The Great Blizzard

Two minutes later, Craig and the others rushed into the yard, panting heavily, "Thanks to your reminder, otherwise these cars would have been in trouble."

A corner of the shed had already collapsed, and the accumulated snow on top was falling down, and the hole was getting larger.Initially, Craig and the others thought the cars were safe in the shed. If it weren't for Hurley's reminder, they wouldn't have realized the danger.

They quickly moved the cars to an open area and covered them with whatever they could find. Snowflakes swirled on their faces, and everyone was shivering with cold. After securing the cars, they hurried back.

Even Alice, who had taken measures to stay warm, felt her hands and feet freezing and quickly returned to the hotel.

The collapsed house belonged to a villager who lived alone. Fortunately, he was rescued in time and only suffered minor injuries.

Alice returned to her room, drank a cup of hot water, and sat by the fireplace for ten minutes before recovering.

The snowstorm outside intensified, and the wooden boards sealing the windows rattled in the strong wind.Tonight, many people were likely unable to sleep, worrying about the possibility of dilapidated houses collapsing suddenly.

The next day, the blizzard outside stopped, and as the day brightened, the sun faintly emerged.The hotel entrance was blocked again, so they had to jump from the second floor and then clear the snow to open the door.

Alice wasn't in a hurry to go out. She ate a beef pie and had a warm milk, then started packing.Mattresses, quilts, and the fireplace were all packed away. Wearing a scarf and a hat, she grabbed her backpack and headed out.

Hurley had also finished packing, and when they went downstairs, they found many villagers gathered.

Alice listened to their conversation and learned that they were discussing house repairs. The town was left with mostly elderly people and children, unable to handle the repairs themselves. Therefore, the mayor came as a representative to ask for their help."Let's not let everyone work in vain; we'll provide the supplies," the mayor quickly suggested.

This proposition resonated with others. Since there was no hurry to hit the road, earning some extra money on the side wouldn't hurt.All eyes turned towards Craig, even the villagers were eagerly looking at him.

Craig: "…"After some thought, he felt it was not a big issue and was about to agree when Alice's voice suddenly sounded, "I suggest you all leave this place. The sun is out, and the snow will melt. case it triggers a landslide."

This remark made some villagers unhappy. An angry old man retorted, "Pah, are you cursing us? We've been living here for so long, and there has never been a landslide."

"Don't fear ten thousand things; just fear the one unexpected thing."Alice ignored his indignation. She had just given a friendly reminder, and whether they listened was their choice.

"You can choose not to help, but can you at least wish us well?"

"Exactly, can't you speak more tactfully? If you don't know how, just keep quiet."

"So many people living here, would you be happy if something happened?"The villagers accused Alice discontentedly. The mayor directly ignored her, treating her words as if they were air.

"Craig, we've lived here for generations. Now there are only a few of us left, and we don't want to go through the hassle. Can you help us out?" the mayor asked.

"Okay, willing to help the villagers and follow the mayor's arrangements," Craig said.

Cecilia stopped them, anxiously saying, "Mayor, I also suggest you leave this place. The current weather is unusually unpredictable. Do you really think the sun coming out is a blessing? I don't think so. Perhaps the next disaster is approaching, especially after so many days of snow. Once the snow melts, the land will loosen. If your town's geographical location is not good, consider moving away for a while. If everything is fine later, you can always come back."

Craig could only look at the mayor, "Whether to move or not, it's up to you guys to decide."Cecilia looked at them earnestly, "You're familiar with the area nearby, surely you know of some hiding places. It's better to evacuate now."

Seeing Cecilia genuinely concerned for them, the mayor also pondered for a moment. He looked around at the vast whiteness, with snow reaching several meters in the highest places and tens of centimeters in the lowest. If all this snow melted, their small town would be the first to be hit.

After a moment, the mayor decided to move. He mobilized other villagers, "There's an abandoned air-raid shelter a kilometer away. Everyone go back, pack your things, and stay there for a while. If everything is fine, you can come back later. Try to bring as much food 

The people here were willing to listen to the mayor. They went back to pack their things, and some quietly complained that they were overly cautious.

Alice went straight to where the cars were parked. All the cars were buried in the blizzard, with no trace visible. They had to use tools to clear the snow, and it took them a while to dig out the cars.

Alice tried to start the engine, luckily it worked, but the inside of the car was as cold as an ice cellar. She quickly turned on the heater.

After clearing the snow, everyone was exhausted. Craig suggested they have breakfast and take a break before continuing.

The dry food they brought had frozen hard, and they had to slowly roast it over a fire. They started eating when it was slightly warm, although the outside was getting warmer, the inside was still icy.

After a difficult breakfast, all the villagers gathered. They planned to follow the convoy.The road was covered in snow, with the convoy clearing the way ahead, and the villagers following slowly behind.

Some sections of the road had too much snow, and snow shovels couldn't push it. They had to manually clear the snow while walking.After a slow and tedious hour, they had only walked a few hundred meters.

Fortunately, the sun had come out, melting a lot of snow, making it easier as they continued.

Look, what's that?" Suddenly, someone shouted.Everyone turned to look. On a nearby mountain, a massive avalanche collapsed, rushing and surging towards the town.The thunderous and overwhelming force made everyone terrified.In just a few seconds, the entire town was covered, and all the houses were destroyed.

This scene was too shocking, leaving everyone stunned.Fortunately, they were in a higher location, and the devastation didn't reach them.

The mayor was the first to react, stuttering, "Landslide... landslide, it's come true."

The villagers who had narrowly escaped a disaster were covered in cold sweat, their limbs weak. They looked at Cecilia with warm and grateful eyes, unable to express their gratitude enough."Thank you so much. If it weren't for your reminder, we wouldn't be standing here safe and sound."Fortunately, the mayor listened to you and evacuated us in time. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

"You're a lifesaver for all of us!"The villagers' eyes were filled with tears, and they were almost kneeling down to thank Cecilia.

"I have two winter melons here. Take them to eat."

"I have ten pounds of meat; I'll give you half."

"I have dried potatoes and sweet potatoes; I'll also give you half."

Cecilia was overwhelmed by their warmth and didn't know how to respond. She quickly said, "A narrow escape is a big gain. You don't have to do this. Keep these things for yourselves. Your living place has been destroyed, and supplies are hard to come by. There's a long period of hardship ahead."Besides, if it weren't for Alice bringing it up first, I wouldn't have thought of it."

So, everyone's eyes subconsciously turned to Alice. Those who had criticized her awkwardly apologized.

Alice nodded, accepting their apologies. She looked at Cecilia with eyes that held an ambiguous meaning.She could have taken all the credit for herself and accepted the villagers' offerings, but she chose not to. Was it genuine kindness, or did she have other motives?

After reaching the air-raid shelter, the villagers settled there, while the supply convoy continued its journey.

Cecilia found Craig and requested to join them.