Maybe it was because they had already experienced almost every kind of disaster during their previous journey, but after saying goodbye to the two e-country boys, the remaining trip went very smoothly.

After leaving the uninhabited zone, they occasionally passed through some small towns and cities. With the idea of spreading out their supplies, they would buy food, water, medicine, and fuel in moderation at each stop.

Ever since Yu Xi had filled the ten-cubic-meter fuel storage space, she had a strange feeling every time she saw the fuel level drop slightly after refueling. She really wanted to keep the fuel space always full, as it gave her a sense of security. She didn’t know if this was a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder, but since fuel was strictly controlled in J country after they returned, they wouldn’t be able to buy it as freely as they could now. So, she took advantage of the current opportunity to stock up as much as possible.

Worried that Yu Qi and Ya Tong might not have enough money for the journey, Yu Xi found a chance to sell two gold bars at a local gold shop, exchanging them for a considerable amount of cash to double their supplies.

With continuous replenishment along the way, by the time they finally stepped onto J country’s territory, the food, water, and fuel they had used up during the journey had been replenished several times over.

Maybe it was an illusion, but as soon as they crossed the border , seeing the familiar military uniforms and fellow countrymen, they felt that even the air smelled fresher, and they had a profound sense of safety. The tension that had been present throughout the journey finally eased.

Probably due to the fatigue from the journey and the sudden relaxation, Yu Qi fell ill as soon as they reached the first small town in J country. She had a high fever and a hoarse voice, and neither medication nor physical cooling worked, so the two worried companions rushed her to the hospital.

This hospital was interesting. It was said that after the second meteor shower, it was still just an ordinary underground mall. But after that, it had been converted into the hospital it was now. The underground hospital had been equipped with emergency sealing doors and reinforced with titanium alloy plates throughout the entire building. Multiple units had been remodeled to create various function rooms such as operating theaters and intensive care units.

Reportedly, the hospital was prioritized in all the reconstruction projects. Schools and residential areas were not as urgent because schools could close, and residents could take shelter in air-raid shelters after a warning. Only hospital patients, especially critically ill patients and those in surgery, could not be moved immediately. Thus, hospitals were the primary shelter units.

Yu Qi stayed in the hospital for three days, and then her condition worsened to pneumonia. While staying with her at the hospital, Yu Xi and Ya Tong began to inquire about the situation of the two previous meteor showers through various channels.

Yu Qi’s friend had not lied. Compared to the M country, which was hit first, J country had the advantage of receiving disaster warnings from other countries like Mcountry and Y Country, so they issued an early warning. This nationwide warning was implemented layer by layer, ensuring that more than 95% of the population took shelter in regional air-raid shelters before the meteor shower began, and aid supplies were not neglected.

In the first large-scale meteor shower, the vast majority of the population’s lives were protected. The damage inflicted by the meteor shower was on material property. J country had a high population density and many buildings. When a meteor hit, the destruction to the surrounding area was severe.

This was why the country was now pooling all its resources to build underground shelters on a large scale. Only halfway through the post-disaster reconstruction of the first meteor shower, the second meteor shower had already arrived.

The era of the meteor apocalypse had begun, putting countries and cities around the world in a constant state of war-like conditions, making the surface unsafe. If the widespread meteor strikes on the planet continued, humans would eventually have to live underground.

Shelters had to be built, considering safety, durability, and comfort from all angles. It was rumored that the country had already laid out construction plans for the first to fourth phases, and experts even proposed a very bold idea: an underground city.

“Even if the concept of an underground city becomes a reality, it won’t be something achievable in one or two years. But it’s clear that in the coming years, the country will be in dire need of personnel related to shelter construction, alloy building materials, earthquake-resistant materials research, anti-poison filtration systems, and soil-less cultivation.”

That day, as Yu Qi’s condition slightly improved, she listened to Yu Xi and Ya Tong’s discussion and sighed lightly. “It seems we need to learn some new skills.”

No matter how advanced their professional knowledge was in peaceful times, if it didn’t match future demands, their lives would only go downhill. At the beginning of the disaster, with national aid, the living standards between people might be similar, but over time, the gap would become more evident.

Now that they had just returned to J country, they needed to be prepared. So, Yu Qi suggested, “Let’s go to the capital. Information there is the fastest and most comprehensive, and it’s easier to learn new knowledge. Although starting from scratch might be tough initially, as long as we work hard, we can still make a good life.”

Ya Tong smiled and hinted, “Don’t worry, we won’t suffer.”

Her ten-cubic-meter space might not be huge, but it wasn’t small either. Aside from a few portable fuel cans, some escape backpacks, a few sets of protective clothing and gas masks, all the large items had been moved to Yu Xi’s space. Her remaining space was filled with various canned foods, instant meals, rice, noodles, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, dairy, fruits, snacks, cakes, bread, coffee, drinks, and alcohol. Even if they couldn’t find a job for a while, they wouldn’t go hungry for at least a year and a half.

Moreover, they had been using their savings and cash on this journey, without touching their gold reserves, which could be liquidated in an emergency.

With a clear goal and direction, they started planning. First was the car issue. Although the RV was comfortable, it was too conspicuous. In the capital, in case of an earthquake or other disaster, they wouldn’t be able to easily put the RV away, unlike in the uninhabited zone. They might have to watch it get destroyed or abandoned.

To avoid this, they planned to buy a second-hand domestic jeep with a high chassis. Domestic security was good, so it didn’t need reinforcement, just a thorough inspection to get on the road.

“We can buy it before we reach the capital. We still have a long way to go, so the RV can be used for a few more days.”

“Yes.”

The other issue was housing. The surface was no longer safe, and property prices had reportedly dropped to an unbelievable level. Many people wanted to sell their houses for cash, preferring to rent instead of buying. Everyone wanted to keep their money to stock up on food and purified water. Although the country had grain reserves that could feed the entire population for two to three years, having food at home felt more secure than in national reserves.

Moreover, people wanted to maintain their previous lifestyle, including fresh vegetables, fish, meat, and fruits, which had inevitably become more expensive due to the meteor impact (within national control).

Yu Qi wanted to move their household registration to the capital, but buying a house now would be a waste of money.

“Let’s talk about the household registration later. With the current chaos, it’s not that important. When we get to the capital, we can find a small hotel close to an air-raid shelter or underground building. The national warning system has always been good, and it will likely continue to be.”

After making their plans, they waited for Yu Qi to fully recover before checking out of the hospital. They then continued their journey south along the national highway as planned.

Several radio channels had been completely converted into meteor disaster broadcast channels, providing daily updates on road conditions, advising drivers to take detours, issuing earthquake warnings, and notifying which areas were facing water and power outages due to repairs. They listened to these channels as background music, avoiding many detours and finally reaching a small town near the capital three days later.

There, they bought a second-hand jeep at a very low price. That night, in a secluded area outside the town, hidden by dense trees, they put away the RV that had accompanied them all this way. They loved the RV and even took it to a car wash for a thorough cleaning, inside and out, and had the tires and engine checked before storing it.

The next day at noon, they arrived in the capital.

According to their plan, the three of them first found a hotel to stay in for the first two days. Because there was an underground shelter nearby that had been converted from a subway station, the prices of all the hotels and inns in the area had increased.

The hotel conditions were average, and cooking was extremely inconvenient. After discussing it, they decided to rent a private residence nearby.

Due to the meteor disaster, the rental situation had changed, with most rentals being short-term, paid monthly, with a small deposit. They rented a two-bedroom apartment on the first floor, about a ten-minute run to the nearest underground shelter.

They spent half a day cleaning the apartment, then pulled all the curtains shut. Yu Xi began to bring out furniture, appliances, and various household items like a magical Doraemon.

They set up a sofa, coffee table, TV, washing machine, microwave, bookshelf, and bedding – all the large items they would frequently use. Smaller items were taken out as needed. For example, they only kept one or two sets of clothes in the apartment, with the rest stored in their spaces for convenience, as two of them had space abilities.

Afterward, Yu Qi and Ya Tong went out to buy a large amount of study materials. Once they had determined their future direction, they enrolled in a study course. This course was also held underground and was the first to be approved for the use of an underground shelter due to its professional relevance.

Honestly, the learning environment was not very good. Being underground, ventilation and other basic facilities were not fully up to par, and the large-scale construction around them made it noisy. But this was inevitable. The capital had a large population and many important figures, so the construction of underground shelters and air-raid shelters was a priority.

The entertainment industry market shrank, surface real estate became a bubble, technology talent became scarce, orders for earthquake-resistant building materials surged, and the market for protective clothing and gas masks became tight.

People’s lives underwent significant changes. Many former office workers rolled up their sleeves and became construction workers. The situation forced people to grow rapidly. While it is said that changing professions can be challenging, once you start doing it, you gradually understand.

Time flew by, and before the predicted date of the third meteor shower, Yu Xi was the first to hear the system sound.

【World Mission 1: Survive for three months has been completed, host gains 40 star coins. Total star coins: 186.】

【Do you wish to leave the current apocalyptic world?】