Chapter 50: Torrential Rain (1)

“Rumble!!”

A bolt of lightning suddenly split the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder that echoed across the land.

Raindrops as big as beans began to pour down from the sky, drumming against the ground.

The cars parked outside the Shallow Water Bay residential complex started blaring their alarms in the downpour.

Inside the complex, the people who had been cautiously observing from the entrance of the underground parking lot now rushed out into the rain, their faces wild with excitement.

Some danced and cheered, while others broke down in tears, sobbing uncontrollably with joy.

No one could tell if the streams running down their faces were salty tears or the bitter rain.

“Ahhhh! It’s raining!!!”

“Damn! Heaven finally has eyes!”

“Honey! Thank God! We’re finally saved!!!”

Some people even ignored the trash still scattered on the ground, collapsing on their backs with their mouths open, desperately drinking in the rainwater.

Over a thousand people had been crammed in the stifling underground shelter for more than twenty days without washing.

The sour stench from their bodies was worse than the garbage on the ground.

Some cupped their hands to catch the rain and drank it that way.

The rainwater was bitter and hard to swallow, but the feeling of surviving disaster made it taste sweet.

Everyone was still caught up in the excitement of the heat finally ending, with no one realizing that this was actually the beginning of another, even more severe, disaster.

“Neighbors, this rainwater might have bacteria, don’t drink it!!”

“I heard the authorities sprayed disinfectant all over the city a couple of days ago—be careful, the water might be toxic!!”

“Yeah, and remember all those days when ashes from burning bodies were floating everywhere? Hold on, don’t drink it!!”

“And what about all those dead blood mosquitoes lately? Who knows if they carried diseases—watch out for parasites!!!”

“What if this rain drifted over from Japan? Be careful of radioactive residue! Everyone, just wait it out for now!”

Many of the older folks tried to persuade everyone, speaking earnestly.

But they couldn’t stop the desperate, parched crowd.

They hadn’t had a drop of water in days.

The supplies delivered by the authorities yesterday were just some compressed biscuits and canned luncheon meat—no water.

The whole city, maybe even the whole world, was running out of water.

Some people had even resorted to drinking their own yellowed urine.

Even the meager condensation from a few air conditioner units was treated like a precious delicacy.

Of course, that was secretly hoarded by the property management and the homeowners’ committee.

So compared to dying of thirst, who cared if there were ashes in the rainwater?

At least it was extra calcium.

As for radioactive stuff, that was just some mysterious thing people had only ever heard about.

If the sky wanted to rain, or a woman wanted to marry, there was nothing you could do.

If disaster struck, so be it.

The suffering of the past weeks had left everyone feeling strangely numb inside.

“The heatwave should be over for good now. Everyone, go home! Staying in the rain too long can make you sick!” said Zhang Qiming.

“Yeah, let’s go home first. If you really have to drink the rainwater, at least catch it in a basin and filter it through some cloth, cotton, or charcoal before drinking!” suggested a young man with dark circles under his eyes.

The rain kept pouring, getting heavier and heavier.

“Bean-sized” no longer described it.

It was as if a hole had opened in the sky, water pouring down in columns, a torrential downpour.

In just a few minutes, streams of water were already running along the ground.

The pool in the middle of the complex, which had been temporarily used as a cremation pit and was piled high with ashes, was now washed clean by the rain.

In some places, the water was deep enough to cover people’s ankles.

Finally, once they were sure the heat wouldn’t return, the people who had been sheltering underground began rolling up their bedding and heading home.

There was still no electricity or internet, but nothing could stop them from wanting to go home.

Especially in weather like this, nothing was more important than going home.

A few security guards from property management had already unlocked the doors to the five apartment buildings.

“Everyone, could the men please stay behind for a moment?” Just as people were about to leave the garden and head to their buildings, the property manager, Liu Dahong, called out.

Most people just turned their heads and pretended not to hear. A few young men and several middle-aged guys looked at him in confusion. “Manager Liu, what is it?”

Liu Dahong wiped the rain from his face and said,

“Everyone, the rain’s coming down hard. It might flood the first floor. How about we move the sandbags from the garage entrance to the building entrances? It’ll help block the water, even if just a little. With everyone helping, it’ll go faster!”

Anming City’s drainage system had problems.

Whenever it rained hard, the roads would flood and water would back up.

The underground garage at Shallow Water Bay had flooded several times before.

Many residents had woken up to find their cars swimming in water all night.

So the property management had stockpiled lots of sandbags at the garage entrance.

People used to joke that the vehicle and vessel tax was really just flood insurance.

Now that everyone had moved their cars out to the street, the underground garage was empty.

The sandbags would be more useful at the building entrances.

“It’s just a little rain, what’s there to be afraid of?”

“Manager Liu, you’re just feeling powerful because you handed out supplies for a few days! Don’t get carried away and start bossing the residents around! Don’t get your priorities mixed up!”

“Yeah, isn’t moving sandbags the job of the property security staff? If you want me to do it, what’s the point of paying property fees?!”

“The complex and hallways have been full of trash for days—where are your cleaners? And now you want us to do your job? Are you nuts?”

“If there’s flooding, it’ll only affect the first floor. I’m not helping! I haven’t even eaten, where would I get the strength?!”

“Yeah, after all that heat, staying in the rain too long will just make us sick! If we get sick, will you take responsibility?!”

“And what about the thunder? If we get struck by lightning, will you pay for that? Can you afford it?!”

The crowd erupted in complaints, most people angry and defiant.

Even two first-floor residents glared at him with hostility.

After all, when the blood mosquitoes got in and hurt their families, it was partly because property management hadn’t done their job.

Of course, the real culprits were those who hadn’t closed the official shelter doors properly.

Liu Dahong’s face turned dark for a second, his fists clenched tight as he cursed inwardly: Just wait, you bastards—soon you’ll be begging me on your knees!

“Enough! If you have the energy to stand here arguing, you could’ve moved all the sandbags by now! I may live on the 32nd floor, where the water will never reach me, but I’ll help move the sandbags!” said Sun Jingtao.

Before he retired from the military, he’d participated in several flood relief missions, and he had a sense of duty—or maybe just habit.

The sandbags weren’t very big, and if he weren’t so weak now, he could have carried three in one hand."