Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 147 Electric Card

After saying that, without waiting for Xu Xiaoyan's response, he slammed the window shut again.

Xu Xiaoyan stood there speechless. So that's how it is... The base's control really permeates every aspect. Even basic needs like electricity have become "commodities" that need to be actively acquired and managed.

She glanced at the already darkening sky, dared not delay any longer, locked the door, and hurried toward the direction the aunt had pointed out. She had to get the electricity card sorted out before the service center closed.

Following the direction pointed out by the plump aunt, and asking two passersby along the way, Xu Xiaoyan spent a full twenty-five minutes before finally finding a shop with a sign that read "Power Supply Service Center" in a relatively quiet corner of the outer city's southern district.

Compared to the trading hall, this place was much quieter, with only a handful of people inside. A huge electronic screen hung on the wall, clearly displaying the rules for purchasing and recharging electricity cards, and there were several service windows nearby.

Xu Xiaoyan walked closer to take a closer look. The rules stated: 1 point is required as a deposit for the electricity card (refundable), the minimum recharge amount is 1 point, and the electricity price is 1 point/10 kWh.

She walked directly to an empty window and asked the staff inside, "Hello, I'd like to buy an electricity card. If I only recharge 1 point, how long will it last for a regular light bulb?"

The female attendant behind the window was clearly used to these very specific and practical questions from new residents. She smiled understandingly and patiently explained, "If it's just LED lights for everyday lighting in one room, 1 unit of electricity can last about six months. However, this is just a rough estimate. The actual power consumption is directly related to the power of the appliances you use and the duration of use."

Seeing that Xu Xiaoyan was listening attentively, she thoughtfully added a sentence, which was also part of their standard explanation: "You can actually top up more points. Don't worry about not using them all or wasting them. This electricity card is linked to your personal identity. It can be used not only in your rented house, but also in any building connected to the official power grid within the Linchuan base. Just insert the card to get electricity. The card goes with you, which is very convenient."

Hearing the waiter say that, Xu Xiaoyan immediately felt reassured. Although she planned to use the heated kang as her main means of heating, the mobile phone, power bank, hand warmer, and even small appliances she might add in the future all needed electricity, so charging more didn't seem to be a problem.

"Then I'll recharge 5 points," Xu Xiaoyan decided.

"Okay, please present your identity chip for payment and card binding."

Xu Xiaoyan raised her left arm, scanned it in the scanning area, and paid 6 points on the spot. The waiter took out a brand new black card with a chip from under the counter, operated it a few times on a device, and then handed it to Xu Xiaoyan. "Your electricity card has been activated and recharged successfully. The initial password is six zeros. We suggest you change the password through the mobile APP later. Please keep it safe."

Holding the card, Xu Xiaoyan felt an invisible sense of separation. She had traveled a long and arduous way to Linchuan, but life here was full of high technology. The hardships she had endured before and the stability she was in now left her feeling confused. Was she now considered to have returned to the civilized world?

She had only taken a few steps out of the power supply service center when an idea suddenly popped into her head, making her abruptly stop in her tracks.

"Wait... if the temperature suddenly drops to extremely low levels, such as minus thirty or forty degrees Celsius, or even lower... can the existing power system withstand it?"

This thought, like an icicle, instantly pierced the sense of security she had just felt after getting the electricity card sorted out. She recalled news reports from the north about extreme cold waves causing power lines to freeze, transformers to malfunction, and large-scale power outages. In such low temperatures, a power outage meant not only darkness but also deadly cold!

She turned around abruptly and practically ran back to the power supply business hall. Fortunately, the hall was still deserted with few people in line, so she sat down directly at the window of the same clerk she had just been sitting at.

The waiter looked slightly surprised to see her return, but her excellent professionalism allowed her to maintain her smile. "Hello, how can I help you?"

Xu Xiaoyan leaned forward slightly, lowered her voice, and asked with a barely perceptible urgency, "Excuse me, but if... I mean, if the weather suddenly becomes extremely cold, far exceeding usual temperatures, like tens of degrees below zero, does our base's power system have any contingency plans? Could there be a large-scale power outage? If there's a problem with the lines, can your staff repair them in a short time?"

This series of very specific questions, tinged with pessimistic assumptions, was clearly beyond the scope of the waitresses' daily training. She was visibly stunned, a hint of bewilderment flashing in her eyes, as if no one had ever questioned the reliability of the base's infrastructure from this perspective before.

She opened her mouth, organized her thoughts, and finally replied with the same standard, confident but somewhat hollow statement: "Madam, please rest assured that our power system staff are very professional and dedicated. In the event of a malfunction, our maintenance team will repair it as quickly as possible to ensure everyone's electricity needs are met."

The official platitudes sounded good, but Xu Xiaoyan keenly noticed the other party's momentary daze and the lack of specific details in his words.

"It seems the power supply company doesn't have any emergency plans for extremely cold weather." Xu Xiaoyan's heart sank. She didn't ask any more questions, thanked them, and left the service center.

On her way back to her residence, her mood was much heavier than when she arrived. The waiter's words, "We will try our best to fix it," sounded to her like an admission of the system's fragility. If there really was a large-scale power outage in the city, in the freezing cold, what could she rely on besides the uncertain electricity supply and her limited firewood?

An answer instantly popped into her mind—coal!

Yes, in the north, isn't coal the hard currency for resisting the severe cold? Without electricity or underfloor heating, coal burns stably, provides ample heat, and can be stored for a long time if properly stored, making it an excellent reserve to cope with prolonged extreme cold and energy outages.

"Luckily, the house I rented has a backyard!" Xu Xiaoyan thought to herself with relief. Couldn't that open space be used to store coal? She had to prepare as soon as possible, she quickly calculated in her mind.

As she hurried along, darkness fell completely. Xu Xiaoyan had never liked being in unfamiliar surroundings at night, so she quickened her pace and almost ran back to her small house.