The next second, the phone screen lit up with a buzz, and the charging icon appeared clearly. Lin Mo curled her lips: "Amazing. Essential for the end of the world."
[Detected low-power appliance connected. Automatically switching to low-power mode. Power card duration extended synchronously.]
The original 24-hour countdown on the panel jumped rapidly and finally settled at 72 hours.
Low-power mode was a great feature. Amid her joy, a new question arose: what if she used a refrigerator, dryer, heater, and other things at the same time—would low-power mode still be maintained?
Just as she was pondering, the system panel suddenly flickered, and a new mission prompt popped up.
[Novice Mission: Collect 100kg of train insulation materials.]
[Usable materials determined: polyurethane foam, rock wool composite panels, vacuum insulation panels, aerogel insulation materials...]
Lin Mo stared at the mission panel, thinking to herself, this novice mission is quite thoughtful, guiding her step by step to prepare thoroughly for the extreme cold apocalypse without any detours. If the train's insulation was good, she could run the heater for a while and then turn off the power card. The 24-hour card measured cumulative electricity usage; by saving like this, the usage period could be greatly extended.
She couldn't help but calculate: if she connected a heater and it still maintained low-power mode, running it for 6 hours a day, one power card could last 12 days.
Having interacted with the train so far, she had never felt any malice from it; on the contrary, the more she used it, the more intimate she felt. Her fingertips stroked the faint light on the panel's edge, and she even secretly planned to buy some handicraft materials. When winter came and she stayed home, she could listen to audiobooks or watch dramas while knitting or playing with Lego, turning the safe house into a cozy space.
Opening the WeChat chat with the building materials salesgirl, she typed: "Excuse me, do you have polyurethane foam?" To be cautious, she only asked about one material.
The girl replied instantly, her tone puzzled: "Ah, miss, what's that? Never heard of it."
Lin Mo had forgotten that technical terms weren't common in regular building materials stores. She quickly opened Tencent Yuanbao to search, then re-edited the message: "Sorry, wrong message. Do you have nano insulation cotton? My parents want to reinforce and insulate the first-floor courtyard. The ceiling and thin walls are too cold."
"Hehe, miss, you've come to the right place! The shop next door specializes in this. Free delivery for orders of 10 rolls or more. I'll have her add you on WeChat, and I'll tell her to give you the bottom price directly. Guarantee no rip-off!"
After finalizing the insulation material matter, Lin Mo rubbed her sore shoulders. All that oil extraction and tank moving was exhausting, and her shoulders were stiff.
She no longer drove the rented van but parked it within the parking lines on the road at the south gate of the neighborhood. There was no choice; the old neighborhood had tight parking spaces, and tenants couldn't apply for fixed spots, so she could only park temporarily downstairs.
The Suning store near the subway was even harder to park at, so Lin Mo took a taxi directly.
When selecting appliances, she skipped air conditioners altogether. The outdoor unit required drilling for installation, and she wasn't sure if it could be used in the train. Besides, in extreme cold, the cooling function of an air conditioner was unnecessary.
First, she picked three electric heaters: two large ones and one small one.
In S City, winters had many rainy days, and clothes took ten days to half a month to dry, feeling damp. Bed sheets and quilts even grew moldy if left too long. This year was especially cold and damp, so a dryer was an absolute necessity. Thinking of the landlord's broken washing machine that couldn't clean clothes properly and the microwave that was over ten years old, Lin Mo had already formed a plan.
"I also need a double-door refrigerator, a separate washer-dryer set, and a microwave," she told the sales assistant, choosing only well-known brands with solid reputations.
If an appliance broke down during the apocalypse, there would be nowhere to fix it, so durability was paramount.
She didn't choose a washer-dryer combo because standalone dryers had much better performance. The whole set could also qualify for the store's promotion of "spend 10,000, get 1,000 off."
"There aren't many customers today, so we can arrange delivery now, but installation will have to wait until tomorrow. You can come back with our technician. Can you wait about 20 minutes for loading?"
"Change installation to next Tuesday," Lin Mo said. "I'll go downstairs and grab something to eat." She had noticed a milk tea shop and a skewer stall at the entrance when she arrived.
As she walked toward the escalator, she passed by the furniture section. Warm yellow light spilled down, making the rows of wooden furniture look especially cozy. A set of double bed and wardrobe in natural wood color and light beige instantly caught her eye.
The bed frame was a simple solid wood splice design with visible wood grain. The headboard was padded in light beige fabric, comfortable to lean against. The large wardrobe next to it was considerately designed: double sliding doors, layered hanging areas on the upper and lower sections, and a large storage cabinet on top for bedding and luggage, with soft light beige door panels—warm and practical.
Author's Note: None.