Sharp Drop in Temperature, Is It Better Now?

With no hot water at home, Alice took out a kettle of warm water from her space and poured each of them a cup. "Have some hot water to warm up."As a precaution, Alice not only stored pre-cooked meals in her space but also had everything from ice water to boiling water and warm water.

The father and sons gradually recovered after drinking the hot water. Blanche asked with concern, "It's snowing heavily. Are you still going to work tomorrow?"

Arnold's stiff body gradually relaxed as he sat on the sofa with crossed legs. His voice was gentle, "We have to wait for the Safe House's notification. But considering how user-friendly the Safe House is, we probably won't have to go."

The Safe House manages facilities such as power plants, steel mills, and smelters, which are not privately owned.

Alice added, "Even if you want to go, I won't allow it. We can do without this job. I can support you."

Alexander's eyes lit up, "Little sister is mighty! I'll raise the banner for my little sister, let's see who dares to oppose her!"

Alice: "..."

Others: "..."

The next morning, the snow stopped. The Allen family received a message that they didn't have to go to work.The Safe House also sent a reminder to pay attention to safety and advised against going out recently. Those in need of supplies were instructed to complete their purchases within the next two days.Upon hearing the news, everyone rushed into the supermarket within the Safe House. Alice and her two brothers went to check out other supermarkets separately.Whether they could buy anything or not didn't matter; they had to at least give the appearance of confusing people.

The outside temperature had dropped to minus twenty degrees. Alice put on thermal pants, a windbreaker, and wore a hat and gloves, fully armed with only her eyes visible.

Arnold and Alexander dressed similarly, making sure to cover as much skin as possible.

There were three supermarkets in the Safe House, and Alice went to one of them. Upon arrival, she found that everyone was being stopped outside the door.

After inquiring, Alice learned that the Safe House was concerned about potential looting, so they didn't allow people to enter the supermarket. Instead, the staff would fetch what was needed, and there were limits on the quantity each person could purchase.

Outside, in the freezing cold, people could only wait in the chilly wind, leading to discontent among many.The man at the front of the line got into a conflict with a supermarket employee. "I have plenty of work credits, and I can even pay double. Why won't you sell to me?" he angrily questioned.

The employee calmly responded, "There's a shortage of supplies in the Safe House right now. We can't meet everyone's needs at the moment. To ensure everyone has something to eat, we have to limit consumption."

"I don't care; I want to buy a hundred kilograms of rice. Go get it for me," the man insisted.

People behind him started accusing him, "Can't you be less selfish? We all need to eat. If you buy a hundred kilograms of rice, what about those behind us who won't have enough?"

"I don't care if you starve or freeze to death. It's none of my concern," the man retorted.The employee didn't indulge the man and signaled to a few others nearby. They approached and pushed the man aside, saying, "Sir, if you have something to say, come over here."

"Why are you pushing me? I'm a customer, a consumer..."In the end, the man was taken away, and the people in the queue applauded, saying, "He deserves it."

Alice looked at the notice posted outside the supermarket. It read: "Starting from today, there is a purchase limit in the supermarket. Ten kilograms of rice per person, two kilograms of meat per person, five kilograms of beans per person... Sales will stop when sold out."

Standing there, Alice attracted the attention of many onlookers. No one had expected the extreme heat to end so abruptly. Most people had not brought thick clothes when they first arrived at the Safe House and had to layer everything they had until they couldn't fit any more.

Those without hats also covered their heads with clothes, looking both comical and pitiful. Alice's attire stood out among them, as if she were a piece of meat, attracting envious glances from everyone.

Military personnel from the Safe House were present nearby, and nobody dared to cause trouble. They all obediently bought their items and left.

When it was Alice's turn, two hours later, the employee impatiently said, "We're out of rice, meat, and compressed biscuits. Only some canned goods and dehydrated vegetables are left."

"Do you have honey and white sugar?" Alice asked.

The employee looked at her with surprise, considering that everyone today was buying things to fill their stomachs.

"Yes, there's honey, limited to one can, and white sugar, limited to one kilogram. That's a total of twenty work credits." As soon as Alice mentioned her purchases, someone inside immediately went to get them, not giving any chance for hesitation or refusal.

Alice took out her work credit card and swiped it. The card balance was still four hundred and one work credits.

As Alice was about to leave, she suddenly noticed a familiar tall figure in front. The person walked away in the snow, with several men following him, acting furtively.Alice hesitated for a few seconds but ultimately put her groceries in the car and then followed him.

Hurley carried two large bags of supplies back home. Sensing someone following him, he turned and walked behind a building. The footsteps behind him became denser, indicating that those people were about to take action.

Suddenly, screams echoed from behind. Hurley turned around to see several men lying on the ground, seemingly knocked out, while a woman with tightly wrapped clothing stood not far away. The eyes that were visible seemed oddly familiar.

"Alice?" Hurley called out to her in his deep and rich voice.

"Next time, don't take secluded paths. Be careful not to attract unwanted attention," Alice reminded him.

"It was an accident," Hurley chuckled.

Alice stared at him for two seconds, said nothing, and prepared to leave.

Hurley caught up with her, "I live just ahead. Would you like to come over? To thank you for saving my life again, I'll treat you to dinner."

"Just ahead?" Alice looked in the direction he pointed. "That's the villa area?"

"Yes, the Safe House lets me stay there for free to keep me around," Hurley explained.

Alice had reason to suspect he was showing off, but she still went over. The villas inside the Safe House couldn't be compared to those outside; they were half the size and had more ordinary decorations.

The only advantage was that they were standalone, with no need to worry about disturbances.

As Alice entered, a warm current enveloped her, instantly dispelling the chill on her body. The house not only had air conditioning but also underfloor heating. It was evident that they were among the first to install underfloor heating.