Chapter 3: Waiting for Someone Bookmark Quote Suggestion TTS Link

The materials for the solar panels were the first to arrive, followed by the installation team, who showed up promptly and began installing the panels exactly as Zhou Yun had specified, including all the extra reinforcements.

The installation team repeatedly checked with him, "Do we really need to go overboard with the reinforcements? The standard is to withstand level 11 winds."

Zhou Yun brought over a case of water, a case of ice-cold cola, and a carton of cigarettes, handing them to the lead engineer. He explained, "My place is on the rooftop, where the wind is strong. It would be troublesome if it gets blown away, so let’s spend a bit more and get it done once and for all."

The installation team was surprised by his generosity. After gearing up with safety ropes, they climbed up to the rooftop from his balcony and immediately felt the biting wind. They laughed and said, "No wonder you want extra reinforcement. We could even install a wind power system up here."

Zhou Yun smiled and replied, "I’m planning to install one. In the coming apocalypse, the weather will either be scorching hot or stormy. There aren’t many days with good weather."

Summers would bring alternating droughts and floods, while winters would be bitterly cold with heavy snow and hailstorms. A home wind generator system was essential.

The installation team gave him a thumbs up, "You won’t have to pay a dime to the property management for electricity anymore!"

Zhou Yun smiled slightly, knowing the installation team probably still lived in older neighborhoods where electricity bills were collected uniformly by property management. He sincerely recommended, "You should install one too, experts say we’re entering a mini ice age with unpredictable weather. It’s convenient to have a backup, especially since you work in this field."

The team laughed and shook their heads, "Spend tens of thousands on this? How much electricity would that cover? Everything at home costs money!"

The solar panels were quickly installed and connected to the cables and generators. Impressed by the quality of the cigarettes, the team checked the installation’s stability thoroughly and calibrated the power output of the solar panels. They carefully explained to Zhou Yun how to use them and left their maintenance contact information.

Zhou Yun listened attentively, asking questions and taking notes. He even recorded videos, knowing that after the apocalypse, all customer service and maintenance would cease to exist.

Impressed by his thoroughness and generosity, one of the team members asked for his email address, "We have detailed installation and usage tutorials used for internal employee training. I’ll send it to you when I get back!"

That would be perfect, and Zhou Yun thanked them profusely.

As the team admired the thriving vegetable plots on his balcony, they praised, "You’re very capable, young man."

Zhou Yun reminded them again, "The weather has been strange lately. There might be another big flu outbreak soon. It’s best to stock up on food and medicine at home."

The team laughed, "We still have the salt we hoarded during the last big flu outbreak." Some added, "My family also bought a lot of common medicines, and they’re about to expire. We still haven’t finished the emergency rations and instant noodles."

"We also grow vegetables on our balcony, but not as well as you do here. We just grow some scallions, coriander, aloe vera."

"My wife grows chilies. It’s convenient when cooking noodles, and they taste great."

As Zhou Yun watched the team chat and pack up their equipment, their carefree smiles and contentment in this peaceful time only deepened his sense of melancholy.

The shadow of the apocalypse had already descended, but most people were still unaware. One day, someone around them might turn into a zombie, and zombies would start to roam in groups. Ordinary people would have no way to avoid it, and no one could predict who would turn into a zombie or how to prevent it.

After the solar panels, the next installations were the home wind power system, lightning rods, rainwater collectors, rainwater filtration systems, central air conditioning, and fresh air systems.

After the apocalypse, the outdoor temperature sometimes soared above 40°C or became extremely cold. Without cooling air conditioning and heating equipment, it would be unbearable at home.

With these installations, at least the basic electricity and water needs, as well as safety during storms, heavy snow, and extreme heat, were secured.

High-rise buildings were vulnerable to strong winds, but with proper reinforcements, it would be manageable. As his abilities developed, he would find ways to reinforce the entire building.

The only thing that couldn’t be prevented was an earthquake, but in his previous life, he had paid special attention to his hometown. There hadn’t been any earthquakes up until his death, and the building materials used by the developer were of good quality, ensuring the building never collapsed.

The generator could run on both diesel and gasoline, and he also hired a professional electrician to thoroughly overhaul the entire house’s electrical system.

The solar generator system, wind power, gasoline, and diesel served as backup power sources, and the entire house’s circuitry was fine-tuned. The electrician, well-paid, was very diligent and even drew a detailed usage diagram for him.

Next was the installation of the glass greenhouse, using impact-resistant glass capable of withstanding hail and storms. He even bought a box of spare reinforced glass.

The installation team laughed, "This thickness could almost stop bullets. We’ve never had hail here before!"

Zhou Yun explained again what had been said about the upcoming Little Ice Age, but nobody believed him. They just smiled and nodded, not taking it seriously—after all, in their minds, the complete collapse of civilized society and the reemergence of jungle rules had never crossed their thoughts.

Once all the big equipment was set up, Zhou Yun proceeded to make a waterproof fish pond on the roof, equipped with a pond filtration system and an oxygenation system. He added sand, aquatic plants, and water, then started the filtration process.

Next, he built an outdoor livestock shelter and customized chicken coops, duck coops, goose coops, rabbit cages, pig pens, and sheep pens.

In the livestock room, Zhou Yun generously installed air conditioning vents and sterilization lamps. After all, when it really got hot, the animals could easily die.

The technicians responsible for the installation were amazed. "Only large farms usually spare no expense to install air conditioning for chickens and ducks. Are you planning to raise some very fancy birds or something?"

Zhou Yun smiled and handed the technician a cigarette. "You’ve seen a lot. Ever come across someone raising really expensive birds?"

The technician, having seen many people, noticed that although Zhou Yun appeared gentle and refined, he had a quiet and composed demeanor. Sensing that Zhou Yun didn’t like to discuss personal matters, the technician didn’t pry further about what exactly he was raising. He simply nodded and said, "Indeed, I've seen those who raise racing pigeons, Tibetan mastiffs, pets, orchids, and such. They're all quite delicate."

After seeing off the technician, Zhou Yun walked around for a bit and decided to invest in a manure processing system. This way, the waste could be directly fermented and turned into odorless organic fertilizer.

Once the long fish pond was completed, the "century-old brick soil" he ordered online arrived.

This soil was recommended on a gardening forum as excellent for growing fruit trees. It had high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, was inexpensive, clean, and fertile, making it ideal for growing flowers, vegetables, and trees for a long time without needing additional fertilizer. Adding some earthworms into the soil prepared the vegetable garden for planting.

The renovation of the rooftop garden and the installation of various large devices were finally mostly completed. Looking at his significantly reduced savings, Zhou Yun felt a twinge of regret, but he knew this was necessary for survival.

However, when it came to stockpiling food and medicine, he would need to be more frugal. If he could make something himself, he wouldn’t buy it ready-made. If he could buy something cheaper, he wouldn’t go for the more expensive option.

Vegetables and fruits that could be grown in the future should be prioritized as seeds for now.

Considering the harsh weather in the post-apocalyptic world, he decided not to grow particularly delicate vegetables for now. Instead, he focused on cultivating drought- and cold-resistant crops.

With the rooftop garden tidied up, Zhou Yun turned his attention to the two empty attic rooms on the second floor, filling them with sturdy shelves. The attic, naturally cold in winter and hot in summer, was perfect for storage. Its small windows made it ideal for keeping things out of sight.

To better preserve food, Zhou Yun carefully selected and purchased a vacuum low-temperature dryer and a large commercial food preservation vacuum sealer, along with freezers and other equipment, further reducing his savings.

Fortunately, there was no immediate need to vacuum pack everything. He could do it gradually later. The current priority was handling fresh food and livestock.

Zhou Yun first thoroughly disinfected the livestock pens, then went to the market to buy some healthy and strong chickens, ducks, and geese.

Many of the chicks and ducklings available at the market were meant for meat production and lacked reproductive capabilities. Zhou Yun specifically chose local breeds that could reproduce, including both male and female animals. He even found a farmer who sold him a brood of brooding hens and their chicks, placing them in the cages.

He also bought three piglets, three lambs, and two pairs of rabbits locally.

He ordered some books and downloaded many more on livestock farming, planning to learn as he went along.

The fluffy and adorable chicks and ducklings ran around happily in the freshly turned soil. Zhou Yun built a ground-level enclosure around the vegetable garden for them to run and forage for insects. Satisfied, he also disinfected the fish pond, added some aquatic plants, pebbles, and rocks, and began cultivating water plants.

Every day was fulfilling, and time flew by.

One day, a delivery courier brought the electric eels Zhou Yun had ordered online, requiring on-site inspection. As he stood at the door using a utility knife to open the package, the door across the hall suddenly opened, and a middle-aged couple walked out. One of them said to the inside, "We'll order takeout for you when the time comes, and if you need anything, call the property management for help."

After saying this, they scrutinized Zhou Yun and the delivery courier with intense, probing gazes. Suddenly, the woman shouted back inside, "Yuanfeng! Yuanfeng!" in a sharp, piercing voice.

A man in a wheelchair emerged quietly from the room. Although seated, he appeared tall and sharp-featured, with a commanding presence. Even more striking was a strong dog closely following him, its eyes intently fixed on the people outside.

The man replied curtly, "What is it?"

The middle-aged woman loudly said, "We'll be abroad for half a month. You should go down to clean the villa occasionally to avoid dust. And when cleaning, don't enter your younger brother and sister-in-law's new house to avoid bad luck—there are superstitions about that. Also, don't touch things randomly."

The man furrowed his brow, his presence imposing even without anger, but the couple seemed to completely ignore his mood. They put on their shoes and headed for the elevator to go downstairs.

The middle-aged woman continued to grumble, "We're leaving soon, so you can order takeout later. You always say my cooking is too greasy, so go ahead and order whatever you like."

"Oh my God! You scared the heck out of me!" She turned her head and was startled by the one-meter-long, grotesque snake-like creature that Zhou Yun had just opened from the water container: "What is that thing!"

She screamed, "Why did you buy a snake? Is it even allowed to keep snakes in this neighborhood? What if it escapes? We're going to report you to the property management!"

Zhou Yun and the delivery courier exchanged a speechless glance before the courier kindly explained, "It's an electric eel, lady. Some people keep them as pets. They're pricey, and you gotta check 'em out in person to make sure they're alive before accepting."

The middle-aged woman gave Zhou Yun an incredulous look and said, "A pet? Who in their right mind would keep something like that?"

Zhou Yun smiled slightly, and as if by accident, let the water container holding the electric eel slip from his hands.

The sturdy, oxygen-filled plastic water container bounced a few times on the ground and rolled to the feet of the middle-aged woman. Inside, the electric eel thrashed wildly, slamming into the sides of the bag with a terrifying force.

The middle-aged woman let out another scream and practically leaped to the elevator, mashing the button like her life depended on it. As she rushed into the elevator, she continued to mutter angrily, "Crazy! I'm terrified of snakes! There are already snakes in these hills, and now someone's keeping this kind of thing as a pet."

Her husband, who also had no intention of apologizing to Zhou Yun, silently followed her into the elevator. The woman continued to grumble, "Guan Yuanfeng is such a hassle too. He insists on keeping a dog, and it eats meat for every meal, better than what we eat. It's going to bankrupt us..." The elevator doors closed, and they descended.

The delivery courier muttered, "What a piece of work." He glanced nervously at the guy in the wheelchair, who remained expressionless and closed his door.

Zhou Yun picked up the water container from the ground again and looked at the fiercely thrashing electric eel inside with a smile.

Finally, Guan Yuanfeng had arrived.