Some people went door to door, asking if they could spend the night. The attic was knocked on the most often. Its high geographical position meant that if a tsunami or flood came later, they wouldn’t have to move twice.
Shen Zhao didn’t open the door, not because he didn’t want to help, but rather because he didn’t want to test the darker side of humanity.
Comrade Li Li was persuaded to wear noise-canceling headphones and had fallen asleep, so she didn’t have a chance to voice her thoughts.
If he let someone stay, would he have to share food as well? Although he had quite a bit of stored grain, he couldn’t be sure how long they’d have to float on the water before help arrived. And even if he did give them food, wouldn’t they also expect to use the kayak afterward?
They were just two people; if others tried to take what little they had, Shen Zhao would be overwhelmed.
In this situation, if he didn’t let them stay, they would surely find a way to break in, officially tearing the façade of civility.
Although it was still early to think about such matters, when the tsunami finally came, there would be no time to prepare.
After much consideration, Shen Zhao decided to let them stay, but not now. He would wait until the typhoon had passed.
The typhoon was gradually approaching, set to make landfall near Jincheng by tomorrow morning. Once the flood arrived, they could take the kayak— with this much food, they could survive a month on the boat.
A month was enough time for them to find land; once they reached their destination, they just needed to stick to the course.
With that thought in mind, Shen Zhao started to busy himself.
Autumn was approaching, and the temperature was already low, so with the typhoon, it would drop even further. Thick clothing was essential. He could use flour to make steamed buns, which would last for a while even in cold weather.
Fortunately, they were using gas instead of an electric stove, so even if the power went out, they could still cook.
He packed several thick down jackets and raincoats, finding the flashlight the family used before, which still had working batteries, and brought that along too.
In addition to these, he gathered some commonly used medicine, a military dagger left by his father for protection, and a bundle of climbing rope that he found in the storage room, unsure of when it had been left behind.
He stuffed these items into a backpack and began searching online for instructions on making a simple water purification device. They certainly wouldn’t be able to carry much water, so this device was crucial.
He also considered a shelter from the sun, which could be replaced with a bedsheet.
Other than these items, Shen Zhao couldn’t think of anything else for now, so he decided to stop.
Checking the time, he realized he had been busy until one in the morning. Finally, yawning, he moved the sofa to block the entrance door, preventing anyone downstairs from unlocking it before he went to sleep in his room.
The next day, Typhoon No. 7 officially made landfall in Jincheng.
Shen Zhao was still deep in slumber when he was jolted awake by the fierce winds outside, accompanied by the sounds of buildings collapsing intermittently.
Looking out the window, Shen Zhao was shocked to see a large tree, with exposed roots and dirt, precariously perched atop an opposite roof, blown over from who knows where.
What used to be a row of air conditioning units on the external wall there was now completely gone, and two iron railings outside the windows of nearby homes appeared to have been smashed in, leaving large dents.
The cars parked downstairs were haphazardly piled together, resembling turtles flipped upside down.
In the distance, the recently built tall building swayed under the intensity of the wind, beginning to shake ominously. The occupants inside, ignoring the typhoon outside, rushed down the stairs, fearing that the building might collapse at any moment.
They huddled on the stairs of the first and second floors. This new residential building had a high occupancy rate, predominantly residents with children attending school nearby.
Among them was Zhang Zixin, whose face was pale with fear. In his hands was a kayak bought at great personal risk, while his parents carried food, all three squeezed together at the corner of the second floor.
“The typhoon outside is so strong that we’ll be blown away if we go out! If I had known, I wouldn’t have bought this house! This place must have quality issues; it shakes so much in the wind, it’s terrifying!” Zhang’s mother complained, tightening her grip around her son, her eyes red with worry, dreadfully afraid the building might collapse any second.
Zhang’s father looked equally annoyed. He shielded his wife and child, comforting them, “It’ll be alright. This building is newly built; it can’t collapse.”
“Mom, Dad, don’t worry. The typhoon will be gone by the afternoon at the latest; we’ll be fine after that,” Zhang Zixin reassured, though he too felt uncertain. The shaking of the building had jolted him awake a moment ago; he almost thought he was sleeping in a cradle. When he came to, he mistakenly thought there was an earthquake, only to find it was the typhoon causing the building to sway uncontrollably.
When he ran down the stairs, he nearly threw up from the motion; it felt worse than being car sick.
This building ultimately did not collapse and managed to endure until the end.
However, the fact that this building remained standing did not mean that all buildings survived intact.
In areas near where the typhoon made landfall, several buildings had collapsed; all houses close to the center looked as if they had been plowed through, with all trees alongside the roads uprooted, their leaves torn and scattered.
The typhoon came quickly and left just as rapidly, having moved to another area by the afternoon.
The rain had stopped, but the weather remained gloomy and dark.
Towards the coast, the sky was overcast, thick with clouds as if a black curtain was gradually rising.
The tsunami— was coming!
To be honest, Shen Zhao never imagined the day would come when Jincheng would experience a tsunami; it had always been something that only happened in movies.
Yet now, it engulfed the coast in a rush, colossal waves rising over ten stories crashing down from afar, quickly swallowing nearby houses, roads, and the terrified, pleading people.
“Help!!”
“Run!!”
“Head for higher ground!”
“Quick! Run!!”
“Help! Mom! Dad!”
“Child! Where’s my child?!”
People frantically searched for places to hide, but aside from tall buildings, everything else was futile and was swiftly consumed by the waves, disappearing without a trace.