Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 231 Arrival at Area B

Two security personnel in black, who had been standing a short distance away waiting for orders, shifted their stance slightly, locked their gazes in this direction, and a silent pressure spread out.

Among the people queuing around, the gazes cast were complex and hard to discern. There was sympathy—after all, those knives did look quite valuable; there was also subtle mockery—seemingly ridiculing this behavior of "not knowing the rules" or "taking a chance."

But more than anything, there was a deep, indifferent detachment. Everyone was struggling to survive, with no time or energy to waste on the mistakes of others. The only sounds in the hall were the hum of the machines and the suppressed argument on this side.

The portly man's expression shifted dramatically. He glanced at the staff member's cold, ruthless face, then at the menacing security guard, and finally looked back at his expensive suitcase. Ultimately, under the unbearable threat of losing his precious B-zone qualification, all his struggles and resentment turned into dejection.

"Okay...okay, I'll hand it over, I'll hand it over..." he muttered, his voice suddenly dropping, filled with frustration and resentment. He squatted down dejectedly and opened the combination lock on his suitcase in full view of everyone.

Lifting the lid of the box and pushing aside the exquisite clothing on top, three narrow items wrapped in dark brown embossed leather sheaths were taken out from a specially designed hidden compartment at the bottom.

At the staff's suggestion, he reluctantly placed them one by one on the designated collection table.

The security personnel, expressionless, placed the three knives into a black storage box labeled "Controlled Items," locked it, and had the man put his fingerprint on a confiscation slip. The entire process was recorded.

The man's face was ashen. He hurriedly closed his suitcase, having no intention of tidying up his disheveled clothes. He practically fled through the checkpoint, his back view radiating utter dejection, a stark contrast to his previous well-dressed and prosperous appearance.

Having witnessed the whole thing, Xu Xiaoyan felt a fine layer of cold sweat seep out on her back. Then, this lingering fear was replaced by an even stronger sense of relief, almost like surviving a disaster.

The watermelon knife in her hand, according to the standards we just saw, definitely falls under the category of controlled knives that have a blade length exceeding 15 centimeters and lack a legal tool purpose certificate.

If she hadn't stored the watermelon knife in her spatial storage, like some people who, with the wishful thinking that "maybe the checks won't be strict," "it might not be found if it's hidden deep in their luggage," or "it's only natural to carry a knife for self-defense," had she instead stuffed it into a lining of her backpack or a rolled-up mattress...

At this moment, Xu Xiaoyan would be the one mercilessly exposed by the security scanner, sternly questioned by staff, forced to hand over her belongings in full view of everyone, and possibly even subjected to further questioning.

Losing the knife is certainly a pity, but more importantly, it will attract unnecessary attention! Being marked in such a strict security check, even if the knife is only confiscated in the end, will inevitably leave a record of "carrying prohibited items without declaration" in the system.

If this leads to an increase in security measures and a more thorough inspection of her... that would be a real problem. Can her secret spatial ability be guaranteed to be foolproof? Any problem in any link could lead to her utter ruin.

Xu Xiaoyan steadied herself and, following the guidance of the staff in front, stepped towards the slowly opening entrance of the passage behind the pre-inspection station.

Passing through that door, the expected open space did not appear. Instead, there was a square transition area slightly smaller than the upper pre-screening hall, with a ceiling height of about three or four meters. The lighting was no longer cold white, but bluish-white, shining from the strip lights embedded in the ceiling, illuminating the walls and floor in perfect detail.

The air was filled with a faint smell of ozone and static electricity, similar to that of a computer room or a large equipment room. Sound was also well absorbed, leaving only the deliberately light footsteps of people, the low rolling sound of luggage wheels rolling over the special ground, and a low-frequency background vibration—possibly the operation of a huge machine deeper inside.

The most eye-catching feature is the five heavy-duty elevators lined up on the opposite wall. Their metal doors are unusually wide, almost twice the width of ordinary residential elevators, and they are also slightly taller.

The door panel is a matte silver-gray without any decoration, thick and solid, with a fine industrial brushed texture on the surface, reflecting the cold light of the overhead light.

Above each door is a rectangular display screen that is currently lit up with red or green numbers or short text indicators: "Up", "Down", "Ready", "Carrying Passengers".

In front of each elevator door stands a staff member dressed in a uniform dark blue shirt and wearing a black headset.

Their uniforms were well-tailored, made of crisp fabric, and featured simple silver stripe logos on the shoulders. Both men and women maintained almost identical standard postures: chest out, stomach in, hands naturally hanging at their sides or behind their backs, and eyes looking straight ahead.

As people approach from the pre-screening lane, they are directed to form shorter, more compact queues in front of them.

His gaze swept quickly and politely over the passengers' faces, clothing, and luggage, his lips moving almost imperceptibly. He was clearly communicating in real time with an unseen central control system through his earpiece, reporting information such as the number of people in the queue and the status of large luggage.

Once the queue reaches the preset length, they will decisively raise their arms and make a clear and forceful "enter" gesture, while simultaneously stepping aside to clear the way in front of the elevator door.

Everyone silently obeyed this unspoken instruction, pushing or carrying their luggage, and walking into the open elevator doors with their heads down. The whole process was so smooth it was almost eerie, and everyone was suppressed by this strict order.

Xu Xiaoyan followed the group and was guided to an elevator in the middle that displayed a green light indicating "Passengers in Progress".

Ahead of her was the noblewoman in red, who remained composed and walked in almost silently, with Xu Xiaoyan following closely behind.

The interior of the elevator is much more spacious and square than it appears from the outside, almost like a standard small shipping container.

The walls and ceiling are all made of unadorned alloy panels, presenting the original industrial color, without any decorations, GG stickers, or even safety instruction stickers.

The top is a dense grid of lighting panels, with countless tiny LED beads emitting a uniform, cold white light that illuminates every corner of the cabin. The floor is also made of metal, but it is covered with a non-slip, textured coating.

Xu Xiaoyan observed silently. An elevator like this can accommodate about fifty to eighty people, but this number varies greatly, depending entirely on the amount and size of luggage.

Some people pushing large carts or carrying huge bags are unknowingly consuming precious "personnel quotas," and also attracting subtle impatience from those who are temporarily hindered. Here, efficiency is paramount, and any factor that hinders efficient transportation will attract implicit rejection.

After the operator's final inspection, the elevator doors slowly closed in the middle. The heavy alloy doors made a dull but solid "click" as they closed, completely shutting out the last ray of light and sound from the outside world.

A slight feeling of weightlessness came almost immediately as the elevator began to descend. There were no floor display numbers jumping around as is usually seen in elevators, nor were there any gentle announcements. There was only the faint groaning of steel cables rubbing against the tracks, and the continuous flow of cold, circulating air from the vents, carrying a faint smell of machine oil and metal.

The descent is exceptionally smooth; you don't feel any obvious acceleration or deceleration, only a continuous, uniform downward sensation that reminds you that you are moving away from the ground.

The sense of time becomes blurred in this completely enclosed, referenceless metal space. No one speaks, and most people have their eyes downcast, looking at their toes or luggage. Occasionally, someone adjusts their posture, making a rustling sound of clothes rubbing together.

Xu Xiaoyan silently checked the time. About five minutes later, the steady descent stopped abruptly and without warning.

A crisp "ding" broke the silence in the elevator car as the elevator doors slid open smoothly to both sides.

The scene outside the door contrasted sharply with the oppressive atmosphere inside the elevator; the first thing that struck the senses was the light.

It was a soft, off-white light that mimicked natural light, with moderate brightness that wasn't glaring. The temperature was also just right, making it very comfortable to be around, a stark contrast to the slightly metallic, chilly circulating air in an elevator.

Then there was the air, carrying a refreshing coolness. If you listened closely, you could also detect a very faint scent, similar to fresh grass or ozone, which dispelled the stuffiness that had accumulated in my chest.

Most importantly, a guide was already standing at the entrance. She was a woman in her thirties, wearing a crisp dark blue uniform, but holding a small fluorescent green triangular flag.

A trained smile graced her face as she skillfully waved the small flag, tracing clear and rhythmic lines. Her voice was clear and bright, but not overly loud.

"Arrival at B1! All personnel, please exit the elevators immediately. Do not linger! Do not block the exits! Please follow the signs ahead and move orderly towards the main passage! Hurry, hurry, move quickly!"

Her speech was rather fast, and the rhythm of her waving the flag carried a driving force that left no room for delay.

Having just experienced a five-minute lockdown and descent, with their senses still somewhat numb and their thinking slightly sluggish, the crowd, guided by clear instructions and waving fluorescent green flags, almost involuntarily and subconsciously quickened their pace and filed out.

No one hesitated, no one looked around; everyone seemed to be pulled by invisible threads, and quickly left the elevator car.

Xu Xiaoyan followed the flow of people out of the elevator. The texture of the ground beneath her feet made her pause slightly. It was neither metal nor cement, but a slightly elastic dark gray composite material, similar to the rubber flooring of a high-end gym in the old days. It was quiet and comfortable to walk on.

The moment the last passenger left the elevator car, the guide swiftly turned to the side, stretched out his arm, and precisely pressed a prominent "Up" button on the inner wall of the elevator.

The elevator doors closed immediately, and it quickly began to ascend, returning to the ground to pick up the next group of waiting passengers.

Xu Xiaoyan followed the flow of people ahead, walking forward along a spacious, softly lit passageway. The passageway was flanked by smooth, light-colored walls, occasionally marked with glowing directional arrows or simple area signs.

Before long, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a huge circular atrium.

The atrium is impressive in size, with a ceiling height of at least 20 to 30 meters and a huge dome lighting system that simulates natural light, casting a soft and even glow.

At the center of the atrium is a group of futuristic and abstract silver metal sculptures, with smooth shapes, resembling some kind of twisted spiral or blooming energy flower, standing quietly in the center of the pool, where the water is crystal clear and shimmering.

Around the central courtyard, there are several entrances to passageways in different directions, each with a large and clear illuminated sign above it.

Xu Xiaoyan's gaze was instantly drawn to a sign in the most prominent position directly in front of her.

The sign above reads "[Housing Allocation and Registration Center for Area B]" in simple, powerful lettering.

A clear arrow pointed to a relatively independent and orderly office area on the left side of the atrium, enclosed by a light gray semi-transparent material partition. Those words seemed to automatically bold, highlight, and even gleam with an alluring light in her eyes.

"Block B... is just different. It's organized and planned, and even the housing is allocated for free..." She almost subconsciously quickened her pace, heading towards the place that symbolized the starting point of her "new home".

Clearly, like her, there are many people who consider "housing allocation" a top priority and are eager to secure a place to live.

Before she even got close to the area enclosed by the semi-transparent partition, she could already see a large crowd gathered there from afar. However, this "lively" atmosphere was not a joyful clamor, but rather a restless din filled with astonishment, anger, doubt, and anxiety.

"This is outrageous! This is utterly ridiculous!" A loud and angry male voice suddenly rose, almost drowning out all other noises, filled with the fury of being fooled.

"I worked myself to the bone to accumulate enough points to finally get permanent residency in Zone B! And what happened? We still have to draw lots for apartments?!"

"Is this what your official announcement, which clearly stated in black and white that it 'guarantees the basic right to residence for all formally qualified holders,' really guarantees?"

"What if you're unlucky and draw a tiny 3-square-meter room? Just big enough for a small bed!"

"There's not even room to turn around inside! You can only huddle up like a worm! What's the difference between this and those pigeon coops or tin shacks in the slums?! This is blatant deception! It's fraud!"

His roar resonated strongly: "Exactly! Exactly! This doesn't make any sense!"

Another shrill female voice immediately echoed excitedly, her voice trembling with anger, "The announcement only said 'standard housing allocation,' it didn't mention anything about a lottery! And it didn't say there were such big differences within this 'standard'!"

"Yes, a single room is a single room, but 9 square meters, 6 square meters, or even 3 square meters—are they all the same?! Is it all based on luck? Then why do we go to such lengths to get this qualification?! We might as well just gamble!"