Chapter 30: Is This the Immortal Realm?

Chapter 30: Is This the Celestial Realm?

Warning shots were fired as a deterrent.

Drones deployed inhalable anesthetic canisters.

The Armed Police aimed their tranquilizer guns and fired.

In what seemed like an instant, all the disaster victims had fallen, and the only ones still standing were those wearing white protective suits.

Is it really this efficient?

Everyone was somewhat amazed. Some who had picked up a few skills recently, thinking they might have a chance to show off their abilities, found that there was no opportunity for them to perform.

Sheng Qingquan blinked, then thought, "After such a long preparation, high efficiency is only normal."

Facing the disaster victims lying on the ground, Sheng Qingquan even heard someone suddenly sigh deeply, "Being unbeatable is just so lonely!" This made many in the crowd laugh.

The atmosphere immediately relaxed.

But only the civilians relaxed a little.

Although both anesthetic bombs and tranquilizer guns were used simultaneously, anesthetic bombs are less effective outdoors than in enclosed spaces. Moreover, it is unclear whether the physical makeup of people from the ancient world differs from that of people from Tianlan Star, and whether their resistance to anesthetics might be higher.

Therefore, some Armed Police continued to hold their guns and remain vigilant as a precaution, while the rest of the Armed Police slung their guns on their backs and began to move the disaster victims.

It was only then that everyone noticed that many vehicles had already parked outside at some point.

The disaster victims were loaded into vehicles and taken away.

In just a few minutes, only people from Tianlan Star remained at the scene. Seeing the pitiful state of the disaster victims—some emaciated, others swollen to the point of skin reflecting light—someone couldn't help but ask, "Where will they be taken?"

"First, they’ll be taken to the suburbs for quarantine. A temporary hospital was hastily constructed in the suburbs. All disaster victims will be sent there."

Including Sheng Qingquan, many people only then learned about the temporary hospital.

But upon careful consideration, it is indeed more appropriate to send the disaster victims to a temporary hospital rather than keeping residents quarantined at home for extended periods.

In addition to needing quarantine to prevent the spread of any epidemic, the vast majority of these disaster victims urgently require medical treatment.

This way, the residents of Tianlan Star do not have to be confined to one place and can move freely, minimizing disruption to their daily lives.

No wonder it was said earlier that there’s no need to hoard too many daily supplies. In this case, it really isn’t necessary to store too many supplies.

"However, everyone should still stay away from the makeshift hospital. The hospital’s location will be shared in the group chat, and during this period, do not approach out of curiosity. If you go out, make sure to wear a mask whenever possible."

Even though the hospital is built in a sparsely populated area, necessary reminders cannot be omitted.

"So, can we head home now?" someone couldn't help but ask. Being outside is nowhere near as comfortable as being at home, especially since they have been outdoors for almost two days.

Since the problem has been resolved, many people are naturally eager to return home.

However, facing the eager hopes of the crowd, the Armed Police shook their heads in response, "Not yet. There are still Armed Police patrolling the streets outside. We need to wait until my colleagues have swept all areas and confirmed that there aren’t any disaster victims outside before you can go."

"Moreover, when you return, you can’t return on your own. You need to leave accompanied by the Armed Police. We cannot guarantee that there aren’t any disaster victims in the stairwells."

"Not just the hallways, but also inside your homes, the Armed Police need to accompany you to check and ensure no one is hiding."

"Only after disinfection can you move back in."

"Work won’t resume for the next few days. Just stay home and limit your time outside. If you must go out, make sure to wear protective clothing and set up an emergency alert button on your phone before leaving."

"When going out, stay vigilant. Be cautious of disaster victims who might react quickly and hide or attack. If you spot anyone suspicious, report them right away to the patrolling Armed Police or the community."

"It’s a good idea to check in beforehand and have an Armed Police officer go with you. Or go out with a group of friends or neighbors."

"Don’t wander into unfamiliar areas, especially newly added forests or buildings, for exploration."

"Don’t go exploring and risk your life."

"And if the original owners are still around, you know the consequences of illegal trespassing, right?"

"In short, just stay home for now."

They’ve thought of everything.

No one found it tedious as they listened. The Armed Police’s thorough explanations put everyone at ease.

By evening, the Armed Police announced that residents could go home in groups.

Sheng Qingquan was lucky to be in the first batch to return.

Even so, it was past eleven by the time the inspection and disinfection were done, and he could finally close the door and rest.

But after such a big event, hardly anyone could sleep.

With no work the next day and no freedom to go out, everyone hopped online to chat.

Sheng Qingquan opened a social app, but it took a while to load because so many people were online.

[You all can’t go out, right? Well, I’m different. As a teacher, I got an early return-to-work order. You know what I’m going to do.

It’s voluntary, but if you’re up for it, it’ll really help with your career advancement. Plus, it’s overtime with triple pay! Armed Police officers escort us with guns and guard us during class. Who else gets this kind of treatment? It’s awesome!

I can't wait!]

[I can go out, but even if I could, I wouldn’t. Life is more important.]

[Kindergarten teacher here! I never thought I’d be contributing to the country like this. I’m already at home, spinning around and prepping phonetic charts. I heard the languages are totally different. The gap is huge. When I got the notice, I was really worried. How am I supposed to teach this?

Luckily, since we established diplomatic relations with Cat Planet, they sent us translators as gifts. The authorities have figured out how to make them and have already produced a batch, prioritizing their use. That's why I dared to take on the task.]

[I’m also a teacher. Why didn’t I receive a notice? This doesn’t make sense! Am I not teaching well? I’m staring at my top-tier teaching certificate in deep thought.]

[Are you a middle school or high school teacher? Currently, only kindergarten teachers and elementary school teachers up to fourth grade have received notices. After all, it’s just about learning to read and speak Mandarin initially, so kindergarten and lower-grade teachers have more teaching experience.]

[I’m not a teacher, but I also received a return-to-work notice. Nothing special, just an ordinary clothing factory owner.

Our factory machines have been running at full capacity, only stopping for a few days during the world fusion. Now we have to continue working overtime. Enough said, I’m off to the sewing machine.]

[If I’m not mistaken, aren’t you the boss? Why are you also working?]

[Too busy for even the boss to slack off, how tragic!]

The online world was buzzing, but Sheng Qingquan didn't spend much time browsing because he suddenly realized that even though he wasn't a teacher or an employee related to garment or pharmaceutical factories, there was actually something he could do now.

For example, using his plant-controlling powers.

To search for disaster victims who might be isolated outside. Compared to manual patrols and drone surveillance, using plants for the search would be more thorough and convenient.

After all, even if disaster victims from the past didn't know much about high-tech gadgets, they would definitely be wary of drones flying around in the sky, looking strange. They would also be cautious of people carrying weapons.

But common plants around them wouldn't make the disaster victims think to avoid them.

This gave Sheng Qingquan an opportunity.

Sheng Qingquan spread out many strands of consciousness.

His viewpoint rapidly shifted among various plants.

It felt like being in a control room, staring at a wall full of surveillance feeds all at once.

At first, it was a bit uncomfortable, but after calming down and adapting slightly, Sheng Qingquan quickly mastered the method.

"Quhe Province, Xiaohe City, Bingdi Town, behind No. 358 Honglian Street, two people are hiding under a bed in a dilapidated kiln."

"Linqian City, behind the newly appeared bamboo forest at the city court, one person is hiding deep in the forest."

"Xianlin City, downtown, a department store, an extra thatched hut in the cold storage. A child is hiding in the cellar of the hut. Damn, we need to hurry, we can't let the child freeze. Thankfully, there were fruits and veggies in the cold storage, or we wouldn't have found it."

...

Before taking action, Sheng Qingquan specifically went to the chief's office. After stating his purpose, the chief assigned the previous Guards to him. Unlike before, when the Guards were responsible for carrying potted plants around.

This time, the Guards were responsible for sitting in front of the potted plants, quickly jotting down every address Sheng Qingquan marked on the sand table, and arranging for local people to handle it nearby.

Not only were the Guards busy taking notes and sending out alerts, but when they couldn't keep up, the staff next to Sheng Qingquan, upon hearing his thoughts, would also help notify.

In just a few hours, under Sheng Qingquan's guidance, more than thirty people were newly sent to the makeshift hospitals for isolation.

It shows that there are quite a few disaster victims who react quickly.

While Sheng Qingquan and the Armed Police were sweeping the environment outside, catching those who had slipped through the cracks.

In the makeshift hospitals across various places, as the anesthesia wore off, disaster victims began to wake up.

Most disaster victims, waking up and remembering what had happened, couldn't help but feel a wave of terror as they looked around. But a few highly alert individuals chose to feign sleep the moment they woke up.

But they couldn't keep up the act for long.

"How low!" In a makeshift hospital in Yunteng City, a young man with cheeks sunken from hunger opened his eyes resentfully.

The interpreter accurately conveyed his words.

The Armed Police inside stayed stone-faced, but the staff pushing the meal cart in and holding a handheld fan to blow the aroma of the delicious food towards the disaster victims felt slightly embarrassed.

But the awkwardness was fleeting, and soon the staff felt justified.

No choice, this trick is just too effective.

After all, no disaster victim could continue to keep their eyes closed after waking up.

"Who are you people?"

"Why did you capture us? You don’t seem like you’re planning to eat us." The young man's gaze swept over the delicious-looking food, clearly indicating that the other party was not short of food.

He was a bit confused. If these people had good intentions, he clearly remembered being attacked before he blacked out.

Moreover, as soon as he woke up, he felt restrained. He was probably tied to the bed.

But if they meant harm, who would tie someone up on a soft bed rather than tossing them into a woodshed or dungeon?

And the food being brought over clearly meant it was for them.

In times like these, who would give away precious food?

Not to mention being swayed by looks. He used to be good-looking, but now, even a ghost might look better than him.

Suddenly, the young man paused, considering a possibility.

He had heard that many wealthy families would recruit people during famine years to train as loyalists.

Could he have run into such a family?

Damn it, I’ll do it. A loyalist is a loyalist.

It’s just living on the edge, one more day is one more day. Even if I don’t become a loyalist, I can’t hold out much longer with this hunger.

Thinking this, the young man spoke without hesitation: "If you want my life, all this food is mine. As long as I’m not hungry, my life belongs to your master."

Hearing the young man’s words, the other disaster victims in the room seemed inspired.

They swallowed hard and competed to speak: "Yes, we need to be fed. At least, at least not starve to death. If not, even half-full would be enough."

"Just give me something to eat, and my life is yours."

Noticing there were many like them in the room, fearing the master might not want so many, they even started competing with each other.

"Don’t judge me by how I look now, old Liu here is strong. Just give me a full meal, and I’ll be strong again. I can handle three or five people, my skills are famous in the area!" said a thin and dry disaster victim.

If his hands weren't tied to the bed, he would have even patted his chest to assure.

"Don’t listen to him," another sallow and thin middle-aged man, afraid of losing his chance, said, "I’m the best fighter. I’ve learned from escorts and can handle a gun. Give me a gun, and in this chaotic world, I can protect the master's family!"

"I’m a doctor, I know about medicine. I can follow the master’s orders to prepare poison."

...

Selling their lives for a full meal, selling their lives to avoid future hunger.

Watching the absurd scene of people vying to sell their lives, afraid their lives wouldn’t be bought, the staff couldn’t help but feel heartache, not daring to delay, he quickly explained the situation.

In another room, a ward full of women.

The women woke up to the smell of food, seeing these strangely dressed people, all wrapped tightly in white cloth.

Though unable to distinguish their genders, in such chaotic times, who would generously save some women with food?

Those stinking men are all after the same thing.

Forget it, it's just the body. It's not the first time.

A young woman tried to raise her hand, intending to take off her clothes.

Finding that her hand couldn't move, she simply stopped trying. It was common for the wealthy to tie people up, fearing resistance and injury.

Some even enjoyed this kind of thing.

Realizing this, the young woman no longer insisted on untying herself.

She closed her eyes directly and said calmly, "If you want to start, go ahead. You can even line up. But after you're done, you can't take the food; it all belongs to me."

Start what?

Line up for what?

The people present were momentarily stunned before understanding her meaning.

"The cannibalistic old society, this cursed famine!" a staff member cursed under his breath. The suffering of people during a famine was evident.

Looking at the other women, regardless of age, they all reacted the same way.

The staff quickly explained.

...

"World merger? Are you really not joking, messing with us?" Despite the staff's thorough explanations, the disaster victims were still somewhat skeptical.

It wasn't until the staff turned on the electric lights and the TV in the room that they believed.

The self-igniting candle flames, brighter and larger than the legendary night pearls, amazed them. And the moving, lifelike frames that seemed to capture their souls.

The miraculous scenes, combined with the images they had seen before fainting. Such tall buildings, so many glass walls. These were things their world could never have. Even the emperor never enjoyed such luxuries.

The disaster victims finally believed.

"So in this world, there are no disasters, no diseases, no hunger?" the disaster victims asked incredulously.

"Not exactly, in your terms, we have a very dependable government. When disasters occur, the government sends troops to provide immediate relief. Most illnesses can be treated. As for hunger, as long as one is willing to work hard, no one will go hungry, let alone die of starvation," the staff corrected earnestly.

"What difference does it make?" To the disaster victims, there was no difference at all.

One disaster victim murmured, "Have we entered the realm of the immortals?"

If it wasn't the realm of the immortals, how could it be so perfect.

But even in the realm of the immortals, they couldn't ignore their growling stomachs.

Seeing this, the staff realized that nearly two hours had already passed.

After the anesthesia wears off, one can eat normally after an hour or two. The staff quickly said, "Now we will untie you and let you eat."

"After being untied, you must not attack anyone, nor snatch food from each other. You can't run around for now; there are patients in other rooms, and catching a disease would be bad."

"Anyone who violates these rules will have all privileges revoked."

"Similarly, as long as you cooperate and behave, once you learn the language of our world and basic literacy, we will release you and arrange for you to work and live normally."

"Not only do they provide food, but they also let us read and write?" The disaster victims were stunned. They were even more convinced they had arrived in the realm of the immortals.

If they hadn't met immortals, how could they be so merciful?

"If you agree, I will now remove your restraints," the staff asked.

Everyone nodded eagerly.

"Yes, yes!"

"If anyone disagrees and causes trouble after agreeing, the immortals won't need to step in—I, Old Li, won't stand for it!"

"Exactly! I, Stone, can't stand such flip-floppers!"

"And I, Pillar, feel the same way!"

"Even though I'm a woman, I know gratitude."

"I, Zhang Chenshi, never went to school, can't read a word, just a simple country woman. But I, Zhang Chenshi, know what's right and wrong. Don't worry, I definitely won't cause trouble for the immortals. If anyone tries to cause trouble, they'll feel my strength!"

...

Then the staff pressed the button to release the restraints on the beds. However, the Armed Police remained highly vigilant.

Meals were handed out to the disaster victims one by one.

The food was still warm, having been kept hot.

They were really going to let us eat?

The disaster victims didn't hesitate, afraid the food would be taken away.

They grabbed the food and devoured it.

They had smelled and seen the food, but only when they tasted it did they believe—flavors they'd never known blossomed on their tongues.

"Is this really egg cake? It even has oil and salt in it!"

"Is this rice porridge? It's so smooth, not rough at all—so comforting."

"There's even bits of meat in the porridge!"

"This dish isn't bitter—it's so fresh and tender!"

"Even the rich in the city don't eat this well, do they? And they just gave it to us."

...

As the disaster victims ate, suddenly someone holding a meal box burst into tears: "Doggy, you poor thing, why couldn't you hang on? If you had, you'd be sharing this good life with us!"

"Mother, I've failed you, I've failed you!"

"Min Lang, if only you'd lived to see this. Such good food—you never got to taste it."

"Father, before he died, he dreamed of tasting egg cake, and now I have a whole bowl... Father, father..."

In the ward, cries rose and fell. Some people silently shed tears while devouring their meals.