Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Exploring a New Area

Chapter 133: Exploring a New Area

Melody Summers and her family had been keeping a close eye on the news. The massive, global volcanic eruption had lasted for a week and had only just begun to subside in the last few days.

Over the course of that week, hundreds of millions of people had lost their homes and were displaced, with casualties beyond counting.

Many coastal island nations were now effectively gone. The beautiful beaches and bustling ports of yesterday had vanished, leaving only shattered city walls, collapsed buildings, and rubble-strewn ground.

Those who survived the volcanic eruptions and tsunamis were plunged into anarchy. Refugees were everywhere, their cries of suffering filling the air, and life was unbearable.

In recent days, the temperature had started to drop as volcanic ash blanketed the sky, preventing sunlight from piercing through the clouds of gray.

Melody Summers closed the news page and casually scrolled through the owner’s group chat for The Metropolis Residences. The mood in the group was a mixed bag of joy and sorrow.

The good news was that they no longer needed to keep the air conditioning running just to survive, which saved a lot on electricity bills. The bad news was that no one knew when they would see the sun again.

"2-1908 Coco: The temperature has finally dropped these past few days. It’s still a bit hot, but it’s much better than before."

"6-702 The Lover: Yeah, today was the first time I woke up without being drenched in sweat. That dry, comfortable feeling is such a rare luxury."

"4-1209 Slacking Off: What do you mean, ’woke up’? I feel like I can’t ever fully wake up. I’ve been in a daze these last few days. With no sun, I can’t tell if it’s day or night when I wake up. My internal clock is a complete mess."

"6-702 The Lover: Me too. And I feel all stuffy and depressed inside. It’s an awful feeling."

"4-1209 Slacking Off: I used to think it was too hot and the sun was too bright. I almost wished the sun would never come out. But now that I can’t see it, I feel my mood getting worse. I’m so conflicted."

"6-2702 Holly: I heard somewhere that humans are diurnal creatures. We work at sunrise and rest at sunset. The lack of sunlight really can affect your mood and even lead to depression."

"2-1908 Coco: Try to look on the bright side. At least we’re saving money on air conditioning. A lot of people around the world died from the heat last year. This heatwave disaster is finally over."

"2-1408 Bella Grant: The temperature’s down, and the eruptions have stopped. Terra should be able to get back to normal now, right? When can we go back to work and school?"

"4-1209 Slacking Off: @2-1408 Bella Grant What’s the rush? It’s only been cool for a couple of days."

"2-1408 Bella Grant: I have to be anxious! My kid has been at home for a year already and has forgotten almost everything he learned. He has less than ten years until his college entrance exams. We can’t let this continue!"

"12-1803 AAA Lawson Building Materials - Out of Business: Hold on, how is this ’back to normal’? The temperature dropped, sure, but look outside. The sky is dark. How can you call that normal?"

"5-601 Suzy: Exactly. The temperature just dropped. There’s been no rain, so the water shortage isn’t solved. And with the way things are now, no sunlight means no crops from the fields."

"2-1908 Coco: So what if there are no crops? We have sand vine cakes to eat now, so at least we won’t starve. That plant is seriously amazing, to be able to grow in this environment."

"4-1209 Slacking Off: Enough, stop talking about it. I’m already in despair. Don’t remind me that I can only eat sand vine cakes."

"7-408 Gone with the Wind: Just wanted to give everyone a heads-up. Be careful when you go out to collect supplies lately. People are using the darkness to steal things. My family member’s phone was stolen from their pocket while they were picking up sand vine cakes today."

"4-1209 Slacking Off: @7-408 Gone with the Wind Did you call the police?"

"7-408 Gone with the Wind: We did. It was too dark, and the surveillance cameras couldn’t get a clear picture. We just have to take the loss. Everyone, please be careful."

Melody Summers frowned as she read the group chat. ’The night really does breed chaos,’ she thought. ’Some people just couldn’t hold back anymore...’

******

After lunch, Melody Summers entered the Arcadian Space.

The cherries in The Arcadian Woods were ripe. The Gisela Black Pearl fruits were crisp and sweet.

Melody listed cherry gift boxes in The Arcadia Store for 50,000 Currency a box. The limited run of 200 boxes sold out the moment they were posted.

Then Melody took care of the vegetables in the fields, packing up all the orders that needed to be shipped.

Melody wasn’t short on money anymore. She had over a hundred million in her account, enough for her family to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

But she kept The Arcadia Store running for one simple reason: the unlock condition for the next area in the Arcadian Space had not yet been triggered.

Unlocking The Arcadian Mines had required 100 million, and unlocking The Arcadian Lake had required one billion. The space always demanded an exorbitant price. Melody was afraid the next unlock would cost ten billion!

To be safe, she had no choice but to save up more money.

The problem was that the unlock condition for the next area was taking forever to activate.

Melody discussed it with Albus. There were no more fog-covered areas within their line of sight; all the surrounding regions had been unlocked.

Therefore, the remaining locked areas had to be either on the far shore of The Arcadian Lake or on the other side of The Arcadian Mines.

Melody decided to take the boat to the other side of The Arcadian Lake to check it out first.

When she was first learning to pilot the boat, Melody hadn’t dared to venture too far from the shore. But after a period of relentless practice, she had now mastered the basic sailing skills and could attempt a longer voyage.

She filled the yacht’s tank with fuel, brought some daily necessities and food into the cabin, and set off with Albus!

Melody sat in the cockpit, admiring the beautiful scenery ahead as she steered, occasionally popping a potato chip into her mouth.

The lake was truly vast. Its surface was like a mirror, its waters a brilliant azure. A gentle breeze swept by, creating ripples on the surface.

Occasionally, a fish or two would leap from the water, sending up a spray of crystal-clear droplets before quickly diving back in and vanishing without a trace.

These were the fish Melody had previously released into The Arcadian Stream. Ever since The Arcadian Lake was unlocked, some of the stream’s fish had migrated into the lake, beginning to live and breed in this larger body of water.

After cruising for two or three hours, the wide lake began to narrow, and the once-calm current grew somewhat turbulent. Melody realized she had piloted the boat from the lake into a river.

Upon entering the river, the mirror-like surface of the water began to ripple, and the yacht started to bob up and down with the waves, rocking more and more intensely. Melody felt a pang of nervousness.

But she quickly composed herself, mentally reviewing the emergency procedures she had practiced. She gripped the wheel tightly, adjusting the yacht’s course in response to the changing currents until it was moving forward steadily once more.

The yacht traveled down the river, its banks lined with lush, green grass that stretched on endlessly.

A breeze rustled the reeds along the shore, making them sway in the wind. It felt like being in a fairy tale world.

’No wonder this place is called the Arcadian Space,’ Melody thought. ’It truly deserves the name The Arcadian Paradise.’

The yacht sailed down the river for about another hour when a patch of white fog suddenly appeared in Melody’s line of sight. She quickly slowed the vessel.

Melody pulled out a pair of binoculars and observed the foggy area ahead—

The end of the river was shrouded in white fog, and the water at the edge of the fog was a deeper, bluer color.

Melody stared in surprise at the dark water at the edge of the fog. She realized—this must be an estuary!

Melody had seen science documentaries on TV about this before. The phenomenon of two different colored bodies of water meeting almost always occurred where a river meets the sea.

Due to the different densities and colors of river water and seawater, a visually striking "hydrofront" is formed. Furthermore, the ocean contains a large number of positively charged colloidal particles, while river silt carries a negative charge. The moment the river flows into the sea, the particles and silt coagulate, creating this effect.

Therefore, Melody guessed that the area shrouded in white fog ahead had to be the ocean!

Melody was born in a landlocked city and had rarely had the chance to see the ocean. Now, an entire ocean was appearing in her own space. She was momentarily overcome with excitement.

Hugging Albus, Melody asked excitedly, "White, what’s the unlock condition for that foggy area up ahead? How much money does it cost? Two billion? Ten billion?"

After a moment of analysis, Albus replied:

[Unlock Condition for the Foggy Area Ahead: 100 Peach Blossom Value required.]

Chapter 134: Volcanic Ash

Melody: "..."

Melody blinked, asking in confusion, "Peach Blossom Value? What kind of currency system is that? What’s the exchange rate to our Currency?"

Albus licked its paw, tilted its head, and replied:

[Peach Blossom Value is obtained by completing tasks. The method of acquisition is yet to be discovered. Please continue exploring, Host!]

Melody was completely baffled.

Peach Blossom Value?

Peach blossom...

’Does it want me to plant more peach trees in the space? Or am I supposed to give peach blossoms to people?’

Right now, Melody could only think of the peach trees in The Arcadian Woods. She had no other clues.

Melody glanced at the time and saw it was already past four o’clock. She had no choice but to turn back and head home.

Since it was getting late, Melody sped up on the return trip. Otherwise, she was afraid she wouldn’t make it back in time for dinner.

If her grandma and the others came upstairs to get her for dinner and found her room empty, it would be hard to explain.

After docking the boat again, Melody casually glanced at the fuel gauge, and her pupils instantly contracted—she discovered the yacht’s fuel consumption was terrifyingly high!

She had been sailing continuously for seven or eight hours today, consuming nearly two thousand liters of fuel! That was an average of over two hundred liters per hour!

Melody’s heart ached at the thought. At this rate of consumption, the gasoline and diesel she had stockpiled before the cataclysm wouldn’t last for more than a few trips!

Besides, the villa’s generator also needed fuel!

Melody silently stroked the fuel gauge. ’No wonder...’ she thought.

’No wonder the government immediately imposed energy controls and strictly regulated the sale of fuel after the cataclysm began.’

’No wonder electricity prices skyrocketed after the cataclysm began.’

’No wonder a certain bald eagle nation has been instigating energy wars around the world for years.’

’No wonder energy wars can shape the current global landscape.’

Energy is just too important. Modern life is truly inseparable from it.

Melody clutched her chest and murmured painfully, "If only we could find oil in our space... Otherwise, I really can’t afford to run this yacht..."

Then Melody sighed at the sky. Until she saved up enough of that whatever-it-is Peach Blossom Value, she wouldn’t dare touch this yacht again...

’How did I not notice before how much fuel this thing burns...’

With a long face, Melody left the space, hugging Albus. She realized it was already past eight o’clock.

Because the outside world had been shrouded in gray every day, it was hard to tell day from night, and her sense of time had become blurred.

Melody hurried downstairs. Miss Lowell and her grandmother had already prepared dinner.

Winnie Summers and Colin Summers hadn’t returned yet, so Melody sat on the sofa with her family, holding Albus and watching TV.

As volcanic ash from the recent eruptions had spread into the atmosphere, the news these past few days had been reporting on the aftermath.

Although it’s called "ash," volcanic ash isn’t like soot. It’s not dust; it’s composed of extremely sharp, glassy rock particles.

An expert’s grave voice came from the TV: "Even a small amount of volcanic ash entering engines or sensors can damage these precision instruments. We expect transportation such as cars, trains, and planes to remain suspended for the next several months."

"Furthermore, a small amount of ash is enough to cover road signs and lane markings, creating smog-like conditions and reducing visibility. Therefore, those driving private vehicles must be exceptionally careful."

"..."

A moment later, the sound of the door opening was heard. Winnie Summers and Colin Summers were back. Both were wearing goggles and masks, and their clothes were covered in dust.

Her grandmother was about to call them for dinner, but seeing them covered in dust, she hurried over, frowning. "My goodness, why are you two so dirty? Did you... Did you go coal mining?"

Winnie quickly waved her hand to stop her mother from coming closer. She took off her jacket and mask, tossing them in a corner, and replied, "We were helping the property management clean the volcanic ash off the roofs of the buildings. The ash that has drifted over these past few days has been accumulating, and management was worried about problems."

After saying that, the two of them went to their respective rooms to wash up and change clothes before finally sitting down at the dining table for dinner.

At the dinner table, Colin and Winnie mentioned that there had been two more thefts at the supermarket that day. Unfortunately, the light was too dim, and the surveillance footage wasn’t clear enough to show any details.

Moreover, the thief seemed to be a repeat offender with practiced methods, leaving the police at a loss for now. They could only remind everyone to be careful with their personal belongings when collecting supplies.

Grandma shook her head repeatedly upon hearing this. "We’re all neighbors in the same community. How could someone stoop to stealing? They have no conscience!"

Just then, another breaking news story appeared on the TV: Moments ago, due to an excessive accumulation of volcanic ash that couldn’t be cleared in time, the world’s tallest building, the landmark XX Tower in a certain country, had collapsed under the weight.

The members of the Summers Family stopped eating, their chopsticks hovering in mid-air as they stared at the TV, dumbfounded.

The tower stood in one of the world’s wealthiest nations, famous both at home and abroad. It had always been a hot topic for domestic clickbait accounts, and even Grandma had seen it a few times on short-form video apps.

To think that mere volcanic ash from an eruption could so casually wipe this pinnacle of modern civilization off the face of the Earth.

On the TV, the anchor’s voice continued, "To prevent buildings from collapsing under the weight of accumulated volcanic ash, we urge all residential property managers and residents to promptly clear any ash buildup on their rooftops."

"When volcanic ash gets wet, it becomes conductive, which can easily cause power outages, short circuits, and fires. We ask all residents to prioritize safety when clearing volcanic ash from their homes."

The Summers Family watched the broadcast, their expressions growing more and more solemn.

Grace Sutton couldn’t even be bothered to eat anymore. She put down her bowl and chopsticks, stood up, and rolled up her sleeves. "This won’t do. I’m going up to the roof to clean off the ash right now. What if our house collapses!"

Hearing this, Colin Summers also put down his utensils and stood up. He said to Grace Sutton, "You eat. I’ll go. I spent all day cleaning the roofs of Buildings 4 and 5, so I have experience!"

Melody quickly pulled them back, coaxing, "Uncle, Aunt, there’s no rush. Let’s eat first. We can clean it tomorrow, it’ll be the same."

Grace Sutton sighed and replied, "How can you even tell day from night anymore? It’s dark all the time... Besides, if I don’t get this cleaned up tonight, I won’t be able to sleep a wink!"

The family knew her aunt’s personality; she was just impatient. Winnie could only say, "Let’s eat first. After we finish, we can all go up and clean together."

*

After the Summers Family finished their meal, Grandma and Miss Lowell went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. Melody, her mother, uncle, and aunt put on masks and goggles, changed into protective suits, and climbed up to the roof with flashlights.

Fortunately, no volcanoes had erupted in their province, so the amount of ash that had drifted over wasn’t excessive. The layer on the roof wasn’t too thick.

The four of them carefully gathered the volcanic ash and packed it into sturdy rubber bags, to be taken to the property management center for disposal the next day.

It was said that the government was collecting all the volcanic ash because, after processing, it could be used as a soil amendment, helping to retain nutrients in the ground.

Everything has two sides. This was just the cycle of nature.

The flashlight beams were especially conspicuous in the darkness. Next door, Zara Walsh and Yuri Walsh were eating dinner in front of their floor-to-ceiling window. Seeing the flickering lights on the neighboring roof, Zara looked up curiously.

Realizing it was the Summers Family cleaning volcanic ash, she put down her lobster, scoffed, and motioned for her brother, Yuri Walsh, to look next door.

Yuri glanced over. He saw the Summers Family cleaning ash, but nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. He turned back to Zara, looking puzzled.

Zara took a sip of red wine and shook her head. "They stretched themselves thin just to buy a villa, but they can’t even afford a maid to clean the roof for them."

With that, she admired the Pink Diamond ring on her finger and said nonchalantly, "A girl from a family like that... you could probably have her for a single gold ring these days. Since you’re interested in her, why don’t I go ask for her price?"

Yuri’s brow twitched at her words. Looking at Zara’s expression, he suddenly lost all desire to say another word to his sister. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

He wiped his mouth with a napkin, turned, and left the dining room to return to his room.