Chapter 137 Fierce Winds, Hail

Chapter 137: Chapter 136: Fierce Winds, Hail

"Look at the sky," Han Ning said, pointing upward. The clouds had begun to surge at a visible rate. The sky darkened, as if shrouded by a grayish-black curtain.

"BRRR... why did it get so cold all of a sudden?" Vice President Zhao rubbed his arms, breathing out a puff of white mist. The temperature was dropping sharply, bringing a biting chill. The people gathered in the office building couldn’t help but wrap their thin clothes tighter around themselves, their bodies shivering slightly.

At that moment, a piece of cold, solid ice hit the office building’s exterior window with a sharp THWACK. Immediately after came a second, then a third... Countless tiny particles plummeted from the roiling, fog-filled sky.

"Hail! It’s hailing!"

The hail was initially only the size of rice grains, falling sparsely. But soon, the ice pellets became dense, CLATTERING against the window panes, metal billboards, and puddles, echoing like firecrackers.

RUMBLE.

The sky was completely covered by thick leaden clouds as thunder rolled.

WHOOSH.

The piercing, fierce wind howled through the city ruins, churning up waves. Light was completely blocked by the leaden clouds; even though it was daytime, it looked as dark as night.

"The weather has changed... Everyone, make sure to stay warm and put on more clothes!" Chairman Wu loudly commanded, immediately realizing the situation had taken a turn.

The temperature continued to plummet, and the breath exhaled by the crowd inside the office building condensed into white frost. Everyone, especially the ordinary people, hurriedly rummaged for clothes and blankets to fend off the cold. However, resources were limited, and many could only huddle together for warmth. A few Awakened who could emit heat barely managed to dispel the chill in small areas, but it was a drop in the bucket.

"With the temperature changing so drastically, I wonder if the crops can hold on..." Professor Ye looked at the vast expanse of white outside the window, deeply worried. Outside, the clatter of hail, the howl of the cold wind, and the crackling noise of the wind scraping against distant buildings intertwined, as if threatening to completely submerge this ruined world. Hearing the noise outside, the people whose faces had just relaxed slightly grew grim once more.

"Mr. Han, things aren’t looking right." Chairman Wu’s face was stern. "The wind is continuing to strengthen, the hail is getting larger, and... the water level seems to be rising faster."

The floodwaters, which had originally only reached mid-calf, were now rolling with murky waves, fueled by the gale, continuously slamming against the office building’s walls. The water level had noticeably risen, gradually submerging low-lying ruins that were previously exposed above the surface. Even more alarming was that, by the light of the emergency lamps, a thin layer of white frost could be seen forming on the building’s exposed metal railings, window frames, and even the surface of the debris floating on the water.

"The cold brought by this hail and wind is extremely intense. With such strong winds, can the windows hold up?" Vice President Zhao asked, looking worriedly at the glass rattling BANG BANG from the heavy impacts of the hail. Some of the crevices in the window frames had already begun to freeze over.

"Let’s wait and see. Xu Ming, Chairman Wu, with the water level continuously rising, we need to consider bringing the ships over." Han Ning had no good solutions for such drastically changing weather.

"Understood." Chairman Wu nodded, immediately issuing orders. "Everyone, check the doors and windows, and reinforce the entrances on the lower floors! Stack the flood sandbags another layer higher.

"Old Zhao, lead some men to move all critical supplies above the fifth floor, especially the food.

"Long, take your fleet crew and find an opportunity to bring the ships over."

The Awakened moved quickly upon receiving their orders. Strength-type Awakened led a group of strong men, working together to move heavy desks and filing cabinets to block the ground-floor entrances and the windows that might be blown out by the wind. The others quickly gathered the supplies together.

Professor Ye led his agricultural farming team to relocate the rice planting fields situated on the lower levels. Fortunately, this was only a temporary campsite, and the experimental fields were not large. They hadn’t treated this place as a long-term residence anyway, so all their items were stored in a relatively centralized manner.

The fierce wind lasted for a day and a night without the slightest sign of weakening. Instead, it intensified. The hail grew from the initial size of rice grains to the size of fingernails or even larger, striking the buildings with dull THUDS and forming fine cracks on the glass windows.

The next day, the situation worsened. The scene outside the office building had turned into a vast, flooded expanse. Pushed by the waves churned up by the gale, the water level continued to rise, gradually submerging the first floor of the building. The filthy floodwaters, sweeping along garbage, branches, and scattered furniture debris, continuously battered the windows of the second floor and above. The wind, like countless giant hands, frantically tore at the building.

The hail had lessened a little, but the temperature had dropped below freezing. Everything outside the window was covered with a thin shell of ice. The flood-soaked walls, exposed rebar, and floating car wrecks were entirely frozen. Only the flowing floodwaters remained unfrozen.

"It’s no good, the second floor is about to give way!" the Awakened in charge of observation shouted from the stairwell. "Water is seeping in, and the glass is about to shatter!"

"Abandon the second floor, everyone retreat to the third floor and above." This was something they had anticipated, so everyone had already stored their supplies on higher ground.

While Chairman Wu, Professor Ye, and the others were directing the crowd to actively organize the supplies, Han Ning, Xu Ming, and the Awakened from the Biyun Awakened Association who specialized in navigation—led by Long—had already arrived at the ship mooring area several kilometers away. Previously, due to the water level, they couldn’t sail the ships near the office building. Now, with the comprehensive rise in water levels and large areas submerged, the ships could be brought close to the building.

Han Ning stood at the bow of the Wind Chaser Sailing Ship. The powerful gale, carrying freezing hail, blew toward him, only to be shattered by an invisible force ten centimeters away from his body. The surrounding water surface was whipped up by the howling winds, churning out cascading waves that violently battered the hull with an endless stream of loud BANGS. The entire sailing ship pitched violently like a drunkard.

"Mr. Han, the wind is too strong! The engine doesn’t have enough horsepower, and the ship is moving too slowly!" Xu Ming gripped the helm tightly, his voice slightly distorted by the wind. He struggled to steady the ship, but the bow was constantly blown off course, making their forward progress as slow as a snail.

Han Ning swept his gaze around. The waves surged forward one after another, the highest exceeding two meters. Distant high-rise buildings were faintly visible amidst the wind and rain. The distance was neither near nor far, but the wind’s obstruction made the journey exceptionally difficult.

Han Ning made a prompt decision and leaped off the deck, Spiritual Power surging within his body. By the time he hit the water, his body had already transformed into the complete form of the Profound Shell Turtle. He gently braced the hull with his claws. His massive body, standing over three meters tall, caused the bow of the Wind Chaser Sailing Ship to sink slightly, noticeably reducing the violent rocking of the vessel.