At precisely midnight, a heavy snow began to fall.
Jiang Ye had not yet slept. News of stock purchases continued to trickle in. He leaned against his bedroom window, pen in hand, transcribing the information. Beside him sat his late-night snack: sweet wine, chocolate donuts, and a carrot. He’d jot down a bit, then eat a bit, quite leisurely.
The snowflakes, initially exaggeratedly large, like a child's palm, soon shrank to the size of coins. By one in the morning, they had transformed into tiny, salt-like grains.
The wind was fierce, causing the glass to vibrate subtly and the roadside trees to thrash like madmen.
Finally, no more purchase notifications arrived. Jiang Ye tallied all the transfers; the total was six hundred and ten million.
There was still a shortfall of ninety million, with nine days remaining. He figured it should be manageable.
Jiang Ye himself hadn't anticipated such enthusiasm for stock purchases, with everyone spending freely to snap them up. He had originally estimated a mere hundred million at most, but now, with this progress, his trip to the settlement star in nine days was secured!
In a good mood, he went to bed.
Just as he lay down, the screen of his phone, resting by his pillow, lit up.
Jiang Ye picked it up to see a private message.
Isabelle: "Brother, it's snowing, and I'm so cold. Can I come over? We can huddle together to get warm, okay?"
Jiang Ye: "Pah! Stop acting like the Little Match Girl! If you're cold, cover yourself with a blanket and turn on the air conditioning. Who wants to huddle with you?"
Isabelle: "You bastard!"
Jiang Ye: "Shameless!"
After a brief exchange of insults, both grew tired, calling a truce. They put down their phones and went to sleep.
Jiang Ye and Isabelle often messaged each other with insults, having developed a certain unspoken understanding. Their relationship was actually quite good, trending towards becoming sworn enemies.
After an unknown period of sleep, his phone vibrated incessantly.
Jiang Ye heard it and, in his groggy state, assumed it was Isabelle sending random messages. He didn't move, keeping his eyes closed and trying to sleep.
The buzzing sound signaled the arrival of the sweeping robot, which made its way directly to the bedside and shouted:
"Master! Wake up! You have many messages!"
Jiang Ye was startled awake. The sweeping robot immediately projected a holographic display, with a considerable amount of information floating in the dark room.
Che Zhen: "Reporting, Commander. The military base is covered in snow. I'm leading everyone in shoveling. Mining operations at the gold mine have to be paused. I'll assess the situation after the snow stops."
Xu Yan: "The snow on Shale Mountain has accumulated over a meter. It's quite dangerous, so I've ordered a halt to shale mining. Some residential construction will also likely be delayed for a couple of days."
Shao Wan: "The roads in Binhai City, Shale City, and Chalk City are all blocked by snow. Chalk City is the worst, with over a meter of snow and hailstones the size of eggs. Many people are trapped in their base vehicles. I've dispatched auxiliary police for rescue, and I'll report further developments."
Isabelle: "You bastard, the snow is heavy, be careful."
Tian Rao: "It looks like a snow disaster is coming. Jiang Ye, how are you?"
After reading these messages, Jiang Ye could no longer sleep.
He jumped out of bed and rushed to the window. Peering outside, he let out a soft "Holy shit."
The entire ground was white. The roadside trees were significantly shorter, buried under nearly a meter of snow. Many fast-growing eucalyptus trees had snapped and lay in the snow, their leaves torn off by the wind. The distant villas were entirely white, their first-floor doors blocked by thick snow.
Worst of all, the snow was still falling, the powder so dense it was like dumping flour, threatening to bury the city alive!
Jiang Ye pulled out his phone and checked the leaderboard. As expected, the development index had plummeted by 23 points.
He had to act quickly to rescue people; such heavy snow could easily kill.
If widespread disaster struck and all industries halted, Jiang Ye's daily income would also crash, and he wouldn't be able to gather enough funds to buy the thirty thousand shares!
Jiang Ye first opened the main settlement group chat.
The group was in an uproar, with many people sending panicked messages at a dizzying pace:
"Why is the snow heavier than last year? It's already a meter deep, and it's not stopping!"
"It's impossible to go out. It's already minus seven degrees. This winter is fiercer than last year!"
"Help! I'm so cold, and I didn't buy any heating equipment. The base vehicle door is frozen shut."
"Can someone save me! I'm trapped in the mine dormitory. There are twenty of us here, huddling together for warmth. Who will rescue us!"
"The police station phone lines are constantly busy, completely unreachable!"
"@Jiang Ye, Commander, help us!"
"Many people are still asleep and don't know about the heavy snow. We need to wake everyone up, or it will be very dangerous!"
Jiang Ye quickly drafted a notice and pinned it to the top of the group chat, ensuring everyone would see it upon opening the chat.
[URGENT NOTICE!]
[A snow disaster has formed, and the situation is severe. Please prioritize your safety, clear snow from your surroundings, evacuate dangerous areas, and pay close attention to staying warm!]
[Trapped individuals, please actively self-rescue and help each other. Simultaneously, leave your name and location for @Sheriff Shao Wan or your local police officer, and await rescue patiently.]
[I have mobilized all police and military personnel to participate in the rescue efforts. Please remain calm; everyone will be saved!]
After posting the announcement, Jiang Ye immediately messaged Che Zhen.
Jiang Ye: "Leave a few people at the military base to shovel snow. The rest are to assemble immediately. Bring all the spiders back and go to the cities to rescue people. You and Shao Wan should stay in contact and cooperate with the police. The snow is too thick for people to walk, so we'll rely mainly on spider armored vehicles."
Che Zhen: "Understood! The troops are assembled, and I'll lead them to disaster relief immediately!"
With the troops mobilized, Jiang Ye felt a little more at ease.
He then sent orders to the police departments of each city, instructing officers to find ways to rescue trapped individuals, transport food and coal to residences, and clear snow from main roads as quickly as possible.
Before Jiang Ye's orders, the police officers had already been deployed, currently rushing about in the wind and snow.
Finally, Jiang Ye messaged Isabelle, asking her to mobilize the tree-planting team members to assist in disaster relief.
Isabelle immediately agreed, stating she would gather employees to clear snow from the main roads.
His phone vibrated. Tian Rao's message came in.
Tian Rao: "Should the restaurant open immediately, serve hot meals, turn on the air conditioning, and let people come to the restaurant for warmth?"
Jiang Ye: "Good. You organize the employees to report to the restaurant. The restaurant will be free today. The snow is heavy, so be careful."
After deploying various rescue teams, Jiang Ye put on thick clothes, tucked a hand warmer and two packs of chocolate into his pocket, and hurried downstairs.