he will go to his private laboratory to start some secret research.
Let's take it slowly.
The apocalypse has just begun. With his memory, most of the hardships and disasters can be overcome, and there will be plenty of time in the future.
*****
Residential Area 1.
Inside one of the larger workshops and warehouses.
Li Shenglin and his entire group were staying indoors, bored and resting.
Since the heavy snow sealed the city, they have not dared to go out since the day before yesterday, and have completely shrunk back into the indoor areas of the residential area to recuperate.
Thanks to their active and diligent search for supplies some time ago, and possibly because they came the earliest, there were still a lot of scattered supplies left around Mentang Town that the previous combat team members did not like, and they collected them unceremoniously.
They now have a full 30+ catties of grain exchanged with the Green Source Base!
Don't underestimate this amount.
Li Shenglin now has a fairly good relationship with Wang Yang of the Green Source Base, and he heard from him that other groups have exchanged for only ten or twenty catties of grain during this period, and some who just came have even exchanged for only half a catty or a catty.
Their amount is the best of the three residences!
Even Wang Yang specially told him to be careful and keep a low profile.
"Grain" should not be exposed.
In addition, with the small amount of food they have occasionally found recently and some plant roots dug outdoors before the snow cover, they should have enough edible grain to survive this winter!
As long as the duration of this winter is normal.
They eat twice a day, putting in about half a catty of grain for cooking each time, plus some other small foods, and their lives are really enjoyable.
"Everyone must not publicize it! Although we live together in the Green Source residential area, people who are extremely hungry can do anything!"
Indoors, their group surrounded a pile of burning firewood to keep warm, and Li Shenglin said seriously to the group members in a low voice.
The others naturally agreed.
They themselves are not full, and each meal can only maintain a barely out of hunger level.
Of course, they don't want to be coveted.
Even A Zhen, who often has a big mouth, is exceptionally careful in this regard.
*****
Also in Residential Area 1.
In another much smaller building similar to a tool room, Chen Gang and Wang Wei also gathered in front of a small fire to keep warm.
Since they couldn't go out at all recently, they could only stay indoors bored.
"Lao Wang, we have only exchanged for 6 catties of grain recently. Do you have any good ideas? It's a bit difficult for this amount to get us through this winter."
Chen Gang murmured worriedly in a low voice.
In fact, 6 catties is not a small amount for a group of only two people.
This is also because Chen Gang is familiar with car repair technology, and Wang Wei is lucky enough to find some supplies to exchange.
"I calculated that we eat two meals a day, half a tael per meal, and consume one tael of grain a day, so 6 catties can last us for about 2 months!"
In the dim room, only the fire from the burning firewood reflected on their faces, Wang Wei said in a low voice after calculating in his mind.
"Hey... we two big men only eat half a tael per meal, wouldn't we be starving, this damn weather!"
Chen Gang sighed and murmured in a low voice.
For sensitive issues such as grain, everyone will subconsciously tighten their voices.
They are also considered good, at least under normal circumstances, they will not starve to death this winter.
There are countless people outside who are worse off than them.
(End of this chapter)
