Being tracked
The poster said that because it was too hot, he lazily skipped a day without taking out the trash. But he didn't expect that halfway through the afternoon, in a daze, he would hear a buzzing sound. When he was finally roused from his semi-conscious state, he opened his eyes to find the room swarming with green-headed flies. He admitted he was dumbstruck at that moment. However, Su Nian felt he couldn't have been that dumbstruck, otherwise, this post wouldn't exist.
Thinking of this, Su Nian couldn't help but recall a popular phrase from a viral video: "Don't panic when something happens, just take out your phone and post it on your social media." Whether the poster actually posted on social media, Su Nian didn't know, but posting on the forum certainly shocked many people. Numerous comments flooded in, with many expressing they had never seen such large green-headed flies before, let alone seen so many at once. However, as Su Nian scrolled down, they saw someone had also posted photos showing the same green-headed flies.
The appearance of these flies meant that the end of the world was about to begin officially. Normally, flies are particularly active between 30 to 35 degrees Celsius and cease activity between 35 to 40 degrees Celsius due to overheating. At 45 to 47 degrees Celsius, they would die. But now, the daytime temperature had already reached sixty degrees, with surface temperatures even higher. In such conditions, instead of going extinct, the flies not only survived but also grew larger and became more active.
Su Nian wasn't a scientist and didn't understand the cause of this phenomenon. But having experienced a lifetime, Su Nian knew these flies had an incredibly strong reproductive ability. They laid eggs everywhere, which could hatch in three to five days, then they would fly around and lay eggs again. Just thinking about being surrounded by these green-headed flies in a past life made Su Nian shudder.
In addition to flies, mosquitoes, and rats were also rampant, with cockroaches prevalent in the south. Su Nian lived in the north and hadn't seen cockroaches with their own eyes, but they had seen some disgusting images online in their past life that they preferred not to recall. These insects not only adapted to the environment faster than humans but also scavenged and destroyed people's supplies. With the hot weather and electricity rationing, it was difficult to preserve supplies. The rapid increase in insects only worsened the situation.
All food had to be sealed and stored in a cool place, cooked food was best consumed within an hour, and garbage had to be disposed of promptly. If any step was neglected, one would not only go hungry but also be besieged by flies and mosquitoes or see rats running amok. Su Nian had experienced all of this in their past life and had no desire to experience it again.
Without bothering to read further posts, Su Nian quickly got up. They thoroughly cleaned the house and stored unnecessary furniture in their space. Despite not having much furniture to begin with, most of it was now stowed away, leaving the whole room feeling even emptier. Even so, Su Nian couldn't completely relax. They brought out insecticide and sprayed every nook and cranny, with special attention to the toilet and drains, which must not be overlooked.
After completing these tasks, Su Nian finally went to freshen up. Even though they had slept with the air conditioning on, they still felt sticky and uncomfortable upon waking up. Fortunately, there was running water now, making it convenient to take a shower. That night, Su Nian didn't venture out. They only peeked out through a corner of the curtains after it was completely dark outside. The community was lit with streetlights, and there were still quite a few people outside, making it sound lively. But Su Nian knew this situation wouldn't last long.
A few days later, the number of flies and mosquitoes increased dramatically, with many people posting online about their homes being invaded by them. Although these flies and mosquitoes had adapted to the high temperatures, they still hid in dark places during the day and only emerged at night when the sun had set and the temperature had dropped slightly.
If flies were just disgusting, then mosquitoes were both disgusting and detestable. These mosquitoes were more poisonous than before. After being bitten, the skin would quickly swell, itch, and hurt. What's more, they would lay their eggs inside the body. Previously, people used to go downstairs for a walk and breathe in the hot fresh air every night. But now, even though it was pitch black outside, there were very few people. Those who had to go out no longer wore short sleeves and shorts but were fully covered from head to toe. As the number of people with high fevers from mosquito bites increased, ambulances were constantly busy throughout the night. Some who were taken to the hospital were saved, but others never opened their eyes again. The hospitals were already overcrowded, and with this new wave, there was no space left even to stand.
Su Nian saw photos of hospitals posted online and fell silent. In this weather, the deceased had to be cremated quickly, or else their bodies would rot within a day. At night, in addition to the sound of ambulances, there were also the sounds of hearses. With the temperature refusing to drop, the resumption of work seemed distant, prices soared, and supplies were hard to preserve. Adding to the annoyance of the heat and mosquitoes, the departure of loved ones pushed some people to the brink, leading them to choose suicide.
But there were also some who, in this situation, magnified the dark corners of their hearts infinitely. Since seeing the green-headed flies, Su Nian hadn't left the house for half a month. Thinking that neighbors were going out to buy supplies at night, they felt they should also go out. They put on long-sleeved shirts and pants, along with masks, hats, and gloves. Fully geared up, Su Nian quickly opened the door, dashed out, and promptly closed it behind them. It was nine o'clock at night, and it was completely dark, but the power had already gone out.
Su Nian descended the stairs step by step. Living on the 18th floor, going down wasn't too bad, but coming back up would be another story. Even though Su Nian was physically fit, the thought gave them a headache. Finally reaching the underground parking lot, Su Nian first sprayed insecticide around the car before quickly slipping into it while the mosquitoes dared not approach. Su Nian breathed a sigh of relief once inside the car and drove out of the underground garage.
The community was very quiet, with hardly any people to be seen. Su Nian drove out of the community and headed straight to the nearby supermarket. Even from afar, they could see a long line of people waiting outside the supermarket. With the recent strict rationing of supplies, the number of people allowed in at a time was also controlled, resulting in long queues. Su Nian didn't want to wait in line. They decided to take a stroll outside, then drive back home and retrieve some supplies from their space.
Su Nian had just turned the car around when they realized they were being followed. There weren't many people driving out now, considering that gasoline prices had multiplied more than five times, and ordinary people could hardly afford to eat, let alone drive.