Ch79- Going Up to Install Glass on the Roof?
"Damn, why's it raining again?"
"Is something wrong with this rain? Why's my arm itching like crazy?"
"F*ck, this better not be acid rain."
Meng Ci actually woke up around nine this morning, but he'd been curled up in bed playing games. Luckily, the duvet was big enough-no matter how he tossed and turned, not much wind got in.
The fly camera had been placed outside last night. The moment Meng Ci heard voices outside, he activated the feed.
Outside, there were over a dozen people gathered-three assault boats and five rubber dinghies.
At first, they were chatting and laughing, saying things like how they'd weathered the storm together, survived this long, and that those who survive great calamities are destined for good fortune.
They even talked about getting together for drinks and barbecue once things returned to normal. But soon, as the acid rain began to fall, they scrambled into the rubber boats and speedboats, cursing as they hurried back to their buildings.
The acid rain intensified. One rubber boat lagged behind. A man aboard rubbed his stinging eyes fiercely as the boat rapidly corroded.
"Help! Save me!"
The air leaked faster and faster from the raft, and the man fell into the water.
He flailed his arms in the water,. splashing around. The people inside the building, who had just been talking about getting together more often, didn't reach out to save him. They let him be swept away by the flood.
Seeing everyone had left, Meng Ci rolled over, turned off the fly camera, set down his phone, and slept for over an hour before rising.
After washing up, Meng Ci retrieved a bowl of eight-treasure porridge and a jianbing guozi from his storage space.
He'd grown a bit tired of rich, fatty foods these past few days-something light and simple would be perfect.
After finishing his meal, he tossed all the packaging into the stove, destroying all evidence.
Back to gaming.
Even inside his apartment, Meng Ci could hear the acid rain pattering on the roof.
Oh!
A thought suddenly struck Meng Ci. He tossed his phone onto the sofa, grabbed a glass cup, and used tongs to hold the handle as he reached it out the window.
After filling half the cup with acid rain, he brought the blanket inside and laid it on the balcony floor.
Staring at the cup of acid rain, Meng Ci felt conflicted.
Novels had described how zombies and humans with special abilities emerging in the late apocalypse began their mutations by being drenched in acid rain.
Staring at the cup before him, Meng Ci dipped his right index finger inside.
"Ouch!"
Just lightly touching the acid rain made his finger ache unbearably. If his whole body were drenched in it, who knew how excruciating the pain would be.
Besides, even if he did get drenched, there was no guarantee he'd become a zombie or a special ability user.
His indecision didn't last long.
His personal space held ample food supplies and allowed him to grow crops, ensuring complete self-sufficiency. There was simply no need to risk exposure to acid rain.
When the zombies arrived, special abilities would mainly be needed for finding food and fighting off the undead.
Meng Ci began scheming: if push came to shove, he'd find a high-rise building and hole up inside, avoiding food shortages by never stepping outside.
Opening the window, Meng Ci tossed both the glass cup and the fire tongs into the floodwaters before returning to the sofa to continue gaming.
Over an hour later, Meng Ci heard footsteps pacing back and forth on the rooftop.
Alarm bells rang in Meng Ci's mind, but he quickly relaxed.
The stairwell alarm hadn't sounded, nor had Yun Jingcen or the others called for him. They must be doing something on the roof.
So Meng Ci put on his thick coat, intending to go out and investigate.
But halfway through dressing, he heard a knock. Opening the door, he saw Shen Que wearing old clothes, holding a pair of gloves.
"What's up?" Meng Ci asked.
Shen Que explained, "Teacher Yun and the others removed the glass from the downstairs room. They said they'd lay it on the roof to reduce the damage."
"I'm going to help. Want to come?"
Meng Ci shook her head immediately. "No."
He had been contemplating whether to find an excuse to send Shen Que and Yun Jingcen out to get drenched in acid rain.
If they could survive into the late apocalypse and evolve special abilities, it would be one more safeguard.
Now that they were volunteering, Meng Ci didn't need to waste brainpower devising schemes.
Shen Que heard this and was quite surprised, but still pressed, "You really won't come?"
"You can help lay the glass by the doorway. It gets less acid rain there."
"Nope, I'm not going." Meng Ci found it odd-what was Shen Que's deal today? He seemed unusually persistent about getting him to go out.
Seeing Meng Ci truly had no intention of going, Shen Que gave him a deep look before saying, "Alright, then I'll go."
Meng Ci thought about it. Since everyone was contributing to preventing the roof from corrosion, it wouldn't be right for him to do nothing.
"Shen Que, go tell Teacher Yun and the others to come over for dinner after they finish up."
Shen Que turned his head and replied, "Alright."
Then he opened the door and walked out.
Since he was inviting them over for dinner, it wouldn't do to serve anything less than a feast. He took out two fish and prepared them as boiled pork slices.
He grabbed a chunk of pork and made a large pot of braised pork belly.
He sliced potatoes into thin strips and made vinegar-braised potatoes.
He picked some greens from the pots, sliced a few ham sausages, and stir-fried them with greens.
He selected the two largest clay pots and placed them on the stove to cook rice.
These were all dishes Yun Jingcen and the others knew, so he wasn't worried they'd be suspicious.
He grabbed a case of canned beer and five cans of cola, setting them by the stove to warm up.
After placing all the dishes on the stove to keep warm, Meng Ci put on his coat and headed to the rooftop.
"Gege, you're here!" Ruan Qing came downstairs, his eyes lighting up when he spotted Meng Ci.
He had intended to pull him closer, but upon seeing his hands corroded by acid rain, he ultimately held back.
"Hmm, why were you moving glass there too?" Meng Ci asked curiously.
After all, given how spoiled Yun Jingcen and the others usually kept him, they'd never let him get caught in acid rain.
Ruan Qing explained, "I insisted on going."
"One more pair of hands meant one more task done. Finishing sooner meant resting sooner."
"Oh, right, Gege! I just heard that big guy say you're cooking for us."
Meng Ci nodded.
Ruan Qing's eyes lit up like stars.
"Wow, Gege, you're so amazing! You can cook too!"
"I'm definitely going to eat three huge bowls later."
As he spoke, Ruan Qing held up three fingers.
Meng Ci chuckled softly. "Alright, as long as you can finish them."
Upon seeing Fang Shurui and Cheng Yu carrying glass panels upstairs, Ruan Qing hurriedly bid Meng Ci farewell.
"Gege, I'm going to help move glass. See you later." With that, Ruan Qing scampered down the stairs.
"Alright, see you soon."
"Teacher Fang, Teacher Cheng."
Meng Ci greeted the two teachers before stepping aside to let Fang Shurui and Cheng Yu onto the rooftop.
Without hesitation, Meng Ci followed them up.