Chapter 605: Chapter 605: Mass Rescue

The base broadcast suddenly blared, and everyone lost their appetite for dinner. Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick changed into heavy, heat-resistant suits, put on their helmets, and once fully geared up, they followed Liam Sterling and Ryan Rowe out of the Undercity to the livestock farm.

To make it easier to collect the goods, Liam Sterling and Ryan Rowe had sent all the farm workers home. The disappearance of so much livestock would surely raise suspicion, but Liam would handle that problem. Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick were only responsible for moving the animals into the space.

The split was the same as before—they would take twenty percent.

Since livestock were different from the inanimate objects they had collected before, they would need to be penned and cared for. So, Liam Sterling had Evelyn Ford collect all the feed from the farm as well.

It was still raining outside, the downpour growing heavier and heavier. The base broadcast announced an emergency notice every five minutes. The base’s sewer system couldn’t keep up, and the water was already knee-deep.

All patrol personnel, soldiers, and police officers rushed toward the cultivation zone. The vegetables, fruits, and crops had to be salvaged as quickly as possible. The water was scalding hot, and any plants soaked in it wouldn’t survive. To minimize losses, everyone endured the pain and ran into the fields.

"We don’t have enough people! We’re done for. The rain is just getting harder and harder. We won’t be able to harvest the wheat and corn."

Liam Sterling was on the verge of tears. Grain was the lifeline for every resident in the base. Without it, how were more than a million people supposed to survive?

Seeing him so anxious his hands were trembling, Evelyn Ford had a sudden flash of inspiration. "Liam, I have an idea. Use the base broadcast to mobilize the residents in the shelters to come help with the harvest."

Liam Sterling shook his head. "We can’t. If the residents get scalded, they’ll need medicine and treatment. The cost would outweigh the benefit. And with so many people coming out, a stampede could occur."

"As long as no one dies, it’ll be fine. The grain is more important right now. What’s losing a layer of skin? Tell them this is the food supply for everyone in the base. Without this grain, we’ll all starve to death. If they don’t want to die, then every able-bodied person needs to come out and harvest." Evelyn Ford’s gaze was stern, the pressure she exuded was intense. Liam Sterling gritted his teeth and nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I’ll go to the broadcast room myself and make the announcement."

Liam Sterling was already wearing the heat-resistant suit and helmet Evelyn Ford had given him, along with waterproof rain boots, making him the most suitable person for the trip.

After Liam Sterling left, Evelyn Ford went back to the pigpens to collect the piglets. Officer Graham, Quincy, and the others were in the space, coordinating from the inside to help settle the base’s livestock as quickly as possible.

Twenty minutes later, Liam Sterling’s voice echoed from the base’s broadcast system.

[Emergency notice to all base residents. As you all know, a Sun Rain began falling over the base this morning. It has since turned into a torrential downpour, and the crops in the fields cannot be left to be destroyed. This situation is urgent. I am calling on everyone to help with an emergency harvest. The temperature of the Sun Rain is extremely high, and exposure will cause severe burns to the skin. But we cannot let the grain be lost. All of the base’s administrative staff, soldiers, and police officers have already been deployed, but our numbers are nowhere near enough...]

Liam Sterling paused for a long moment before delivering the final line.

[This is the grain that will keep every resident of the base alive. If it is lost, everyone will starve.]

Minutes after the broadcast ended, a massive wave of residents flooded the farmlands. They hadn’t hesitated. The moment Liam Sterling made the announcement, they had charged out of their shelters and into the fields.

The base itself housed several hundred thousand residents. Excluding the old, weak, sick, and disabled, every able-bodied young and middle-aged person ran for the base’s farmlands.

Everyone worked together to save the grain. The corn and wheat fields were swarming with people. Their tasks were clearly divided: women snapped ears of corn, men carried the loads and chopped down stalks, while others followed with sickles, harvesting the green grass from the fields.

Once the grain was transported to the warehouse, it was collected into the space by Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick, where the others inside would lay it out to dry and dehydrate.

In that moment, no one cared whether the Sun Rain would scald their skin and make it peel. No one cared if they were getting the short end of the stick by working so hard. Without the base, all the residents would be homeless. Without food, they would all starve. The base and its residents were inseparable; neither could survive without the other.

In that moment, every single person had only one thought: to give it their all—even if it cost them their lives—to save the grain.

Inside the space, Ethan Dawson and Quincy unfurled a roll of plastic tarp. After spreading it flat on the ground, they poured the newly collected corn onto it. Officer Graham brought over several large blowers and aimed them at the soaking-wet corn. They had to dry the moisture out quickly, otherwise the corn would soon start to mold and sprout.

"The wheat would have been ready for harvest in another month. This rain is a disaster."

"The cobs of corn from the base are huge. What a waste."

"What should we do with all this green grass? And the corn stalks?"

"Put it all to one side. The grass, the corn stalks, and the wheat straw can all be used as livestock feed. Nothing can go to waste."

"And the pigs, sheep, and cattle over there, and the chickens, ducks, and geese—send them all to the livestock area. We have red paint here. Mark all of the base’s animals with it."

Officer Graham methodically directed everyone’s work. Evelyn Ford and Ronan Kendrick continuously sent items into the space, and the people inside were so busy they were practically running. Even Annie and Zoe were wearing gloves and helping to lay out the corn to dry.

Outside the space, after collecting the pigs from the pig farm, Evelyn Ford moved on to the next location, which had already been cleared. Liam Sterling followed her, both to assist in collecting the supplies and to ensure her safety.

Meanwhile, Ronan Kendrick, assisted by Ryan Rowe, had already gone to the warehouse to collect the grain salvaged by the residents. They all worked together seamlessly, moving the grain from the warehouse and the livestock from the farm into the space with maximum speed.

In the fields, someone collapsed from exhaustion, falling right into the muddy water. The person next to them, holding an armful of corn stalks, used their free hand to pull the unconscious person up.

"Oh no, it’s hailing!"

Someone held out a hand to catch one, and a large hailstone slammed into their palm. The rainwater’s temperature had already dropped from warm to icy cold.

With the sudden shift from hot to cold, many people started sneezing and shivering.

Inside and outside the base, the roar of vehicles was constant. Everyone was too busy to grab a bite to eat or a sip of water. Evelyn Ford’s legs were already trembling, but she had no time to rest. The floodwater had risen to her thighs. After she finished collecting all the livestock, she went to the warehouse. Ronan Kendrick was still collecting grain. Evelyn moved the sacks of cabbage and cucumbers into her space, and after a wave of dizziness, she nearly collapsed.

A full day and night had passed. She hadn’t rested or eaten at all. Evelyn Ford shook her head, took out a thermos, and drank a mouthful of honey water.

"Ma’am, are you alright? You should rest for a bit. A little while won’t hurt. If you get sick from exhaustion, Mr. Kendrick will definitely be worried."

Evelyn Ford nodded. The fruits and vegetables in the warehouse were already packed in sacks and stacked neatly, which made collecting them much easier for her.

She was exhausted and starving, with no strength left in her body. Outside, the rain poured in sheets as a bolt of lightning struck, followed by a clap of thunder that shook the heavens.

"Ma’am, the rain has turned cold now. It also hailed for several hours. A lot of people were knocked unconscious by the hailstones and have been sent back to the shelters."

Evelyn Ford glanced at the warehouse window, then took two prepared meals out of her space.

"Let’s eat," she said. "We still have work to do after this."

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